Get Rich Slowly: 16 Ways to Eat Healthy While Keeping it Cheap
I’m not sure how much I agree with tips 4 and 12, but guest writer Mehdi makes a bunch of good points. He does it concisely, too. Aces.
The Wednesday Chef: Housecleaning, or Three Recipes
Luisa cleans out her pantry, and nutritious deliciousness ensues.
Smart Money: Buy Organic Foods without Breaking the Bank
Must … print and attach … to refrigerator … Oh no … too many … recycling guides … and Christmas pictures … I've ... become … my mother …
Orangette: All So Pretty
THE CHEAP: Instead of blowing a wad on a foofy five-tier monstrosity, Orangette made her own wedding cakes.
THE HEALTHY: Pickled carrots!
THE GOOD: The pictures, the writing, and the sentiment are lovely as all get out.
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A Pot Full of Sauciness
There are approximately 6,600,000,000 people currently occupying Earth.
Of those, 6,599,999,999 have their own recipe for tomato sauce.
(The lone un-saucer is my sister, who prefers Prego from a jar and wouldn’t eat an onion if it was holding a Howitzer [a gunion?] to her head, begging to be devoured.)
Tomato sauce is a wonderful, aromatic fact of life – a healthy, delectable way of dressing up pasta while incorporating valuable vitamins and minerals into a diet. Though there are infinite adaptations using wine, seasonal vegetables, pork fat, olives, and much, much more, many sauces seem to be variations on the following:
1. Tomatoes, onions, olive oil, garlic, herbs.
2. Tomatoes, onions, olive oil, garlic, herbs, soffrito.
My understanding is soffrito (or mirepoix, or the 2:1:1 onions to carrots to celery ratio basic to lots of Italian and French cooking) gives tomato sauce depth, a touch of sweetness, and possibly magical powers. I love Lidia Bastianich’s version, since it’s rich, chunky, and full of pretty colors. (Unfortunately, she also uses ¼ cup of olive oil, which drives the fat content up considerably. In the near future, I’m going to try making it with half the oil, and will report back on what happens.)
Sometimes lower in fat and calories, tomato sauces without the soffrito can be equally as luscious, though they may have added sugar or herbs for flavor. This versatile rendering, a chunky, basil-y adaptation from Cooking Light, is one of those, and maintains its scrumptiousness without too many bells and whistles. Use it on penne, eggplant parm, bread, cheesecake, peanut butter and jelly – whatever suits your fancy.
P.S. It ranks a proven 6,340,662,940 out of 6,599,999,999 on a global scale. I checked.
Light Tomato Sauce
7 servings – ½ cup per serving
Adapted from Cooking Light.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 28-oz. cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes, undrained
2/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/8 tsp black pepper, divided
1) In a medium pot or small Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until almost tender. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes, until garlic is fragrant and onion is tender.
2) Crush the canned tomatoes over the pot by hand, making sure you remove any chunks of stem. Pour in juice leftover in can. Bring everything to a boil.
3) Drop heat to low and simmer for about 80 or 90 minutes, until sauce is thick and/or the consistency you like.
4) Kill the heat and stir in the basil, salt, and pepper. Eat immediately with pasta, or refrigerate overnight to let flavors meld. You can freeze the leftovers, too.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
78 calories, 2 g fat, $0.50
Calculations
1 Tbsp olive oil: 120 calories, 14 g fat, $0.08
1 cup finely chopped onion: 56 calories, 0 g fat, $0.18
4 garlic cloves, minced: 20 calories, 0 g fat, $0.20
2 28-oz. cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes, undrained: 350 calories, 0 g fat $2.00
2/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil: negligible calories and fat, $0.99
3/4 tsp salt, divided: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1/8 tsp black pepper, divided: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
TOTAL: 546 calories, 14 g fat, $3.48
PER SERVING (TOTAL/7): 78 calories, 2 g fat, $0.50
P.P.S. Apologies for no post on Thursday and Friday last week. There was camping to be done in Ohio.
Of those, 6,599,999,999 have their own recipe for tomato sauce.
(The lone un-saucer is my sister, who prefers Prego from a jar and wouldn’t eat an onion if it was holding a Howitzer [a gunion?] to her head, begging to be devoured.)
Tomato sauce is a wonderful, aromatic fact of life – a healthy, delectable way of dressing up pasta while incorporating valuable vitamins and minerals into a diet. Though there are infinite adaptations using wine, seasonal vegetables, pork fat, olives, and much, much more, many sauces seem to be variations on the following:
1. Tomatoes, onions, olive oil, garlic, herbs.
2. Tomatoes, onions, olive oil, garlic, herbs, soffrito.
My understanding is soffrito (or mirepoix, or the 2:1:1 onions to carrots to celery ratio basic to lots of Italian and French cooking) gives tomato sauce depth, a touch of sweetness, and possibly magical powers. I love Lidia Bastianich’s version, since it’s rich, chunky, and full of pretty colors. (Unfortunately, she also uses ¼ cup of olive oil, which drives the fat content up considerably. In the near future, I’m going to try making it with half the oil, and will report back on what happens.)
Sometimes lower in fat and calories, tomato sauces without the soffrito can be equally as luscious, though they may have added sugar or herbs for flavor. This versatile rendering, a chunky, basil-y adaptation from Cooking Light, is one of those, and maintains its scrumptiousness without too many bells and whistles. Use it on penne, eggplant parm, bread, cheesecake, peanut butter and jelly – whatever suits your fancy.
P.S. It ranks a proven 6,340,662,940 out of 6,599,999,999 on a global scale. I checked.
Light Tomato Sauce
7 servings – ½ cup per serving
Adapted from Cooking Light.
1 Tbsp olive oil1 cup finely chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 28-oz. cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes, undrained
2/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
3/4 tsp salt, divided
1/8 tsp black pepper, divided
1) In a medium pot or small Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until almost tender. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes, until garlic is fragrant and onion is tender.
2) Crush the canned tomatoes over the pot by hand, making sure you remove any chunks of stem. Pour in juice leftover in can. Bring everything to a boil.
3) Drop heat to low and simmer for about 80 or 90 minutes, until sauce is thick and/or the consistency you like.
4) Kill the heat and stir in the basil, salt, and pepper. Eat immediately with pasta, or refrigerate overnight to let flavors meld. You can freeze the leftovers, too.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
78 calories, 2 g fat, $0.50
Calculations
1 Tbsp olive oil: 120 calories, 14 g fat, $0.08
1 cup finely chopped onion: 56 calories, 0 g fat, $0.18
4 garlic cloves, minced: 20 calories, 0 g fat, $0.20
2 28-oz. cans whole peeled Italian tomatoes, undrained: 350 calories, 0 g fat $2.00
2/3 cup thinly sliced fresh basil: negligible calories and fat, $0.99
3/4 tsp salt, divided: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1/8 tsp black pepper, divided: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
TOTAL: 546 calories, 14 g fat, $3.48
PER SERVING (TOTAL/7): 78 calories, 2 g fat, $0.50
P.P.S. Apologies for no post on Thursday and Friday last week. There was camping to be done in Ohio.
The Circular Game: Decoding Your Supermarket Weekly
Tuesday evening’s rolled around, and it’s time for some spur-of-the-moment food shopping. You saunter through the sticky sliding glass doors of your local grocery store, pondering what to purchase with the $15.09 you’ve budgeted until Friday. Then you spot it, lying prostrate and unused in a misshapen stack by the shopping carts: the Supermarket Circular.
Cackling like a maniac, you scuttle over to snatch the half-soaked, seven-page spreadsheet. You’re hunched over, madly scanning the deli section when it hits you: you have no blessed clue how to read this thing. Sure, there are pretty pictures, and yes, the numbers look tantalizingly low, but do you have to buy seven freakin’ jars of jelly to get the 7-for-$7 discount?
The answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind.
Just kidding. The answer is actually “no.” More often than not, that jelly is priced individually. Since this isn’t intuitive knowledge, like breathing or refusing a pit bull from a man with missing fingers, here are a few decoding tips for the Supermarket Circular, the mightiest of cash-saving weapons.
AT THE STORE:
If you don’t need it, don’t buy it. Lots of circulars advertise sales like “Tuna: 5 cans, 3 bucks” or “10 boxes of Ronzoni pasta for $10.” The majority of the time, each item is individually priced, meaning you don’t have to dogpile ten cartons of penne to get the deal. Buy three and it’ll be $3. Buy six and it’ll be $6. Buy one, it’ll be $1, and you won’t have 144 extra ounces of pasta hanging around your cupboards.
Read the small print. Oftentimes, stores will list purchasing requirements in Lilliputian typeface at the bottom of an ad. You don’t see it until it’s too late, and then you’re stuck paying regular price at the register. Criminals here include caveats like: “With minimum purchase of $25,” “With club card only,” and “Limit one per customer.”
Look out for loss leaders. Normally depicted in giant photos on the front or back covers, loss leaders are priced at rock bottom to lure in shoppers. Frequently they’re perishables, daily menu foods, or other stuff you buy with some regularity - meat, fruit, vegetables, etc. Hands down the best values in the market, according to Womans Day, “if you make those two pages … the base of what you’re going to eat all week, you’ll save about 30 percent.”
Keep in mind not everything in the circular is on sale. As Consumer Reports informs us, “A mere mention of a product in a circular can boost sales by as much as 500 percent, even without a price reduction.” In fact, SmartMoney.com says, “Some stores raise prices on advertised specials.” If those on sale hot dogs still seem pretty expensive to you, they probably are. Keep moving.
Do the math. On smarter blogs, this is called “comparing unit prices,” but either way, it goes for all shopping everywhere. Just because a product is sold in bulk doesn’t mean it’s a better deal, even if it appears in the circular. In other words, if a 32-oz. olive oil is listed in the weekly at $10, and the 16-oz. version of that same item regularly sells for $4, the 32-oz. bottle is a rip-off. They’re tricking you into buying more product for more money. Tricksters.
Use your judgment. When you finally arrive at that bin of $0.01/lb chicken breast, take a good, long look at the quality of the meat. Is it gray? Does it stink? Is it housing a maggot colony? There’s a reason it’s on sale. Chalk it up in the loss column and move on. (Same goes for fruits and veggies.) However, if it’s pinkish, and still a day or two away from going bad? Stellar. Take it home and freeze what you don’t use immediately.
