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Saturday, April 16, 2011

Saturday Throwback: 26 Common Food Labels, Explained

Posted by whatsapp status on April 16, 2011 with No comments

Each Saturday, we post a piece from the CHG archives. This one comes from May 2009.

These days, grocery shopping involves a lot of reading. Food is rarely content to just be, and instead, must include dozens of labels designating it as CAGE-FREE, HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS, or the dreaded ORGANIC. And even if you know your PASTURED from your HUMANELY-RAISED chickens, odds are you still need a PhD to decode most of the other language.

So, to make navigating your supermarket a tad easier, here are 26 food labels, defined and explained in terms understandable to humans. I have to be honest - 36 hours ago, I couldn't tell the difference between LOW-FAT, LITE and REDUCED-FAT. Now, I can. And I have this guide to consult when I forget.

Readers, if I made a mistake (or several hundred) lemme know and I will correct it.

ALL-NATURAL / NATURAL / 100% NATURAL
What it means: In regards to beef and poultry, NATURAL means the meat appears relatively close to its natural state, and often won’t have additives or preservatives. (Note: there’s no USDA regulation for this, however.) In regards to other foods, NATURAL and ALL-NATURAL mean nothing. Absolutely nothing.
What it really means: With the exception of meat, slapping NATURAL on a label is a marketing ploy. Everything essentially derives from nature, so there’s a ton of fudging that can be done. Don’t trust it, and read the ingredient breakdown before you buy any product.

ANTIOXIDANTS
What it means: I’m leaving this one up to Woman’s Day: “For a food to be labeled as containing antioxidants, the FDA requires that the nutrients have an established Recommended Daily Intakes (RDI) as well as scientifically recognized antioxidant activity.” What? I’m not sure. But it doesn’t matter, because …
What it really means: Actually, Woman's Day has this one covered, too: “Most products already contain antioxidants and manufacturers are simply beginning to call it out due to current food and health trends.”

CAGE-FREE
What it means: Egg-laying hens don’t live in cages.
What it really means: Very little. The poultry can walk around, but they can also be fed, raised, and slaughtered like any other chicken. There’s no official regulation for this term, as far as I can tell.

CERTIFIED
What it means: Congratulations! The USDA has acknowledged that your meat is actually meat.
What it really means: The USDA gave your meat a grade and a class, and certified that it hasn’t been replaced with Folger’s crystals.

ENRICHED / FORTIFIED (Added, Extra, Plus)
What it means: A nutrient (niacin, Vitamin C, etc.) has been added to your food. Now, compared to a standard, non-fortified food, it has at least 10% more of the Daily Value of that nutrient.
What it really means: It varies. A manufacturer can add a ton of Vitamin C to orange juice, and set you up for life. Or the same guy can slip a measly 10% thiamin into a piece of bread, and it barely makes a dent. Read the label to see you’re getting the amount you want.

FREE (Without, No, Zero, Skim)
What it means: FREE has hard and fast definitions set forth by the FDA. They are:
Calorie free: Less than 5 calories per serving.
Cholesterol free: Less than 2 mg cholesterol and 2 g or less saturated fat per serving.
Fat free: Less than 0.5 g of fat per serving.
Sodium/salt free: Less than 5 mg per serving.
Sugar free: Less than 0.5 g of sugars per serving. (See SUGAR-FREE entry as well.)
What it really means: You can be pretty confident that FREE foods lack what they say they do. But be careful. Often, fat-free and calorie-free products are some of the most chemical-laden items in the supermarket (not to mention awful for most cooking purposes).

FREE-RANGE
What it means: A term usually applied to chickens, FREE-RANGE means birds have access to an outside area. That’s it.
What it really means: This is a huge part of Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Essentially, FREE-RANGE often means birds are raised on a massive factory farm, and given a tiny patch of lawn that they rarely, if ever, use. The FREE-RANGE label means virtually nothing, for eggs or roasters. Don’t buy it.

FRESH
What it means: Pretty much, FRESH food is raw food that’s never been frozen or warmed, and doesn’t have any preservatives.
What it really means: Hey! This is an actual thing! Who knew? A food labeled FRESH is regulated by the FDA, so you’re getting what you’re paying for. Nice.

GRAIN FED / GRASS FED
What it means: Grain is the primary diet of most cattle. It’s meant to produce fatter animals who grow and can be slaughtered much faster than nature allows. GRASS FED cows (while I’m not sure there’s an official designation) are generally raised entirely on pasture grass, and can’t be fed grain.
What it really means: While I’m led to believe GRASS FED cows taste better on a bun, I’m actually a little hazy on this one. Can anyone clarify? Is there a federal regulation for this term?

GUILT-FREE (Wholesome, Traditional)
What it means: Absolutely nothing.
What it really means: It’s a made-up word to make you want to buy a product. Ignore it entirely, and don’t forget to read nutrition breakdowns on the packaging. Boo.

HEALTHY
What it means: Simply, “A HEALTHY food must be low in fat and saturated fat and contain limited amounts of cholesterol and sodium. In addition, if it's a single-item food, it must provide at least 10 percent of one or more of vitamins A or C, iron, calcium, protein, or fiber.” Exemptions (and there are many) can be found here.
What it really means: Wow. As in the case with FRESH, I didn’t know this was an actual thing. I assumed it was a spurious claim made by food companies. But it’s actually very real, and leaves little open to interpretation. Nice work, FDA!

HIGH IN / GOOD SOURCE (Excellent for)
What it means: Something labeled GOOD SOURCE “means a single serving contains 10 to 19 percent of the Daily Value for a nutrient.” In regards to fiber, the food must have between 2.5 and 4.9 grams of it in every portion, but also has to be low in fat. A food labeled HIGH IN has at least 20% of the Daily Value of a nutrient.
What it really means: It is what it is. There’s little ambiguity here.

HORMONE-FREE
What it means: Nothing. The USDA says it can’t be proved.
What it really means: Pigs and chickens aren’t supposed to have hormones anyway, so be on the lookout there. For beef, it’s not possible to show hormones weren’t used, so the designation comes entirely from the manufacturer. You’re taking their word for it.

HUMANELY-RAISED
What it means: In regard to the chicken for which it’s meant, almost nothing. It’s not a federally regulated definition.
What it really means: While there’s some effort by smaller groups to get standards together, it’s not completely there yet. In the meantime, look for the Certified Humane label, which means the birds “were allowed to engage in natural behaviors,” had room to move around, had fresh water and a no-hormone/antibiotic diet, and were handled with care during their lives.

LEAN
What it means: In terms of beef, poultry, and fish, LEAN means the product has less than 10 grams of fat, fewer than 4 grams of saturated fat, and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. EXTRA LEAN meats go even further than that.
What it really means: I did a lot of research on this a few months ago, and while serving sizes vary, a LEAN label is good news for dieters. Look for it, but be careful to check the sodium content while you’re at it.

