Cheap Healthy Good

Veggie Might: Mmmm Is for Maple-Ginger Applesauce

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:39:00 +0000

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about all things Vegetarian.

Some friends and I went camping in the Adirondacks over Indigenous People’s Day weekend. We had a fab time, though it was a tad chilly and three of us tipped our canoe into Lake George.

On the way back to the city, I made the offhand remark to J and T that I’d never been to Vermont. From the map, I could see it was only about 10 miles east of us. J, our daring driver, made a quick left.

Within 30 minutes we were in Pittsford, VT at the New England Maple Museum.

The NEMM is a kitschy, animatronic wonder: hand-painted signs, scratchy speaker boxes, and homemade mannequins, made from what looked like panty hose, tell the history of maple sugaring. There are toy stuffed animals interspersed with their taxidermied counterparts in many of the dioramas.

Here’s what I learned about making maple syrup:

Making syrup is hard work.
The old timey way involved lots of water and funnel/trough-like contraptions.
The modern, new-fangled way involves lots of water, a funnel/trough-like contraption, and a giant Tin-man hat.

But the best part of the NEMM? There is a syrup tasting room. That’s right. We drank maple syrup out of little cups. It was one of my best days ever.

Here’s what I learned about the grades of syrup:

The grades have to do with color, not quality.
Grade A Fancy or Light Amber: light golden color, subtle maple flavor
Grade A Medium Amber: golden color, more distinct maple flavor, used for the table
Grade A Dark Amber: light russet color, rich maple flavor, used for the table and cooking/baking
Grade B: deep russet color, strongest maple flavor, used for the table, best grade for cooking/baking

Do not be fooled by pancake syrup, the NMEE warns, which is primarily corn syrup. Only 100% maple syrup will do. And I concur.

At the massive gift shop, I purchased a half-gallon of maple syrup (Grade B) and two pamphlet-sized cookbooks: The Official Vermont Maple Cookbook ed. by the Vermont Maple Foundation and Apple Sampler by Jan Siegrist. On the drive home, with a touch of buyer’s remorse, I worried I’d soon double my body weight.

Instead, I’ve shown uncharacteristic restraint, savoring the maple syrup and adhering to the CHG philosophy by experimenting with things like applesauce for my morning oatmeal. And dang if this maple-ginger concoction isn’t the best applesauce I’ve ever had.

Plus, I got to use a trick I learned from my good pal, C. Stick your fresh ginger in the freezer. Then, when you’re ready to use it, take it out and grate away. Ginger is a zillion times easier to grate when frozen, and it’ll keep forever. Wee!

If you’ve never made applesauce before, give this a try. If you’re a pro, then you already know: it’s easy, cheap, and so, so New England in the Fall.

~~~

If you like this, you might also dig:

~~~

Maple-Ginger Applesauce
Adapted from Apple Sampler by Jan Siegrist
yields about 2 cups; serves 6–8

1 1/2 lb apples (about 4 medium), peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped
water
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1) Peel, core, and chop the apples. I diced mine, but you don’t need to go to the trouble. They break down nicely as they cook. Just cover with water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.

2) Stir and mash with a fork or potato masher. Add the maple syrup, ginger, and cinnamon. Simmer for another 15 minutes or so. Science this isn’t.

3) Serve over oatmeal or just eat it straight. It keeps well too. In the fridge, it’ll stick around for at least a couple of weeks (so far, so good) or in the freezer for up to one year. Yeah, like I could resist it for a whole year.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price per Serving
69 calories, .02g fat, 1.3g fiber, $0.34

Calculations
1 1/2 lb apples: 308 calories, 0g fat, 8g fiber, $1.50
2 tbsp maple syrup: 105 calories, .13g fat, 0g fiber, $.50
1 tsp fresh ginger: 2 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, $.02
1/2 tsp cinnamon: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $.02
TOTAL: 415 calories, .13g fat, 8g fiber, $2.04
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 69 calories, .02g fat, 1.3g fiber, $0.34

Sandra’s Money Saving Meals: A Review

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:52:00 +0000

Up until a few months ago, it seemed like TV cooking shows were ignoring the Great Recession. Hosts made few references to money, and most continued to use good cheeses, expensive fish, and upscale add-ons like truffle oil in their recipes. It was as if the programs existed in a vacuum, where no one was unemployed, and the economy was just fine.

Then, in May 2009, came Sandra’s Money Saving Meals.

Hosted by Food Network personality/flak magnet Sandra Lee, SMSM acknowledges the country’s financial issues; that joblessness and debt have restricted our budgets more than normal. Accordingly, it focuses on fast, fresh dishes designed to keep money in our pockets. Using simple cooking methods and seasonal, whole ingredients, Lee is doing her part to help – at least with dinner.

Writing “Sandra Lee” and “seasonal, whole ingredients” in the same paragraph may seem ludicrous, but stick with me here. Eat Me Daily reviewed the program’s debut, and gave out good-to-great marks. “We almost hate to say it,” they admitted reluctantly, “but the show is really well done.” Other reviewers have been less scathing than expected as well, given Lee’s reputation.

Now it’s November. Six months have passed since the debut of Sandra’s Money Saving Meals, which means it’s had plenty of time to hit a groove. The economy’s still toilet-bound, and the show’s subject matter pertains strongly enough to the CHG audience that I thought I’d review it here. Do the recipes look any good? Are the tips on point? Did it make me NOT want to strangle Aunt Sandy with a seashell window valance?

The thing is, evaluating SMSM is harder than it looks. Mostly because there are three ways to look at it.

WAY #1: SANDRA WHO?

The first way involves pretending you live in a world where you’ve never heard of Sandra Lee before. In this world, “Semi-Homemade” doesn’t exist, and Kwanzaa Cake is a blessed figment of your imagination. In this world, Andrew Cuomo dates a very nice brunette from Saugerties, and the idea of a tablescape is so foreign to you, it’s practically French.

In this world, Money Saving Meals is a fabulous piece of programming.

Set in a simple, clean kitchen and hosted by a good-looking, low-key blonde, the show is essentially Frugal Cuisine 101. Every episode includes step-by-step cooking instructions, along with frequent price breakdowns and helpful tips. Among its many other high points:

There are no secret coupons or special sales involved, so the money numbers are largely true to life.
Costs are given throughout the show, for both individual portions and grand totals.
The tips and tricks are reiterated verbally as well as graphically.
Though not adverse to canned goods, Sandra uses mostly fresh, whole foods.
Lee substitutes consistently and to excellent effect. (Catfish for snapper, canola oil for butter, etc.)
The recipes make enough for leftovers, which are then morphed into other dishes for variety.
Drink recipes abound. As someone who enjoys alcohol, learning to quaff on a budget is appreciated.

Of course, if you’re an experienced saver in the kitchen, you’ve already heard many of Lee’s pointers. Still, it's an excellent show for beginners.

WAY #2: OH … THAAAAT SANDRA LEE

The second way to look at Money Saving Meals is by not suspending disbelief. You’re coming in with all the feelings and prejudices you might already harbor toward Lee. And yes, that includes knowledge of the time she made a cake using a cake.

In this case, the show isn’t as good. As for why:

You question the cooking tips, since you know Sandra often cuts corners and isn’t an extremely experienced chef.
The affectations (“faaaabulous,” etc.) are toned down, but they still pop up often enough to induce agita.
Lee rings somewhat false as a budgeter, given the extravagant, tablescape-y tone of her other show. Granted, she had it rough growing up, but it’s tough taking financial advice from someone who redecorates her kitchen every two days.
Previous knowledge of said scapery makes these kinds of statements hilarious: “I like to make the food the centerpiece of my table.”
Eat Me Daily was right about the “intolerable cheesy” bed music. Michael Bolton would blush.
Yes, Brycer is mentioned. He is the Cody Gifford of the new millennium.

Of course, if you can temper your antipathy towards Lee with appreciation for a solidly made, well-intentioned TV show, there’s a third, more zen way of looking at SMSM that reconciles the extreme views of the first two options.

WAY #3: MAKING PEACE WITH AUNT SANDY

A great man (er, Bill Pullman in Independence Day) once said, “You can tolerate a little compromise, if you're actually managing to get something accomplished.” And here, that applies like crazy.

Look at it this way: Money Saving Meals goes in with a great premise, executes it skillfully, and mostly manages to sidestep the drawbacks of its host. Sandra seems to know her stuff, and if the show succeeds, her focus on frugality could be taken more seriously by network execs. It’s enough to put your prejudices aside, or at least suppress them for 22 minutes every week.

Speaking of which, I thought these might make SMSM an even more appointment-worthy experience:

Dedicate occasional shows to singles and couples, rather than families.
Include more healthy recipes.
Bring in guest experts, possibly from the interwebs. Money Saving Mom or Coupon Mom (or basically anyone with “Mom” in their name) could really be of use here.
Have Lee give a guided tour of a grocery store, and spout off tips throughout.
Emphasize the importance of menu planning, list making, and general preparedness.