Cackling like a maniac, you scuttle over to snatch the half-soaked, seven-page spreadsheet. You’re hunched over, madly scanning the deli section when it hits you: you have no blessed clue how to read this thing. Sure, there are pretty pictures, and yes, the numbers look tantalizingly low, but do you have to buy seven freakin’ jars of jelly to get the 7-for-$7 discount?
The answer, my friends, is blowing in the wind.
Just kidding. The answer is actually “no.” More often than not, that jelly is priced individually. Since this isn’t intuitive knowledge, like breathing or refusing a pit bull from a man with missing fingers, here are a few decoding tips for the Supermarket Circular, the mightiest of cash-saving weapons.
AT THE STORE:
If you don’t need it, don’t buy it. Lots of circulars advertise sales like “Tuna: 5 cans, 3 bucks” or “10 boxes of Ronzoni pasta for $10.” The majority of the time, each item is individually priced, meaning you don’t have to dogpile ten cartons of penne to get the deal. Buy three and it’ll be $3. Buy six and it’ll be $6. Buy one, it’ll be $1, and you won’t have 144 extra ounces of pasta hanging around your cupboards.
Read the small print. Oftentimes, stores will list purchasing requirements in Lilliputian typeface at the bottom of an ad. You don’t see it until it’s too late, and then you’re stuck paying regular price at the register. Criminals here include caveats like: “With minimum purchase of $25,” “With club card only,” and “Limit one per customer.”
Look out for loss leaders. Normally depicted in giant photos on the front or back covers, loss leaders are priced at rock bottom to lure in shoppers. Frequently they’re perishables, daily menu foods, or other stuff you buy with some regularity - meat, fruit, vegetables, etc. Hands down the best values in the market, according to Womans Day, “if you make those two pages … the base of what you’re going to eat all week, you’ll save about 30 percent.”
Keep in mind not everything in the circular is on sale. As Consumer Reports informs us, “A mere mention of a product in a circular can boost sales by as much as 500 percent, even without a price reduction.” In fact, SmartMoney.com says, “Some stores raise prices on advertised specials.” If those on sale hot dogs still seem pretty expensive to you, they probably are. Keep moving.
Do the math. On smarter blogs, this is called “comparing unit prices,” but either way, it goes for all shopping everywhere. Just because a product is sold in bulk doesn’t mean it’s a better deal, even if it appears in the circular. In other words, if a 32-oz. olive oil is listed in the weekly at $10, and the 16-oz. version of that same item regularly sells for $4, the 32-oz. bottle is a rip-off. They’re tricking you into buying more product for more money. Tricksters.
Use your judgment. When you finally arrive at that bin of $0.01/lb chicken breast, take a good, long look at the quality of the meat. Is it gray? Does it stink? Is it housing a maggot colony? There’s a reason it’s on sale. Chalk it up in the loss column and move on. (Same goes for fruits and veggies.) However, if it’s pinkish, and still a day or two away from going bad? Stellar. Take it home and freeze what you don’t use immediately.
Bring the circular with you to Checkout. Whether the machines register a wrong promotion code, or simple humans make simple errors, you will inevitably pay extra for an item on sale. If you’re using a circular to shop and suspect you’ve been overcharged, show the cashier. Are you correct? Sweet! You can bask in the glorious victory of the righteous. (Are you wrong? Boo! Apologize, smile sheepishly, and back away slowly.)
If you’ve got a coupon for an item in a circular, go ahead and try it. Waffles are on sale for ½ off. You have an additional $0.50 coupon. It’s worth a shot, right?
Try a raincheck. Not all supermarkets do this, but if a circular item’s sold out, you can try obtaining a raincheck for later. Those $0.88/lb green bell peppers will come in handy in September, you know.
OH - AND NEXT TIME, BEFORE YOU GO:
Look online. Circulars are increasingly accessible via la web, and chains are including all sorts of extras to entice you. Instant shopping lists, recipe suggestions, back massagers – whatever. The internet availability makes it much, much easier to compare prices between grocery stores, too.
Check to see if your market will match competitors’ circular prices. Rumor has it that some stores have a lowest-price guarantee, as long as you can prove it using another market’s circular. Print it up and bring it with you on your next shopping trip.
Start a pricebook. Are there products you buy with some regularity? Do they go on sale often? Using the online circular and your last receipt, start keeping track of sale prices. This way, you’ll know when something’s just a nickel off, or 75%. Snazzy!
Plan meals around what’s on sale. See: Loss leaders; Look out for. That $0.79/lb pork shoulder could feed you and/or the Marine Corps for a whole week.
Prepare to shop at the start of a new sales cycle. Lots of circulars go into effect on Fridays, and end the following Thursdays. Generally, the better-quality stuff will be made available at the beginning. Don’t wait.
And that’s our ballgame, folks. I specifically didn’t go into coupons or the Sunday newspaper supplement, since they’ll provide plenty of fodder for a future column. If you’re interested in examining either, I highly suggest CouponMom.com. Stephanie knows the score.
Sources:
- Green, Geoffrey M. and John L Park. “New Insights Into Supermarket Promotions via Scanner Data Analysis: The Case of Milk.” Journal of Food Distribution Research. Volume 29, Number 3. November 1998.
- Kadet, Anne. “10 Things Your Supermarket Won’t Tell You.” SmartMoney.com. August 2001.
- Moran, Gwen. “Hide and Seek Savings.” Womans Day. p. 98. April 2005.
- Nelson, Stephanie. “Grocery Store Savings Secrets.” Couponmom.com. 2006.
- Nelson, Stephanie. “Savings Programs Keep Money in Pocket.” The Augusta Chronicle. P. D02. January 2006.
- “Winning at the Grocery Game: How to Shop Smarter, Cheaper, Faster.” Consumer Reports. October 2006.
Link With Me: Tuesday
Sometimes Tuesday feels like a pinko lefty commie liberal kind of day. In its honor, today's links are all New York Times, all the time:
New York Times: Summer Express – 101 Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less
“How to Cook Everything” guru Mark Bittman jacks it up to ludicrous speed. Quite a few suggestions hit the Cheap Healthy Good requirements (which are: inexpensive, good for you, and presumably way tasty).
New York Times: Did McDonald’s Give into Temptation?
Mickey D’s slides back on its effort to healthy-up the menu. One new Hugo, a 42 oz. soda selling in some markets for $0.89, contains 35 teaspoons of sugar. That comes out to about 12 tablespoons, which is 2/3rds of a cup. Gag.
New York Times: Limiting Ads of Junk Food to Children
GOOD: The government’s restricting junk food commercials aimed at under-12s, especially during kid-centric programming hours, i.e. Saturday morning cartoons.
BAD: The agreement’s ambiguous wording leaves a lot of leeway for ads to pop up in the middle of “family” shows, i.e. American Idol.
UP FOR DISCUSSION: Are the limitations even necessary? Are kids THAT vulnerable to suggestion?
PERSONAL OPINION: Without a doubt.
...and a follow up from Consumerist.
LATE ADDITION: Frugal Law Student is hosting this week's Festival of Frugality. Cheap Healthy Good got a mention! Woot!
`
New York Times: Summer Express – 101 Meals Ready in 10 Minutes or Less
“How to Cook Everything” guru Mark Bittman jacks it up to ludicrous speed. Quite a few suggestions hit the Cheap Healthy Good requirements (which are: inexpensive, good for you, and presumably way tasty).
New York Times: Did McDonald’s Give into Temptation?
Mickey D’s slides back on its effort to healthy-up the menu. One new Hugo, a 42 oz. soda selling in some markets for $0.89, contains 35 teaspoons of sugar. That comes out to about 12 tablespoons, which is 2/3rds of a cup. Gag.
New York Times: Limiting Ads of Junk Food to Children
GOOD: The government’s restricting junk food commercials aimed at under-12s, especially during kid-centric programming hours, i.e. Saturday morning cartoons.
BAD: The agreement’s ambiguous wording leaves a lot of leeway for ads to pop up in the middle of “family” shows, i.e. American Idol.
UP FOR DISCUSSION: Are the limitations even necessary? Are kids THAT vulnerable to suggestion?
PERSONAL OPINION: Without a doubt.
...and a follow up from Consumerist.
LATE ADDITION: Frugal Law Student is hosting this week's Festival of Frugality. Cheap Healthy Good got a mention! Woot!
`
Refried Beans: Easy Like Beanday Morning
Refried beans: their very name suggests cardiac arrest.
“Beans. Those are healthy. Oh, wait - maybe not. It says here they’re fried. No, check that. They’re REFRIED. Does that mean they’ve been FRIED AGAIN? How is that POSSIBLE? GOD IN HEAVEN, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?”
Relax. Despite their forbidding moniker, homemade refried beans are surprisingly low in fat, calories, and evil. In fact, their fiber content (about 7 grams per serving) will have your colon doing backflips. (Or buttflips. Or whatever it is that colons do when they’re happy.) Plus, I recently discovered that making them in your own kitchen is relatively simple and quick as hell.
At best, home preparations are a bit garlicky and just-barely past viscous. They shouldn’t run, but you shouldn’t be able to sculpt with them, either. The first time I tried cooking refried beans at home, I let too much water evaporate, and it resulted in a pasty, adobe-style substance not unlike what you might use to build a hut. Since then, the dish has become progressively easier for me to whip up, and has repeatedly proven superior to canned versions.
Listed below are two recipes: a super-basic one from the back of a Goya can, and a more complex version from Food Network’s Ellie Krieger. I found the restaurant-styleGoya beans to be less expensive and a tad less flavorful, while the Ellie beans are a little pricier/gourmet-ier/kickier, but either would make a delicious side for your next fiesta. Or you could eat ‘em all at once. But who in the world would do a thing like that?