LIGHT / LITE
What it means: There are two definitions: A) the food has 50% less fat than its regular equivalent, or B) the food has 33% less calories than its regular equivalent.
What it really means: The product may be a better choice than its full-fat or full-calorie version, but it’s not necessarily healthy. For example, Hellmann’s Light Mayonnaise has 4.5 grams of fat, which is 5.5 grams less than their plain ol’ mayo. But that’s per tablespoon, which, in the grand scheme of things, is still quite a lot of fat.

LOW (Little, Few, Contains a Small Amount of, Low Source of)
What it means: There are exact specifications for this label put forth by the FDA. The most common are:
Low-calorie: 40 calories or less per serving.
Low-cholesterol: 20 mg or less and 2 g or less of saturated fat per serving
Low-fat: 3 g or less per serving
Low-saturated fat: 1 g or less per serving
Low-sodium: 140 mg or less per serving
What it really means: Thanks to strict standards, the LOW is pretty cut-and-dry. Expect food products to adhere to these guidelines, but don’t expect something that’s LOW in fat to also be LOW in calories.

NO ADDED SUGAR
What it means: Manufacturers haven’t put any additional sugar into their product.
What it really means: There still may be artificial sweeteners or naturally-occurring sugars within the food. Certain fruits and dairy products don’t need extra sweetness because they’re born with it already.

NO ARTIFICIAL COLORS, FLAVORS OR PRESERVATIVES
What it means: Your food is made entirely from natural ingredients
What it really means: Well, it depends on your definition of “natural.” Is high fructose corn syrup natural? What about ammonium sulfate? If a product is enriched with more niacin, does that count? While this label points towards good things, a quick scan of the ingredient list will tell you everything you need to know.

NO TRANS FAT / TRANS FAT FREE
What it means: The food has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving.
What it really means: While this is a relatively new label addition (and a good one since trans fat is very, very, very bad), it’s not quite an indicator of health. A food with NO TRANS FAT may still be high in both saturated and regular fat.

ORGANIC (100% Organic, Made with organic ingredients)
What it means: There are entire books written on the topic, but it boils down to this: 100% ORGANIC products consist entirely of organic ingredients. An item labeled ORGANIC has 95% organic ingredients. Something that’s MADE WITH ORGANIC INGREDIENTS means 70% must come from organic ingredients. Chickens and cows are different and much, much rarer.
What it really means: Hoo boy. Here we go. The word “organic” is thrown around with some regularity, but the USDA’s never certified that it’s any healthier than ol’ supermarket food. (For what it’s worth. The USDA isn’t exactly the Vatican.) The label doesn’t guarantee any humane treatment of animals, and regulation for fruits and vegetables vary. However, it seems like a general consensus that organic food tastes better, and may be better for you. Proceed with caution.

PASTURE-RAISED / PASTURED
What it means: This is a term used to describe chickens. As the USDA puts it, "Birds are raised outdoors using movable enclosures located on grass and fed an organic diet (without hormones or non-organic additives) and/or raised without antibiotics (drugs that are intended to prevent or treat animal illnesses).”
What it really means: Chickens and hens can eat what they’re supposed to naturally (as opposed to feed), and are given lots of space to move around. Their eggs tend to be healthier and more flavorful.

PERCENT FREE (ex: 97% Fat-Free)
What it means: Let’s let the FDA take this one, since they have the simplest explanation: “A product bearing this claim must be a low-fat or a fat-free product. In addition, the claim must accurately reflect the amount of fat present in 100 g of the food. Thus, if a food contains 2.5 g fat per 50 g, the claim must be ‘95 percent fat free.’”
What it really means: In general, this is a good thing, since the percentage label can only be placed on leaner foods.

REDUCED (Fewer, Less)
What it means: A food item has at least 25% less calories, fat, or a nutrient as compared to the reference food. For instance, if regular potato chips have 12 grams of fat per serving, reduced-fat potato chips can’t have more than 9 grams for the same size portion.
What it really means: This is a pretty cut-and-dry definition, but can be easily confused with the LIGHT/LITE label. Reduced foods are generally healthier than their unreduced counterparts, but are not necessarily LOW in fat, calories, or anything else. Read the nutrition facts to make sure you want what you’re buying.

SUGAR-FREE (also: Without Sugar, Zero Sugar, No Sugar, etc.)
What it means: There is no, or an immeasurably small, amount of sugar in the food (less than 0.5 g per serving).
What it really means: There is no, or an immeasurably small, amount of sugar in the food. However, there could be a sugar alcohol like sorbitol, and sugar-free doesn’t necessarily mean carbohydrate-free. Diabetics, take note.

WHOLE WHEAT
What it means: There is some amount of whole wheat in the food you are buying.
What it really means: A range of things, many of which can’t be derived from reading the words WHOLE WHEAT splashed across a logo. To ensure you’re buying a healthy product, look for something with 100% Whole Wheat, and make sure whole wheat flour is the first ingredient, and no other flours are present.

And that’s a wrap. Readers, there is a distinct possibility I’m off my rocker with some of these. Please discuss/point out errors in the comment section.

P.S. Here are my sources.

“‘All natural’ claim on food labels is often deceptive; foods harbor hidden MSG and other unnatural ingredients,” Natural News, 3/21/05
“Breaking news: USDA limits “grass fed” label to meat that actually is,” Ethicurean, 10/16/07
“Coping with Diabetes,” FDA, 9/95
“Deciphering Food Labels,” Kids’ Health
“Egg Labels: Reading Between the Lines,” Egg Industry
“FDA: Scale Back 'Whole Grain' Labels,” Web MD, 2/15/06
“Food Additives,” Healthy Eating Advisor
“The Food Label,” FDA, 7/03
Food Label News
“Food Label Terms Defined,” How Stuff Works
“Food Labeling; Nutrient Content Claims; Definition for ‘High Potency’ and Definition for ‘Antioxidant’ for Use in Nutrient Content Claims for Dietary Supplements and Conventional Foods,” FDA, 7/18/08
“Free-Range and Organic Meat, Eggs, and Dairy Products: Conning Consumers?” Peta Media Center
“Hormone-Free,” Consumer Reports Greener Choices
“Label Able: Certified Humane,” YumSugar, 4/3/07
“A Little 'Lite' Reading,” FDA
“Organic and Free Range Chicken – Better For My Health?” Healthcastle
“Reading Between the Food Label Lines,” Womans Day, 5/12/09
“Reading Food Labels,” Diabetes Files
“Reading food labels: Tips if you have diabetes,” Mayo Clinic, 5/18/07
“Some 'light' reading on food labels,” LA Times, 10/2/07
“Trans fats now listed on food labels,” American Heart Organization,
“The Truth about Food Labels,” Quality Health
“Understanding the Food Label,” Colorado State University
“What is a Cage-Free Egg?” About.com, 3/27/09
“What Is ‘Natural’ Food?” Slashfood, 2/23/09

Veggie Might: Eating Thoughtfully and Gratefully

Posted by whatsapp status on April 14, 2011 with No comments

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

Y’all, I’m still thinking about how eagerly and joyfully you came toAline’s aid last week. You proved that it takes very little to make a real and tangible difference in someone's life. Often, when we see ads on TV for starving children or sick animals, we turn off because the situations seem hopeless. But Aline is a real girl with a real need and your $5 and $10 donations were plenty to change her life for the better. Betsy recommends Give a Little: How Your Small Donations Can Transform Our World for more on giving small to make a difference.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Aline and the girls at the Ubushobozi Project lately in regards to food too. My dear friends Betsy and Dolinda have been volunteering at the Ubushobozi Project in Ruhengeri, Rwanda for several years, and this summer I’m riding their coattails to Africa to teach knitting, crochet, writing, and English to the girls. (Fingers crossed they’ll teach me to dance.)

