Watermelon Morning Refresher

I read somewhere that Jennifer Aniston drank this every morning as part of her detox diet so I thought I'd give it a try. After all, she looks amazing so this ought to do the trick for me right? ;-)  Well, I thought it sounded delicious anyway. I wake up each morning thirsty and tired and this drink was really a perfect fix for me! Watermelon is so light and crisp and the almond milk adds a bit of protein making it a wonderful, refreshing wake me up drink. I simply have this first thing in the morning and then a couple hours later have a light protein snack such as egg whites with veggies or a handful of nuts. I feel much less bogged down when I stick with this routine.

Remove rind from watermelon and chop into bite size pieces. Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. After a few hours, I put the frozen watermelon into baggies. This way, I can stumble half awake to the freezer and just grab a bag, throw the watermelon into my blender, add some unsweetend almond milk and presto, breakfast is served! My kids love this as a snack too. Perfect summer cooler.

* Buy your watermelons from Sprouts or a Farmers mrkt if you can.
I bought 2 big seedless watermelons for only $3!  They are 1 for $5 at Safeway and Fry's.

Unsweetened Almond milk is low in calories, contains several vitamins and is lactose free.

Saturday Throwback: Frugal Food Hacks - 10 Tricks to Simplifying Online Recipe Searches

Earlier this year, Casual Kitchen (my new favorite blog) posted a stupendous essay called How to Tell if a Recipe is Worth Cooking with Five Easy Questions. A phenomenal guide to recipe analysis, CK’s tips are invaluable whether you’re reading a cookbook, browsing the web, or picking through Grandma’s age-old dessert file. The post was so good, in fact, it inspired me to write a sequel of sorts – one focusing on simplifying online recipe searches.

See, combing the web for recipes can be a tricky venture. Between quasi-independent monsters (AllRecipes, Chow), corporate mega-sites (Cooking Light, Food Network) and neato personal blogs (The Wednesday Chef, A Good American Wife), there are literally millions of dishes to pick through. As taste is totally subjective, and reviews range from right-on to catastrophically misleading, there’s no easy way to discern the bad from the good.

Since I tend to take most of my food from the ‘net, I had to learn how to pick through the labyrinth quickly and efficiently. What follows, then, are a few self-spawned tricks to navigating the endless internet recipe abyss – guidelines to help you choose the cheapest, healthiest, er, good-est recipes ever. Hope they help. (And feel free to add more in the comments section!)

1) Be specific. Whether you’re googling a Coq au Vin or trying to pinpoint a butternut squash soup on AllRecipes, specificity is key to finding exactly what you want. Lots of the larger sites have some method of narrowing down the parameters of your hunt – an Ingredient Search, a Collection Search, or some way of marking off categories (Healthy, Course, etc.). If you’re starting big with Google or Yahoo, try to enter particular terms – the ingredient list, the preparation method, “light,” etc. The more specific you are, the more accurate the results will be.

2) Check the number of reviews. A recipe with 1,436 reviews and 1228 comments is infinitely less scary than one with two reviews and no comments. A large pool of reviewers means the dish has been around awhile, and it’s at least vaguely working. Helpful serving suggestions and/or useful substitutions are likely included within the comments. (This isn't to say, "Don't try new things," but rather, "If you're looking for a sure bet...")

3) Choose a recipe with a high rating. I find regular ol’ people (as opposed to high-falutin’ pro critics) are much more lenient on food. They’re just as likely to give five stars to a merely edible dish as they are to a meal that really knocks their socks off. So, when sampling from the AllRecipes, Epicurious, or Food Network sites, try not to use a recipe that has less than four stars / three forks. If you’re entertaining, make sure it has at least 4-1/2 (but it’s never a good idea to try a dish for the first time on guests, anyway).

4) Follow all Casual Kitchen’s advice. Once you find a tantalizing-looking recipe, read through it. Make sure you like and/or are willing to experiment with all the ingredients. Then, check to see if each one is readily available, either on hand or at the local store. After that, ensure you’re comfortable with both the prep time and the techniques employed. Finally, consider price and ease of big-batch cooking. If your potential meal hits all of these qualifications, it’s probably a winner.

5) Take suggestions to heart. If two-thirds of 254 reviewers think the sugar should be halved in a certain dish, go for it. Recipe writers can make mistakes sometimes, and reviewers are just the folks to correct them. But remember – majority rules. If Megdoodle from Monkeybutt, Kentucky likes quadruple the amount of red pepper in her chili, but 200 other commenters say the spice is just right, side with the 200.

6) Read/consider the available nutrition information. No one wants to serve their kids a lard casserole. When you’re scouting recipes, check to see if the calorie, fat, and fiber readings are included on the webpage. AllRecipes and Cooking Light do this consistently now, and you can occasionally find them on Epicurious and Food Network (with Ellie Krieger and Kathleen Daelemans, in particular). If dietary info isn’t available, try scanning the list for key words – “stick of butter,” “1/4 olive oil,” “fried,” etc. It’ll do your health better in the long run.

7) Stick with a chef you trust. If you’re a frequenter of the Food Network site or a big fan of Lidia Bastianich’s online collection, hang out with her cuisine for awhile. Make her classics. Work your way through her oeuvre. The same goes for personal blogs. I love and dream of emulating Orangette’s writing and cooking skill, and her food photos are absolutely to die for. Yet, I’ve tried a few dishes from her site (Butternut Squash Puree, Chickpea Salad, and Green Beans) and I don’t think our palates quite match up. On the flip side, Deb from Words to Eat By totally works for me. Her Amazon Cake, Pumpkin Bread, and alternate glaze for Barefoot Contessa’s Turkey Meatloaf put me squarely in her culinary corner. The moral is: all in all, finding a cook you trust is worth his/her weight in meatballs. That said …

8) Maybe avoid Sandra Lee (and other cooks who use too many prepared ingredients in their recipes).  Um ... Kwanzaa Cake. 'Nuff said.

9) Link baby, link. Cooking bloggers, in particular, are excellent sources for … yep, finding other excellent cooking bloggers. Once you find a chef/site you like, scroll through their link list. Odds are, someone just as awesome lies at the other of that URL.

10) Bank recipes. Find a recipe you like, but don’t have the ingredients on hand right that very minute? Start a Word file. Over time, you’ll amass dozens of dishes that caught your eye at one time or another, and it’ll make for easier rummaging down the line.

Have more ideas or suggestions for simplifying online recipe searches? The (comment) lines are open! We’re waiting for your call advice!

(Photo courtesy of Flickr.)

Veggie Might: How to Care for Cast Iron Cookware

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

Yesterday, Kris floored us with her Top 10 Kitchen Items list. So much good stuff—I use 6 of the 10 (pepper grinder, kitchen scale, food processor, bulk storage containers, tongs, and slow cooker) weekly, if not daily.

My choice of skillet, however, is cast iron all the way, and if I keep treating them properly, the two I have will be my nonstick pan of choice forever and ever, amen.

Growing up Southern, every kitchen I knew had a cast iron skillet for frying chicken and baking cornbread. It’s a versatile piece of cookware, which makes it great for tiny New York apartment. Once I started cooking again, after a long hiatus of take-out and junk food, the cast iron skillet was my first purchase.

