Archive for the 'Basics' Category

How to Store Your Fruits & Veggies

Published on August 11, 2011 in Basics. 0 Comments

I just found this handy guide to storing your fruits and veggies without using plastic (via this charming blog). I don’t know about you, but I’m always ending up with mushy, wilted or unimaginably scary looking veggies, and now I realize it’s because I’m probably storing them all the wrong way. And in unnecessary plastic-y ways to boot.

For example, did you know that you can (and should) store celery in a cup of water on your counter? And that fennel stores well this way too? Not that I’m going to start filling my already space-challenged kitchen with jars of veg all over the place, but I do have a spot in mind and I think it may even encourage me to use them more quickly (and not forget them stuck in the back of the mystery crisper drawer).

Also, no need to use plastic wrap, Ziploc baggies or aluminum foil. Just roll up a cucumber in a damp towel and stick that in the fridge. Same goes for carrots and broccoli. Also, don’t wash your eggplant. Eggplants don’t like that. Okay, good to know!

When you store fresh herbs in water-filled glasses or vases on your kitchen table, you’re not just keeping them fresh, you are getting an air freshener and centerpiece in one. Bonus.

FYI, cauliflower, corn and okra are all best eaten the day you get them (and if you can eat your corn on the day it’s picked, then you’re really winning).

And whatever you do, for God’s sake, DON’T put your tomatoes in the fridge. That makes them mushy. And then, they may come to life and kill you. Hey, it could happen.

Comfort Food

Published on January 10, 2011 in Basics. 0 Comments

Hello friends. I must apologize for my absence. I have had a whopper of a cold for the last couple weeks and am just finally coming out of it. Holidays + Airplane Travel + Child in Daycare = ILL to the izzle. Or something.

And because I haven’t been breathing properly and really can’t smell or taste anything, food and cooking has kind of taken a back seat. Gads. More shocking words have ne’er exited these lips before. But it’s true. I’ve been eating things like this:

Now, let’s get one thing straight. This is not one of those highfalutin’ blogs that talks about reductions and infusions and other terms that sound like some type of weight-loss program (cause we’re DEFINITELY not about that). We (the universal “we,” that is) are about food that makes you happy; food that doesn’t require wacky equipment and impossible-to-find ingredients; food that is good and not too complicated. Comfort food. Yes, I suppose that’s what it is.

And this is one of my go-to comfort food meals. When I’m feeling particularly unwell, suffering from self-pity or even just feeling ever so slightly maudlin, I go straight for the grilled cheese/tomato soup/Fritos combo. And like so many of my favorite foods, it’s a meal that comes from my childhood. I must’ve been about 6 or 7 when I first had it for lunch at my best friend’s house, so I guess my association with it is one of youth, happiness and basically not having a care in the world. You know those days of playing in the snow until you can’t feel your face and then still not wanting to come indoors? But then when we finally did succumb…I remember the warm mudroom smelling of fresh laundry, a 20-pound cat named Putter and a deceptively simple little trifecta of soup-sammy-chip perfection. It was hot, creamy, gooey, crunchy and greasy all rolled into one, and damn it, I loved it.

I must admit when I took a look at the Campbell’s tomato soup can label, I almost keeled over (high fructose corn syrup, anyone?), but the healthy Whole Foods substitute just wasn’t cutting it. I needed high fructose corn syrup at that particular moment and I’m not ashamed to admit it. And milk. You must make the soup with milk — not water. This is comfort, people. Not prison. And salt. Lots of salt, seeing as how I can’t really taste anything. The soup must be served piping hot, the cheese melty and gooey and the Fritos must be Fritos (no generic substitutes allowed).

So, now you know. My little weakness — as if there is only one. Trust me. There are lots more. But now I’d like you to ‘fess up. What’s your go-to comfort food? Is there just one? Different ones for different comfort needs/levels? Is it a combination of food together that really does it for you? Do tell, readers. Your secrets are safe with me.

Food when you don’t feel like cooking

Published on November 17, 2010 in Basics, Kids and New York City. 2 Comments


Is this how you feel when you have to get a meal on the table for your family? Yikers, I certainly hope not.

The reason I ask is because a woman posted on my mother’s group’s board asking for help with eating healthy (or, really just, you know, EATING) when you are in the throes of New Baby World. Not that it gets easier when the kids get older — you can’t just stick a boob in their mouths; you’ve got to feed them too! So, it got me thinking. Why not come up with a kid- and adult-friendly list of go-to snacks and meals with some prepared food ideas thrown in? Because let’s face it, you can’t order a pizza every night (unless you’re my husband and I’m out of town. In which case, yes, you can.).

