Once again I must apologize for the long silence, my dears; the last week of school-->finals week-->week of a really big order of baked goods simply knocked me for a loop. But now I'm back on my feet and ready to go again!
Okay, so now that I've gone through the facts of the food (well, a lot of them... I couldn't possibly cover all the foods I love and use in just a couple of entries), we're ready to start the cookin'.
We're going to start off basic, cooking some grains; I figure since I preach quinoa like it's the answer to the human condition, I should probably tell you all how to cook it. ^_^
Quinoa is cooked like rice, but it cooks a bit quicker. Generally the rule is 1 cup of quinoa to a little less than 2 cups water (try 1.5 and work your way up from there if necessary). Before cooking, you must rinse the quinoa thoroughly to remove the bitter saponin film on the outside of the grain. Soak it for about 10 minutes in room-temp water, give it a nice swish with your fingers, and drain it through a mesh sieve; or, if you don't have time to soak it, just rinse it and drain it a few times. Before you add it to the water, make sure it's drained thoroughly, otherwise there will be too much water and your end product will be soggy.
Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan (medium-high heat), throw in a pinch of salt. Add the quinoa, give it a nice stir, then replace the lid and reduce to a simmer (medium-low). If it's been soaked it will cook a bit more quickly; generally it'll take about 15-18 minutes. Once the time has passed, take the lid off the pan and tilt it so that you can see if there is any water left that hasn't cooked off yet. If there is none, turn off the heat and fluff the quinoa gently with a fork, then transfer it to a large bowl. If there is still water, let it go for a couple more minutes (you can give the quinoa a try if it looks done; if it is, then leave the top off the pan so the water will just evaporate).
Once your quinoa is in the bowl cooling, I like to add a little olive oil and just toss it gently. You don't have to do this (it won't stick together like pasta if you don't), but I like the flavor. If you're going to use the quinoa for breakfast, you could use some butter instead; but my favorite quinoa recipe is a basic salad that is PERFECT in the summer. It's similar to tabouli, but with some garbanzo beans in it.
3 cups cooked, cooled quinoa (that's about a cup uncooked, it expands a good bit)
1.5 cups garbanzo beans (if canned, give them a quick rinse)
1/2 of a seedless cucumber, chopped
3 medium vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped
1.5 cups finely chopped fresh cilantro (if you're a hater, you can use parsley/basil/mint/any combination thereof)
1 clove fresh garlic, minced
juice of 1 lime
few tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
In a large bowl, gently fold together the quinoa, beans, cuke, herbs and tomato. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients to make a quick vinaigrette, pour over the salad and mix thoroughly. Cover and chill for at least a half hour, then serve.
FYI: I'm a recipe-tweaker myself, so I won't be offended if you change something about this recipe (or any recipe that I post on here) to better suit your tastes. You could vary it by adding some avocado, switching out the cucumber, cilantro and lime juice with roasted veggies, oregano and balsamic vinegar; it's incredibly versatile. Then, of course, you can use any kind of bean you choose. Red kidney beans are very good as well.
More recipes will be following soon, and for those of you who want to say that I forgot to cover fishes and other animal-derived foods in my "facts of the food", I did that on purpose. I'm going to cover them recipe by recipe. For instance, if I'm posting an entry about wild sockeye salmon, I will give you a lesson in Omega 3 fatty acids and fish protein, etc. I do not prefer to have you stock up on frozen fishes, as frozen fish is kind of a hit-or-miss situation in terms of quality (if you're buying at Trader Joe's, however, I think that there is no miss... all the fish I've ever gotten there was fantastic). Given that, I would prefer that we learn as we go.
Have a great day kids, and enjoy the sun if it's out! Gotta get that vitamin D ;-)
Ciao!
Friday, April 30, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
Fabulous Fruits
Fruits are awesome things; they're like nature's candy. I'm not really a fan of candy (except for Trader Joe's peanut butter cups), but fruit is awesome nonetheless.
I'm going to lay this out the same way I did the Awesome Veggies list; fruit by wonderful fruit, telling you some of the benefits and fun trivia as we go along.
Fantastic fruit #1: Grapefruit.
I love grapefruit. I've loved it since I was a wee lass. As I've mentioned before, I don't enjoy excessively sweet things, so grapefruit is my ideal fruit. It's more tart than sweet, and packs just as much vitamin C goodness as oranges. I have cravings for grapefruit juice multiple times a week... in fact, now that I'm thinking of it, I really would love some right about now. ^_^ (Also an awesome citrus fruit: limes.)
Fantastic fruit #2: Pears.
Fun fact about pears: they're a member of the rose family; related to the apple and the quince. Also, they are delicious. They are fantastically juicy when ripe, and they totally melt in your mouth... mmm. Yeah. I grew up with pear sauce instead of apple sauce (except the awesome fresh apple sauce from the Macintosh tree in our backyard!) as my mom has an intolerance/allergy to apples, and we made frozen pops out of it, which was awesome. I recently discovered that it makes awesome cake, too-- use any applesauce cake recipe and substitute in an equal amount of pear sauce. YUMMY. They're high in fiber, they're a good source of vitamins C and K as well as copper; and another awesome thing about pears is that the different varieties of pears have different prime growing seasons... which means they're available just about year-round! Totally fantastic.
Fantastic fruit #3: Plums.
Plum season is fast approaching! Juicy, sweet, tangy, tender, mmmmmm... I want some plums. They come in a few different varieties; there are the red plums, which are the ones most people know, there are green plums and yellow plums and even black plums... the flesh can be different colors too; they're quite the artsy little fruits. They contain bunches of vitamins A and C, dietary fiber and b2, along with other powerful antioxidant phytonutrients. Plums rock.
Fantastic fruit #4: Pomegranates.
Probably the most exotic of my fantastic fruits, pomegranates have been hyped up in recent years as a superfruit and some have even referred to them as the fountain of youth... so how much is hype, and how much is fact? Well, I personally don't believe that pomegranates are magical or anything like that; HOWEVER, the pomegranate is a great source of powerful antioxidants (anthocyanins in particular), which will prevent the cholesterol in your blood from becoming oxidized (oxidation is what causes cholesterol to build up and harden in your arteries). Pomegranates are also a great source of fiber. Pomegranates do contain vitamins C, K, a good bit of potassium (which will also keep your heart healthy), dietary fiber (have I mentioned lately that we don't get nearly enough fiber in this country??), and magnesium.
Also, a fun fact regarding pomegranates: they are supposedly a natural aphrodisiac. This thinking is due in part to the bright red color (the color of desire), as well as its multitude of seeds (a symbol of fertility).
So I guess what I'm trying to say is yeah, pomegranates are good for you. ^_^ Take the other effects with a grain of salt.
Fantastic fruit #5: Peaches.
You know, most people think of citrus fruits when they think of summer... and I do too. But more than oranges and whatnot, I think of peaches. I think this is because when I was growing up, my mom had this thing about making peach... well, she called it peach daiquiris, but the teensy bit of rum she threw in there was really just for flavor, and not enough to warrant being called a legit daiquiri. But whatever. It was a yummy blend of fresh peaches, limeade (the frozen stuff), ice, and for an entire blender pitcher she would throw in not-quite-a-full-shot of Puerto Rican rum. We would sit out on the giant deck we used to have and sip away... it was awesome. When I was little, I didn't care that peaches were healthy. I didn't care that they contain a nice balance of a lot of essential vitamins and minerals (A, C, K, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, etc.); I didn't care that they contain Omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids and those lovely phytosterols. But they do, so eat them.
Fantastic fruit #6: Grapes.
I love crunchy grapes. When I used to go shopping with my dad, I would always insist on squeezing the grapes just a little so that I could see for myself that he wasn't trying to stick me with squishy grapes. (When I look back on it now, I may have been a bit paranoid... I mean, why on earth would he buy squishy grapes?? *shrug*) Nowadays I'm not so controlling, and I buy my own grapes.
