Peanut Dipping Sauce: Allergies Unwelcome

Sweet readers! Thanks very much for being so patient with us last week while we got drunk on Jagermeister worked on work-stuff. It was fun doing the wayback recipe thing - I hadn't looked at some of those in quite awhile, and it made me want lassis.

I had a different post set up for today, but instead, my entire body has been possessed by a zombie demon a nasty case of hives. So, instead of going to work and bringing home the bacon (mmm...bacon) like a boss, I'm sitting at HOTUS' computer, awaiting a swift and merciful end to my pain callback from the doctor. It's very exciting, unbelievably itchy, and also kind of weird, because this has never happened before, and I don't have any allergies, as far as I know.

And now there's one on my face. ARG.

Considering the circumstances, I figured this was as good a time as any to broach the subject of allergic reactions, especially since today's dish, Peanut Dipping Sauce from Catherine Walthers' Soups + Sides, should not be eaten by those with an aversion to nuts (doy). For those without allergies, it's an easy, relatively inexpensive sauce that pairs well with satay, vegetables, and dumplings, and makes for a nice changeup to straightforward soy sauce. One batch lasted us three different meals, and I'd make it again right now if I wasn't furiously attempting to scratch my elbow off my body.

Anyway, back to that allergy thing. It's a topic we've covered only briefly here on CHG, but a very important one, since it affects the way some buy, prepare, bathe in, and consume food. I know several people with dairy issues, one or two with severe peanut allergies, and I grew up with a girl who was allergic to sugar. At the time, her condition seemed inconceivable and tragic (NOTE: I was eight), but now similar immune system reactions are pretty commonplace.

Happily, there are more foods and food products available for folks with allergies, though there can always be more. We'll hit that topic in tomorrow's Ask the Internet, but in the meantime: Do you have any food allergies yourself, or have loved ones with shellfish, nut, soy, or similar issues? How do you cope?

And with that, I'm off to find a spiky hairbrush, so I may vigorously remove my epidermis. Happy Monday!

~~~

If this looks dang tasty, you will also find mucho happiness with:

• Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce
• Chicken Fried Rice
• Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal

~~~

Peanut Dipping Sauce
Serves 6
Adapted from Catherine Walther's Soups + Sides

6 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter
½ cup light coconut milk
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1-2 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 to 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce (optional)

Mix everything thoroughly in a small bowl until smooth. Add more of any ingredient to taste as needed.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
110 calories, 8.7 g fat, 1 g fiber, 3.9 g protein, $0.30

NOTE: These calculations are without sriracha.

Calculations
6 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter: 540 calories, 48 g fat, 6 g fiber, 21 g protein, $0.62
½ cup light coconut milk: 75 calories, 7 g fat, 0 g fiber, 1.5 g protein, $0.85
1 tablespoon soy sauce: 8 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 1 g protein, $0.09
1 tablespoon brown sugar: 34 calories, 0 g fiat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.01
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice: 3 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.13
1-2 teaspoon grated ginger: 2 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.10
TOTAL: 662 calories, 52 g fat, 6.1 g fiber, 23.4 g protein, $1.80
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 110 calories, 8.7 g fat, 1 g fiber, 3.9 g protein, $0.30

Peanut Dipping Sauce: Allergies Unwelcome

Green Kitchen: The Cheap Healthy Guide to Canned Tuna for the Planet and Your Mouth (or Something)

Green Kitchen is a bi-weekly column about nutritious, inexpensive, and ethical food and cooking. It's penned by the lovely Jaime Green.

Eating delicious meat cheaply and environmentally is not easy. Grass-fed beef often starts at $7 or $8 a pound in New York City, and shows up twice or three times that at the farmers market. Fresh and frozen fish see the same price points, as do pork and lamb.Chicken is cheaper but chicken gets boring.

Which brings us to my recent love affair with canned tuna.

It is full of protein, super-cheap, easy to prepare, and does not send my fish-allergic boyfriend into fits with its cooking fumes. But while my local Whole Foods handily grades its butchered meat and fresh fish, cans of tuna are harder to suss out.

Well, harder to suss out unless you’re at a computer. The Environmental Defense Fund has a handy ranking of seafood choices based on eco-friendliness, and canned tuna is included. (The fish’s page also includes health concerns for adults and children, related to tuna’s mercury content.)

Canned tuna tends to come in two varieties – Albacore, or white, and “light,” which can be one (or several) of several tuna varieties. When it comes to what’s good for the planet, US or Canadian Albacore is tops, with general canned white and canned light both scoring the “eco-ok” middle rating.

In terms of mercury content, Albacore’s is higher, and so should be consumed less frequently, especially by kids. (The EDF recommends children under 6 eat it no more than once a month, and sets the limit for kids 6-12 at twice a month. Adults can handle it more often more safely.) Canned light (as long as the label doesn’t include Yellowfin tuna, which has about the same mercury as Albacore) is okay for younger kids about three times a month, and once a week or so for older children.

(The EDF page on mercury in canned tuna recommends canned salmon as a healthier option – "not only because the fish are low in contaminants and high in heart-healthy omega-3s, but also because they are sustainably caught” – but I haven’t fallen in love with that taste yet.)

I was relieved to learn – admitted months after getting back into the tuna habit – that this convenient can really isn’t such a bad option. (I’m not feeding any babies nor planning on gestating one any time soon.)

There is, of course, also the issue of taste.

I’d been buying store-brand canned tuna from Whole Foods, mostly out of a mostly-blind-faith sense that their fish would be more sustainability-minded than the StarKist or whatever I could get at my local supermarket, and for $1.39 a can (versus 99 cents or so), it wasn’t too bad a price. (According to Whole Foods’ website, both of their tuna varieties are caught responsibly, and are relatively low in mercury.)

But then I started worrying that I was a snob. And chunk light tuna was on sale for 75 cents a can at the supermarket. I bought two.

I kinda wish I’d saved that second seventy-five cents.

Whereas my fancy-pants Whole Foods tuna shows its extra 64 cents in nice chunks of recognizable fish flesh and easily drained water, the cheapo can started to splurt out fish puree as soon as I tried to drain it mid-can-opening. Inside that (five-ounce, rather than WF’s six) can I found fishy mush. It tasted okay, though the texture was alarming, and why does a can of tuna need vegetable broth in the ingredients? I will be sticking to my ever-so-slightly pricier chunk tuna from now on, thank you. And enjoying it (not too many times in a week) guilt-free.

Although I’m a big fan of standard tuna salad (with, sorry Kris, mayo, and plenty of diced celery), I’m always looking for ways to do it different, and with more vegetables. This recipe from TheKitchn scores on both counts – shredded raw cabbage adds a great crispness, and fresh herbs makes everything springy. I changed the original up a bit, first of all using one can of tuna for one big, healthy, satisfying serving, and second choosing dill over chives. (It was what I had on hand, it is delicious, and it goes well with the yogurt that subs in for some mayo. Kris, you’re welcome.)

I’ll probably slow down my tuna habit a bit now for mercury concerns, but when I do go for it, this is a super-easy and healthy way to appreciate – and eat – that beloved chicken of the sea. Especially when I’m a little sick of land-chicken.

~~~

If this looks good, you'll love:

• Herbed Tuna in Tomatoes
• Tuna and White Bean Wraps
• White Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Wraps with Spinach

~~~

Crisp Cabbage and Tuna Salad
Serves 1
Adapted from TheKitchn.

