Hey everybody,
I'm on vacation until Monday. In the meantime, feel free to check out past posts, like the very lovely Pesto one located directly below this letter.
Oh, and come on back for next week's articles, including:
Behold! The Great Zucchini (Bread)!
Broiled Eggplant Japonaise: Ugly, but Good
and
When Frugality Pays Off: See Ya, Sallie Mae
Hearts,
Kristen
Light Pesto: The Miracle of Basil
If fresh basil was a person, it’d be George Clooney, Olivier Martinez, and that dude from Under the Tuscan Sun rolled into one beautiful, musk-scented studmuffin. I’d date it. I’d marry it. I’d trail it from junior high class to junior high class, silently willing it to notice me, until, in a fit of pubescent insanity, I dropped a love letter in its locker.
If fresh basil was a drug, I’d be Keith Richards, Keith Moon, and Stevie Nicks rolled up into one mega-burnout. (Hopefully with Stevie’s hair.) I’d smoke it, apply it to brightly-colored stamps, ingest it in ways that couldn’t be printed in an Ozzy Osbourne memoir, much less a family-friendly blog. (Ooo...scary.)
If fresh basil was free and abundant all year around, I’d put it on pasta. I’d put it in bread. I’d put it in ice cream, cheesecake, and breakfast cereal. I’d mix it with peanut butter and make PB and J and B sandwiches. I’d have grillz made of it, so every time I licked, chewed, or breathed, fresh basil would infuse me with pungent green goodness.
Alas, fresh basil is none of these things, so I must be contented with the occasional tomato sauce, pasta salad, and scrumptious, delectable pesto.
Made with basil, garlic, parmesan, some sort of nut, and an inground pool’s worth of olive oil, pesto’s calorie and fat content is usually meteoric (i.e. 230 calories, 21 grams of fat per ¼ cup). Yet, there is a way to lighten the load considerably.
This recipe, courtesy of Weight Watchers, is a nice stand-in for the butt-conscious. First, it replaces most of the olive oil with chicken broth, cutting the fat by about 60%. Second, the abundance of fresh basil gives it a clean, earthy taste (if those even go together), meaning you won’t miss the absent oil. Finally, the lighter consistency doesn’t sit heavily in the tummy area, giving you more time to soliloquize about fresh basil. If Ebert was here, a thumb up would be forthcoming.
A word of caution about the garlic, though – two raw cloves go a LONG way. If you’re concerned about your breath/makeout potential, use a single one.
Light Pesto Sauce
4 servings – scant ¼ c each
Adapted from Weight Watchers.
2 Tbsp pine nuts
2 cups basil leaves, fresh
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (or homemade broth)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 or 2 medium garlic clove(s), peeled (depending on how much you like garlic)
1/2 tsp table salt
1) Over medium heat, toast pine nuts in a small pan for about 3 minutes. Toss frequently so they won't burn.
2) Pour pine nuts into a food processor. Add basil, broth, cheese, oil, garlic and salt. Process until it's the smoothness and thickness of your liking. If you like, let it stand overnight for melding/thickening purposes. (It’s better the next day. – Kris)
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
104 calories, 8.8 g fat, $0.83
Calculations
2 Tbsp pine nuts: 135 calories, 13.7 g fat, $1.00
2 cups basil leaves, fresh: 23 calories, 0.5 g fat, $1.48
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken stock: 43 calories, 1.4 g fat, $0.12
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese: 83 calories, 5.5 g fat, $0.52
1 Tbsp olive oil: 120 calories, 14 g fat, $0.08
2 medium garlic clove(s): 10 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
1/2 tsp table salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
TOTAL: 414 calories, 35 g fat, $3.31
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 104 calories, 8.8 g fat, $0.83
If fresh basil was a drug, I’d be Keith Richards, Keith Moon, and Stevie Nicks rolled up into one mega-burnout. (Hopefully with Stevie’s hair.) I’d smoke it, apply it to brightly-colored stamps, ingest it in ways that couldn’t be printed in an Ozzy Osbourne memoir, much less a family-friendly blog. (Ooo...scary.)
If fresh basil was free and abundant all year around, I’d put it on pasta. I’d put it in bread. I’d put it in ice cream, cheesecake, and breakfast cereal. I’d mix it with peanut butter and make PB and J and B sandwiches. I’d have grillz made of it, so every time I licked, chewed, or breathed, fresh basil would infuse me with pungent green goodness.
Alas, fresh basil is none of these things, so I must be contented with the occasional tomato sauce, pasta salad, and scrumptious, delectable pesto.
Made with basil, garlic, parmesan, some sort of nut, and an inground pool’s worth of olive oil, pesto’s calorie and fat content is usually meteoric (i.e. 230 calories, 21 grams of fat per ¼ cup). Yet, there is a way to lighten the load considerably.
This recipe, courtesy of Weight Watchers, is a nice stand-in for the butt-conscious. First, it replaces most of the olive oil with chicken broth, cutting the fat by about 60%. Second, the abundance of fresh basil gives it a clean, earthy taste (if those even go together), meaning you won’t miss the absent oil. Finally, the lighter consistency doesn’t sit heavily in the tummy area, giving you more time to soliloquize about fresh basil. If Ebert was here, a thumb up would be forthcoming.
A word of caution about the garlic, though – two raw cloves go a LONG way. If you’re concerned about your breath/makeout potential, use a single one.
Light Pesto Sauce
4 servings – scant ¼ c each
Adapted from Weight Watchers.
2 Tbsp pine nuts2 cups basil leaves, fresh
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (or homemade broth)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 or 2 medium garlic clove(s), peeled (depending on how much you like garlic)
1/2 tsp table salt
1) Over medium heat, toast pine nuts in a small pan for about 3 minutes. Toss frequently so they won't burn.
2) Pour pine nuts into a food processor. Add basil, broth, cheese, oil, garlic and salt. Process until it's the smoothness and thickness of your liking. If you like, let it stand overnight for melding/thickening purposes. (It’s better the next day. – Kris)
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
104 calories, 8.8 g fat, $0.83
Calculations
2 Tbsp pine nuts: 135 calories, 13.7 g fat, $1.00
2 cups basil leaves, fresh: 23 calories, 0.5 g fat, $1.48
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken stock: 43 calories, 1.4 g fat, $0.12
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese: 83 calories, 5.5 g fat, $0.52
1 Tbsp olive oil: 120 calories, 14 g fat, $0.08
2 medium garlic clove(s): 10 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
1/2 tsp table salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
TOTAL: 414 calories, 35 g fat, $3.31
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 104 calories, 8.8 g fat, $0.83
Tuesday Megalinks
I’m away Thursday and Friday, so please enjoy these ever-so-lovely entries in the meantime:
Consumerist/Spoofee: How to Pick a Good Watermelon
Quick! Read this before the season’s over and we have to make do with the cool, refreshing taste of turnips.
Freakonomics Quorum: What is the Right Way to Think About the Obesity ‘Epidemic’?
A.k.a. “Are We Fatties? Discuss.”
Get Rich Slowly: The Grocery Game AND Grocery Store vs. Farmers Market: Which Has the Cheapest Produce?
I link to GRS so often for two reasons:
A) JD is a thoughtful, technically solid writer, and,
B) He focuses a good chunk of the blog on food.
Check out his archives for more mealtime wonder.
The Simple Dollar: Getting Over the “Taboo” of Generics and Store Brands
That stuff about Get Rich Slowly? The same goes for Simple Dollar.
Frugal Upstate: Frugal Potluck or BBQ Food: Fruit Kabobs – Fun, Festive, and Frugal
Let it be known: everything tastes better on a stick.
Bibilical Womanhood: Frugal Fridays – Grocery Shopping
Just 24, Crystal feeds her family of four on $35 a week. I couldn’t feed myself for that much at her age. Lady has her stuff together. Cute kids, too. (Scroll down for the post.)
Top Chef: Anthony Bourdain’s Blog
Cheap? No. Healthy? Nuh-unh. Pulitzer-worthy food writing from a globe-spanning culinary artiste who names his posts after Traffic and Clash songs? You betcha.
Midtown Lunch: Day in the Life - Muhammed “Kwik Meal” Rahman
Neat behind-the-scenes look at an NYC cart vendor who works 16 hours a day, five days a week, 52 weeks a year so workers can have inexpensive, relatively healthy lunches (minus the white sauce).
Free Money Finance: Carnival of Personal Finance
CHG’s an editor’s pick! Woo, I say, woo! Other notable entries include:
Consumerist/Spoofee: How to Pick a Good Watermelon
Quick! Read this before the season’s over and we have to make do with the cool, refreshing taste of turnips.
Freakonomics Quorum: What is the Right Way to Think About the Obesity ‘Epidemic’?
A.k.a. “Are We Fatties? Discuss.”
Get Rich Slowly: The Grocery Game AND Grocery Store vs. Farmers Market: Which Has the Cheapest Produce?
I link to GRS so often for two reasons:
A) JD is a thoughtful, technically solid writer, and,
B) He focuses a good chunk of the blog on food.
Check out his archives for more mealtime wonder.
The Simple Dollar: Getting Over the “Taboo” of Generics and Store Brands
That stuff about Get Rich Slowly? The same goes for Simple Dollar.
Frugal Upstate: Frugal Potluck or BBQ Food: Fruit Kabobs – Fun, Festive, and Frugal
Let it be known: everything tastes better on a stick.
Bibilical Womanhood: Frugal Fridays – Grocery Shopping
Just 24, Crystal feeds her family of four on $35 a week. I couldn’t feed myself for that much at her age. Lady has her stuff together. Cute kids, too. (Scroll down for the post.)
Top Chef: Anthony Bourdain’s Blog
Cheap? No. Healthy? Nuh-unh. Pulitzer-worthy food writing from a globe-spanning culinary artiste who names his posts after Traffic and Clash songs? You betcha.
Midtown Lunch: Day in the Life - Muhammed “Kwik Meal” Rahman
Neat behind-the-scenes look at an NYC cart vendor who works 16 hours a day, five days a week, 52 weeks a year so workers can have inexpensive, relatively healthy lunches (minus the white sauce).
Free Money Finance: Carnival of Personal Finance
CHG’s an editor’s pick! Woo, I say, woo! Other notable entries include:
- MoneyNing: I Could Use Someone Else’s Credit Card to Buy My Groceries – A cautionary tale
- Make Your Nut: Big Party, Small Budget – Three cheers, with half left for beer.
- Millionaire Mommy Next Door: 5 Things the Marshmallow Test Can Teach You About Money - S'mores as personal finance metaphor? Sweet.
FILAM: 89th Festival of Frugality:
CHG’s Beef series made it into the “Frugal Food and Nutrition” section, along with:
- The Wastrel Show: Ode to a Cream Puff
- The Common Room: Egg Substitutes
- Free Money Finance: Is Bottled Water Worth it?
`
Stock in the Name of Love: Chicken Stock from Scratch
When I was first told that homemade stock was tastier, cheaper, and easier than buying a big ol’ can, I almost burned the messenger for blasphemy. (I couldn’t help it. I was feeling burny.)
Since the urge to set things aflame never fully subsided, I decided to test it out on said homemade stock. I grabbed a chicken skeleton, some leftover skin (both from Marcella Hazan's Roast Chicken with Two Lemons), and stuck it all in a pot with a few vegetables and some water. An hour later, the arson urge was gone, the apartment smelled like Per Se (er, not that I’d know), and I was beating The Boyfriend off with a ladle.
In other words, the stock was stellar, and I was a moron.
Since then (let’s call it “last week”), I’m a homemade stock convert. My freezer’s full of stock popsicles (stocksicles), and a pesto recipe has already benefited greatly from the brew. Going forth, I’ll use it whenever possible.
A quick note about the attached recipe: though Calorie King estimates homemade stock at 43 calories and 1.4 grams of fat per cup, it’s really tough to compute the count accurately. Subsequently, I left those numbers out of the calculations (though I’m guessing both are pretty low).
Chicken Stock
Makes 7 cups
Adapted from Tyler Florence.
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, cut in large chunks
2 celery stalks, cut in large chunks
1 onion, halved
1 garlic bulb, halved
1-1/2 lbs reserved chicken bones and various parts
2 quarts cold water
4 sprigs fresh parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1) In a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If you're afraid of the garlic burning, add it during the last 30 seconds.) Add chicken bones, water, parsley, thyme and bay leaves. Turn heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the stock into a large bowl. Throw the solids out.
2) Place in fridge overnight. Skim out anything on top before bagging/storing it. Will keep for a few days in the fridge or an eon in the freezer.
Approximate Price Per Serving
$0.23
Calculations
2 tablespoons olive oil: $0.16
2 carrots, cut in large chunks: $0.24
2 celery stalks, cut in large chunks: $0.25
1 onion, halved: $0.18
1 garlic bulb, halved: $0.25
1-1/2 lbs chicken bones and parts: FREE (leftover from paid-for chicken)
2 quarts cold water: FREE
4 sprigs fresh parsley: $0.15
4 sprigs fresh thyme: $0.30
2 bay leaves: $0.10
TOTAL: $1.63
PER SERVING (TOTAL/7): $0.23 `
Since the urge to set things aflame never fully subsided, I decided to test it out on said homemade stock. I grabbed a chicken skeleton, some leftover skin (both from Marcella Hazan's Roast Chicken with Two Lemons), and stuck it all in a pot with a few vegetables and some water. An hour later, the arson urge was gone, the apartment smelled like Per Se (er, not that I’d know), and I was beating The Boyfriend off with a ladle.