Grapes are a great source of manganese, which is good. They also have awesome polyphenols (phytonutrient compounds like FLAVONOIDS) in them, and they are very refreshing and good for staying hydrated, something a lot of us have trouble doing nowadays (kind of like the whole getting-enough-fiber thing).
Heard of resveratrol? That's the new hot supplement on the market, and guess what-- you can get it just by eating grapes! You don't have to buy that $35 bottle of pills! WOO!! And just to get it out of the way, I like grape juice too. If you prefer to buy a giant bottle of grape juice so it lasts longer in your household or whatever, all I ask is that you CHECK THE INGREDIENTS. Make sure there's nothing in there besides "grape juice". Grapes are plenty sweet; you don't need to add sugar. Ideally, your juice is not from concentrate, but even if it is you're still getting the flavonoids and a lot of other good things. Also, make sure it's RED or PURPLE grape juice. White grape juice has a whole lot less of the good stuff; if you're going to drink wine, the same rule applies. Red, not white.
Fantastic fruit #7: Kiwi.
Aside from being furry and incredibly cute, kiwis are totally awesome. They've got vitamin C like whoa, a cool green color, a tangy-sweet flavor and lots of juice, and crispy seeds that make for a really interesting eating experience. They're like little tiny Rice Krispies or something! So cool. I think the kiwi is one of the coolest fruits ever, and that's why it's on this list. ^_^ They've also got some copper, potassium, fiber, vitamin E, and magnesium going on, which is extra cool. They're great in fruit salads with some strawberries, peaches, and grapes, or you can eat them slice-by-slice or just cut the fruit in half and dig it out with a spoon. I haven't tried slices of kiwi on fish yet, but man... that sounds so good.
Fantastic fruit #8: Strawberries.
It's a recurring theme on this list, I know, but I love strawberries. They are tasty, they are packed full of nutrients and they are beginning to be on sale everywhere, so buy them!! With regard to the nutrients, yes, a lot are similar to the ones that are in other fruits, but check it out! Strawberries have omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins B2, B5 and B6, folate... and they have iodine. Iodine is important, and there aren't too many sources of it in our diets besides seaweed, fish, and iodized salt-- and by the way, funny thing about iodized salt: natural, unrefined sea salt actually contains iodine. But when all the extra minerals and "stuff" are processed out of it, the naturally occurring iodine is lost. So it's "enriched" back into the finished salt product, kind of like all the vitamins and minerals that would have been in the flour anyway are put back in after processing rips them all out. *sigh* Wanna see a picture of what happens when you don't get enough iodine? Here ya go! (Yeah... if there are little kids around, you might want to cover their eyes... I've seen lots of pictures like this in my life, and I still hate looking at it.) According to www.WHFoods.com, "Strawberries' unique phenol content makes them a heart-protective fruit, an anti-cancer fruit, and an anti-inflammatory fruit, all rolled into one." How cool is that???
And did I mention they're on sale?
Fantastic fruit #9: Pineapple.
Pineapple has lots of good stuff in it, not the least of which is the helpful digestive enzyme, bromelain. This stuff helps digest protein-- which is helpful for people like me, who don't eat meat that often... enzymes can be a use-it-or-lose-it situation; your body pays attention to the ones it uses more and the ones it uses less, and in order to increase efficiency, will actually cut down production of the ones that seem to be unnecessary. That's why if you're a vegetarian and you suddenly decide one day that you're going to eat a giant steak... you're gonna have issues. But enzymes are available in supplement form too, so if you are ever in that situation, pop one... or 2.
But back to the fruit. Pineapple also has compounds in it that have shown in recent studies to help protect again vision loss due to aging and it also offers antioxidant immune support. That's pretty cool. And it tastes great, too!
That's all for today kids; some other noteworthy fruits are: raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, canteloupe, apples, watermelon... and lots of others. I mean, really, if you're eating a whole fruit it's going to be good for you. That said, I'm going to go eat; still haven't learned that I need to bring snacks to school when I plan on writing on this thing. *sigh*
Now go buy some strawberries. ^_^
Ciao!
I'm going to lay this out the same way I did the Awesome Veggies list; fruit by wonderful fruit, telling you some of the benefits and fun trivia as we go along.
Fantastic fruit #1: Grapefruit.
I love grapefruit. I've loved it since I was a wee lass. As I've mentioned before, I don't enjoy excessively sweet things, so grapefruit is my ideal fruit. It's more tart than sweet, and packs just as much vitamin C goodness as oranges. I have cravings for grapefruit juice multiple times a week... in fact, now that I'm thinking of it, I really would love some right about now. ^_^ (Also an awesome citrus fruit: limes.)
Fantastic fruit #2: Pears.
Fun fact about pears: they're a member of the rose family; related to the apple and the quince. Also, they are delicious. They are fantastically juicy when ripe, and they totally melt in your mouth... mmm. Yeah. I grew up with pear sauce instead of apple sauce (except the awesome fresh apple sauce from the Macintosh tree in our backyard!) as my mom has an intolerance/allergy to apples, and we made frozen pops out of it, which was awesome. I recently discovered that it makes awesome cake, too-- use any applesauce cake recipe and substitute in an equal amount of pear sauce. YUMMY. They're high in fiber, they're a good source of vitamins C and K as well as copper; and another awesome thing about pears is that the different varieties of pears have different prime growing seasons... which means they're available just about year-round! Totally fantastic.
Fantastic fruit #3: Plums.
Plum season is fast approaching! Juicy, sweet, tangy, tender, mmmmmm... I want some plums. They come in a few different varieties; there are the red plums, which are the ones most people know, there are green plums and yellow plums and even black plums... the flesh can be different colors too; they're quite the artsy little fruits. They contain bunches of vitamins A and C, dietary fiber and b2, along with other powerful antioxidant phytonutrients. Plums rock.
Fantastic fruit #4: Pomegranates.
Probably the most exotic of my fantastic fruits, pomegranates have been hyped up in recent years as a superfruit and some have even referred to them as the fountain of youth... so how much is hype, and how much is fact? Well, I personally don't believe that pomegranates are magical or anything like that; HOWEVER, the pomegranate is a great source of powerful antioxidants (anthocyanins in particular), which will prevent the cholesterol in your blood from becoming oxidized (oxidation is what causes cholesterol to build up and harden in your arteries). Pomegranates are also a great source of fiber. Pomegranates do contain vitamins C, K, a good bit of potassium (which will also keep your heart healthy), dietary fiber (have I mentioned lately that we don't get nearly enough fiber in this country??), and magnesium.
Also, a fun fact regarding pomegranates: they are supposedly a natural aphrodisiac. This thinking is due in part to the bright red color (the color of desire), as well as its multitude of seeds (a symbol of fertility).
So I guess what I'm trying to say is yeah, pomegranates are good for you. ^_^ Take the other effects with a grain of salt.
Fantastic fruit #5: Peaches.
You know, most people think of citrus fruits when they think of summer... and I do too. But more than oranges and whatnot, I think of peaches. I think this is because when I was growing up, my mom had this thing about making peach... well, she called it peach daiquiris, but the teensy bit of rum she threw in there was really just for flavor, and not enough to warrant being called a legit daiquiri. But whatever. It was a yummy blend of fresh peaches, limeade (the frozen stuff), ice, and for an entire blender pitcher she would throw in not-quite-a-full-shot of Puerto Rican rum. We would sit out on the giant deck we used to have and sip away... it was awesome. When I was little, I didn't care that peaches were healthy. I didn't care that they contain a nice balance of a lot of essential vitamins and minerals (A, C, K, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, etc.); I didn't care that they contain Omega 3 and 6 essential fatty acids and those lovely phytosterols. But they do, so eat them.
Fantastic fruit #6: Grapes.
I love crunchy grapes. When I used to go shopping with my dad, I would always insist on squeezing the grapes just a little so that I could see for myself that he wasn't trying to stick me with squishy grapes. (When I look back on it now, I may have been a bit paranoid... I mean, why on earth would he buy squishy grapes?? *shrug*) Nowadays I'm not so controlling, and I buy my own grapes.