As a vegetarian, one of my primary travel concerns is what I will eat away from home. I admit it’s a little crazy, but that was my first question for Betsy about going to Rwanda—not Is it safe? or What kind of shots do I need?, but What can I eat there?

I think about food a lot: because it’s my job as a food blogger, because I’m a vegetarian, because I’m frugal and always looking for ways to save, and because I love to eat. Sometimes I worry that all this thinking about food borders on psychosis. You’ll often find me planning supper while eating lunch or discussing one meal while partaking in another. My boyfriend laughs, “I don’t know what I’ll want to eat later; I’m not hungry now.” But I can always think and talk and plan and drool about food.

When I asked what they eat in Rwanda, Betsy took my query seriously and told me I’d be fine: that they eat primarily a starch-based diet of potatoes, rice, beans, fresh vegetables, and very little meat; and that no one would be offended if I passed on the stewed goat. There is also a contingent of Seventh Day Adventists, which means vegetarians are common. “You may get invited to church,” she added with a laugh.

Then I started worrying. Maybe I should pack granola bars. I need to eat every few hours or I get headaches. Then Betsy told Kristen and me about Aline and her backyard kitchen.

In case you missed it, Aline’s only means of cooking is a backyard charcoal stove; when it rains, she has three options: cook in the rain, take her pot over to the elderly neighbor, or, if it’s raining too hard, not cook at all. As Betsy reported, “[Last night it rained] So Aline took the only money she had and bought two pieces of bread for Diane and Olive [her sisters] and they ate bread and avocado. Lola asked her why she didn't eat with them and she said, ‘Aline eat Ubushobozi, no fear.’ So she didn't eat dinner. She ate lunch at Ubushobozi around 2 p.m. and that's it.”

This young woman works to support her two sisters and doesn’t eat when it rains. I can’t go three hours without shoving something in my face. My family didn’t have much when I was growing up, but I do not know what it’s like to truly go hungry. I felt like a world-class jerk.

Betsy agreed that "the guilt is overwhelming sometimes. Every day and night I know I will eat. My biggest problem is deciding what to eat, order, buy, shovel in my mouth for instant gratification. Not survival. Aline and all the girls (and all the girls everywhere in impoverished nations) have to purchase their foods every day, since there's no fridge/storage options, and cook it on the spot. This can take hours, purchasing charcoal, getting the fire going, blah, blah. It's like a part time job."

Kris, who traveled to India, shared a story from her trip that is equally humbling.

"One night, S. and I stayed in a converted haveli in the middle of rural Rajasthan, just outside of a small, poorest-village-I've-ever-seen called Perharsar, where most of the haveli staff was from.

"The next morning, we wandered into town to check things out. The people were super nice, and all the kids followed us shouting "Hello!", even when we left.

"About halfway through the jaunt, we made our way to the roof of one of the homes, where a very, very old man was making small clay pots on a wheel/kiln. His family was there, as well, except one woman who was climbing the stairs with two plates of lentils and chapati. When she saw the two of us, she immediately offered us the plates. We refused and thanked her, having already eaten breakfast.

"Then, she gave the plates to her two small children and one or two other women standing around them. SHE OFFERED US HER KIDS' BREAKFASTS. I've never experienced hospitality like that. The kids, of course, wolfed it. Lentils and all."

How do we—wealthy, well-fed, clothed-and-sheltered we—handle stories like this?

We can feel bad about all that we have, about the excess our country produces and wastes. Or we can be grateful and embrace our abundance as the very thing that allows us to give what we can to girls like Aline and know that we're making a direct difference.

And personally, I could learn to go four hours without eating.

Readers, what is your take? Any stories from your world travels? Advice on dealing with conflicting feelings of guilt/gratitude? I'd love to hear your thoughts. The comments are open for you to let 'er rip!

~~~

If the bubbles of this article ticked your nose, fill your flute with:

The Best Deals at Big Box Stores: a Cheat Sheet

Posted by whatsapp status on April 13, 2011 with No comments

Yesterday, we asked you readers for the best deals at the major big box stores - CostCo, BJ's Wholesale Club, and Sam's Club. Your responses were comprehensive and, excuse my language, pretty farging great. (Quinoa! Who knew?)

Wiki Ken Hammond

Last night, I compiled those responses into this, a master list of Big Box Bargains – like a cheat sheet - which should help you find the best deals next time you visit a glorious warehouse. (For me, see: tonight.) It's useful! It's extensive! It's pretty!

About the process: Every product mention got one vote. (So, if three different commenters wrote "mushrooms," it got three votes.) Some things, like mattresses, elicited one clear vote and were easy to tally. Others, like cheese, were much more varied, producing several similar-but-not-exactly-alike answers. In those cases, I tallied the category as a whole, and then elaborated on individual responses within parentheses. (Um … if that makes sense, which it only kind of does. But you'll see.)

Enjoy!

17 VOTES
Cheese (2 votes feta, 2 votes Tillamook)
Paper products (10 votes toilet paper, 4 votes paper towels)

16 VOTES
Spices (5 votes cinnamon, 3 votes pepper)

13 VOTES
Olive Oil

8 VOTES
Yeast (reader Jennifer: “Literally 100x cheaper than the envelopes”)

7 VOTES
Nuts (2 votes almonds)

6 VOTES
Pet food & supplies (3 votes dog food, 2 votes supplies, 1 vote cat food)
Salad greens (4 votes organic)

5 VOTES
Butter
Canned tomatoes (1 vote organic)
Dried fruit (2 Craisin votes)
Eggs (2 votes organic)
Milk (1 vote organic)
Quinoa

4 VOTES
Baby supplies (2 votes diapers, 2 votes wipes)
Bread (2 votes "fancy bread")
Chips
Electronics/big appliances (camera, elliptical, computer, etc.)
Gas
Vanilla Extract

3 VOTES
Alcohol (wine, bourbon, etc.)
Baking soda
Bananas
Cleaning products
Movie tickets
Mushrooms
Oatmeal
Peanut butter (1 vote organic)
Produce
Rice (1 vote Basmati)
Sabra Hummus
Soap
Yogurt (1 vote Greek-style)

2 VOTES
Almond butter, Bagels, Beans, Cereal (1 vote Kashi), Clif bars, Coffee, Contact lens solution, Drugs (Kirkland brand Advil, Zyrtec, etc.), Frozen berries, Frozen chicken, Ground turkey, Gum, Kids' clothes, Laundry detergent, Lettuce, Maple syrup, Soy milk, Tissues, Toothbrushes/toothpaste, Tortillas, Vinegar, Potatoes, Tomatoes

1 VOTE
Bacon (Kirkland brand), Better than Bouillon chicken base, Bisquick, Books, Breathe-right nose strips, Brita filters, Brown sugar, Canned pineapple, Canned tuna/salmon, Cars (!), Checks, Chicken breasts, Chicken broth, Chicken thighs, Coconut Milk, Cornstarch, Crackers, Cutting boards, Dairy, Dental floss, Deodorant, Dish detergent, Dr. Pepper, Dried onions, Floss, Flour, Food court items, Fresh meats, Frozen edamame, Frozen hamburger patties, Frozen salmon fillets, Frozen shrimp, Frozen strawberries, Frozen vegetables, G2, Garlic, Gelato, Gift card deals (restaurants, movie theaters, etc.), Glasses, Goldfish, Grains, Granulated garlic, Ground flaxmeal, Honey, Hot dogs, Hot sauce, Green chiles, Janitorial supplies, Jarred roasted red peppers, Larabars, Marinated shrimp, Magazines, Marinated artichoke hearts, Mattresses, Nutella, Onions, Organic, Organic apples, Organic carrots, Organic frozen fruit, Organic hamburger, Popcorn (the kind you pop on the stove), Popcorn salt, Prescriptions, Printer paper, Ramen, Rotel, Rotisserie chicken, Salmon, Salmon burgers, Salsa, Shampoo, Shaving gel, Smuckers strawberry jam, Store-brand fish oil, Store-brand naprosyn, Sugar, Strawberries, Sun-dried tomatoes, Sweet potatoes, Tires, Toiletries, Tuna, Tupperware, Udi's granola, Veggie burgers

Fun comments:

Commenter Aryn writes: “Beware the giant box 'o pens. My husband and I bought 200 pens when we started grad school thinking we'd use them up quickly. It's been seven years. We still have about 180 of those pens.” (Aryn! I totally did this once, too, for a friend's promotional event. Maybe we can have a pen party?)
Commenter Ami writes: "I tend to shop with my mom and we split items that neither of us can use in a week - we also split the cost of membership with makes it even more worthwhile."
Also of note: Readers loved CostCo’s return policy, especially on appliances and electronics.

And that's it! Sweet readers, do you agree/disagree/have anything to add? The comment section is wide open.