Seasoning a Cast Iron Pan
If you’re starting out with a new cast iron pan, you’ll need to “season” it. Seasoning is essentially baking on a layer of oil to fill in any nicks or divots in the surface of the pan and create a protective layer that prevents rust. Season your new pan, even if it is “pre-seasoned.” If you’re salvaging an antique, seasoning will restore the beauty to its former glory.

The InterWeb is rich with tips for seasoning your cast iron pan. My tried and true method is a combo of Grandma/Dad/Mom’s and a trick I picked up on What’sCookingAmerica.com.

1) Clean the pan with a mild soap and hot water. Use a fine-grade steel wool, salt, baking soda, or this handy potato method from TheKitchn to remove rust. (See below.) Rinse and dry completely.

2) Pre-heat the oven to 350°. Line the bottom of the oven with a baking sheet or foil.

3) Coat the entire pan, inside and out (Thanks, WCA!), with vegetable shortening (or any neutral cooking oil). Wipe off the excess.

4) Turn the pan upside-down and place it in the oven. Bake for 45 minutes.

5) Remove the pan from the oven and wipe off the excess oil. Give the cooking surface (and sides) another coat of shortening, wiping off any excess. Return to oven for another 30–60 minutes.

6) Turn off the oven, open the door, and allow to cool a bit before removing the pan.

7) Again, wipe off the excess oil. Your cast iron pan is ready to use.

Seasoning can be repeated anytime your pan is getting a little sticky or funky. Acidic foods, like tomatoes, break down the coating. Also, water is the enemy. Case in point:

Last week, I left my 5” cast iron skillet on the counter next to the sink for a couple of days. In that time, I washed a couple of sink-loads of dishes and made several pots of tea, which I spilled repeatedly. (I’m a klutz.)

When I went to use my little pan for a quick egg breakfast, the entire underside was covered in rust. I cut a potato in half, sprinkled a little baking soda on the rusty area, and gave it a scrub. Seriously, I don’t know what it is about the potato, but combined with baking soda, it only took about three passes (slicing off the used bits of potato each time) and 10 minutes for all the rust to disappear—even from those little grooves. (Tip: If you’re in the market for a cast iron pan, don’t get one with little grooves on the bottom.)

Even though the cooking surface looked okay, I re-seasoned the pan anyway (coating the inside AND outside). Now it’s back in action, and the outside is way more rust-resistant.

Cleaning and Maintaining a Cast Iron Pan
There is much debate over whether or not to use soap on a cast iron pan. It all depends on your comfort. I am squarely in the no-soap camp, but do what feels right for you. You just may need to re-season more frequently.

1) Clean your cast iron pan immediately after cooking. Letting food sit, particularly acidic foods, will break down the coating you’ve worked so hard to build.

2) Rinse with hot water and remove any debris with a natural fiber or plastic scrub brush. Do not use metal on cast iron—scrubbers or utensils. You can prevent metal on metal crime.

3) Dry immediately and thoroughly. Lingering water = rust. I usually put the pan back on the stove for a minute to cook off any renegade droplets.

4) Since it’s back on the stove, apply a thin, thin, thin layer of oil to the cooking surface. Heat for a few minutes; wipe off the excess; and store in a cool, dry place.

Cooking with Cast Iron
The more often you cook with your cast iron skillet, the more nonstick it will become. Eventually, you’ll only need a little bit of oil for even eggs to just slide right off the pan.

Plus, as I said before, cast iron cookware is versatile. It can go from the stovetop to the oven and handle both like a champ: sauté up a mess o’ greens and then bake a batch corn bread. You can pretty much do anything with a cast iron pan.

Cast iron cookware may seem like a lot of work, but the investment in time and care is worth the return you’ll get in durability, functionality, and longevity. This is cookware you can pass down through generations.