And that’s it. Readers, have any of you seen Money Saving Meals? What do you think? Have you tried the recipes? Does it ease your hostility toward Aunt Sandy? Would it ease Tony Bourdain’s hostility toward Aunt Sandy? Comment section! Open!

~~~

If you like this article, you might also dig:

(Photos courtesy of Hulu.)

Why Brooklynites Don't Grow Their Own Food

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:04:00 +0000

The community garden across the street is being torn down, disenfranchising a few locals. This showed up in our yard yesterday. That's a 9-inch loaf pan.

I debated posting this on a frugal food blog, but figured it would stop the "Why don't city people just grow their own food?" question forevermore. I will never stop shuddering.

Ask the Internet: Eating Healthy at Conferences?

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:42:00 +0000

Hey everybody! It's the second installment of our new Tuesday column, Ask the Internet. Today’s question comes from Amber, a student on a student’s budget. She travels frequently to conferences, and finds herself torn between eating healthy and eating for free. She writes:

Q: I am a PhD student, and go to conferences several times a year. The food at these things is deadly - coffee and pastries everywhere you turn. Occasionally you'll luck out and there will be a banana, but that's rare. I hardly ever see protein. The thing is, being a poorer than poor PhD student, I am compelled to eat lots of these free snacks to eliminate the cost of eating out. So I'm torn - be cheap or be healthy? I have tried a few things - sometimes pack some power bars for breakfast or some nuts to snack on, but that doesn't always tide me over. Any advice would be appreciated!

A: Eating away from home is never easy. You’re out of your comfort zone, you’re never sure when the next meal is coming, and the food that IS available is usually muffin-esque in nature. But never fear, Amber. You’re already on the right track, and with a few tweaks, healthy, cheap road food is within your reach.

My friend Rachel frequently tours the U.S. with her improv comedy troupe, and has some experience in this area. She suggests calling up the conference venue or hotel ahead of time and asking what’s on the menu, so you can prepare accordingly. If they’re offering edibles you’re not too crazy about, figure on packing some of your own food, including fruit (cheap, portable), oatmeal packets (cheap, easily prepared), and flatbreads and crackers made from whole grains and seeds like quinoa, flax, and wheat. Rach likes Mary’s Gone Crackers herself. Beyond that, Trader Joe’s should have dozens of inexpensive, healthy options in that realm.

If you can’t prep ahead of time, look for plainer base foods you can customize to your liking. Bagels with peanut butter and jelly will fill you up and sate your sweet tooth, as will oatmeal mixed with raisins and peanut butter. And don't worry if there really isn't anything available. The occasional muffin won't kill you. (Just beware of it becoming Plan A.)

Sweet readers, can you relate to Amber’s problem? What would you suggest? How do you eat healthy at conferences? How do you keep from blowing a bundle on road food? Do you know any good resources for her? The comment section is waiting for your brilliance.

Want to ask the interweb a question? Post one in the comment section, or write to Cheaphealthygood@gmail.com. Then, tune in next Tuesday for an answer/several answers from the good people of the World Wide Net.

Slow Cooker Pork Chops, Apples, and Sweet Potatoes: A Crockpot Reborn

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:22:00 +0000

Today in my Serious Eats column: Pork Chops with Green Apple and Tomatillo Sauce. Three thumbs up!

Do you guys ever feel bad for your appliances? I do. Especially when I haven’t used them for awhile. I figure they must get lonely, all dust-covered and isolated from their more functional friends.

My handheld beater? It hasn’t received any love since Bob the StandMixer entered the picture. And my white round casserole dish? These days, it functions mainly as a toaster stand. We won’t even mention that weird rectangular pot that the Husband-Elect claims to love so much. I think it’s in therapy.

Sadly, my slow cooker’s become one of those shamefully neglected kitchen tools. I haven’t touched it in months, out of A) laziness, B) sloth, and C) a secret fear it will burn the house down. (Because if there’s one thing my father has instilled in me, it’s a fear of something burning the house down, even if it has no chance of bursting into flame whatsoever, like an apple.) The crockpot has produced no delicious stews, nor emanated any delightful smells. It is the Kansas City Royals of cookware – subconsciously beloved, but otherwise, largely ignored.

But that’s all changing. Yessiree, Bob (the StandMixer). This winter, that vessel’s gonna get more action than the ladle, the wooden spoon, and maybe even the bathroom put together. And it starts today, with Slow Cooker Pork Chops, Apples, and Sweet Potatoes. Or as I call it, SCPCASP. (Just kidding. That’s one unwieldy acronym.)

Hearty, sweet, and warm, the dish is a Frankenstein’s Monster of three other recipes: Alton Brown’s pork brine (minus a tablespoon or two of salt), All Recipes’ Pork Chops with Apples, Onions, and Sweet Potatoes, and slow cooker instructions from a very nice web reviewer named CookinNurse. The combination produces moist pork and perfectly cooked produce, and like all crockpot meals, it only gets better after a night in the fridge.

Of course, if you should give it a try, know this:

1) Alton’s brine is very well-reviewed, but a little salty for some. I was okay, but if you’re uncomfortable, take the salt down another tablespoon OR only let the pork brine for a few hours.

2) Suggested additions include dried cranberries, raisins, nutmeg, cinnamon, and perhaps a topping of pecans after the whole shebang is plated.

3) For a more savory variation, try substituting a yellow onion for a red one, eliminating the sugar, and increasing the salt and pepper.

That’s it for now, but look for more slow cooker recipes in the following months, folks. That is, unless it burns the house down. (JUST KIDDING DAD.)

~~~

If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy:

~~~

Slow Cooker Chops, Apples, and Sweet Potatoes
Serves 3 or 4
Adapted from Alton Brown and All Recipes.
(Print this recipe)

For the brine
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
3 tablespoons cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons light brown sugar, lightly packed
2 teaspoons black peppercorns, slightly crushed
1/2 pound ice
4 (1 to 1 1/2-inch thick) boneless center cut pork chops (4-oz each)

For the slow cooker
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 Golden Delicious apples, cored and sliced into 1/2-inch wedges (DO NOT PEEL)
2 medium large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large red onion, sliced into 1/4-inch rings

Optional
Cinnamon or nutmeg
Dried cranberries

NOTE: To save some cash, buy bone-in center cut pork chops and debone them yourself. Once you remove all the visible fat, each piece of meat should come to a little over 4 ounces.

1) Mix the broth, 3 tablespoons kosher salt, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and peppercorns in a medium pan. Heat over medium-high and cook until the sugar and salt is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, add ice, and stir until ice is melted. Place pork chops in a gallon bag or 1-quart dish, add the brine, and refrigerate overnight (but not too much longer).

2) Remove pork from brine. (Discard brine.) Rinse the chops and pat them as dry as possible. Set aside. In a medium-large pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high. When oil is hot, brown chops, about 5 or 6 minutes on each side.

3) While pork is cooking, combine brown sugar in a bowl with apples, and stir until apples are coated. (There will be sugar left over, but we’ll use that later.)

4) Place sweet potatoes in bottom of slow cooker, and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Then, layer as follows: ½ the onion, ½ the apples, pork, the remaining onion, the remaining apples. Sprinkle with leftover brown sugar and cook on HIGH for 4-1/2 hours. Stir gently before serving, and be sure to spoon some of the sauce on top of each dish.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price Per Serving
Three servings: 515 calories, 10.2 g fat, 7.7 g fiber, $2.73
Four servings: 387 calories, 7.7 g fat, 5.8 g fiber, $2.05

Calculations
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth: 15 calories, 0 g fat, 0.5 g fiber, $0.62
3 tablespoons kosher salt: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $0.13
3 tablespoons light brown sugar, lightly packed: 136 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.13
2 teaspoons black peppercorns, slightly crushed: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $0.27
1/2 pound ice: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $0.00
4 (1 to 1 1/2-inch thick) boneless center cut pork chops (4-oz each): 560 calories, 16 g fat, 0 g fiber, $3.91
1 tablespoon olive oil: 113 calories, 13.4 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.12
3 tablespoons brown sugar: 136 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.13
2 Golden Delicious apples: 189 calories, 0.7 g fat, 8.7 g fiber, $0.80
2 medium large sweet potatoes: 335 calories, 0.4 g fat, 11.7 g fiber, $1.59
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $0.02
1 large red onion: 62 calories, 0.2 g fat, 2.1 g fiber, $0.48
TOTAL: 1546 calories, 30.7 g fat, 23 g fiber, $8.20
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 515 calories, 10.2 g fat, 7.7 g fiber, $2.73
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 387 calories, 7.7 g fat, 5.8 g fiber, $2.05

Veggie Might: Make Your Own Mustard

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:30:00 +0000

Penned by the effervescent Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about the wide world of Vegetarianism.

What do you do when you need a quick meal, have veggie dogs leftover from camping, but the only mustard is the fancy balsamic garlic mustard you picked up in at the New England Maple Museum in Vermont? (Oh, we’ll visit there again, CHG campers, don’t you worry.)

If you’re me, you wonder if you could make your own mustard out the beaucoup yellow powder taking over your spice cabinet. (Then you eat the veggie dog with the fancy mustard.) But it got me investigatin’.

I read up on mustard making at Mother Earth News, a blog called Montana Jones, and the trusty How to Cook Everything Vegetarian cookbook by Mark Bittman.

Turns out, you get pretty weak mustard from just adding water and vinegar to commercial mustard powder. But with only a touch more effort, you can get some sinus-clearingly fantastic mustard with yellow and brown mustard seeds.

Chow simplifies the mustard seed situation better than anyone, but here’s a quick breakdown:

Yellow mustard seeds can vary in color from brownish yellow to white. Yellow mustard seeds are best known and most readily available to Americans.
Brown mustard seeds are dark brown or black and easily found in spice shops and Indian groceries.
Black mustard seeds also range from dark brown to black but are smaller, more pungent than the other two varieties, and primarily used in Indian cooking. Black mustard seeds will also confuse your enemies!

The making is simple: soak the mustard seeds in the water, vinegar, spice mix for a few hours to overnight, puree, and TADA! Mustard. The nuances are only slightly more complicated.

Mustard loses its power over time. If it’s too strong at first, let it sit a while—a few hours up to a week—before you serve. Store your homemade mustard in glass, ceramic, or even plastic containers. Mustard will ingest a metal container. Mmm….ore-y. Fresh ingredients will affect shelf life, but homemade mustard will keep for a couple of months or longer.

Whether you use a blender, food processor, or mortar and pestle, Mark Bittman warns you will not get commercial smoothness with home equipment. He’s right, as far as I can tell, but I like mine with a coarse texture.

I made two batches and let them sit overnight: one just straight-up the MB way, though I used garlic powder instead of fresh, and one with horseradish. Both were explosivo when I zapped them in the morning before work but had mellowed to perfection by lunchtime. My tofu sandwich rocked my socks.

Once you have the basic recipe down, you can be creative and experiment with spices and sweeteners. Soon you’ll be making your own fancy mustard and selling them at museums all across the northeast.