~~~

If you like this article, you'll flip for:

Ask the Internet: Best Deals at Big Box Stores?

Posted by whatsapp status on April 12, 2011 with No comments

Today's question comes from a new membership! Yay!

Wiki Stu pendousma

Q: I just joined CostCo, mostly to get their super-solid eye exam/contact lens deal. But, while I'm there, I'd like to join the wonderful world of bulk shopping. What products are bargains?

A: From a cursory glance (and, admittedly, some prior shopping with my dad), I figured:

contact lens solution
canned tomatoes
vanilla extract
cinnamon
peppercorns
chicken broth
cat food
oatmeal (in canisters, not packaged)
CostCo brand block cheese
Sabra hummus

Readers, how about you? What are worth buying at big box stores like Sam's Club, CostCo, and BJ's?

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.

Comment Policy

Posted by whatsapp status on April 11, 2011 with No comments

Sweet readers!

We've received many wonderful comments lately, from insightful and generous viewers of this here blog. We love getting them, and engaging in the discussions they inspire. Honestly, the community aspect of blogging is probs the best part.

However, we've also received quite a few comments that read like this:

Great post! I agree. -Aromatherapy Gladys

In these cases, the name link connects directly to one of two things:

A corporation or an amateurish personal site meant to sell a variety of crap: diet aids, acai berries, dining room tables, etc.
A fraudulent cooking site created entirely so SEO-heavy "recipes" can attract eyes to Google ads.

It's spam, and I never, ever post these comments. But A) I wanted to give other bloggers the heads up (heads up!), and B) I'd like to stop receiving them. The filters miss a lot, and checking the links takes up far too much of my valuable 30 Rock-watching time.

So, folks that send germane comments packed with relevant information: Thank you and keep sending!

And to the folks that comment solely for traffic: Please stop. I don't want your dining room table, and your SEO sites are hurting bloggers who publish actual content, and who depend on this for a living. For real.

Excelsior!
Kris

P.S. Google, please get on this.

P.S.S. The first comment I received after posting this:

Artichoke Pesto Dip and Mah Favorite CHG Recipes

Posted by whatsapp status on April 11, 2011 with No comments

We like cooking. And food. And, as of today, we here at CHG have something like 430 recipes in our archives. Leigh, Jaime, Rachel, and I have all tried them at least once. But there are only a few – maybe a dozen or so – I make with any regularity. Part of this is because constant experimentation with new dishes doesn’t leave a lot of time to go back and enjoy old favorites. The other part: these dozen are so tasty, I need to have them all the time.

They are:

(NOTE: Carbs much?)

That last one – White Bean Dip – I make it more often than anything else on this blog, with the possible exception of Oatmeal with Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, and Scallions. The dip is a fabulous alternative to hummus, and about a million times cheaper. Basically, all you need is a can of small white beans, five minutes, and a food processor. (Actually, you don’t even need the food processor. A potato masher and some good upper body strength is just the ticket.)

But? Thanks to Diane Morgan’s Skinny Dips, which came out late last year, there may be a new dip in town. Artichoke Pesto Dip is the name of the usurper, and though slightly pricier, it is a bowlful of pure joy. I want to spread it on toast. I want to spread it on pasta. I want to spread it on my taste buds, so each may know the joy of artichokes, lemon, Parmesan, and various sundries.

It will be on this list soon.

~~~

If you dig this dip, you’ll surely dig:

~~~

Artichoke Pesto Dip
Makes 1 cup or 8 (2 tablespoon) servings
From Skinny Dips by Diane Morgan

1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 small clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
a few grinds black pepper

1) Place artichoke hearts in a food processor. Pulse a few times, until rough-chopped.

2) Add Parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse until dip reaches consistency you like. Serve with tortilla, pita, or what have you.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
48 calories, 3.9 g fat, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein, $0.41

NOTE: Author Diane Morgan calculated the nutrition numbers in Skinny Dips, so only the price is listed here. Also, I added more Parmesan to my version, which was very nice, as well.

Calculations
1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained: $2.29
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese: $0.45
2 tablespoons olive oil: $0.10
1 tablespoon lemon juice: $0.33
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley: $0.10
1 small clove garlic, minced: $0.04
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt: $0.01
a few grinds black pepper: $0.01
TOTAL: $3.33
PER SERVING (TOTAL/8): $0.41

Saturday Throwback: How to Tell if a Recipe is Cheap and Healthy Just by Looking at it

Posted by whatsapp status on April 09, 2011 with No comments

Every Saturday, we post a piece from the CHG archives. This one comes from June 2009.