1 5- or 6-can of tuna, drained (calculations reflect Whole Foods Tongol tuna)
1/4 a medium head of cabbage, cored chopped finely (about two cups)
1 ½ T mayonnaise (you could use reduced-fat to save calories, but don’t lie, it tastes awful)
2 T Greek yogurt (I used 2% fat)
1/3-1/4 c chopped dill
salt and ground pepper to taste (this works well with a lot of pepper)

1) Combine everything in a bowl.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
335 calories, 17.1g fat, 4.5g fiber, 32.9g protein, $2.04

Calculations
1 6-ounce can of tuna: 120 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 28g protein, $1.39
1/4 medium cabbage: 44 calories, 0g fat, 4.4g fiber, 2.3g protein, $0.25
1 1/2 T mayonnaise: 150 calories, 16.5g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.10
2 T 2% fat Greek yogurt: 19 calories, 0.6g fat, 0g fiber, 2.5g protein, $0.20
1/4 c dill: 2 calories, 0g fat, 0.1g fiber, 0.1g protein, $0.08
Salt and pepper: 0 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.02
TOTAL: 335 calories, 17.1g fat, 4.5g fiber, 32.9g protein, $2.04
PER SERVING: 335 calories, 17.1g fat, 4.5g fiber, 32.9g protein, $2.04

Green Kitchen: The Cheap Healthy Guide to Canned Tuna for the Planet and Your Mouth (or Something)

Veggie Might: Steamed Asparagus - Don't Gild The Lily Shoots

Penned by the effervescent Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about the wide world of Vegetarianism. She says: Please delight in these darling lambs from Avillion Farm and my favorite asparagus "recipe" from an April 2009 visit to NC. Veggie Might will return with refreshing new content next Thursday.

Sometimes vegetables should just be left alone.

This past weekend, I spent three glorious days in the North Carolina sunshine with my best friend, A., and her husband and two-year-old. It was little C’s birthday, and I just couldn’t resist a circus-themed party.

Friday night before the big event, A. and I were fixing dinner: something light and fast before the hotdogs, cupcakes, and apple juice to come. A is the manager of the local farmer’s market in her area. One of the perks is first dibs on fresh produce while the farmers set up their stalls.

From her fridge, she pulled out a bundle of perfect, young asparagus stalks: the first of the season and the sweetest I’d ever tasted. We ate the thinnest stalks raw as we washed and snapped off the ends of the rest.

C toddled up and A. gave him a stalk. He took the asparagus and munched gleefully. I’ve never seen a kid eat vegetables like that. (I’ve also never typed the word “gleefully” before, but hey.)

“Sautee or steam?” A. asked.

“Steam,” I replied. It seemed like gilding the lily to put those perfect stems of green spring goodness in oil or butter. Turns out asparagus is a member of the lily family. Who knew? (Well, the people at that link and Mark Bittman.)

As you know, I’m a big fan of sautéing vegetables in garlic. How many recipes have I shared with that step? But even I know when to leave well enough alone.

A. seemed to know just how long to cook the asparagus, but I would have had to get help. I don’t trust myself for two reasons; I get impatient, and I get distracted.

I have no patience for standing over a pot of boiling water, even for a few minutes. After a minute has past, you can guarantee I will have wondered off like a two-year-old to see what else is going on, and then the veggies will have overcooked.

According to Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, asparagus should be boiled in a skillet or steamed in a pan with just a bit of water at the bottom “just until the thick part of the stalk can be pierced with a knife.” Well, just how long is that? It depends on how much you’re cooking, of course. In our case, a bunch of about 20 stalks took 3 minutes to steam. A set a timer which let us wander guilt-free.

They were perfect: tender, slightly crunchy, vibrantly green. I know that, classically, asparagus is served with hollandaise or mayonnaise, but I’ve never understood why. Who thought to drench something so light and delicious with such heavy sauces?

We didn’t even think to salt our Carolina-grown spring bounty. If A. salted the water, I didn’t notice.

Our supper of fresh-from-the-farm veggies was one of the easiest and best meals I’ve eaten in a while. It reminded me that, sometimes, it’s best to let food be itself.

Steamed Asparagus
Serves 3 – 4

20 asparagus stalks
1/2 cup of water

1) Wash asparagus and break off woody ends.

2) Put water in sauce pan. Put asparagus in steamer basket or bamboo steamer and place over sauce pan. (You can also use the Mark Bittman methods above.)

3) Bring water to boil.

4) Steam for approximately 3 minutes or until thick ends of stalks are tender.

5) Dress as desired or eat plain. Plain is good. Really good.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price* per Serving
Four servings: 15 calories, .1g fat, $.37
Three servings: 20 calories, .13g fat, $.50

Calculations
Asparagus: 60 calories, .4g fat, $1.50
TOTAL: 60 calories, .4g fat, $1.50
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 15 calories, .1g fat, $.37
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 20 calories, .13g fat, $.50

*Price is from my local market.

Veggie Might: Steamed Asparagus - Don't Gild The Lily Shoots

Green Kitchen: Use-Up-Your-Herbs Cilantro Pesto

Green Kitchen is a bi-weekly column about nutritious, inexpensive, and ethical food and cooking. It's penned by the lovely Jaime Green.

Give me your tired, your poor, your wilted herbage straining for the trash can, the rotting refuse of your crisper drawer. Send these, the yellowing, long-forgotten to me, I will make them into awesome pesto!

That’s what your food processor is saying right now, if it were also the statue of liberty.

Talk about eating and cooking in environmentally friendly ways often comes back to the same ideas – eat local, eat unprocessed, eat happy meat. These are awesome ideas – they connect your kitchen to lovely, independent farms, shortening the distance from the soil to your fridge – but they are also sometimes difficult ideas.

Not everyone has access to greenmarkets. Not everyone has the education or skills to choose or prepare unprocessed foods. Not everyone can afford local, free-range, grass-fed, ethically raised meat. It’s sadly easy to sigh in resignation when we can’t manage those good choices and lose sight of a good choice every single one of us can make.

Do not waste food.

You know what makes a box of Dunkaroos an even less worthwhile investment of raw materials, industrial production, and your dollars? Not eating them! Want to completely negate any power for good contained in that conventionally grown midwinter Peruvian tomato? Throw it out! Wasting food is the surest way to guarantee that its environmental impact is all for naught. It’s also a surefire way to waste your money, too.

Living in a largely Dominican neighborhood means a lot of nice things for me, culinarily, not the least of which is the prevalence of cheap cilantro in the supermarket. It is not local, it is not seasonal, but it is 99 cents a bunch, and tempting to pick up to throw on sautés and in omelets and such.

But let’s be honest – more times than not, that 99-cent bunch of delicious, delicious cilantro sits in my crisper drawer until it is yellow and wilted, and it ends up not in my mouth but in my compost.

This time, I resolved to do it differently. Not to remember to use any of the cilantro for its intended purpose, of course, but to salvage it once it had gone forsaken.

A while back I’d seen a recipe online for cilantro pesto that specifically addressed this forsaken cilantro issue. No surprise, my interest was piqued. What’s that, you say? Pesto can be made with nasty, wilted cilantro? And does not require billion-dollars-a-pound pine nuts? Please, go on!

And go on this recipe did! Cilantro + oil + nuts = pesto! My cilantro wasn’t so much wilted as yellowing (with, okay, a couple of rotten leaves), but I overcame my squeamishness, pulled out the gross stuff, and was left with about two cups worth of usable greenery. “Usable” not really as it was, but hopefully the alchemy of pestoization (yes, that’s a proper use of the Italian root word) would be enough.

And so, dear reader, it was.

~~~

If this looks good, you'll surely adore:

• 156 Cheap, Healthy Recipes for Ten Common Leftover Herbs
• Gingered Carrot Soup with Lime and Cilantro
• Pesto

~~~

Cilantro Pesto
inspired by The Lazy Localvore.
makes about 6 one-tablespoon servings
(quantities are flexible for two reasons – one, so you can suit the recipe to your taste; two, because who knows how much of your languishing cilantro will be salvageable.)

