Passage to Indian Carrot Salad

It’s 2:29pm, three days after Christmas. I’m nursing a glass of water at home in Brooklyn, watching Emeril on Food Network, and going over my TO DO list before I go to India.

I’m going to India. I have to keep typing this because I don’t quite believe it yet, even though the plane leaves in 52 hours and 29 minutes. I’m not packed (next on the TO DO list), but I think everything else has been accomplished. The rent is paid, my Visa is all set up, and I’ve had more shots in the last month than most firing squad victims. I am immune to EVERYTHING, up to and including polio, rabies, and that weird virus that made everyone zombies in 28 Days Later.

I’ll be overseas until January 8th, and returning to blogdom on the 10th. In the meantime, Rachel the Cheap Healthy Gourmet has graciously agreed to fill in during my absence. (Read: she’s tied up in the basement with nothing but gruel and a laptop.) While I’m gasping in wonder at the Taj Mahal and trying desperately to avoid an exciting intestinal malaise, you’ll be treated to seven straight days of really, really good recipes and writing. Besides being the best roommate ever, Rach is also the best home cook I know, so I promise y’all are in good hands.

In celebration of the trip (paid for in part by months of hardcore food budgeting), I attempted an Indian Carrot Salad from The Food of India cookbook last night. It turned out okay, but would have been better if I hadn't messed with the directions so excessively. To wit: I added too much lemon juice, made a mustard substitution that didn’t work, and heated the oil to near-bubbling, all of which turned the carrots a little bitter. Ultimately, though it wasn’t terrible (and I’ll finish the dish), I do suggest following the exact measurements and instructions for best results. Which, like – duh.

That aside, I hope everyone’s New Year is ever-so-lovely, and I’ll see y’all again in two weeks. Whee!

P.S. All spices were purchased bulk from my local ethnic market, which is why the prices are so low.

Indian Carrot Salad
Serves 3
Adapted from The Food of India.

½ tablespoon oil (I used vegetable oil – Kris)
1/8 teaspoon black mustard seeds (I used Dijon mustard. Bad idea. – Kris)
1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds
pinch of ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon caster (superfine granulated) sugar
¾ tablespoon lemon juice
9 oz (about 3 large) carrots, finely grated
A few coriander (cilantro) leaves (I left this out – Kris)

1) In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add mustard and cumin seeds. Cover pan. Shake until seeds begin popping.

2) Uncover pan. Add turmeric, salt, and sugar. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. Add lemon juice and stir. Add carrot and mix thoroughly. "Cover and leave for 30 minutes." If you like top with coriander/cilantro when served.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
57 calories, 2.5 g fat, $0.26

Calculations
½ T oil: 62 calories, 7 g fat, $0.01
1/8 t black mustard seeds: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1/8 t cumin seeds: negligible calories and fat, $0.05
pinch of ground turmeric: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1/8 t salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1/8 t caster (superfine granulated) sugar: 3 calories, 0 g fat, $0.01
¾ T lemon juice: 2 calories, 0 g fat, $0.20
9 oz (about 3 large) carrots, finely grated: 105 calories, 0.6 g fat, $0.45
TOTAL: 172 calories, 7.6 g fat, $0.77
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 57 calories, 2.5 g fat, $0.26

Lentil Soup: Friends, Romans, Christmasmen, Lentil Me Your Ear

(Apologies for the title. Punnerific!)

Just in time for the holidays, it’s the Christmasiest dish of all: Lentil Soup!

Okay, not really. While Lentil Soup doesn’t scream O Come All Ye Faithful, it is most definitely a meal for frigid December nights – a dense, stewy comfort food that may not be fancy enough to serve guests, but does just fine for on a random Wednesday.

Like every other food that's not pasta or chicken, I’m kind of new to lentils. They careened into my life during a braising class about a year ago, like some savory, wine-infused comet. Needless to say, Cabernet Sauvignon + veal stock + anything = highly satisfying, so my introduction was totally jolly and very bright. However, I do understand why some might have an aversion to lentils. Honestly, they’re kind of dry, and there’s only so much you can do to make ‘em kick. BUT, prepared with some flair (FLAIR!), they’re pretty palatable. Good, even.

This dish fits the flair bill. (The flair bill? Okay, I’ll go with it.) It’s an All Recipes special that starts with a rough mire poix and then simmers long enough to infuse everything with a gentle, savory flava.

Based on reviewer comments, I reduced the olive oil by half, opted for diced tomatoes, substituted chicken stock for half the water, and chose balsamic vinegar over red wine vinegar. They were all good suggestions, though I might cut back on the vinegar. It nearly overpowered the other flavors.

Based on my own preferences, I nixed the spinach called for in the original recipe. I’m raw spinach’s biggest fan, but the cooked stuff seriously grosses me out. I vividly remember accidentally biting into a diner spinach roll a few years ago and nearly spitting it back at my sister. She was not pleased, but – yick.

Also? I think I may have finally learned how to “salt and pepper to taste.” This is very exciting, since I formerly interpreted that particular direction as “salt and pepper until your tongue turns into a raisin.” My new understanding is that salt should be applied enough to highlight and strengthen a flavor, but not become a flavor in itself. Three cheers.
So - here it is. Hope you like it, and I'll be back late next week with new posts. Happy holidays!

Lentil Soup
Makes six large servings
Adapted from All Recipes.

1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 cups dry lentils
8 cups water (OR 4 cups water and 4 cups broth)
2 tablespoons vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Saute until onion is soft and tender, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, bay leaf, oregano, and basil. Saute another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2) Add lentils. Stir. Add water and tomatoes. Stir again and bring to a boil. Once soup begins boiling, drop heat to medium-low and simmer for a minimum of 60 minutes.