(*farts incriminatingly*)
Ellie Krieger’s Refried Beans
3 servings – heaping ½ c per serving
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ancho chili powder, or other chili powder
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken or veggie broth, plus more if needed
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1) In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft but not brown, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Add beans and chicken broth and cook until everything is warm, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2) Mash mixture using either the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher. If needed, add more chicken broth for moisture. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
182 calories, 5 g fat, $0.54
Calculations
1 Tbsp olive oil: 120 calories, 14 g fat, $0.08
1/2 medium onion: 56 calories, 0 g fat, $0.18
2 cloves garlic, minced: 10 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
1 tsp ancho chili powder, or other chili powder: negligible calories and fat, $0.04
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans: 350 calories, 2 g fat, $0.50
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth: 10 calories, 1 g fat, $0.38
Salt and pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves: negligible calories and fat, $0.33
TOTAL: 546 calories, 15 g fat, $1.63
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 182 calories, 6 g fat, $0.54
Goya Refried Beans
3 servings – heaping ½ c per serving
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 14.5-oz can pinto beans, undrained
¼ onion, chopped small
1 large garlic clove
salt and pepper to taste
1) In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, and cook until onions are soft and translucent.
2) While onions are cooking, combine beans and bean juice in a bowl. Mash with potato masher. Add to onion mixture when finished.
3) Cook everything until liquid has reduced a little, and the beans are the consistency you like. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
168 calories, 4.7 g fat, $0.25
Calculations
1 Tablespoon olive oil: 120 calories, 14 g fat, $0.08
1 14.5-oz can pinto beans: 350 calories, 2 g fat, $0.50
¼ onion, chopped small: 28 calories, 0 g fat, $0.09
1 large garlic clove: 5 calories, 0 g fat, $0.05
salt and pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.03
TOTAL: 503 calories, 16 g fat, $0.75
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 168 calories, 5.3 g fat, $0.25
“Beans. Those are healthy. Oh, wait - maybe not. It says here they’re fried. No, check that. They’re REFRIED. Does that mean they’ve been FRIED AGAIN? How is that POSSIBLE? GOD IN HEAVEN, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?”
Relax. Despite their forbidding moniker, homemade refried beans are surprisingly low in fat, calories, and evil. In fact, their fiber content (about 7 grams per serving) will have your colon doing backflips. (Or buttflips. Or whatever it is that colons do when they’re happy.) Plus, I recently discovered that making them in your own kitchen is relatively simple and quick as hell.
At best, home preparations are a bit garlicky and just-barely past viscous. They shouldn’t run, but you shouldn’t be able to sculpt with them, either. The first time I tried cooking refried beans at home, I let too much water evaporate, and it resulted in a pasty, adobe-style substance not unlike what you might use to build a hut. Since then, the dish has become progressively easier for me to whip up, and has repeatedly proven superior to canned versions.
Listed below are two recipes: a super-basic one from the back of a Goya can, and a more complex version from Food Network’s Ellie Krieger. I found the restaurant-styleGoya beans to be less expensive and a tad less flavorful, while the Ellie beans are a little pricier/gourmet-ier/kickier, but either would make a delicious side for your next fiesta. Or you could eat ‘em all at once. But who in the world would do a thing like that?
(*farts incriminatingly*)
Ellie Krieger’s Refried Beans
3 servings – heaping ½ c per serving
1 Tbsp olive oil1/2 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ancho chili powder, or other chili powder
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken or veggie broth, plus more if needed
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1) In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft but not brown, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add garlic and chili powder, stir, and cook for 1 minute. Add beans and chicken broth and cook until everything is warm, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2) Mash mixture using either the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher. If needed, add more chicken broth for moisture. Stir in cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
182 calories, 5 g fat, $0.54
Calculations
1 Tbsp olive oil: 120 calories, 14 g fat, $0.08
1/2 medium onion: 56 calories, 0 g fat, $0.18
2 cloves garlic, minced: 10 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
1 tsp ancho chili powder, or other chili powder: negligible calories and fat, $0.04
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans: 350 calories, 2 g fat, $0.50
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth: 10 calories, 1 g fat, $0.38
Salt and pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves: negligible calories and fat, $0.33
TOTAL: 546 calories, 15 g fat, $1.63
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 182 calories, 6 g fat, $0.54
Goya Refried Beans
3 servings – heaping ½ c per serving
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 14.5-oz can pinto beans, undrained
¼ onion, chopped small
1 large garlic clove
salt and pepper to taste
1) In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, and cook until onions are soft and translucent.
2) While onions are cooking, combine beans and bean juice in a bowl. Mash with potato masher. Add to onion mixture when finished.
3) Cook everything until liquid has reduced a little, and the beans are the consistency you like. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
168 calories, 4.7 g fat, $0.25
Calculations
1 Tablespoon olive oil: 120 calories, 14 g fat, $0.08
1 14.5-oz can pinto beans: 350 calories, 2 g fat, $0.50
¼ onion, chopped small: 28 calories, 0 g fat, $0.09
1 large garlic clove: 5 calories, 0 g fat, $0.05
salt and pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.03
TOTAL: 503 calories, 16 g fat, $0.75
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 168 calories, 5.3 g fat, $0.25
Turkey Meatloaf? That's Turkey Mr. Aday to You
Growing up, Ma’s meatloaf was a once-in-a-while meal – a rare occurrence on par with Haley’s Comet or the Mets sweeping the Braves at Turner Field. And this is a good thing.
Hard, dry, and made with more bread crumbs than beef, meatloaf wasn’t a dinner we looked forward to, like spaghetti or anything potato-based. And when Ma served it, our disgust was palpable. We made “yick” faces, diced it into microscopic bits, and hid the refuse under neighboring green beans, all in the futile hope she wouldn’t detect our duplicity and ground us for ten years.
Traumatized, I haven’t voluntarily eaten meatloaf since the ‘80s. Then came Ina.
Ina Garten, aka Barefoot Contessa, is the Food Network’s resident State-Department-Nuclear-Policy-Maker-Turned-Hamptons-Hostess. Her meals are largely impeccable, and even food Nazis dig her first collection of recipes, cleverly titled The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Hidden deep inside this tome, among pages and pages of high-fat, high-pleasure goodies, is Turkey Meatloaf. Moist, flavorful, and relatively guilt-free, it’s a paragon of loaf-based cuisine. I cook it fairly often, with a few minor changes.
First, since Ina’s recipes generally make enough for the Duke graduating class of 2007, I cut the ingredients in half. Second, I use Jill W's glaze, which came from favorite blogs, Words to Eat By. Third … there is no third. It’s pretty infallible as-is.
It should be noted, though - unless you use 99% fat-free ground turkey breast, calorie-wise, this is comparable to a lot of other meat loaf recipes. However, the fat is reduced by a third to a half, and the price can’t be beaten. Plus, you’ll have leftovers that will absolutely knock your socks off.
Barefoot/WtEB Turkey Meatloaf
10 servings - 1 slice each
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa.
1 large yellow onion, chopped fine
1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
½ t. freshly ground black pepper
1 t. fresh thyme leaves (½ t. ground)
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
6 T. chicken broth
1 t. tomato paste
2 ½ lb. ground turkey [I use 1 package each of “lean” and of breast]
¾ cup plain dry bread crumbs
4 large egg whites, beaten
Cooking Spray
Glaze ingredients:
1/2 cup ketchup
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar (Don’t use Tablespoons – I did this once and my kitchen smelled like a Mott’s factory. - Kris)
1) Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium-low heat. Add onions, salt, pepper, and thyme and cook until onions are translucent, about 15 minutes or so. Add Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, and tomato paste and stir well. Kill the heat and allow everything to come down to room temperature. [I put the pan in the fridge to speed up the process. - Kris]
2) Preheat the oven to 350. While onion mixture is cooling, line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. (Pamming is an unskippable step. - Kris) Set aside.
3) In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg whites, and onion mixture using your hands or a wooden spoon. Shape into a meatloaf and set on the prepared baking sheet. Combine the glaze ingredients and pour on loaf.
4) Bake for 90 minutes, or until temperature on a meat thermometer is 160 degrees and the meat loaf is cooked in the middle. (Mine took about 80 minutes. - Kris)
5) Serve immediately, or savor it for the next day. Either way works
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
269.3 calories, 9.96 g fat, $0.91
Calculations
1 large yellow onion: 125 calories, 0 g fat, $0.40
1 T. olive oil: 120 calories, 14 g fat, $0.08
1 t. salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
½ t. freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1 t. fresh thyme leaves (½ t. ground): negligible calories and fat, $0.10
3 T. Worcestershire sauce: 45 calories, 0 g fat, $0.45 total
6 T. chicken broth: 4 calories, 0 g fat, $0.20
1 t. tomato paste: 2 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
2 ½ lb. 93/7 ground turkey: 1623 calories, 81.1 g. fat, $6.29
¾ cup plain dry bread crumbs: 360 calories, 4.5 g fat, $0.35
4 large egg whites: 70 calories, 0 g fat, $0.63
Cooking Spray: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1/2 cup ketchup:160 calories, 0 g fat, $0.33
4 tablespoons brown sugar: 180 calories, 0 g fat, $0.09
4 teaspoons cider vinegar: 4 calories, 0 g fat, $0.07
TOTAL: 2693 calories, 99.6 g fat, $9.08
PER SERVING (TOTAL/10): 269.3 calories, 9.96 g fat, $0.91
Hard, dry, and made with more bread crumbs than beef, meatloaf wasn’t a dinner we looked forward to, like spaghetti or anything potato-based. And when Ma served it, our disgust was palpable. We made “yick” faces, diced it into microscopic bits, and hid the refuse under neighboring green beans, all in the futile hope she wouldn’t detect our duplicity and ground us for ten years.
Traumatized, I haven’t voluntarily eaten meatloaf since the ‘80s. Then came Ina.
Ina Garten, aka Barefoot Contessa, is the Food Network’s resident State-Department-Nuclear-Policy-Maker-Turned-Hamptons-Hostess. Her meals are largely impeccable, and even food Nazis dig her first collection of recipes, cleverly titled The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook. Hidden deep inside this tome, among pages and pages of high-fat, high-pleasure goodies, is Turkey Meatloaf. Moist, flavorful, and relatively guilt-free, it’s a paragon of loaf-based cuisine. I cook it fairly often, with a few minor changes.
First, since Ina’s recipes generally make enough for the Duke graduating class of 2007, I cut the ingredients in half. Second, I use Jill W's glaze, which came from favorite blogs, Words to Eat By. Third … there is no third. It’s pretty infallible as-is.