Can I get an Amen?

~~~

If you liked this ditty, you may like

• 10 Essential Kitchen Items for the Healthy Cook
• Desert Island Gadgets
• HOW Old Is That Oatmeal? When to Clean Out the Pantry

Tossed Summer Salad

Super simple, very fresh, totally healthy summer salad. Perfect for a light lunch, snack or side dish. Now is the time to get beautiful delicious tomatoes and velvety avacados! I throw a huge handful of parsley into this salad, don't skimp on the parsley! Cucumbers give this salad a bit of crunch. For the dressing, I simply squeezed a lemon over the tossed salad and drizzled a bit of grape seed oil, then finished it off with fresh ground black pepper.

Health Info

Avacados are chock full of monounsaturated fat (good fat), avocados deliver a double-barreled blast to LDL cholesterol (the bad kind). They are also rich in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin that helps lower the levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that can hinder the flow of blood through blood vessels.
Avocados are one of the super foods!






Parsley:


A sprig of parsley can provide much more than a decoration on your plate. Parsley contains two types of unusual components that provide unique health benefits. The first type is volatile oil components-including myristicin, limonene, eugenol, and alpha-thujene. The second type is flavonoids-including apiin, apigenin, crisoeriol, and luteolin.




Promote Optimal Health


Parsley's volatile oils-particularly myristicin-have been shown to inhibit tumor formation in animal studies, and particularly, tumor formation in the lungs. Myristicin has also been shown to activate the enzyme glutathione-S-transferase, which helps attach the molecule glutathione to oxidized molecules that would otherwise do damage in the body. The activity of parsley's volatile oils qualifies it as a "chemoprotective" food, and in particular, a food that can help neutralize particular types of carcinogens (like the benzopyrenes that are part of cigarette smoke and charcoal grill smoke).




A Rich Source of Anti-Oxidant Nutrients


The flavonoids in parsley-especially luteolin-have been shown to function as antioxidants that combine with highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules (called oxygen radicals) and help prevent oxygen-based damage to cells.
In addition to its volatile oils and flavonoids, parsley is an excellent source of two vital nutrients that are also important for the prevention of many diseases: vitamin C and vitamin A.




Vitamin C has many different functions. It is the body's primary water-soluble antioxidant, rendering harmless otherwise dangerous free radicals in all water-soluble areas of the body. High levels of free radicals contribute to the development and progression of a wide variety of diseases, including atherosclerosis, colon cancer, diabetes, and asthma. This may explain why people who consume healthy amounts of vitamin C-containing foods have reduced risks for all these conditions. Vitamin C is also a powerful anti-inflammatory agent, which explains its usefulness in conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. And since vitamin C is needed for the healthy function of the immune system, it can also be helpful for preventing recurrent ear infections or colds.


Beta-carotene, another important antioxidant, works in the fat-soluble areas of the body. Diets with beta-carotene-rich foods are also associated with a reduced risk for the development and progression of conditions like atherosclerosis, diabetes, and colon cancer. Like vitamin C, beta-carotene may also be helpful in reducing the severity of asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. And beta-carotene is converted by the body to vitamin A, a nutrient so important to a strong immune system that its nickname is the "anti-infective vitamin."




Parsley for a Healthy Heart
Parsley is a good source of folic acid, one of the most important B vitamins.
Protection against Rheumatoid Arthritis
Vitamin C-rich foods, such as parsley, provide humans with protection against inflammatory polyarthritis, a form of rheumatoid arthritis involving two or more joints. You can't get this from supplements!

10 Essential Kitchen Items for the Healthy Cook

Our May Top 10 series continues! Check out other installments, 10 Cheap Ways to Simplify Food Shopping, 10 Ways to Eat Less Meat, and 10 Cheap Shortcuts to Making Cooking Oh-So-Much Easier.

A healthy cook’s kitchen is much like any other. There are probably some pots, a few pans, a spatula, and, mysteriously, 48,000 whisks. There might be a chef’s knife among the cutlery, and a splotch of tomato sauce on the floor. Somewhere, maybe behind the spice rack or in a rarely used thermos, lies a king-sized bag of guilty pleasure M&Ms.

However, upon deeper inspection, there are differences between the two galleys. Foremost among the cookware lies a large nonstick skillet. Claiming places of prominence in the utensil drawer are a zester and pack of wooden skewers. Bizarrely, there’s a food scale in the liquor cabinet. (Because seriously, where else do you put that thing?)

Lighter cooking doesn’t have to involve a lot of pricey additional gear, but there are a few pieces of inexpensive, multi-purpose equipment that can undoubtedly make the venture a bit easier. These are my ten picks, garnered from eons and epochs and ages (Note: a coupla years) of healthy-type meal prep. Some would appear in any well-stocked kitchen. Others are specific to us nutritionally-minded folks.

Readers, what would you add? What would you leave off? Aren’t microplane graters the best? Seriously, I could run away to Tahiti with one.

1) Large nonstick skillet with lid
I love Calphalon pans, but they require a good amount of oil and butter to prevent food from sticking. On the other hand, my 13-year-old, 12-inch nonstick barely needs any at all. A little dab of olive oil is enough for most veggies and meats. Not to mention, its sheer size is perfect for a plethora of healthy one-dish meals.

2) Pepper grinder
An important part of healthy cooking is creating maximum flavor without adding too much extra fat or too many calories. For this, salt and pepper are absolutely vital. And while there isn’t a huge difference between mass-produced salts, the same isn’t true for their black-n-gray partners. Freshly ground peppercorns are far superior to dusty, pre-ground supermarket pepper, in both taste and intensity. Find a durable, inexpensive, hand-operated grinder online (Amazon is a good place to start) and get cranking.

3) Microplane zester/grater
Along the same lines, a handheld microplane zester is fantastic for upping your flavor factor. Mulched garlic, grated nutmeg, finely shredded parmesan, and rasped citrus all have a place on its resumé, and it’s really fun to hold. Having one makes me feel like Mario Batali. (Note: Minus the hair.)

4) Food scale
Owning a food scale may not seem useful outside a regimented diet, but hear me now and believe me later: they’re spectacular for gauging portion sizes, no matter how you eat. Four ounces of meat can be difficult to eyeball, but stick that baby on a food scale and *poof*, you’re good to go. Plus, scales are great for measuring exact weights for more accurate recipe reproduction. Grab a cheap-o mechanical version, and you’ll never puzzle over half a pound of penne again.

5) Stick blender
Let’s talk about blender explosions. You know the drill: you ladle a few cups of hot soup in for a puree, you hit the “chop” button, and BLAMMO, there’s butternut squash all over your counter, your walls, and *ouch* your now-blistering hand. Don’t worry, sweet reader. A stick blender will make all that badness go away. Spectacular for healthy soups and purees, it does all the work of a regular blender, without the hospital bills. Cleanup is way easier, as well, and bargain buys tend to perform as well as pricier pieces in reviews.

6) Steamer basket
Soggy vegetables are the bane of humanity. Boiling or over-nuking them can have this unfortunate effect. BUT. Imagine chowing down on crisp, tender, colorful vegetables less than five minutes after turning on your stove’s burner. A $10 metal steamer basket will perform this miracle, and cure your cat of lockjaw. (Note: Only one of those last two statements are true.)

7) Food processor
When you think “food processor,” what’s the first image that comes to mind? Is it a 20-cup monster used for commercial baking? Is it an impossible-to-clean leviathan that takes up 70% of your counter space? Is it an airplane propeller? (Er … weirdo.) Never fear, my friends. Essential for light sauces, dips, salsas, pestos, and other flavorful mixtures, these champions of chop can be found small, cheap, and well-made online. A few minutes (seriously, that’s it) of searching will give your knife calluses a much-needed rest.

8) Bulk storage
Whole foods (as opposed to processed ones) are the cornerstone of healthy eating. Frequently, this means cooking and baking with grains, dried beans, lentils, whole-wheat flour, and a multitude of other items that can be purchased cheaper en masse. Subsequently, having convenient, airtight, bug-resistant storage at hand is highly suggested. You don’t have to buy 20-gallon bins or anything, but a few good OXO or Snapware jars can be just the ticket.

9) Skewers
Fast, high-heat methods of cooking like broiling and grilling don’t generally require a boatload of extra cooking oil, which is nice. Usually, you need just enough to keep food from sticking to a grate. Beyond that, skewers are nice to have. Because:

• They make smaller cuts of meat look gigantic.
• They promote even cooking.
• They’re cheap as heck.
• It is proven scientific fact (by me) that everything tastes 200% to 300% better when stuck on a stick. Give a kid a tomato, he’ll throw it at the dog. Put a tomato on a stick, and he’ll ask for seventh helpings.

Note: I use metal skewers, but mah friend Rachel prefers wooden. If you buy the latter, be aware they tend to burn at the ends unless you soak ‘em first.

10) Tongs, kitchen shears, and a slow cooker (TIE).
These three items are common to most kitchens, but I’m listing them anyway. Why? Well, I use the first two almost everyday, for everything. The latter is helpful when I’m in a rush and need big portions of light food with little effort. I suspect families might use it pretty frequently, too.

And with that, sweet readers, I leave it to you. Is there anything about this list you’d change? I dare you to comment on it. (MUHAHAHAHA!)

(Photos from Sur La Table [zester], Skillet Cookware [skillet], Amazon [food scale and canister].)

~~~

If you enjoy this piece, you might also quite like:

• Dessert Island Gadgets
• Finding Quality Kitchen Equipment on the Cheap
• Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Equipment

Rosemary Filone Bread

My very own beautiful crusty bread.   *sniff snifff, who thought I'd ever be baking bread???

My friend Jason travels all over the world backpacking, lucky duck! He is also an amazing cook and shares my obsession with food and food photography. He sent me this amazing artisan bread recipe from Verona, Italy. It's called Rosemary Filone Bread. It requires 8-16 hours for the Biga (starter) to develop and rise, so prepare for that. It is well worth the wait! This is by far the best bread I have ever had. It has a wonderful, golden, crust and a light, airy middle. I didn't even follow the directions exactly and it was still wonderful. I was making it for a friend and ran out of time, so I only let it rise for about half of the required time. Also, I don't have a bakers stone *sigh.... so I had to bake it on a baking sheet. If you do this too, I suggest immediately placing the finished loaves of bread on a rack to cool so they don't "sweat".


The first few times I made bread I didn't have the water temperature warm enough so my yeast didn't activate . The water should be pretty warm, but NOT hot on your wrist. You need to let the yeast water set aside for at least 10 minutes to activate, it should be slightly "foamy" and have little bubbles if it's happy.


This last time I made the filone with whole roasted garlic cloves and cracked pepper.
 Oh, heaven; filone be thoust name! Perfectly crusty and airy and so very rustic tasting. I ate it the following day with some fresh goat cheese sprinkled with chives and strawberries .