Though it might seem intuitive, determining a recipe’s cost and nutritional value can get pretty complicated, pretty quickly. Ingredient prices can add up before you know it, and a combination of fats, meats, and cheeses will take a toll on your calorie count without even registering on your radar. And sometimes, even the most harmless-looking dishes, like All Recipes’ Greek Pasta Salad with Shrimp, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Peppers, and Feta, can run you $2 and 42 grams of fat per serving.

So, how can you tell if a dish is good for you, just by looking at it? How can you avoid the pitfalls of secretly fatty and financially unsound food? How can you err on the side of caution when it comes to cooking?

Look no further, sweet readers. We’ve got you covered. If your recipe source doesn’t give a nutritional breakdown and you’re unsure of the potential cost, these tips will help you decide whether the money/waistline expenditures are worth the trouble. If you have any suggestions, be sure to include them in the comment section.

DO choose your source wisely. Man, I love Paula Deen. Her food looks stupendous and she’s endlessly entertaining – like Yo Gabba Gabba if it was a charmingly cackley southern woman. That said, her concoctions might not be the best choice for those concerned about weight. If you know you’re looking for healthier recipes, sources like Everyday Food, Cooking Light, and Eating Well will generally be more helpful than the Neelys or the Two Fat Ladies. Likewise, reproducing a dish from Grant Achatz’s Alinea cookbook will probably run you a pretty penny compared to the average Cook’s Illustrated meal. Starting your search with a website, cookbook, or blog aimed at your requirements is half the battle.

DO check the number of servings. Once you have a recipe in mind, before you do anything else, check how many people it’s supposed to sate. Fourteen ounces of flank steak does little damage split among eight eaters, but can destroy diets if it’s meant only for two.

DO read the ingredient list carefully. After the serving size, the ingredients are the most important determinant of the cost and nutritional value of a recipe. Scan the rundown, look for a few keywords (many of which are listed below), and be extra aware of extravagant or difficult-to-find foods for your area, which will drive up the price.

DO consider recipes with one or two out-of-the-box ingredients. In small doses, odds are it/they won’t break the bank, and you can incorporate new flavors into your repertoire. Lemongrass? Meyer lemons? Lemon basil? Sure, why not?

DON’T dismiss a long list of ingredients outright. Lighter foods like Bon Appetit’s Turkey Chili with Beans frequently require multiple, inexpensive spices and flavorings to make up for the absence of fat. While their sheer number can seem pretty intimidating, don’t fret. Oftentimes, these foods can be found right in your pantry for minimal cost.

DO count the number of ingredients already in-house. Speaking about that pantry, recipes based on dry goods will usually be cheaper than ones requiring a trip to the supermarket. Look for meals that use rice, beans, pasta, and other staples as jump off points, and go from there.

DO opt for whole food ingredients. If it can be found in the outer aisles of your supermarket, it’s probably a good start to a meal. Fresh fruits, veggies, and lean meats give recipes more bang for the buck, and almost guarantee a healthier overall experience. Fewer preservatives and extra-excellent flavor are just bonuses.

DON’T choose recipes made from processed food. The less ingredients are handled by humans, the better. Why? Well, in general, heavily processed and pre-cut edibles are more expensive and worse for you than the aforementioned whole foods. Semi Homemade-style meals may be convenient, but when you’re sacrificing money, nutrition, and taste, is it worth it?

DO watch out for lots of meat and cheese. In moderation, neither of these is anything to fear. But prices and calories rise when a meal centers on multiple cups of frommage or large cuts of beef or pork. Instead, search for recipes where meat and cheese are add-ons instead of the main event. You’ll save all around.

DO calculate about 12 or 13 grams of fat per tablespoon of butter or oil. When doing a cursory scan of any recipe, I take extra care to check the total cooking fat. If there’s a lot, but it can be easily reduced (like in sautés), I keep going. If there’s a lot, but the amount is set in stone (as in some baking), I move along to the next dish.

DON’T rule out all fatty ingredients. Nuts, olives, avocados and certain oils aren’t low-fat foods, but they’re healthy ones because of the vitamins and minerals they offer. Relatively inexpensive and often pivotal to a dish’s overall flavor, they should be incorporated into any diet in moderation.

DO look for words like: baked, roasted, steamed, grilled, or sautéed. These cooking techniques tend to use less fat than others while still producing flavorful foods. Steaming and boiling are good keywords as well.

DON’T choose recipes with the words: fried, au gratin, cream sauce, bisque, bacon-wrapped, or lard. Each of these terms implies one thing: fat. If you’re serious about watching your weight, there are lighter recipes for certain dishes (Spaghetti Carbonara, etc.), but straight-up lobster bisque will do a number on your numbers.

Confusing? Maybe. Do-able? Definitely. With some practice, these rules will get easier to use. And in the end, you’ll have no problem telling the difference between the recipe you really want and the recipe you thought you wanted.

Readers, fire away in the comment section.

~~~

If you liked this article, you might also dig:

Veggie Might: Love Your Vegetables—Broccoli Almond Stir-fry

Posted by whatsapp status on April 07, 2011 with No comments

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

Gentle readers, I’m still crying into my keyboard over the outpouring of generosity you displayed yesterday. Aline’s kitchen is going to be so rad. My heart is bursting, and you will be hugged if we ever meet face-to-face.

Now let me pull myself together so we can talk broc. A few posts ago, I challenged myself to investigate new ways to cook veggies and learn a little about how to prepare them to maximum awesomosity. To this end, I checked out two books from the library: Barbara Kafka’s Vegetable Love and Leanne Kitchen’s The Produce Bible.

I had the pleasure of hearing Ms. Kafka speak about James Beard a couple years ago, and I remembered her witty, charming style, sharing anecdotes about the innovator of American cooking. Vegetable Love has that same easy charm, while maintaining its old-school sensibility, in the manner of Beard and Julia Child, who never met a vegetable that didn’t benefit from a heavy dose of butter, cream, or pork fat. It’s only a cookbook for vegetarians or vegans if you’re okay doing recipe renovation.

But! I love her devotion to classic methods and technique and the book’s Cook’s Guide section; it’s got awesomosity! Each vegetable is listed alphabetically with its varieties, along with preparation, cooking, and storing methods. She even gives a few tips for creating your own recipes. Now I know everything about vegetables.

The Produce Bible is a beautifully photographed modern tribute to fruits and vegetables, and features two recipes per selection, along with a brief write up about basic uses, prep, and cooking methods. Plus, vegetarian cookbook hero Deborah Madison wrote the intro, so it’s riding on some veg cred.

Armed with a little BKafka knowledge (use a vegetable peeler on broccoli stems! the average broccoli head weighs 1 1/2 pounds!), a tasty looking recipe from LeanneK (Broccoli and Almond Stir-fry!), and a glorious, green head of broccoli, I made a side dish to die for supper twice this week. Bonus: No extra ingredients were purchase in the making of this dish.

Fast, easy, and super tasty, CB has already requested further repeat performances. He’ll get no arguments here. Broccoli and Almond Stir-fry has maximum awesomosity.