It should be noted, though - unless you use 99% fat-free ground turkey breast, calorie-wise, this is comparable to a lot of other meat loaf recipes. However, the fat is reduced by a third to a half, and the price can’t be beaten. Plus, you’ll have leftovers that will absolutely knock your socks off.
Barefoot/WtEB Turkey Meatloaf
10 servings - 1 slice each
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa.
1 large yellow onion, chopped fine1 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
½ t. freshly ground black pepper
1 t. fresh thyme leaves (½ t. ground)
3 T. Worcestershire sauce
6 T. chicken broth
1 t. tomato paste
2 ½ lb. ground turkey [I use 1 package each of “lean” and of breast]
¾ cup plain dry bread crumbs
4 large egg whites, beaten
Cooking Spray
Glaze ingredients:
1/2 cup ketchup
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons cider vinegar (Don’t use Tablespoons – I did this once and my kitchen smelled like a Mott’s factory. - Kris)
1) Heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium-low heat. Add onions, salt, pepper, and thyme and cook until onions are translucent, about 15 minutes or so. Add Worcestershire sauce, chicken broth, and tomato paste and stir well. Kill the heat and allow everything to come down to room temperature. [I put the pan in the fridge to speed up the process. - Kris]
2) Preheat the oven to 350. While onion mixture is cooling, line a baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. (Pamming is an unskippable step. - Kris) Set aside.
3) In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, bread crumbs, egg whites, and onion mixture using your hands or a wooden spoon. Shape into a meatloaf and set on the prepared baking sheet. Combine the glaze ingredients and pour on loaf.
4) Bake for 90 minutes, or until temperature on a meat thermometer is 160 degrees and the meat loaf is cooked in the middle. (Mine took about 80 minutes. - Kris)
5) Serve immediately, or savor it for the next day. Either way works
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
269.3 calories, 9.96 g fat, $0.91
Calculations
1 large yellow onion: 125 calories, 0 g fat, $0.40
1 T. olive oil: 120 calories, 14 g fat, $0.08
1 t. salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
½ t. freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1 t. fresh thyme leaves (½ t. ground): negligible calories and fat, $0.10
3 T. Worcestershire sauce: 45 calories, 0 g fat, $0.45 total
6 T. chicken broth: 4 calories, 0 g fat, $0.20
1 t. tomato paste: 2 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
2 ½ lb. 93/7 ground turkey: 1623 calories, 81.1 g. fat, $6.29
¾ cup plain dry bread crumbs: 360 calories, 4.5 g fat, $0.35
4 large egg whites: 70 calories, 0 g fat, $0.63
Cooking Spray: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1/2 cup ketchup:160 calories, 0 g fat, $0.33
4 tablespoons brown sugar: 180 calories, 0 g fat, $0.09
4 teaspoons cider vinegar: 4 calories, 0 g fat, $0.07
TOTAL: 2693 calories, 99.6 g fat, $9.08
PER SERVING (TOTAL/10): 269.3 calories, 9.96 g fat, $0.91
Driven to Link: Thursday
Grad Money Matters: The Cure for “Hon, Let’s Eat Out Today” Syndrome
It’s cheap! It’s healthy! It’s mostly good. Building off yesterday’s post, GMM has some strategies for getting your tuchus out of the drive-thru and into the kitchen.
One Money Dummy Getting Smarter: To Slay the Beast
Money Dummy echoes GMM’s sentiments, regaling readers with her own tale of Homicus Culinarius.
Simple Dollar: “I’m Too Tired To Cook” - At-Home Dining Solutions For The Overworked Family
Good lord! The home cooking posts just don’t stop!
`
It’s cheap! It’s healthy! It’s mostly good. Building off yesterday’s post, GMM has some strategies for getting your tuchus out of the drive-thru and into the kitchen.
One Money Dummy Getting Smarter: To Slay the Beast
Money Dummy echoes GMM’s sentiments, regaling readers with her own tale of Homicus Culinarius.
Simple Dollar: “I’m Too Tired To Cook” - At-Home Dining Solutions For The Overworked Family
Good lord! The home cooking posts just don’t stop!
`
Fear Itself
I have dinosaur hands.
They’re not green or scaled, and they don’t have that weird, hooky claw. Instead, they’re microscopic, pretty close to inoperable, and noticeably out of proportion with the rest of my body. When coupled with my stunning lack of coordination, they make certain tasks a bit tricky, if not extremely frightening.
Up until last year, the scariest of those challenges was operating a knife. I could never secure the right grip or put enough strength behind a chopping motion. Cleaving a piece of meat was an effort, and dicing vegetables took longer than Das Boot. On the rare occasions I cooked, I inevitably got tired and embedded a blade in my thumb.
Abundant blood loss and intense fear of further self-mutilation drove me to seek food elsewhere: the college dining hall, the work cafeteria, Burrito Loco across the street – anywhere but my own home. Finally, when the expenditures started piling up (see this post), I gave in and signed up for a Knife Skills class.
The three-hour session was a revelation. I learned technique and economy of movement. I found out why a big knife is better than a little one, and the difference between a julienne and a chiffonade. I saw how an onion could fall into a million tiny pieces with just three accurate slashes. Yet, these discoveries were nothing compared to the big one.
Turns out, the dread of slicing my fingers into Vienna sausages was representative of a much greater cowardice: essentially, I had been afraid of the kitchen.
What if I picked up a hot pan on the wrong end? What if my knuckles got caught in the cheese grater? What if the dirty dishes became insurmountable? What if I poisoned my parents?
What if I made something, and it was terrible?
I have Conan O’Brien’s commencement speech to the Harvard Class of 2000 hanging on my wall at work. In it, he says (and this is a wee bit paraphrased), “Every failure [is] freeing … Fall down, make a mess, break something occasionally.” Emboldened after Knife Skills, I endeavored to apply this idea to the kitchen.
Now it’s year-and-a-half later, and things are a little different. I’ve cooked some truly vomit-inspiring meals. I’ve washed more plates than God. I can play tic-tac-toe in the burn marks on my wrists. But I’ve also churned out some pretty decent food, an achievement unthinkable to me in 2004. I recognize I’m still not a great cook, but hell – it’s a work in progress.
And maybe that’s one of the secrets to good, inexpensive, nutritionally balanced food: getting over your fears. I’m working on it, dinosaur hands and all.
They’re not green or scaled, and they don’t have that weird, hooky claw. Instead, they’re microscopic, pretty close to inoperable, and noticeably out of proportion with the rest of my body. When coupled with my stunning lack of coordination, they make certain tasks a bit tricky, if not extremely frightening.
Up until last year, the scariest of those challenges was operating a knife. I could never secure the right grip or put enough strength behind a chopping motion. Cleaving a piece of meat was an effort, and dicing vegetables took longer than Das Boot. On the rare occasions I cooked, I inevitably got tired and embedded a blade in my thumb.
Abundant blood loss and intense fear of further self-mutilation drove me to seek food elsewhere: the college dining hall, the work cafeteria, Burrito Loco across the street – anywhere but my own home. Finally, when the expenditures started piling up (see this post), I gave in and signed up for a Knife Skills class.
The three-hour session was a revelation. I learned technique and economy of movement. I found out why a big knife is better than a little one, and the difference between a julienne and a chiffonade. I saw how an onion could fall into a million tiny pieces with just three accurate slashes. Yet, these discoveries were nothing compared to the big one.
Turns out, the dread of slicing my fingers into Vienna sausages was representative of a much greater cowardice: essentially, I had been afraid of the kitchen.
What if I picked up a hot pan on the wrong end? What if my knuckles got caught in the cheese grater? What if the dirty dishes became insurmountable? What if I poisoned my parents?
What if I made something, and it was terrible?
I have Conan O’Brien’s commencement speech to the Harvard Class of 2000 hanging on my wall at work. In it, he says (and this is a wee bit paraphrased), “Every failure [is] freeing … Fall down, make a mess, break something occasionally.” Emboldened after Knife Skills, I endeavored to apply this idea to the kitchen.
Now it’s year-and-a-half later, and things are a little different. I’ve cooked some truly vomit-inspiring meals. I’ve washed more plates than God. I can play tic-tac-toe in the burn marks on my wrists. But I’ve also churned out some pretty decent food, an achievement unthinkable to me in 2004. I recognize I’m still not a great cook, but hell – it’s a work in progress.
And maybe that’s one of the secrets to good, inexpensive, nutritionally balanced food: getting over your fears. I’m working on it, dinosaur hands and all.
Links of Tuesday
New York Times: Surgeon General Sees 4-Year Term as Compromised
Mother, should I trust the government?
Wise Bread: Baby Carrots – The Frugal Idea That Isn’t
Baby carrots are one of the biggest rackets in marketing history. Tremendous article by Wise Bread food guru Andrea Dickson dissects their nefarious do-badding.
Baselle’s Financial Diary: How to … buy grocery produce
Fruit and vegetable shopping tips, straight from a former plant physiologist. I don’t know what that is, but it certainly sounds authoritative.
Chowhound: Eating Like a Chowhound on $3 a Day
Overview
Week 1 Menu
Chowhound poster rworange went Self-Prepared Gourmet for a week, keeping his budget to $21 total. Pretty neat experiment, with quite a few cheap, healthy recipes included therein. The discussion (scroll down) is even better.
Mother, should I trust the government?
Wise Bread: Baby Carrots – The Frugal Idea That Isn’t
Baby carrots are one of the biggest rackets in marketing history. Tremendous article by Wise Bread food guru Andrea Dickson dissects their nefarious do-badding.
Baselle’s Financial Diary: How to … buy grocery produce
Fruit and vegetable shopping tips, straight from a former plant physiologist. I don’t know what that is, but it certainly sounds authoritative.
Chowhound: Eating Like a Chowhound on $3 a Day
Overview
Week 1 Menu
Chowhound poster rworange went Self-Prepared Gourmet for a week, keeping his budget to $21 total. Pretty neat experiment, with quite a few cheap, healthy recipes included therein. The discussion (scroll down) is even better.