Can you think of a better snack? I sure can't.




MAKING THE BIGA (9-17 hours before you want to bake)

1/3 c water, tepid (70-78 degrees)
1/2 t instant yeast
2/3 unbleached all-purpose flour
1. Pour the water into a small mixing bowl.
2. Stir in yeast and flour with a rubber spatula until a dough forms.
3. Dust work area with flour and knead 1-2 minutes or until fairly smooth.
4. Put dough in lightly oiled mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and leave at room temp (70-75 degrees) 1 hour. (5:30pm/6:30pm).
5. Then refrigerate at least 8 and up to 16 hours. The biga will double in volume (4:30am/12:30pm).
The biga can be left in a warm place to mature for 6 hours, refrigerated for up to 3 days, or frozen up to 3 months.

Jeanne, from Simple Math Bakery was kind enough to share these pictures of her Biga. She has several other wonderful recipes on her site, please check them out!

This is after sitting in the fridge all night.

MIXING THE DOUGH
1-1/3 c water, tepid (70-78 degrees)
1 t instant yeast
3-1/4 unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 c extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 c fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
2-1/4 t sea salt
1. Remove biga from refrigerator and scrape into large bowl.
2. Mix yeast and water together. Pour mixture over biga and stir with rubber spatula to soften and break it into clumps.
3. Stir in flour, olive oil, rosemary, and salt until a dough forms.

after the first rise....

KNEADING THE DOUGH
By hand: knead dough with steady strokes until it's silky, smooth, and elastic, 13-15 minutes.
By machine: mix dough on medium speed (4 on a KitchenAid) with dough hook until it's silky, smooth, and elastic, 10-12 minutes.

Check that the dough is well developed by pulling off a golf ball sized piece and stretching it into an opaque windowpane. If dough tears, knead for an additional 2-3 minutes and test again.
NOTE: you may need to keep adding flour 1/4 cup at a time until a manageable ball forms.


FERMENT THE DOUGH
Transfer dough to a lightly oiled, clear 2-quart container with a lid. Mark the container at the level the dough will reach when it has doubled in volume with tape. Cover and leave to rise at room temp (70-75 degrees) until it doubles in volume, 1-1/2 to 2 hours. When you press your finger into dough, the fingerprint should spring back slowly.

...and after two hours of rising.

PREPARE THE OVEN
About 1 hour before baking, place a baking stone on middle rack and heat at 400 degrees.


DIVIDE AND SHAPE LOAVES
Cover a baker's peel or rimless baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly dust it with flour. Cut dough into 2 equal pieces with a bench scraper or chef's knife. Shape each piece into a log about 12" long and place seem side down about 3" apart.
NOTE: To shape the log, start with a small rectangle (3"x5"). Fold into thirds, like a letter. First, fold the long top edge down, then fold the bottom edge up. Seal the seam by pressing gently with the palm of your hand. Fold the whole thing in half again, by bringing the long top edge down to the bottom edge. Seal again with your palm. Starting in the middle, gently roll the log until it is about 12" long (make sure it will still fit on your baking stone).

PROOF THE LOAVES
Cover with plastic wrap and let logs rise at room temp (70-75 degrees) until they spread and look puffy and light, nearly doubling in size, 45-60 minutes. Press your fingertips into dough and your fingerprint will spring back slowly.

BAKE THE LOAVES
Slide the logs, including the parchment, onto the baking stone. Bake until the logs are dark caramel in color, 30-40 minutes.


with Organic Goat Cheese & Strawberries

Enjoy with cheese and fruit, soup, sandwiches or french bread pizza.

Stay Healthy and Check out the June Issue of Natural Muscle Magazine

HI READERS!!!!

My Stay Healthy Recipe for Grilled Tilapia is featured on page 46 in the June issue of Natural Muscle Magazine. Again, this is an easy recipe and you can be sitting down enjoying the fabulous flavors in less than 30 minutes. No excuses for NOT HAVING THE TIME...I just do not accept that from you. Everyone has busy lives and WE ALL HAVE TO EAT....and EATING RIGHT is the key to good health, happiness, feeling good, increased energy, stamina, stress relief...and the list goes on and on. So check out the link below and start Staying Healthy TODAY:)

http://www.myvirtualpaper.com/doc/total-health/june10virtual/2010052201/

I always look forward to receiving comment on the recipes.


Stay Healthy!!!!
Darla Benfield, LCPT, LCMT
www.stayhealthyfitness.com

Ask the Internet: How to Handle Food Cravings?

This week’s question comes from reader Elizabeth:

Q: I try to eat healthy as much as I can, but after a long day at work, I sometimes crave something sweet and/or want take-out. I try to do this in moderation by limiting how often I eat them, but I'm never sure if I'm indulging too often.

I've learned where I can alter a recipe to make it a lot healthier, but there are some things that just aren't the same made light or in small portions (chocolate chip cookies come to mind).

So, how do you handle cravings?

A: Good question, Elizabeth, and thanks for writing in. Cravings are tricky little things, and I use a few different strategies to vanquish them. Sometimes, I straight up indulge. Healthy eating is great, but it should never turn into deprivation, and if I really want some M&Ms, I’m gonna eat a small bag. Waistline be danged.

Other times, I try to find a lower-calorie substitute. For example, Asian-style noodles are my lifeblood, but I know they’re not really meant to be a snack. Instead, I prep a small bowl of Mark Bittman’s Oatmeal with Scallions and Soy Sauce, and sprinkle it with a little toasted sesame oil. It sates my cravings for salt and carbs without going overboard with calories and fat. Fruit is wonderful for this if your cravings tend to be a little sweeter.

Finally, when during shopping trips, I avoid foods I tend to crave. ‘Cause I know if that carton of Ben & Jerry’s gets into my freezer, it’ll be gone by week’s end. (Note; This is much harder with wine.)

Readers, how about you? How do you claim victory over your cravings? Do tell.

(Photo from Sharkride.)

Want to ask the interweb a question? Post one in the comment section, or write to cheaphealthygood@gmail.com. Then, tune in next Tuesday for an answer/several answers from the good people of the World Wide Net.

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers and Me

Today on Serious Eats: Lemon Yogurt Mousse. You’ll like it better than the finale of Lost. At the very least, it will make you cry less.

Last night, like every other island-obsessed J.J. Abrams acolyte on our big blue marble, the Husband-Elect’s television (and by proxy, mine) was turned to LOST. We had a few friends over, as well – all LOST fans, all of whom were overjoyed by the re-appearance of a certain … er, no spoilers here. But, needless to say, I’ve never seen people react like that to anything besides A) the 1980 U.S.-Russia Olympic hockey final, B) the birth of their children, or C) V-E Day.

I’ve only caught on to LOST in the last year or so, and only because Husband-Elect lets me change it to Biggest Loser during the commercials. So, while my friends and future spouse were alternately jumping for joy and wiping away tears, I was all like, “Who’s that lady?” “How did they all get guns?” and “Why is that guy wearing so much eyeliner?” It’s a tribute to my associates’ great humor and infinite patience that nobody punched me in the neck.