3) When soup is just about done, stir in spinach and continue cooking until it wilts. Add vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
356.5 calories, 7.2 g fat, $0.69

Calculations
1 onion, chopped: 46 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.15
2 tablespoons olive oil: 239 calories, 27 g fat, $0.16
2 carrots, diced: 50 calories, 0.3 g fat, $0.20
2 stalks celery, chopped: 11 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.40
2 cloves garlic, minced: 9 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
1 teaspoon dried oregano: negligible fat and calories, $0.02
1 bay leaf: negligible fat and calories, $0.03
1 teaspoon dried basil: negligible fat and calories, $0.02
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes: 82 calories, 0 g fat, $1.39 (ouch)
2 cups dry lentils: 1356 calories, 4.1 g fat, $0.48
4 cups water: negligible fat and calories, free
4 cups chicken stock: 346 calories, 11.5 g fat, $0.92
2 tablespoons vinegar: negligible fat and calories, $0.24
salt to taste: negligible fat and calories, $0.02
ground black pepper to taste: negligible fat and calories, $0.02
TOTAL: 2139 calories, 43.1 g fat, $4.15
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 356.5 calories, 7.2 g fat, $0.69

CHG Favorites of the Week

Blog of the Week
Zen Habits
Calming, level-headed, and chock full of sane, well-appointed advice, ZH is an enormously popular blog that gives pointers on how to achieve a simplified, fulfilling life. Extensive archives hold dozens of lengthy articles, with a particular emphasis on food. Mad kudos for the banner, which is eye-grabbing and relaxing at the same time.

Organization Guide of the Week
Charity Navigator: Sharing Your Bounty – Providing Holiday Meals to the Less Fortunate
A brief, link-heavy article about how to best give/serve food to your community and beyond. Great resource for the season.

Quote of the Week
From 30 Rock:
JACK: Lemon, you're here early.
LEMON: Well I gave up caffeine so I've been going to bed at 5:30.

Sketch of the Week
Delicious Dish with Pete Schweddy - from SNL

Featuring Ana Gasteyer, Molly Shannon, and a smokin' hot Alec Baldwin, it wouldn't be Christmas without this sketch.

Tip of the Week
If you’re in a hurry and the size of your cooked vegetables doesn’t matter, opt for kitchen shears over a knife and a cutting board. Cut broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, or herbs directly over the pan.

Untried Cheap, Healthy Recipe of the Week
Mustard-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Carrots and Lentils at Slow Cooked
Fellow Brooklynite Molly gets all Gourmet on our collective tuchuses. Best line (from her bio): “I prefer my meat rare, my restaurants casual, and my cheese stinky.”

Video of the Week (Food Video of the Week)

"Christmas Wrapping" by the Waitresses
Couldn't miss this one this year. (Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!)

(Photos courtesy of Runnerduck.com and John Gushue.)

Feed the World: Holiday Volunteering and Food Donations

(This’ll be my last Wednesday article for awhile, since next week is the Day After Christmas, and the week after that I’ll be somewhere in Rajasthan, India. [Fuh real!] Rachel, the Cheap Healthy Gourmet will be taking over for a week in my absence. Girl can COOK, so stay tuned!)

Once upon a time (1984), in a land far, far away (England), there lived a thin, dyspeptic pop star named Bob Geldof. Now, Bob was a good pop star, but at the time, fairly unknown in world-saving circles. Then, one day, he happened to stumble across a BBC report on the famine in Ethopia, where hundreds of thousands of poverty-stricken Africans were dying for lack of food and medicine. Shaken by the conditions of these poor, oppressed people, Bob decided to do something about it.

Using all his thin, dyspeptic pop star powers, young Geldof assembled a mighty group of famous U.K. musicians (Bono, Sting, Paul McCartney), not-quite-as-famous U.K. musicians (Jody Watley, Kool and the Gang), soon-to-be-infamous U.K. musicians (George Michael, Boy George), and dubbed them Band Aid. Together, they recorded “Do They Know it’s Christmas,” the most powerful charity Christmas song since “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” (which, as everyone knows, paid for Rudolph’s therapy following decades of emotional abuse by his fellow sleigh-pullers).

Ultimately, the accomplishments of “Do They Know it’s Christmas” are too numerous to mention, so I’ll attempt to sum. It:
A) Rocked the airwaves unlike any holiday tune before it,
B) Gave humanity the worst Christmas lyric of all time (“Tonight, thank god it's them instead of you.") and
C) Raised a humongous amount of cash for people who really needed it

Even now, 23 years later, Simon LeBon and various members of Bananarama are inspiring generations of Kmart shoppers and light FM listeners to consider donating to charity. And that’s what’s beautiful about “Do They Know it’s Christmas” - it’s an enduring reminder that innocent people are still suffering. While many of us are lucky enough to have families to visit, warm places to sleep, and good food to eat during the holidays, lots of folks don’t. And it’s important we do what we can, like young (now old) Geldof before us.

So, this Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Solstice or whatever, consider lending some time and/or hard-earned cash to charitable organizations around the globe. It will make many people very happy, and happy is good.

In fact, here are a few ideas to getchoo started. They’ve all been listed on the site before, and most have either been reported on fairly extensively or rated by Charity Navigator.

Happy holidays!

FEED THE TROOPS

Any Solider
Fulfill a soldier’s request for supplies, food, and ways to pass the time.

The USO
If you’d specifically like to send a care package, the aptly named Operation Care Package is the way to go. Check out their FAQ for more info, or just peruse the site, which is intuitive and informative

Treat the Troops
Jeanette Cram has baked over 640,000 cookies for soldiers overseas. Help her fund the effort.

FEED YOUR NEIGHBORS

The Food Trust’s Supermarket Campaign
Inner-city citizens need fresh food. The Supermarket Campaign is here to help.

Food Bank for New York City
FBNYC helps hungry Big Apple-ites in each of the five boroughs.

Donors Choose
Fund the activity/teacher of your choosing. I linked to the “food” ideas here, but really the whole site is worth a look.

The Society of St. Andrew
SoSA focuses on the distribution of healthy, inexpensive food (with an emphasis on produce) to hungry kids and families nationwide.

Second Harvest
The mother ship to hundreds of smaller food banks, Second Harvest feeds millions of hungry U.S. citizens a year.

God’s Love We Deliver
This is a tri-state area based volunteer group that buys, cooks, and delivers meals to seriously ill men, women, children.

Your local house of worship
Peruse the activities at your local shrine to see how you can pitch in.

FEED THE WORLD

Action Against Hunger
AAH assists the needy in more than 40 countries in Africa, Asia, and South America, with special focus on water and aid during crises.

American Red Cross
The mothership.

