The month of March is kind of locavore no man’s land. There’s not a lot of dead ripe in-season food to salivate about. Sure, there are the leftover pears and apples, the humble storage vegetables – like onions, potatoes and cabbage. And we’re looking forward to local asparagus and rhubarb. We know that people set on strawberry shortcake for the holy days will be buying shipped in fruit from the lower lower-48. Which reminds me of Barbara Kingsolver’s essay Lily’s Chickens from her book of essays Small Wonder where she notes that “transporting 5 calories’ worth of strawberry from California to New York costs 435 calories of fossil fuel.” Makes one stop and ponder. Maybe a pear tart will do.
It’s an in between month. Sometimes a cranky month. It’s a month when I want to get away. Go to a tropical island and wait for winter-into-spring to sort itself out. Come back refreshed and ready to order seeds, plant the garden. According to tradition, Marta (March) is an angry old lady who rapidly changes her mood from bad to good and back again. She is Grandmother March, in Bulgarian “Baba Marta.”
I sometimes can’t think what to cook in March and feel thankful for things that I have put by like applesauce and sauerkraut to keep meals lively. How do you appease Baba Marta, moody March? What do you make when you’re nonplussed and nothing catches your eye in the produce section?
Wow. What amazing wonderful responses. I was happy to see such breakfast enthusiasm! And love how we “kale for breakfast” eaters marched out of the closet. We put all 30 comments in a hat and drew out #21. Hey Amanda! You win a book!!!!
We sort of like this free give-away thing. How about you? Look for more.
Three Breakfast Mini-Meals for under $3.00. Big McDonald’s billboard I see everyday when I drive to work. I can beat this. I know I can.
So I went with my mechanical pencil and a scratch pad to the grocery store (PCC) and wrote down prices for all the little things I use to make breakfast. Okay, I’m not going to include that I eat kale for breakfast. I do. (see Be Bop Breakfast).
I got three meals for you that are under $3. And they are way better than anything you would pick up in a sack at Mickey D.’s. And there’s nothing mini about them.
You’re thinking - what about the time-factor Ms. Lair. True true. But the drive there, ordering, paying and picking up has got to take 15-20 minutes. Right? So now the challenge is under $3 and under 20 minutes. Plus I’m using all organic food. No problem.
Steel cut oats with 1/2 apple sliced, 1/4 cup raisins and milk $.75 per serving. That’s right, under a $1! The only catch - you have to remember to soak your oats the night before so they’ll cook quick in the morning.
On Sunday you throw together a nice batch of Maple Butter Nut Granola and store it in a glass jar. That’s 15 minutes prep and 45 minutes for the granola to bake while you watch movies or sports on TV. In the morning, in less than5 minutes, you have a bowl of delicious granola with vanilla yogurt. Bingo - $.91
This one will take the full 20 minutes - maybe. Toast two pieces of sprouted wheat bread or rye bread. Put some butter in the skillet and cook an over-easy egg. Once you flip it, add a slice of cheese. Ready your toast with a little butter and some sauerkraut. Pop the egg on the bread and this ain’t no mc muffin, it’s pro-biotic. $2.39.
Ok. The challenge is back to you. What’s your best under $3 breakfast. No packaged cereals allowed (yeah, that’s tough). We’ll have a drawing of all those who respond. Don’t forget to include how much your breakfast costs! Price it out baby. Winner gets a copy of Feeding the Whole Family. Go!
Agave nectar! A sweetener that’s good for you! Let’s make cake!
The insatiable American sweet tooth may have celebrated too early. As Seattle’s Nutrition Educator Goldie Caughlan, points out in her balanced article Bitter & Sweet: Agave Syrup, there is no perfect sweetener. Close to 19% of the American diet comes from some form of sugar. That’s too much of a sweet thing no matter what health expert you’re interrogating. Does it matter whether it is agave, honey or plain old white sugar? It does to me. I choose my sweeteners based on ethical behavior and kitchen-ability.
Cactus Juice
True, a sweetener was once upon a time made from the juice of the agave cactus. The traditional sweetener from the agave sap/juice (miel de agave) was made by simply boiling it for several hours. The new improved nectar marketed to us in the 90’s is mostly chemically refined fructose, anywhere from 70% and higher. For comparison, the high-fructose corn syrup used in sodas is 55% refined fructose. The sugars in the nectar are converted to fructose using an enzymatic process similar to how corn syrup is converted into HFCS. Are we saps for believing it was somehow “natural”?
Low Glycemic Index
One of agave’s marketing points is its low glycemic index, meaning it won’t raise blood sugar levels as high or as fast as some other sugars. Sounds good huh? But as Joy Bauer points out in her article How Sweet it Is (msnbc news) “the reason agave has such a low glycemic index is that it is extremely high in fructose — a simple sugar that ranks low on the glycemic index, but can trigger symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome such as gas, bloating and abdominal pain. Fructose has also been shown to increase the risk of heart disease by increasing triglycerides and — due to its negative effect on several appetite-regulating hormones — weight gain and obesity.” Agave nectar is advertised as a “diabetic friendly,” raw, and “100% natural sweetener.” Misleading?