In other words, the stock was stellar, and I was a moron.
Since then (let’s call it “last week”), I’m a homemade stock convert. My freezer’s full of stock popsicles (stocksicles), and a pesto recipe has already benefited greatly from the brew. Going forth, I’ll use it whenever possible.
A quick note about the attached recipe: though Calorie King estimates homemade stock at 43 calories and 1.4 grams of fat per cup, it’s really tough to compute the count accurately. Subsequently, I left those numbers out of the calculations (though I’m guessing both are pretty low).
Chicken Stock
Makes 7 cups
Adapted from Tyler Florence.
2 tablespoons olive oil2 carrots, cut in large chunks
2 celery stalks, cut in large chunks
1 onion, halved
1 garlic bulb, halved
1-1/2 lbs reserved chicken bones and various parts
2 quarts cold water
4 sprigs fresh parsley
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
1) In a large pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, onions, and garlic and saute for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If you're afraid of the garlic burning, add it during the last 30 seconds.) Add chicken bones, water, parsley, thyme and bay leaves. Turn heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Strain the stock into a large bowl. Throw the solids out.
2) Place in fridge overnight. Skim out anything on top before bagging/storing it. Will keep for a few days in the fridge or an eon in the freezer.
Approximate Price Per Serving
$0.23
Calculations
2 tablespoons olive oil: $0.16
2 carrots, cut in large chunks: $0.24
2 celery stalks, cut in large chunks: $0.25
1 onion, halved: $0.18
1 garlic bulb, halved: $0.25
1-1/2 lbs chicken bones and parts: FREE (leftover from paid-for chicken)
2 quarts cold water: FREE
4 sprigs fresh parsley: $0.15
4 sprigs fresh thyme: $0.30
2 bay leaves: $0.10
TOTAL: $1.63
PER SERVING (TOTAL/7): $0.23 `
Cheap Healthy Vacation Food: 61 Tips for Travel Eats on a Budget
(Usually, I post a recipe on Fridays, but I wanted to get this in for the pre-Labor day weekend. Look for Chicken Stock on Monday and Light Pesto next Wednesday instead.)
As the summer draws to a close, several bajillion Americans (self included) are itching to get the hell out of work; to soak up the last lingering rays of another warm season gone by.
Also, they’re hungry.
Transportation and housing aside, food’s a major budget concern when planning a vacation. Since most travelers are just trying to find a decent, affordable meal, nutritional considerations nearly always fall by the wayside.
What follows, then, is a plan: the ultimate guide to saving dough on food while you’re away, with extra emphasis on healthy options.
BEFORE YOU GO
1. Research. Dear god, you must. Citysearch, Frommers, Zagat, and Lonely Planet are just a few sites that highlight inexpensive, nutrition-conscious restaurants all over the U.S. Local newspaper sites and area-based blogs can point you the right way, as well.
2. Check for coupons and certificates online. Restaurants.com and eBay can help. Signing up for Entertainment Books is also a big boon to savings, while you’re at it.
3. See if your company can get you a deal. “Some restaurants shave 10% to 25% off the meal cost” claims USA Today. Check with HR before departure, and you might be able to score a bargain.
4. Consider an all-inclusive. Lots of resorts and cruises incorporate the price of meals in their room packages. While you might still be stuck paying for drinks, this can save hundreds in the long run. Most provide tons of healthy chow, too.
5. If you’re a foodie, travel during Restaurant Weeks. Now in Boston, Baltimore, Philly, DC, Atlanta, Dallas, Sacramento, Toronto, Puerta Vallarta, and New York City, Restaurant Weeks provide fantastic deals on four star restaurants. Seriously, we’re talking $20 for lunch at Nobu. Open Table is a phenomenal resource for this.
6. Look for festivals. Upon arrival in Little Rock, Arkansas, my roadtripping friends and I were greeted by Riverfest, a weekend extravaganza of food, music, and people-watching. Needless to say, we skipped lunch and grazed on corn, tomatoes, and good, cheap beer. Check Festivals.com or call the Chamber of Commerce for dates and possibilities.
7. Take Rachael Ray's advice with a grain of salt. While I don’t harbor the dislike some foodies have for the catchphrasey Buffalo doyenne, she cut some corners and tends to tip insufficiently on her $40-a-Day show. There's good stuff there, just beware of going too far in your quest for affordability.
8. Sign up for frequent flier miles. Some credit card companies will give them to you for dining at certain restaurants. Put your stomach to work.
GETTING THERE: IN THE AIR
9. Don’t buy food at the airport. Ludicrously expensive and often poorly made, airport food can cost you precious calories and cash.
10. Skip the plane chow, too. Airlines need money for gas, and they’re taking it out of your meal budget. Why pay $8 for a sandwich you might not even like?
11. Bring an empty. The TSA will confiscate full water bottles, but not empty ones. Slip one into your bag, and fill it using the airport tap. Voila! $2 saved.
12. Carry snacks. Even if it means raiding the local drugstore, packing your own bites will save big bucks, satisfy cravings, and keep the calorie count down.
GETTING THERE: ON THE ROAD
13. Bring a cooler. Fill it with ice, drinks, fruit, cut-up vegetables, cold cuts, bread – anything easily assembled that can be used for an in-vehicle bite or roadside picnic. You’ll conserve time and cash, and it’s easier to regulate what you eat.
14. Create a Port-o-Kitchen. Stuff a small plastic with meal-making necessities. Travel board poster MJ Hardy brings “a plastic container with a lid that I fill with a small paring knife, wine opener, small can opener, a couple of place settings of study plastic silver ware, packets of salt, pepper, other condiments, individual wet naps, and an assortment of zip lock bags, etc. I then put a small stack of paper plates and napkins in a large zip lock bag, a small plastic cutting board and a partial roll of paper towel.” Handy!
15. Freeze a thermos or two. Fill a reusable plastic water bottle with the drink of your choice and freeze it overnight. After it defrosts in the car, and you’ll have a cold beverage at your disposal.
16. Make a big bag o’snacks. On a recent road trip through the South, my friend S brought a massive backpack of granola bars, baked chips, granola bars, Smartwell cookies, and granola bars. It kept us happy and full for those eight-hour stretches through Oklahoma. Pretzels, nuts, baked chips, low-fat cookies, beef jerky, and popcorn are good, lighter choices here, as well.
17. Consider kids’ meals. If you have to resort to fast food, they’re cheaper and generally healthier than adult meals. Don’t try it at a fancy sit-down eatery, though. Not classy.
ACCOMMODATIONS: SHORT-TERM (ONE AND TWO-DAY STAYS)
18. Book places with free breakfast. When continental and buffet breakfasts are built into the overnight fee, everybody wins. Bed and breakfasts are, of course, included in this category. Grabbing an extra orange or apple for a snack can’t hurt, either. While you’re at it…
19. See if there’s free lunch and dinner, too. According to a USA Today article, one diner “says he stays at Red Lion hotels and fills up on the free food -- popcorn, nachos or hot dogs -- served during happy hour.” I’m still trying to find the health benefit from that, but the savings are pretty obvious. Of course, if neither of the previous pair of tips apply …
20. Pack your own breakfast. Oatmeal, cereal, English Muffins, and fruit are simple to pack and prepare, and they don’t need massive storage or bizarre cooking utensils.
21. Use your ice bucket. If you don’t have a cooler or fridge for leftovers, the ice bucket is a decent shotgun substitute. Wrap food tightly, though.
ACCOMMODATIONS: LONG-TERM (MORE THAN TWO DAYS)
22. Get a room with a kitchen. Cooking your own meals is the #1 cost-cutting measure whenever and wherever you travel. It makes it ten times easier to monitor your own nutritional intake, to boot. Pack some home-bought provisions or pillage the local supermarket for deals.
23. Ask personnel to empty the mini-fridge before you get there. This way, there’s no temptation from incredibly pricey shots of Jager, and you can stuff it with your own nutritious repasts.
24. Buy beforehand in bulk. If you’re gonna be there awhile, you may as well stock up. Just make sure you have enough storage space.
25. Pack your coupons. Hey, you never know.
26. Check the ‘net for circulars of nearby grocers. Depending on where you’re coming from (say … NYC), supermarkets local to your destination can have much cheaper food than your hometown grocer. Circulars will help procure deals, too. Keep in mind though, it might be best to …
27. Bring condiments from home. Staples like butter, olive oil, and mustard are often costlier than the main meals themselves. If you think you might only use a little of something, portion it out into Tupperware and throw it in the car.
28. Save leftovers. They’re not just for Wednesday night post-work dinner anymore. Whether you’re cooking in your room or ordering out, the extra can feed you for at least one more meal.
RESTAURANTS
29. Browse brochures and newspapers. Often placed in or around rest stops, hotel front desks, and your room, they're chock full of discounts and coupons for local joints.
30. Avoid eateries located by major attractions. I work in a high-tourism area. (Let’s call it Schtimes Square, Schnew York.) The food here is easily twice what you’d pay in any other area of the city, and generally, the quality is the pits. Walking two blocks from a landmark, monument, or sightseeing highlight (say, Schtimes Square, Schnew York) can automatically save 50% off a bill. Special note: in foreign countries, beware of “touristy restaurants with ‘We speak English’ signs and multilingual menus” cautions the Chicago Times’ Rick Steves. They know the game, and will frequently charge more.
31. Don’t eat at restaurants INSIDE tourist traps. Again, pricey. This goes for museum cafes, theme park diners, Graceland, and their ilk. Wait until you’re well outside, then run. On the same note …
32. Skip the dinner shows. Remember the strip club guideline here: The entertainment might be eye-popping, but the food sucks. While you’re crossing things off the list …
33. Eschew mid-scale dinner chains. If you’re vacationing somewhere renowned for its food, stay out of Applebees, Chili’s, Macaroni Grill, Olive Garden, TGI Fridays, Bennigans, Hooters, Pizzeria Uno, Sbarro, Ruby Tuesdays, Red Lobster, Outback, and their ilk. Not only are their prices higher in tourist destinations, but the signature food is rarely health-minded. (Cracker Barrel excepted. Because it is awesome.)
34. Eat a fantastic lunch instead of a costly dinner. A mid-day meal can run half the price of a late-day one. The food is the same quality level, and you’ll often consume less calories, since eateries tend to serve lighter fare for lunch. This goes especially for upscale restaurants.
35. Go ethnic. The best Indian food I ever had was in Glasgow, Scotland. As travel writer Tony Robinson puts it, “Eating in ethnic neighborhoods provides great local color, a chance to meet interesting people, and very low prices as well.” A fabulous learning experience, ethnic food is also frequently less fattening than American meals.
36. Hit the buffet once a day. Inexpensive and full of options, buffets are a stellar choice for the health-minded. Odds are you’ll be able to skip another meal, as well. I think my parents go to Vegas for this sole reason.
37. Ask for discounts. Are you a Senior, Student, or member of a large group? Excellent. You might be eligible for a chunk off your final bill. “But be warned,” says Steves, “because the United States doesn't reciprocate, many countries don't give their standard senior citizen discounts to Americans.”
38. Doggie bag it. In the U.S., anyway, eat-out meals can be twice the size of a normal, human-appropriate serving. Conserve money and calories by bagging half and stowing it for another meal.
39. K.I.S.S. Really, this is applicable in any restaurant, but coffee, appetizers, and a fourth bottle of wine are just adding to your bill and your waistline. If you really want to conserve, split an entrée and drink water.
40. Pay attention to in-season specials. Cheaper, fresh-food-oriented, and often specific to region, the specials give you a great taste of local favorites.
41. Go before the crowds get there. He’s done so well so far, I’ll let Rick Steves explain why: “Most countries have early bird and ‘Blue Plate’ specials. Know the lingo, learn your options, and you can dine well with savvy locals anywhere in Europe for $15”
EATING ON THE FLY
42. Pretend you’re a native. Order like a Parisian. Buy groceries like a Londoner. Grab fish from a Seattleite’s favorite market. Making these simple shifts in thinking will help you garner tasty chow for optimal cash.
43. Hit up an open-air market. Popular in Europe and the U.S., you can score artisanal-quality foods for much lower prices than at a restaurant. Exotic cheeses, crusty breads, cured sausages, fresh fruit – it’s all at your fingertips. I survived in Spain almost entirely on baguettes, cherries, and Nutella, and damn, it was good.
44. Have a picnic. Instead of dining in an upscale boardwalk joint, set a blanket up on the actual boardwalk. Steves (again) says, “$15 buys a hearty picnic lunch for two anywhere in Europe.”
45. Ask a local. A citizen will know far better than any guidebook about where to buy the most delicious, most frugal food, and many will be flattered you thought to explore. If you’re feeling shy, though…
46. Follow the home crowd. Workers, old ladies, moms with strollers, and people who obviously live in your travel destination know where to go. Search for long lines and indigenous-looking folks, and you’ll walk away a sated winner.