Wacky Cakes and Crazy Ladies

While certain neighborhoods retain (and deserve) their reputation as somewhat less than pleasant, large chunks of Brooklyn have become safer than four out of five Disney World Lands. (Land of Tomorrow harboring dangerous criminals, of course.) Still, no matter where you live in the borough, sometimes you have to be on your guard. Sometimes at the supermarket.

The Boyfriend and I decided to bake 14 billion Christmas cookies this weekend, for use as gifts, potluck submissions, and building material. In order to accomplish this, we needed butter. Many, many pounds of butter. So, off to Key Food we sojourned, where we were greeted by The Loon, self-appointed Keeper of the Dairy Section.

Though she bore no indicative Key Food employee nametag, we first encountered The Loon applying random prices on boxes of Coffeemate. She turned her attention to us when I, knowing it would be half-price at checkout, procured only one of the Buy One Get One Free boxes of unsalted Hotel Bar quarters.

I was a good eight paces away when I heard “Miss, miss! You forgot your free butter!” I turned, thinking a kind worker was trying to save me a buck. The Loon took this opportunity to grab my arm and guide me back to butter section, where we proceeded to argue over the pricing process of major supermarkets. It went something like this:

ME: Ma’am, thank you, but I’m okay.
THE LOON: No honey, you ain’t. Take this. Put it in your freezer. Don’t you want your free butter?
ME: No, I’m okay. Thanks.
THE LOON (pushes butter in my hand): No, here take it. You want it.
ME: Thanks, no. They go on sale for this price about every three weeks. I have two at home. They’re on sale for the same cost at Pathmark.
THE LOON: No they ain’t.
ME: Yes they are.
THE LOON: No they ain’t.
ME: Yes they are.
THE LOON: No they ain’t.
ME: Yes they … I gotta go.
THE LOON: Okay, lady. Whatever. (Puts butter back angrily.)
ME (ideally): Crazypants, I’ve written all about this particular subject for the last seven months. I keep a price book and shop here every week. You, on the other hand, are killing time hugging milk cartons and putting price stickers on your hat. Thanks, but you’re wrong and I’m good.
ME (actually): Thanks, though. (Scuttles away)

In retrospect, I’m glad the butter wasn’t shoved in my eye socket. And I’m super-glad that when The Boyfriend and I checked out, The Loon was being yelled at by a group of managers for unlawful use of a price gun.

This recipe, then, is dedicated to her. It’s Wacky Cake, a delightful vegan chocolate confection with no eggs, no milk, and most importantly, no butter. It was suggested by commenter Sally, and comes from the extraordinarily nifty Where’s the Revolution Blog. (If you’re a vegetarian, vegan, omnivore, carnivore, or harbor an unnatural obsession with tempeh, head on over.) The batter took about five minutes to come together, and cost a quarter to $0.50 less than most store-bought mixes. Top it off with powdered sugar and serve it for your favorite lunatic today!

Wacky Cake
12 delicious slices
Adapted from Where's the Revolution?

1-1/2 cups minus 1 TB unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup icy cold water
powdered sugar for garnish, optional

1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8x8-inch square pan or a 9-inch pie pan.

2) In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Then, make three wells or indentations in that mixture. Pour vanilla into the first, vinegar into the second, and oil into the third. Douse everything with cold water and stir until all ingredients are just barely combined/moist.

3) Pour mixture into prepared pan. Bake for 25 or 30 minutes, "or until it springs back when touched lightly."

Approximate Calories, Fat and Price Per Serving
178 calories, 6.6 g fat, $0.09

Calculations
1 1/2 cups minus 1 TB unbleached all-purpose flour: 654 calories, 1.8 g fat, $0.08
1 cup sugar: 774 calories, 0 g fat, $0.33
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa: 49 calories, 3 g fat, $0.32
1 teaspoon baking soda: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1/2 teaspoon salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1 teaspoon vanilla: 12 calories, 0 g fat, $0.13
1 tablespoon white vinegar: 3 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
1/3 cup canola oil: 640 calories, 74,7 g fat, $0.20
1 cup icy cold water: negligible calories and fat, $0.00
powdered sugar for garnish, optional
TOTAL: 2132 calories, 79.5 g fat, $1.12
PER SERVING (TOTAL/12): 178 calories, 6.6 g fat, $0.09

Fast Food Done Good: Garlicky Broccoli Rabe

It always strikes me as fishy when famous cooks claim they can whip up a ten-course, gourmet-caliber meal in 30 seconds or less. It seems to go against the whole idea that effort produces a proportional result. I’m all for convenience, especially on a weeknight, but yeah – I wonder if truly great dishes must have truly great amounts of time invested in them.

Then, days like Sunday happen and mess me up.

See, I was looking for a side dish to go with Cooking Light's Butternut Squash, Rosemary, and Garlic Lasagna. The lasagna had taken me approximately 4,000 years to make, and I wasn’t up for another mammoth exertion, so its accompaniment had to be easy and ready instantaneously. A quick search brought me to Cooking Light’s Garlicky Broccoli Rabe, which had six cheap ingredients and a 10-minute cooking time. Jumanji!

With the rabe sautéed and the lasagna sufficiently settled, The Boyfriend, me, and two large glasses of Sauvignon Blanc sat for a cozy pre-winter meal. The lasagna, though fairly tasty, disintegrated into noodles and cream almost instantaneously. It was more like thick pasta with white sauce and a few chunks of butternut squash. (The leftovers weren’t great, either. There's still half left five days later.)

The rabe, though? THAT was a keeper. With a touch of heat, just the right amount of bitterness, and all that garlicky scrumptiousness, it was quickly nominated for regular rotation.

So, what do I take away from this experience?

1) I’m wrong a lot.
2) Nope, that’s it.

Cooking Light was (as always) gracious enough to provide calories and fat, so only the price is calculated below.

Garlicky Broccoli Rabe
3 servings – ½ cup each
Adapted from Cooking Light.

1 pound broccoli rabe (rapini), trimmed
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1) Fill a medium bowl with cold water and a couple of ice cubes. Set aside.

2) In a medium saucepan, bring a few cups of water to a boil. Add broccoli rabe and boil about 6 minutes, until it's crisp, but tender. Drain and quickly add broccoli rabe to ice bath. Drain again and chop into bite-sized pieces.