Grapes are a great source of manganese, which is good. They also have awesome polyphenols (phytonutrient compounds like FLAVONOIDS) in them, and they are very refreshing and good for staying hydrated, something a lot of us have trouble doing nowadays (kind of like the whole getting-enough-fiber thing).
Heard of resveratrol? That's the new hot supplement on the market, and guess what-- you can get it just by eating grapes! You don't have to buy that $35 bottle of pills! WOO!! And just to get it out of the way, I like grape juice too. If you prefer to buy a giant bottle of grape juice so it lasts longer in your household or whatever, all I ask is that you CHECK THE INGREDIENTS. Make sure there's nothing in there besides "grape juice". Grapes are plenty sweet; you don't need to add sugar. Ideally, your juice is not from concentrate, but even if it is you're still getting the flavonoids and a lot of other good things. Also, make sure it's RED or PURPLE grape juice. White grape juice has a whole lot less of the good stuff; if you're going to drink wine, the same rule applies. Red, not white.
Fantastic fruit #7: Kiwi.
Aside from being furry and incredibly cute, kiwis are totally awesome. They've got vitamin C like whoa, a cool green color, a tangy-sweet flavor and lots of juice, and crispy seeds that make for a really interesting eating experience. They're like little tiny Rice Krispies or something! So cool. I think the kiwi is one of the coolest fruits ever, and that's why it's on this list. ^_^ They've also got some copper, potassium, fiber, vitamin E, and magnesium going on, which is extra cool. They're great in fruit salads with some strawberries, peaches, and grapes, or you can eat them slice-by-slice or just cut the fruit in half and dig it out with a spoon. I haven't tried slices of kiwi on fish yet, but man... that sounds so good.
Fantastic fruit #8: Strawberries.
It's a recurring theme on this list, I know, but I love strawberries. They are tasty, they are packed full of nutrients and they are beginning to be on sale everywhere, so buy them!! With regard to the nutrients, yes, a lot are similar to the ones that are in other fruits, but check it out! Strawberries have omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins B2, B5 and B6, folate... and they have iodine. Iodine is important, and there aren't too many sources of it in our diets besides seaweed, fish, and iodized salt-- and by the way, funny thing about iodized salt: natural, unrefined sea salt actually contains iodine. But when all the extra minerals and "stuff" are processed out of it, the naturally occurring iodine is lost. So it's "enriched" back into the finished salt product, kind of like all the vitamins and minerals that would have been in the flour anyway are put back in after processing rips them all out. *sigh* Wanna see a picture of what happens when you don't get enough iodine? Here ya go! (Yeah... if there are little kids around, you might want to cover their eyes... I've seen lots of pictures like this in my life, and I still hate looking at it.) According to www.WHFoods.com, "Strawberries' unique phenol content makes them a heart-protective fruit, an anti-cancer fruit, and an anti-inflammatory fruit, all rolled into one." How cool is that???
And did I mention they're on sale?
Fantastic fruit #9: Pineapple.
Pineapple has lots of good stuff in it, not the least of which is the helpful digestive enzyme, bromelain. This stuff helps digest protein-- which is helpful for people like me, who don't eat meat that often... enzymes can be a use-it-or-lose-it situation; your body pays attention to the ones it uses more and the ones it uses less, and in order to increase efficiency, will actually cut down production of the ones that seem to be unnecessary. That's why if you're a vegetarian and you suddenly decide one day that you're going to eat a giant steak... you're gonna have issues. But enzymes are available in supplement form too, so if you are ever in that situation, pop one... or 2.
But back to the fruit. Pineapple also has compounds in it that have shown in recent studies to help protect again vision loss due to aging and it also offers antioxidant immune support. That's pretty cool. And it tastes great, too!
That's all for today kids; some other noteworthy fruits are: raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, canteloupe, apples, watermelon... and lots of others. I mean, really, if you're eating a whole fruit it's going to be good for you. That said, I'm going to go eat; still haven't learned that I need to bring snacks to school when I plan on writing on this thing. *sigh*
Now go buy some strawberries. ^_^
Ciao!
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Something to chew on
When it comes to food, live by this principle:
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Ciao!
The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
Ciao!
Friday, April 23, 2010
Wooo, TGIF!!
HAPPY FRIDAYYYYYY!!!
What better way to celebrate the end of the week and the start of the weekend than talking about fruits and veggies???
... uh, yeah. I'm serious. Fruits and veggies are AWESOME. They're packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber, and you can prepare them just about any way you want. A simple steam will do for some, whereas some of the more picky eaters require a cheese sauce or something a bit more elaborate. I will run through a list of my favorites, and give you some neat prep tips too.
We'll start with some veggies.
Awesome Veggie #1: Spinach.
Spinach, besides being available in various forms (fresh, baby fresh, frozen, canned, creamed, etc.), is an excellent source of dietary fiber and the vitamins A, K, B2, B6, C, and folate. It's also rich in iron, manganese, potassium, magnesium, and the amino acid tryptophan... I would go on and talk about phytonutrients, but I think you're already kind of zoning out. To wrap up, I prefer to buy frozen spinach in mass quantities (especially when it's on SALE) so I have it handy whenever I need it... lately I've been craving spinach in a big way, so my freezer is stocked. Spinach lasagna, curried spinach, spinach over polenta, spinach omelets, spinach knishes... yummy.
Awesome veggie #2: Zucchini.
Zucchini is not promoted as much in the superfoods-obsessed culture of today as it once was; even though it may not have an exotic vibe like the acai or goji berry (or the new kid on the health-food block, maca), it's a good veggie that can be used for many things. It's not super-packed with any particular nutrient, but it is a good source of fiber, magnesium, potassium, manganese, vitamins A and C, copper, folate, phosphorus, omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, and vitamin K... which, last time I checked, were all very good things to include in one's diet. I've lately discovered that zucchini is excellent when shredded and thrown in some pasta sauce; I'll definitely be posting an official recipe for this at some point. As for buying it... frozen zukes, in my experience = not that great. This one you should buy fresh, preferably from a local farm (or grow it in your garden!!).
Awesome veggie #3: Broccoli/broccolini.
Yeah, those of you who have kids are laughing at me right now. I see you. Those of you who are planning on having kids, listen to me. There are ways to make your kid like broccoli. I know this because when I was little I LOVED broccoli. What kid doesn't love pretending he's a giraffe eating the leaves off his own little tree? Broccoli is FUN! Just steam it, slap on a little butter or olive oil and a little salt, and you're good to go.
Awesome veggie #4: Eggplant.
Skin it, slice it, bread it, fry it, roast it in the oven, simmer it in some curry sauce, puree it into baba ghanouj, layer it with tomato sauce and cheese, make sandwiches out of it... eggplant is yummy... and pretty, too. It's high in fiber and awesome phytochemicals like anthocyanin. And if you season it right, the kids'll never think to ask "Hey, what is this stuff?"
Awesome veggie #5: Butternut squash.
I had absolutely no desire to eat this stuff when I was young. For decades I held out, against my dad's wishes... then, a year-ish ago, I finally tried butternut squash. But I tried it on my own terms; I had no desire for brown sugar or maple syrup in my squash. I boiled it, then I pureed it (no need to drain) with some olive oil, salt, pepper, nutmeg and sage... and I fell in love. I eat squash this way all fall and winter long. It is deeeee-lish. So smooth, so complex. The sweetness is not overwhelming, as i had originally feared (I am a somewhat usual woman, in that I prefer savory flavors to sweet). It is nicely complemented by the subtle sweetness of the olive oil, and the particular combination of nutmeg and sage... it's divine. Then I threw it into a lasagna pan with some spinach, brown rice pasta, and goat cheese... my love grew deeper. Yours will too, when you try my recipe. Squash is also great in soups and even chili. Note: another awesome thing about winter squash of any kind is the fact that it keeps for a loooooooong time; depending on what type it is, as long as 6 months! Awesome.
Awesome veggie #6: Cucumbers.