47. Eat on the street. If you’re unsure about buying from vendors, travel writer Cindy Meyers suggests you “head towards the stand that's the most crowded, find out what everybody's nibbling on, and then point to what you want if you don't speak the language.” Worried about being inadvertently poisoned? Then go with Budget Travel Magazine, which advises: “request that your food be cooked fresh for you. A hot grill will usually eliminate any microscopic bugs that are present. And a plate of steaming noodles is safer than food left out for hours at a hotel buffet."
48. Be a mallrat. U.S. Food courts are a cornucopia of culinary choices. If you go a little before closing, you might even score a deal. See? Sometimes rampant materialism is a good thing.
49. Skip lunch. A big breakfast and nice dinner mean you can probably get by with a nutritional, filling mid-afternoon snack for the rest of the day. Grab some trail mix or a piece of fruit if you’re feeling peckish.
50. Starch yourself silly. Thrifty, tasty, and easy on discerning bellies, most travel destinations in the world offer some sort of on-the-go starch. Pasta, bread, rice – whatever – the stuff’s universal.
BOOZE
51. Smuggle your own. Especially in non-inclusive resorts, alcohol prices can be super-high. Either bring stuff in bulk from home (a la Trader Joe’s) or find an on-the-road liquor supplier to raid.
52. Go early. Happy hours are a great deal in most major American cities, and HappyHour.net is a good place to start.
53. Try the house wine. Frequently served in a full or half carafe, its freshness and lower price makes it a good buy. Go with red for heart benefits.
54. Sidle up to the bar. According to the oft-cited Rick Steves, “Throughout southern Europe, drinks are cheaper if you're served at the bar rather than at a table.”
55. Stick with local brews. Budget Travel Worldwide claims when traveling abroad, “an imported spirit will be triple the cost of the local tipple,” meaning a Dos Equis in Mexico will be a better buy than a Labatts in England. Lite beer will often be $1 less, as well.
56. Look for drink specials. Quarter drafts, Ladies Nights, and 2-for-1 deals are just a few of the lovely night-out offerings that can save cash on vacation. Check the local independent paper, or scan bar and club windows for ads.
57. Avoid foofy concoctions. They’re expensive and laden with sugar. Consider: a single pina colada has more than 400 calories, while a margarita can run over 300.
58. Don’t drink at all. The best booze control method is abstinence, no?
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST …
59. Tip where customary. If you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to eat out, and you probably can’t afford to be on vacation.
60. Loosen up a little. Whether you’re on a diet or just hesitant to taste something with tentacles, vacations are a one-time deal. You may never get the opportunity again, so go for it. (In moderation, of course.)
61. Get out there and eat. A healthy chunk of travel is experiencing local culture, and that means food. So be thrifty, but have a bite or two in town.
Sources:
As the summer draws to a close, several bajillion Americans (self included) are itching to get the hell out of work; to soak up the last lingering rays of another warm season gone by.
Also, they’re hungry.
Transportation and housing aside, food’s a major budget concern when planning a vacation. Since most travelers are just trying to find a decent, affordable meal, nutritional considerations nearly always fall by the wayside.
What follows, then, is a plan: the ultimate guide to saving dough on food while you’re away, with extra emphasis on healthy options.
BEFORE YOU GO
1. Research. Dear god, you must. Citysearch, Frommers, Zagat, and Lonely Planet are just a few sites that highlight inexpensive, nutrition-conscious restaurants all over the U.S. Local newspaper sites and area-based blogs can point you the right way, as well.
2. Check for coupons and certificates online. Restaurants.com and eBay can help. Signing up for Entertainment Books is also a big boon to savings, while you’re at it.
3. See if your company can get you a deal. “Some restaurants shave 10% to 25% off the meal cost” claims USA Today. Check with HR before departure, and you might be able to score a bargain.
4. Consider an all-inclusive. Lots of resorts and cruises incorporate the price of meals in their room packages. While you might still be stuck paying for drinks, this can save hundreds in the long run. Most provide tons of healthy chow, too.
5. If you’re a foodie, travel during Restaurant Weeks. Now in Boston, Baltimore, Philly, DC, Atlanta, Dallas, Sacramento, Toronto, Puerta Vallarta, and New York City, Restaurant Weeks provide fantastic deals on four star restaurants. Seriously, we’re talking $20 for lunch at Nobu. Open Table is a phenomenal resource for this.
6. Look for festivals. Upon arrival in Little Rock, Arkansas, my roadtripping friends and I were greeted by Riverfest, a weekend extravaganza of food, music, and people-watching. Needless to say, we skipped lunch and grazed on corn, tomatoes, and good, cheap beer. Check Festivals.com or call the Chamber of Commerce for dates and possibilities.
7. Take Rachael Ray's advice with a grain of salt. While I don’t harbor the dislike some foodies have for the catchphrasey Buffalo doyenne, she cut some corners and tends to tip insufficiently on her $40-a-Day show. There's good stuff there, just beware of going too far in your quest for affordability.
8. Sign up for frequent flier miles. Some credit card companies will give them to you for dining at certain restaurants. Put your stomach to work.
GETTING THERE: IN THE AIR
9. Don’t buy food at the airport. Ludicrously expensive and often poorly made, airport food can cost you precious calories and cash.
10. Skip the plane chow, too. Airlines need money for gas, and they’re taking it out of your meal budget. Why pay $8 for a sandwich you might not even like?
11. Bring an empty. The TSA will confiscate full water bottles, but not empty ones. Slip one into your bag, and fill it using the airport tap. Voila! $2 saved.
12. Carry snacks. Even if it means raiding the local drugstore, packing your own bites will save big bucks, satisfy cravings, and keep the calorie count down.
GETTING THERE: ON THE ROAD
13. Bring a cooler. Fill it with ice, drinks, fruit, cut-up vegetables, cold cuts, bread – anything easily assembled that can be used for an in-vehicle bite or roadside picnic. You’ll conserve time and cash, and it’s easier to regulate what you eat.
14. Create a Port-o-Kitchen. Stuff a small plastic with meal-making necessities. Travel board poster MJ Hardy brings “a plastic container with a lid that I fill with a small paring knife, wine opener, small can opener, a couple of place settings of study plastic silver ware, packets of salt, pepper, other condiments, individual wet naps, and an assortment of zip lock bags, etc. I then put a small stack of paper plates and napkins in a large zip lock bag, a small plastic cutting board and a partial roll of paper towel.” Handy!
15. Freeze a thermos or two. Fill a reusable plastic water bottle with the drink of your choice and freeze it overnight. After it defrosts in the car, and you’ll have a cold beverage at your disposal.
16. Make a big bag o’snacks. On a recent road trip through the South, my friend S brought a massive backpack of granola bars, baked chips, granola bars, Smartwell cookies, and granola bars. It kept us happy and full for those eight-hour stretches through Oklahoma. Pretzels, nuts, baked chips, low-fat cookies, beef jerky, and popcorn are good, lighter choices here, as well.
17. Consider kids’ meals. If you have to resort to fast food, they’re cheaper and generally healthier than adult meals. Don’t try it at a fancy sit-down eatery, though. Not classy.
ACCOMMODATIONS: SHORT-TERM (ONE AND TWO-DAY STAYS)
18. Book places with free breakfast. When continental and buffet breakfasts are built into the overnight fee, everybody wins. Bed and breakfasts are, of course, included in this category. Grabbing an extra orange or apple for a snack can’t hurt, either. While you’re at it…
19. See if there’s free lunch and dinner, too. According to a USA Today article, one diner “says he stays at Red Lion hotels and fills up on the free food -- popcorn, nachos or hot dogs -- served during happy hour.” I’m still trying to find the health benefit from that, but the savings are pretty obvious. Of course, if neither of the previous pair of tips apply …
20. Pack your own breakfast. Oatmeal, cereal, English Muffins, and fruit are simple to pack and prepare, and they don’t need massive storage or bizarre cooking utensils.
21. Use your ice bucket. If you don’t have a cooler or fridge for leftovers, the ice bucket is a decent shotgun substitute. Wrap food tightly, though.
ACCOMMODATIONS: LONG-TERM (MORE THAN TWO DAYS)
22. Get a room with a kitchen. Cooking your own meals is the #1 cost-cutting measure whenever and wherever you travel. It makes it ten times easier to monitor your own nutritional intake, to boot. Pack some home-bought provisions or pillage the local supermarket for deals.
23. Ask personnel to empty the mini-fridge before you get there. This way, there’s no temptation from incredibly pricey shots of Jager, and you can stuff it with your own nutritious repasts.
24. Buy beforehand in bulk. If you’re gonna be there awhile, you may as well stock up. Just make sure you have enough storage space.
25. Pack your coupons. Hey, you never know.
26. Check the ‘net for circulars of nearby grocers. Depending on where you’re coming from (say … NYC), supermarkets local to your destination can have much cheaper food than your hometown grocer. Circulars will help procure deals, too. Keep in mind though, it might be best to …
27. Bring condiments from home. Staples like butter, olive oil, and mustard are often costlier than the main meals themselves. If you think you might only use a little of something, portion it out into Tupperware and throw it in the car.
28. Save leftovers. They’re not just for Wednesday night post-work dinner anymore. Whether you’re cooking in your room or ordering out, the extra can feed you for at least one more meal.
RESTAURANTS
29. Browse brochures and newspapers. Often placed in or around rest stops, hotel front desks, and your room, they're chock full of discounts and coupons for local joints.
30. Avoid eateries located by major attractions. I work in a high-tourism area. (Let’s call it Schtimes Square, Schnew York.) The food here is easily twice what you’d pay in any other area of the city, and generally, the quality is the pits. Walking two blocks from a landmark, monument, or sightseeing highlight (say, Schtimes Square, Schnew York) can automatically save 50% off a bill. Special note: in foreign countries, beware of “touristy restaurants with ‘We speak English’ signs and multilingual menus” cautions the Chicago Times’ Rick Steves. They know the game, and will frequently charge more.
31. Don’t eat at restaurants INSIDE tourist traps. Again, pricey. This goes for museum cafes, theme park diners, Graceland, and their ilk. Wait until you’re well outside, then run. On the same note …
32. Skip the dinner shows. Remember the strip club guideline here: The entertainment might be eye-popping, but the food sucks. While you’re crossing things off the list …
33. Eschew mid-scale dinner chains. If you’re vacationing somewhere renowned for its food, stay out of Applebees, Chili’s, Macaroni Grill, Olive Garden, TGI Fridays, Bennigans, Hooters, Pizzeria Uno, Sbarro, Ruby Tuesdays, Red Lobster, Outback, and their ilk. Not only are their prices higher in tourist destinations, but the signature food is rarely health-minded. (Cracker Barrel excepted. Because it is awesome.)
34. Eat a fantastic lunch instead of a costly dinner. A mid-day meal can run half the price of a late-day one. The food is the same quality level, and you’ll often consume less calories, since eateries tend to serve lighter fare for lunch. This goes especially for upscale restaurants.
35. Go ethnic. The best Indian food I ever had was in Glasgow, Scotland. As travel writer Tony Robinson puts it, “Eating in ethnic neighborhoods provides great local color, a chance to meet interesting people, and very low prices as well.” A fabulous learning experience, ethnic food is also frequently less fattening than American meals.
36. Hit the buffet once a day. Inexpensive and full of options, buffets are a stellar choice for the health-minded. Odds are you’ll be able to skip another meal, as well. I think my parents go to Vegas for this sole reason.
37. Ask for discounts. Are you a Senior, Student, or member of a large group? Excellent. You might be eligible for a chunk off your final bill. “But be warned,” says Steves, “because the United States doesn't reciprocate, many countries don't give their standard senior citizen discounts to Americans.”
38. Doggie bag it. In the U.S., anyway, eat-out meals can be twice the size of a normal, human-appropriate serving. Conserve money and calories by bagging half and stowing it for another meal.
39. K.I.S.S. Really, this is applicable in any restaurant, but coffee, appetizers, and a fourth bottle of wine are just adding to your bill and your waistline. If you really want to conserve, split an entrée and drink water.
40. Pay attention to in-season specials. Cheaper, fresh-food-oriented, and often specific to region, the specials give you a great taste of local favorites.
41. Go before the crowds get there. He’s done so well so far, I’ll let Rick Steves explain why: “Most countries have early bird and ‘Blue Plate’ specials. Know the lingo, learn your options, and you can dine well with savvy locals anywhere in Europe for $15”
EATING ON THE FLY
42. Pretend you’re a native. Order like a Parisian. Buy groceries like a Londoner. Grab fish from a Seattleite’s favorite market. Making these simple shifts in thinking will help you garner tasty chow for optimal cash.
43. Hit up an open-air market. Popular in Europe and the U.S., you can score artisanal-quality foods for much lower prices than at a restaurant. Exotic cheeses, crusty breads, cured sausages, fresh fruit – it’s all at your fingertips. I survived in Spain almost entirely on baguettes, cherries, and Nutella, and damn, it was good.
44. Have a picnic. Instead of dining in an upscale boardwalk joint, set a blanket up on the actual boardwalk. Steves (again) says, “$15 buys a hearty picnic lunch for two anywhere in Europe.”