3) In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds to 1 minute), stirring frequently. Add broccoli rabe, salt, and peppers and warm through, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
67 calories, 2.3 g fat, $0.38

Calculations
1 pounds broccoli rabe (rapini), trimmed: $0.99
1/2 tablespoon olive oil: $0.04
1 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced: $0.05
1/4 teaspoon salt: $0.01
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper: $0.02
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper: $0.02
TOTAL: $1.13
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): $0.38

CHG Favorites of the Week

Blog of the Week
Stop the Ride
Consistently charming and informative, Stephanie’s blog has been bringing crafty, cookingy goodness to the web since August of last year. Her ideas are nifty, I really like the writing, and the adorable pictures take the cake.

Food Comedy of the Week
Improv Everywhere - The Moebius
I.E. is a gang of New York-based improvisational comedians that orchestrates funny twists on everyday situations. (“We create scenes.”) Sometimes, they’ll have 70 guys take off their shirts in Abercrombie and Fitch. Other times, they’ll dress up as U2 and put on a rooftop show for thousands of fans. In The Moebius, they invade a Starbucks and awesomeness results.

Organization of the Week
The Food Trust’s Supermarket Campaign
I just wrote about this yesterday, but it’s really worth looking into. And they take donations! Yay!

Quote of the Week
"Sir, respect your dinner: idolize it, enjoy it properly. You will be many hours in the week, many weeks in the year, and many years in your life happier if you do." - William Makepeace Thackeray

Tip of the Week
Need to figure out a supermarket unit price, but don’t have a calculator handy? Take out your cell phone. Lots of models include a calculator in the Tools section.

Untried Cheap, Healthy Recipe of the Week
Tom Colicchio’s Pan Roasted Mushrooms from Serious Eats
Okay, the oil and butter need to be halved here, but I think it would taste just as good. Big ups to the bald man.

Video of the Week (Food Division)
“Green Onions” by Booker T. and the MGs
An instrumental ode to scallions featuring that grooviest of ‘60s music-makers: the organ.

(Image courtesy of Flickr.com contributor pieceoflace.)

Tuesday Megalinks

A few folks have asked for an entry on Cheap, Healthy Vegetarian meals (to go with the Beef, Pork, and Seafood ones). I was thinkin' that might be a bit overwhelming, so I reorganized the links last night instead. From now on, if a featured meal is meatless, it will go under the lovely "Recipes: Vegetarian" link to the lower right. There are already 27 dishes in there, which - yay!

Oo! Also! I added another link section for food that take 15 minutes or less to make. There aren't many recipes there yet, but it's a start. If y'all have any other ideas about CHG organization, I'd love to hear 'em.

Building Nutrition: Great Nutrition and Physical Activity Gifts for Kids - Part 2
Really, really nice post on healthy food gifts for kids. (Thanks to Clever Dude for the link.)

Chow: Hey Mr. Postman – Where to shop for holiday gifts online
Specialty foods are pricier than most frugal-minded holiday gift options, but my Grandma lurrrved getting Florida oranges in the middle of December. In my mind, it makes the extra dough worth it.

Consumerist: 9 Better, Cheaper Ways to Search Amazon
Learn the ways of the online Force, Luke.

The Economist: Cheap No More – Rising incomes in Asia and ethanol subsidies in America have put an end to a long era of falling food prices
When the titles are that long, you know the news is never good.

Get Fit Slowly
JD of Get Rich Slowly is starting a physical fit blog. If it's half as good as his personal finance blog, we're in for a Christmas treat. Most excellent.

New York Times: Is the Entrée Headed for Extinction
Or: Is the entrée is the 8-track of food?

Plonkee Money: Festival of Frugality #104
God save the queen, our beloved Brit went with a Swedish theme this week! Mah seafood post is included therein (as a Plonkee pick!) along with a plethora of other fine frugal posts. Especially of note is Lightening's continuing series on slashing the grocery budget.

Serious Eats: Junk Food Costs Less Than Fruits and Vegetables - Are We Surprised?
I refuse to accept this! Whether it’s out of semi-informed rebellion or simple delusion, I’m not sure yet.

Weight Loss Made Easy: How Much Does it Cost to Lose Ten Pounds?
Atkins Diet: $402.08
Jenny Craig: $550.60
Knowing you can keep track yourself for free: priceless.
(Thanks to Consumerist for the link.)

(Photo courtesy of Daniellegifts.com, which is very cute.)

The Man Who Ate a Parsnip: Lidia Bastianich's Roasted Root Vegetables

My brother E is an enormous dude. Six feet, three inches tall, he snacks on snow tires and whole goats. His feet hang over the edges of most stairs, but only when he can cram his mile-wide shoulders into the stairwell in the first place. When E’s annoyed with our sister L, he doesn’t yell. He simply picks her up, throws her over his shoulder, and deposits her on the soft cushion of his choosing. It’s a subtle reminder that he's bigger than Russia, and just as capable of maintaining his ground when challenged by smaller, yappier foes.

E didn’t become four times my size by eating bean sprouts and tofu burgers. No, he’s the product of red meat and white starch. I shudder to think of his cholesterol level, but as long as he’s moving Volkswagon Beetles with his bare hands, I won’t question it. (Partly out of politeness and goodwill, but mostly so he doesn't tie my arms in a pretzel.)

Last year, to go with my sister’s Christmas lasagna, I made Lidia Bastianich’s Roasted Root Vegetables. Garlicky and hearty, they’re a good compliment to meat (both lean and not-so-lean), and a nice alternative to heavy, fatty foods like said lasagna. I was excited to serve a Lidia dish to my fam, and was utterly convinced E would pass up every other option for its rooty goodness.

Needless to say, E went straight for the lasagna.

BUT he also took a heaping helping of root veggies. Lo and behold, he kinda liked them, too. He must have. The man ate a leek, dangit! He even wolfed down a parsnip, without having any idea what it was. It was a Christmas miracle.

In the end, E will never be nominated for Veggie Lover of the Year (unless it applies to pizza toppings), but he’s okay with this recipe. It makes me wonder if eggplant, broccoli rabe, or fennel could be in his future. A sister can dream, can’t she?

(Note: The leeks were by far the most expensive items, and there’s a LOT of waste, but the leaves can be saved for chicken stock. In fact, I used ‘em for that very reason last night! BAM!)