Even if you're not a fan of pickles, regular ol' cukes have a lot to offer. For one thing, they're great for tired, puffy eyes (see moms, I'm looking out for ya); for another thing, they're composed of mostly water (like fiber, water is another important nutrient most of us get waaaay too little of)-- in fact, a 1-cup serving of cucumbers contains an amazing 13 CALORIES. Woooo! All these things make it an extremely useful food in the summer. It also contains a nice bit of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant... really good for the aftereffects of too much sun, inside and out. I like seedless cucumbers a lot, and they're readily available at just about any grocery store. It's not just the lack of seeds though... the skin is nicer too. You'll see when you try them.
Awesome veggie #7: Asparagus.
Anyone who's ever watched VeggieTales knows Junior Asparagus and how cute he is... but who would've thought he was incredibly tasty too? Well, guess what: he's not only tasty, but he's also full of vitamins A, C, K, folate, B1, B2, B3, B6; manganese, potassium, copper, phosphorus, iron, zinc, selenium... and lots of other good stuff. You can sauté him in some olive oil, sprinkle him with some balsamic vinegar and roast him in the oven, or just steam him for 7-10 minutes. Or, yes, you could wrap him in prosciutto, or sauce him up with some Hollandaise, if you must... but why not try him on his own first? You don't need all those extra calories to make him taste good, and if you condition yourself or your kids to expect the fancy, fatty stuff with him, you'll never learn to enjoy him for who he really is.
Okay, so this last one is what I call a "frugetable"-- it's really a fruit, but everyone thinks it's a veggie.
Awesome "veggie" #8: Avocado.
Like butternut squash, I avoided this stuff earlier in life... I figured that nothing that tasted good was that color green... boy was I wrong. Avocado is now one of my favorite things to eat; for those of you who want to have good foods around that are convenient for snacks and whatnot, avocado is a must-have. Literally, all you have to do is cut it in half, remove the pit, grab a spoon, and have at it. I like mine with a bit of fresh lime juice and sea salt as well, and I have a friend that sprinkles a tiny bit of sugar on hers. Either way, it's delicious. The texture is like... plant butter. Except it doesn't leave a film of fatty nastiness in your mouth.
I know what some of you are going to say: "But... it's got so many CALORIES!!" "Wow, 22 grams of fat per cup? How is that healthy??" Allow me to esplain.
Yes, avocado has a good bit of fat; yes, because of said fat, it has a lot of calories. Now, if we were most other places in the world, we would not pay so much attention to the number of calories/grams of fat, but rather the types of fats that are giving us the calories (think of it as quantity vs. quality).
Most of the fat in the avocado is of the monounsaturated variety; this is GOOD fat. You want this fat in your diet way more than you want the saturated fat from those fries you're eating. Yeah, I see them. It's okay, I forgive you... just don't eat them more than once every couple of weeks. Oleic acid, the particular monounsaturated fatty acid that makes up most of avocados' fat content, is really good for your heart. And it may help prevent certain types of cancer. Woo-hoo! It's also great for your skin, and it's got a carotenoid called lutein, which is good for your eyes and can help protect against cancer as well.
Alrighty, kids... that's all for now. I'm off to enjoy some yummy veggies. Hope everybody has a super weekend!
Ciao!
What better way to celebrate the end of the week and the start of the weekend than talking about fruits and veggies???
... uh, yeah. I'm serious. Fruits and veggies are AWESOME. They're packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber, and you can prepare them just about any way you want. A simple steam will do for some, whereas some of the more picky eaters require a cheese sauce or something a bit more elaborate. I will run through a list of my favorites, and give you some neat prep tips too.
We'll start with some veggies.
Awesome Veggie #1: Spinach.
Spinach, besides being available in various forms (fresh, baby fresh, frozen, canned, creamed, etc.), is an excellent source of dietary fiber and the vitamins A, K, B2, B6, C, and folate. It's also rich in iron, manganese, potassium, magnesium, and the amino acid tryptophan... I would go on and talk about phytonutrients, but I think you're already kind of zoning out. To wrap up, I prefer to buy frozen spinach in mass quantities (especially when it's on SALE) so I have it handy whenever I need it... lately I've been craving spinach in a big way, so my freezer is stocked. Spinach lasagna, curried spinach, spinach over polenta, spinach omelets, spinach knishes... yummy.
Awesome veggie #2: Zucchini.
Zucchini is not promoted as much in the superfoods-obsessed culture of today as it once was; even though it may not have an exotic vibe like the acai or goji berry (or the new kid on the health-food block, maca), it's a good veggie that can be used for many things. It's not super-packed with any particular nutrient, but it is a good source of fiber, magnesium, potassium, manganese, vitamins A and C, copper, folate, phosphorus, omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, and vitamin K... which, last time I checked, were all very good things to include in one's diet. I've lately discovered that zucchini is excellent when shredded and thrown in some pasta sauce; I'll definitely be posting an official recipe for this at some point. As for buying it... frozen zukes, in my experience = not that great. This one you should buy fresh, preferably from a local farm (or grow it in your garden!!).
Awesome veggie #3: Broccoli/broccolini.
Yeah, those of you who have kids are laughing at me right now. I see you. Those of you who are planning on having kids, listen to me. There are ways to make your kid like broccoli. I know this because when I was little I LOVED broccoli. What kid doesn't love pretending he's a giraffe eating the leaves off his own little tree? Broccoli is FUN! Just steam it, slap on a little butter or olive oil and a little salt, and you're good to go.
Awesome veggie #4: Eggplant.
Skin it, slice it, bread it, fry it, roast it in the oven, simmer it in some curry sauce, puree it into baba ghanouj, layer it with tomato sauce and cheese, make sandwiches out of it... eggplant is yummy... and pretty, too. It's high in fiber and awesome phytochemicals like anthocyanin. And if you season it right, the kids'll never think to ask "Hey, what is this stuff?"
Awesome veggie #5: Butternut squash.
I had absolutely no desire to eat this stuff when I was young. For decades I held out, against my dad's wishes... then, a year-ish ago, I finally tried butternut squash. But I tried it on my own terms; I had no desire for brown sugar or maple syrup in my squash. I boiled it, then I pureed it (no need to drain) with some olive oil, salt, pepper, nutmeg and sage... and I fell in love. I eat squash this way all fall and winter long. It is deeeee-lish. So smooth, so complex. The sweetness is not overwhelming, as i had originally feared (I am a somewhat usual woman, in that I prefer savory flavors to sweet). It is nicely complemented by the subtle sweetness of the olive oil, and the particular combination of nutmeg and sage... it's divine. Then I threw it into a lasagna pan with some spinach, brown rice pasta, and goat cheese... my love grew deeper. Yours will too, when you try my recipe. Squash is also great in soups and even chili. Note: another awesome thing about winter squash of any kind is the fact that it keeps for a loooooooong time; depending on what type it is, as long as 6 months! Awesome.
Awesome veggie #6: Cucumbers.
Even if you're not a fan of pickles, regular ol' cukes have a lot to offer. For one thing, they're great for tired, puffy eyes (see moms, I'm looking out for ya); for another thing, they're composed of mostly water (like fiber, water is another important nutrient most of us get waaaay too little of)-- in fact, a 1-cup serving of cucumbers contains an amazing 13 CALORIES. Woooo! All these things make it an extremely useful food in the summer. It also contains a nice bit of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant... really good for the aftereffects of too much sun, inside and out. I like seedless cucumbers a lot, and they're readily available at just about any grocery store. It's not just the lack of seeds though... the skin is nicer too. You'll see when you try them.
Awesome veggie #7: Asparagus.
Anyone who's ever watched VeggieTales knows Junior Asparagus and how cute he is... but who would've thought he was incredibly tasty too? Well, guess what: he's not only tasty, but he's also full of vitamins A, C, K, folate, B1, B2, B3, B6; manganese, potassium, copper, phosphorus, iron, zinc, selenium... and lots of other good stuff. You can sauté him in some olive oil, sprinkle him with some balsamic vinegar and roast him in the oven, or just steam him for 7-10 minutes. Or, yes, you could wrap him in prosciutto, or sauce him up with some Hollandaise, if you must... but why not try him on his own first? You don't need all those extra calories to make him taste good, and if you condition yourself or your kids to expect the fancy, fatty stuff with him, you'll never learn to enjoy him for who he really is.