45. Ask a local. A citizen will know far better than any guidebook about where to buy the most delicious, most frugal food, and many will be flattered you thought to explore. If you’re feeling shy, though…
46. Follow the home crowd. Workers, old ladies, moms with strollers, and people who obviously live in your travel destination know where to go. Search for long lines and indigenous-looking folks, and you’ll walk away a sated winner.
47. Eat on the street. If you’re unsure about buying from vendors, travel writer Cindy Meyers suggests you “head towards the stand that's the most crowded, find out what everybody's nibbling on, and then point to what you want if you don't speak the language.” Worried about being inadvertently poisoned? Then go with Budget Travel Magazine, which advises: “request that your food be cooked fresh for you. A hot grill will usually eliminate any microscopic bugs that are present. And a plate of steaming noodles is safer than food left out for hours at a hotel buffet."
48. Be a mallrat. U.S. Food courts are a cornucopia of culinary choices. If you go a little before closing, you might even score a deal. See? Sometimes rampant materialism is a good thing.
49. Skip lunch. A big breakfast and nice dinner mean you can probably get by with a nutritional, filling mid-afternoon snack for the rest of the day. Grab some trail mix or a piece of fruit if you’re feeling peckish.
50. Starch yourself silly. Thrifty, tasty, and easy on discerning bellies, most travel destinations in the world offer some sort of on-the-go starch. Pasta, bread, rice – whatever – the stuff’s universal.
BOOZE
51. Smuggle your own. Especially in non-inclusive resorts, alcohol prices can be super-high. Either bring stuff in bulk from home (a la Trader Joe’s) or find an on-the-road liquor supplier to raid.
52. Go early. Happy hours are a great deal in most major American cities, and HappyHour.net is a good place to start.
53. Try the house wine. Frequently served in a full or half carafe, its freshness and lower price makes it a good buy. Go with red for heart benefits.
54. Sidle up to the bar. According to the oft-cited Rick Steves, “Throughout southern Europe, drinks are cheaper if you're served at the bar rather than at a table.”
55. Stick with local brews. Budget Travel Worldwide claims when traveling abroad, “an imported spirit will be triple the cost of the local tipple,” meaning a Dos Equis in Mexico will be a better buy than a Labatts in England. Lite beer will often be $1 less, as well.
56. Look for drink specials. Quarter drafts, Ladies Nights, and 2-for-1 deals are just a few of the lovely night-out offerings that can save cash on vacation. Check the local independent paper, or scan bar and club windows for ads.
57. Avoid foofy concoctions. They’re expensive and laden with sugar. Consider: a single pina colada has more than 400 calories, while a margarita can run over 300.
58. Don’t drink at all. The best booze control method is abstinence, no?
LAST, BUT NOT LEAST …
59. Tip where customary. If you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to eat out, and you probably can’t afford to be on vacation.
60. Loosen up a little. Whether you’re on a diet or just hesitant to taste something with tentacles, vacations are a one-time deal. You may never get the opportunity again, so go for it. (In moderation, of course.)
61. Get out there and eat. A healthy chunk of travel is experiencing local culture, and that means food. So be thrifty, but have a bite or two in town.
Sources:
- Button, Kimberly. “Save Money on Vacation Dining,” Bella Online. bellaonline.com/articles/art8245.asp
- “Eating Well on a Travel Budget,” Budget Travel Worldwide. budget-travel.brilliant4biz.com/Budget_Travel_Dining_Out.html
- Hardy, MJ. “Tips for Saving Money on Food and Restaurants: Post #16 of 41,” Frommers.com. September 2003. frommers.com/cgi-bin/WebX?13@59.NqW9bnEq2r0%5E0@.eeb2bad
- “How to Eat Street Food Without Ruining the Trip,” Budget Travel. June 2007.
budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2007/05/07/AR2007050700783.html - Khan, Salina. “Eating on the cheap while traveling takes some creativity,” USA Today. October 1999.
- Maio, Kathy. “Tips for Saving Money on Food and Restaurants: Post #24 of 41,” Frommers.com. September 2003. frommers.com/cgi-bin/WebX?13@59.NqW9bnEq2r0%5E0@.eeb2bad
- Martin, James. “Saving Money on your European Vacation - 12 Frugal Vacation Tips,” About.com. goeurope.about.com/cs/travelbasics/a/saving_money.htm
- Meyers, Cindy. “Eating Well on a Tight Travel Budget,” BootsnAll Travel. March 2005.
bootsnall.com/guides/05-03/eating-well-on-a-tight-travel-budget.html - Robinson, Tony. “How To Save Money On Food When Traveling,” SavingAdvice.com. savingadvice.com/forums/travel-vacations/14017-how-save-money-food-when-traveling.html
- Steves, Rick. “The Thrifty 50: Rick Steves' budget Europe tips for 2007,” Chicago Tribune. March 2007.
- Wolf, Jennifer “Saving Money on Your Family Vacation,” About.com. singleparents.about.com/od/cuttingcosts/ss/save_vacation_3.htm
`
Cheap Healthy Beef Part II: Beef Tips
For more information and recipes, check out Cheap Healthy Beef Part I: Recipes and Methodology.
First, "Hi!" to all the folks linking over from A Good American Wife. Blogmistress and fellow foodie Anne penned a super-nice post about CHG, for which I should give her many cupcakes. If you haven't seen AGAW yet, please check it out. The writing is aces and the recipes are to die for. (See: Rice and Eggs.)
Now - business. Yesterday, we set off on quest to find relatively inexpensive, lean cuts of bovine. Today, some tips to keep in mind:
PURCHASING
Know how to spot bum beef. This tip sheet from the Beef Council is a great resource, including who-knewisms like, “Fresh ground beef does go through a number of color changes during its shelf life,” and “Choose steaks, roasts and pot roasts that are firm to the touch, not soft.” I can only hope that, “Purchase before or on the ‘sell by’ date printed on the package label” is a given.
London broil is a preparation, not a cut of beef. Whenever you marinate, broil, and slice a steak across the grain, that’s London Broil. It’s a cooking method. However, supermarkets often call any slice-able steak (Top Round Steak, Chuck Shoulder Steak, etc.) a London Broil since it allows them to group inferior cuts of meat under the same name. For instance, according to Cook’s Illustrated, a Top Sirloin Steak will make for good London Broil, and a Chuck Shoulder Steak a not-so-good one.
A Flank Steak is rarely a Flank Steak. Flank Steaks are tender, flavorful cuts from the underside of the cow (the flank), and usually go for upwards of $5 or $6 per pound. But more often than not, grocery stores advertise a lesser cut of meat like Top Round Steak or Sirloin Tip Steak as Flank Steak. They’re fine on their own, but if you want the higher-quality Flank Steak, make sure that’s what’s on the label. Actually…
In general, beware of misleading labels. As highlighted by the Flank Steak/London Broil brouhaha, cheaper, less tasty cuts of meat are frequently labeled as more flavorful, expensive ones. Always check so you know what you’re buying.
PREPARATION
ALWAYS eat beef in moderation. In addition to its general deliciousness, beef is a decent source of zinc, iron, protein, vitamin B12, selenium, phosphorous, niacin, vitamin B6, and riboflavin. However, to stave off that heart attack, keep in mind that 12 ounces of beef is still 12 ounces of beef, no matter how lean the cut may be. Excess consumption has been tied to obesity, cancer, and a billion other problems.
Trim visible fat. Like chicken, the fat content of beef is greatly reduced when you cut off the globules you can see. Even if they’re left on for the cooking process, chopping ‘em later will help your heart.
Keep it clean. Beef is a Petri dish for food-borne illnesses. To reduce the chance of catching some exciting new strain of meatotchulism, soap your hands often, don’t let raw beef touch other foods, and wash cooking surfaces and utensils constantly. Oh, also …
Keep it cold. There are a thousand reasons for this (the foremost one being certain death), so I’ll again let the Beef Council explain the whys and hows of handling raw meat.
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Get Rich Slowly has a fantastic post about the benefits of buying meat in bulk.
Hillbilly Housewife tells us how to make our own leaner ground beef.
`
First, "Hi!" to all the folks linking over from A Good American Wife. Blogmistress and fellow foodie Anne penned a super-nice post about CHG, for which I should give her many cupcakes. If you haven't seen AGAW yet, please check it out. The writing is aces and the recipes are to die for. (See: Rice and Eggs.)
Now - business. Yesterday, we set off on quest to find relatively inexpensive, lean cuts of bovine. Today, some tips to keep in mind:
PURCHASING
Know how to spot bum beef. This tip sheet from the Beef Council is a great resource, including who-knewisms like, “Fresh ground beef does go through a number of color changes during its shelf life,” and “Choose steaks, roasts and pot roasts that are firm to the touch, not soft.” I can only hope that, “Purchase before or on the ‘sell by’ date printed on the package label” is a given.
London broil is a preparation, not a cut of beef. Whenever you marinate, broil, and slice a steak across the grain, that’s London Broil. It’s a cooking method. However, supermarkets often call any slice-able steak (Top Round Steak, Chuck Shoulder Steak, etc.) a London Broil since it allows them to group inferior cuts of meat under the same name. For instance, according to Cook’s Illustrated, a Top Sirloin Steak will make for good London Broil, and a Chuck Shoulder Steak a not-so-good one.
A Flank Steak is rarely a Flank Steak. Flank Steaks are tender, flavorful cuts from the underside of the cow (the flank), and usually go for upwards of $5 or $6 per pound. But more often than not, grocery stores advertise a lesser cut of meat like Top Round Steak or Sirloin Tip Steak as Flank Steak. They’re fine on their own, but if you want the higher-quality Flank Steak, make sure that’s what’s on the label. Actually…
In general, beware of misleading labels. As highlighted by the Flank Steak/London Broil brouhaha, cheaper, less tasty cuts of meat are frequently labeled as more flavorful, expensive ones. Always check so you know what you’re buying.
PREPARATION
ALWAYS eat beef in moderation. In addition to its general deliciousness, beef is a decent source of zinc, iron, protein, vitamin B12, selenium, phosphorous, niacin, vitamin B6, and riboflavin. However, to stave off that heart attack, keep in mind that 12 ounces of beef is still 12 ounces of beef, no matter how lean the cut may be. Excess consumption has been tied to obesity, cancer, and a billion other problems.
Trim visible fat. Like chicken, the fat content of beef is greatly reduced when you cut off the globules you can see. Even if they’re left on for the cooking process, chopping ‘em later will help your heart.
Keep it clean. Beef is a Petri dish for food-borne illnesses. To reduce the chance of catching some exciting new strain of meatotchulism, soap your hands often, don’t let raw beef touch other foods, and wash cooking surfaces and utensils constantly. Oh, also …
Keep it cold. There are a thousand reasons for this (the foremost one being certain death), so I’ll again let the Beef Council explain the whys and hows of handling raw meat.
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Get Rich Slowly has a fantastic post about the benefits of buying meat in bulk.
Hillbilly Housewife tells us how to make our own leaner ground beef.
`
Cheap Healthy Beef Part I: Recipes and Methodology
Tomorrow … Cheap Healthy Beef Part II: Beef Tips
(Writing this article involved more research than all of my college papers combined. That’s either terrible statement about the quality of my public university education, or a wonderful one about the complexity of cow.)
My goal with this post (my goalpost?) was to find inexpensive, high-quality, lean cuts of beef, and then list several recipes that best demonstrate their qualities. What I found instead was this:
From that master list of 54 cuts, I narrowed it down to the 29 leanest, conveniently provided at the Beef It’s What’s For Dinner website. By federal guidelines, these have to have less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and 100 grams of cholesterol per three-ounce serving.
Now, it got tricky. Since I had a feeling taste would be the toughest, I started hunting for prices, which are, of course, subjective by region. BeefRetail.org helped out, as did online circulars and grocers like Peapod and Fresh Direct. This not only eliminated every cut from the Short Loin section, which can easily run up to $20/lb, but surprisingly, flank steak, which can go for $10/lb. (More on that tomorrow.) After chopping everything over $5/lb, I was down to 19 cuts.
Finally, the taste. It’s argued by cooks, beef lovers, and (stunningly) the Beef Council that any piece of cattle can be braised, roasted, pan fried, grilled, barbecued, stewed, or broiled into submission. And you know what? It’s true. BUT Cooks Illustrated (via the continually awesome Get Rich Slowly) found three of those cuts to be of unusually high quality and flavor: Top Round Roast, Flap Steak, and Top Sirloin Steak (and roast).
So, in desperate, cattle-filled conclusion, what follows are healthy, inexpensive recipes for the 19 cheap, lean cuts, with CI’s favorite three leading the pack. While I tried to keep cost and nutrition in mind, I take no responsibility for taste.