Before the beginning of the end, the five of us had a pre-summer cookout. There were hot dogs, Greek Orzo Salad, White Bean Dip, and perhaps most importantly, Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers. I’ve been on a huge Portobello kick lately, for a few different reasons:

1. We’ve been buying less (and better) meat, and need substantial substitutes. Since they’re meaty and adaptable to just about any flavor, Portobello caps make excellent stand-ins.
2. Though pricier than other veggies, Portobellos are still cheaper than most meats. 
3. They cook lightning fast, so dinner is on the table in a few minutes.
4. Oh man, are these things ever healthy.
5. So … I carry my groceries home from the supermarket. And I have a great tendency to overestimate my upper body strength, which is roughly that of a malnourished pygmy marmoset’s. The mushrooms are nice and light, and they compensate for the 40 cans of tomatoes I trick myself into believing I can muscle home.

Last week, it was Blue Cheese Portobello Mushroom Burgers. This week, I wanted to try something where the cheese wasn’t the star of the show. Hailing from All Recipes, this highly rated dish fit the bill. It used a simple marinade of Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, dried herbs, salt and pepper to create a savory, striking flavor. Reviewers didn’t seem to make many changes, either, so I prepared the ‘shrooms exactly as prescribed.

Happily, all four of the LOST fans loved it. If they were stuck on a weird tropical island with a polar bear, a smoke monster, and a troupe of curiously clean and un-injured airplane crash survivors … well, honestly, they’d probably go with a machete over a mushroom, but the burger would be a close second.

Speaking of which, where did they get all those weapons? And how did they eat? And what did that Ben guy do to deserve all those beatings? And...

~~~

If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy:

• Cremini Mushrooms, Roasted Red Peppers, and Feta on Ciabatta Bread
• Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms
• Veggie Burgers

~~~

Grilled Portobello Burgers
Serves 4.
Adapted from All Recipes.

4 Portobello mushroom caps, stemmed and wiped clean
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 whole wheat hamburger rolls
A few sliced tomatoes (optional)
Lettuce leaves (optional)
Reduced-fat crumbled feta cheese (optional)

1) In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano, together. Salt and pepper to taste.

2) Preheat grill.

3) Spread out caps, gill-side-down, in a 9x13” glass baking dish. Pour marinade over mushrooms. Brush caps with marinade to get any spots you missed. Let sit 15 minutes, flipping twice, brushing both times.

4) Grill mushrooms 10 to 16 minutes over medium-high heat, flipping once halfway through. When cooked, pile on toasted rolls with lettuce, tomato, and feta cheese if desired.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
96 calories, 7 g fat, 1.5 g fiber, 2.3 g protein, $1.28

Calculations
4 Portobello mushroom caps, stemmed: 87 calories, 0.7 g fat, 5 g fiber, 8.4 g protein, $4.40
1/4 cup Balsamic vinegar: 40 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.30
2 tablespoons olive oil: 239 calories, 27 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.23
1 tablespoon minced garlic: 13 calories, 0 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, 0.5 g protein, $0.12
1 teaspoon dried basil: 2 calories, 0 g fat, 0.3 fiber, 0.1 protein, $0.02
1 teaspoon dried oregano: 3 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.4 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.02
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.02
TOTAL: 384 calories, 27.8 g fat, 5.9 g fiber, 9.1 g protein, $5.11
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 96 calories, 7 g fat, 1.5 g fiber, 2.3 g protein, $1.28

Breakfast "eggie muffins"

makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:


8 ounces turkey or chicken breakfast sausage, removed from casing

1 teaspoon cooking oil

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion

1 cup spinach leaves, chopped small

1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped small

1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

8 eggs

1 cup 1% milk


* Use whatever veggies you have on hand. Try to use a variety of veggies to introduce your kids to them in a fun way. Red bell peppers have been a hard veggie to get my little ones to eat. I just keep adding them to meals again and again. Sometimes they eat them without a fuss, sometimes after trying them... again, they still pick them out. After seeing them over and over, they now know what they are. My 5 year old recently informed my 3 year old that red bell peppers are NOT spicy, they are good for you and will make him strong like daddy. Ahhhh, perseverance pays off eventually!

Preparation:

*When I made these, I sprayed the muffin tin generously with cooking spray. Big mistake! It took forever to clean out the tin. Next time I will definitely be using muffin/cupcake liners! These were really very yummy, and the kids were happy to eat something that they made "all by themselves".

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool. Add oil to the pan. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
Let your kids whisk the eggs and milk in a their own medium bowls. Divide the egg mixture evenly among the prepared muffin cups.

Put chopped veggies in little bowls. Give your children a Tablespoon for scooping and sprinkling veggies into each cup. My kids love creating their very own "eggie muffins". Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of each eggie.

Bake until the tops are just beginning to brown, 25 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Use a spoon to scoop the eggies out of pan.

* Serve with avocado slices to get your MUFA!!! Monounsaturated fats are "good fats", essential to a healthy diet. You've probably heard about them lately as aiding in the loss of belly fat. They also help lower your glycemic index when eaten before a meal. They also lower your bad cholesterol and raise your good cholesterol. They are good for your heart and circulatory system.

Nutrition Info

based on eggs, milk, cheese, turkey sausage and spinach.

Per eggie: 90 calories; 5 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 105 mg cholesterol; 3 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 9 g protein; 0 g fiber; 217 mg sodium; 108 mg potassium.

Saturday Throwback: Picky, Picky - Frugal, Healthy Menu Ideas for a Fussy Crowd

Every Saturday, we post a sweet little piece from the CHG archives. This week, we journey back to September 2007...  

Recently, my old roommate R and I had a few friends over for dinner and Game Night. (Apples to Apples! It’s the funnest.) Problem was, we didn’t know what to serve. Here’s why. (This is not a joke.)

• H is a vegetarian, and was pregnant at the time.
  
  
• F is mostly vegetarian, with some exceptions. He hates ginger, cake, and honey.
  
  
• D loathes vegetables, and eats pasta almost exclusively.
  
  
• S won’t touch an endangered animal. (This actually rules out a lot of fish.)
  
  
• R is allergic to dairy and was on Weight Watchers.
  
  
• K (that’s me!) was also on Weight Watchers, and in descending order of disgustingness, will not eat/drink: mayonnaise, anise, figs, scallops, cauliflower, radishes, ginger ale, sloppy joes, or any casserole with crunchy onions on top.
  
  
• J and M are easygoing, normal people who will generally consume anything, up to and including dolphins.

Planning a thrifty, nutritional meal for this crowd was harder than listening to a Yoko Ono album, but we managed using a few hard-learned, easily-executed strategies. From classy dinner parties to impromptu barbecues, here’s how you can too:

IF YOU’RE D.I.Y.

Start with starches. Inexpensive, versatile, and low in fat, pasta, rice, potatoes, and noodles can be the starting point and main component to hundreds and hundreds of dishes. Relatively flavorless, they’re not too scary, either. Make a big, plain pile and give your guests three different sauces/broths to choose from. And on that note …

Sauce it up. Whether it’s penne, pork, or potatoes, sauces make everything infinitely more delicious. Cook a single base food, like chicken, and present your friends with multiple sauce options. Maybe a tomato concoction? Or a low-fat pesto? How about something a little more lemony? Pair it with a starch and a simple veggie, and voila! Victory.