Okay, so this last one is what I call a "frugetable"-- it's really a fruit, but everyone thinks it's a veggie.
Awesome "veggie" #8: Avocado.
Like butternut squash, I avoided this stuff earlier in life... I figured that nothing that tasted good was that color green... boy was I wrong. Avocado is now one of my favorite things to eat; for those of you who want to have good foods around that are convenient for snacks and whatnot, avocado is a must-have. Literally, all you have to do is cut it in half, remove the pit, grab a spoon, and have at it. I like mine with a bit of fresh lime juice and sea salt as well, and I have a friend that sprinkles a tiny bit of sugar on hers. Either way, it's delicious. The texture is like... plant butter. Except it doesn't leave a film of fatty nastiness in your mouth.
I know what some of you are going to say: "But... it's got so many CALORIES!!" "Wow, 22 grams of fat per cup? How is that healthy??" Allow me to esplain.
Yes, avocado has a good bit of fat; yes, because of said fat, it has a lot of calories. Now, if we were most other places in the world, we would not pay so much attention to the number of calories/grams of fat, but rather the types of fats that are giving us the calories (think of it as quantity vs. quality).
Most of the fat in the avocado is of the monounsaturated variety; this is GOOD fat. You want this fat in your diet way more than you want the saturated fat from those fries you're eating. Yeah, I see them. It's okay, I forgive you... just don't eat them more than once every couple of weeks. Oleic acid, the particular monounsaturated fatty acid that makes up most of avocados' fat content, is really good for your heart. And it may help prevent certain types of cancer. Woo-hoo! It's also great for your skin, and it's got a carotenoid called lutein, which is good for your eyes and can help protect against cancer as well.
Alrighty, kids... that's all for now. I'm off to enjoy some yummy veggies. Hope everybody has a super weekend!
Ciao!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Shopping List, pt. 2
Alrighty gang, we're on our way to grocery list nirvana today. Forgive my few days' absence; it's the end of the semester and life gets a bit crazy around now. Given how long part 1 took, I'm not sure if we'll finish our list today... there's so much background information that you really should know before buying food. It's sad to see how detached Americans have become from the food they eat; over the past few days, I've been hearing on the news reports of findings that our conventionally produced meat and fish are contaminated with PCBs and other fat-soluble toxins. You can read about it here. If the whole not wanting to develop heart disease thing wasn't good enough for you, maybe that'll persuade you to buy leaner cuts of meat-- or even lower your intake of animal-derived foods altogether.
If you want to recap our list so far, scroll down to the previous entry. Otherwise, just read on because I'll give the complete list again at the end of this one! (Minus all the awesome tidbits of knowledge; gotta check out the previous entry for those.)
Moving on...
Item #7: Many large cans of tomatoes. Tomatoes are SO versatile, and while the fresh tomato is the ideal in most cases, there are PLENTY of things you can do with canned! You can make pasta or pizza sauce, you can make salsa, you can add them to your beans and rice (recipe coming later), you can add them to casseroles and make lasagna... *drools at the thought of lasagna*... you can make chili, soup or stew (recipes coming later), quick bruschetta or salad... the list goes on. Please note: When fresh tomatoes are in-season, get them locally at roadside farm stands or the farmers' market. The ones that are flown in from Chile or wherever are missing the most important elements of the tomato; namely, FLAVOR and (in a lot of cases) JUICINESS. Nobody likes a bland, mealy tomato. Bleh.
Item #8: Fresh garlic. This will keep for quite a while if you store it properly. For best results, garlic should be stored in a dark, dry place with good air circulation, and putting it in a covered clay pot helps extend the life of your fresh garlic tremendously (thank you TLC). Basically, you want to keep it out of the light so it doesn't sprout.
Garlic has SUPERPOWERS... well okay, not superpowers like, flying or something; but it does have superpowers of deliciousness and health! Garlic is an antibacterial, antifungal, heart-healthy, antioxidant-rich, yummy food (just make sure you have some gum handy when you eat it ^_^). Check this out! Science says garlic is awesome too. What about the minced garlic in the jar? you ask. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease, don't bother unless it's ABSOLUTELY necessary. And really, unless you are deathly afraid of knives or something and therefore can't chop the garlic, there isn't much reason. Ever heard of the garlic press? Great alternative, and you can get them pretty cheap too. There is no excuse you could come up with, short of a deathly allergy, that would convince me that you shouldn't eat garlic. If you must, garlic powder is a useful product to keep on hand as well; a small container will last you quite a while.
Item #9: Onions. Red onions for salads and white onions for sandwiches, yellow onions for sofrito (never heard of it? Check it out here, here and here)... love the onions. Yes, like garlic, onions are also smelly, but worth it. They add so much flavor to so many different dishes, and they've also got a lot of good, healthy stuff in 'em.
Okay, a couple more and then I'll have to run away and get some food; the only drawback about writing all this stuff is that it makes me HUNGRY.
Item #10: Canola oil (preferably in bulk; I'm sure you've got some bottles or jars at home you can put it in). Despite the recent silly Internet rumors, I can assure you that this oil will NOT kill you. I've been consuming it for years, and I'm still alive and *suddenly keels over and dies*...
Kidding!
Canola oil is great, because it has a nice high smoke point. You want that, because if you're frying something and the oil is turning black and smoking, that's some potential cancer you got cookin' right there. Nobody wants cancer, am I right? Of course I'm right, unless you're a Münchhausen's syndrome case, in that case you want cancer more than anything else you've ever wanted... or at least you think you do. ANYWAYS, that's completely beside the point. Canola oil = awesome for cooking. It's also a good source of polyunsaturated fats, which means canola oil also = awesome for your heart and brain and other important bodily organs.
Item #11: Olive oil (preferably extra-virgin, and also preferably in bulk).
Wow... where to start with olive oil... should I start with the fact that it is delicious? Or maybe that it's an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, which reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol? Or maybe that you can use it in cooking, in salad dressing, in place of butter, or even on your skin and hair, and EVEN to treat earaches? I don't know... but they're all true. Mix some chick peas with some sesame tahini, olive oil, salt and lemon juice, and you've got hummus. Mix some olive oil with some balsamic vinegar and some salt and pepper, you've got a salad dressing-- or a nice dip for bread. Yummmm.
Item #12 (this'll be the last one for today): Cereal. Whether it be oatmeal for cookies, granola for snacks or anything in-between, cereal in bulk is SO much cheaper than buying a regular-sized box. And in a place like the Co-op, you can discover many different types that you may not have known about before; they must have over 20 different granolas! Some of them are quite creative too, and they find ways to work in super-healthy ingredients. Check out some of these awesome-sounding granolas: Cranberry Orange, Blueberry Flax, Vanilla Almond, Maple Pecan Dream, Gingersnap, Country Pumpkin!! Yummy, and great on the go. Just don't eat TOO much of these tasty treats, because they sure do contain sugar.
Okay, I'm seriously starting to feel lightheaded now, kids. I need to EAT! Once more through the list:
Item #1: Brown rice
Item #2: Whole quinoa
Item #3: Beans, beans, the musical fruit... yeah.
Item #4: Pasta
Item... well, Items #5 and #6, kind of: nuts/seeds, and dried fruit. I put them together because they are quite yummy when consumed together. (Never tried trail mix? GET SOME.)
Item #7: Canned tomatoes of various types.
Item #8: Fresh garlic.
Item #9: Onions.
Item #10: Canola oil.
Item #11: Olive oil.
Item #12: Cereal.
(Items #13 and #14 are flour and sugar; if anyone has questions regarding these please leave me a comment and I'll address them in further detail. I may add to this later on as well.)
Now, you'll notice that there aren't really any fresh fruits and veggies on this list... and you are right, and a gold star to you for noticing! But that's on purpose; this is strictly a "getting all the right stuff in your pantry" list. Soon we will stock your fridge and freezer, and then we can start COOKING!!!!
Ciao!