~~~~

If you fancied this recipe, your sensibilities may be delighted by:

~~~

Broccoli and Almond Stir-fry
Serves 3
From The Produce Bible by Leanne Kitchen, slightly modified

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
1 head broccoli, about 1 1/2 pounds, cut into florets
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons slivered almonds
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon tahini or 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Note: The rapid pace once cooking starts makes it essential to have all your ingredients prepared before you begin.

1) Cut the broccoli into florets on the small side for faster cooking. Save the stems for another dish or soup stock. Give the coriander a mash in a mortar with a pestle, or if you’re me, in a shallow bowl with the bottom of a glass; a coarse crush is what we’re looking for here. If you have whole almonds on hand, chop about 12 of them for slivered almonds. Crush and mince the garlic, and grate the ginger. Remember, freezing the ginger in advance makes it a bazillion times easier to grate.

2) Combine, in a small bowl or glass measuring cup, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and tahini. (If you’re using sesame seeds, sprinkle them on as a garnish.) Wisk to combine and set aside.

3) In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet or wok, heat the olive oil over medium heat; add the coriander and almonds, and stir until the almonds are golden-brown, about 1 minute.

4) Toss in garlic, ginger, and broccoli, with a splash of water if necessary. Cook for two minutes until broccoli is bright green and tender. Remove from heat. Pour dressing over broccoli and toss to combine.

5) Serve immediately with rice pilaf and a revived love of flowering cabbage.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
138 calories, 7.6g fat, 7g fiber, 6.7g protein, $.66

Calculations
1 head broccoli: 164 calories, 0g fat, 20g fiber, 16g protein, $1.50
1 teaspoon coriander seeds: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
1 teaspoon olive oil: 40 calories, 4.6g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.03
2 tablespoons slivered almonds: 81 calories, 7g fat, 1.5g fiber, 3g protein, $0.08
2 cloves garlic: 4 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.01
1 teaspoon ginger: 2 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.02
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar: 6 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.20
1 tablespoon soy sauce: 11 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.04
2 teaspoons sesame oil: 79.2 calories, 9.24g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.06
1 teaspoon tahini: 27 calories, 2g fat, 0.5g fiber, 1g protein, $0.03
TOTALS: 414 calories, 22.8g fat, 22g fiber, 20g protein, $1.99
PER SERVING (TOTALS/3): 138 calories, 7.6g fat, 7g fiber, 6.7g protein, $.66

$200 for Aline's Kitchen: WE DID IT!

Posted by whatsapp status on April 06, 2011 with No comments

We've hit the $200 mark! It took less than an hour! YAY!

Sweet readers, thank you so so so so much! Thank you especially to:

Margaret

Christine

Angie

Morgan

Easylunchboxes

Doug

Rachel

Cara

Tonia

Katya

David

Bethany

Carrie
Andrea
Kelly

You guys are the best. Betsy, Dolinda, Leigh, and I really, really appreciate it. We can't wait to see Aline's new kitchen!

Help CHG Raise $200 for Aline’s Kitchen in Rwanda

Posted by whatsapp status on April 06, 2011 with No comments

UPDATE: We did it! We raised the $200! Thank you so much to everyone who donated!

Sweet readers! We’re going to try something a little new today, and we’d love your help in making it happen, if at all possible.

Leigh and I have two friends, Betsy and Dolinda. For a few years now, these lovely ladies have been working closely with the Ubushobozi Project, an organization based in Rwanda that offers vocational skills training to impoverished, orphaned and/or head-of-household teenage girls, many of whom have very little chance of continuing their educations and/or making steady livings. One of the girls enrolled in Ubushobozi 17-year-old Aline.

Here she is!

Aline has been with Ubushobozi since 2008. Her parents have been gone for a long, long time, both under some pretty terrible circumstances. So, she takes care of her two sisters, Diane, 12, and Olive, 19. Aline also provides meals for several local children, and even allows them to sleep in her home. “She will feed five to six village kids at a time with just one big plate - just a giving, good, good, person,” says Betsy.

This is her kitchen.

Betsy says: “She must cook outside and when it rains, she either goes to an elderly friend's house nearby to cook or, quite often, she can't cook at all and she and her sisters don't eat.”

We were thinking that we’d love, love to get Aline a new kitchen - a charcoal burner, some serving dishes, and a few cooking implements. The whole deal, plus labor, would run about $200 USD – less than a stand mixer.

And sweet readers, we’d love your help.

Think of it! Together, we can make a direct, wonderful difference in Aline’s life, not to mention all the people she feeds on a regular basis.

Here are some things to know:

To donate, head to the Ubushobozi Donation Page (linked) and click "Donate" on the right hand side. Then, enter your information in PayPal, and on the 2nd page, write "For Aline's Kitchen" in the "message" box. (I tried it! It works!)
All 100 percent of your donation will be directly applied to Aline’s kitchen - labor and materials (tin, mud bricks, wood, etc.). Nothing goes towards administrative fees.
Any donation amount - $5, $10, $20 – is totally great. No need to break the bank.
We have until April 21.

Once we raise the fundage, Aline will photograph the entire process, from construction to the first meal she cooks, and I’ll post it on CHG. When Betsy mentioned the idea to Aline, she replied that, “Everyone come visit her new kitchen to eat. She will cook for everyone.”

What do you guys think? Let’s do this thing! As the Ubushobozi girls would say, “Everybody happiness!”

Green Kitchen: Easy Meatballs and an Ethical Quandary

Posted by whatsapp status on April 05, 2011 with No comments

Green Kitchen is a bi-weekly column about nutritious, inexpensive, and ethical food and cooking. It's penned by the lovely Jaime Green.

Transitioning to the omnivore lifestyle from thirteen years as a vegetarian is not easy. Well, okay, in some ways it is fabulously easy – ordering at restaurants is a delight, and getting enough protein is a breeze. But, of course, there are complications.

My vegetarian menu was pretty ethically uncomplicated – I shopped local when I could, cooked for myself from mostly unprocessed foods, and bought my eggs from farmers I could chat with about the chickens. I wasn’t striving for sainthood, just trying to make the best choices I could. But with meat, those choices are much more complicated. And the implications are much more intense.

It crystallized the other night in the local supermarket aisle. My boyfriend and I were picking up a few things for dinner – we had kale in the fridge, so the main question was, my propensity for bowls of cheesy kale aside, what else we would eat. “What about meatballs?” he asked. “I liked those meatballs you made the other night. I can buy the meat”

The other night I’d come home with a bounty of on-sale local, grass-fed beef from Whole Foods. Now, under the C-Town fluorescent lights, I looked toward the meat case and paled.

“I have some of the Whole Foods beef in the freezer still. I can thaw that out.”

“But you bought that, that’s yours. Let me buy some for tonight.”

We walked over to the meat case. The ground beef told us it was Made in the USA, but not much more. The local butcher shop, where I get my miraculously cheap local, organic chicken, was closed.

I’ve ordered meat in restaurants. I’ve eaten chicken and beef and pork that lived who-knows-how. I know ethically-minded omnivores who eat no meat in restaurants, a restraint I’ve felt guilty for not having. But in that supermarket aisle, I found my personal line. We went home with a carrot, and I took the last of my grass-fed beef out to defrost.

This super-sale grass-fed beef was $5/lb (discounted from $8). Ground beef in the supermarket costs less than half that. I can’t always afford that. Paired with a nice pile of cheap, filling vegetables like onions and kale, you can still get a good serving of meat for under two bucks, which I didn’t even realize until I wrote up this recipe, and which I will remind myself next time my chest gets tight for budget’s sake when my boyfriend goes back for seconds.

The sale at Whole Foods ($5 for what costs $2 at the supermarket) is going on a little longer, and we’re going to stock up while we can. Beef I feel okay about eating is kinda expensive, but it’s also really, really tasty. (In case you pale at the slightly high fat count, by the way, keep in mind that grass-fed beef is much higher in super-healthy Omega-3s, that [nutrition nerd alert!!] the link between saturated fat and heart disease is in fact kinda dodgy, and that the nutrition counts are for uncooked beef – plenty of fat stays behind in the pan.)