~~~

If you like this recipe, you might always like:

~~~

Spicier Brown Mustard
Yields 8 oz, or approximately 24 teaspoons
Adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.
NOTE: Alas, Leigh’s camera perished in Lake George last week. This placeholder photo comes from Cookthink. It's a nice site, and you should visit there.

2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Generous pinch of salt

Horseradish Mustard
Yields 8 oz, or approximately 24 teaspoons

2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
2 tablespoons brown mustard seeds
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water
1/2-inch cube of fresh horseradish, chopped
Generous pinch of salt

Instructions are the same for each recipe.

1) Combine ingredients in a glass or ceramic container with a lid. Plastic is okay, but metal is a no-no.

2) Let stand overnight or at least 2–3 hours.

3) Puree in a blender or food processor until the desired consistency is reached. (I tried one batch in each and found the blender to have a slight edge on smoothness.) Add a drizzle of water to keep the blades whirling.

4) Pour back into glass container and let it mellow for a day or so.

5) Serve on your favorite sandwich or veggie dog and know spicy mustard.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price per Serving
9.2 calories, 0.5g fat, 0.3g fiber, $0.02

Calculations (for horseradish version)
2 tbsp yellow mustard seeds: 104 calories, 6g fat, 4g fiber, $.19
2 tbsp brown mustard seeds: 104 calories, 6g fat, 4g fiber, $.19
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar: 12.5 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, $.04
1/2” cube of horseradish: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $.07
[1/2 tsp garlic powder: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $.02]
generous pinch of salt: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $.02
TOTALS: 220 calories,12g fat, 8g fiber, $.51
PER SERVING (TOTALS/24): 9.2 calories, .5g fat, .3g fiber, $.02

10 Modern Food Myths, Busted

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 13:25:00 +0000

Salt helps water boil faster. An avocado pit will keep guacamole from browning. Soda will eat through basically anything, Alien-style.

We’ll hear hundreds of food myths in our lifetime. Some, thank Snopes, will be inarguably disproved, while others will remain as persistent as head colds, altering both what we eat and how we cook. And still more myths will be made up as we go along, as technology develops and kitchens change with the times.

Today, we’re focusing on a few of those newer myths; modern-day legends spawned by newspapers, TV shows, and those accursed enemies of truth, e-mail forwards. Will açai berries speed up weight loss? Does microwaving plastic cause cancer? Are bananas really going the way of the dodo bird? We'll explore and answer these questions and more, once and for all.

When you’re done perusing the myths themselves, head on over to the comment section to continue the discussion. Do you agree with these verdicts? What are the most outrageous food myths you’ve ever heard? Which ones would you like answered, in addition to these? Do tell.

Disclaimer: Many of these myths deal with health and diet issues, so I took special care to cite reputable resources. However, I’m not a medical professional, and nothing should be taken as expert advice. If you have any questions about the following, please consult your doctor.

1) AÇAI BERRIES: MADE OF MAGIC?
Myth: Açai berries will help you lose weight.
Ruling: False.
Why: You know those internet ads? The ones with pictures of generic-looking women claiming to have dropped 30 pounds in 30 days? Click on them, and many will take you to websites promoting açai berries. While the berries aren’t bad for you, there’s very little scientific data to back up those outrageous dietary claims. Açai have no more antioxidants than several more common fruits and vegetables, and won’t aid in weight loss more than any other berry. P.S. Oprah does not endorse acai berries.
Instead: If you’re concerned about antioxidants, try packing more blueberries, plums, kale, spinach, and strawberries into your meals. However, know that antioxidants aren’t particularly well researched yet, and that adding more produce to your diet will always promote better nutrition.

2) THE “MADE WITH” CLAUSE
Myth: If a food is “made with” healthy ingredients, it is healthy.
Ruling: False.
Why: Something “Made with real pineapple!” or “Made with organic ingredients!” isn’t necessarily comprised 100% of that component. Take this Wal-Mart grape drink for example, which claims to be “made with real fruit juice!” Concentrated grape juice is only the third listed ingredient, behind water and high fructose corn syrup. “Made with” in this case, as in many others, is attached only to sell the product.
Instead: A whole food will almost always be healthier than its more processed counterpart. (Meaning: if you want something with fruit in it, eat a piece of fruit.) However, if you find a product you think you might like, read the ingredient list. It’ll give you all the information you need.

3) THE FIVE-SECOND RULE
Myth: Drop food on the floor? No worries. If you eat it within five seconds of letting it fall, you’re good to go.
Ruling: Sadly, false.
Why: So famous it scored its own episode of Seinfeld, this cousin to the hallowed Five-Minute Rule claims that edibles can’t be contaminated by floor/ground germs if it’s snatched up fast enough. Alas and alack, it ain’t so. According to the New York Times, “Quick retrieval does mean fewer bacteria, but it’s no guarantee of safety.”
Instead: If it can be washed, wash it! If not … do you have a dog?

4) INFUSED WATER: HYPE2O?
Myth: Water infused with vitamins or supplements is healthier than regular water.
Ruling: Usually false.
Why: Health claims made on infused water labels are almost never medically substantiated, and frequently, the drinks contain almost as many calories as soda. Even creators admit, “It’s 100 percent marketing.”
Instead: If you’re in a rush and in the mood for something flavorful, try seltzers or bottled drinks with minimal added sugar and short ingredient lists. Or, y’know, pack a thermos of tap water. It’s healthy, plentiful, and free.

5) BABY CARROTS = DEATH STICKS?
Myth: Baby carrots are treated with deadly chlorine, making them deadly orange spears of death. You can tell by the deadly white film that appears on their death-causing surfaces as they age.
Ruling: True, then false.
Why: This has been a popular e-mail forward the last year, so we’ll go straight to Snopes for the debunkification: baby carrots are just larger carrots cut up. And they can, in fact, be treated with chlorine. But so are lots of other ready-to-eat vegetables, and they’re all washed before being shipped to stores. The white stuff you see on older baby carrots (middle-aged carrots?) is merely their cut surfaces drying out.
Instead: If you’re still worried, buy full-sized carrots and cut them down yourself. It’s cheaper anyway.

6) DOES MICROWAVING PLASTIC CAUSE CANCER?
Myth: Microwaving plastic causes cancer.
Ruling: Largely false.
Why: If the plastic is meant specifically for use in a microwave, there should be no problem. This comes straight from the American Cancer Society: “[The FDA] does say substances used to make plastics can leach into foods. But the agency has found the levels expected to migrate into foods to be well within the margin of safety based on information available to the agency. As for dioxin, the FDA says it has seen no evidence that plastic containers or films contain dioxins and knows of no reason why they would.”
Instead: While I wouldn’t nuke a container unintended for the microwave (like a peanut butter jar or hummus tub), go ahead and use the other stuff. Still unconvinced? Try a glass microwaveable dish or bowl.

7) THE BIGGEST LOSER WEIGHT LOSS PROMISE
Myth: “If I can do this, anyone can!”
Ruling: Well…
Why: I love The Biggest Loser, largely for its central message: if the contestants can drop 5, 10, or even 15 pounds each week, us Joe Sixpacks can, too. And to a certain extent, it’s true; with the correct exercise regimen and diet, many people will lose weight over time. However (and here’s the catch), it’s highly unlikely it will be at Biggest Loser pace. BL participants shed quickly - maybe too quickly - for three reasons: first, the ranch is a closed culture. Family, friends, work, and other daily responsibilities aren’t around for distraction. Second, the BLs are in the gym eight hours a day, have their food closely monitored by the show, and receive multiple forms of psychological support. And finally, most are very large to begin with, which means they’ll lose more from week to week anyway. A 410-pound man can drop 22 pounds in a week. A 130-pound woman should not, unless she’s giving birth.
Instead: Keep watching! It’s a good show. But when it comes to your personal approach, keep in mind that moderation is everything.

8) TASTI D-LITE: GUILT FREE ICE CREAM?
Myth: A cardboard cup of Tasti D-Lite vanilla dessert contains only 40 calories.
Ruling: False.
Why: Back in 2002, the New York Times discovered it was actually between 140 and 225 calories. (Other flavors held even more.) The dessert was made differently in each store and serving sizes varied, explaining the discrepancy. As a result, Tasti had to tone down its ad campaign, and now lists all the real nutritional numbers on its website. CremaLita, a competitor, had similar false advertising issues.
Instead: Eat small portions of real ice cream, and maybe scale back on the Skinny Cow. Weight Watchers isn’t too happy with them right now.

9) ARE BANANAS DYING OUT?
Myth: In ten years, there will be no bananas.
Ruling: Well, maybe.
Why: In 2005, Popular Science published a piece about the potential extinction of the Cavendish banana, the varietal Americans have come to know and love/slip on in random parking lots. Writer Dan Koeppel argued the Cavendish is particularly susceptible to fungus, which would eventually wipe it out. While this may occur, it’s not expected for quite awhile. In that time, scientists could find another banana resistant to disease, as they did 50 years ago, when the Gros Michel banana was replaced by the Cavendish in supermarkets. Beyond that, a fungus presumably wouldn’t affect other kinds of bananas, of which there are dozens.
Instead: Eat apples?

10) CAN COUPONS MAKE YOU MONEY?
Myth: If you use coupons the right way, supermarkets will owe you cash.
Ruling: Sometimes true.
Why: We’ve all seen folks like Frugal Coupon Mom on Oprah or Today. They’re the people who go grocery shopping, hand the checkout girl a few slips of paper, and come back with $25 or five free bags of groceries. And while there’s no doubt this is possible, it’s almost entirely dependent on location and time. Geographically speaking, if there’s no nearby supermarket with double or triple coupon days, you’re at an automatic disadvantage. Time-wise, you have to be prepared to devote several hours a week to couponing, making it the equivalent of a part-time job. Again, this is entirely possible, and even preferable for some families, but for most, those kind of savings simply aren’t feasible.
Instead: Shop wisely. Make a list. Buy loss leaders. Purchase food in-season. Stick to the perimeter of the supermarket. Use coupons judiciously.

And for kicks, an extra special bonus!

11) E-MAIL FORWARDS: A SCOURGE ON HUMANITY
Myth: Everything you’ve ever read in an e-mail forward.
Ruling: Varies, but largely false.
Why: When it comes to a food forward, take it with a grain of salt. Even if it looks truthy. Even if someone writes, “I checked Snopes, and this is 100% correct!” Even if the Pope sends one to you. Because odds are 99 to 1 that it’s untrue, or at least grossly misrepresented. Onions will not protect against swine flu, Korean soup producers are not soliciting American animal shelters for ingredients, and McDonalds shakes ARE made with dairy products. (Apologies to the lactose-intolerant.)
Instead: If you want information on food or are sufficiently frightened by the contents of a forward, check Snopes or Google the matter. And speaking for all your friends and family, don’t pass on any any e-mail without verifying its accuracy first. That’s how “White House Won’t Allow Christmas Ornaments” rumors get started. (*Hits head on table*)

And that's it. Folks, the comment section is open. Or, for more fun food myths, check out some of these guys:

Cracked: 7 Food Myths the Internet Thinks Are True (Rated PG for language)
New York Times: Food, Glorious Food Myths
AOL: Your Mom Was Wrong! 20 Food Myths.