Beyond Science
I have to go back to the whole foods concept and ask the whole foods questions – what has been done to the food since it was harvested? The seed to table journey is long; making several stops in the laboratory for some enzymatic conversions. Are all of the original edible ingredients present? Truth is there are not many sweeteners where much of the food matter hasn’t been tossed. Maple syrup and honey are possible exceptions; agave is not. How long has this food been known to nourish humans? Here the operative word is “nourish”. Agave nectar may disqualify right there. I tend to distrust new and approved foods that don’t have a several decade track record. Bottom line (my flexible line in the sand) – I don’t know how I could make commercially-sold agave nectar in my kitchen. Agave has no kitchen-ability.
Jamie Oliver spells it out. He’s passionate about fighting obesity. This is a 20 minute watch from the magnificent TED talks worth a sit at the computer.
Our effort on Cookus Interruptus is not just about giving folks an impressive kale salad to take to their next pot luck. Our mission is to normalize healthy home cooking so that our children and our children’s children can grow up with the vitality to pursue their dreams.
The Anatomy of a Comfort Food
What makes a food comfortable? Is it muscle memory elicited by a familiar smell? I think it’s stone age stuff. It’s cold outside. I want to stay alive. Stews and soups can be eaten by anyone, since you don’t need good teeth.
I’m sitting here with my 88 year old Aunt Bettie, and here’s her list of comfort foods:
In this age of wheat-free, dairy-free, gluten-free and other freedoms, the question of substituting always comes up. With so many products on the market catering to our food sensitive society, it’s actually not difficult to make substitutions and get a similar (but not the same) texture and flavor from the recipe.
Replacing wheat flour with a non-wheat flour
Barley, kamut and spelt flour work fine. Barley flour will give the most similar texture to whole wheat pastry flour. Whole grain kamut and spelt flour have a lot of fiber, so you may need a tablespoon or two of extra liquid in your recipe.
Replacing gluten flour with a non gluten flour
Wheat, kamut, spelt and barley all contain gluten. For the family-member that is gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive, a substitution needs to be made. In my classes we use the formula we give in Gluten-Free Flour Mix video. Works well. Nother option is a guaranteed gluten-free oat flour. Expensive but you will get the most wheat-like texture.
Fats
Notice whether the fat in your recipe is solid or liquid. When you replace a liquid fat with a solid fat (for example canola oil with butter), melt the solid fat to get the correct measurement. It is tricky to replace a solid fat with a liquid fat (for example replacing Crisco with olive oil). You will need to examine how the fat is used in the recipe and experiment. If you need to make a dairy-free recipe that calls for butter you can substitute coconut oil. Melt if first on very low heat, then measure and use. You will get better results.
Milks
Soy, rice or nut milk can be substituted for cow’s milk in any recipe. It’s easy to make nut milks at home. See our Vanilla Nut Cream recipe. Thin in out with more water. If the recipe you are substituting milk in is sweet you could leave the maple syrup and vanilla in. If not, omit both.
Eggs
I don’t recommend replacing eggs in a recipe unless there is an allergy or a commitment to being vegan. Fear of dietary cholesterol is not the threat we once thought it was and current research does not support eliminating it. Eggs are unequal in their ability to bind. They also add high-quality protein and fat to baked goods and desserts which help balance the high-carbohydrate content.
Two eggs equal approximately ½ cup of liquid and fat. One option is to simply increase the liquid and fat in the recipe by ¼ cup each.
Another choice is to use ½ cup of fruit or vegetable puree. This can be handy if you want to get more fruits and vegetables in your family’s diet. Dates, bananas, applesauce, sweet potato or yam are a few choices. The texture will be softer than if the dish was made with eggs.
A third option is to grind 2 tablespoons of flaxseed, add 6 tablespoons boiling water, let mixture set 15 minutes then whisk with a fork. This will replace two eggs in any recipe for baked goods. The flax will also significantly increase the fiber content.
When eliminating eggs from a recipe I have found that substituting 1/4 cup of the flour in the recipe (if there is flour) with 1/4 cup of teff flour is helpful, especially with cookies and brownies. Teff is a whole grain that is sticky and chewy when cooked, so it adds those qualities to the baked good.
In my book, there are recipes for a Tofu Kale Supper Pie (like a quiche) and a Tofu Vegetable Breakfast Burrito (replacing scrambled eggs) if that is the type of egg substitution you’re going for. Tofu can do some cool things.
So many substitutions, so little time. I know you guys have more ideas. Okay, discuss.
Chocolate chip cookies are too sweet. The worst offenders are the big chain coffee shops. They are simply meeting a short term need for sugar addicts without regard to the deeper meaning of a chocolate chip cookie. It’s just my opinion, but I think that the chocolate chip itself should be the star.
So there shouldn’t be too many of them. If you want to pile them in, fine, but don’t call it a chocolate chip cookie. Call it a cookie chocolate chip.
More importantly, the chip itself should be a delight when you get to it.