Babytime Pasta Salad, Hold the Mayo
Last weekend, the boyfriend and I had a Baby Party for some expecting friends of ours. Not to be confused with Baby Showers (the bane of my earthly existence), Baby Parties do not involve any of the following:
As opposed to the floppyrotini/limpbroccoli/Italiandressing pasta salads of yore, this repast benefits greatly from a buttload of fresh seasonal veggies, as well as a slightly spicy tomato-based sauce. It’s tasty, pretty, and makes a metric ton of food to boot.
To make it a tad more manageable/nutritional, I cut the cucumber into quarters and halved the olive oil from ¼ cup to 2 Tbsp., which didn’t make a noticeable difference in the taste. The recipe calls for ½ cup of black olives and ½ cup crumbled feta, which I left off, as well. I love both, but found the olives don’t add much, and my lactose-intolerant friends couldn’t hack the frommage. Feel free to add any element back (especially the cheese) if it’s to your liking.
Finally, I should mention that I got totally hosed on the price of the grape tomatoes. In retrospect, I could have bought two vine-ripened tomatoes for $1.50, chopped ‘em, and saved $2.50 overall. But alas, I’m a dummy, Pathmark pricing is the devil, and the twain shalt not co-exist in a peaceful world.
Anyway, behold:
Gazpacho Pasta Salad
15 servings – 1 massive cup each
Adapted from Cook's Country.
1 14-½ oz. can diced (or whole) tomatoes
3 medium garlic cloves
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
¼ cup packed fresh basil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt
1 pound rotini pasta
1 medium cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded and cut into ¼ inch pieces
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 cups (or 1 pt.) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1) Combine diced tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, vinegar and ½ teaspoon salt in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a non-metal bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2) Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. When finished, drain and rinse well with cold water.
3) Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add pasta and pureed dressing and toss well. Serve straight to the table or after a few hours in the fridge
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
147 calories, 2.4 g fat, $0.74
Calculations
1 14-½ oz. can diced tomatoes: 75 calories, 0 g fat, $1.19
3 medium garlic cloves: 15 calories, 0 g fat, $0.15
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes: negligible calories and fat., $0.20
¼ cup packed fresh basil: negligible calories and fat, $0.85 (packed = more $)
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar: negligible calories and fat, $0.10
Salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1 pound rotini pasta: 1680 calories, 8 g fat, $0.60
1 medium cucumber: 20 calories, 0 g fat, $0.40
1 medium red bell pepper: 40 calories, 0 g fat, $0.88
1 medium yellow bell pepper: 40 calories, 0 g fat, $1.64
2 cups (or 1 pt.) cherry or grape tomatoes: 60 calories, 0 g fat, $3.99
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley: negligible calories and fat, $0.45
3 scallions: 15 calories, 0 g fat, $0.50
2 Tbsp olive oil: 240 calories, 28 g fat, $0.15
TOTAL: 2185 calories, 36 g fat, $11.11
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 147 calories, 2.4 g fat, $0.74
- Baby Bingo
- Three hours of gift opening
- Precious Moments figurines
- Aunt Dorothy asking if you’re married yet
- Copious barbecue
- Red wine
- Good lighting and music
- Menfolk
- A vast array of delicious side dishes
As opposed to the floppyrotini/limpbroccoli/Italiandressing pasta salads of yore, this repast benefits greatly from a buttload of fresh seasonal veggies, as well as a slightly spicy tomato-based sauce. It’s tasty, pretty, and makes a metric ton of food to boot.
To make it a tad more manageable/nutritional, I cut the cucumber into quarters and halved the olive oil from ¼ cup to 2 Tbsp., which didn’t make a noticeable difference in the taste. The recipe calls for ½ cup of black olives and ½ cup crumbled feta, which I left off, as well. I love both, but found the olives don’t add much, and my lactose-intolerant friends couldn’t hack the frommage. Feel free to add any element back (especially the cheese) if it’s to your liking.
Finally, I should mention that I got totally hosed on the price of the grape tomatoes. In retrospect, I could have bought two vine-ripened tomatoes for $1.50, chopped ‘em, and saved $2.50 overall. But alas, I’m a dummy, Pathmark pricing is the devil, and the twain shalt not co-exist in a peaceful world.
Anyway, behold:
Gazpacho Pasta Salad
15 servings – 1 massive cup each
Adapted from Cook's Country.
1 14-½ oz. can diced (or whole) tomatoes3 medium garlic cloves
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
¼ cup packed fresh basil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt
1 pound rotini pasta
1 medium cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, seeded and cut into ¼ inch pieces
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 cups (or 1 pt.) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1) Combine diced tomatoes, garlic, red pepper flakes, basil, vinegar and ½ teaspoon salt in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a non-metal bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
2) Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. When finished, drain and rinse well with cold water.
3) Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Add pasta and pureed dressing and toss well. Serve straight to the table or after a few hours in the fridge
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
147 calories, 2.4 g fat, $0.74
Calculations
1 14-½ oz. can diced tomatoes: 75 calories, 0 g fat, $1.19
3 medium garlic cloves: 15 calories, 0 g fat, $0.15
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes: negligible calories and fat., $0.20
¼ cup packed fresh basil: negligible calories and fat, $0.85 (packed = more $)
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar: negligible calories and fat, $0.10
Salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1 pound rotini pasta: 1680 calories, 8 g fat, $0.60
1 medium cucumber: 20 calories, 0 g fat, $0.40
1 medium red bell pepper: 40 calories, 0 g fat, $0.88
1 medium yellow bell pepper: 40 calories, 0 g fat, $1.64
2 cups (or 1 pt.) cherry or grape tomatoes: 60 calories, 0 g fat, $3.99
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley: negligible calories and fat, $0.45
3 scallions: 15 calories, 0 g fat, $0.50
2 Tbsp olive oil: 240 calories, 28 g fat, $0.15
TOTAL: 2185 calories, 36 g fat, $11.11
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 147 calories, 2.4 g fat, $0.74
Ratatouille: In Praise of Pixar
The boyfriend and I saw Ratatouille last week. Besides it being a cook/animation lover’s wet dream, it inspired a discussion afterward about Pixar movies in general. We surmised that they rule. Or, to expand a bit, we agreed that we’ll be watching Finding Nemo, Toy Story, and The Incredibles well into our ‘80s, while films like Shrek and Shark Tale will be obsolete by the next Olympics.
See, where most current animation relies on pop culture references and kitschy radio tunes, Pixar concentrates on story and character. In 2050, when no one will know what to make of a fish dancing to "Baby Got Back," Woody and Dory and Sully will still have emotions folks recognize and sympathize with. Their situations will resonate, and their reactions will still mirror real people, while Shrek and his pals are relegated to a time capsule with Bratz dolls, Paris Hilton, and wearing dresses over pants.
In honor of Pixar’s most recent winnah, I whipped up this Ratatouille dish from the February 1995 issue of Bon Appetit (via Epicurious). Don’t be fooled by the title – the chopping alone takes a good long while. However, when it’s finished, you’ve a warm, fragrant, peasant dish any cartoon rat chef would be proud to serve.
(Note that the cheese is optional, and leaving it out cuts the cost almost in half.)
Ratatouille on the Run
6 servings (Bon Appetit says ½ c per serving, but mine came out to about 1 c per serving)
Adapted from Bon Appetit/Epicurious.
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 large eggplant (unpeeled), diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 ounces goat cheese or Muenster cheese or a mixture of the two, diced (optional)
1) Heat oil in big Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add eggplant, green bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, zucchini and basil. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn heat to low or medium-low and cover. Simmer until veggies are cooked through and tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. (This took between 30 and 35 minutes for me. I think I had the stove on too low, though - Kris.)
2) Take cover off pot and reduce for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar and season to taste. (You can make this 2 days ahead of time. Just remember to refrigerate.)
3) Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread ratatouille in 9-inch pie dish or an 8x8 Pyrex glass dish. Top with cheese, if you like. Bake about 20 minutes, until center is heated.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
165.3 calories, 9.5 g fat, $1.67
Calculations
2 Tbsp olive oil: 240 calories, 28 g fat, $0.15
4 large garlic cloves: 20 calories, 0 g fat, $0.20
1 large eggplant: 132 calories, 1 g fat, $1.41
2 green bell peppers: 60 calories, 0 g fat, $0.90
2 large tomatoes: 60 calories, 0 g fat, $1.64
1 onion: 110 calories, 0 g fat, $0.49
1 large zucchini: 50 calories, 0 g fat, $0.66
1/2 cup fresh basil: negligible calories and fat, $0.85
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar: negligible calories and fat, $0.20
4 ounces goat cheese or Muenster cheese: 320 calories; 28 g fat, $3.49
TOTAL: 992 calories, 57 g fat, $9.99
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 165.3 calories, 9.5 g fat, $1.67
See, where most current animation relies on pop culture references and kitschy radio tunes, Pixar concentrates on story and character. In 2050, when no one will know what to make of a fish dancing to "Baby Got Back," Woody and Dory and Sully will still have emotions folks recognize and sympathize with. Their situations will resonate, and their reactions will still mirror real people, while Shrek and his pals are relegated to a time capsule with Bratz dolls, Paris Hilton, and wearing dresses over pants.
In honor of Pixar’s most recent winnah, I whipped up this Ratatouille dish from the February 1995 issue of Bon Appetit (via Epicurious). Don’t be fooled by the title – the chopping alone takes a good long while. However, when it’s finished, you’ve a warm, fragrant, peasant dish any cartoon rat chef would be proud to serve.
(Note that the cheese is optional, and leaving it out cuts the cost almost in half.)
Ratatouille on the Run
6 servings (Bon Appetit says ½ c per serving, but mine came out to about 1 c per serving)
Adapted from Bon Appetit/Epicurious.
2 Tbsp olive oil4 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 large eggplant (unpeeled), diced
2 green bell peppers, diced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
4 ounces goat cheese or Muenster cheese or a mixture of the two, diced (optional)
1) Heat oil in big Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and cook about 1 minute, until fragrant. Add eggplant, green bell peppers, tomatoes, onion, zucchini and basil. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn heat to low or medium-low and cover. Simmer until veggies are cooked through and tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. (This took between 30 and 35 minutes for me. I think I had the stove on too low, though - Kris.)
2) Take cover off pot and reduce for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar and season to taste. (You can make this 2 days ahead of time. Just remember to refrigerate.)
3) Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread ratatouille in 9-inch pie dish or an 8x8 Pyrex glass dish. Top with cheese, if you like. Bake about 20 minutes, until center is heated.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
165.3 calories, 9.5 g fat, $1.67
Calculations
2 Tbsp olive oil: 240 calories, 28 g fat, $0.15
4 large garlic cloves: 20 calories, 0 g fat, $0.20
1 large eggplant: 132 calories, 1 g fat, $1.41
2 green bell peppers: 60 calories, 0 g fat, $0.90
2 large tomatoes: 60 calories, 0 g fat, $1.64
1 onion: 110 calories, 0 g fat, $0.49
1 large zucchini: 50 calories, 0 g fat, $0.66
1/2 cup fresh basil: negligible calories and fat, $0.85
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar: negligible calories and fat, $0.20
4 ounces goat cheese or Muenster cheese: 320 calories; 28 g fat, $3.49
TOTAL: 992 calories, 57 g fat, $9.99
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 165.3 calories, 9.5 g fat, $1.67
Thursday Linkage
Get Rich Slowly: Pick Your Own – A Brief Guide to the Berry Patch
Good god, look at this now, especially if you’re a fruit fiend like the Boyfriend. Berry-picking is usually a massive bargain, and JD’s tips are genius, as always.
Consumerist: Subway is Not Ashamed – First Fast Food Restaurant to Put Calorie Info on Menus
(*Cue Ken Burns’ Civil War violin music*) Subway has taken the first battle in the nutritional information war, while Dunkin Donuts continues losing valuable ground. The future is bleak for the Donutfederacy, sir. We will write General Grant for counsel. (*end music*)
Not Made of Money: Why Your Cluttered Pantry is Costing You Money - And How To Fix it
Yesterday’s post dealt with stocking an anorexic pantry. NMoM reveals why you shouldn’t let it become obese, either.
Time.com: What the World Eats
Faboo slideshow depicting the average weekly consumption of families around the globe, along with an estimate of much they blow on food in a seven-day span. The Kuwati and Egyptian broods look to have the best-balanced diets, while the British and Americans, uh, well … see for yourself.
Good god, look at this now, especially if you’re a fruit fiend like the Boyfriend. Berry-picking is usually a massive bargain, and JD’s tips are genius, as always.
Consumerist: Subway is Not Ashamed – First Fast Food Restaurant to Put Calorie Info on Menus
(*Cue Ken Burns’ Civil War violin music*) Subway has taken the first battle in the nutritional information war, while Dunkin Donuts continues losing valuable ground. The future is bleak for the Donutfederacy, sir. We will write General Grant for counsel. (*end music*)
Not Made of Money: Why Your Cluttered Pantry is Costing You Money - And How To Fix it
Yesterday’s post dealt with stocking an anorexic pantry. NMoM reveals why you shouldn’t let it become obese, either.
Time.com: What the World Eats
Faboo slideshow depicting the average weekly consumption of families around the globe, along with an estimate of much they blow on food in a seven-day span. The Kuwati and Egyptian broods look to have the best-balanced diets, while the British and Americans, uh, well … see for yourself.
Pantry of the Gods
I just moved for the 47,000th time in eight years. While transporting three tons of stuff to a bizarre, unfamiliar locale isn’t exactly my idea of a hootenanny, it’s giving me the opportunity to once again restock my pantry. Whee!
Having a well-stocked pantry doesn’t mean owning an actual pantry, which is a realization that most people have around 2nd grade, but only came to me in apartment #5,233. Instead, it means:
The following appeared at least three times, which means it’s probably a good idea to have them available:
Beans: White, Black, Kidney
Broths & Stocks
Canned Tomatoes (whole peeled)
Chiles
Dried Fruit
Dried Mushrooms
Herbs & Spices: Basil, Red Pepper, Chili Powder, Paprika, Oregano, Black Pepper
Ketchup
Lentils and/or Split Peas
Olive Oil
Olives
Onions
Pasta
Rice
Salsa
Soy Sauce
Tuna
Vinegar
Worcestershire Sauce
If you’re going for an even better-stocked pantry, each of the following appeared in two lists:
Bread Crumbs
Capers
Chutney
Coconut Milk
Corn Meal
Corn Starch
Crackers
Egg Noodles
Flour
Garlic (fresh)
Herbs & Spices: Bay Leaves, Cinnamon, Rosemary, Thyme
Honey
Hot Sauce
Mayonnaise
Nuts
Pasta Sauce
Peanut Butter
Potatoes
Salt
Sugar: Brown, White
Tapenades
Vanilla Extract
Personally, I would switch sugar, flour, cinnamon, garlic, and OH MY GOD SALT with lentils, dried mushrooms, dried fruits, Worcestershire sauce, and chiles, while banishing mayonnaise to an unmarked galaxy. If you use honey during teatime or hot sauce on everything, go ahead and stick those up in List #1, too. It’s all about personal preference, baby.
When stocking your new, fabulous pantry with all this new, fabulous stuff, there are three things (some would say “tips”) to keep in mind:
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Having a well-stocked pantry doesn’t mean owning an actual pantry, which is a realization that most people have around 2nd grade, but only came to me in apartment #5,233. Instead, it means:
- Always having a few basic, inexpensive, long-lasting goods that will provide the foundation of millions of meals to come,
- Saving precious dough by buying necessities on sale,
- No last-minute runs to the supermarket because you’ve run out of sugar (again),
- Never saying, “There’s nothing to eat at home, dagnammit.”
- Impressing the hell out of your parents, who will thank the good lord that they’ve raised such a prepared, forward-thinking child.
- Food Network has a bare-bones compilation.
- Like the magazine itself, the Real Simple pantry is geared toward middle-class couples with kids, but they’re the undisputed high priests of organization, so it’s worth a look.
- AZCentral’s list is a way long, but still fairly realistic.
- AllRecipes doesn’t just have a basic American pantry, but Chinese, Italian, and Japanese ones, as well. Sweet.
- Reluctant Gourmet has a good example of a list that’s crazy thorough, but maybe a bit too expansive/expensive for the average bear. I’m not sure how many folks need to keep clam juice and dried currants in the house. If you do, more power to you.
The following appeared at least three times, which means it’s probably a good idea to have them available:
Beans: White, Black, Kidney
Broths & Stocks
Canned Tomatoes (whole peeled)
Chiles
Dried Fruit
Dried Mushrooms
Herbs & Spices: Basil, Red Pepper, Chili Powder, Paprika, Oregano, Black Pepper
Ketchup
Lentils and/or Split Peas
Olive Oil
Olives
Onions
Pasta
Rice
Salsa
Soy Sauce
Tuna
Vinegar
Worcestershire Sauce
If you’re going for an even better-stocked pantry, each of the following appeared in two lists:
Bread Crumbs
Capers
Chutney
Coconut Milk
Corn Meal
Corn Starch
Crackers
Egg Noodles
Flour
Garlic (fresh)
Herbs & Spices: Bay Leaves, Cinnamon, Rosemary, Thyme
Honey
Hot Sauce
Mayonnaise
Nuts
Pasta Sauce
Peanut Butter
Potatoes
Salt
Sugar: Brown, White
Tapenades
Vanilla Extract
Personally, I would switch sugar, flour, cinnamon, garlic, and OH MY GOD SALT with lentils, dried mushrooms, dried fruits, Worcestershire sauce, and chiles, while banishing mayonnaise to an unmarked galaxy. If you use honey during teatime or hot sauce on everything, go ahead and stick those up in List #1, too. It’s all about personal preference, baby.
When stocking your new, fabulous pantry with all this new, fabulous stuff, there are three things (some would say “tips”) to keep in mind:
- Though most (me) use the word “pantry” to refer to dry goods, lots of people/publications expand it to include key frozen foods and vital refrigerator items, as well. Eggs, milk, unsalted butter, frozen meat, and frozen fruit are always a plus to have around, and make for colossally healthy meals.
- Don’t be afraid of stocking oils, pestos, and other higher-fat items. Used in moderation, they can lend flavor and substance to food without making it a triple bypass bomb.
- When you see any pantry items on sale, it’s always a good idea to stock up, especially if you use something freakishly often. When penne’s priced at two-for-a-dollar, I buy enough to last until I retire.
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Tuesday Linkage
The Simple Dollar: Ten Frugal Tips for a Great Grilling Experience
Perceptive barbecue tricks from The Simple Dollar, which I’m posting just in time for the 10th of July.
New York Times: Hint of Chocolate Holds a Reward
Oh, wizened and generous Grey Lady, you have bestowed upon us much treasured culinary information over the ages. Yet, until this treatise, none of your scribblings have been as precious.
Slate: Make it Large for a Quarter More?
Jill Hunter Pelletieri pens a really neat mini-history on how theater candy became synonymous with the movie experience, then explains why a large popcorn costs more than a small house.
McSweeney’s: Reviews of New Food
Hilarious sometime column focusing on, uh, just what the title says. My favorite entry ever is a review of “Hot Choice” Tombstone Deep Dish Pepperoni Pizza by a writer named Robert Moor. An excerpt: “Never eat pizza from a machine. It's like making love to a Terminator: almost satisfying, but slightly creepy, and there's always the possibility that it will collapse your chest cavity with one fatal blow.”
`
Perceptive barbecue tricks from The Simple Dollar, which I’m posting just in time for the 10th of July.
New York Times: Hint of Chocolate Holds a Reward
Oh, wizened and generous Grey Lady, you have bestowed upon us much treasured culinary information over the ages. Yet, until this treatise, none of your scribblings have been as precious.
Slate: Make it Large for a Quarter More?
Jill Hunter Pelletieri pens a really neat mini-history on how theater candy became synonymous with the movie experience, then explains why a large popcorn costs more than a small house.
McSweeney’s: Reviews of New Food
Hilarious sometime column focusing on, uh, just what the title says. My favorite entry ever is a review of “Hot Choice” Tombstone Deep Dish Pepperoni Pizza by a writer named Robert Moor. An excerpt: “Never eat pizza from a machine. It's like making love to a Terminator: almost satisfying, but slightly creepy, and there's always the possibility that it will collapse your chest cavity with one fatal blow.”