~~~

If you liked this article, you might also dig:

(Photos courtesy of InjuryBoard.com [bellies], Flickr member terry_tu [baby carrots], and Wikimedia Commons [banana].)

CHG Asks the Internet: Fat-free Recipes for Gallbladder Surgery?

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:03:00 +0000

Hi everybody! Today marks the first installment of an experimental, semi-frequent advice column, CHG Asks the Internet. Alexis writes in:

Q: I just found out I have to have my gallbladder out in three weeks and my surgeon said I cannot eat any fat until then... I usually cook low-fat, but no-fat is a little daunting. Do you have a list of recipes with no fat at all in them? I plain to look through all of your recipes, but if you have a list, it would sure be easier!

A: Alexis, Mango Salsa, Chunky Applesauce, Cranberry Relish, and several of our drink recipes all have less than 0.4 grams of fat per serving, which is a good start. Beyond that, I might check FatFree Vegan Kitchen. It's absolutely friggin' loaded with fat-free dishes, and Leigh (of Veggie Might fame) is a big fan. I’m positive you’ll find something stellar in their Recipe Index.

Readers, what do you think? What are your favorite fat-free dishes? Do you know any good recipe sources for Alexis? This one's a toughy, and the comment section is wide open.

Want to ask the interweb a question? Post one in the comments, or send your query to Cheaphealthygood@gmail.com. Then, tune in next Tuesday for an answer/several answers from the good people of the World Wide Net.

Today, the Novelty Gift Book Industry. Tomorrow, THE WORLD.

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0000

So, here’s a thing: the Husband-Elect and I wrote a book! A real book! With pages! And art! And an ISBN number and everything! And it comes out today!

It’s called The Emergency Gift Book: More Than 100 Instant Gifts to the Rescue, and it’s not about food whatsoever. But the writing is splendid (if I do say so myself) and the illustrations are even better. For more, here’s the official Amazon product description:

Are you pressed for time or prone to procrastination? Do you hate to shop? Or maybe you simply dislike shopping for other people? Emergency Gift Book to the rescue for the slacker and the stumped alike! This book contains everything you need to acknowledge family, friends, coworkers, cohabitants, and loved ones whenever a special occasion comes out of freaking nowhere. Inside you'll find IOU coupons, nifty gift card enclosures (to use instead of generic store packaging), and hilarious DIY-on-the-fly novelty gifts, all of which you can punch out and present to friends and loved ones (so much better than showing up with nothing but excuses).

We hope the book is half as much fun to read/play with as it was to write. (Because seriously, it was pretty fun.)

And that’s it! Thanks for the aside, and now back to our regularly scheduled food writing.

Butternut Squash Risotto: Transcendence in a Bowl

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Today on Serious Eats: Butternut Squash Apple Cranberry Bake. Mmm ... autumn.

It’s tough avoiding cliché when attempting to explain Chez Panisse’s Butternut Squash Risotto. Not because it’s lame. Nope. Rather, it's because the dish assaults your senses, leaving them huddled in a corner, murmuring happily to themselves about how they never had it so good.

So, you gotta resort to phrases both tried and true: “best recipe ever,” springs to mind, as do “NOM,” “mmm … risotto,” and, “I would marry this food.” All of them are overused and a bit hyperbolic, but in this case, totally appropriate. Because this risotto? It’s a Sunday meal. It’s a birthday dinner. It’s something you’d make to impress the bejeezus out of your parents. And it’s cheap and relatively healthy, natch.

You’d never expect such a creamy richness from a recipe that’s less than 400 calories per serving, but that’s risotto for you. The Arborio rice gives off starch, creating a smooth texture and eliminating the need for Paula Deenesque quantities of butter. Instead, you’re only adding a few tablespoons of unsalted, plus a half cup of parmesan. It tastes positively sinful, but your soul remains miraculously clean.

Of course, if you don’t make it to eat, then make it to whiff. As a rule, sage smells like Xanadu. Sauté it with onion and white wine, and it creates an aroma Yankee Candle would kill for. I swear, while I was cooking, one of my roommates floated into the kitchen on a cloud of fragrance, Bugs Bunny-style. It was a sight.

The only drawback to the dish is that it can’t be abandoned. Risotto needs constant vigilance, so expect to be tethered to the stove for a little while. Look on the bright side, though; it’s not great for socializing, but it’s excellent for not socializing. Picture it: “Aunt Myrtle, how are you? Oh, your hiatal hernia’s been acting up again? And PBS keeps repeating the same episode of Lawrence Welk? And the America you used to know doesn’t exist anymore? I’d love to talk about it more, but my risotto needs stirring.”

In conclusion, make this. Make it now. You will win friends and influence people.

~~~

If you like this, you’ll also dig:

~~~

Butternut Squash Risotto
Makes 6 1-1/2 cup servings.
Adapted from Chez Panisse via The Wednesday Chef.

1 medium butternut squash (about 1 pound whole or 12 ounces cut up)
24 sage leaves
Salt and pepper
7 to 8 cups fat-free chicken (or veggie) stock
1 medium onion, diced small
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup parmesan, grated

1) Peel squash, then dice into very small (1/4- or 1/3-inch) cubes. Combine squash, a few sage leaves, 1 cup stock, and a little salt in a heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until tender (but not too soft) about 5 to 10 minutes. (You want the cubes to keep their form when they’re stirred into the risotto.) Drain and reserve liquid, just in case.

2) While squash is cooking, add the rest of the stock to another pot, bring to a simmer, and keep it there. Meanwhile, finely chop 6 large sage leaves.

3) In another, larger, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over medium until melted. Add chopped sage and cook about 1 minute. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Turn heat to low, add rice and a pinch of salt and cook for 3 minutes, stirring often, until rice has turned slightly translucent. Turn the heat back up to medium, and add the white wine. Once the wine has been absorbed, add enough hot stock to cover the rice. Stir well and reduce the heat back down to medium-low.

4) Gently simmer the rice, stirring occasionally, until stock is absorbed. Add another 1/2-to-3/4 cup warm stock, and stir occasionally until new stock is absorbed. Repeat the process until all the stock has been absorbed by the rice, and rice is tender. This could take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. (It took me closer to 30.)

5) While all this is going on, sauté 10 sage leaves in a 1/2 tablespoon of butter until crisp, about 30 to 60 seconds, turning once halfway through. Rest on paper towel.

6) When rice is mostly tender, add cooked squash, parmesan, and the remaining tablespoon of butter. Cook 3 to 5 minutes, until dairy is melted and squash is heated through. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, using sage leaves as garnish.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price Per Serving
371 calories, 10 g fat, 1.4 g fiber, $1.77

Calculations
1 medium butternut squash (12 ounces cut up): 153 calories, 0.3 g fat. 6.8 g fiber, $0.72
24 sage leaves: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $1.50
Salt and pepper: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $0.03
7 to 8 cups fat-free chicken (or veggie) stock: 120 calories, 8 g fat, 0 g fiber, $3.00
1 medium onion, diced small: 46 calories, 0.1 g fat, 1.5 g fiber, $0.18
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter: 356 calories, 40.3 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.21
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice: 1280 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $2.49
1/2 cup dry white wine: 96 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $1.23
1/2 cup parmesan, grated: 172 calories, 11.4 g fat, 0 g fiber,
TOTAL: 2223 calories, 60.1 g fat, 8.3 g fiber, $10.72
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 371 calories, 10 g fat, 1.4 g fiber, $1.77

Veggie Might: Vegetarian Miso Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:24:00 +0000

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about all things Vegetarian.

Hi Readers! I thought of you every time I went grocery shopping or cooked a meal over the last month. I’m so happy we’re back together.

Back in June of 2008, I wrote an article about hidden meat that can trip up vegetarians and vegans, warning particularly of fish and chicken stock in soups. Blinded by my own ignorance, and probably the good-faith assurance of some waiter at some restaurant in 1991, I’ve been contentedly slurping down fishy broth at sushi joints across America, alongside my avocado rolls and edamame.

God bless the child that knows it all.

Miso soup is not vegetarian. I stumbled on this shocker last winter while reading the charming Japanese home cooking blog, Just Hungry, and I’m just getting around to sharing it.

Luckily, the mourning period was short-lived. The blog’s author, Maki, clued me in and gave me a vegetarian alternative in one fantastic post. I chose not to dwell on the amount of bonito fish flakes I must have consumed over the last 18 years.

Miso soup is made from a standard Japanese soup base called dashi, which combines water, kombu (dried seaweed), and bonito (dried fish flakes). Dashi can also be made with shitake mushrooms added to the mix.

The vegetarian/vegan version is just dashi without the bonito flakes. Yes, just two ingredients: water and kombu seaweed. I was able to score kombu at a fantastic price from a Korean grocery near my office. You can also find kombu at gourmet markets, health food stores, and larger grocery stores with a Japanese foods section.

Making dashi is an overnight process, but the soup that follows is so easy, light, and flavorful, you will want to make it by the tanker truckload. However, I must advice against that. Miso doesn’t stand up well to boiling and should be served right away. Otherwise, it gets angry and bitter.

You can add whatever veggies you like to your miso soup. I used scallions and a few button mushrooms, along with strips of the soaked kombu instead of the traditional wakame seaweed. It turned out to be too tough, so I’ve left it out of the recipe. Play around and see what you come up with. It’s a whole new fish-free world.

~ ~ ~

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

~ ~ ~

Vegetarian Miso Soup with Mushrooms
Yields 6 1-cup servings
Adapted from Just Hungry.
LEIGH NOTE: Please excuse the camera phone picture. My camera and I took an accidental swim in Lake George (brrrrr!) while canoeing a couple weekends ago. Fingers crossed it will dry out yet.