2-3 cups cilantro leaves (& little stems)
1-2 T olive oil
1/8-1/4 cup slivered blanched almonds (or other nut)
1/8-1/4 t salt
dash of garlic powder

Put cilantro, almonds, salt, and garlic powder into bowl of food processor. Process, streaming in olive oil as you go. Pulse until it is a thick paste, with nuts chopped finely but not pulverized. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
60 calories, 5.7g fat, 0.7g fiber, 1.1g protein, $0.22

Calculations
3 cups cilantro leaves: 18 calories, 0g fat, 1g fiber, 1g protein, $0.99
1.5 T olive oil: 189 calories, 21g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.12
1/4 c slivered blanched almonds: 155 calories, 13.3g fat, 3.3g fiber, 5.7g protein, $0.15
1/4 t salt: 0 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.01
dash garlic powder: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.02
TOTAL: 362 calories, 34.3g fat, 4.3g fiber, 6.7g protein, $1.29
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 60 calories, 5.7g fat, 0.7g fiber, 1.1g protein, $0.22

Green Kitchen: Use-Up-Your-Herbs Cilantro Pesto

Sesame Snap Peas and R.I.P. Old Lady Cart (2007-2011)

Yesterday, HOTUS and I hosted (HOTUSted?) our first official family holiday, if you don’t count that one time everyone came over and sang karaoke for Arbor Day. We were celebrating Easter, as well as the debut of our wedding dishes ™, a monumental event in any aspiring adult’s life. My sister and her lovely man friend brought us roses, which were promptly made into a cat appetizer (catpetizer?).

Alas, we were also commemorating the loss of our Old Lady Cart (2007-2011), a beloved and highly useful member of the family. If you’ve ever been to New York, you’ve seen an old lady cart, probably pushed around by a baby boy. (Just kidding.) The four-wheeled device is kind of like a shopping cart, but smaller, more colorful, and incredibly prone to catching a wheel on sidewalk cracks, which then causes it to pitch forward, which then causes you to fall into it (shins first), which then leaves you with a bruise that lasts longer than the Roosevelt presidency. (Franklin Delano, not Theodore No Middle Name).

Our particular Old Lady Cart bit the dust on Saturday, the victim of overloading after a trip to CostCo. What began as, “I’m just getting a hunk of brie for my parents,” turned into, “Why WOULDN’T we want 90 ounces of Palmolive?” The right front wheel snapped 60 blocks north of my apartment, in the rain, after a nasty bump. It wasn’t pretty. And neither was I, at the end of the journey. Badness.

(Also, if the nice man who helped me lug the disabled cart up three flights of subway stairs happens to read this blog – thank you. And I’m sorry I almost dropped it all those times.)

Anyway, back to Easter. We feasted on many delectable hors d’oeuvres, drank much Gruner Veltliner, and dug into a homemade pie from my Ma and Pa, the finest purveyors of homemade pie in three states (Alaska, South Carolina, and Wyoming). But the centerpiece was Dave Lieberman’s Braised Hoisin Beer Short Ribs with Creamy Mashed Yukons and Sesame Snow Peas. It’s neither cheap nor healthy, but sweet Bea Arthur, was it ever good.

Well, I take some of that back. That last part – the Sesame Snow Peas – fall quite nicely into the parameters of this here blog. Due to a mix-up at the grocery story (meaning: I got mixed up), we used snap peas instead of snow peas. No big whoop. Thing still came out dang fine. Crisp, tender, and just the right counter for extra-heavy potatoes and beef.

If you should make it yourself, feel free to reduce the oil, possibly by quite a lot. We used a nonstick skillet, and didn’t need anywhere near the prescribed amount (3 tablespoons). I think about half would do it.

And that’s it. Hope y’all had a happy (also hoppy) Easter, and that your old lady carts live forever. *sniffle*

~~~

If this looks quite tasty, you will most definitely enjoy:

• Broccoli Almond Stir Fry
• Sautéed Shrimp and Asparagus with Sesame Seeds
• Vegetable Lo Mein

~~~

Sesame Snap Peas
Serves 6
From Dave Lieberman.

1 lb. snap peas, washed and thoroughly dried
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted if preferred

In a large skillet, heat oils over medium-high heat. Add peas and sauté about 2 or 3 minutes, until they are bright green. Remove to a bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
99 calories, 7.7 g fat, 2 g fiber, 2.2 g protein, $0.46

NOTE: Honestly, you could probably cut the oil in half and still have a really nice dish here. Give it a shot.

Calculations
1 lb. snap peas, washed and thoroughly dried: 191 calories, 0.9 g fat, 11.8 g fiber, 12.7 g protein, $1.99
2 tablespoons vegetable oil: 265 calories, 30 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.18
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil: 119 calories, 13.5 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.40
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted if preferred: 17 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0.4 g fiber, 0.5 g protein, $0.17
TOTALS: 592 calories, 45.9 g fat, 12.2 g fiber, 13.2 g protein, $2.74
PER SERVING (TOTALS/6): 99 calories, 7.7 g fat, 2 g fiber, 2.2 g protein, $0.46

Sesame Snap Peas and R.I.P. Old Lady Cart (2007-2011)

Artichoke Pesto Dip and Mah Favorite CHG Recipes

We like cooking. And food. And, as of today, we here at CHG have something like 430 recipes in our archives. Leigh, Jaime, Rachel, and I have all tried them at least once. But there are only a few – maybe a dozen or so – I make with any regularity. Part of this is because constant experimentation with new dishes doesn’t leave a lot of time to go back and enjoy old favorites. The other part: these dozen are so tasty, I need to have them all the time.

They are:

• Easy Vegetarian Bean Chili
• Gingerbread Oatmeal
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Macaroni with Broccoli and Chickpeas
• Oatmeal with Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, and Scallions
• Pasta with Asparagus and Mushrooms
• Pasta with Mushrooms, Peppers, and Onions
• Roast Chicken with Two Lemons
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts
• Roasted Eggplant Spread
• Sweet Lassi
• White Bean Dip

(NOTE: Carbs much?)

That last one – White Bean Dip – I make it more often than anything else on this blog, with the possible exception of Oatmeal with Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, and Scallions. The dip is a fabulous alternative to hummus, and about a million times cheaper. Basically, all you need is a can of small white beans, five minutes, and a food processor. (Actually, you don’t even need the food processor. A potato masher and some good upper body strength is just the ticket.)

But? Thanks to Diane Morgan’s Skinny Dips, which came out late last year, there may be a new dip in town. Artichoke Pesto Dip is the name of the usurper, and though slightly pricier, it is a bowlful of pure joy. I want to spread it on toast. I want to spread it on pasta. I want to spread it on my taste buds, so each may know the joy of artichokes, lemon, Parmesan, and various sundries.

It will be on this list soon.

~~~

If you dig this dip, you’ll surely dig:

• Grasslands Herb Salsa
• Pesto
• White Bean Dip

~~~

Artichoke Pesto Dip
Makes 1 cup or 8 (2 tablespoon) servings
From Skinny Dips by Diane Morgan

1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 small clove garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
a few grinds black pepper

1) Place artichoke hearts in a food processor. Pulse a few times, until rough-chopped.

2) Add Parmesan, olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse until dip reaches consistency you like. Serve with tortilla, pita, or what have you.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
48 calories, 3.9 g fat, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein, $0.41

NOTE: Author Diane Morgan calculated the nutrition numbers in Skinny Dips, so only the price is listed here. Also, I added more Parmesan to my version, which was very nice, as well.

Calculations
1 (15-ounce) can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained: $2.29
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese: $0.45
2 tablespoons olive oil: $0.10
1 tablespoon lemon juice: $0.33
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley: $0.10
1 small clove garlic, minced: $0.04
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt: $0.01
a few grinds black pepper: $0.01
TOTAL: $3.33
PER SERVING (TOTAL/8): $0.41

Artichoke Pesto Dip and Mah Favorite CHG Recipes

Rosemary Chicken Salad and the Art of Customizing Recipes

We're switching the schedule around a bit this week, due to the gremlin that has taken up residence in my face. Wednesday's usual article is postponed until next week, replaced by this lovely recipe.

As this popular and highly rated Rosemary Chicken Salad recipe from Cooking Light is presented, it’s essentially a blank slate. I mean, it's moist, it tastes good, and it uses up a bunch of leftover chicken, but no single flavor ever comes forward to assert itself as master and ruler of its subordinates. But there's a reason for that. A good reason. Nay – a really good reason.