Healthy Snacks (for Mom or kids)

  • Hummus:  I usually make my own, but in the interest of time-saving, just buy it (I think Sabra is the best grocery brand, plus they have those handy single-serving cups at Costco)
  • Trail mix:  I buy bulk apricots, walnuts, almonds, banana chips, cranberries and cashews and toss it together; make up your own with your favorite dried fruits & nuts
  • Cut-up veggies (you can buy them already cut up)/baby carrots/cherry tomatoes:  dip in the hummus or use a bottled dressing like Annie’s Goddess
  • Yogurt (cups/tubes)
  • Fruit
  • Granola (Whole Foods has great variety in their bulk section) and granola bars
  • Unsalted whole wheat pretzels
  • Dried snap peas/beans (available at Trader Joe’s or you can dehydrate your own if you have a dehydrator)
  • Guacamole
  • Cottage cheese
  • Organic string cheese
  • Hard-boiled eggs
  • Apples with almond or peanut butter
  • Shakes/smoothies
  • Kale chips:  Spray clean and dried-in-a-spinner kale leaves with olive oil, toss and bake in a 350º oven for 12-20 minutes or until super-crispy (the time depends on how much oil you use). Sprinkle with salt (smoked paprika is really good too).

Quick & Easy Meals

  • Quesadillas:  Toss in whatever you have lying around, add some cheese and you’re good to go
  • Wraps:  The cold version of a quesadilla; toss in some hummus or guac with pre-washed greens, cukes and cheese
  • Roasted veggies:  Coat roasting pan with 1-2 T olive oil, add whatever veggies and herbs you have handy, roast at 450º for 20-30 minutes; toss a piece of olive-oiled fish on for the last 10 minutes, if you feel the urge
  • Couscous/quinoa:  Cooks in 10-20 minutes with almost zero attention; it tastes better when you use stock, but water is fine. Toss in dried or fresh herbs when you add the grain. Stir in some chickpeas and/or arugula just before it’s finished.
  • Pasta:  A couple easy no-cook ones here and here
  • Breakfast for dinner:   Scrambled eggs and toast — pile it on some tortilla chips and add some black beans, a dollop of salsa and sour cream and you’ve got huevos rancheros!
  • Soups:  You can buy dry bean soup kits and even fresh-veg ones already cut up and ready to go (purées are great for babies)

See, they even sell soup mixes in Buenos Aires.

Meal Delivery/Takeout

  • If ordering in (and NYC *is* the capital of ordering in), try to focus on healthy choices, i.e., if you’re going to order Chinese food, get the steamed veggies with the sauce on the side and brown rice, not the egg rolls; pizza is okay, just make sure you get a salad too; sushi is a good option, just watch the salt
  • Fresh Direct prepared meals:  I’ve heard good things, although I’ve never tried them
  • Whole Foods has an amazing food bar; lots of healthy options (step away from the samosas, please)
  • There are quite a few delivery meal services in NYC, for both adults/families and kids (The Portable Chef and DinDins are just two options)

Reasonably Healthy Prepackaged Meals

  • Quorn “chicken” nuggets:  The best fake chicken nuggets IMO (available at Whole Foods)
  • Veggie burgers: I like Dr. Praeger’s California veggie burgers, but they have other fun stuff like fish sticks, broccoli cakes, etc.
  • Trader Joe’s frozen spinach pie (the 4 grams of fat version, not the one with 20+!)
  • Trader Joe’s Indian entrées:  Most are too high in sodium, but the Jaipur Vegetables has the lowest; I add chickpeas and frozen spinach before heating and serve with rice
  • Rotisserie chicken:  If you eat chicken, you can stretch the leftovers into soup, quesadillas or a quick curry

This is, of course, just a jumping-off point. I’m sure there’s a lot of other great ideas that just aren’t popping into my (mommy) brain. Feel free to post your suggestions in the comments. We moms need to stick together, yo.

Whole Wheat Baguette

Published on October 12, 2010 in Basics. 2 Comments Tags: .


One of my favorite memories is when my dad would take us kids skiing, and Mom would stay home and make bread (and probably get some much-needed down time). Coming home to a warm and cozy kitchen filled with the smells of freshly-baked honey wheat bread and piping hot hambone soup instantly warmed our windburned faces and empty stomachs.

There is something wonderfully fulfilling about baking your own bread. There is an element of simplicity in bread-making, of being connected to what you’re eating, that’s really very satisfying. Plus, I’m a carb addict, so that part’s fulfilling too.

Before we left for Argentina last year, I had really gotten into making baguettes. I’d always baked a lot of bread, but I’d never really made baguettes. But one day, while wandering the aisles of Broadway Panhandler (which is just not the same since they moved from their original Soho location, by the way), I found this. You don’t really need a baguette pan to make baguettes (a sheet pan works fine), but all those little holes are supposed to allow the hot air in the oven to circulate better, giving you that crusty on-the-outside/tender-on-the-inside texture coveted the world over. Plus, it broke down some sort of mental block I had about not being able to do it.