~~~

If these look good, you will surely enjoy:

~~~

Meatballs!
(serves 3)

3/4 lb ground beef (grass-fed/pastured if you can)
1/4 medium yellow onion
1/4 medium carrot
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
a few shakes/grinds of pepper
dash of paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon olive oil

1) Preheat your oven to 300. Line a baking sheet (or 9x12 dish) with aluminum foil and set aside.

2) Dice 1/4 onion and 1/4 carrot very finely.

3) Put ground beef in a bowl. Add onion, carrot, ketchup, marjoram, thyme, basil, oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika. Mix with your hands.

4) Shape the meat mixture into balls, about an inch in diameter. Don’t squish them – just gently shape them with your hands. Place these on a plate.

5) Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it’s hot, add the meatballs – without crowding – you may have to do this in batches – to brown. DO NOT TOUCH THEM. (That’s how you get a nice brown crust.) Once the bottoms are browned, after a minute or two, turn the meatballs over to brown the other side. Once that’s done, brown a third side, if you can get them to balance.

6) Remove the browned meatballs to the foil-lined sheet, and stick that in the oven. Repeat with the rest of the meatballs, if necessary.

7) Cook the meatballs until they’re done – not pink inside any more. This time hugely varies for me, depending on how long the meatballs were in the pan, from 2-10 minutes.

8) If you’re cooking vegetables for your meatballs to nest in – I like kale and onions – cook those in the leftover meatball/olive oil, for extra deliciousness.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving:
250 calories, 17.5g fat, 0.8g fiber, 19g protein, $1.26

Calculations:
¾ lb ground grass-fed beef (85% lean): 640 calories, 45.3g fat, 0g fiber, 56g protein, $3.33
¼ medium yellow onion: 9 calories, 0g fat, 0.4g fiber, 0.3g protein, $0.07
¼ medium carrot: 7 calories, 0g fat, 0.4g fiber, 0.1g protein, $0.10
1 T ketchup: 15 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0.3g protein, $0.05
1 t dried marjoram: 2 calories, 0g fat, 0.2g fiber, 0.1g protein, $0.04
1 t dried thyme: 4 calories, 0g fat, 0.6g fiber, 0.1g protein, $0.03
1 t dried basil: 2 calories, 0g fat, 0.3g fiber, 0.1g protein, $0.03
½ t garlic powder: 5 calories, 0g fat, 0.3g fiber, 0.2g protein, $0.02
½ t dried oregano: 3 calories, 0.1g fat, 0.4g fiber, 0.1g protein, $0.02
¼ t salt: 0 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.01
a few shakes/grinds of pepper: 0 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.01
dash of paprika: 0 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.02
1½ t olive oil: 63 calories, 7g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.05
TOTAL: 750 calories, 52.4g fat, 2.3g fiber, 57.2g protein, $3.78
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 250 calories, 17.5g fat, 0.8g fiber, 19g protein, $1.26

Ask the Internet: Cheap Storage for Bulk Foods?

Posted by whatsapp status on April 05, 2011 with No comments

Today's question comes from reader JL.

Q: I've started buying some staple items like dried fruits, grains, and nuts in bulk to save money. However, storage has become a bit of a problem! I have probably a dozen plastic store bags flopping around in my pantry right now. They rip easily, are hard to measure from, and slide all over the place. Plus it's hard to tell what is in each bag.

How does everyone else store their bulk items? Did you buy a set of canisters (which seems expensive) or just mix and match containers (which means they won't stack nicely)? What material do you use and why? Does anyone have a system or type of container they love? And what about taking the items home from the store? Plastic bags seem so wasteful. There must be an alternative, right?

A: JL, I do two things:

Use plastic Tupperware or Chinese food soup containers, which hold those odds and ends that seem to end up all over the place. They're cheap, stackable, and you can throw them out when they start to get kind of funky.
For our wedding, we received two sets of OXO storage containers (pictured upper right). They're a bit expensive at the outset, but they have been FANTASTIC at keeping our various sundries in check. Plus, they look pretty. Highly suggested.

Readers, how about you?

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.

Cranberry Bulgur Wheat Pilaf, a.k.a. Bulgur Wheat is the Best

Posted by whatsapp status on April 04, 2011 with No comments

I have a new obsession: Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Okay, two new obsessions. The first is the Joss Whedon series, which HOTUS and I have somehow missed entirely up until now, and which we are loving like one would love unlimited mimosas or the first hydrangeas of spring. I suddenly get Sarah Michelle Gellar, and see why one might consider three-foot-two-inch Seth “Scott Evil” Green a sex symbol. Also, Alyson Hannigan’s hairdresser has to call me immediately.

The second obsession is bulgur wheat. It’s not nearly as witty, and the DVDs are much harder to collect, but over the last few months, the stuff has become one of my favorite things on earth.

A briefing: Bulgur wheat is a chewy, nutty, slightly sweet whole grain. High in fiber and protein, it’s an excellent substitute for quinoa, brown rice, and other whole grains. I always buy Bob’s Red Mill brand, which is quick cooking, fairly easy to find, and reasonably priced. The only thing wrong with the food, is that I constantly get the name wrong, typing it as “wheat bulgur.” (Oh, the hijinks we get into here.)

I’ve made this fabulous grain into casseroles. I’ve made it into salads. I’ve made it into chicken burgers (recipe coming later today on Serious Eats). And now, I’ve made it into this pilaf, from Moosewood’s Simple Suppers. So. Good.

HOTUS and I just arrived home from a weekend away, and didn’t have many (read: any) fresh vegetables lying around. We did, however, have dried cranberries, an orange, a lemon, and a couple of walnuts. Those are the main flavor components of this sweet side dish, though rosemary, onions, and garlic all play supporting roles. Assembled, it’s worthy of a weeknight dinner, weekend guests, or even … stay with me here … Thanksgiving. (Seriously, this would totally work as an alternative to stuffing. Cross my heart, hope to meet some pilgrims.)

Whether or not you decide to give this dish a try (you should, though), I suggest at least buying a big bag of bulgur wheat. If nothing else, you can throw it at your Buffy marathon every time David Boreanaz attempts an Irish accent.