Roasted Root Vegetables
Makes 6 gigantic servings
Adapted from Lidia Bastianich.

3 medium leeks (about 10 ounces)
2 large parsnips (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
3 large carrots (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 3-inch pieces
2 large, outer celery stalks, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
6 small red or white new potatoes (about 3/4 pounds), cut in half
3 small yellow onions (about 6 ounces pound), peeled and cut in half through the core
20 large garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1) Preheat oven 400°F. Line a large roasting pan or cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray.

2) Chop the darker green stems off the leeks. (Discard or save for broth making.) Cut the remaining white parts in half from top to bottom. Cut off the root ends, "leaving enough of the root core intact to hold the leek halves together." Rinse thoroughly in cold water, making sure you get all the dirt out from between the leaves. (This is very, very important.)

3) In a huge bowl, combine all veggies, garlic, oil, and rosemary. Salt and pepper liberally to taste. Stir thoroughly to combine. Spread everything out in a single layer on the prepared pan. (Note: you may need two.) Roast about 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are browned and tender. Serve hot.

Note: Parsnips can be very thick at the top, and very thin at the bottom. If this is the case with yours, slice the thicker parts into slimmer pieces. This will ensure even cooking.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
200 calories, 7.3 g fat, $0.92

Calculations
3 medium leeks: 163 calories, 0.8 g fat, $1.50
8 oz parsnips: 170 calories, 0.7 g fat, $1.29
3 large carrots: 89 calories, 0.5 g fat, $0.30
2 large, outer celery stalks: 17 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.40
¾ pound small red potatoes: 245 calories, 0.5 g fat, $0.75
6 ounces yellow onion: 72 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.20
20 large garlic cloves: 89 calories, 0.3 g fat, $0.60
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil: 358 calories, 40.5 g fat, $0.24
2 sprigs rosemary: negligible fat and calories, $0.20
Salt and freshly ground black pepper: negligible fat and calories, $0.03
TOTAL: 1203 calories, 7.3 g fat. 43.6 g fat, $5.51
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 200 calories, 7. 3 g fat, $0.92

Fish Notes

Hey Everybody - just two quick things about the Cheap, Healthy, Environmentally Friendly Seafood post from a few days ago:

1) Some wondered why salmon was left out, as wild-caught Alaskan scored two green environmental ratings, and it's generally considered pretty healthy. Sadly, it seems to cost around $10/lb, which makes it a bit pricey for this blog.

2) Meredith had a great point in the comment section: "I just wanted to emphasize how important it is to ASK where your shrimp is coming from at restaurants and stores before you purchase it. Most shrimp (especially pre-packaged/prepared frozen shrimp) is imported from extremely unsustainable, harmful tropical fishery industries. These practices destroy tropical mangrove forests, often result in the dumping of pesticides into tropical watersheds (which poison local people), produce large bycatch of sea turtles, and are so commercially competitive that armed gunman often stand guard around the shrimp farms (I know an Ecuadorian that grew up on a shrimp farm like this). So, consumers should know that it is actually fairly difficult to find US farm-raised shrimp, so they should never assume what they are buying is local. Always ASK. For more details, this article sums it up very well."

Thanks, and tune in tomorrow for a lovely entry on Lidia Bastianich's Roasted Root Vegetables.

Martha Stewart Super Bowl Contest from Sirius Radio

Hey everybody! Quick extra post today.

A friend of mine sent along some details about a neat-sounding contest, and I thought it would be fun for CHG readers. Here's the info:

Send us your best main-dish Super Bowl party recipe and you could win a trip to the SuperBowl! That’s not all - the winner will also receive a set of Martha Stewart Collection cookware from Macy's, $1,000 to donate to the food bank of their choice, and the winning recipe will be published in an issue of Everyday Food!

Entries are due by 12/10, and the rules are here.

Good luck!

Mm-mm Good: Egg Drop Soup

In college, when money seemed trivial and our appetites were never-ending, my roommates and I ate a LOT of Chinese food. We’d file into the Main Street restaurant, place our orders with the brilliant 10-year-old girl behind the counter (definitely a future Nobel Laureate), and settle down for heaping mounds of Sesame Chicken and Fried Rice. In retrospect, I’m not sure how our metabolisms kept up. Maybe they didn’t. Maybe that’s why my butt reached epic proportions after graduation.

Nowadays, ordering Chinese food is a different ball of wax for me. It’s one of the rare takeout experiences during which I can score giant containers of healthy eats for a few bucks. Steamed vegetables and meats, brown rice, a wide array of soups and sauces – places like Wo Hop and Dah Lee have it all, and the food’s made right there, to boot. Bonus.

Yet! Yet. I’ve found there are a few dishes that can be duplicated at home for less money. In the case of this All Recipes Egg Drop Soup, it saves about ten cents a pint off the cost. That doesn’t sound like much, but consider:

-You don’t have to tip a delivery man.
-It takes less time than ten minutes.
-All the ingredients are guaranteed fresh.
-You can alter it to your liking.
-There’s less waste.
-Taste-wise, it’s comparable to any restaurant.

Not bad for what looks like a pot of water and eggs, huh? I suggest pairing it with Light Chinese Chicken and Broccoli for a grand ol’ time.

AllRecipes graciously calculated the fat and calories, so only the price is added below. I should add that this isn't my picture. I forgot to take one (duh), so this is from Flickr.

Egg Drop Soup
4 servings, about 1 cup each
Adapted from All Recipes.

4 cups chicken broth, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or scallions
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs
1 egg yolk

1) In large saucepan, combine 3-1/4 cups chicken broth, salt, ginger, and chives. Bring to a boil.

2) In a small bowl, combine remaining broth and cornstarch. Set aside.

2) In a different small bowl, whisk eggs and yolk together. Very slowly, drizzle egg into boiling broth. (It will cook instantaneously.) When all the egg is gone, slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture, until the soup hits your preferred consistency. Serve hot.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
94 calories, 5.8 g fat, $0.45

Calculations
4 cups chicken broth: $0.92
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger: $0.01
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (I used green onions): $0.35
1/4 teaspoon salt: $0.01
1-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch: $0.03
2 eggs: $0.34
1 egg yolk: $0.16
TOTAL: $1.82
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): $0.45

Cheap, Healthy, Environmentally Friendly Seafood Recipes

First, there was Cheap Healthy Beef. Then came Cheap Healthy Pork. Now, just in time for the holidays, it’s …

CHEAP, HEALTHY, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY SEAFOOD!