Dashi
8 cups cold water
1 12” strip of kombu (wide, black seaweed)

Miso soup
8 cups of dashi
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced
2 scallions, chopped (white and light green parts only)
1/4 cup yellow, white, or blended miso

The dashi part
1) Soak kombu in water overnight (or at least an hour) in the refrigerator.

2) Bring to a simmer in a large heavy bottomed pot for 5–10 minutes. Do not allow it to boil.

3) Remove kombu and discard. (Or it can be saved and cooked for other dishes if desired. It’s rather leathery, otherwise.)

The miso soup part
4) Add mushrooms and scallions to dashi. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes.

5) Ladle out about 1/2 cup of broth into a small bowl. Stir in miso until dissolved. Remove soup from heat and stir in miso mixture. Taste and repeat, adding more miso if desired.

6) Serve immediately alongside avocado rolls and edamame across America.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price per Serving
26 calories, 0g fat, 0.9g fiber, $.32

Calculations
8 cups of dashi (12” strip of kombu + water): 0 calories, 0g fat, and 0g fiber, $.3

A Beginner’s Guide to Beans, Plus 42 Bean Recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:50:00 +0000

Some will balk at their flavor and size. Many will have texture issues. And still others just won’t enjoy the farting.

But know this: there are few cheaper, healthier, and more versatile foods than the humble bean. Members of the legume family, beans can be found everywhere from gourmet restaurants to campfire cauldrons. They’ve been vital to the survival of certain populations, and instrumental to the development of particular cuisines. Also, they taste good.

Still, there are folks out there unfamiliar with chickpeas and pintos, kidney and black beans. And for them, CHG proudly presents the following: a breakdown of why beans are wonderful, plus 42 tried-and-true recipes in which to use them.

HEALTH BENEFITS

Low in fat, high in protein, and astronomically high in fiber, beans work beautifully as the main components of recipes, but also as fabulous alternatives to meat. This is for a few reasons: A) they create a complete protein when paired with nuts, seeds, or grains, B) their chemical composition makes you feel sated longer than a lot of other foods, and C) they have a bulky and substantial mouthfeel, so you never feel deprived. Studies have found them to be solid tools in weight loss and maintenance, and integral to the prevention of all kinds of diseases.

If that ain’t enough for you, this WebMD blurb is pretty convincing: “In a recent study, bean eaters weighed, on average, 7 pounds less and had slimmer waists than their bean-avoiding counterparts -- yet they consumed 199 calories more per day if they were adults and an incredible 335 calories more if they were teenagers.” Sweet.

P.S. True to the well-known rhyme, beans make you both smartier and fartier. They contain both certain vitamins that improve brain function AND undigestable sugars, which lead to exciting intestinal activity, which leads to gas. So there you go.

PRICE

Grown globally from Ethiopia to Australia, beans are some of the most plentiful - and subsequently cheapest - edibles anywhere. A pound of dried beans in Brooklyn will generally run about $1, and will produce four to six cups of food after rehydration.

Compare that to meat. In my neighborhood, a pound of chicken breast (one of the healthier animal options) runs $1.69 on sale. It shrinks slightly when cooked, ultimately producing around two cups of poultry.

Let’s do some math, then. One cup of cheap chicken is $1.69 divided by two, or $0.85. One cup of beans is $1.00 divided by five, or $0.20. Using these (incredibly) rough numbers, chicken breast is 425% the price of dried beans.

Of course, the numbers will vary by area, sales, and math skills, but you get the idea.

DRIED OR CANNED?

It’s a controversy as old as storage itself: dried or canned beans? On one hand, dried beans are universally cheaper, and widely considered to possess a creamier consistency and better overall flavor. On the other hand, canned beans aren’t terribly expensive themselves, and the taste difference is pretty negligible when you’re talking about everyday kitchen use.

The tiebreaker, then, is time. If you have the wherewithal, forethought, and 90 to 480 minutes to rehydrate a bag of dried chickpeas, you’ll be rewarded in kind. If you‘re throwing dinner together and an hour-long prep time is crazy talk, canned beans are the way to go.

It’s worth noting that if respected cooks aren’t using canned beans already (Giada DeLaurentiis, Sara Moulton, etc.), they’re starting to come around. Even die-hard dried fans like Mark Bittman have been giving props to metal dwellers recently. Meaning: don’t fear the Goya.

INTRODUCING … THE BEANS

If you’ve ever tried chili, hummus, minestrone, Texas caviar, Mexican food, Indian food, Italian food, or, er, refried beans, you’ve already experienced the wonder of the bean. They’re omnipresent in cuisines all over the world, and come in a range of flavors and sizes that can be adapted to thousands of dishes. Here are six of the most common found in the U.S., along with a few recipe suggestions for each.

(A quick note before we get to the beans themselves: there are a zillion types of legume, and some [like the soybean] are rocketing in popularity stateside. But to keep things manageable, we’re sticking to a few big ones.)

Black Beans
Used frequently in Latin cuisines, the black bean is a small, ebony bean with an earthy flavor. I find it pairs very well with grains, and makes for a stellar soup.
Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa
Black Bean Brownies
Black Bean Burrito Bake
Black Bean Salad with Fresh Corn
Black Bean Soup
Calabacitas Burritos
Stuffed Peppers with Black Beans and Corn

Black-Eyed Peas
A terrible band, but a wonderful food, black-eyed peas are all over Southern cuisine. Like other beans, they’re great sources of fiber, folate, and protein. Unlike other beans, you will always feel like they’re looking at you.
Black-Eyed Pea (Texas) Caviar
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Collard Greens and Black-Eyed Peas

Cannellini/White Beans
There are a ton of variations on the white bean, but I dig cannellinis in particular for their creaminess and flavor. Found in many Italian dishes, you’ll find that Microsoft Word often corrects its spelling to “cannelloni,” which is annoying.
Escarole and White Beans
Garlicky Long Beans and Beans
Grilled Zucchini with Quinoa Stuffing
Guacamole Bean Dip
Penne with Lemon, Potatoes, and Cannellini
White Bean and Tarragon Soup
White Chicken Chili
Spinach and Cannellini Bean Dip

Chickpeas (Garbanzo Beans)
Without chickpeas, there would be no hummus. And without hummus, there would be no joy. Vital to Italian, Indian, and Middle Eastern cuisines (among others), the plentiful and versatile garbanzo bean can be found in virtually every form, from dip to stew to flour (though I have yet to see a chickpea smoothie). Due to its subtle flavor and increasing ubiquity in the U.S., I like to think of the chickpea as a gateway bean; if you like it, odds are other legumes will soon follow.
Beets and Greens Curry with Chickpeas
Chickpea Salad
Couscous with Chickpeas, To matoes, and Edamame
Curry in a Hurry
Greek-Style Chickpea Salad
Lemony Light Hummus
North African-style Chickpea Salad
Pasta e Ceci
Pasta with Zucchini and Chickpeas
Pasta with Broccoli and Chickpeas
Pindi Chana (Spicy Chickpea Curry)
Roasted Chickpeas
Shredded Zucchini and Chickpeas Over Polenta

Kidney Beans (red and pink)
Substantive and quite large in comparison to other common legumes, kidney beans go great on salads and substitute fabulously for meat in chilis and stews. And seriously, what’s a frugal kitchen without red beans and rice?
Chili Corn Pone Pie
Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Pinto Beans (Frijoles)
Wonderful on their own and even better mashed, these pink-brown legumes claim the great honor of being the only bean my mom likes. Also, I could be talking out my neck here, but I find pintos a little sweeter than black beans and chickpeas.
Refried Beans
Swiss Chard with Pinto Beans and Goat Cheese

Multiple Beans
Each of the following recipes use more than one type of bean.
Bodega Beans (any)
Camp Stove Veggie Chili (black, kidney)
Curried Chickpeas and Black Beans (chickpeas, black)
Easy Vegetarian Bean Chili (any)
Gallo Pinto (pinto, black)
Indonesian Curried Bean Stew (chickpeas, black, kidney )
Light Leftover Turkey Chili (black, kidney)
Turkey Chili with Beans (white, pink, kidney)