COOKS ILLUSTRATED FAVORITES
Top Round Roast
Epicurious: Classic Sauerbraten
Cooks.com: Coby's Pot Roast French Dip Sandwiches
Cooks.com: Sauerbraten
Cooks.com: Crock Pot Beef Deluxe (um … use at your own risk)
Cooks.com: German Goulash (again … good luck)
Cooks.com: Barbecue Beef
Flap Steak (aka Flat-Bone Steak, Pin-Bone Steak, Round-Bone Steak, Wedge-Bone Steak, Beef Loin, Bottom Sirloin Butt, Flap Steak*, Flap Meat, Butcher’s Cut)
Recipe Zaar: Easy Carne Asada
San Francisco Gate: Bi-Rite’s Carne Asada and Beef Stir-Fry with Seared Broccoli & Kumquats
Juejuebie: Iron Mate D's Drunken Flap Steak Roast with Gunpowder Spice Rub
Top Sirloin Steak/Roast (aka Sirloin Butt Steak, London Broil)
Beef Council: 30-minute Beef Paprikash
Beef Council: Asian Beef & Vegetable Stirfry
Beef Council: Beef & Vegetable Skillet
Beef Council: Beef Kabobs w/Parmesan Orzo
Beef Council: Beef Pepper Steak
Beef Council: Beef & Potato Kabobs
Beef Council: Beef Steak w/Brown Rice & Vegetables
Beef Council: Beef, Pasta & Artichoke Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Beef Council: Easy Asian Stir Fry
Beef Council: Grilled Beef Sirloin & Farmer's Market Skewers
Beef Council: Harvest-Thyme Beef Sandwiches
Beef Council: Spicy Portuguese Beef Steak Kabobs
Beef Council: Steak & Tomato-Basil Pasta
Ellie Krieger: Cowboy Steak with Coffee and Chili Rub
Ellie Krieger: Chili-Rubbed Steak Tacos
Eating Well: Thai Beef Salad
Eating Well: Southwest Steak & Peppers
Epicurious: Grilled Beef Steak Vericiano
Epicurious: Sirloin Steak with Tomato and Cilantro Sauce
Epicurious: Marinated London Broil with Lemon and Garlic
All Recipes: Garlic Top Sirloin Pot Roast
AND THE REST…
(Please note that the classifications and groupings are the Beef Council’s, not mine.)
Mock Tender Steak (aka Chuck Fillet Steak, Fish Steak, Chuck Tender Steak, Shoulder tender, Petite filet, Tender medallions, Chuck clod tender, and Shoulder petite tender)
Beef Council: Braised Beef with Tomato-Garlic White Beans
Shoulder Center (aka Ranch Steak)
Beef Council: Beef Kabobs w/Grilled Pineapple Salsa
Beef Council: Cucumber Ranch Steaks
Beef Council: Gorgonzola-Topped Beef Steaks
Beef Council: Pepper-Rubbed Shoulder Center Steak
Beef Council: Peppered Steaks with Caramelized Onions
Beef Council: Szechuan Beef Stir-Fry
Chuck Shoulder Pot Roast (aka Chuck shoulder roast, English Roast)
Beef Council: Mediterranean Braised Beef
Eating Well: Coffee-Braised Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions
Epicurious: Red Wine Pot Roast with Porcini
Chuck Shoulder Steak (aka Chuck clod arm steak, Clod Steak, English Steak, London Broil, Shoulder Steak Half Cut chuck for swissing, Boneless shoulder cut, Shoulder Center Steak, Cut Steak, Shoulder Petite)
Beef Council: Chimichurri Beef Shoulder Steak
Beef Council: Gazpacho Steak Salad
Beef Council: Greek Shoulder Steaks
Beef Council: Plum Marinated Steak
90-95% Lean Ground Beef (aka Ground Sirloin)
Beef Council: Baked Italian Meatballs
Beef Council: Beefy Mexican Lasagna
Beef Council: Chili Beef Express
Beef Council: Oriental Express Beef Lettuce Wraps
Beef Council: Ranch Burgers
Ellie Krieger: Three Bean and Beef Chili
Ellie Krieger: Greek Style Stuffed Peppers
Ellie Krieger: Sloppy Joes
Epicurious: Cabbage Stuffed with Beef, Zucchini, and Herbs
Epicurious: Hearty Moussaka with Low-Fat White Sauce
Tri-Tip Roast/Steak (aka Sirloin Steak, Top Sirloin Cap Steak Culotte, Triangle Steak)
Beef Council: Beef Tri-Tip with Rosemary-Garlic Vegetables
Beef Council: Chili-Crusted Tri-Tip Roast
Beef Council: Grilled Beef Tri-Tip with Tropical Fruit Salsa
Beef Council: Peppery Beef Tri-Tip with Skewered Vegetables
Epicurious: Tri-Tip Roast with Parsley Cherry Tomato
Epicurious: Barbecued Tri-Tip with Caramelized Red Onions
Epicurious: Wood-Smoked Tri-Tip with Sicilian Herb Sauce
Epicurious: Marinated Tri-Tip with Chinese Mustard Sauce and Roasted Green Onions and Mushrooms
Epicurious: Harissa-Crusted Tri-Tip Roast
Epicurious: Grilled Tri-Tip Roast with Tequila Marinade and Cherry Tomato Relish
Epicurious: Cumin Beef Kebabs
Sirloin Tip Side Steak
Beef Council: Basic Guidelines
Round Steak (aka Full-Cut Round Steak)
Epicurious: Skillet Sauerbraten
Epicurious: Spicy Steak and Corn Soft Tacos
All Recipes: Slow Cooker Tender and Yummy Round Steak
All Recipes: Asian Beef with Snow Peas
Top Round Steak (aka Top Round London Broil, Inside Round Cut)
Beef Council: Chipotle Salsa Steak
Beef Council: Chipotle-Marinated Beef Flank Steak
Beef Council: Greek Beef Salad
Beef Council: Grilled Steak with Mango Salsa
Beef Council: Little Havana Grilled Beef & Potato Salad
Beef Council: London Broil
Ellie Krieger: Grilled Thai Beef Salad
Ellie Krieger: Fettucini Bolognese
Eating Well: Cowboy Steak
Epicurious: Linguine with Steak and Peppers
Round Tip Steak/Roast (aka Ball Tip Steak, Beef Sirloin Tip Steak, Breakfast Steak, Knuckle Steak, Sandwich Steak, Minute Steak, Tip steak)
Beef Council: 15-Minute Beef
Beef Council: Ancho Chili-Rubbed Beef Roast
Beef Council: Onion 'N Pepper Beef Steak Sandwich
Beef Council: Sesame-Soy Beef Stir-Fry
Beef Council: Steak Kabobs & Wild Rice with Mushrooms
Eye Round Steak/Roast
Beef Council: Grilled Beef Eye Round Steaks with Garlic-Yogurt Marinade
Beef Council: Mediterranean Eye Round Steaks
Epicurious: Roast Beef for “Beef on Weck”
Epicurious: Spiced Roast Beef and Vegetables
All Recipes: Apricot Marinated Eye of Round Roast
Bottom Round Roast (aka Round Roast, Bottom Round Pot Roast, Bottom Round Oven Roast)
Beef Council: Garlic-Herb Crusted Beef Roast
Eating Well: Flemish Beef Stew
All Recipes: Bottom Round Roast with Onion Gravy (should be 7 or 8 servings)
Bottom Round Steak (aka Western Griller, Griller Steak, Outside Round, Western Steak, Swiss Steak)
Beef Council: Serve-A-Crowd Beef Steaks
Epicurious: Filipino-Style London Broil
Sirloin Tip Center Steak/Roast (aka Breakfast Steak, Knuckle Steak, Tip Center Steak , Round Knuckle Peeled, Round Tip Steak)
Beef Council: Grilled Beef Steaks with Ancho Chili Rub
Beef Council: Peppered Beef Steaks with Caramelized Onions
Brisket Flat Half (aka Brisket Flat Cut)
Eating Well: Braised Brisket with Root Vegetables
Epicurious: Sweet and Sour Brisket
Epicurious: Beef Brisket with Pearl Onions and Baby Carrots
Epicurious: Brisket with Portobello Mushrooms and Dried Cranberries
Epicurious: Brisket with Leeks and Dried Apricots
Shank Crosscuts
Epicurious: Beef, Barley, and Vegetable Soup
Epicurious: Garlic-Braised Beef Shanks
Epicurious: Spicy Beef Shanks with Julienne Carrots
Tomorrow, in addition to links, I’m going to go into everything else I learned about buying beef on the cheap. And, holy mother of god, it’s a lot.
(Writing this article involved more research than all of my college papers combined. That’s either terrible statement about the quality of my public university education, or a wonderful one about the complexity of cow.)
My goal with this post (my goalpost?) was to find inexpensive, high-quality, lean cuts of beef, and then list several recipes that best demonstrate their qualities. What I found instead was this:
- There are approximately 46,000 cuts of beef.
- Those cuts have 46,000,000 different names.
- According to federal guidelines, only 29 of them are lean.
- Their prices vary greatly.
- The quality and flavor of each is highly subjective.
Yikes. To narrow down the results, I needed a system. So, I started big.
Step one was listing every cut of beef I could find. The Hormel and Beef Council websites were particularly helpful here. I not only learned the eight basic parts to a cow (chuck, ribs, short loin, loin, round, flank, plate, and brisket - see below), but a gazillion ways to butcher them. Not too shabby.
From that master list of 54 cuts, I narrowed it down to the 29 leanest, conveniently provided at the Beef It’s What’s For Dinner website. By federal guidelines, these have to have less than 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and 100 grams of cholesterol per three-ounce serving.Now, it got tricky. Since I had a feeling taste would be the toughest, I started hunting for prices, which are, of course, subjective by region. BeefRetail.org helped out, as did online circulars and grocers like Peapod and Fresh Direct. This not only eliminated every cut from the Short Loin section, which can easily run up to $20/lb, but surprisingly, flank steak, which can go for $10/lb. (More on that tomorrow.) After chopping everything over $5/lb, I was down to 19 cuts.
Finally, the taste. It’s argued by cooks, beef lovers, and (stunningly) the Beef Council that any piece of cattle can be braised, roasted, pan fried, grilled, barbecued, stewed, or broiled into submission. And you know what? It’s true. BUT Cooks Illustrated (via the continually awesome Get Rich Slowly) found three of those cuts to be of unusually high quality and flavor: Top Round Roast, Flap Steak, and Top Sirloin Steak (and roast).
So, in desperate, cattle-filled conclusion, what follows are healthy, inexpensive recipes for the 19 cheap, lean cuts, with CI’s favorite three leading the pack. While I tried to keep cost and nutrition in mind, I take no responsibility for taste.
COOKS ILLUSTRATED FAVORITES
Top Round Roast
Epicurious: Classic Sauerbraten
Cooks.com: Coby's Pot Roast French Dip Sandwiches
Cooks.com: Sauerbraten
Cooks.com: Crock Pot Beef Deluxe (um … use at your own risk)
Cooks.com: German Goulash (again … good luck)
Cooks.com: Barbecue Beef
Flap Steak (aka Flat-Bone Steak, Pin-Bone Steak, Round-Bone Steak, Wedge-Bone Steak, Beef Loin, Bottom Sirloin Butt, Flap Steak*, Flap Meat, Butcher’s Cut)
Recipe Zaar: Easy Carne Asada
San Francisco Gate: Bi-Rite’s Carne Asada and Beef Stir-Fry with Seared Broccoli & Kumquats
Juejuebie: Iron Mate D's Drunken Flap Steak Roast with Gunpowder Spice Rub
Top Sirloin Steak/Roast (aka Sirloin Butt Steak, London Broil)
Beef Council: 30-minute Beef Paprikash
Beef Council: Asian Beef & Vegetable Stirfry
Beef Council: Beef & Vegetable Skillet
Beef Council: Beef Kabobs w/Parmesan Orzo
Beef Council: Beef Pepper Steak
Beef Council: Beef & Potato Kabobs
Beef Council: Beef Steak w/Brown Rice & Vegetables
Beef Council: Beef, Pasta & Artichoke Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
Beef Council: Easy Asian Stir Fry
Beef Council: Grilled Beef Sirloin & Farmer's Market Skewers
Beef Council: Harvest-Thyme Beef Sandwiches
Beef Council: Spicy Portuguese Beef Steak Kabobs
Beef Council: Steak & Tomato-Basil Pasta
Ellie Krieger: Cowboy Steak with Coffee and Chili Rub
Ellie Krieger: Chili-Rubbed Steak Tacos
Eating Well: Thai Beef Salad
Eating Well: Southwest Steak & Peppers
Epicurious: Grilled Beef Steak Vericiano
Epicurious: Sirloin Steak with Tomato and Cilantro Sauce
Epicurious: Marinated London Broil with Lemon and Garlic
All Recipes: Garlic Top Sirloin Pot Roast
AND THE REST…
(Please note that the classifications and groupings are the Beef Council’s, not mine.)