If you want to recap our list so far, scroll down to the previous entry. Otherwise, just read on because I'll give the complete list again at the end of this one! (Minus all the awesome tidbits of knowledge; gotta check out the previous entry for those.)
Moving on...
Item #7: Many large cans of tomatoes. Tomatoes are SO versatile, and while the fresh tomato is the ideal in most cases, there are PLENTY of things you can do with canned! You can make pasta or pizza sauce, you can make salsa, you can add them to your beans and rice (recipe coming later), you can add them to casseroles and make lasagna... *drools at the thought of lasagna*... you can make chili, soup or stew (recipes coming later), quick bruschetta or salad... the list goes on. Please note: When fresh tomatoes are in-season, get them locally at roadside farm stands or the farmers' market. The ones that are flown in from Chile or wherever are missing the most important elements of the tomato; namely, FLAVOR and (in a lot of cases) JUICINESS. Nobody likes a bland, mealy tomato. Bleh.
Item #8: Fresh garlic. This will keep for quite a while if you store it properly. For best results, garlic should be stored in a dark, dry place with good air circulation, and putting it in a covered clay pot helps extend the life of your fresh garlic tremendously (thank you TLC). Basically, you want to keep it out of the light so it doesn't sprout.
Garlic has SUPERPOWERS... well okay, not superpowers like, flying or something; but it does have superpowers of deliciousness and health! Garlic is an antibacterial, antifungal, heart-healthy, antioxidant-rich, yummy food (just make sure you have some gum handy when you eat it ^_^). Check this out! Science says garlic is awesome too. What about the minced garlic in the jar? you ask. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease, don't bother unless it's ABSOLUTELY necessary. And really, unless you are deathly afraid of knives or something and therefore can't chop the garlic, there isn't much reason. Ever heard of the garlic press? Great alternative, and you can get them pretty cheap too. There is no excuse you could come up with, short of a deathly allergy, that would convince me that you shouldn't eat garlic. If you must, garlic powder is a useful product to keep on hand as well; a small container will last you quite a while.
Item #9: Onions. Red onions for salads and white onions for sandwiches, yellow onions for sofrito (never heard of it? Check it out here, here and here)... love the onions. Yes, like garlic, onions are also smelly, but worth it. They add so much flavor to so many different dishes, and they've also got a lot of good, healthy stuff in 'em.
Okay, a couple more and then I'll have to run away and get some food; the only drawback about writing all this stuff is that it makes me HUNGRY.
Item #10: Canola oil (preferably in bulk; I'm sure you've got some bottles or jars at home you can put it in). Despite the recent silly Internet rumors, I can assure you that this oil will NOT kill you. I've been consuming it for years, and I'm still alive and *suddenly keels over and dies*...
Kidding!
Canola oil is great, because it has a nice high smoke point. You want that, because if you're frying something and the oil is turning black and smoking, that's some potential cancer you got cookin' right there. Nobody wants cancer, am I right? Of course I'm right, unless you're a Münchhausen's syndrome case, in that case you want cancer more than anything else you've ever wanted... or at least you think you do. ANYWAYS, that's completely beside the point. Canola oil = awesome for cooking. It's also a good source of polyunsaturated fats, which means canola oil also = awesome for your heart and brain and other important bodily organs.
Item #11: Olive oil (preferably extra-virgin, and also preferably in bulk).
Wow... where to start with olive oil... should I start with the fact that it is delicious? Or maybe that it's an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, which reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol? Or maybe that you can use it in cooking, in salad dressing, in place of butter, or even on your skin and hair, and EVEN to treat earaches? I don't know... but they're all true. Mix some chick peas with some sesame tahini, olive oil, salt and lemon juice, and you've got hummus. Mix some olive oil with some balsamic vinegar and some salt and pepper, you've got a salad dressing-- or a nice dip for bread. Yummmm.
Item #12 (this'll be the last one for today): Cereal. Whether it be oatmeal for cookies, granola for snacks or anything in-between, cereal in bulk is SO much cheaper than buying a regular-sized box. And in a place like the Co-op, you can discover many different types that you may not have known about before; they must have over 20 different granolas! Some of them are quite creative too, and they find ways to work in super-healthy ingredients. Check out some of these awesome-sounding granolas: Cranberry Orange, Blueberry Flax, Vanilla Almond, Maple Pecan Dream, Gingersnap, Country Pumpkin!! Yummy, and great on the go. Just don't eat TOO much of these tasty treats, because they sure do contain sugar.
Okay, I'm seriously starting to feel lightheaded now, kids. I need to EAT! Once more through the list:
Item #1: Brown rice
Item #2: Whole quinoa
Item #3: Beans, beans, the musical fruit... yeah.
Item #4: Pasta
Item... well, Items #5 and #6, kind of: nuts/seeds, and dried fruit. I put them together because they are quite yummy when consumed together. (Never tried trail mix? GET SOME.)
Item #7: Canned tomatoes of various types.
Item #8: Fresh garlic.
Item #9: Onions.
Item #10: Canola oil.
Item #11: Olive oil.
Item #12: Cereal.
(Items #13 and #14 are flour and sugar; if anyone has questions regarding these please leave me a comment and I'll address them in further detail. I may add to this later on as well.)
Now, you'll notice that there aren't really any fresh fruits and veggies on this list... and you are right, and a gold star to you for noticing! But that's on purpose; this is strictly a "getting all the right stuff in your pantry" list. Soon we will stock your fridge and freezer, and then we can start COOKING!!!!
Ciao!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Okay, let's SHOP! (The List, part 1)
Alright, so we went over yesterday why buying in bulk in awesome. Now let's put our knowledge into practice; this is a "to keep on-hand" type of shopping list, so it's pretty basic and the stuff on it will last you a while. Again, this can be tailored to your household's specific needs-- I, for instance, live alone and cook only for myself, so I may only need, say, 3/4 of a pound of rice per month... you may have 3 kids, however, so you may need to do a pound and a half or 2.
I am a firm believer in brown rice; white rice may look pretty or whatever, but the natural vitamins, minerals and other good stuff in brown rice has not been ripped out as is the case with white rice. As for the grain, that depends on your personal preference and what you plan on using the rice for. Making beans and rice? I use long-grain. Making sushi? Short-grain. Making risotto? Arborio (that's a specific style; a very starchy short-grain rice that thickens the liquid you cook it in, making a sort of sauce for itself).
List Item #1: Medium- or long-grain brown rice, probably a half-pound to a full pound. The stuff expands to something like 4 times its original grain size, so don't buy (or cook!) too much at once. We'll talk about the cooking later.
Eat quinoa until it comes out of your ears; we already talked about that. ^_^ (And it's on sale at the Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany this month for $2.99/pound!)
List Item #2: Whole Quinoa (preferably organic, but don't spend twice as much for it), also a half-pound to a full pound. It doesn't expand quite as much as rice, but since it absorbs the liquid you cook it in, it does expand some-- probably twice or 3 times the original size.
OKAY, so now we shall address the issue of dried vs. canned beans. There really isn't much difference nutritionally between the two, really the only issue is sodium (and, potentially, sugar or lard or other stuff added to the beans during the cooking/canning process). Plain canned beans can be rinsed before use, however, which cuts down on the excess sodium. In addition, Goya makes 29-oz cans of any given bean... if you have a decent-sized household, you should almost NEVER buy the little 15-oz cans of anything. It's a waste of money. If you're on your own like me, you still shouldn't; you should buy and cook in big batches and preserve your food (something we'll talk about later on). So my point is basically this: buy bigger units, whatever form the units may take, whenever possible.
List Item #3: Lots of beans. Since this is going for a once-monthly thing, if you buy cans buy 4 or 5; and vary the kinds of beans you get. There are SO many delicious varieties out there: cannelini (white kidney) beans, chick peas (ie., garbanzo beans), pink beans, black beans, red or pink kidney beans, navy beans, pigeon peas, pinto beans... you get the idea. If you buy dried, get about 4 pounds total, again, varying the types you buy.