And that reason? Is you.

Seriously, though. Recipes like this one are invaluable, because they allow the chef (a.k.a. you) near-infinite possibilities for improvisation. You can add nearly any ingredient you like to the original dish, because it's highly improbable you'll go wrong with your choices. Why not try:

• Celery
• Grapes
• Apples
• Dried cranberries
• Smoked almonds
• Raisins
• Cashews
• Pecans
• Walnuts
• Cayenne

Eggs, beans, oatmeal, polenta, and pasta salads are similarly inclined, in that they can be customized until the cows come home, with huge, gaping room for error. We'll discuss more about the customization itself next week, but in the meantime, should you decide to whip this up, there are a few things to know:

1) My loathing for mayonnaise is surpassed only by my loathing of sinusitis, but it’s in here because the other flavors cover up the flavor and texture enough so I don’t ever have to taste, smell, or think about it.

2) The calculations are very different from Cooking Light’s, largely because I don’t include bread, and have changed the proportions of the original recipe a bit (less mayo, more yogurt).

In conclusion, go nuts with this thing. The salad's the limit.

~~~

If this recipe looks tantalizing, man, you'll like these:

• Autumn Apple Salad
• Golden Delight Egg Salad
• Potato Salad for Rainy Day People

~~~

Rosemary Chicken Salad
Serves 5
Adapted from Cooking Light.

3 cups (about 3/4 pound) roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken, chopped
1/3 cup chopped scallions
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
6 tablespoons Greek low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Chopped: celery, grapes, apples, dried cranberries, smoked almonds, raisins, cashews, pecans, walnuts, cayenne (optional)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine chicken, scallions, almonds, yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper, and chosen optional ingredients. Serve on whole wheat bread with mixed greens.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
134 calories, 5.1 g fat, 3.7 g fat, 0.7 g fiber, 18.5 g protein, $0.78

NOTE: These calculations are for chicken breasts, and no optional add-on ingredients.

Calculations
3 cups (about 3/4 pound) roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts, chopped: 373 calories, 4.1 g fat, 0 g fiber, 78.3 g protein, $1.48
1/3 cup chopped scallions: 11 calories, 0 g fat, 0.9 g fiber, 0.6 g protein, $0.30
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds: 144 calories, 12.6 g fat, 3 g fiber, 5.3 g protein, $0.63
6 tablespoons Greek low-fat yogurt: 65 calories, 1.8 g fat, 0 g fiber, 8.5 g protein, $0.97
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise: 70 calories, 7 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.16
1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary: 1 calorie, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.25
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard: 8 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.07
1/8 teaspoon salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
TOTALS: 672 calories, 25.5 g fat, 3.7 g fiber, 92.7 g protein, $3.88
PER SERVING (TOTALS/5): 134 calories, 5.1 g fat, 3.7 g fat, 0.7 g fiber, 18.5 g protein, $0.78

Rosemary Chicken Salad and the Art of Customizing Recipes

Veggie Might: Fast, Easy Soup for Sick Vegetarians

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

Happy belated Thanksgiving, Gentle Readers! Hope your festivities were fun and delicious. Mine were joyous and pie-filled, just as I dreamed they would be.

My body is reacting to all the friendship and gratitude by purging any built-up toxins through my facial orifices. Translation: I have a cold. And this cold wants soup.

A while back, reader and all-around good sort Chris wrote in to ask “When vegetarians/vegans are feeling under the weather, what sort of comfort foods do they like? I would love to learn how to make a flavorful broth (maybe something with ginger and onions, good for colds?) to help my sick veggie buds.”

Chris, first let me apologize for taking so long to get to your request, but as they say, necessity makes us get off our arses when we’d rather lay on the couch and watch Mythbusters reruns. Secondly, you’re a good friend.

I’ve found that most people (and plants) don’t like to eat much when they’re feeling peaked, and, as your spokesveg-in-residence, vegetarians and vegans are no different. A no-fuss soup of broth is soothing on a sore throat; noodles and one or two vegetables add a little substance.

If you are nursing someone else, like to prepare ahead for emergencies, or are strong enough to chop through the rheum, make your own Homemade Vegetable Stock for a healthy, inexpensive recuperative concoction.

If you need sustenance immediately and haven’t the strength for washing carrots, go canned broth or bullion. There is no shame, only sodium, which drinking lots of fluids will take care of. Since this cold hit right after a major holiday, my freezer was empty, and I reached for vegetable bullion cubes.

You may have noticed from articles past that I like spicy food, especially garlic. Good news! Garlic is great for colds. My favorite snorky-sinus soother is a garlicky broth soup with noodles and a green vegetable like broccoli, bok choy, or kale. These crucifers are high in vitamins A, C, and K and minerals manganese and folate—just what a recovering immune system needs.

Toss in a little ginger, crushed red pepper, or hot chili paste for sinus-clearing heat, and you’ve got a fast, easy soup that will put you or your favorite vegetarian/vegan back on the path to mixing with the general population.

Thanks, Chris, for writing with your query. Readers, do you have any favorite soup or comfort food recipes that pick you up when you’re feeling down? If so, sing out in the comments. And give us a shout if you have any questions or post ideas. The suggestion box is open 24-7, including holidays.

Now rest up and get healthy. The holiday food onslaught coming.

~~~~

If this post floats your boat, paddle on over to:

• Vegetarian Miso Soup
• Low-Down Curried Root Soup
• Cheap Healthy Sick: 10 Easy Nutritious Foods for When You’ve Contracted the Plague

~~~

Fast, Easy Garlic and Chili Soup with Broccoli
Makes about 3 servings

4 cups cold water + 2 vegetarian bullion cubes (“not chicken”, etc.)
OR
4 cups rich vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tsp hot chili paste or crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups broccoli, chopped (frozen or fresh)
2 oz. Korean style somen noodles (or thin noodle of choice)

1)  Pour stock or cold water into medium saucepan and set heat to high. Add garlic and bullion (if using) to pot and bring to boil.

2) Add broccoli to boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Add noodles and stir in hot sauce. Continue to cook on high heat for 3 minutes, until noodles and broccoli are tender.

3) Ladle into soup bowls and allow to cool for a couple of minutes, breathing in the spicy broth. Feel the relief in your sinuses.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
126 calories, 2.17g fat, 4g fiber, 4.6g protein, $.52

Calculations
2 vegetarian bullion cube: 60 calories, 6g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.62
3 cloves garlic: 12 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.04
1 tsp hot chili paste: 0 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.02
2 cups broccoli: 82 calories, 0g fat, 10g fiber, 8g protein, $0.66
2 oz. Korean style somen noodles: 225 calories, 0.5g fat, 2g fiber, 6g protein, $0.21
TOTALS: 379 calories, 6.5g fat, 12g fiber, 14g protein, $1.55
PER SERVING (TOTALS/2): 126 calories, 2.17g fat, 4g fiber, 4.6g protein, $.52


Fast, Easy Garlic and Ginger Soup with Bok Choy
Makes about 3 servings

4 cups water + 2 vegetarian bullion cubes (“not chicken”, etc.)
OR
4 cups rich vegetable stock
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2” piece fresh ginger, coarsely chopped
2 cups bok choy (about 1 small head), washed and chopped
2 oz. Korean style somen noodles (or thin noodle of choice)

1)  Pour stock or cold water into medium saucepan and set heat to high. Add garlic, ginger, and bullion (if using) to pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer about 5 minutes to allow ginger time to infuse broth. Return heat to high and bring again to a boil.

2) Add bok choy to boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Add noodles. Continue to cook on high heat for 3 minutes, until noodles and broccoli are tender.