(Tell your friends and neighbors!)

My goal with this post was to find nutritional, relatively inexpensive types of fish, crustaceans, and mollusks (henceforth referred to as “fish” or “seafood”), and comp a giant list of recipes to go with them.

Unlike the Beef and Pork posts, I also took environmental concerns into consideration, as overfishing and damages to oceanic habitats have driven innumerable underwater species to the brink of extinction. And that’s never good.

I began the process with a wide sample group (all seafood, everywhere), and started eliminating based on the environment factor. For reference, I consulted the Blue Ocean Institute’s Online Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood and the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program. These two organizations bestow sustainability ratings of green (best), yellow (good), or red (bad) on all types of fish. Seafood that scored two greens (one from each site) or one green and one yellow were passed through. I rejected all other seafood. This narrowed the field down LOTS, to about 25 potential finalists.

Next, I researched nutritional value, which - hooray! In recommended portions (3 or 4 ounces), almost ALL environmentally friendly seafood is high in protein and low in fat and calories. The exceptions (with more than 50% of calories from fat) were Atlantic Mackerel, King Salmon, and Sablefish (a.k.a. Black Cod), which were dropped from consideration.

With about two dozen types of seafood still in the running, it came down to price, which was highly subjective due to seasonality, region, and good ol’ inflation. I ultimately gauged estimates based on online grocers and fisheries, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s price reports, general availability, and my own observations. This knocked out about half the remaining list, as stuff like American Lobster and Pole-and-Troll Caught Tuna were too costly for the average bear. In the end, I was left with 12 tried-and-true fish finalists.

So, here they are: ONE DOZEN comparatively cheap, healthy, environmentally friendly types of seafood in all their glorious glory! And recipes, too! Happy eating!

Alaskan Pollock (a.k.a. imitation crab, surimi, or walleye pollock)
Bush Garden: California Roll (use low-fat mayo)
Cooking Light: Veggie-Surimi Sushi
DLife: Crab Casserole with Eggs

Atlantic Herring (a.k.a sardines or kippers)
AllRecipes: Pasta de Sardine
D-Life: Carb Free -Fish Cholent (Stew)
D-Life: Sardines with Roasted Tomatoes on Focaccia
Eating Well: Spring Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette
Mario Batali: Bruschetta with Fresh Monterey Sardines

Bay Scallops
Cooking Light: Creamed Scallops, Corn, and Tomatoes
Cooking Light: Corn and Scallop Chowder
D-Life: Mexican Ceviche
Juan Carlos-Cruz: Mango Ceviche
Ming Tsai: Bay Scallop Ceviche
River Café: Taylor Bay Scallop Ceviche (go without the sea beans)
Sara Moulton: Ginger Scallops with Stir-Fried Broccoli Rabe

Catfish (U.S. farmed)
AllRecipes: Carrie’s Catfish LaRue
AllRecipes: Oven Fried Catfish
Cooking Light: Catfish Po'boy with Hoisin-Peanut Sauce
Cooking Light: Buffalo-Style Catfish Strips with Ranch Dressing
Cooking Light: Catfish with Dill Sauce
Cooking Light: Crisp-Crusted Catfish
Cooking Light: Corn-Fish Chowder
Epicurious/Bon Appetit: Catfish Tacos with Tomato and Avocado Salsa
D-Life: Baked Catfish
D-Life: Baked Catfish Parmesan
D-Life: Blackened Catfish
D-Life: Cajun Catfish
D-Life: Catfish Cakes
D-Life: Cornmeal Crusted Catfish
D-Life: Honey Mustard Catfish
D-Life: Oven Fried Catfish
D-Life: Pan-“Fried” Catfish with Southwest Tartar Sauce
Eating Well: Catfish Amandine
Mama Dip’s: Catfish Gumbo
Mike Nichols: Blackened Catfish
Sara Moulton: Southern Cornmeal-Crusted Catfish

Clams (farmed – Littlenecks, Steamers, Cockles)
AllRecipes: Scott Ure’s Clams and Garlic
AllRecipes: Clams Italiano
Cooking Light: Fettuccine with Clams and Tomato Sauce
Cooking Light: Clam Sauce
D-Life: Clam and Spinach Linguine
Eating Well: Clams Casino
Ellie Krieger: Rhode Island Style Clam Chowder

Longfin and shortfin squid
AllRecipes: Grammy’s Calamari Salad
AllRecipes: Calamari in Red Wine and Tomato Sauce
Alton Brown: Seaside Squid Salad
Cooking Light: Grilled Squid with Lemon Caper Sauce
D-Life: Seared Squid with Citrus Mango Salad
D-Life: Southwest Calamari Salad

Mussels (farmed)
AllRecipes: Patti’s Mussels a la Mariniere
AllRecipes: Mussels Marinara di Amore
Cooking Light: Mussels in Tomato-Wine Broth
Cooking Light: Mussels Marinara
Cooking Light: Mussels Steamed in White Wine
Cooking Light: Cider-Braised Mussels with Bacon
Cooking Light: Steamed Mussels in Garlic and Shallots
Cooking Light: Steamed Mussels with Lemon, Onion, and Wine (Mijillones al Limón)
D-Life: Mussels and Tomatoes in Wine Sauce
D-Life: Mussels Steamed in Seasoned Broth
D-Life: Mussels with Shallot/Wine Sauce
D-Life: Steamed Mussels in Coconut Milk
Eating Well: Mussels with Saffron and Leeks
Eating Well: Spanish Tapas-Inspired Mussels

Pacific Cod

Eating Well: Baked Cod Casserole
Real Simple: Roasted Pacific Cod with Olives and Lemon