Needless to say, have a buffet. Make five big plates of food, including at least two main dishes. They can be as simple (mashed potatoes, honey-roasted carrots) or as complicated (Basic Beef Stew with Carrots and Mushrooms) as you like, and friends can pick and choose their favorites. Planned carefully, it’s a please-everybody healthfest for a nominal price.

Sweat the small stuff. Main course add-ons like bread, olives, cut-up vegetables, and small blocks of cheese can round out a plate and fill guests up without putting a massive dent in your wallet. Since they’re relatively free of seasonings and fancy preparations, finicky diners will be less afraid, too. In fact, if you’re big into finger foods, maybe …

Try a tapas-type meal. Instead of a few large dishes, give a bunch of smaller ones a shot. This way, you can satisfy your cooking jones, appeal to the Choosy Ones, keep several dishes in the Healthy Zone (not unlike the Twilight Zone), and blow as little or as much as you like. Some suggestions: bruschetta (the real stuff), melon wrapped in prosciutto, fruit skewers, finger-sized sandwiches, chicken mini-bites, or slices of turkey or chicken sausages.

Get fruity. Even the pickiest of eaters might go for a banana. Serving melon salad, homemade applesauce, or fruit salsa is a low-risk, high-reward venture, like sleeping or swimming in jello. Buying in season keeps it under budget, and it works wonders for dessert, too.

Set out some soup. One of the easiest, classiest, thriftiest ways of sating a battalion of visitors is ladling soup into their gaping maws. For choosy eaters, keep it simple or provide a selection of two. Butternut squash soup and egg drop soup are just a pair of delectable, low-priced ideas.

Load up on condiments. Ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce, brown sauce, fat-free mayo, relish, soy sauce, wasabi, teriyaki sauce, fat-free dressings, chutneys, honey, honey mustard, peanut butter, hummus, duck sauce, and dipping sauces give guests an inexpensive range of options without forcing them into a decision. Really, it’s like supporting democracy.

Make breakfast. Maybe it’s not the classiest meal option, but a morning-themed dinner could excite less demanding taste buds. Eggs, omelets, healthy muffins, light casseroles, toast, hash browns, turkey bacon, and fruit salad are healthy building blocks of a growing boy/girl/hermaphrodite’s diet. (Nix on the cereal, though. There are limits.)

Tell them it’s BYO (Build Your Own). Whether it’s Sandwich Night, Pizza Night, Salad Night – really, any Night – people like food better when they have a say about what goes in it. Have a Burrito Night and pretend you’re Chipotle. Put out bowls of chopped tomatoes, diced green peppers, shredded lettuce, refried beans, low-fat shredded cheese, crumbly meats, salsa, rice, mole sauce, and let partakers construct their own repast. Everyone will think you’re a genius.

Cook crappy foods differently. “Many picky eaters choose high-calorie, low-nutrient foods and little else,” say experts. If your guests are fans of cheap, fatty foods like pizza, french fries, and hamburgers (see my friend D), try making healthier versions. Baked fries, lean burgers, and coal-oven style pizza are delicious, easy, and frugal.

Win points with creativity. Whether it’s planning a theme (Oscar Night), giving your foods silly names (Dame Judi Dench’s Supporting Rolls), or making a special drink (Roberto Benigni-tini), simple imagination can jazz up a frugal meal and goad finicky company into trying new things. Sound ridiculous? Maybe it is, but what works for kids often works for adults. Check out In Style Parties or Amy Sedaris’ I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence for ideas.

IF YOU DON’T MIND SOME HELP

Try a potluck. Friends and family will bring their favorite foods, and it doesn’t cost you a dime. Make sure to coordinate the menu items though, or you’ll end up with five plates of brownies and no main dish. For a healthy twist, have a make-your-own salad station to go with everything.

Have guests bring the wine. For me anyway, alcohol is fundamental. When Trader Joe’s is closed and you haven’t thought far enough in advance to use Wine.com, there’s no shame in asking attendees to provide the booze. If there’s a concern about health issues, make a non-alcoholic alternative or read this article: Researchers Say Pigments Make Red Wine Helpful to Hearts.

Do a Progressive. Really, this is more of a group effort and significantly easier for folks who live within walking distance, but if each participant hosts a course (appetizer, soup, main course, dessert, etc.) everyone saves cash and eats something they like. Plus, it’s a neat experience and your dish can be as healthy as you want it.

Remember: ordering out is not a sin. In some cases, it defeats the whole purpose of frugality and cooking. In others, it’s a valuable crutch for when you don’t have the time, inclination, or extra ingredients lying around. Go ahead and grab a quart of wonton soup. Don’t fear (the reaper) the pound of edamame. Embrace the take-out naan. As long as it’s within reason, it’s not cheating.

EXTRA TIPS

When in doubt, don’t mention it’s healthy. While the Weight Watchers fans will love you for it, choosier folks automatically equate nutritious food with having a mouth enema. If you can pass off tofu cheesecake, tomato guacamole, or tomato sauce rife with pureed bell peppers, for the love of god, keep quiet.

Look for sales. Devising a group meal around sales in Supermarket Circulars can save you a bundle of cash, and the produce section is particularly helpful for economically-priced seasonal dishes.

Start planning early. Last-minute smorgasbords for selective people are incredibly difficult to pull off without spending a bundle. It tends to be when health concerns go out the window, as well. The sooner you map out a menu, the better. If your company has religious or allergy-related food restrictions, this is a helpful guide from the Butler’s Guild (!).

But don’t go nuts. Picky and special-needs eaters are used to having low-to-zero dining options, so any effort made in their direction will most likely be welcomed. When push comes to shove, your pregnant vegan friend can make do with a fruit salad, and the onion-hating cousin is just fine with roasted sweet potatoes. Making 46,000 different dishes to satisfy an equal number of tastes is expensive overkill. However, remember …

Be frugal without being a cheap bastard. Frugal is passing on the caviar while looking for a deal on the pork. Cheap is buying coal grey meat packaged during the Carter Administration. While saving money is admirable, cutting too many financial corners will have a negative affect on both your food and your friends’ regard for you.

Sources

• “Children and picky eating (adults, too).” Anorexia Nervosa and Related Eating Disorders. http://www.anred.com/childpick.html.
  
  
• Delp, Valerie. “Sneaky Mama’s Top 9 Tips for Picky Eaters.” Families.com. food.families.com/blog/sneaky-mamas-top-9-tips-for-picky-eaters. August 2006.
  
  
• “Picky Eater Dinner Guests.” Serious Eats. www.seriouseats.com/talk/2007/07/pickyeater-dinner-guests.html. July 2007.

Top 10 Links of the Week: 5/14/10 – 5/20/10

The links today are like David Bowie, my friends. They start out groundbreaking and a little offbeat, get better as you go along, begin experimenting with androgyny and heroin, eventually marry Iman, and then remain hot well into their '60s. (Um ... lost the metaphor in there somewhere.)

1) Get Rich Slowly: What You Can Learn From Baby Boomer Blunders
It’s pretty rare that we highlight a post that’s not really about food, but I think this one’s important. I’m at the tail end of Generation X, and my parents are Boomers. Sometimes, it’s difficult to convey to their peers how personal finance has changed for my age group over the last ten years. Pensions, guaranteed health insurance, and fail-safe home equity are largely things of the past. This post takes a nice step towards explaining the shift, the consequences, and how they affect everybody.