3) Ladle into soup bowls and allow to cool for a couple of minutes, breathing in the fragrant broth. Take relief in your renewed breathing capabilities.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
109 calories, 2.17g fat, 1.3g fiber, 2.7g protein, $.50

Calculations
2 vegetarian bullion cubes: 60 calories, 6g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.62
3 cloves garlic: 12 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.04
2” piece fresh ginger: 12 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.12
2 cups bok choy: 18 calories, 0g fat, 2g fiber, 2g protein, $0.52
2 oz. Korean style somen noodles: 225 calories, 0.5g fat, 2g fiber, 6g protein, $0.21
TOTALS: 327 calories, 6.5g fat, 4g fiber, 8g protein, $1.51
PER SERVING (TOTALS/2): 109 calories, 2.17g fat, 1.3g fiber, 2.7g protein, $.50

Veggie Might: Fast, Easy Soup for Sick Vegetarians

Green Kitchen: Golden Shredded Brussels Sprouts

Green Kitchen is a bi-weekly column about nutritious, inexpensive, and ethical food and cooking. It's penned by the lovely Jaime Green.

Dear readers, for those of you not living in the Northeast, let me tell you something I just learned: it is FALL! Sure, Utah was having snowstorms two weeks ago, but whatever. In my little world, the seasons just started changing, and hard.

When I told my boyfriend that I could see my breath this morning he was like, “Why are you so excited about it being freezing out?”

“I don’t know.” I thought for a moment. “I guess I really like November?”

It shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. Two weekends ago I texted a few friends a picture of the fall’s first Brussels sprouts at the farmers market, along with the word, “first!”

I know that summer is the season of produce bounty or whatever, and I have enjoyed it. I ate sweet cherry tomatoes like grapes, munched on every color of bell pepper, enjoyed berries and peaches and plums. It was great.

But fall is my favorite season for produce. The first few apples I saw just reminded me of late-winter apple fatigue, but now I’ve been making batches of spicy apple sauce that I’m frankly addicted to. I’m roasting sweet potatoes and sautéing broccoli and there’s a butternut squash on my kitchen table with a date with a (hopefully) sharp knife.

And then there are Brussels sprouts. O, Brussels sprouts, I love them so. I can’t tell how far into the popular consciousness their adoration has spread. It’s like a rumor, passed friend to friend, or admission to the Secret Brussels Sprouts Appreciation Society. “Have you tried roasted Brussels sprouts?” “If you brown them in a pan, they’re better than bacon.” “My mother used to steam them and they smelled like trash, but cooked hot and salty they’re— Oh, sorry, I’m drooling down my shirt.”

So, I want to make sure you’ve heard. When steamed or boiled, Brussels sprouts are gross, deserving of their putrid reputation. But roasted or sautéed, browned and salted just right, they’re— Oh, sorry, I’m drooling down my shirt again.

Beyond that, Brussels sprouts are also a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Thiamine, Folate, Iron, and fiber. They come into season (at least in the Northeast and other similarly climated regions) in mid-October, and last past the frost. Their relatives include cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, and kale, and they do indeed look like tiny cabbages (or brains). They grow on stalks, and sometimes you can buy them that way at the farmers market, and it looks CRAZY.
And that was Brussels sprouts fact-time! Yay!

My go-to Brussels sprout recipe, and what originally converted me to their cult, is Heidi Swansson’s Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts. The cheese is superfluous but the method is perfection – cook halved sprouts with oil and salt, sautéing until they’re carmelized and browned. Crispy outsides, melty insides, addictive throughout. I served them as a side dish when I cooked Thanksgiving at my mom’s house a couple of years ago (everything but the bird), and converted my family in one go.

Sometimes, though, I just don’t have the patience to make sure the cut sides are browned, to find the right balance between thorough cooking inside and out. (Cooking Brussels sprouts too slowly lets the insides steam, giving you that nasty, almost horseradishey flavor.)

(You can also roast these babies in the oven – tossed with oil and salt, laid out on a baking sheet, shaken around once in a while, until browned and delicious. But I’m still living in the land of No Gas to the Kitchen, and a meager few toaster oven-roasted Brussels sprouts is just not enough for my fix.)

So here’s my new favorite way to cook Brussels sprouts – it gives you the pan-sautéed flavor without any of the finicky work.

You shred some sprouts. You heat oil in a pan. You sautee them until they’re done.

Oh, you wanted an actual recipe? Okay. Enjoy. Welcome to the club.

~~~

If you think this looks good, yer gonna love:

• Chopped Salad
• Escarole and White Beans
• Roasted Brussels Sprouts

~~~

Golden Shredded Brussels Sprouts
serves 2-3

1 lb Brussels sprouts (3-4 cups shredded)
1/8-1/4 t salt
dash of red pepper flakes (optional)

Note: if increasing recipe, cook in batches – an overfull pan of sprouts will steam rather than brown.

1) Trim ends and loose leaves off of sprouts. Cut (lengthwise) into thin shreds.

2) Heat olive oil in a wide sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add sprouts and toss with salt and red pepper.

3) Sauté until sprouts are browned in places, about ten minutes.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
129 calories, 7.5g fat, 5.6g fiber, 5.2g protein, $1.51

Calculations
1 lb Brussels sprouts: 132 calories, 0.9g fat, 11.7g fiber, 10.4g protein, $3.00
1/8-1/4 t salt: 0 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.01
dash of red pepper flakes: 0 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.01
TOTALS: 258 calories, 14.9g fat, 11.7g fiber, 10.4g protein, $3.02
PER SERVING (TOTAL/2): 129 calories, 7.5g fat, 5.6g fiber, 5.2g protein, $1.51
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 86 calories, 5g fat, 3.9g fiber, 3.5g protein, $1.00

Green Kitchen: Golden Shredded Brussels Sprouts

Veggie Might: Last-Minute Lunch

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

On Tuesday, I put out the call (as if you didn’t know it was me) for help with emergency lunch ideas. You came through aces, and I’ve been implementing a few of your tricks. (I already had hummus in the company fridge!) The full results will be posted in next week’s Q&A.

But here is what prompted the call for advice. Last Thursday morning, I overslept. The night before I had cooked corn-on-the-cob and some red beans for a quinoa salad recipe. My plan was to chop the remaining veggies and cook the quinoa in the morning before work. I needed a new plan.

With only 15 minutes until I had to leave for work, I started thinking about what I had ready and what I could prepare at the office. I’m new to this company, but I know 2 things about the place: lunch is sacred and there is a microwave in the lunchroom.

Dried quinoa, a slice of onion, and a teaspoon of salt went into a container. Into another, I combined corn from one of the cobs, a 1/2 cup of beans, and 2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Taking one last peek into the fridge, I spied half a tomato and tossed it on top of the beans and corn. Maybe there was a knife at the office?

I was out the door right on time.

At lunchtime, Operation Microwave Quinoa deployed. I added 8 ounces of water (using my graduated water bottle as a measuring device) to the dry quinoa and onion. Using my best guess, I put the container in the microwave with the lid ajar, and set the timer for 5 minutes.

The quinoa was nearly done when the timer dinged. I removed the lid, reset it for 3 minutes, and what-do-you-know? It was perfect! Fully cooked, fluffy, and ready to eat.

I zapped my bean/corn/chipotle combo and sawed the tomato with a knife I discovered in one of the pantry drawers. In the future, I’ll try to cut all my veggies at home.

Once everything was hot, I mixed the contents into one container, topped concoction with the sliced tomatoes, and sat down to a delicious, office-cooked meal with Roger Federer. My last-minute lunch turned out to be a relaxing, satisfying break from a hectic day.