Pasta, flour, sugar, salt, cereal, and cooking oil are other good things to buy in bulk; you know how at the supermarket they have the big bags of egg noodles and whatnots on the bottom shelves in the pasta aisle? Yeah, those are just the beginning. If you go to any health food co-op you will find a more-than-adequate selection of pastas and other goodies-- or even Hannaford, whose Nature's Place section does have a good number of bulk items. The Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany has a HUUUUGE bulk department. (Thank you Billy Fuccillo; I will never quote you again.) You can get just about any pasta your heart desires: spaghetti/angel hair, shells, twists, wagon wheels, bowties, orzo, elbows, and various Asian noodles as well... you name it. The flour selection is almost ridiculous... several different types and styles of wheat; barley, corn, rye, spelt; quinoa; various types and styles of rice; and CHICK PEA flour! Or garbanzo bean, whatever you prefer. Chick pea flour is used to make the original Italian polenta (chestnut flour can be used as well), which is a VERY useful and simple bread you can make in a pan on the stove. It's sooooo good, and yes, I will post a recipe soon. :-D
List Item #4: Pasta. The amount can vary greatly depending on household size and, obviously, how much pasta y'all want to eat. Being Italian, I could live on pasta-- so when I buy, I buy big. It usually ends up being along the lines of: 3/4 pound of shells, 1/2 pound of wagon wheels (I love them for mac and cheese!!), 3/4 pound of soba noodles (these are excellent noodles to put in soup or a stir fry), 3/4 pound of spaghetti/angel hair/linguine/fettuccine... basically any one of the long-and-thin pastas. Honest Weight has an amazing spinach fettuccine that I adore, so once in a while I treat myself with that.
Bulk aisles are also amazing for nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. Moms, if you're worried about your kids developing an addiction to sugary fruit snacks (you should be), dried fruits such as cranberries and blueberries offer a yummy, tangy-and-sweet, healthy alternative to Gushers, Sharks and junk like that. Plus, they're packed with totally excellent andtioxidants and phytonutrients (which I will discuss another time... just trust me, they're something you want). Nuts can be used for almost anything; they can be added to salads, they can be toasted and salted/sweetened/spiced and made into an awesome snack, they can be put in cereal, muffins, coffee cakes, homemade energy bars, they can be pureed/smooshed into delicious butters and pastes... you can do so much with nuts, it's silly to not look at them when shopping. My favorite nuts to buy are raw pecans, sliced almonds, PISTACHIOS (my first love), and there are some nice mixed nuts that you can grab as well. Seeds go along with nuts... growing up, I would've eaten nothing but sunflower seeds if my mom had let me. They are SO good. Pumpkin seeds are great too.
List Item #5: Nuts and dried fruit. Don't be afraid to ask someone working in the bulk section for samples if you're not sure about something!! Feel free to take some of my suggestions, but be adventurous. Try things you've never heard of before; food is an adventure.
Alright kids, time for me to sign off for the day. Back next time with the second portion of your essentials shopping list!
Ciao!
I am a firm believer in brown rice; white rice may look pretty or whatever, but the natural vitamins, minerals and other good stuff in brown rice has not been ripped out as is the case with white rice. As for the grain, that depends on your personal preference and what you plan on using the rice for. Making beans and rice? I use long-grain. Making sushi? Short-grain. Making risotto? Arborio (that's a specific style; a very starchy short-grain rice that thickens the liquid you cook it in, making a sort of sauce for itself).
List Item #1: Medium- or long-grain brown rice, probably a half-pound to a full pound. The stuff expands to something like 4 times its original grain size, so don't buy (or cook!) too much at once. We'll talk about the cooking later.
Eat quinoa until it comes out of your ears; we already talked about that. ^_^ (And it's on sale at the Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany this month for $2.99/pound!)
List Item #2: Whole Quinoa (preferably organic, but don't spend twice as much for it), also a half-pound to a full pound. It doesn't expand quite as much as rice, but since it absorbs the liquid you cook it in, it does expand some-- probably twice or 3 times the original size.
OKAY, so now we shall address the issue of dried vs. canned beans. There really isn't much difference nutritionally between the two, really the only issue is sodium (and, potentially, sugar or lard or other stuff added to the beans during the cooking/canning process). Plain canned beans can be rinsed before use, however, which cuts down on the excess sodium. In addition, Goya makes 29-oz cans of any given bean... if you have a decent-sized household, you should almost NEVER buy the little 15-oz cans of anything. It's a waste of money. If you're on your own like me, you still shouldn't; you should buy and cook in big batches and preserve your food (something we'll talk about later on). So my point is basically this: buy bigger units, whatever form the units may take, whenever possible.
List Item #3: Lots of beans. Since this is going for a once-monthly thing, if you buy cans buy 4 or 5; and vary the kinds of beans you get. There are SO many delicious varieties out there: cannelini (white kidney) beans, chick peas (ie., garbanzo beans), pink beans, black beans, red or pink kidney beans, navy beans, pigeon peas, pinto beans... you get the idea. If you buy dried, get about 4 pounds total, again, varying the types you buy.
Pasta, flour, sugar, salt, cereal, and cooking oil are other good things to buy in bulk; you know how at the supermarket they have the big bags of egg noodles and whatnots on the bottom shelves in the pasta aisle? Yeah, those are just the beginning. If you go to any health food co-op you will find a more-than-adequate selection of pastas and other goodies-- or even Hannaford, whose Nature's Place section does have a good number of bulk items. The Honest Weight Food Co-op in Albany has a HUUUUGE bulk department. (Thank you Billy Fuccillo; I will never quote you again.) You can get just about any pasta your heart desires: spaghetti/angel hair, shells, twists, wagon wheels, bowties, orzo, elbows, and various Asian noodles as well... you name it. The flour selection is almost ridiculous... several different types and styles of wheat; barley, corn, rye, spelt; quinoa; various types and styles of rice; and CHICK PEA flour! Or garbanzo bean, whatever you prefer. Chick pea flour is used to make the original Italian polenta (chestnut flour can be used as well), which is a VERY useful and simple bread you can make in a pan on the stove. It's sooooo good, and yes, I will post a recipe soon. :-D
List Item #4: Pasta. The amount can vary greatly depending on household size and, obviously, how much pasta y'all want to eat. Being Italian, I could live on pasta-- so when I buy, I buy big. It usually ends up being along the lines of: 3/4 pound of shells, 1/2 pound of wagon wheels (I love them for mac and cheese!!), 3/4 pound of soba noodles (these are excellent noodles to put in soup or a stir fry), 3/4 pound of spaghetti/angel hair/linguine/fettuccine... basically any one of the long-and-thin pastas. Honest Weight has an amazing spinach fettuccine that I adore, so once in a while I treat myself with that.
Bulk aisles are also amazing for nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. Moms, if you're worried about your kids developing an addiction to sugary fruit snacks (you should be), dried fruits such as cranberries and blueberries offer a yummy, tangy-and-sweet, healthy alternative to Gushers, Sharks and junk like that. Plus, they're packed with totally excellent andtioxidants and phytonutrients (which I will discuss another time... just trust me, they're something you want). Nuts can be used for almost anything; they can be added to salads, they can be toasted and salted/sweetened/spiced and made into an awesome snack, they can be put in cereal, muffins, coffee cakes, homemade energy bars, they can be pureed/smooshed into delicious butters and pastes... you can do so much with nuts, it's silly to not look at them when shopping. My favorite nuts to buy are raw pecans, sliced almonds, PISTACHIOS (my first love), and there are some nice mixed nuts that you can grab as well. Seeds go along with nuts... growing up, I would've eaten nothing but sunflower seeds if my mom had let me. They are SO good. Pumpkin seeds are great too.
List Item #5: Nuts and dried fruit. Don't be afraid to ask someone working in the bulk section for samples if you're not sure about something!! Feel free to take some of my suggestions, but be adventurous. Try things you've never heard of before; food is an adventure.
Alright kids, time for me to sign off for the day. Back next time with the second portion of your essentials shopping list!
Ciao!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Some basics.... and my rants and ramblings.