~~~

If you’d like to make sweet sexy talk to this, you’d flip for:

~~~

Cranberry Bulgur Wheat Pilaf
Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant Simple Suppers: Fresh Ideas for the Weeknight Table

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of salt
1 orange
1/2 teaspoon dried crumbed rosemary or 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 cups wheat bulgur
1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock or vegetable stock
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and pinch of salt and sauté onion is soft, about 10 minutes.

2) While onion is cooking, zest and juice the orange. Add zest, rosemary and wheat bulgur to onions. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add orange juice, water/stock and cranberries. Stir to combine. Drop heat to low, cover, and cook 10 to 15 minutes, or until wheat bulgur is softened. (It should be chewy, but not crunchy.) If not fully cooked by the end, add 1/4 cup water and give it another few minutes.

3) Kill heat. Stir in lemon juice and soy sauce. Add walnuts. Stir. Salt and pepper to taste. (Salting this correctly will make a ton of difference.) Serve.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
4 servings: 412 calories, 14 g fat, 13.1 g fiber, 10 g protein, $1.10
6 servings: 275 calories, 9.4 g fat, 8.7 g fiber, 6.6 g protein, $0.73

NOTE: I used water instead of broth, fresh rosemary, Bob’s Red Mill Quick Cooking Bulgur Wheat, and walnuts. The calculations reflect that.

Calculations
2 tablespoons olive oil: 239 calories, 27 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.20
1 cup chopped onion: 67 calories, 0.2 g fat, 2.2 g fiber, 1.5 g protein, $0.40
3 garlic cloves, minced: 13 calories, 0 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, 0.6 g protein, $0.12
Pinch of salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein per serving, $0.01
1 orange worth of zest: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein per serving, Free
1 orange worth of juice: 39 calories, 0.2 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, 0.6 g protein, $0.33
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein per serving, $0.33
1 1/2 cups wheat bulgur: 840 calories, 3 g fat, 42 g fiber, 30 g protein, $1.36
1 1/2 cups water: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein per serving, Free
1/2 cup dried cranberries: 182 calories, 0.7 g fat, 5 g fiber, 0.2 g protein, $0.50
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice: 4 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.30
1 tablespoon soy sauce: 8 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 1 g protein, $0.09
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds: 255 calories, 25.4 g fat, 2.6 g fiber, 5.9 g protein, $0.75
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein per serving, $0.01
TOTAL: 1647 calories, 56.5 g fat, 52.3 g fiber, 39.8 g protein, $4.40
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 412 calories, 14 g fat, 13.1 g fiber, 10 g protein, $1.10
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 275 calories, 9.4 g fat, 8.7 g fiber, 6.6 g protein, $0.73

Saturday Throwback: Five Fiction Books for the Frugal Foodie

Posted by whatsapp status on April 02, 2011 with No comments

Every Saturday, we post a piece from the CHG Archives. This one came from April 2009, when the skies were blue, the chocolate was delicious, and we were all so very, very literate.

Thanks, you guys, for all your suggestions from yesterday’s nonfiction food books post. They were wonderful to see. I’d never heard of Laurie Colwin before, and hereby pledge to get on the MFK Fisher tip immediately.

Today, as a follow-up, I thought I’d recommend my favorite food fiction. Like yesterday’s selections, the books might not have much to do with inexpensive, healthy meals, but all include important scenes and plot points involving edibles.

Have you read any of these? What about other novels with stellar food scenes? The comment section is ready and waiting.

Beloved by Toni Morrison
Since main character Sethe is a cook, much of Beloved revolves around her post-Civil War era kitchen, where she prepares a series of biscuits, jams, and simple meals. Aside from that, though, there’s a flashback scene, vital to explaining the rest of the book, in which her family throws the world’s greatest picnic. It begins with a bucket of berries, and ends in luxury, celebration, and bitter feelings that affect the characters for the rest of their lives.

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
For some reason, when I think of great literary food scenes, they tend to involve novels in which food is scarce. With no farming jobs to be had in the depths of the Great Depression, GoW’s Joad family heads west, and practically starves along the way. The skimpiness of their meals – when there’s even food to be had - makes a pivotal breastfeeding incident all the more powerful.

Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone by JK Rowling
Yes, the Harry Potter series is fundamentally about kid wizards learning their craft, coming of age, and overcoming evil. But a good part their characterization comes from Rowling’s early descriptions of their relationships with food: Harry’s amazed at the surplus, Hermione's bewitched by its quality, and Ron’s just hungry. Later, the surplus of butterbeer and field trip takeout (such as it is) hints at the kids’ maturation. Good stuff. (Plus, Bertie Bott’s Beans, anyone? I’ll take one in vomit flavor.)

The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
On the whole, this book rules. As something that will make you immediately want an Indian buffet shoveled straight into your mouth, it rules even harder. I’m sorry I can’t be more specific, but my drool is shorting out my keyboard.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Many suspect the story of Francie Nolan’s BK childhood is actually Smith’s own thinly disguised biography. Either way, her perseverance in the face of occasionally crushing deprivation will charm your face off (and make you appreciate coffee a lot more). Also, if there’s a greater fictional mom than Katie Nolan, I’d like to know.

Also of Note

Bunnicula by Deborah Howe, James Howe, and Alan Daniel
A vampire bunny? That only eats vegetables? In a story told by a dog? Yes please. Growing up, this was one of my favorite books. Has anyone read it lately? Does it hold up?

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Much like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, this modern memoir focuses on the author’s poverty-stricken childhood, though in a series of locations instead of just NYC. As Walls becomes increasingly frustrated by her parents’ inability to provide the basics (shelter, food, etc.), I became increasingly grateful for how good I had it in comparison. Powerful.

Remembering Needleman by Woody Allen (short story)
If only because it has one of the greatest opening lines in literature: “It has been four weeks and it is still hard for me to believe Sandor Needleman is dead. I was present at the cremation and at his son's request, brought the marshmallows, but few of us could think of anything but our pain.”

Somewhat of Note

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
Can you dislike a book overall, but really dig the way it does one thing? Okay, good. Because I appreciated SLoB’s food scenes. The honey-making was particularly interesting, not least because I never considered the cleanup involved. Never, EVER spill that stuff.

Not of Note

Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
Do not read this while eating. I mean it.

(Images courtesy of A Guy's Moleskin Notebook, stupid fool yet again, and UMBC.)

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