Thanks again for your fab comments on Tuesday. If you have any more last-minute lunch suggestions, feel free to share them in the comments.

~~~

If this article tickled your fancy, sidle on over to
20 Cheap Healthy Dishes Made from Pantry Staples
The Brown Bag Brigade
Healthy Takeout on a Budget

Veggie Might: Last-Minute Lunch

Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal: Quick and Tasty Nostalgia

Today on Serious Eats: Pork Roast en Cocotte with Apples and Shallots – an infallible America’s Test Kitchen recipe that tastes as good as it sounds.

I apologize for being horrifically negligent with posting lately. But, woof. Thangz iz crazy here at CHG central. Husband-Elect’s bachelor party was this weekend. Friends and family are already starting to trickle into Brooklyn. And oh, the wedding is Sunday.

Mommy?

Anyway, I’ve been keeping Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal in my back pocket (um, the recipe, not the food itself) for just such an occasion. It’s the world’s easiest breakfast, and will fill you up clear through the next morning. Not to mention: tasty.

There’s the nostalgia thing, too. Like everybody, I’m sure, peanut butter and jelly holds a special place in my heart (um, the idea of it, not the food itself). My mom packed my lunch with PB&J from first grade clear through to sixth. I didn’t touch it for years after that, being as tired of the sandwich as the general U.S. populace was of Alanis Morissette’s “Ironic” by November 1996.

But now? I will house that sandwich without ever coming up for air. And having a bowl of it for breakfast feels indulgent, like a treat. Like Mrs. Nall let me clap the erasers out back after school, because I scored a 99 on the spelling test. (Note: In the Morissettiest of ironies [meaning, not really an irony at all], I misspelled “sandwich,” adding an extraneous “t.”)

I urge you to commit the oatmeal to memory (um, the recipe, not the food itself). It’s a culinary trip back in time, not to mention a fast meal when the world becomes busier than you ever thought it could.

~~~

If you enjoy oatmeal and related recipes, you might also dig into:

• Banana Oatmeal Muffins
• Gingersnap Oatmeal
• Oatmeal with Soy Sauce and Scallions

~~~

Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal
Serves 2.
NOTE: This is not my picture, but a placeholder, and a pretty good approximation of the real thing. It comes from one of those ad-drenched blogs that obviously steals content, so I won't link to it here. Apologies to the actual photographer. My pic is coming a bit later.

1 cup dry 5-minute oats
1 cup water
1/2 cup skim milk
About 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 or 2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter
1 or 2 tablespoons your favorite jelly
Kosher salt to taste

1) Combine oats, water, and milk in a small pot. Heat over medium.

2) After a minute or two, add vanilla extract, peanut butter, jelly, and salt to taste. Stir to combine, though the peanut butter will gradually melt into the mixture as the oatmeal heats up. Cook a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

3) When the oatmeal reaches your desired consistency, taste it. If you’d like a little more of either PB or J, add it in.

4) Serve, and wonder why you’re not eating this for every meal.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
304 calories, 7.4 g fat, 2.9 g fiber, 7.9 g protein, $0.38

Calculations
1 cup dry 5-minute oats: 147 calories, 2.3 g fat, 4 g fiber, 6.1 g protein, $0.30
1 cup water: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.00
1/2 cup skim milk: 45 calories, 0.4 g fat, 0 g fiber, 4.4 g protein, $0.11
About 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract: 6 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.03
1 1/2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter: 135 calories, 12 g fat, 1.5 g fiber, 5.3 g protein, $0.09
1 1/2 tablespoons your favorite jelly: 84 calories, 0 g fat, 0.3 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.21
Kosher salt to taste: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.01
TOTAL: 609 calories, 14.7 g fat, 5.8 g fiber, 15.8 g protein, $0.75
PER SERVING (TOTAL/2): 304 calories, 7.4 g fat, 2.9 g fiber, 7.9 g protein, $0.38

Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal: Quick and Tasty Nostalgia

Tomatoes with Balsamic Dressing: A Recipe of Timelessness

Wow, you guys. It’s crunch time. There are less than two weeks to go before our nuptials, and Husband-Elect and I are up to our eyeballs in place cards, strappy shoes (him not me) and various tulle-embellished paraphernalia. The cat must be wondering when he wandered off the streets and on to the set of My Big Fat Swedish Wedding.

If you're unfamiliar with the process, planning a large wedding is slightly less logistically complicated than the Rebel Alliance’s attack on the Death Star. But only slightly. We’re attempting to maintain so many piles of Stuff and spreadsheets and word documents (in Gill Sans, The Official Font of Soon-to-be-Married People), any thought of cooking has perished along with the idea of a comfortable, but supportive bra. I am suddenly very thankful for my years working as an Associate Producer, where the daily tracking of data/minutae rivaled that of the Pentagon.

What I’m trying (rather longwindedly) to say is this: we’re eating things that require as little effort and forethought as humanly possible.

Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? Awesome!

Spaghetti and jarred sauce! A little involved, but okay!

Candle wax? Is it flavored? Sure!

It’s times like these when simple, 10-second salads are vital to preserving any semblance of health. What’s more, they provide variety for a palate increasingly accustomed to tortillas spread with mustard.

Take Tomatoes with Balsamic Dressing. I threw it together for lunch yesterday, and man, it hit the spot. It sated my craving for fresh food and salt, and felt way more substantial than a reg-oo-lar green salad.

Just – you gotta know: The quality of TwBD is entirely dependent on the quality of your tomatoes. You could go at it with anemic supermarket Romas, which will surely be less expensive, or you could opt for greenmarket dealies, which may cost a little more, but will elevate the dish immeasurably. In this case, option #2 was our girl, and it made all the difference.

And now, back to wedding planning. Maybe later, there will be time for some frozen peas and chipotle sauce. *Fingers crossed*

~~~

If this looks good to you, these might look, uh, just as good:

• Baked Plum Tomatoes
• Cherry Tomato Crisp
• Pasta with Eggplant, Zucchini, and Tomatoes

~~~

Tomatoes with Balsamic Dressing
Serves 1

1 1/2 ripe plum tomatoes
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Stem tomatoes and cut them into eighths. Place them in a small bowl. Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Serve.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
58 calories, 4.7 g fat, 1.1 g fiber, 0.8 g protein, $0.98

Calculations
1 1/2 ripe plum tomatoes: 17 calories, 0.2 g fat, 1.1 g fiber, 0.8 g fiber, $0.92
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil: 39 calories, 4.5 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.04
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar: 2 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.01
Kosher salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.01
Freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.01
TOTALS/PER SERVING: 58 calories, 4.7 g fat, 1.1 g fiber, 0.8 g protein, $0.98

Tomatoes with Balsamic Dressing: A Recipe of Timelessness

Try This: Salted Watermelon

For their wedding favors, my friends H and I gave each one of their guests a small jar of pink, white, or black high-end salt. Husband-Elect chose the latter, which we weren’t exactly sure how to use at first.

Then, a few weeks ago, I bought a 13-pound watermelon. I gutted it, cubed the whole thing, and on a whim, sprinkled a cup with a little bit of the salt.

And? It is CRACK. Juicy, salty, sweet, powerful, cheap, healthy crack. Here’s a picture:

See? Crack. Go try!

Try This: Salted Watermelon

Deconstructed Guacamole Wraps, OR Lime Chicken Salad with Avocado and Tomato: It's All in the Name

NOTE #1: Today on Serious Eats, it’s Zucchini Crostini. As much fun to eat as it is to say.

NOTE #2: Wanna help out a good cause? Yay! The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation is asking CHG readers to fill out this Healthy Eating poll for research. They don't want any personal information – just a few answers to some very worthwhile questions. Head on over!

In my humble, meek, somewhat self-effacing (yes, I used the Thesaurus tool) opinion, one of the best recipes we’ve ever featured on CHG is the unfortunately named Cheesy Eggplant Bake. A tornado of vegetables and frommage, it’s most excellent for those days you just want to pack your face with large quantities of delectable healthiness.

Jeez, though. That name.

Today’s recipe has a similar problem. It’s a limey, fresh, summer-appropriate mixture of chicken and various guacamole-associated ingredients. And ideally, it goes in a wrap, on top of a few leaves of lettuce.

So, do we call our creations Deconstructed Guacamole Wraps? On one hand, the name sounds like the classy-like results of a Top Chef quickfire challenge. On the other hand, what everyday cook ever deconstructs anything? Besides his blender, I mean.

Or, do we go with Lime Chicken Salad with Avocado and Tomato? It lacks the upscale panache of the first name, but it IS much more picnic-ready. Like you can just throw it together and be off. Still, there’s the slight mayo-association that comes whenever you use the word “Salad.” And nobody wants that.

Sweet readers, what to call this thing? Would you go with either of the proposed titles? Would you call it something else entirely? How do we convey that it requires leftover chicken? Am I overthinking this?

(My answers: dunno, maybe, yes, beats me, yes.)

Before you get to brainstorming, though, know this: these wraps, while scrumptious, are much richer than our usual entries, due to a lot of avocado and a not-modest amount of olive oil. However, you can drop a significant amount of fat by reducing each ingredient by half. Not that you have to. This is all pretty healthy, fat-wise.

With that said, how about that name? I'm stymied.