Alright, so now we're gonna get started. I'll be introducing basic principles as we go, and the one I'm going to share with you today is one of the most important, so write it on the back of your hand or tattoo it on your forehead or something (don't really, please; just remember it).
Everything is cheaper when you buy it in bulk.
Think about it; you're not paying for packaging. You're not paying for advertisements and fancy logos. In the case of dried beans and such, you're not paying for them to be precooked and preseasoned for you. (That said, I have no objection to canned beans; maybe you like them better or feel that you don't have the time to go through the process yourself to end up with a product you can just buy ready-made. We'll address that later.)
But anyway, today we're just talking about the basics: easy things like rice and other grain-related products, beans, spices, etc. Ingredients you can (and should) always have on-hand. Ideally, you only have to buy them once a month, but it may take you a little while to get the amounts just right for your household.
I'm also going to introduce you to some friends you may not have met before, such as quinoa.
Queen-huh? No, it's pronounced "keen-wah". I don't know why, but then again I have no idea why the word "phonetic" isn't spelled how it sounds... mystery of life. Anyway, quinoa is technically not a cereal grain like wheat, barley or corn; it is a "pseudocereal". That's not too important for you to know, but what IS important for you to know is that quinoa is AMAZING. It is an excellent source of dietary fiber-- which, btw, very few people are getting enough of nowadays-- iron, magnesium, phosphorus, B vitamins (veeeeeeery important!), polyunsaturated fats and the all-important PROTEIN!!!
You know how a protein has to contain all 9 essential amino acids to be called a "complete" protein? Well, it does. Anyways, for a long time it was believed that the only foods that contained "complete protein" were animal-derived foods (meat, eggs, dairy, etc.). It was then discovered that soybeans (edamame) actually contain all 9-- just not quite in the ideal proportions. That's why the majority of vegetarian faux-meats on the market today are made from soy. Only thing is, soy protein isolate (which is the stuff used in most of said faux-meats) is deficient in methionine, one of the essential amino acids.
Bummer.
Thankfully for all you veg-heads out there (thank you, Rachel Ray), quinoa has been found to contain a nice balance of the magic 9, and since its natural, whole-grain form is SO much fun to eat, it is not in danger of being dissected like the poor soybean has been (not yet, anyways). Quinoa is cooked like rice, which means it's easy. It has almost no flavor of its own, which means it'll adopt any seasoning you give it as its very own. It also has an awesome, unique texture, which means it won't get boring. Win-win-win... and win!
Alrighty, I think I'll end on that note. Next time, on The New Food Stamp Gourmet: the all-important SHOPPING LIST.
Ciao!
Everything is cheaper when you buy it in bulk.
Think about it; you're not paying for packaging. You're not paying for advertisements and fancy logos. In the case of dried beans and such, you're not paying for them to be precooked and preseasoned for you. (That said, I have no objection to canned beans; maybe you like them better or feel that you don't have the time to go through the process yourself to end up with a product you can just buy ready-made. We'll address that later.)
But anyway, today we're just talking about the basics: easy things like rice and other grain-related products, beans, spices, etc. Ingredients you can (and should) always have on-hand. Ideally, you only have to buy them once a month, but it may take you a little while to get the amounts just right for your household.
I'm also going to introduce you to some friends you may not have met before, such as quinoa.
Queen-huh? No, it's pronounced "keen-wah". I don't know why, but then again I have no idea why the word "phonetic" isn't spelled how it sounds... mystery of life. Anyway, quinoa is technically not a cereal grain like wheat, barley or corn; it is a "pseudocereal". That's not too important for you to know, but what IS important for you to know is that quinoa is AMAZING. It is an excellent source of dietary fiber-- which, btw, very few people are getting enough of nowadays-- iron, magnesium, phosphorus, B vitamins (veeeeeeery important!), polyunsaturated fats and the all-important PROTEIN!!!
You know how a protein has to contain all 9 essential amino acids to be called a "complete" protein? Well, it does. Anyways, for a long time it was believed that the only foods that contained "complete protein" were animal-derived foods (meat, eggs, dairy, etc.). It was then discovered that soybeans (edamame) actually contain all 9-- just not quite in the ideal proportions. That's why the majority of vegetarian faux-meats on the market today are made from soy. Only thing is, soy protein isolate (which is the stuff used in most of said faux-meats) is deficient in methionine, one of the essential amino acids.
Bummer.
Thankfully for all you veg-heads out there (thank you, Rachel Ray), quinoa has been found to contain a nice balance of the magic 9, and since its natural, whole-grain form is SO much fun to eat, it is not in danger of being dissected like the poor soybean has been (not yet, anyways). Quinoa is cooked like rice, which means it's easy. It has almost no flavor of its own, which means it'll adopt any seasoning you give it as its very own. It also has an awesome, unique texture, which means it won't get boring. Win-win-win... and win!
Alrighty, I think I'll end on that note. Next time, on The New Food Stamp Gourmet: the all-important SHOPPING LIST.
Ciao!
The Beginning
Good afternoon everybody, and welcome to my blog!
My name is Beverly. I'm a returning-adult college student studying to become a registered dietitian, as well as an avid foodie. I love cooking and I love saving money, and with this blog I hope to teach some of you out there how to do both.
This idea came to me last semester (my first semester back in school after a 2-and-a-half-year hiatus), as I was writing a research paper for my English class on the Food Stamp program and the need for adequate nutrition education as a mandatory part of the package. As I was reviewing the literature, it occurred to me that not only do FSP recipients need to know what kinds of foods contain which vitamins and other nutrients, they need to know how to prepare them! Knowledge is essentially useless if you can't apply it. I've always had a heart for practical education, so I decided that since I have a good bit of knowledge in the areas of nutrition and cooking, this is something I could do.
When planning, I decided that if I was doing this at all I was going to go all in; I applied for Food Stamps and was approved. My only food budget for the month is going to be my EBT card. This means that there are certain things that I will not be able to buy; that's fine with me. This is a semi-scientific experiment; whatever suffering I endure will be to the benefit of posterity. Kind of.
This information is geared toward people who are receiving FSP benefits, but those that aren't are welcome to join; everybody likes to save money! It is intended to help you make educated decisions which will benefit you and your families more than you know. The rates of nutrition-related preventable diseases in the USA today are frighteningly high, and who doesn't want to try to protect themselves and their kids from those dangers as much as possible? If you put in the effort, you will see your rewards.
I will post a new entry every few days with recipes, shopping tips, and pictures of yummy dishes I've created with the pricing included (your pricing may be a little different depending on your location).
Ciao!
My name is Beverly. I'm a returning-adult college student studying to become a registered dietitian, as well as an avid foodie. I love cooking and I love saving money, and with this blog I hope to teach some of you out there how to do both.
This idea came to me last semester (my first semester back in school after a 2-and-a-half-year hiatus), as I was writing a research paper for my English class on the Food Stamp program and the need for adequate nutrition education as a mandatory part of the package. As I was reviewing the literature, it occurred to me that not only do FSP recipients need to know what kinds of foods contain which vitamins and other nutrients, they need to know how to prepare them! Knowledge is essentially useless if you can't apply it. I've always had a heart for practical education, so I decided that since I have a good bit of knowledge in the areas of nutrition and cooking, this is something I could do.
When planning, I decided that if I was doing this at all I was going to go all in; I applied for Food Stamps and was approved. My only food budget for the month is going to be my EBT card. This means that there are certain things that I will not be able to buy; that's fine with me. This is a semi-scientific experiment; whatever suffering I endure will be to the benefit of posterity. Kind of.
This information is geared toward people who are receiving FSP benefits, but those that aren't are welcome to join; everybody likes to save money! It is intended to help you make educated decisions which will benefit you and your families more than you know. The rates of nutrition-related preventable diseases in the USA today are frighteningly high, and who doesn't want to try to protect themselves and their kids from those dangers as much as possible? If you put in the effort, you will see your rewards.
I will post a new entry every few days with recipes, shopping tips, and pictures of yummy dishes I've created with the pricing included (your pricing may be a little different depending on your location).
Ciao!
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