2) Woman’s Day: 15 Most Bizarre Diets in History
Remember the good ol’ days, when Lucky Strikes, tapeworm, and not living near a swamp were promoted as legitimate methods of weight control? I don’t. But mark my words, that damn cookie diet will be on this list in a few years. (Photo from Wikipedia.)

3) Get Rich Slowly: Busting the Myths - Why Coupons Are a Valuable Part of Your Financial Arsenal
In this smart guest post, Deal-Seeking Mom Tara Kuczykowski tears down your long-held mental barriers to couponing. Favorites include: Buying generic is always cheaper (FALSE), you save more at warehouse stores (FALSEY FALSE FALSE), and you can’t be brand loyal and save money (FALS … hmm … okay, FALSE).

4) Mark Bittman: Want Sustainable Sushi? Follow the 4-S Rule.
It ain’t cheap, but sushi is healthy, good, and a much-loved occasional treat in our household. (Mmm … mackerel.) These quartet of terrific tips will help you choose raw fish that’s a tad more environmentally friendly.

5) New York Times: A TV Cook’s Next Serving? Cuomo Family Style
On one hand, Sandra Lee is a self-made, smart, hard-working woman, who as New York’s first lady, would undoubtedly make a good fundraiser for my financially-strapped home state. On the other hand, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

6) Casual Kitchen: How to Get the Benefits of Organic Foods Without Paying Through the Nose
Really liked this whole post, but #2 intrigues me the most: “Don't assume that food lacking an organic label is grown unethically or unhealthily.” While we should still be pretty careful about washing and such, if you’re buying from local sources or favorite farmstands, you might not have to worry about as many (or any) harmful pesticides.

7) Dude, Where’s the Stove: Finding Low-Cost Recipes
Lookin’ for blogs with inexpensive recipes? (HERE. WE HAVE THEM HERE.) Dude’s compiled a sweet little roundup that should sate your cheap eats needs. (Thanks to Casual Kitchen for the link.)

8) The Atlantic: Today's Food Companies - The Quick and the Dead
Have you heard the news? Major players within the food industry have pledged to cut 1.5 trillion calories from production over the next five years. While this is a nice gesture, argues author Hank Cardello, it’s a drop in the bucket. 69 trillion is a better target. (Photo from Logical Science.)

9) HuffPo: Meatless Monday - The Meat People Hit Back
The beef and pork industry is hitting back against Meatless Mondays. Fuh real. Who knew that avoiding meat one day a week could be considered transgressive? (Er … haven’t these people heard of Lent?)

10) BlogHer: Weekend Menu Planning - Grilled Pizza for National Barbecue Month!
Nice link comp/tutorial for grilling pizza. The season is here, folks. Get outcher flatbreads.


HONORABLE MENTIONS

Food Politics: What is a Small Farm? Can it Survive?
Did you know: “Although most (91%) of U.S. farms are small, farms earning $250,000 and above account for 85 percent of the market value of agricultural production.” I did not.

The Kitchn: Sofa to Bedroom - Tips for Photographing Food at Night
Fellow food bloggers who primarily cook in the evening! Heed this, and never be tripped up by yellow light again!

LA Weekly: Top 10 Fictional TV Food and Drink
From Colon Blow to Scooby Snacks, it’s (almost) all here. (Alas, there’s no Vitameatavegamin.) The #1 pick might surprise you.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Grilled Chicken Pineapple Quesadillas
I want this in my mouthhole right now.

Real Simple
18 Easy Convenience-Food Upgrades
Guide to Buying Frozen Food
Link #1: Ingenious ways to jazz up frozen pizzas and the like.
Link #2: How to choose the best quality cold goods for your cold, hard cash.

stonesoup: 7 tips for full-flavoured vegetable stock
You’ll never have weak broth again. MARK MY WORDS!

UK Telegraph: Dieters 'underestimate how many calories they are eating'
I don’t know if it’s news that most diets fail because we’re not often sure how to approach them, but it’s interesting to see the figures to back it up.


AND ALSO

My Food Looks Funny
Hee. Arty food.

Tales of Mere Existence: Typical Conversations With My Mom
Hee. Talks with Mom about food.



Thank you so much for visiting Cheap Healthy Good! (We appreciate it muchly). If you’d like to further support CHG, subscribe to our RSS feed! Or become a Facebook friend! Or check out our Twitter! Or buy something inexpensive, yet fulfilling via that Amazon store (on the left)! Bookmarking sites and links are nice, too. Viva la France!

Veggie Might: Neglected Cookbook Library—Super-free Carrot Cake

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

A couple weeks ago, I was waiting for CB at Cowsheds & Stately before seeing a movie at the nearby cinemall. I tried to resist the magnetic pull of the New Cookbooks table, but its power was too strong. I drooled over one in particular: Terry Hope Romero’s Viva Vegan, an animal-free tribute to Latin food (and what I’ve been craving mucho lately).

The book was gorgeous, and it took all my strength to leave it there on the table. But I did (though I’m still thinking about it two weeks later) because I have too many cookbooks I never use.

You would never know that I have over 30 cookbooks. My weekly cooking repertoire revolves around a few well-honed favorites, Internet inspirations, and whatever Mark Bittman or Madhur Jaffrey tell me to make by closing my eyes, letting one their books fall open, and putting my finger down on a recipe.

Among the cookbooks on my kitchen shelf, at least a dozen of which I have never used, are odes to nutrition I purchased with hopes of eating healthier or adding some variety to my cooking. A couple of prettier books (and their novelty cousins) were presented to me as gifts. But much of my collection was left behind by former roommates, and a smattering are pamphlet-length tracts or user manuals with recipes.

However, I can’t bear to let them go, no matter how ridiculous or out-dated. What if lurking inside the Matoon (Illinois) United Methodist Women cookbook is a glowing gem of a casserole that will change my life? What if I can revamp a Mrs. Fields cookie recipe into something healthy and delicious? But that’s just silly; my kitchen square-footage is at a premium.

Over the next few months, I plan to plumb my Neglected Cookbook Library for its hidden jewels. Along the way, I will feature recipes from my quarry. You’ll still hear from Mark Bittman and Madhur Jaffrey; you’ll just get a taste of other visionaries too, like Isa Chandra Moskowitz, the Moosewood Collective, and George Foreman.

If a book doesn’t earn its shelf-space, I will cast it off to the thrifty to make room for others more worthy… like Viva Vegan. Let’s get it on.

Title: Babycakes: Vegan, Gluten-Free and (Mostly) Sugar-Free Recipes from New York’s Most Talked-About Bakery by Erin McKenna
Acquisition Info: Received as birthday gift, 2009 from the lovely Miss T
Recipe: Carrot Cupcakes and Vanilla Frosting/Vanilla Sauce
Reason for neglect: Specialty ingredients
Treasure Rating: 3 out of 4 Fistsful of Jewels

Babycakes’ reputation preceded my experience with this book. I have several friends with various dairy, gluten, and sugar sensitivities who all sing the praises of Ms. McKenna’s downtown bakery. My expectations were high and met.

Since first trying the vegan, gluten-free, and sugar-free carrot cake recipe about a month ago, I’ve made it twice more for potlucks, and it’s been met with wild accolades—rare for “alternative” baked goods. Seriously, this is one of the best things I’ve ever shoved in my mouth.