And that's our ballgame. Readers, how about you? What are your favorite bean recipes?

~~~

If you like this article, you might also dig:

CHG: New and Improved!

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:26:00 +0000

With CHG’s relaunch comes a host of new and exciting improvements to the site. We're super-excited about them, and hope they provide y'all with a better blog experience. If you have any suggestions for more, we're always happy to hear them. In the meantime, behold!

IMPROVEMENT #1
What: A tag cloud!
Why: It’s pretty. Takes up less space than the old label list, too.

IMPROVEMENT #2
What: A Facebook page!
Why: All the kids have one these days.

IMPROVEMENT #3
What: A Twitter account! (Handle: KrisCHG.)
Why: Tryin' to keep with the times. Next, I'm planning on buying a phonograph to play records by this "Osmond Family" I keep hearing about.
Special Note: We’ll have both Facebook and Twitter buttons in the sidebar soon. (Meaning: as soon as I figure out how to do that.)

IMPROVEMENT #4
What: Stars (*) denoting vegan and vegetarian recipes in the Master Recipe List.
Why: Because vegans and vegetarians are people, too, dammit!

IMPROVEMENT #5
What: Occasional minor profanity.
Why: Hell if I know.

IMPROVEMENT #6
What: One recipe per week (Monday), plus occasional dishes from Veggie Might.
Why: Better food and burnout prevention. I discovered that coming up with two new recipes per week, plus another one for Serious Eats, could be a bit overwhelming at times. By losing one, I can concentrate more on the others, and insure a better overall culinary experience.

IMPROVEMENT #7
What: Popular Articles and Recipe Lists
Why: If my numbers are right Batman, these pieces have proven particularly useful to frugal cooks. If my numbers are wrong, the Joker’s got us cornered! BAM! THWAP!

IMPROVEMENT #8
What: Ads!
Why: I’m unemployed. Mama needs a new pair of … everything.
Special Note: Does anyone know how to get rid of ads between posts? I put them up via Blogger (not html), and now I can’t take them down. It’s driving me mad. Mad, I say!

IMPROVEMENT #9
What: Tuesdays off.
Why: $3 pints at the local alehouse. Also, laundry.

IMPROVEMENT #10
What: A Google search bar.
Why: It gives you search results without the whole article. Fancy!

IMPROVEMENT #11
What: Tuesday’s Megalinks are moving to Friday, and will become Top 10 Links of the Week. Fun quotes and videos will be added here and there, as well.
Why: The links seemed like a more natural fit as an end-of-week roundup, and condensing the list to the ten best stories should eliminate some of the slightly less engrossing features.

IMPROVEMENT #12
What: “If you like BLANK then you’ll love BLANK” At the end of each post.
Why: Who doesn’t love referrals?

IMPROVEMENT #13
What: Fiber calculations with recipes.
Why: Fiber is important! So is knowing its quantity when you’re on Weight Watchers. OP, represent!

IMPROVEMENT #14
What: I will be drinking more Dogfish Head Punkin Ale while typing.
Why: See #9.

Does that sound okay? What do you guys think? CHG’s always a work in progress, so thanks again for sticking around. It makes us happy in all the right ways.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Moroccan Spices: Back in Orange

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:55:00 +0000

EDITOR’S NOTE #1: Hi, sweet readers! We’re back! Thank you for being so patient during our absence. We’ll have a post on site improvements tomorrow. In the meantime, let’s get rolling with a brand spankin’ new recipe, brought to you by the fine folks at Kalyn’s Kitchen. (Meaning: Kalyn.)

EDITOR’S NOTE #2: Today on Serious Eats, I wrote of Giada DeLaurentiis’ Spinach and Cannellini Bean Dip. Without exaggeration, I’d give up a kidney for a pita of this stuff. (Nope, no exaggeration there.) It’s only one Weight Watchers point per 1/3rd cup, making it way lighter than hummus. Giada wins.

Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to re-emerge from a month of sloth and pondering with a recipe so fine, you won’t eat anything for the rest of the season. But first, a few things I discovered during four weeks of blog-free existence:

1) She deserved some kind of award before, but after seeing Jane Lynch on Glee, I’m pretty sure she deserves her own country.

2) This is the single best chocolate chip cookie recipe in existence. And if uninterrupted by sanity or others, I will eat an entire batch in a single sitting.

3) Employers don’t knock on your door and offer you jobs. Apparently, you have to go to them. And even then, they might not be so keen on giving you one. What’s that all about? (*weeps*)

4) Related point: when you have no workjob, the public health option suddenly seems like the greatest idea since maple bacon. Folks, if you help pass this thing, I’ll send you a cookie from bulletpoint #2 and/or a package of maple bacon.

5) Parks and Recreation is getting so good! Amy Poehler really has Leslie down now, and Chris Pratt and Nick Offerman are just plain hilarious. I’m super happy that one’s working out.

6) But The Office still wins. Case in point, compliments of Dwight K. Schrute: “R is among the most threatening of sounds. That’s why it’s called ‘murder’ instead of ‘mukduk’.”

7) Wow. I’m watching a lot more TV now.

8) Writer’s block? No problem! Put Black Eyed Peas’ “Boom Boom Pow” on repeat, and don’t stop it until you have a few paragraphs typed out. If you can resist amputating your own ears with a #2 pencil, your productivity will increase tenfold.

9) Watching an hour of Barefoot Contessa per day is not conducive to fitting into one’s wedding dress. Ina, we gotta talk. (Call me!)

10) Oh, yeah. A lot more TV.

Anyway, it’s been an educational month. Mayhaps the best part, however, has been the cooking. I was a tiny bit burned out last time we spoke/read/wrote/communicated via pixels, but lately, it’s been good times in the CHG kitchen. I’m in such a felicitous mood culinarily, someone could sneak a jar of mayo into my fridge, and I’d only maim him instead of full-on mukduk.

Kalyn’s Roasted Butternut Squash with Moroccan Spices is one of the reasons for this rejuvenation. Warm and sweet with a very subtle spiciness, it’s a nice twist on regular roasted squash. You can smell it cooking in every corner of your house, and each bite evokes autumn in the best possible way. (Meaning: cool weather, gorgeous colors, and cinnamon-y smells. Not: rotting leaves and local delinquents toilet papering your house.) At 113 calories a serving, that's a good deal.

If you fear for your limbs when butchering a butternut squash, go ahead and buy it pre-chunked. It’s slightly more expensive, but still less costly than a hospital trip. Just make sure the cubes are patted down for moisture before you mix it with the oil and spices.

And that’s that. It’s good to be back, everybody. Here’s to tomorrow.