To that end, the chip should not be less sweet than the rest of the cookie!
It should be sweeter! And in my opinion they’re better with nuts.
If you want to see and hear an excellent lecture that explains clearly how the steady increase of sugar in the American diet is responsible for wreaking havoc on our health, watch this. If you want to feel okay, from a nutritional point of view, about the good fats in your diet – whether they come from animal or vegetable sources, Dr. Lustig will make your day. If you want to understand in detail how fructose (particularly high fructose corn syrup) is metabolized, this lecture lays it out.
I know. It’s ninety minutes long and not everybody is nutrition nerdy enough to make it through. Here is an article by Dr. Lustig that summarizes the major points but you won’t derive the passion and excitement that he brings to the topic in the video.
Robert H. Lustig, MD, is UCSF Professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Endocrinology. He explores the damage caused by sugary foods and argues that fructose (too much) and fiber (not enough) appear to be cornerstones of the obesity epidemic through their effects on insulin.
In the video he clearly shows, down to a molecular level, how fructose(from all sources) metabolizes similarly to alcohol. Both convert to fat quickly and both fail to give satiety signals causing us to eat more and want more. Fructose consumption has incrementally increased 5-fold compared to a century ago while fat consumption decreased. High intake of sugar is linked with cardiovascular disease, diabetes and hypertension. Quit blaming butter!
But don’t take my word for it. Watch this. Loaded with startling facts and put into context with American food history and dietary trends.
I know. Cynthia why are you raining on sugar just before the sweets for sweetheart holiday? Problem is, there’s almost no time of year that we’re not about to have a holiday focused on sweets. Right? How do you keep your family’s sweet tooth in check???
Last week one of our viewers, Chris, expressed concern about a NY Times article called “Big Benefits Are Seen from Eating Less Salt” The article referred to a report from The New England Journal of Medicine concluding that lowering salt in the diet by even a small amount could reduce heart disease and strokes.
Instead of banging heads against walls trying to get consumers to eat less salt, efforts are being made to get food manufacturers and restaurants to lower the sodium content of their food. I guess that’s a good idea. But wait. The sodium and sugar in fast food and restaurant chain dishes is the only flavor present. If you cut it, it’s going to taste bad. We could create catastrophic repercussions like we did with the no-fat era.
In the late 70’s when the proclamation came that Americans needed to lower their fat intake from 40% of the diet to 30% what happened? First, we did it. How? By switching former brand loyalty to new fat-free or lower fat brands. We choked down the less satisfying cookies and yogurts and soups and did we get thinner? Healthier? Nope. Because food manufacturers had to make the foods edible enough that we’d buy them, they added sugar (HFCS). Snackwells proudly strutted 2 grams of fat while they upped the carbohydrate content to 13 grams by adding more sugar.
Then what happened? Well the prevalence of obesity, heart disease and type II diabetes soared during the fat-free campaign as we took aim and shot but at the wrong target. (the real culprit is the sugar, more on that in another post). If they take the salt out of food, I shake in my boots anticipating what cheap chemical might be added to keep Americans buying food off of the grocer’s shelf. And what that chemical might do to our metabolism.
Salt is a magical ingredient. It draws the liquid in food out, bringing flavors to the surface. That’s why you salt vegetables while cooking if you want them to become limp and juicy and you don’t salt them until just before serving if you want them crisp and perky. Bland complex carbohydrate foods like potatoes, whole grains and beans are almost tasteless without that little toss of salt.
It’s not that we need to quit salting our beans, it’s that we need to quit buying things that come in a can or a box or a drive-through. Adding sodium and sugar are the trickster ways that food manufacturers have of not only keeping food palatable but creating cravings. Foods that we don’t think of as salty ARE if they are purchased packaged. Corn flakes (351 mg sodium), Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits (633 mg. sodium) Mc Donald’s Grilled Chicken club (1690 mg. – higher than a Big Mac).
But you guys know all this. Just thought I’d remind you that you’re right. Right on. Movers and salt shakers.
3TW3RNDD3TFS
It’s an in between month. Sometimes a cranky month. It’s a month when I want to get away. Go to a tropical island and wait for winter-into-spring to sort itself out. Come back refreshed and ready to order seeds, plant the garden. According to tradition, Marta (March) is an angry old lady who rapidly changes her mood from bad to good and back again. She is Grandmother March, in Bulgarian “Baba Marta.”
enthusiasm! And love how we “kale for breakfast” eaters marched out of the closet. We put all 30 comments in a hat and drew out #21. Hey Amanda! You win a book!!!!
thing no matter what health expert you’re interrogating. Does it matter whether it is agave, honey or plain old white sugar? It does to me. I choose my sweeteners based on ethical behavior and kitchen-ability.
Instead of banging heads against walls trying to get consumers to eat less salt, efforts are being made to get food manufacturers and restaurants to lower the sodium content of their food. I guess that’s a good idea. But wait. The sodium and sugar in fast food and restaurant chain dishes is the only flavor present. If you cut it, it’s going to taste bad. We could create catastrophic repercussions like we did with the no-fat era.
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