344 Pounds: Weight Loss Accountability
Tyler, currently down 82 pounds, writes about the importance of having people there to help you along the weight-losing way. He doesn’t necessarily mean a support system, but rather folks who are depending on you to lose the poundage. Solid post on a not oft-seen topic. (Thanks to Casual Kitchen for the link.)
Associated Press: U.S. Food Pantries Struggle to Stay Stocked as More People FrequentThe recession has hit pantries particularly hard, with more and more hungry families are coming to them for help. Read of their difficulties here, and head over to Charity Navigator to find out how you can contribute. (Thanks to Serious Eats for the link.)
Chow: Cooking Green
Last week, Chow gave us a monster rundown on the art of the grill. This week, they tackle environmentally sound cooking, with similar triumphant results.
Chow: Too Poor for Drinks - Staying home is the new going out
News flash: broke drunk people are tippling in their own kitchens, rather than forking over $6 per pint at the local pub. But seriously, Three Buck Chuck is the new Cristal, everybody, and Chow has some fine tips on how to keep backyard boozing interesting. Get a game night going and drink up.
Eat Me Daily: Amanda Hesser to Michelle Obama - Get Back in the Kitchen
New York Times alum Hesser gets all up in the First Lady’s grill about her dislike of cooking. As if MO’s not busy enough with gardening and volunteering at soup kitchens and sustainable eating and health initiatives for kids and whatnot. Eat Me Daily chimes in with their view, summed up neatly by Gastropoda’s Regina Schrambling: “a woman’s place is not always in the kitchen.”
The Epi-Log: Quick and Healthy Recipes for Uncooked Pasta Sauces
Neat, quick recipe rundown for stove-less spaghetti toppings. Because sometimes, the kitchen’s too hot already.
Jezebel: 100-Calorie Pack Fad - Finally Finished
And not a moment too soon. Sales of 100-calorie packs have dipped precipitously in the last few months, with more shoppers finding them too expensive. Which … yeah. Eat two cookies and save yourself three bucks.
The Kitchn: Salad for Dinner - 7 Additions to Make it Filling
Summertime is salad time for many of us out there, and Kitchnites have some out-of-the-box suggestions to liven up our greens. Not included: fudge. Dang!
The Kitchn: Family Mealtime - Cooking for Babies
Neato guest post from Backseat Gourmet’s Cheryl on introducing new foods to your babe. (Note: your baby, not your foxy/hunky S.O.). The gist: make ‘em good eaters early, and you might not have to worry about it later on.
The Kitchn: Scavenger – Fabulous Finds from Coast to Coast
Ooo! I loved this post. While I’m sure most of the 25 Craigslist kitchen goods are gone by now, it’s a great reminder that you don’t have to buy new to buy well. Viva la classifieds!
Lifehacker: Make Your Refrigerator Far More EfficientRather than inject your crisper drawer with steroids, check these tips to optimize the inner workings of your most valuable appliance. (Next to the air conditioner, of course. Oh, August. How you oppress me.)
New York Times: Childhood - Food Allergies May Be Linked to Obesity
This is fascinating: “Researchers studying more than 4,000 children ages 2 to 19 ... [found] obese and overweight children were about 25 percent more likely to have one or more food allergies.” Remember, there’s a difference between correlation and causation, but these findings are something to seriously chew on.
New York Times: In This Subway Series, the Ballparks Offer Sushi vs. Steak Tacos
Queens, represent! The Bruni pits the Yankees versus the Mets in a battle for supreme ballpark cuisine, with Citifield coming out on top. YOU GOTTA BELIEVE … in Shake Shack burgers.
New York Times: Play With Your Food, Just Don’t Text!
I like to think I’m easygoing, but there are a few rude behaviors that drive me to drink, including: not giving pregnant ladies seats on the subway, nail clipping in public areas, customers who open packages to check merchandise and then immediately return the boxes to the shelves, and people who furtively text during dinner. Put the damn phone away and concentrate on your company, kid. (Also: get off my lawn!)
New York Times: Preserving Time in a Bottle (or a Jar)
There’s been a tremendous upswing in canning and jarring the last few years, even in metropolitan areas where storage is usually at a minimum. The Gray Lady examines the phenomenon.
New York Times: Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad
Ouch. While organic products are doing pretty well for agricultural engineers (a.k.a. farmers) all over, organic dairy farmers are the exception. A one-two punch of rising costs and the recession are putting many out of business.
The Pioneer Woman Cooks: PW Favorites
There are not enough OOOOOs in the world to express how happy I am that Ree comped her favorite recipes into an easy-to-access master list. So I’ll settle for one long one: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
San Francisco Gate: Gluten intolerance becoming more commonplace
Marion Nestle explores the recent uptick in celiac disease, the autoimmune disorder that makes people unable to digest wheat and certain other grains. The good parts: it’s easier to diagnose nowadays, and public eating areas (schools, work cafeterias, etc.) are increasingly able to handle the dietary restrictions. (Thanks to Serious Eats for the link.)
San Francisco Gate: Going vegan for a month
Amanda Berne, SFGate’s Accidental Vegetarian, recently went vegan for 30 days to find out what the deal was. While it was much harder eating out and food preparation took way longer than normal, she felt spectacularly healthy by the end, and counted it as a victory. Chalk one up for the seitanists. (Thanks to Serious Eats for the link.)
Seattle Times: Getting the most out of grilled chickenThe only thing in the world easier than last night’s Final Jeopardy question (answer: gravity) is burning the crap out of grilled chicken. Here, the Seattle Times lets us in on a few moistifying secrets. (Thanks to Serious Eats for the link.)
The Simple Dollar: Grocery Shopping 101 – Quantity Surcharges and 10 Products to Watch Out For
From tuna fish to baked beans to canned veggies, some foods simply aren’t worth buying in bulk. Trent gives us the heads up on these, plus seven more better-in-smaller-increments edibles.
The Simple Dollar: The Art of the Marinade: Making Inexpensive Foods Dazzlingly Tasty for Pennies
Much like the board game Blokus, the art of the marinade is easy to learn, but difficult to master. Fortunately, a few basic recipes and rules can help you on your way. Confucius say: he who soaks food in flavorful liquid will have flavorful food.
Slashfood: Salt – How much is too much?
Lots of good tips here. One they missed: taste food as you’re salting it – because there’s no better gauge of saltiness than your own tongue.
Wise Bread: Bargain Shopping 101
A.k.a. The Basics of Saving Money on Food
A.k.a. Elementary Supermarketing
A.k.a. A Wallet-Saving Work of Staggering Genius
Wise Bread: Supermarket Angst Part II: What Eggs Should I Buy?
Carrie Kirby researches egg labeling ("cage free," "with Omega 3," etc.) to find that almost none of it makes any difference whatsoever.
(Photos courtesy of Community Service Community Development, Latest Trends in Home Appliances, and Pollocompestreinc.com.)