~~~

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

~~~

Roasted Butternut Squash with Moroccan Spices
Makes 4 side servings.
Adapted ever-so-slightly from Kalyn’s Kitchen and Fine Cooking.

4-5 cups butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (about one 2-lb squash)
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Spice Mix (makes enough for 1 or 2 batches of roasted veggies):
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. chile powder
1/4 tsp. sweet paprika
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/16 tsp. cayenne pepper
pinch of ground cloves

1) Preheat oven to 450ºF. Line a roasting pan with tin foil and spray with cooking spray.

2) Peel butternut squash (or cut off skin if you don’t have a decent peeler) and chop off ends. Scrape out seeds, and cut squash into 3/4- or 1-inch cubes.

3) Toss squash well with olive oil, salt, pepper, and spice mix, making sure everything is pretty evenly distributed. You can double the spice mix if you like, too, especially if you’re using older spices. (I did this with half the batch and it came out well.)

4) Spread squash out on pan, and roast anywhere from 30 – 50 minutes, or until sides are brownish and squash is soft. (Mine only went for 30, but I cut the pieces a little smaller.)

5) Season with kosher salt and serve hot.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price Per Serving
113 calories, 4.7 g fat, 3.3 g fiber, $0.45

Calculations
4-5 cups butternut squash: 284 calories, 0.6 g fat, 12.6 g fiber, $1.52
4 teaspoons olive oil: 158 calories, 17.9 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.15
1/2 tsp. kosher salt: negligible calories, fat, and fiber: $0.01
Freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, and fiber: $0.01
1 tsp. ground cumin: negligible calories, fat, and fiber: $0.02
1/2 tsp. ground coriander: negligible calories, fat, and fiber: $0.01
1/4 tsp. chile powder: 2 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, $0.01
1/4 tsp. sweet paprika: 2 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, $0.01
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon: 2 calories, 0 g fat, 0.3 g fiber, $0.01
1/8 tsp. ground allspice: 1 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.02
1/8 tsp. ground ginger: 1 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.01
1/16 tsp. cayenne pepper: negligible calories, fat, and fiber: $0.01
pinch of ground cloves: negligible calories, fat, and fiber: $0.01
TOTAL: 450 calories, 18.7 g fat, 13.3 g fiber, $1.80
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 113 calories, 4.7 g fat, 3.3 g fiber, $0.45

The Final Countdown (Do Da Do Dooo)

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:03:00 +0000

Hey everybody! We're officially back Monday the 19th, so keep your eyes peeled.

In the meantime, if you have a hankering for inexpensive, healthy food, check out The 25 Best Laughably Cheap Recipes at Casual Kitchen. Just reading it will make you wicked hungry.

See you in a few days!

CHG Grand Re-Opening, Coming Soon

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Readers! Hi there! How have you been? Things are lovely over here. I got to see rhinos fighting a few weeks ago, so that was pretty sweet.

Beyond that, there's news! CHG is looking to start up again in another week or two. It should be plenty of time to get some housekeeping done, and juuuust enough time to emotionally recover from tonight's Office. (Yay Pam and Jim! I haven't been this excited over a TV event since they introduced "B" on Sesame Street.)

They'll be a few improvements upon CHG's return, including more in-depth posts, increased user friendliness, and at least marginally better photos. Alas, we'll also be coming back with ads. Though I aspired to be the Fugazi of food blogging, an extended period of employment inactivity has necessitated the monetization the site. (That's fancy talk for, "I gotta make some dough, lest I end up panhandling for Cheetos on Flatbush Avenue.") We'll try to make them as ethical and aesthetically pleasing as possible. Unlike, say, these.

So - hooray! I'm looking forward to getting back to business, and hearing from y'all about frugal, nutritious cooking. It's gonna be good times.

A Return! And a Temporary Break.

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:16:00 +0000

Readers! Hey there! How are you? I’ve been away for a few days, alternately babysitting and proving myself to be totally florally ignorant. (Remember: life is easy. Wedding flowers are hard.)

Beyond that, the last week or so has been chock full of deep, thoughtful, uh … thinking … about CHG. I find myself lacking employment lately, and kind of need to concentrate on the job search for a little while.

So. I think we’re going to put the blog on hiatus for a bit, just to regroup and get our collective mojo back. (Note: not this mojo. This mojo. Though the former is nice, too.) There’ll still be occasional posts, especially if there’s a light, inexpensive recipe that screams to be shared. And I expect we’ll be back eventually, but mostly, it’s gonna be slow going for a few weeks.

In the meantime, thank you guys immensely for your continued support and thoughtful comments. It’s been wonderful reading your opinions and learning from your cooking experiences for the last two-and-a-half years, and I look forward to doing it again when a job (and, uh, health insurance) has been procured.

Until next time, yay! And this. Because ... you'll see.

Edited 9/24/09 by Kris.

Veggie Might: From VM Labs - Miso Mashed Potatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:11:00 +0000

Penned by the effervescent Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about the wide world of Vegetarianism.

Friday, I went to seen an oral surgeon for a consultation. I left the doctor’s office down two wisdom teeth and up a bolt of gauze. Had I suspected this course of events (and been running less late or less concerned with the doctor seeing clean teeth), I would have eaten breakfast.

Cut to two hours later when my entire mouth is numb and I’m starving—like low-blood sugar, kinda woozy, I-need-food-now starving: Grapefruit juice to the rescue. I chugged about a quart and only a cup or so ran down from the corners of my Novocain-paralyzed mouth.

Since I’ve been traveling and hosting a ‘tween for the last two + weeks, my cupboards have been pretty barren. Looking around the kitchen, I spied a large russet potato. Mashed potatoes would be the perfect way to fill my aching belly via aching jaws. I scrubbed and chopped the potato, threw it in a pot of water, and took a doctor-prescribed painkiller. The anesthesia was wearing off.

Though I was ravenous and in pain, I still wanted something to go in the potatoes—something interesting, I decided. Maybe it was the meds.

The interior of my fridge looked like the shelves of a mad scientist’s laboratory. There seemed to be hundreds of jars and containers, pickling mystery and breeding mayhem. I sorted through the aging leftovers and experiments. Too tired and cranky to defrost vegetable broth, I pulled out a jar of vegetable stock paste and a tub of red miso.

Stock is great for giving potatoes, pasta, and grains a kick without adding the calories and fat of butter; and I keep store-bought stock mix around for emergencies. Plus, this one is low sodium, so, bonus. I added a 1/2 teaspoon to the boiling water. Miso does the same kind of thing, Japanese style.

Once the potato was cooked to my liking, I mashed them up with a fork, water and all, adding a dollop of miso and a few grinds of black pepper to the madness.

I was so hungry, anything would have been amazing during those few first bites. But as the novelty of eating wore off and I started tasting, I noticed the potatoes were quite good: rich and savory, without being heavy. I imagined serving them next to green beans and dolled-up tempeh or seitan at a family meal.

My frankenpotato success was surprising, especially considering the slapdash manner in which this—I hesitate to call it a recipe—came together. Emboldened by my happy experiment...

Bonus Hall of Shame entry: Sunday, I made a second attempt at Mark Bittman’s eggplant gnocchi. The extremeness of the FAIL was so repugnant, so grey and slimy, I won’t even make you look. It tasted okay, perfect for my mush-mouthed needs, but it’s back to the laboratory on that one.

Miso Mashed Potatoes
Serves 2–3

1 large russet potato (approx 12 oz)
Just enough water to cover potatoes (about 2 cups)
1/2 tsp vegetable stock paste (or add 1/2 cup of veg stock to water)
1 tbsp red miso
salt and pepper to taste

1) Wash and chop potato. Peel if you like. I prefer skins in my mashed. Bring about 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan in the meantime.

2) When the water boils, add stock paste and potato. Stir occasionally and cook uncovered at a low boil until potatoes are soft.

3) Using the cooking water as your liquid, start mashing with your tool of choice. I used a fork.

4) Add miso and keep mashing until the desired consistency is reached. Add a splash of broth/water if necessary. (It wasn’t for me.)

5) Enjoy until your mouth feels better and even after. Goes great with ice cream.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
2 servings: 172 calories, 0.1g fat, $.56
3 servings: 115 calories, .067g fat, $.37

Calculations
1 large russet potato: 313.5 calories, 0.2g fat, $.75
1/2 tsp vegetable stock paste: 8 calories, 0g fat, $.08
1 tbsp red miso: 22.5 calories, 0g fat, $.27
salt and pepper: negligible calories and fat, $.02
Totals: 344 calories, 0.2g fat, $1.12
Per serving: (totals/2): 172 calories, 0.1g fat, $.56
Per serving: (totals/3): 115 calories, .067g fat, $.37

Yellow Tomato Recipes, Part 2: Gazpacho and Stuffed Tomatoes

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:13:00 +0000

Part 2! Behold...

Yellow Tomato Gazpacho
Makes 5 cups soup
Adapted from Suzanne Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques

2 1/2 pounds ripe yellow tomatoes
1 cucumber
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and cut in half
4 sprigs cilantro, plus 12 cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons diced red or orange sweet pepper
3 tablespoons diced red onion
18 small cherry tomatoes, cut in half (optional)
Super-good extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

NOTE: I ate this with the red pepper and red onion, but without the cherry tomatoes or extra olive oil drizzled on top. It was good. - Kris

1) Blanch the yellow tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds. Cool the tomatoes in a bowl of ice water a few minutes, and then use your ﬁngers to slip off their skins. Remove the cores, and chop the tomatoes coarsely, saving all the juice. Reserve the ice water.

2) Seed and dice three tablespoons’ worth of unpeeled cucumber, as prettily as you can manage, for the garnish. Set aside. Peel and coarsely chop the remaining cucumbers.

3) You will need to make the soup in batches. Place half the yellow tomatoes, coarsely chopped cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro sprigs, garlic, vinegar, and olive oil in a blender with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and some pepper. Process at the lowest speed until broken down. Turn the speed up to high, and purée until the soup is completely smooth. If the soup is too thick, add a little of the reserved ice water. Strain the soup and taste for seasoning. Repeat with the rest of the soup ingredients. Chill the soup in the refrigerator; it should be served very cold.

4) Toss the diced pepper, diced onion, and diced cucumber together in a small bowl.

5) Pour the gazpacho into six chilled soup bowls, and scatter the pepper mixture over the soup. Season the cherry tomatoes with salt and pepper and place three cherry tomato halves and two cilantro leaves at the center of each bowl. Finish each soup with a drizzle of super-good olive oil. To serve family-style, place the soup in a chilled tureen or pretty pitcher and garnish with the tomato halves and cilantro; pass the diced vegetables on the side.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price Per Serving
134 calories, 11.4 g fat, 1.6 g fiber, $0.61

Calculations
2 1/2 pounds ripe yellow tomatoes: 127 calories, 2.5 g fat, 5.9 g fiber, $1.00
1 cucumber: 24 calories, 0.4 g fat, 1.4 g fiber, $0.66
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and cut in half: 16 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.06
4 sprigs cilantro, plus 12 cilantro leaves: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $0.10
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped: 9 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, $0.08
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar: negligible calories and fat, $0.16
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil: 477 calories, 54 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.48
3 tablespoons diced red or orange sweet pepper: 7 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.6 g fiber, $0.40
3 tablespoons diced red onion: 12 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.08
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $0.02
TOTAL: 672 calories, 57 g fat, 8 g fiber, $3.04
PER SERVING (TOTAL/5): 134 calories, 11.4 g fat, 1.6 g fiber, $0.61

~~~

Provencal Stuffed Tomatoes
Makes 8 stuffed tomatoes
Adapted from Food Network/Maria Sinskey
(I mentioned this on Wednesday, but this isn't my picture. Mine was terrible. It's Food Network's.)

8 (1 by 1-inch) bread cubes
8 medium-small ripe red or yellow tomatoes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (about 2 ounces)
1/2 cup pitted, sliced kalamata or nicoise olives
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley leaves
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
3 large garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

NOTE: I forgot the oregano when I made it. No biggie. Also, this was mad watery, but wonderful when stacked on top of pasta. - Kris

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2) Arrange the bread cubes on a baking sheet and lightly toast in the oven, about 10 minutes. Let cool.

3) Increase the oven to 400 degrees F.

4) Remove the cores from the top of the tomatoes and cut the top off the tomato 1/4 of the way down. Reserve the tops. Slice enough of the bottom off each tomato, so it stands up, but don't cut through to the seed. (If you cut too deep, patch the hole with the piece you have just sliced off, by placing it in the bottom after you've hollowed it out.)

5) Using a melon baller, carefully scoop the inside of the tomatoes out, taking care not to penetrate the sides and create holes. Collect the balls of pulp and chop coarsely. Press the juice and seeds through a strainer. Add the strained juice to the chopped pulp.

6) In a bowl, mix together the tomato pulp, Parmesan, olives, olive oil, parsley, basil, oregano, and garlic. Toss with the bread cubes and season with salt and pepper. Let the mixture sit until the bread cubes have soaked up most of the moisture.

7) Season the interior of each tomato with salt and black pepper. Stuff each tomato with 1 bread cube and as much as herb olive mixture that you can pack in. Top with the reserved tomato tops and stick a toothpick through the center of the top to keep it from sliding off while it bakes. Place the stuffed tomatoes in a roasting pan that has been drizzled with olive oil. Drizzle the tops of tomatoes with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until bubbling and tender, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price Per Serving
140 calories, 11 g fat, 1.7 g fiber, $0.64

Calculations
8 (1 by 1-inch) bread cubes: 84 calories, 2 g fat, 0.8 g fiber, $0.13
8 medium-small ripe red or yellow tomatoes: 191 calories, 3.8 g fat, 8.9 g fiber, $2.00
1/2 cup grated Parmesan (about 2 ounces): 216 calories, 14.3 g fat, 0 g fiber, $1.36
1/2 cup pitted, sliced kalamata or nicoise olives: 136 calories, 13.6 g fat, 3 g fiber, $0.65
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed: 477 calories, 54 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.48
2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley leaves: 3 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.3 g fiber, $0.22
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves: 1 calories, 0 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, FREE (got them with the tomatoes)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $0.10
3 large garlic cloves, minced: 13 calories, 0 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, $0.12
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, and fiber, $0.02
TOTAL: 1121 calories, 87.8 g fat, 13.4 g fiber, $5.08
PER SERVING (TOTAL/8): 140 calories, 11 g fat, 1.7 g fiber, $0.64

Yellow Tomato Recipes, Part I: Salsa and Soup (Also, Encounters of the Celebrity Kind)

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:06:00 +0000

Before we get into our first two recipes from Wednesday’s Tomato-a-thon, I encourage you to check out this post over at The Onion’s AV Club. It’s all about the writers’ favorite/best celebrity encounters, and the comment section is hilarious. My favorite story is from the hopefully-not-aptly named Poodog:

I became enraged at a burrito place in Venice, CA in 2001 when friends began talking about Doogie Howser (one of my many high school nicknames) seemingly out of nowhere.

Me: F** you, I do not look like Doogie Howser!!!
Friend: Neil Patrick Harris is getting a Coke right behind you.
NPH (at me): Nice one.

To play along, my top three:

1) I met Britney Spears at the 1999 Grammy Nominations ceremony, at the very beginning of her career. It was unremarkable, except for this: girl is TINY. Like, if she’s 5-foot-1, I’d be shocked. She makes Prince look like Yao Ming.

2) A few months later, I got a phone call from Quincy Jones. My number was one digit away from our company president’s, and QJ mis-dialed. When you’re 21, there is nothin’ like coming back from lunch to hear, “Hello, Kristen. This is Quincy Jones,” all smooth-like and basso profundo on your voicemail. I kept it for months.