A caveat at the beginning of Babycakes instructs against ingredient substitutions, and for the most part, the warning should be heeded. Ingredients like coconut oil and xanthan gum are often crucial to gluten-free baking. But of course, I am me.

Take one: I replaced the (expensive!) coconut oil with canola oil in the cake recipe, upped some of the spice amounts, and made my own vegan (but not sugar-free) frosting. It was phenomenal. The cake was moist and light, and hardly needed frosting. (I ate it without for breakfast a couple of times.) CB, the roommate, and I could not get enough. I had to make it again.

Take two: Emboldened, I made the carrot cake with canola oil again and attempted the book’s vanilla frosting recipe with the same substitution. Oh Nell Carter, no! After leaving it overnight in the fridge to set, I had vanilla soymilk—oily vanilla soymilk. The frosting recipe must have coconut oil.

I slapped together my own agave-based frosting for that evening’s potluck, and everyone was nice enough to say it was good. The cupcakes were delicious, but my sugar-free frosting was a drippy, gritty, sticky mess. I have the best friends.

Take three: Another potluck on the calendar, and I finally went by the book. I plunked down the cash for the coconut oil (on sale!) and it was worth it. The carrot cake was just good as before, but the frosting was SO much better. It’s smooth and creamy—definitely more like a cream than a traditional frosting, but delicious and sweet without being cloying. Every single person went back for a second slice.

Babycakes stays.

~~~~

If you dug this article, you may dig

• Rx: Snickerdoodles
• Birdseed Granola Bars
• Vegan Rice Pudding

~~~~

Super-free Carrot Cake
Adapted from Babycakes by Erin McKenna
Yields 24 pieces

3 cups gluten-free baking flour (Note: I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour per cookbook recommendation.)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp baking soda
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp cinnamon, grated
3 tbsp ginger, powdered
1/2 tsp nutmeg, grated
2/3 cup canola oil or coconut oil (melted)
1 cup agave nectar
1 cup almond milk
1 tbsp vanilla
1/2 cup hot water
3 cups carrots, shredded

1) Preheat oven to 325°. Grease 9” × 13” baking pan with oil or cooking spray.

2) Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

3) Mix in oil, agave nectar, almond milk, and vanilla. You will have a thick batter. Gently stir in hot water. Fold in carrots.

4) Pour batter into 9” × 13” baking pan or fill cupcake cups with 1/3 cup of batter. Bake cake for 35–45 minutes or until a toothpick comes clean. Bake cupcakes for 20–30 minutes. Depending on your oven, you may want to turn the pan and/or cover with foil halfway through baking. The former prevents uneven cooking; the latter keeps the top from burning before the insides are good and done.

5) Allow cake to cool before frosting with Agave Vanilla Frosting or Vegan Buttercream.

6) Serve to the adoration of all who encounter your genius.

Agave Vanilla Frosting
Adapted from Babycakes by Erin McKenna
Yield: 3/4 recipe will frost 9”x13” cake; whole recipe will frost 24 cupcakes

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
3/4 cup dry soy milk powder
1 tbsp almond flour
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups coconut oil (melted)
2 tbsp lemon juice (Note: Use exact measurement rather than a whole lemon, which is likely too much.)

1) In the blender or food processor, combine almond milk, soy milk powder, almond flour, agave nectar, and vanilla extract. Zap it for two minutes.

2) Drizzle in coconut oil and lemon, alternately, until fully incorporated into mixture.

3) Pour into sealable container and chill for at least 6 hours to achieve a spreadable consistency.

4) Your cake should be cool by then too: frost, eat, enjoy the rapture.

Alternate frosting—vegan and gluten-free, but not sugar-free

Vegan Vanilla Buttercream
3 cups confectioner’s sugar
1/3 cup (5 tbsp) nonhydrogenated vegan margarine or shortening (softened)
2 tbsp almond milk
1 tbsp vanilla

1) Combine sugar and shortening in medium mixing bowl.

2) Cream together with spatula, adding almond milk to help it along. Add vanilla and continue to mix until smooth. Add another splash of almond milk if necessary.

3) Spread on cooled cake and serve to adoring throng.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
Carrot cake with canola oil: 148.5 calories, 6.8g fat, 1.7g fiber, 1.6g protein, $.34
Carrot cake with coconut oil: 145.7 calories, 6.6g fat, 1.7g fiber, 1.6g protein, $.39
Agave frosting: 109 calories, 11g fat, .6g fiber, .9g protein, $.27
Buttercream frosting: 83 calories, 2.7g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.10

Calculations

Super-free Carrot Cake
3 cups gluten-free baking flour: 1200 calories, 12g fat, 36g fiber, 36g protein, $2.15
1 tbsp baking powder: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.04
1 tbsp baking soda: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.04
1 tsp xanthan gum: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.04
1 1/2 tsp salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
2 tbsp cinnamon: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.04
3 tbsp ginger: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.04
1/2 tsp nutmeg: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
2/3 cup canola oil: 1320 calories, 149g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $1.28
[or 2/3 cup coconut oil: 1253 calories, 145g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $2.52]
1 cup agave nectar: 960 cal, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $2.56
1 cup almond milk: 40 calories, 3g fat, 1g fiber, 1g protein, $.50
1 tbsp vanilla extract: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $1.00
3 cups carrots: 45 calories, 0g fat, 3g fiber, 1g protein, $.33
TOTALS WITH CANOLA OIL: 3565 calories, 164g fat, 40g fiber, 38g protein, $8.06
PER SERVING (TOTALS/24) with canola oil: 148.5 calories, 6.8g fat, 1.7g fiber, 1.6g protein, $.34
TOTALS WITH COCONUT OIL: 3498 calories, 160g fat, 40g fiber, 38g protein, $9.30
PER SERVING (TOTALS/24) with coconut oil: 145.7 calories, 6.6g fat, 1.7g fiber, 1.6g protein, $.39

Agave Vanilla Frosting
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk: 60 calories, 4.5g fat, 1.5g fiber, 1.5g protein, $.75
3/4 cup soy milk powder: 330 calories, 15g fat, 18g fiber, 27g protein, $.48
1 tbsp almond flour: 40 calories, 3.5g fat, .75g fiber, 1.5g protein, $.00
1/4 cup agave nectar: 240 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.64
1 tbsp vanilla extract: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $1.00
1 1/2 cups coconut oil: 2818. 5 calories, 327g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $5.68
2 tbsp lemon juice: 10 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.20
Totals: 3498.5 calories, 350g fat, 20.25g fiber, 30g protein, $8.75
PER SERVING (TOTALS/24): 145 calories, 14.6g fat, .8g fiber, 1.25g protein, $.36
PER SERVING (TOTALS/32): 109 calories, 11g fat, .6g fiber, .9g protein, $.27

Vegan Vanilla Buttercream
3 cups confectioner’s sugar: 1440 cal, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.96
1/3 cup (5 tbsp) nonhydrogenated vegan margarine or shortening: 550 cal, 65g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.39
2 tbsp almond milk: 5 calories, .4g fat, .13g fiber, .13g protein, $.13
1 tbsp vanilla extract: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $1.00
TOTALS: 1995 calories, 65.4g fat, .13g fiber, .13g protein, $2.48
PER SERVING (TOTALS/24): 83 calories, 2.7g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.10