Shrimp (pink or salad shrimp OR U.S. farmed brown, pink, or white shrimp)
(Note: If you peel and de-vein shrimp yourself, you can save money.)
AllRecipes: Marinated Grilled Shrimp (5-star rating from 426 reviewers)
AllRecipes: Spicy Grilled Shrimp
AllRecipes: Sesame Shrimp Stir-fryAllRecipes: Caribbean Holiday Shrimp
AllRecipes: Thai Spiced Barbecue Shrimp
AllRecipes: Tequila Shrimp
Cooking Light: Too many to list. They’re all here.
D-Life: Apricot-Glazed Shrimp Kabobs
D-Life: Broiled Marinated Shrimp
D-Life: Classic Shrimp Stir-fry
D-Life: Curry Shrimp
D-Life: Italian Shrimp (Barbecued Shrimp)
D-Life: Macaroni and Shrimp Salad
D-Life: Scampi Italian Style
D-Life: Shrimp and Spinach Skillet Surprise
D-Life: Shrimp Etoufee
D-Life: Shrimp Fajitas
D-Life: Shrimp Fettuccine
D-Life: Shrimp Topped with Tomatoes and Feta
D-Life: Spicy Shrimp Packets
D-Life: Stir-fry Shrimp Lasagna
D-Life: Sweet and Sour Shrimp
D-Life: Thai Shrimp Over Rice
Ellie Krieger: Caesar Salad with Grilled Shrimp
Ellie Krieger: Linguine with Shrimp
Ellie Krieger: Shrimp Salad with Cucumber and Mint
Epicurious/Bon Appetit: Shrimp Gazpacho
Epicurious: Shrimp in EscabecEpicurious: Penne with Spinach, Shrimp, Tomatoes and Basil
Epicurious: Shrimp in Garlic Sauce
Epicurious: Spicy Shrimp and Vegetable Stir-Fry
Real Simple: Shrimp with Arugula and Couscous
Real Simple: Shrimp with Tomato-Horseradish Salsa
Real Simple: Gingery Shrimp and Couscous
Real Simple: Jalapeno Shrimp
Real Simple: Marinated Shrimp with Mediterranean Salad
Real Simple: Moroccan Shrimp
Real Simple: Southwestern Shrimp Soup
Real Simple: Shrimp à la Grecque

Rainbow Trout (farmed)
AllRecipes: Rainbow Trout with Yogurt Sauce (use low-fat yogurt)
Bobby Flay: Rainbow Trout Roasted on a Cedar Plank
Cooking Light: Mushroom and Bacon Stuffed Trout
Cooking Light: Trout with Sour Cream-Cucumber Sauce
D-Life: Baked Whole Rainbow Trout in Ginger Sauce
D-Life: Herb-Baked Trout
D-Life: Stuffed Trout
D-Life: Trout with Sour Cream Cucumber Sauce
Eating Well: Grilled Whole Trout with Lemon-Tarragon Bean Salad

Tilapia (U.S. Farmed)
AllRecipes: Broiled Tilapia Parmesan (5-star recipe from 2,459 reviewers)
AllRecipes: Lemon Garlic Tilapia
AllRecipes: Easy Baked Tilapia
AllRecipes: Easy Tilapia with Wine and Tomatoes
AllRecipes: Simple Rancy Breaded Fish Fillets
AllRecipes: Fiery Fish Tacos with Crunchy Corn Salsa
Cooking Light: Sautéed Tilapia with Lemon-Peppercorn Pan Sauce Dressing
D-Life: Breaded Tilapia
D-Life: Grilled Tilapia With Zesty Mustard Sauce
D-Life: Lemon and Parsley Fish Fillets with Potatoes
D-Life: Tilapia with Cilantro Butter
D-Life: Tilapia with Fresh Herbs and Lime
D-Life: Tilapia with Olives and Tomatoes
D-Life: Tilapia With Roasted Red Bell Peppers and Olives
Eating Well: Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon
Eating Well: Tilapia Corn Chowder
Ellie Krieger: Fish Tacos with Chipotle Cream
Robin Miller: Moroccan-Style Tilapia with Cumin, Mango and Cilantro

White Sea Bass (aka Weakfish or Croaker) OR Hybrid Striped Bass (farmed)
Cooking Light: Broiled Sea Bass with Pineapple-Chili-Basil Glaze
Cooking Light: Sea Bass and Braised Leeks with Mustard Sauce
Cooking Light: Sea Bass and Confetti Vegetables with Lemon-Butter Sauce
Eating Well: Ginger-Steamed Fish with Troy's Hana-Style Sauce
Ellie Krieger: Fish with Tomatoes, Olives and Capers
Epicurious/SELF: Steamed Sea Bass with Ginger and Shiitakes
Kathleen Daelemans: Pan-fried White Fish
Mayo Clinic: Broiled White Sea Bass
Mayo Clinic: White Sea Bass with Dill Relish

Note #1: There are more light healthy recipes at the Mayo Clinic. Unfortunately, there’s no reviewing mechanism, or I would have posted them here.

Note #2: I would love to recommend more expensive, environmentally cool seafood, but can’t justify spending $4 on a 7.75oz can of tuna for this particular blog. However, if money is no object, please save a fish and consider purchasing these items.

Note #3: Pregnant women should not eat raw fish, and everyone should be aware of mercury warnings, which go hand in hand with quite a lot of seafood. Check back with the Monterey Bay Aquarium for info.

Note #4: Canned tuna companies have improved their regulations immensely, and landed a yellow rating on both sites, which isn’t terrible. However, tuna is still VERY heavily fished and the catching methods endanger other ocean life. Purchase in moderation.

(Photos courtesy of Flickr.com)

CHG Favorites of the Week: The Norma Rae Edition

Usually I post an article on Wednesday, but I’m running a tad behind this week. This is for two reasons:

A) The article is a massive, research-heavy behemoth, guaranteed to shake the Earth to its very core and,

B) We got our year-end Christmas gift from my company yesterday! Turns out, they’re severely reducing or completely eliminating all our benefits. It’s making me and several thousand other workers Ho Ho Homicidal.

While I ponder the highs (pretty picket signs) and lows (live burial in Giants Stadium end zone) of becoming a labor leader, please accept this humble edition of CHG’s Favorites of the Week, which would normally appear on Thursday.

(But come back tomorrow for CHEAP, HEALTHY, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY FISH!)

Blog of the Week
A Penny Closer
Well-written and fun, A Penny Closer waxes philosophical on all kinds of financial matters, including food. Best of all is the Reducipes series, which reads like a dollar-saving mini-cookbook.