3) I’ve physically bumped into Yoko Ono twice, about four years apart, both times in Midtown. The first time, I remember thinking, “Oh no, I hope I didn’t hurt that older Asian lad- … holy moly, it’s Yoko Ono!” The second time, I remember thinking, “Oh no, I hope I didn’t hurt that older Asian lad- … is Yoko Ono following me?”

Runner-up: In college, I interviewed all of Parliament Funkadelic. It was bananas. George Clinton is like Buddha and Santa rolled into one patchouli-scented pile of awesome. Really nice guy. And naturally funky, of course.

Do you have any fun celebrity stories? Stick ‘em in the comment section. We’d love to hear. But before you go to there … our regularly scheduled post:

Wednesday! 39 Tomatoes, 11 Hours, No Mercy. Remember that? Oh, those were good times. It was bizarrely thrilling to use up all the produce, and the experience was an excellent confidence-builder for future abundances. (Watch your back, zucchini.) Plus, while all the recipes were intended to be healthy and inexpensive, the numbers were much better than I would have guessed. Everything came out to about $25, total, and each dish was less than 150 calories per serving.

*Dances*

Yellow Tomato Soup and Tomatillo & Yellow Tomato Salsa were two of the recipes (three more coming on Monday), and the soup, in particular, went over like gangbusters. It is HIGHLY suggested. With croutons, if you can

P.S. There were 40 tomatoes in the box, (I ate one the night we got them), making each piece $0.25. Rachel's CSA, I owe you one.

Tomatillo and Yellow Tomato Salsa
Adapted from Epicurious/Gourmet
Makes about 6 generous cups salsa, or 12 massive servings

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 tomatillos* (about 1/2 pound), husks discarded and the fruit rinsed under warm water and chopped fine
4 vine-ripened large yellow tomatoes or yellow bell peppers (or a mix of both), chopped fine
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 to 2 jalapeño chilies, minced (wear rubber gloves)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1) In a bowl combine well oil, tomatillos, tomatoes or bell peppers, onion, jalapeños, coriander, and salt to taste and chill salsa, covered, at least 1 hour or overnight.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price Per Serving
45 calories, 2.9 g fat, 1 g fiber, $0.23

Calculations
2 tablespoons vegetable oil: 247 calories, 28 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.18
6 tomatillos: 65 calories, 2 g fat, 3.9 g fiber, $0.92
4 vine-ripened large yellow tomatoes: 127 calories, 2.5 g fat, 5.9 g fiber, $1.00
1 large onion, chopped fine: 63 calories, 0.2 g fat, 2.1 g fiber, $0.15
1 to 2 jalapeño chilies: 32 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.10
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro: 1 calorie, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, $0.45
TOTAL: 535 calories, 34.7 g fat, 12 g fiber, $2.80
PER SERVING (TOTAL/12): 45 calories, 2.9 g fat, 1 g fiber, $0.23

~~~

Yellow Tomato Soup
Makes about 6 cups of soup
Adapted from Epicurious/Bon Appetit

1 large onion, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
6 bacon slices (about 5 ounces), chopped
5 cups chopped yellow tomatoes (about 2 pounds)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry Sherry
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chilies*
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano leaves
1/4 cup 2% evaporated milk

NOTE: I doubled the batch when I made this soup, so my cooking times were much, much longer. They may be slightly longer here, too, so use your judgment. If it looks like the soup will be too thin when you puree it, let it reduce a while longer. Or, you might want to use less broth to begin with. Also, I found 2 teaspoons to be PLENTY of chipotle, but some Epicurious reviewers added even more. Go with your gut, and if you find it too spicy, add a tablespoon or two of sugar to cut the heat. - Kris

1) Sauté onion and bacon in heavy large pot over medium heat until onion is tender and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Add tomatoes and garlic and simmer until tomatoes are tender and juicy, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Add Sherry and wine; simmer 5 minutes. Add stock and simmer until mixture is reduced to 6 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Stir in chipotle chilies and oregano. Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return to pot. Add evaporated milk and stir until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, and Price Per Serving
123 calories, 4.1 g fat, 1.4 g fiber, $1.20

Calculations
1 large onion: 63 calories, 0.2 g fat, 2.1 g fiber, $0.15
6 bacon slices: 276 calories, 21.3 g fat, 0 g fiber, $1.66
5 cups chopped yellow tomatoes: 104 calories, 2.1 g fat, 4.9 g fiber, $0.75
2 garlic cloves, minced: 9 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, $0.10
1/2 cup dry Sherry: 68 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $0.49
1/2 cup dry white wine: 96 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, $1.00
4 cups low-salt chicken broth: 67 calories, 0 g fiber, 0 g fat, $2.39
2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chilies: 5 calories, 0.2 g fat, 0.3 g fiber, $0.20
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano leaves: negligible calories, fiber, and fat, $0.10
1/4 cup 2% evaporated milk: 50 calories, 1 g fat, 1 g fiber, $0.27
TOTAL: 738 calories, 24.8 g fat, 8.4 g fat, $7.21
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 123 calories, 4.1 g fat, 1.4 g fiber, $1.20

Veggie Might: I Love Radishes

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 18:38:00 +0000

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about all things Vegetarian.

First things first, Kris, you deserve some big love for your massive tomato undertaking. Kudos, fine lady. You are an inspiration. Also, I’m free most weekends for supper if you need help with that. (Thanks, Leigh! - Kris)

Now on with the show...

Radishes don’t get a lot of love, confused as they often are, along with parsley, as garnish. But radishes are little peppery, crunchy pods of joy.

This summer I’ve been experimenting with different kinds of radishes, discovering French breakfast radishes for the first time, and enjoying good, old, regular red ones.

Unfortunately, some of my experiments have been less than successful. For instance, my attempt at veganizing Chilled Radish Buttermilk Soup (from Gourmet via Epicurious) by adding vinegar to soymilk still hasn’t quite worked. (The trick works great in baking.) I’ll keep you posted.

Here’s my favorite among the recipes I’ve tried: a delight from a May issue of New York magazine called Kyle Bailey’s Butter-Poached Radishes. (Who knew NY Mag would become a regular recipe source?)

The recipe calls for French breakfast radishes, which have a slightly sweeter flavor. But I found it works just as well with the more readily available red radishes as well. When choosing a bunch, go with longer radishes, as opposed to rounder, if possible.

If it sounds rich, it is. The original recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of butter for just 3/4 pound of radishes. Wow.

But, never fear, Dear Reader, the dish has been sufficiently and deliciously CHGified. And veganized, if you use vegan margarine like I did. (Sorry, Julia Child.) You’ll never miss those extra 2 tablespoons.

Poached radishes are surprisingly sweet, even the regular ones. I substituted white wine vinegar for the raspberry version called for (it’s what I had), thinking I may need to add sugar for the desired effect. No siree. Tangy, sweet, and with a hint of licorice from the tarragon, the radishes are a perfect complement to greens or a summer salad.

I made this dish twice, once with fresh tarragon and once with dried (pictured). Go with fresh if you possibly can. The flavor is so much livelier.

Radishes will be in season for just a bit longer, so grab a bunch while you can. They’re not just pretty to look at. They are delicious for eating and being surprised that you too love radishes.

Pods of Joy with Tarragon
adapted from Kyle Bailey’s Butter-Poached Radishes
serves 3

1 bunch radishes (3/4–1 lb), French breakfast radishes or red radishes (pictured)
1 tbsp unsalted butter or vegan margarine
3 dashes white wine vinegar
1/4 cup vegetable stock
2 tsp fresh tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste

1) Remove greens and ends, and slice radishes lengthwise into quarters.

2) Melt 1/2 tbsp of butter in a skillet.

3) Toss in the chopped radishes and add a dash of salt and pepper.

4) Sauté over low-medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes.

5) Add white wine vinegar and sauté another minute until the radishes turn bright pink.

6) Add vegetable stock and remaining butter. Cook for another minute to glaze the radishes.

7) Remove from heat and add fresh torn tarragon leaves. Salt and pepper to taste.

8) Serve as a side dish and marvel at just how much you love radishes.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
Per serving: 43.7 calories, 3.67g fat, $0.44

Calculations
1 bunch radishes: 26 calories, 0g fat, $1.00
1 tbsp vegan margarine: 100 cal, 11 fat, $.12
3 dashes white wine vinegar: negligible calories and fat, $.10
1/4 cup vegetable stock: 5 calories, 0g fat, $.05
2 tsp fresh tarragon: negligible calories and fat, $.04
Salt and pepper to taste: negligible calories and fat, $.02
Totals: 131 calories, 11g fat, $1.33
Per serving: 43.7 calories, 3.67g fat, $0.44

COOKING DAY, PART 7: Ernest Goes to ... I Mean, Yellow Tomato Gazpacho

noreply@blogger.com (Kris) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 02:53:00 +0000

By the power vested in me as a random person on the internet, I pronounce Cooking Day ’09 … FINISHED. Yes, I missed Obama’s health care speech. But I profoundly believe that after eating this many tomatoes, I won’t need health care anyway.

(KNOCK ON WOOD.)

Anyzwayz, the final dish was Suzanne Goin’s Yellow Tomato Gazpacho from Sunday Suppers at Lucques. (Is it pronounced “Goyne” or “Gwah”? I never know.) Though the end result is an unnerving yellow-green color, the flavor is mellow, smooth, and deep, and will probs get even more complex after a night in the fridge.

Like the previous soup, I doubled the recipe, and scored about 10 full cups out of it. It used nine tomatoes, leaving me with four lonely pieces of produce, which were mercilessly sliced and frozen. They will taste very good in January, provided I haven’t turned into a yellow tomato myself by then.

It is now a little past 11pm, and the dishes are done. The counters are wiped down. Everything’s frozen/packed/jammed into the fridge, which looks not unlike a clown car made of food. The first round of recipes will be up Friday, along with Lessons Learned From This Experience. (Like: If you should undertake this, remember to make time for the bathroom.)

Thanks, you guys, for all your comments and suggestions and ideas and tomatoes. You're the best.

Also, you should have seen my garbage bowl. It was epic.

39 tomatoes up, 39 tomatoes down.