`
Rattle and Hummus
Last week’s falafel sauce recipe, though delicious, featured an ingredient that’s a bit more expensive than the average bear: tahini paste. And if you’re just becoming acquainted with this high-fat, peanut butter-esque sesame concoction (as am I), you’re probably wondering what the hell else to do with the leftovers (as am I).
Fortunately, hummus, one of the world’s great dips/fillings/playthings uses tahini paste as a main component. It lends a nutty flavor and creamy consistency that gives depth to the humble chickpea. On the flip side, lots of hummus recipes overload on tahini, which means scrumptious sesame flavor, but middlin'-to-serious fat content.
So, to find a delectable, healthier hummus, I started with the bible: Cook’s Illustrated. Captious Vegetarian has their recipe, but suggests halving both the water and salt while leaving out the olive oil. Captious’ mom comments that she substitutes reserved bean juice for water, and slugs in more garlic, as well. Finally, Southern Living proposes adding cumin (yay!) but leaving out the tahini (boo). I would have strongly considered this last version if it wasn’t for that fateful lack of sesame. Seed-omitting miscreants.
The final product of these compromises was a light, lemon-y hummus with more than enough taste to compensate for the reduced tahini. Eat it, love it, live it:
Lemony Light Hummus
6 servings – ¼ cup each
Fortunately, hummus, one of the world’s great dips/fillings/playthings uses tahini paste as a main component. It lends a nutty flavor and creamy consistency that gives depth to the humble chickpea. On the flip side, lots of hummus recipes overload on tahini, which means scrumptious sesame flavor, but middlin'-to-serious fat content.
So, to find a delectable, healthier hummus, I started with the bible: Cook’s Illustrated. Captious Vegetarian has their recipe, but suggests halving both the water and salt while leaving out the olive oil. Captious’ mom comments that she substitutes reserved bean juice for water, and slugs in more garlic, as well. Finally, Southern Living proposes adding cumin (yay!) but leaving out the tahini (boo). I would have strongly considered this last version if it wasn’t for that fateful lack of sesame. Seed-omitting miscreants.
The final product of these compromises was a light, lemon-y hummus with more than enough taste to compensate for the reduced tahini. Eat it, love it, live it:
Lemony Light Hummus
6 servings – ¼ cup each
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 Tbs. bean juice reserved from can
3 Tbs. juice from 1 large lemon
2 Tbs. tahini
½ - ¾ tsp. salt
1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press
dash cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1) Stick everything in a food processor. Process for one minute, until desired smoothness is met. Add more bean juice if you’d like a creamier consistency.
2) Eat immediately, or refrigerate to let the flavors come together.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
96 calories, 4 g fat, $0.28
Calculations
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas: 350 calories, 7 g fat, $0.79
3 Tbs. bean juice reserved from can: negligible calories and fat, $0.00
3 Tbs. lemon juice: 30 calories, 0 g fat, $0.50
2 Tbs. tahini: 190 calories, 18 g fat, $0.25
½ - ¾ tsp. salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1 small garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press: 5 calories, 0 g fat, $0.05
dash cayenne pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin: negligible calories and fat, $0.05
TOTAL: 575 calories, 25 g fat, $1.66
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 96 calories, 4 g fat, $0.28
Falafel Me, Falafel You: A Recipe
I dig falafel. The boyfriend digs it even more. If falafel was single and a good kisser, I’d end up dumped and homeless on the street. Heartbroken and forlorn, I’d wander about blindly, cursing the day chickpeas sauntered into my life.
But, thank Jeebus, falafel is just a food – a tempting, fatty food that’s normally deep-fried to get its flavor and texture. The challenge then, dear friends, was cutting the ginormous amounts of oil without losing a whit of the taste.
After browsing a few falafel recipes (Sara Moulton, AllRecipes, etc.), I finally bogarted a good-looking one from Epicurious, which garnered it from a cookbook called Foods of Israel Today. Since I was using canned chickpeas instead of dried, I then made a few preparation changes based on the advice of an Epicurious reviewer only known as dickrebel. It turned out to be indispensable, so big round of applause for dickrebel, ladies and gentlemen.
When it came time to cook, once again, it was Weight Watchers to the rescue. They suggested frying the falafel in 2 teaspoons of oil, and then sticking it in a hot oven to finish. Since 2 teaspoons of oil sounded a bit meager, I jacked it up to 2 tablespoons, which was just right. It gave each piece a nice brown color and satisfying crunch without affecting the fat content too terribly. The oven warmed the falafel through, and the addition of garnishes and a lower-fat tahini-yogurt sauce from EatingWell.com finished the whole dish quite nicely. The boyfriend loved it, and ate it so fast that I didn’t worry about them running away together.
Falafel
5 servings – 4 pieces per serving
Adapted from Epicurious.
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
4 cloves of garlic
1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried thoroughly
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp baking powder
4 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp vegetable oil for frying
1 tomato, chopped for garnish
¼ large onion, diced for garnish
½ green bell pepper, diced for garnish
Eating Well’s Tahini sauce (listed below)
2 ½ Whole Wheat Pitas
1) Combine onion, garlic and pepper flakes in food processor. Pulse until they’re about 1/8-in. big.
2) Add chickpeas, parsley, and cilantro and chop until “pieces are about the size of a large pinhead.” You don’t want a puree here, because mushiness will make the falafel fall apart. (Thanks, dickrebel.)
3) Dump the items from the food processor into a bowl. Stir in salt, cumin, baking powder and flour until well-mixed., but not really a dough.
4) Stick it in the fridge, covered, for anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours. The longer the better. (I did it for an hour, and turned out nicely.)
5) With your hands, make small falafel hockey pucks about 1 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter and ¾ of an inch high. (The flat surface will help with the frying.)
6) Turn oven to 400ºF.
7) Heat 2 Tbsp vegetable oil in a huge ovenproof skillet on medium-high. Make sure the pan is good and hot before you put the falafel down. (Think of it like making pancakes.) Fry the pucks for about 3 minutes on the first side, and 2 minutes on the second, until they’re golden brown.
8) When finished, stick skillet in oven (or transfer pucks to a Pam-ed aluminum foil lined cookie sheet) and bake for 10-12 minutes.
9) Stick four balls in half a pita with tomatoes, green pepper, and onions. Drizzle with tahini sauce (recipe below).
Eating Well Tahini sauce
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 Tbsp tahini (see Ingredient note)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1) Mix all ingredients thoroughly in bowl. That’s it.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
296 calories, 11.7 g fat, $1.11
Calculations
1 can chickpeas, drained: 350 calories, 7 g fat, $0.79
3/4 onion (main recipe plus garnish): 100 calories, 0 g fat, $0.24
8 Tbsp fresh parsley (main recipe plus sauce): negligible calories and fat, $0.99
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro: negligible calories and fat, $0.33
1 ¼ tsp salt (main recipe plus sauce): negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes: negligible calories and fat, $0.15
4 cloves garlic: 20 calories, 0 g fat, $0.20
1 tsp cumin: negligible calories and fat, $0.05
1 tsp baking powder: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
4 Tbsp flour: 100 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
2 Tbsp vegetable oil for frying: 240 calories, 28 g fat, $0.08
1 tomato, chopped for garnish: 30 calories, 0 g fat, $0.56
½ green bell pepper, diced for garnish: 20 calories, 0 g fat, $0.24
2 ½ Whole Wheat Pitas: 350 calories, 4.25 g fat, $0.47
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt: 80 calories, 1.25 g fat, $0.95
2 Tbsp tahini: 190 calories, 18 g fat, $0.25
1 Tbsp lemon juice: negligible calories and fat, $0.17
TOTAL: 1480 calories, 58.5 g fat, $5.53
PER SERVING (TOTAL/5): 296 calories, 11.7 g fat, $1.11
But, thank Jeebus, falafel is just a food – a tempting, fatty food that’s normally deep-fried to get its flavor and texture. The challenge then, dear friends, was cutting the ginormous amounts of oil without losing a whit of the taste.
After browsing a few falafel recipes (Sara Moulton, AllRecipes, etc.), I finally bogarted a good-looking one from Epicurious, which garnered it from a cookbook called Foods of Israel Today. Since I was using canned chickpeas instead of dried, I then made a few preparation changes based on the advice of an Epicurious reviewer only known as dickrebel. It turned out to be indispensable, so big round of applause for dickrebel, ladies and gentlemen.
When it came time to cook, once again, it was Weight Watchers to the rescue. They suggested frying the falafel in 2 teaspoons of oil, and then sticking it in a hot oven to finish. Since 2 teaspoons of oil sounded a bit meager, I jacked it up to 2 tablespoons, which was just right. It gave each piece a nice brown color and satisfying crunch without affecting the fat content too terribly. The oven warmed the falafel through, and the addition of garnishes and a lower-fat tahini-yogurt sauce from EatingWell.com finished the whole dish quite nicely. The boyfriend loved it, and ate it so fast that I didn’t worry about them running away together.
Falafel
5 servings – 4 pieces per serving
Adapted from Epicurious.
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
3/4 tsp red pepper flakes
4 cloves of garlic
1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and dried thoroughly
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp baking powder
4 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp vegetable oil for frying
1 tomato, chopped for garnish
¼ large onion, diced for garnish
½ green bell pepper, diced for garnish
Eating Well’s Tahini sauce (listed below)
2 ½ Whole Wheat Pitas
1) Combine onion, garlic and pepper flakes in food processor. Pulse until they’re about 1/8-in. big.
2) Add chickpeas, parsley, and cilantro and chop until “pieces are about the size of a large pinhead.” You don’t want a puree here, because mushiness will make the falafel fall apart. (Thanks, dickrebel.)
3) Dump the items from the food processor into a bowl. Stir in salt, cumin, baking powder and flour until well-mixed., but not really a dough.
4) Stick it in the fridge, covered, for anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours. The longer the better. (I did it for an hour, and turned out nicely.)
5) With your hands, make small falafel hockey pucks about 1 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter and ¾ of an inch high. (The flat surface will help with the frying.)
6) Turn oven to 400ºF.
7) Heat 2 Tbsp vegetable oil in a huge ovenproof skillet on medium-high. Make sure the pan is good and hot before you put the falafel down. (Think of it like making pancakes.) Fry the pucks for about 3 minutes on the first side, and 2 minutes on the second, until they’re golden brown.