And it’s really easy (especially when you cheat like I usually do by using a bread machine). Yesterday, though, I decided to forgo the cheater’s method when I found this recipe for whole wheat baguettes. I’m sure I could’ve used it, but I was nervous about the multiple mixing steps the recipe calls for because that’s not really possible in a bread machine (or if it is, I don’t know how to do it).

And you know, it was really easy and rather satisfying. There I was, kneading away in the kitchen, having a Little House on the Prairie moment (and getting my arm workout for the week), and it was lovely. Very earthy stuff.

And the bread. Wow. Crusty on the outside and tender on the inside with a nice nutty wheat flavor. It hardly needed the butter, but is there anything that isn’t better with butter? I thought not.

NOTES: In the past, I’ve added a cup of very hot water to a baking pan set on the rack below the baguette pan. I’ve read about misting the bread and the sides of the oven with water during the baking process (after 1 minute and then after 2 more minutes), but haven’t tried that yet. Also, a pizza stone can be used in place of the baguette pan.

Whole Wheat Baguettes
Adapted from Diary of a Locavore

Makes 2 loaves

1-1/4 cups very warm water
2-3/4 teaspoons yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, stir together the water, yeast and sugar. Let it stand for 5 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in half of the flour and the salt, mixing until the dough is smooth. Add the second half of the flour and once the dough starts coming together, switch to your hands for easier mixing.

Now the workout. Dump the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead for 10-15 minutes (I lasted about 10 minutes, which was fine), until the dough is elastic.

Place the dough in a well-oiled bowl. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and set in a warm place until it doubles in size. For me, this took 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400ºF/204ºC. Punch down the dough and separate into two balls. Using your hands, form each ball into a 12″ long baguette, rolling on the surface of the board and shaping as you go. Repeat with the second ball and place both baguettes in the baguette pan or on a greased sheet pan that’s sprinkled with cornmeal.

Make several diagonal slashes (at a 45º angle) in the surface on the bread (kitchen shears work great for this). Mist the surface with water (you can also use a pastry brush). Let rise again (about 10-15 minutes) and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the outside is browned (for me it took exactly 13 minutes).

Beans: The heated debate over dried vs. canned

Published on May 6, 2010 in Basics and Beans + Legumes. 1 Comment Tags: .


Did you see how I did that? Heated? Get it? OK, sorry. So, I wanted to chat a little bit about this very hot topic. If you’re like me, you think you’ve heard something about how easy it is to use dried beans, how much cheaper it is, how much better they are, yadda yadda yadda, but you’re kind of lazy and there are the chickpeas (or some other bean) just sitting in their nice little cans all ready to go on the supermarket shelf…and you know where this is leading. Canned are just easier.

But! My friend, Dan, who is not only an amazing photographer, but also a fantastic and adventurous cook, told me about a little cannellini bean recipe he discovered when he was in Italy at one of his annual photography seminars in Tuscany (yeah, I want to hate him a little bit too right now). And he swears that it’s simply not worth making unless you use dried beans. So, I said, what the hell. I’ll give it a shot. (FYI, this is NOT a vegetarian dish [pancetta is involved, friends], so I’m holding off on posting for now. If you’re interested in the recipe, drop me a line). And it’s really not that big a deal. It just requires forethought (something I don’t always have handy…).

So here are the three methods:
1. Overnight soak
2. Quick soak
3. Quick cook

The first way is probably the easiest, but most time consuming. And not for those bad planners out there (like me — and, by the way, we prefer the term spontaneous). You rinse the beans several times, dump them in a bowl or pan, add water to cover beans plus 2″, and let them sit overnight (on the counter, not in the fridge; you can put them in the fridge, but then they need more like 24 hours as the cooler temperature slows the rehydration process). The next day, drain, rinse well, add fresh cold water and cook at a simmer until tender (it will vary depending on the kind of beans, so keep an eye on them). You can add a tablespoon of baking soda to the pot if you like (it helps to soften the beans). Don’t forget to skim off any of the foam that appears. That’s gassy stuff.

The second one takes less time, but requires a bit more effort. Cover your picked-over and rinsed dried beans with triple the amount of cold water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the beans, uncovered, over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, cover and let beans soak for 1-2 hours. Drain, cook as above, and off you go.

The last one method consists of basically chucking the beans into a saucepan, adding water and cooking away until they’re done. Generally not the best way to go for the heartier beans (like chickpeas), as it doesn’t break down the complex bean sugars very well, and those sugars are what give you gas, so you know, um, yeah. Not recommended. :)

So there you have it. Three ways or the canned way. Good luck, Grasshopper.