~~~

If you dig this recipe, these might also float your boat:

• Chipotle Pork Tenders
• Pasta with Turkey Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
• Skillet Chicken Fajitas

~~~

Deconstructed Guacamole Wraps
OR Lime Chicken Salad with Avocado and Tomato
Serves 4.

8 ounces grilled chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 avocado, diced
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 large leaves green lettuce
4 tortilla wraps

NOTE: I used grilled chicken thighs for this, due to their moistness and general tastiness. There were three of ‘em and I took each apart with my fingers.

1) In a medium bowl, combine chicken, avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and cilantro. Stir, gently if you have very-ripe avocado.

2) In a small bowl, whisk together lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste. Pour on to chicken mixture and stir to combine.

3) Place a few leaves of lettuce on each wrap. Split chicken evenly among wraps. Roll them up. Serve!

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price
368 calories, 23 g fat, 5.7 g fiber, 18 g protein, $1.30

NOTE: Your numbers will be slightly different depending on what cut of chicken and what kind of wraps you use. My calculations are for chicken thighs and Tropical brand tortillas.

Calculations
8 ounces grilled chicken, chopped into bite-sized pieces: 435 calories, 22.7 g fat, 0 g fiber, 54 g protein, $1.27
1 avocado, diced: 322 calories, 29.5 g fat, 13.5 g fiber, 4 g protein, $1.00
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes: 27 calories, 0.3 g fat, 1.8 g fiber, 1.3 g protein, $0.99
1/4 cup red onion, minced: 17 calories, 0 g fat, 0.6 g fiber, 0.4 g protein, $0.12
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped: 1 calories, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.25
3 tablespoons lime juice: 12 calories, 0 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, 0.2 g protein, $0.50
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil: 239 calories, 27 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.24
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.01
Freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.01
4 large leaves green lettuce: 19 calories, 0.3 g fat, 2.4 g fiber, 1.4 g protein, $0.10
4 wraps: 400 calories, 12 g fat, 4 g fiber, 12 g protein, $0.72
TOTAL: 1472 calories, 91.8 g fat, 22.6 g fiber, 73.4 g protein, $5.21
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 368 calories, 23 g fat, 5.7 g fiber, 18 g protein, $1.30

Deconstructed Guacamole Wraps, OR Lime Chicken Salad with Avocado and Tomato: It's All in the Name

No-Cook Month: Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint

NOTE #1: Hello, readers from Get Rich Slowly! Welcome to Cheap Healthy Good. It's nice to have you here. If you're looking for a good place to get to know us, this post is a good start. Thanks for visiting and enjoy!

NOTE #2: Today on Serious Eats: Zucchini Carpaccio with Feta and Pine Nuts, an excellent alternative to a green salad.

Dude. It’s watermelon season.

Last week, it went on sale for $0.39/pound, so I dragged a 13-pounder home from a supermarket half a mile away. It's been parked on my kitchen table ever since, like some giant, edible bowling ball.

Yesterday, I finally cowboyed up and gutted the thing. And now, as you can see from this picture, we have enough watermelon to fill two man-sized storage containers.

The problem is, Husband-Elect and I are but two people. True, we’re two people who really like watermelon, but we’re two people nonetheless.

Consequently, over the next week, we’re gonna have to get creative with this thing. I’m thinking Watermelon Margaritas, Watermelon Salsa, and of course, more Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint.

I have to admit: I didn’t think dropping feta into a bowl of fruit would do much. But it adds two things: salt and creaminess, which are both unexpected and very welcome. The mint and lime provide additional freshness and lightness, which keep the dish from being murky.

Beyond that, the dish boasts three huge pluses:

1. It takes less than 10 minutes to make.
2. There are no mandatory ratios. You can tailor the amount of feta, melon, mint, and lime to your liking.
3. If you’re feeling adventurous, the recipe can be expanded to include olives, red onions, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, cilantro, cotija cheese, jicama, and many, many more exciting ingredients. Guidelines abound online.

Alas, there is a minus, as well. In my experience, the salad doesn’t store particularly well. The fruit juice eventually breaks down the cheese, and you’re left with a thick, fruity mess. So you gotta eat this fresh, or within a day of making it. Otherwise … to the trash, Robin. Still, it's good. And I will be eating again. Probably several times tomorrow.

And with that, readers, any suggestions for watermelon recipes? We, uh, could use ‘em right now.

P.S. All-watermelon barbecue at my house tomorrow!

~~~

If you’re thinking about making this, you might also whip up some:

• Plums with Orange and Mint
• Strawberry and Avocado Salad
• Sublime Fruit Salad and Mint

~~~

Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint
Serves 1 or more.
Adapted from many, many sources, but especially Whipped.

A few cups watermelon, balled or cut into 2-inch chunks and chilled
A small block of feta cheese
A small handful mint leaves, chopped
Fresh lime juice

1) Place desired amount of watermelon in a bowl or on a plate.

2) Crumble desired amount of feta over watermelon. (The more, the better.)

3) Sprinkle mint over watermelon-feta mixture.

4) Squeeze lime over it all.

5) No. Seriously. That’s it.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
147 calories, 6.5 g fat, 1 g fiber, 5.5 g protein, $0.79

NOTE: As this recipe is totally/completely adaptable to your tastes and preferences, I’m making up some arbitrary numbers for calculations, just to give y’all an idea of the nutrition/price breakdown. Your numbers will undoubtedly be different, so please take this as a rough guide, only.

Calculations
1-1/2 cups watermelon: 69 calories, 0.5 g fat, 0.9 g fiber, 1.4 g protein, $0.26
1 ounce feta cheese: 75 calories, 6 g fat, 0 g fiber, 4 g protein, $0.37
1 tablespoon mint leaves, chopped: 1 calorie, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.10
1 teaspoon lime juice: 2 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.06
TOTAL: 147 calories, 6.5 g fat, 1 g fiber, 5.5 g protein, $0.79

No-Cook Month: Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint

No-Cook Month: Herbed Tuna in Tomatoes

Today on Serious Eats: No-Cook Berry Crisp. Good off the bat, tremendous after a day in the fridge.

(Number of times the word “tomato” appears in this post: 25.)

If you don’t like tomatoes, this is a good time to run far, far away, perhaps to another blog of many vegetables and better photos. Perhaps to Kalyn's Kitchen. Perhaps to I Heart Kale. Perhaps to this. (Which? I’m not usually one for mocking children, but … wow. That’s uncanny.)

If you do like tomatoes, stick around. Pour yourself a glass of tomato juice. Have a seat on the tomato-colored sofa. Listen to Shonen Knife’s “Tomato Head.” Gaze at this early picture of Tori Amos, whose hair color could most aptly be described as either “tomato” or “many tomatoes mating on a bed of many other tomatoes.”

Because this recipe? It’s tomato-ey. It’s Real Simple’s Herbed Tuna in Tomatoes, and it’s perfect for A) the season, and B) when canned fish goes on sale at the local grocery store, both of which happened last week in Brooklyn.

I made the dish twice, the first time following the Real Simple directions as written. And? Meh. Since you’re not asked to seed/de-pulp the tomatoes, the dish turned out entirely too watery, which diluted its flavor and generally made a mess.

The second time, I went rogue. Like Sarah Palin, only legitimate. (Incidentally, does anyone else’s brain trick you into reading her book title as Going Rouge? Mine does. Every. Time.)

Anyway, I seeded everything, drained the bejeezus out of the tuna, and played with the ratios of the other ingredients. The results? Pretty dang good. While the overwhelming flavor remained TOMATO, it balanced better with the lemon juice and capers. I might even add more lemon/caper/parsley/olive oil, but that’s just me.

Needless to say, the quality of Herbed Tuna in Tomatoes hinges largely on the quality of your tomatoes. Roma/plum tomatoes will be tasty, but too small. “Slicing” tomatoes will have the opposite problem. On-the-vine tomatoes are a good compromise, since they’re exactly the right size, usually ripe, and cheap enough that you’ll still be able to afford your mortgage.

As for everything else, you just need to know the following keywords: healthy, inexpensive, 15-minute prep time, no-cook, meaty, fresh, flugelhorn.

Oh yeah, and: TOMATO. Enjoy!