8) When finished, stick skillet in oven (or transfer pucks to a Pam-ed aluminum foil lined cookie sheet) and bake for 10-12 minutes.
9) Stick four balls in half a pita with tomatoes, green pepper, and onions. Drizzle with tahini sauce (recipe below).
Eating Well Tahini sauce
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 Tbsp tahini (see Ingredient note)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1) Mix all ingredients thoroughly in bowl. That’s it.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
296 calories, 11.7 g fat, $1.11
Calculations
1 can chickpeas, drained: 350 calories, 7 g fat, $0.79
3/4 onion (main recipe plus garnish): 100 calories, 0 g fat, $0.24
8 Tbsp fresh parsley (main recipe plus sauce): negligible calories and fat, $0.99
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro: negligible calories and fat, $0.33
1 ¼ tsp salt (main recipe plus sauce): negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1/2-1 tsp red pepper flakes: negligible calories and fat, $0.15
4 cloves garlic: 20 calories, 0 g fat, $0.20
1 tsp cumin: negligible calories and fat, $0.05
1 tsp baking powder: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
4 Tbsp flour: 100 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
2 Tbsp vegetable oil for frying: 240 calories, 28 g fat, $0.08
1 tomato, chopped for garnish: 30 calories, 0 g fat, $0.56
½ green bell pepper, diced for garnish: 20 calories, 0 g fat, $0.24
2 ½ Whole Wheat Pitas: 350 calories, 4.25 g fat, $0.47
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt: 80 calories, 1.25 g fat, $0.95
2 Tbsp tahini: 190 calories, 18 g fat, $0.25
1 Tbsp lemon juice: negligible calories and fat, $0.17
TOTAL: 1480 calories, 58.5 g fat, $5.53
PER SERVING (TOTAL/5): 296 calories, 11.7 g fat, $1.11
Links of the Post-Independent
MSN Health: 10 Things Your Grocery Store Doesn't Want You to Know
Solid article on the saucy games supermarkets play. Tips 4 through 8 are particularly relevant to CheapHealthyGood.
The Festival of Frugality
Each week, a different financial blogger compiles his favorite frugality-themed posts from other bloggers around the web. Recent highlights have been The Bulk Buying Debate from The Simple Dollar blog and How NOT to Go to a Bar or Club by The LocoMono Website. SO worth a gander.
CNN: Tainted Chinese seasoning used on recalled snack foods
In case you haven’t heard, Veggie Booty got the recall! Turns out, the extra added flavor was salmonella. Mmm … poison.
`
Solid article on the saucy games supermarkets play. Tips 4 through 8 are particularly relevant to CheapHealthyGood.
The Festival of Frugality
Each week, a different financial blogger compiles his favorite frugality-themed posts from other bloggers around the web. Recent highlights have been The Bulk Buying Debate from The Simple Dollar blog and How NOT to Go to a Bar or Club by The LocoMono Website. SO worth a gander.
CNN: Tainted Chinese seasoning used on recalled snack foods
In case you haven’t heard, Veggie Booty got the recall! Turns out, the extra added flavor was salmonella. Mmm … poison.
`
Of Eggplants and Angels: Angel Hair Pasta with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce
According to legend, Weight Watchers recipes used to be mostly celery and horseradish, pounded into submission and forced screaming into a sternly unyielding jello mold. Lately, though (the last two years?), the folks at WW seem to have retooled their entire approach. Now there are wondrous additions, like spices and vinegar, that make quite a few of their recipes more than edible.
This dish was posted recently on the WW site, though I altered it pretty significantly to fit my tastes and budget. For a slightly higher price, you could substitute fresh basil for better flavor or whole wheat pasta for more of a nutritional punch. Either way, it’s good stuff, fancy enough for company, and tastes great cold the next day.
Angel Hair Pasta with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce
6 servings 1 ½ cups per serving
Adapted from Weight Watchers.
8 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta (half the box), cooked and drained
1 medium raw eggplant, sliced into 1-inch cubes
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 t Olive oil (preferably in a spray bottle)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp dried basil (or 2 T fresh, minced)
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth (or low-fat regular)
3-4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1) Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2) Chop the eggplant (skin on) and red pepper, and put ‘em in a large bowl. If you have an olive oil spray bottle, coat the top of the vegetables and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Stir well (but gently). Do this three times, being careful not to oversalt. (If you don’t have a spray bottle, slowly drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil on top of the veggies. Then, follow the aforementioned directions.)
3) Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. (If you like, coat it with cooking spray. This isn’t necessary, but will make vegetable removal a little easier.) Place eggplant and pepper on sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until they start to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
4) Grab a big saucepan. Coat with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and heat on medium-low.
5) Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, until heated through. Add roasted veggies, red pepper flakes, basil, broth, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat up to medium-high.
6) Cook a few minutes until broth is reduced, and the mixture becomes a little saucy. Turn off the burner. Add the pasta and stir lots.
7) Add the feta and mix thoroughly, until the pasta is coated with it. If this is done while the pasta is still warm, you’ll get a lot of feta in each bite. Serve NOW.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
243.7 calories, 6.2 g fat, $1.14
Calculations
8 oz. angel hair pasta: 840 calories, 4 g fat, $0.25
1 medium eggplant: 132 calories, 1 g fat, $1.38
1 medium red bell pepper: 40 calories, 0 g fat, $0.88
4 t olive oil: 160 calories, 18.2 g fat, $0.10
Salt and pepper: 0 calories, 0 g fat, $0.02
1 garlic clove: negligible calories and fat, $0.05
1 can diced tomatoes: 75 calories, 0 g fat, $1.19
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes: negligible calories and fat, $0.05
1 T dried basil: negligible calories and fat, $0.25
½ c chicken broth: 5 calories, .5 g fat, $0.40
3-4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled: 210 calories, 13.5 g fat, $2.25
TOTAL: 1462 calories, 37.2 g fat, $6.82
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 243.7 calories, 6.2 g fat, $1.14
This dish was posted recently on the WW site, though I altered it pretty significantly to fit my tastes and budget. For a slightly higher price, you could substitute fresh basil for better flavor or whole wheat pasta for more of a nutritional punch. Either way, it’s good stuff, fancy enough for company, and tastes great cold the next day.
Angel Hair Pasta with Eggplant-Tomato Sauce
6 servings 1 ½ cups per serving
Adapted from Weight Watchers.
8 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta (half the box), cooked and drained
1 medium raw eggplant, sliced into 1-inch cubes
1 medium red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
4 t Olive oil (preferably in a spray bottle)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp dried basil (or 2 T fresh, minced)
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth (or low-fat regular)
3-4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled
1) Preheat oven to 425ºF.
2) Chop the eggplant (skin on) and red pepper, and put ‘em in a large bowl. If you have an olive oil spray bottle, coat the top of the vegetables and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Stir well (but gently). Do this three times, being careful not to oversalt. (If you don’t have a spray bottle, slowly drizzle a teaspoon of olive oil on top of the veggies. Then, follow the aforementioned directions.)
3) Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. (If you like, coat it with cooking spray. This isn’t necessary, but will make vegetable removal a little easier.) Place eggplant and pepper on sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, or until they start to brown. Remove from oven and set aside.
4) Grab a big saucepan. Coat with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and heat on medium-low.
5) Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook for 3 minutes, until heated through. Add roasted veggies, red pepper flakes, basil, broth, and salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat up to medium-high.
6) Cook a few minutes until broth is reduced, and the mixture becomes a little saucy. Turn off the burner. Add the pasta and stir lots.
7) Add the feta and mix thoroughly, until the pasta is coated with it. If this is done while the pasta is still warm, you’ll get a lot of feta in each bite. Serve NOW.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
243.7 calories, 6.2 g fat, $1.14
Calculations
8 oz. angel hair pasta: 840 calories, 4 g fat, $0.25
1 medium eggplant: 132 calories, 1 g fat, $1.38
1 medium red bell pepper: 40 calories, 0 g fat, $0.88
4 t olive oil: 160 calories, 18.2 g fat, $0.10
Salt and pepper: 0 calories, 0 g fat, $0.02
1 garlic clove: negligible calories and fat, $0.05
1 can diced tomatoes: 75 calories, 0 g fat, $1.19
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes: negligible calories and fat, $0.05
1 T dried basil: negligible calories and fat, $0.25
½ c chicken broth: 5 calories, .5 g fat, $0.40
3-4 oz reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled: 210 calories, 13.5 g fat, $2.25
TOTAL: 1462 calories, 37.2 g fat, $6.82
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 243.7 calories, 6.2 g fat, $1.14
A Plan! A Wonderful Plan!
To accomplish what CheapHealthyGood is setting out to do, odds are I’ll need to post something. Links, suggestions, and muted whining are to be expected. I’d also like to scrawl some how-to entries, strategy guides, and generally informative doodles, but let’s see how it goes.
The most important part of the site, hopefully though, will be the actual food. My goal here is to try a recipe, make sure it hits every criteria (cheap, healthy, and um, good), calculate its stats, and post the results. Included in each of these entries will be:
The most important part of the site, hopefully though, will be the actual food. My goal here is to try a recipe, make sure it hits every criteria (cheap, healthy, and um, good), calculate its stats, and post the results. Included in each of these entries will be:
- Pictures
- The recipe itself
- The approximate price per serving
- The approximate fat and calories per serving
I’ll need some guidelines, here. So let’s say:
- All nutritional facts are gleaned from manufacturers’ websites, supermarket listings, and various calorie-and-fat counters from around the web.
- All prices are what I actually paid for each item, divided according to the amount used from a package. In other words, if I bought a pound of angel hair pasta for $0.70, but only used 8 ounces, I list the price as $0.35.
- All the calculations are my own, and are approximate. Cut me some slack, man.
- If a recipe is gleaned from a cookbook, website, or chef (and most of them are), I cite the source ALWAYS, and change the wording as much as possible. Plagiarism is bad.
- The difficulty level of each recipe will assume the cook’s been in a kitchen before, but hasn’t studied under Daniel Boulud for any length of time.
Comments, suggestions, and readers are welcomed with open arms and a strawberry Freezy Pop. For now, here’s hoping.
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