Mock Tender Steak (aka Chuck Fillet Steak, Fish Steak, Chuck Tender Steak, Shoulder tender, Petite filet, Tender medallions, Chuck clod tender, and Shoulder petite tender)
Beef Council: Braised Beef with Tomato-Garlic White Beans
Shoulder Center (aka Ranch Steak)
Beef Council: Beef Kabobs w/Grilled Pineapple Salsa
Beef Council: Cucumber Ranch Steaks
Beef Council: Gorgonzola-Topped Beef Steaks
Beef Council: Pepper-Rubbed Shoulder Center Steak
Beef Council: Peppered Steaks with Caramelized Onions
Beef Council: Szechuan Beef Stir-Fry
Chuck Shoulder Pot Roast (aka Chuck shoulder roast, English Roast)
Beef Council: Mediterranean Braised Beef
Eating Well: Coffee-Braised Pot Roast with Caramelized Onions
Epicurious: Red Wine Pot Roast with Porcini
Chuck Shoulder Steak (aka Chuck clod arm steak, Clod Steak, English Steak, London Broil, Shoulder Steak Half Cut chuck for swissing, Boneless shoulder cut, Shoulder Center Steak, Cut Steak, Shoulder Petite)
Beef Council: Chimichurri Beef Shoulder Steak
Beef Council: Gazpacho Steak Salad
Beef Council: Greek Shoulder Steaks
Beef Council: Plum Marinated Steak
90-95% Lean Ground Beef (aka Ground Sirloin)
Beef Council: Baked Italian Meatballs
Beef Council: Beefy Mexican Lasagna
Beef Council: Chili Beef Express
Beef Council: Oriental Express Beef Lettuce Wraps
Beef Council: Ranch Burgers
Ellie Krieger: Three Bean and Beef Chili
Ellie Krieger: Greek Style Stuffed Peppers
Ellie Krieger: Sloppy Joes
Epicurious: Cabbage Stuffed with Beef, Zucchini, and Herbs
Epicurious: Hearty Moussaka with Low-Fat White Sauce
Tri-Tip Roast/Steak (aka Sirloin Steak, Top Sirloin Cap Steak Culotte, Triangle Steak)
Beef Council: Beef Tri-Tip with Rosemary-Garlic Vegetables
Beef Council: Chili-Crusted Tri-Tip Roast
Beef Council: Grilled Beef Tri-Tip with Tropical Fruit Salsa
Beef Council: Peppery Beef Tri-Tip with Skewered Vegetables
Epicurious: Tri-Tip Roast with Parsley Cherry Tomato
Epicurious: Barbecued Tri-Tip with Caramelized Red Onions
Epicurious: Wood-Smoked Tri-Tip with Sicilian Herb Sauce
Epicurious: Marinated Tri-Tip with Chinese Mustard Sauce and Roasted Green Onions and Mushrooms
Epicurious: Harissa-Crusted Tri-Tip Roast
Epicurious: Grilled Tri-Tip Roast with Tequila Marinade and Cherry Tomato Relish
Epicurious: Cumin Beef Kebabs
Sirloin Tip Side Steak
Beef Council: Basic Guidelines
Round Steak (aka Full-Cut Round Steak)
Epicurious: Skillet Sauerbraten
Epicurious: Spicy Steak and Corn Soft Tacos
All Recipes: Slow Cooker Tender and Yummy Round Steak
All Recipes: Asian Beef with Snow Peas
Top Round Steak (aka Top Round London Broil, Inside Round Cut)
Beef Council: Chipotle Salsa Steak
Beef Council: Chipotle-Marinated Beef Flank Steak
Beef Council: Greek Beef Salad
Beef Council: Grilled Steak with Mango Salsa
Beef Council: Little Havana Grilled Beef & Potato Salad
Beef Council: London Broil
Ellie Krieger: Grilled Thai Beef Salad
Ellie Krieger: Fettucini Bolognese
Eating Well: Cowboy Steak
Epicurious: Linguine with Steak and Peppers
Round Tip Steak/Roast (aka Ball Tip Steak, Beef Sirloin Tip Steak, Breakfast Steak, Knuckle Steak, Sandwich Steak, Minute Steak, Tip steak)
Beef Council: 15-Minute Beef
Beef Council: Ancho Chili-Rubbed Beef Roast
Beef Council: Onion 'N Pepper Beef Steak Sandwich
Beef Council: Sesame-Soy Beef Stir-Fry
Beef Council: Steak Kabobs & Wild Rice with Mushrooms
Eye Round Steak/Roast
Beef Council: Grilled Beef Eye Round Steaks with Garlic-Yogurt Marinade
Beef Council: Mediterranean Eye Round Steaks
Epicurious: Roast Beef for “Beef on Weck”
Epicurious: Spiced Roast Beef and Vegetables
All Recipes: Apricot Marinated Eye of Round Roast
Bottom Round Roast (aka Round Roast, Bottom Round Pot Roast, Bottom Round Oven Roast)
Beef Council: Garlic-Herb Crusted Beef Roast
Eating Well: Flemish Beef Stew
All Recipes: Bottom Round Roast with Onion Gravy (should be 7 or 8 servings)
Bottom Round Steak (aka Western Griller, Griller Steak, Outside Round, Western Steak, Swiss Steak)
Beef Council: Serve-A-Crowd Beef Steaks
Epicurious: Filipino-Style London Broil
Sirloin Tip Center Steak/Roast (aka Breakfast Steak, Knuckle Steak, Tip Center Steak , Round Knuckle Peeled, Round Tip Steak)
Beef Council: Grilled Beef Steaks with Ancho Chili Rub
Beef Council: Peppered Beef Steaks with Caramelized Onions
Brisket Flat Half (aka Brisket Flat Cut)
Eating Well: Braised Brisket with Root Vegetables
Epicurious: Sweet and Sour Brisket
Epicurious: Beef Brisket with Pearl Onions and Baby Carrots
Epicurious: Brisket with Portobello Mushrooms and Dried Cranberries
Epicurious: Brisket with Leeks and Dried Apricots
Shank Crosscuts
Epicurious: Beef, Barley, and Vegetable Soup
Epicurious: Garlic-Braised Beef Shanks
Epicurious: Spicy Beef Shanks with Julienne Carrots
Tomorrow, in addition to links, I’m going to go into everything else I learned about buying beef on the cheap. And, holy mother of god, it’s a lot.
Tuesday Links: Lucky Numbers
Smart Money: 10 Things Your Restaurant Won't Tell You
Suggested additional reading: Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations.” The greatest ex-junkie/current food TV host restaurant memoir in the history of publishing.
The Happy Rock: 88th Festival of Frugality
36 entries! Zero money down! 100% satisfaction!
New Orleans Times-Picayune: 50 Ways to Save on Groceries
Comprehensive and a little exhausting, but starting with even one or two of these tricks will help you on your way to supermarket mastery. Maybe you could even wear a special hat.
Wegmans: 50 Ways to Eat More Produce
Ingenious, often sneaky fruit-n-veggie strategies from the greatest grocery store of them all. (You know what I’m talking about, Binghamton, NY.)
Consumerist: Like Those 100 Calorie Packs? You're Paying Twice As Much.
Dude. Take three cookies. Stick them in a bag. *Poof* You just saved $2.20.
Simply Thrifty: 100 Things You Can Make Yourself
42 of which are food!
`
Suggested additional reading: Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations.” The greatest ex-junkie/current food TV host restaurant memoir in the history of publishing.
The Happy Rock: 88th Festival of Frugality
36 entries! Zero money down! 100% satisfaction!
New Orleans Times-Picayune: 50 Ways to Save on Groceries
Comprehensive and a little exhausting, but starting with even one or two of these tricks will help you on your way to supermarket mastery. Maybe you could even wear a special hat.
Wegmans: 50 Ways to Eat More Produce
Ingenious, often sneaky fruit-n-veggie strategies from the greatest grocery store of them all. (You know what I’m talking about, Binghamton, NY.)
Consumerist: Like Those 100 Calorie Packs? You're Paying Twice As Much.
Dude. Take three cookies. Stick them in a bag. *Poof* You just saved $2.20.
Simply Thrifty: 100 Things You Can Make Yourself
42 of which are food!
`
Baba Ghanouj and Tyler, Too
Growing up with two working parents and a pair of ravenous, athletic siblings, food never lasted very long. Leftovers were scarfed up within hours, and the idea of marinating or marrying flavors overnight was totally unheard of, if not outright heretical. That’s why chilis, soups, dips - really any dish that takes time to meld – still amaze me. Where in the olden days, I’d ask, “Why are you letting this go bad?,” I’m now fascinated by the slow development of flavor, as if the universe just needed a little more time to perfect its offering.
This baba ghanouj is like that.
Upon its immediate pour from the food processor, it tasted like ... how to put this delicately … mealworm poop. Mushy and a tad bitter, it was nothing I’d serve to guests, much less eat myself. Not wanting to waste all that eggplant, I shoved the bowl in the fridge and forgot about it.
While preparing lunch the next morning, I stuck a finger in (sanitary, right?), hoping it had improved during its 10-hour crisper drawer internment. It had. And how.
Like magic, the formerly inedible dip had morphed into a smooth, complex mound of tastiness that maybe just needed a little more salt and cayenne. I could picture it spread across a pita or a Ritz, maybe with a little tomato on the side and a nice glass of wine. Still marveling over its Tina Turner-caliber comeback, I packed a heap with my lunch and took off, wondering happily if the baba ghanouj would ameliorate for all infinity.
P.S. I cut the olive oil in half, added more salt and cayenne at the end, and used ¼ cup of leftover fresh parsley for a little extra flavor.
Simply Recipes / Field of Greens Baba Ghanouj (with changes)
6 servings – heaping ½ cup each
Adapted from Simply Recipes and Field of Greens.
2 globe eggplants (about 2 lbs)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp roasted tahini (sesame paste)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice of one lemon - about 2 1/2 tablespoons
3/4 teaspoon salt
Cayenne pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley
1) Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
2) Slice eggplant in half lengthwise. Brush cut surfaces with a little olive oil. Place on cookie sheet, cut side down. Roast about 35 minutes or until extremely tender, which you can tell by testing it with a knife. Drain eggplant for 15 minutes in a colander, then scrape meat out of the skin.
3) Dump eggplant, 1 tablespoon olive oil, tahini, garlic, cumin, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt, and a dash o' cayenne into a food processor. Pulse a few times. The dip should smooth out a bit, but there should still be chunks of eggplant.
4) Let the dip sit overnight in the fridge. Before serving, season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and red pepper. Gently stir in parsley. Serve.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
120.5 calories, 8 g fat, $0.64
Calculations
2 globe eggplants (about 2 lbs): 264 calories, 2 g fat, $2.19
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil: 240 calories, 28 g. fat, $0.16
2 Tbsp roasted tahini (sesame paste): 190 calories, 18 g fat, $0.25
1 garlic clove, finely chopped: 5 calories, 0 g fat, $0.05
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin: negligible calories and fat, $0.05
Juice of one lemon: 24 calories, 0 g fat, $0.34
3/4 teaspoon salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
Cayenne pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
¼ cup chopped parsley: negligible calories and fat, $0.75
TOTAL: 723 calories, 48 g fat, $3.83
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 120.5 calories, 8 g fat, $0.64
This baba ghanouj is like that.
Upon its immediate pour from the food processor, it tasted like ... how to put this delicately … mealworm poop. Mushy and a tad bitter, it was nothing I’d serve to guests, much less eat myself. Not wanting to waste all that eggplant, I shoved the bowl in the fridge and forgot about it.
While preparing lunch the next morning, I stuck a finger in (sanitary, right?), hoping it had improved during its 10-hour crisper drawer internment. It had. And how.
Like magic, the formerly inedible dip had morphed into a smooth, complex mound of tastiness that maybe just needed a little more salt and cayenne. I could picture it spread across a pita or a Ritz, maybe with a little tomato on the side and a nice glass of wine. Still marveling over its Tina Turner-caliber comeback, I packed a heap with my lunch and took off, wondering happily if the baba ghanouj would ameliorate for all infinity.
P.S. I cut the olive oil in half, added more salt and cayenne at the end, and used ¼ cup of leftover fresh parsley for a little extra flavor.
Simply Recipes / Field of Greens Baba Ghanouj (with changes)
6 servings – heaping ½ cup each
Adapted from Simply Recipes and Field of Greens.
2 globe eggplants (about 2 lbs)2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp roasted tahini (sesame paste)
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Juice of one lemon - about 2 1/2 tablespoons
3/4 teaspoon salt
Cayenne pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley
1) Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
2) Slice eggplant in half lengthwise. Brush cut surfaces with a little olive oil. Place on cookie sheet, cut side down. Roast about 35 minutes or until extremely tender, which you can tell by testing it with a knife. Drain eggplant for 15 minutes in a colander, then scrape meat out of the skin.
3) Dump eggplant, 1 tablespoon olive oil, tahini, garlic, cumin, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, salt, and a dash o' cayenne into a food processor. Pulse a few times. The dip should smooth out a bit, but there should still be chunks of eggplant.
4) Let the dip sit overnight in the fridge. Before serving, season to taste with lemon juice, salt, and red pepper. Gently stir in parsley. Serve.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
120.5 calories, 8 g fat, $0.64
Calculations
2 globe eggplants (about 2 lbs): 264 calories, 2 g fat, $2.19
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil: 240 calories, 28 g. fat, $0.16
2 Tbsp roasted tahini (sesame paste): 190 calories, 18 g fat, $0.25
1 garlic clove, finely chopped: 5 calories, 0 g fat, $0.05
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin: negligible calories and fat, $0.05
Juice of one lemon: 24 calories, 0 g fat, $0.34
3/4 teaspoon salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
Cayenne pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
¼ cup chopped parsley: negligible calories and fat, $0.75
TOTAL: 723 calories, 48 g fat, $3.83
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 120.5 calories, 8 g fat, $0.64
The Roast Chicken Hunter: Marcella Hazan's Roast Chicken with Two Lemons
I planned to spend most of this entry praising Marcella Hazan’s Roast Chicken with Lemons to high heaven, extolling the virtues of its simple approach and expounding on its mind-blowingly succulent end product. But I finally saw The Deer Hunter last night, and am still a tiny bit horribly traumatized.