~~~

If you like the way this looks, get a load of these:

• Stuffed Eggplant
• Stuffed Peppers
• Stuffed Peppers with Black Beans and Corn

~~~

Herbed Tuna in Tomatoes
Yields 2 stuffed tomatoes.
Adapted from Real Simple.

2 medium tomatoes
1 5-ounce can tuna packed in water, drained really well
1 tablespoon capers, chopped
1/8 to 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Zest of 1/2 lemon
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

1) Slice the top third off of each tomato. Scoop out the insides, discarding all the wet innards and seeds. Chop the remaining flesh, and put it into a medium bowl. Do the same with the tomato tops, making sure to remove the stems.

2) Add tuna, capers, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil into the same bowl. Stir to combine. Salt and pepper to taste.

3) Divide the mixture among the tomatoes. If you like, refrigerate for a few minutes while you clean up. Serve.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per serving
162 calories, 8.9 g fat, 2 g fiber, 14.8 g protein, $1.32

Calculations
2 medium tomatoes: 44 calories, 0.5 g fat, 3 g fiber, 2.2 g protein, $1.07
1 5-ounce can tuna packed in water, drained: 145 calories, 3.4 g fat, 0 g fiber, 26.7 g protein, $0.66
1 tablespoon capers, chopped: 2 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.3 g fiber, 0.2 g protein, $0.03
1/8 to 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped: 4 calories, 0.1 g fat, 0.4 g fiber, 0.3 g protein, $0.33
Zest of 1/2 lemon: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.00
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice: 10 calories, 0 g fat, 0.2 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.40
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil: 119 calories, 13.5 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.12
Kosher salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
Freshly ground black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, and protein, $0.01
TOTAL: 324 calories, 17.7 g fat, 3.9 g fiber, 29.5 g protein, $2.63
PER SERVING (TOTAL/2): 162 calories, 8.9 g fat, 2 g fiber, 14.8 g protein, $1.32

No-Cook Month: Herbed Tuna in Tomatoes

Veggie Might: Vegan Mayo and Worcestershire for Cookout Independence

Sweet readers: Today kicks off No-Cook Month on Cheap Healthy Good! Join us as we never turn on our stoves, ever.

Girls and boys, it’s been as hot as blue blazes around these parts (New York City, if you’re just joining us). Luckily for me, I have a sensitive little cookie monster who requires air conditioning for summer survival. No, not me—I can take the heat.

However, my Charming Boyfriend does not; and his apartment is consistently two- to three-degrees hotter than outside. Thank Maude for NO COOK MONTH!

To kick it off, I’m dipping back into a past theme: make your own condiments. It’s not a stove-free meal, but with Canada Day upon us (happy, happy, up there!), and the 4th of July just days away, I figured everyone’s cooking out anyway. Vegans and vegetarians will need something animal-free to slather on and spice up their veggie burgs, tofu dogs, and grilled portobellos.

Vegan Mayo
While Kris promises to keep this site mayo-free, I make no such vow, and besides vegan mayo is really just tofu sauce. Even Kris can get behind that right? Right? Hey, Miss K, where are you going? (Um ... I have a thing. - Kris)

Anyhoo…this creamy, light sandwich spread does no harm to the baby chicks, cuts down on picnic botulism (or is it salmonella? I’m always confusing my food-borne illnesses…), and is perfect on sandwiches and salads—anywhere mayo or that other processed sandwich glop dares to tread.

All you need are a few simple ingredients, a food processor/blender (or a strong whisking arm), and you’ll be too cool for the real deal in no time.

Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
Worcestershire sauce is one of those nonvegetarian foodstuffs that can sneak past even the most diligent animal-bits teetotaler. The original, stuff of apothecary legend, is made with anchovies or other fishy paste. That’ll kill the buzz, from the bloody marys to the chex mix, at any veghead’s party.

Turns out, a veggie version is tres easy, and requires just a little patience, along with a couple not-so-secret ingredients: molasses and tamarind concentrate. Tamarind is a sour fruit found in Africa and Southeast Asia, is commonly used in Indian, Thai, and Latin American cooking, and can be found at Indian or Latin markets.

Molasses is the anti-high fructose corn syrup.

There is something about the molasses and tamarind that give the Worcestershire sauce its depth and zing. I thought the fish paste would be the biggest flavor factor, but the batch I made—just by letting the spices meld overnight—tastes shockingly close to the original.

The veggie wor’st was tangy and spicy on homemade veggie burgers along with the first harvest of lettuce from CB’s fire-escape herb garden. The vegan mayo added a smooth and delicious complement.

Whip up a set of homemade, vegan condiments for your holiday cookout to mark your complete independence from processed foods. Or just because it’s fun make stuff from scratch.

Happy 3rd anniversary and happy Independence Day, everyone!

~~~

If this article tips your canoe, swim on over to

• Make Your Own Ketchup
• Make Your Own Mustard
• Western North Carolina BBQ Sauce

~~~

Vegan Mayo
Makes 1 cup or 16 1-tablespoon servings.
Adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman.

6 oz silken tofu
1/4 cup safflower oil
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt

1) Place tofu, vinegar, mustard, and salt in a bowl or the bowl of your food processor/blender.

2) Zap/whisk until smooth.

3) Drizzle in oil, blending as you go. Continue whizzing/whisking until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes in the food processor).

4) Serve as desired. Refrigerate up to two weeks.

5) Accept praise and amazement at your hard work graciously.

~~~

Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
Makes 1 cup or 16 1-tablespoon servings.
Adapted from Cooking with Rockstars.com.

1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon tamarind concentrate
1/4 teaspoon grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1) Combine all ingredients into a small nonreactive mixing bowl. Stir well.

2) Transfer to a container with a lid—a glass jar or take-out container is perfect.

3) Allow flavors to meld overnight or at least 8 hours. (I let it sit out on the counter, but you can refrigerate if you feel safer that way.)

4) Shake and strain out the red pepper flakes.

5) Serve with veggie burgers, bloody marys, and confidence.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
Vegan Mayo: 42.5 calories, 4g fat, 3g fiber, .8g protein, $0.05
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce: 8 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.03

Calculations

Vegan Mayo
6 oz silken tofu: 187.5 calories, 9.6g fat, 48g fiber, 12g protein, $0.42
1/4 safflower oil: 480 calories, 56g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.32
2 tbsp white vinegar: 6 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.02
2 tsp Dijon mustard: 6 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.02
1/4 tsp salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
Totals: 679.5 calories, 65.6g fat, 48g fiber, 12g protein, $.80
Per Serving (totals/16): 42.5 calories, 4g fat, 3g fiber, .8g protein, $05

Vegan Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup white vinegar: 24 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.08
2 tbsp soy sauce: 22 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.08
1 tbsp brown sugar: 50 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.03
1/2 tbsp molasses: 29 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.07
1 tbsp tamarind concentrate: 8 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.13
1/4 tsp grated ginger: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
1/4 tsp garlic powder: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
1/4 tsp onion powder: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
1/4 tsp black pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
1/4 tsp cinnamon: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $.02
Totals: 133 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.53
Per Serving (totals/16): 8 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $.03

Veggie Might: Vegan Mayo and Worcestershire for Cookout Independence