Organization of the Week
Any Solider
A friend of mine wanted to send a care package overseas for Christmas, but didn’t have a specific name. Enter Any Soldier, where members of the military write in and request supplies, food, and ways to pass the time. Go! Now! (Read the instructions carefully, though.)

Quote of the Week
“They take great pride in making their dinner cost much; I take my pride in making my dinner cost so little.” - Henry David Thoreau

Standup Routine of the Week
Jim Gaffigan on Hot Pockets
Indiana comedian Gaffigan dissects those compartments of evil in a most hilarious manner. I don’t know if the best part is his repeated chiming of the slogan or “I’m gonna die!”

Tip of the Week
Freeze chicken broth/stock in the following amounts: two cups, one cup, half-cup, and ice cube-size. It’ll make it way, way easier to use the measurement a recipe calls for, and you won’t have as much left over. (Don’t forget to label!)

Untried Cheap, Healthy Recipe of the Week
Chicken Marsala with Crimini Mushrooms, Pancetta, and Sage by Well Fed
Oh, frabjous day! Will you look at this thing? Good god, I want it RIGHT NOW, and it’s not quite 11am.

Video of the Week (Food Division)
“She Don’t Use Jelly” by The Flaming Lips
This is the first radio hit from Oklahoma City’s favorite sons, which tells the epic story of … I have no idea. And neither did anybody else at the time. It’s almost hard to believe these are the same guys.

Tuesday Megalinks

Apartment Therapy Kitchen: How to Cook Moist and Tender Chicken Breasts
That title almost sounds lewd.

Chow: Dinner with a Tightwad
Everyone knows a bad tipper. But what do you do when you eat out with them? (I’ve secretly gone back and left extra on the table.)

Consumerist: School Foods Report Card 2007 AND Congress Set to Ban Soda, Junk Food from Schools
Only two states are given an A on their lunch programs, but changes are in the works. (Thanks to Consumerist for the link.)

Diethack: 11 Widespread Food Statements Demystified
Hm. These statements are a bit obscure, but it’s a fun post nonetheless. (Thanks to Lifehacker for the link.)

Former Fat Guy Blog: The Ultimate Guide to Freezing Food
Thorough. Very thorough. (Thanks to CFO for the link.)

A Good American Wife: Everything But the Beer
New mom Anne chimes in on Rachael Ray.

Lazy Man and Money: Festival of Frugality #103

And there shalt be frugality! Can I get a witness?

Lifehacker: Top 10 Food and Drink Hacks
That bagel idea is awesome. Amy Dacyc … Dacyzcy … Dazyc… The Frugal Zealot would be proud.

Men’s Health: You Call That Health Food?
Debunk! Debunk! Men’s Health embarks on the debunk! (Thanks to Consumerist for the link.)

Serious Eats: Unbelievable! This is Not Butter! AND Emeril, Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?
Article 1: Neither cheap, nor healthy, but maybe good - I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter has inspired an army of similiarly-monikered knockoffs. Awesome.
Article 2: Requiem for a giant (or at least, his tv show)

(Photo courtesy of Flickr.com.)

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Teriyaki and Cilantro: An Exercise in Duh

When I write recipe posts, I usually allot myself about a week to research a dish, see what I have on hand, and give it a shot. This way, if something goes horribly awry, I have a little time to make something else. This was one of those weeks.

Initially, this post was going to be all about the awesome, world-redefining Gnocchi with Mushroom and Thyme Sauce I made last Monday. Sadly, the meal was far from awesome, and not even in the same zip code as world-redefining. The sauce (which wasn’t terrible) had its earthy appeal beaten down by the world’s worst frozen potato dumplings. (Silver Star brand, 16oz bags on sale for $1. DON’T DO IT.) Their gummy grossness was like the recent movies of John Travolta: bland, insulting, and with not enough Samuel L. Jackson. It's back to handmade gnocchi for me.

Instead of dwelling on that UTTER FAILURE OF GOOD SENSE, I moved on, settling on a backup recipe: Spicy Eggplant Puree from the Enchanted Broccoli Forest Cookbook. Thinking it would be another fabulous veggie dip, I whipped up a batch and served it to beloved guests, who were kind of "meh" about it. The puree was uninspiring at best, watery and relatively flavorless at worst. If you’re looking for an eggplant dip, CHG’s baba ghanouj is way better, if I do say so myself (and I do).

Out of options and running out of time, I settled on an old favorite o’ mine: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Teriyaki and Cilantro. Sweet and salty, it’s another choice Weight Watchers recipe, and further proof they’ve moved way beyond the Cabbage Casseroles Czarinas and Chilled Celery Logs of the old school. (Speaking of which, if you’ve never seen Weight Watchers Recipes from 1974, GO NOW. You won’t be disappointed.)

Unfortunately, the potatoes were inadvertently incinerated.

I left them in the oven a few minutes too long, and each would-be delectable piece was burned just enough to make the dish totally inedible. Instead of robust, rich orange wedges, my yams looked like tanned, wrinkled old man fingers. Tragedy. BUT, I'm going to go ahead and post the recipe anyway (with no picture - too traumatic) because I’ve made this four or five times without any problems.

Please believe me - these turn out nicely. And Friday? I will post a recipe so tongue-pleasing, even the tongueless will cry with joy.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Teriyaki and Cilantro
Makes 4 servings
Adapted from Weight Watchers.

6 T (about 1/3 cup) teriyaki sauce
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-in. chunks
6 T (about 1/3 cup) fresh cilantro
Cooking spray

1) Heat oven to 400°F. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray.

2) In a medium bowl, combine teriyaki sauce and cilantro. Pour in sweet potatoes and stir to coat.

3) Place sweet potatoes on the prepped cookie sheet and roast 35 or 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. For the love of Pete, do not overcook.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
152 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.82

Calculations
6 T teriyaki sauce: 120 calories, 0 g fat, $0.45
2 large sweet potatoes: 486 calories, 0.7 g fat, $1.65
6 T (about 1/3 cup) fresh cilantro: 2 calorie, 0 g fat, $0.68
Cooking spray: negligible fat and calories, $0.05
TOTAL: 608 calories, 0.7 g fat, $3.28
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 152 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.82