Without giving away too many details, imagine a movie combining the epic scope of Schindler’s List and the emotional impact of Shawshank with the random hopelessness of Requiem for a Dream. Now set half of it in Vietnam, add unspeakable violence, and try not to remember that the great John Cazale (aka Fredo) was dying of bone cancer while it was filming. Needless to say, it’s kind of a downer. But a really, really powerful one. Enough to distract me from Marcella’s chicken.
Speaking of which, back to the food.
Health-wise, this (or any) roasted chicken is a mixed bag. A three or four-ounce portion of skinless breast meat is relatively low in fat and calories, but a skin-on thigh could cost you some serious arterial space. If you’re concerned about those insidious little globules of oil (and god knows I am), after you cook the bird, remove the skin, cut off as much fat as you can see, and/or try to pick from the breast. Then give the legs and wings to your Significant Other and/or nearby animal.
My enormous mutant 5-½ lb. oven stuffer produced a generous six servings of meat, and left about a 1-½ lbs of bones for broth-making (recipe to come next week). It also produced its own lemon sauce, which was splendid spread across the meat and spooned over rice. Marcella’s instructions are lengthy, so definitely read them a few times before gettin’ started.
Marcella Hazan’s Roast Chicken with Two Lemons
Servings vary.
Adapted from Essentials of Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan.
A 3- to 4-pound chicken (My 5-1/2 lb Perdue Oven Stuffer worked great – Kris)
Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
2 rather small lemons
1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash lemons and set aside to dry.
2) Rinse entire chicken in cold water, taking care to remove giblets first. Cut off all the strange hanging fat. Set chicken on a tilted plate and let air dry for 10 minutes. Dry thoroughly but gently with paper towels.
3) Season the bird with lots of salt and pepper, both inside and out.
4) Using light pressure, roll the lemons across a board with your hands. (This will soften them up.) Prick each of them about 20 times with a toothpick. Stuff lemons in the chicken's larger cavity.
5) Using toothpicks or trussing string, close the cavity opening as best you can. (Don't make it airtight, or the chicken could pop.) Tie the chicken's legs together at the ends, but not tightly. They should remain in their natural place. (The skin might puff up if it cooks, but I've never seen this. - Kris)
6) Place chicken breast-side down into a large (ungreased) roasting pan. Roast in the upper third of the oven for about 30 minutes. Turn chicken over, so now the breast side is up.
7) Roast chicken for another 30 minutes. Jack oven heat up to 400°F and roast for 20 minutes longer. According to Marcella, "figure about 20 or 25 Calculate between 20 and 25 minutes total cooking time for each pound" after this. (If you have a meat thermometer, now's the time to use it.)
8) Remove bird from oven and let sit 5 or 10 minutes for juices to redistribute. Carve and serve, making sure you drizzle the juice at the bottom of the pan over the chicken. It will knock your socks off.
Marcella ahead-of-time note: "If you want to eat it while it is warm, plan to have it the moment it comes out of the oven. If there are leftovers, they will be very tasty cold, kept moist with some of the cooking juices and eaten not straight out of the refrigerator, but at room temperature."
Kris health note: Since the fat and calories vary greatly depending on the part of the bird, I’m only presenting price calculations for this recipe.
Approximate Price Per Serving
$0.90
Calculations
5-1/2 lb Perdue Oven Stuffer: $4.66
Salt: $0.03
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill: $0.04
2 rather small lemons: $0.68
TOTAL: $5.40
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): $0.90
Without giving away too many details, imagine a movie combining the epic scope of Schindler’s List and the emotional impact of Shawshank with the random hopelessness of Requiem for a Dream. Now set half of it in Vietnam, add unspeakable violence, and try not to remember that the great John Cazale (aka Fredo) was dying of bone cancer while it was filming. Needless to say, it’s kind of a downer. But a really, really powerful one. Enough to distract me from Marcella’s chicken.
Speaking of which, back to the food.
Health-wise, this (or any) roasted chicken is a mixed bag. A three or four-ounce portion of skinless breast meat is relatively low in fat and calories, but a skin-on thigh could cost you some serious arterial space. If you’re concerned about those insidious little globules of oil (and god knows I am), after you cook the bird, remove the skin, cut off as much fat as you can see, and/or try to pick from the breast. Then give the legs and wings to your Significant Other and/or nearby animal.
My enormous mutant 5-½ lb. oven stuffer produced a generous six servings of meat, and left about a 1-½ lbs of bones for broth-making (recipe to come next week). It also produced its own lemon sauce, which was splendid spread across the meat and spooned over rice. Marcella’s instructions are lengthy, so definitely read them a few times before gettin’ started.
Marcella Hazan’s Roast Chicken with Two Lemons
Servings vary.
Adapted from Essentials of Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan.
A 3- to 4-pound chicken (My 5-1/2 lb Perdue Oven Stuffer worked great – Kris)Salt
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill
2 rather small lemons
1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash lemons and set aside to dry.
2) Rinse entire chicken in cold water, taking care to remove giblets first. Cut off all the strange hanging fat. Set chicken on a tilted plate and let air dry for 10 minutes. Dry thoroughly but gently with paper towels.
3) Season the bird with lots of salt and pepper, both inside and out.
4) Using light pressure, roll the lemons across a board with your hands. (This will soften them up.) Prick each of them about 20 times with a toothpick. Stuff lemons in the chicken's larger cavity.
5) Using toothpicks or trussing string, close the cavity opening as best you can. (Don't make it airtight, or the chicken could pop.) Tie the chicken's legs together at the ends, but not tightly. They should remain in their natural place. (The skin might puff up if it cooks, but I've never seen this. - Kris)
6) Place chicken breast-side down into a large (ungreased) roasting pan. Roast in the upper third of the oven for about 30 minutes. Turn chicken over, so now the breast side is up.
7) Roast chicken for another 30 minutes. Jack oven heat up to 400°F and roast for 20 minutes longer. According to Marcella, "figure about 20 or 25 Calculate between 20 and 25 minutes total cooking time for each pound" after this. (If you have a meat thermometer, now's the time to use it.)
8) Remove bird from oven and let sit 5 or 10 minutes for juices to redistribute. Carve and serve, making sure you drizzle the juice at the bottom of the pan over the chicken. It will knock your socks off.
Marcella ahead-of-time note: "If you want to eat it while it is warm, plan to have it the moment it comes out of the oven. If there are leftovers, they will be very tasty cold, kept moist with some of the cooking juices and eaten not straight out of the refrigerator, but at room temperature."
Kris health note: Since the fat and calories vary greatly depending on the part of the bird, I’m only presenting price calculations for this recipe.
Approximate Price Per Serving
$0.90
Calculations
5-1/2 lb Perdue Oven Stuffer: $4.66
Salt: $0.03
Black pepper, ground fresh from the mill: $0.04
2 rather small lemons: $0.68
TOTAL: $5.40
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): $0.90
Thursday Links - Save the Children Edition
Frugal For Life: Festival of Frugality 87
Dawn hosts this week’s FoF once again, and here are some highlights:
Dawn hosts this week’s FoF once again, and here are some highlights:
- FitBuff – Free Water, What a Novel Idea!
- Frugal Upstate – Which is Cheaper, Cloth Napkins or Paper?
- Frugal Living Blog – Frugal Low Carb Diet?
Wise Bread: Kids Menu? Not Necessarily the Best Choice
Succinct, well-written post on the health traps lying in the 12-and-Under section. A good example of why sometimes, frugality might not be worth its price.
Lifehacker/CollegeScholarships.org: 118 Ways to Save Money in College
Nice sections on food and booze here. Ignore #20, though. If you can’t afford to tip, you can’t afford to go out to eat. If you don't tip on principle, you need a swift kick in the neck.
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Dr. Veg-love, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Seasonal Produce
I’ll be honest: when I started researching this article, I assumed 90% of it would focus on cash. Specifically, I thought the money saved from buying in-season fruits and vegetables would far outweigh any other benefit.Man alive, was I wrong.
Between Google and Nexis, it took approximately 2.2 seconds to discover that snagging chronologically-appropriate produce has massive political, nutritional, emotional, and environmental perks. What’s more, it tastes better. And that’s gotta count for something.
So, without further ado, nine reasons you should raid crops from the seasonal section:
It costs WAY less. Simple economics here: an abundance of anything lowers its price. Plus, because in-season produce is often grown domestically, overseas transportation costs are cut. All told, this means you can save between 10% and 50% on beans, greens, and all the in-betweens. Need proof? Check your berry section, where writer Briony Harmer notes, “strawberries in November … will cost nearly three times more than what you would have paid in June."
It tastes better. When fruits and vegetables are imported off-season, they’re often harvested prematurely, because that way they hold up better in transit. Once the food arrives here, it’s then sprayed with ethylene gas to ripen it artificially. By the time it reaches grocery stores, you’ll see decent color, but the flavor blows. See for yourself: eat a plum tomato in winter, and write down your thoughts. Try another one at the end of the summer. Odds are, the winter tomato will taste like air in comparison.
It’s better for the Earth (probably). The expert consensus is that an average pound of produce travels about 1500 miles. Imported off-season crops can raise that number significantly since they’re coming from all over the world. That scrumptiousness has to be shipped somehow, and it’s usually via truck, train, plane, or boat, all of which consume energy and add to pollution. To give some perspective, in England, “importing just a kilogram of strawberries from America is the equivalent of running a 100 watt light bulb for a week.” Buying seasonal produce can help offset the waste.
(That is, unless you buy this alarmingly convincing article from the New York Times, which pokes some pretty big holes in the transportation argument. Still, it concedes, “the connection between lowering food miles and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions is a no-brainer.”)
It’s healthier. Off-season fruits and veggies tend to lose their nutritional punch over time, since they’re shipped long-distance for weeks and months. As the London Observer reports, “freshly dug potatoes have about 21mg vitamin C per 100g which falls to 9mg after three months of storage.”
What’s more, that produce may not have started out on equal footing to begin with. A 2002 Japanese study found that Vitamin C and carotene are “significantly influenced by the cropping season,” meaning that a carrot grown in winter is missing half the carotene it would have had in the summer. For some reason, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, and broccoli are particularly affected by this, while “sweet peppers, celery, and kiwifruit [are] fairly stable.”It’s less poisonous. You probably won’t croak eating off-season produce from abroad, but there’s a good chance it harbors more toxins than its in-season counterparts. Why? Well, according to the BioDiversity Project, “Many countries have neither the pesticide regulations nor the labor safety practices that are the law in the U.S., so there's no telling what is on or in your imported fruits and vegetables.” That added flavor you detect? It’s the bitter taste of uncertainty.
It’s in better condition. “Handling and storage … is one of the main problems in the deterioration of produce. From the way the grower packs it, to the loading and off-loading in the truck yard, to the handling in the markets, it all contributes to knocks and bruises that will quickly affect the quality of the produce,” says the Canberra Times. If you’ve ever flown cross-country, you can relate: the further something travels, the worse shape it’s in when it arrives at its destination.
It can be frozen or canned for future use. Imagine having a sweet, delicious blueberry in the middle of March. Now imagine that same piece of fruit hasn’t lost an iota of vitamins, minerals, or flavor because it was iced right after being picked. NOW imagine you’re not spending $6 on a pint of blueberries from the farthest corners of the planet, because you bought it for $2 six months ago and had the forethought to shove it in your freezer. Okay, you’re done imagining. Pat yourself on the back and eat a blueberry.
It’s politically correct (and not in an annoying way). This is a bit difficult to summarize, but I’ll give it a shot: essentially, Third World farmers make more (but not a lot of) money importing specialized off-season produce to richer countries than by growing food for themselves. According to Briarpatch, this not only “threatens the extinction of [their] local crops,” but leads to hunger and “[slavery] to international commodity prices.” Meanwhile, local farmers are hosed by big-name suppliers who purchase cheaper goods from abroad. Buying seasonally benefits everyone more in the long-run.
It’s a mental trigger for the good times. BabyFit.com’s Rebecca Pratt makes a fabulous point: “[Food is] tied to the special days and seasons of our lives: sweet, luscious watermelon paired with the memory of fireflies and fireworks; fragrant hearty soups that temper winter’s chill; sweet young vegetables that accompany spring’s first warm day.” Think about it: on Christmas, do you crave gazpacho? When Easter rolls around, do you drool over the light, airy taste of parsnips? Food is key to socialization, and in-season fruits and veggies can play major parts in our memories.
Of course, none of this information is any good unless you know what produce is ripe at which times. The guides at Food Network, Nutritiously Gourmet, and Cornell University are all good places to start. Consumo felice!
Sources:- “Buy Organic and Locally Produced Foods,” BioDiversityProject.org.
- Dowden, Angela. “The food that's travelled 35,000 miles to reach your plate,” The Daily Mail (London). September 2005.
- Harmer, Briony. “How to become a vegetarian without increasing grocery bills,” Essortment.com. 2002. essortment.com/food/vegetarianincre_skfk.htm.
- “How Food Finds its Way to Your Plate,” Talk of the Nation. NPR Radio. November 2006.
- Lempert, Phil. “The squeeze and sniff test: Tips on how you can pick out fresh fruits and vegetables,” SupermarketGuru.com. April 2002. supermarketguru.com/page.cfm/287.
- McWilliams, James E. “Food That Travels Well,” New York Times. August 2007.
- Monks, Helen. “How to buy food that doesn't cost the Earth,” The Independent (London). April 2006.
- “Pass the fresh test,” Canberra Times (Australia). August 2006.
- Pratt, Rebecca. “Seasonal Foods Exceptional Flavor & Nutrition that Fits in Your Budget,” Babyfit.com. babyfit.sparkpeople.com/articles.asp?id=669.
- Ross, Alicia and Beverly Mills. “Save Money: Buy in Season.” Dallas Morning News. July 2007.
- “Seasonal Vegetables in Temperate Countries,” Food & Fertilizer Technology Center for the Asian and Pacific Region. January 2001. agnet.org/library/pt/2001002/
- Watson, Julia, “Eat To Live: Buy seasonally, eat healthily,” UPI. Jaunary 2006.
- Wiebe, Nettie. “Who's cooking the food system? Globalization & the struggle for food sovereignty,” Briarpatch. February 2007.
Tuesday Links: The Chowhound Troika
Chowhound: Restaurant Warning Signs – Ten Ways You Know it’s Gonna be Bad
This list describes every Chinatown eatery I’ve ever been to, but beyond that delicious district, there are some pretty good points. The discussion is stellar, too.
Chowhound: Leftovers – the Career Killer. Does bringing your lunch hurt your chances for success?
CONTROVERSY! Apparently, you never know when status-seekers are secretly evaluating your homemade spaghetti.
Chowhound: let’s share a cooking “trick”
If you can get beyond the awesomely unnecessary quotation marks, this is a neat kitchen tip comp from the Chowhound message board gang.
Lifehacker: How to Have a More Efficient Kitchen
Efficienciness is next to Godlininiess. Or at least, that's what I've heard. Be sure to scroll down for more time/effort/cash saving steps.
The Simple Dollar: Visiting Williams-Sonoma – How to Avoid Overspending on Something That Fuels Your Passions
If Adam and Eve were tempted by Williams-Sonoma instead of that apple, the snake would have gotten to them much sooner.
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This list describes every Chinatown eatery I’ve ever been to, but beyond that delicious district, there are some pretty good points. The discussion is stellar, too.
Chowhound: Leftovers – the Career Killer. Does bringing your lunch hurt your chances for success?
CONTROVERSY! Apparently, you never know when status-seekers are secretly evaluating your homemade spaghetti.
Chowhound: let’s share a cooking “trick”
If you can get beyond the awesomely unnecessary quotation marks, this is a neat kitchen tip comp from the Chowhound message board gang.
Lifehacker: How to Have a More Efficient Kitchen
Efficienciness is next to Godlininiess. Or at least, that's what I've heard. Be sure to scroll down for more time/effort/cash saving steps.
The Simple Dollar: Visiting Williams-Sonoma – How to Avoid Overspending on Something That Fuels Your Passions
If Adam and Eve were tempted by Williams-Sonoma instead of that apple, the snake would have gotten to them much sooner.
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Broccoli and Parmesan, Unite!
Even when plagued with guilt by my own frugal leanings, there are a few foods I absolutely refuse to cut corners on. They’re the ones with really lame substitutes, whose existence consistently bring joy and elation to my mouth. Ice cream is one. Pickles are another. Parmesan is the biggest.
Whereas real parm is akin to ambrosia, the synthetic stuff is a sin, like littering or hovering over the toilet so you pee on the seat and not in the bowl (LADIES). Bum parm tastes as if a manufacturer rounded up his Styrofoam surplus, ran it through a grinder, and shat it out into cans. Needless to say, ew.
This side dish, courtesy of Tyler Florence, is boosted greatly by the presence of real, honest-to-god parm. It creates a lovely, caramel-colored crust that not only provides some satisfying crunch, but compliments the hell out of the roasted veggie its paired with. The addition of the lemon makes it citrus-y fresh and somewhat bitter (but in a good way). For my purposes, I added a tad more cheese and cut the number of servings down, since we only had one head of broccoli.
Broccoli, Parmesan and Lemon
2 servings
Adapted from Tyler Florence.
1 small head broccoli (about 8 oz)
½ Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
¼ lemon, juiced
1) Preheat oven 400°F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with Pam.
2) Chop 1 inch off broccoli stalks and slice lengthwise into smaller stalks/spears. Place broccoli on cookie sheet. Drizzle or spray with a little olive oil. Season with salt and a little extra pepper to taste. Stir to coat broccoli evenly. Roast 10 minutes.
3) Take broccoli out of oven and douse evenly with cheese. Roast another 10 minutes or so, until cheese is melted and crisp. Place broccoli in serving bowl, squeeze lemon over it, and serve.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
100.5 calories, 7 g. fat, $0.72
Calculations
1 small head broccoli (about 8-10 oz): 25 calories, 0 g. fat, $0.80
½ Tbsp olive oil: 60 calories, 7 g fat, $0.04
Salt and freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano: 110 calories, 7 g. fat, $0.48
¼ lemon, juiced: 6 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
TOTAL: 201 calories, 14 g. fat, $1.44
PER SERVING (TOTAL/2): 100.5 calories, 7 g. fat, $0.72
Whereas real parm is akin to ambrosia, the synthetic stuff is a sin, like littering or hovering over the toilet so you pee on the seat and not in the bowl (LADIES). Bum parm tastes as if a manufacturer rounded up his Styrofoam surplus, ran it through a grinder, and shat it out into cans. Needless to say, ew.
This side dish, courtesy of Tyler Florence, is boosted greatly by the presence of real, honest-to-god parm. It creates a lovely, caramel-colored crust that not only provides some satisfying crunch, but compliments the hell out of the roasted veggie its paired with. The addition of the lemon makes it citrus-y fresh and somewhat bitter (but in a good way). For my purposes, I added a tad more cheese and cut the number of servings down, since we only had one head of broccoli.
Broccoli, Parmesan and Lemon
2 servings
Adapted from Tyler Florence.
1 small head broccoli (about 8 oz)½ Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
¼ lemon, juiced
1) Preheat oven 400°F. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with Pam.
2) Chop 1 inch off broccoli stalks and slice lengthwise into smaller stalks/spears. Place broccoli on cookie sheet. Drizzle or spray with a little olive oil. Season with salt and a little extra pepper to taste. Stir to coat broccoli evenly. Roast 10 minutes.
3) Take broccoli out of oven and douse evenly with cheese. Roast another 10 minutes or so, until cheese is melted and crisp. Place broccoli in serving bowl, squeeze lemon over it, and serve.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
100.5 calories, 7 g. fat, $0.72
Calculations
1 small head broccoli (about 8-10 oz): 25 calories, 0 g. fat, $0.80
½ Tbsp olive oil: 60 calories, 7 g fat, $0.04
Salt and freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano: 110 calories, 7 g. fat, $0.48
¼ lemon, juiced: 6 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
TOTAL: 201 calories, 14 g. fat, $1.44
PER SERVING (TOTAL/2): 100.5 calories, 7 g. fat, $0.72
Lightening Up Lidia's Tomato Sauce: An Exercise in Almost
Sometimes the snow comes out in June.
Sometimes the sun goes ‘round the moon.
Sometimes, a healthier version of a beloved dish doesn’t work as planned.
Sometimes, I wish I was a ma … never mind.
This week, as promised, I tried to lighten up Lidia Bastianich’s recipe for tomato sauce. The full-fat version is a favorite of my taste buds, and highly recommended to people of all genders, ethnicities, faiths, phylum, genus, and species.
The half-fat version ... not so much.
While definitely pretty good, it didn’t quite live up to oily wonder of the original. If I made it again (which wouldn’t happen until 2025, since I quadrupled the recipe for freezing purposes), I’d add more salt, take out a bay leaf or two, and use less celery and carrots. The celery, in particular, was very strong in my rendition, and threatened to (but didn’t quite) overwhelm the tomato.
Again, it wasn’t bad, but if you’re okay with the fat content (roughly 10g per serving), I’d suggest cooking the sauce regularly, as god and Lidia intended. If you’d still like a lighter adaptation, this version from Cooking Light is aces.
Light Lidia Bastianich Tomato Sauce
23 servings - ½ cup each
Adapted from Lidia Bastianich.
4 35-ounce cans of peeled Italian tomatoes, seeded and lightly crushed, with their liquid
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup finely shredded peeled carrots
1 cup finely chopped celery (including leaves)
4 dried bay leaves
Salt
Crushed red pepper
1) Either push the tomatoes through a food mill (fine disc attachment) or crush them with your hands into a large bowl.
2) In a huge pot or large dutch oven, heat the oil over medium. Add onion and cook about 3 minutes or until a little soft, stirring occasionally. Add carrots and celery. Cook about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
3) Pour tomatoes into the pot. Add bay leaves and bring to a boil. Season to your taste with salt and red pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a thick consistency. This should take about 45 minutes or so, but you can go longer if you like a thicker sauce. Take out bay leaves and season to taste.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
86 calories, 5 g. fat, $0.35
Calculations
4 35 ounce cans of peeled Italian tomatoes: 800 calories, 0 g. fat, $6.00
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil: 960 calories, 112 g. fat, $0.64
1 large onion: 140 calories, 0 g. fat, $0.38
1 cup carrots: 50 calories, 0 g. fat, $0.30
1 cup celery: 20 calories, 0 g. fat, $0.50
4 dried bay leaves: negligible calories and fat, $0.15
Salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.04
Crushed red pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.15
TOTAL: 1970 calories, 112 g. fat, $8.16
PER SERVING (TOTAL/23): 86 calories, 5 g. fat, $0.35
Sometimes the sun goes ‘round the moon.
Sometimes, a healthier version of a beloved dish doesn’t work as planned.
Sometimes, I wish I was a ma … never mind.
This week, as promised, I tried to lighten up Lidia Bastianich’s recipe for tomato sauce. The full-fat version is a favorite of my taste buds, and highly recommended to people of all genders, ethnicities, faiths, phylum, genus, and species.
The half-fat version ... not so much.
While definitely pretty good, it didn’t quite live up to oily wonder of the original. If I made it again (which wouldn’t happen until 2025, since I quadrupled the recipe for freezing purposes), I’d add more salt, take out a bay leaf or two, and use less celery and carrots. The celery, in particular, was very strong in my rendition, and threatened to (but didn’t quite) overwhelm the tomato.
Again, it wasn’t bad, but if you’re okay with the fat content (roughly 10g per serving), I’d suggest cooking the sauce regularly, as god and Lidia intended. If you’d still like a lighter adaptation, this version from Cooking Light is aces.
Light Lidia Bastianich Tomato Sauce
23 servings - ½ cup each
Adapted from Lidia Bastianich.
4 35-ounce cans of peeled Italian tomatoes, seeded and lightly crushed, with their liquid1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 cup finely shredded peeled carrots
1 cup finely chopped celery (including leaves)
4 dried bay leaves
Salt
Crushed red pepper
1) Either push the tomatoes through a food mill (fine disc attachment) or crush them with your hands into a large bowl.
2) In a huge pot or large dutch oven, heat the oil over medium. Add onion and cook about 3 minutes or until a little soft, stirring occasionally. Add carrots and celery. Cook about 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
3) Pour tomatoes into the pot. Add bay leaves and bring to a boil. Season to your taste with salt and red pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until it reaches a thick consistency. This should take about 45 minutes or so, but you can go longer if you like a thicker sauce. Take out bay leaves and season to taste.
Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
86 calories, 5 g. fat, $0.35
Calculations
4 35 ounce cans of peeled Italian tomatoes: 800 calories, 0 g. fat, $6.00
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil: 960 calories, 112 g. fat, $0.64
1 large onion: 140 calories, 0 g. fat, $0.38
1 cup carrots: 50 calories, 0 g. fat, $0.30
1 cup celery: 20 calories, 0 g. fat, $0.50
4 dried bay leaves: negligible calories and fat, $0.15
Salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.04
Crushed red pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.15
TOTAL: 1970 calories, 112 g. fat, $8.16
PER SERVING (TOTAL/23): 86 calories, 5 g. fat, $0.35
Thursday Linklove
Today, it’s lots of links from the Festival of Frugality, plus two from Consumerist on the evils of fast food.
Frugal for Life: Festival of Frugality 86
Inventive presentation idea from FfL. Cheap Healthy Good gets a nice mention, but also worth checking out are:
- Free Money Finance - Save Money by Shopping at Aldi (scroll down for a good discussion)
- Stop the Ride - Creating a Cookbook for a Frugal Wedding Present
- My Money Blog - Costco Food: How we Pre-plan a Month of Fast and Easy Meals in Just One Trip
- Millionaire Mommy Next Door - Fast Food for Thought (In regard to this one, I highly suggest working at McDonald’s for a year. It will cure you of any craving for fast food ever again.)
Consumerist: Study Shows Fast Food Zombies are Made at an Early Age
Save the children!
Consumerist: Wendys Sends Scary Legal Threats Over Photoshopped Menu that Includes Calorie Info
See? SEE?!? Evil. And I thought Wendy's was the good one.
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