Wanna Save Money? Buy a Cookbook

An article in the Chicago Tribune today cited "10 ways to save at the supermarket."

Suggested methods for saving pennies include the following (I'm paraphrasing) :

1.) Shop for foods in their natural state -- i.e. don't buy a bunch of packaged foods; buy produce
2.) Use what's in the pantry -- i.e. dried foods (noodles, rice, and herbs). This suggestion even states USE A COOKBOOK!
3.) Make your own salad dressings, marinades, sauces, etc.
4.) Buy meats in bulk and freeze them (Holly Clegg has a great new "Freezer-Friendly Cookbook along these lines that's loaded with awesome recipes you can make now and freeze for later....or eat now, which usually gets my vote!!!!)

The MAIN POINT I think we can get from all this: you'll save money if you cook your own meals at home!

This isn't really a huge revelation. We could never get the fancy packaged junk when we were kids because a.) our Mom didn't want us eating a bunch of processed elements and b.) it was cheaper for her to make wholesome, delicious meals from scratch.

So the moral of my story is that you can invest $25-30 dollars in a cookbook, which has probably 200-400 recipes for great meals, and start saving $$$$ by giving up the prepackaged foods (oh-so-often junk foods) and cooking at home.

P.S. Another $5 says your health/waistline might improve a little too, if you're careful to use lighter versions of things like mayonnaise, butter, and olive oils. You'll see: eating well and doing it at home will yield so many great benefits!

A Taste for Lentejas

I practically lived off lentils, or lentejas as they're called in Spanish, when I lived in Spain.

My 'mother,' Pepa, was an extraordinary cook. She even made a pot of lentils something I craved daily.

Of course, anything tasted amazing with a huge chunk of the daily loaf (it was my job to run downstairs to the bakery that was two doors down, past the bar that we lived above, to pick up two loaves of the most delicious, light and fluffy white bread I'd ever tasted).

I've tried to cook up my own pots of lentils from time to time, but sadly nothing ever compares. I doubt it ever will. But I still crave lentils often, and keep my eyes out for appealing lentil recipes to try.

The Junior League of Seattle has what looks to be a great recipe for "Lentil and Roasted Tomato Soup," in Celebrate the Rain. The book suggests that "for a classic combination, try a hefeweizen unfiltered wheat beer with hints of barley and hops."

OHHH if only I had access to a six pack of Henry Weinhard's down here in Tennessee - my evening would be all the more complete!

Regardless, here's the recipe - I'll let you know how my stab at it turns out!

Lentil and Roasted Tomato Soup

ingredients

- 4-5 large, ripe tomatoes (stemmed and halved crosswise)

- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

- 3 ounces pancetta or prosciutto, chopped

- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion

- 1 1/2 cups finely diced carrots

- 1 1/2 cups finely diced celery

- 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (probably, the more, the better...)

- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

- 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

- 5 cans (14 ounces each) vegetable or chicken broth

- 2 cups French green lentils

- salt and pepper, freshly ground

directions

1.) Preheat the broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the top element. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet and arrange the tomatoes in a single layer, cut side down.

2.) Use 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to lightly brush each tomato. Broil them until they darken, soften, and begin to blister, 4 to 6 minutes.

3.) Take the baking sheet from the oven, cover the tomatoes with a towel, and set aside on a wire rack to cool. When cool, gently peel away as much of the skin as you can with a small, sharp knife. Cut the tomato halves into 1/2-inch dices.

4.) Cook the pancetta in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Scoop out the pancetta onto paper towels to drain and pour off the grease.

5.) Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same pan, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and saute until tender, aromatic, and richly browned, about 7 to 8 minutes (take care not to scorch the veggies; reduce the heat a bit if needed).

6.) Stir in the balsamic vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the thyme, marjoram, and pancetta and cook for 1 minute longer.

7.) Add 7 cups of the broth with the tomatoes and lentils and bring to a low boil.

8.) Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes.

If the soup is quite thick, add a bit more broth.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes 6 servings.

Cooking and Sailing (easier for some)

I was told before we left on our little sailing excursion, that the experience would be a lot like camping.

Naturally, I bought Saltines and peanut butter for my three-day sustenance. This is my own special camping fare, and a diet I highly recommend for anyone who is setting off into the wild blue yonder for any amount of time. A photographer who worked throughout Bosnia in the 90s once told me she lived off peanut butter the whole time she was there. As I'm not at war and just camping, I splurge on the Saltines. (Okay, I bought some Corona Lights too. The amount, however, will remain unknown.)

Much to my surprise, my sailing mates had different plans for what they'd eat while 'camping on a boat.'

While we didn't shower the entire time, we certainly ate well, thanks to our personal chef (a man who can make anything taste wonderful if he only has some garlic.)

Some garlic, chicken, frozen veggies, salt and pepper, and some Dale's sauce made for a super tasty and really healthy dinner. The Corona's may have counterbalanced the health value in the meal, but they were Light....

I'll always love Saltines and peanut butter and carry them with me on any outdoorish excursion, but apparently you can camp on a boat and eat what some might call a 'real dinner,' really well too.

Go Vegan on the Cheap

The potato became famous in seventeenth century Europe because it was recognized as a food source that could save people in times of famine.

While our economy is shaky, we’re certainly not a country on the verge of starvation. Conversely, we’re overweight. Unfortunately, many health food items are more expensive than junk food.

The good old potato, however, is a healthy staple that costs pennies, can be bought in bulk, fills you up, and delivers nutrients that every body needs.

A 5 lb. bag of potatoes costs, on average, five dollars or less. Each potato delivers potassium, iron, calcium, Vitamin C and folic acid. While the potato often gets a bad rap for being too starchy, eating them won’t make you fat, unless they’re smothered in butter and sour cream or a cheesy sauce. Like every other food, deep frying them isn’t the best health option either.

Potatoes can be easily and deliciously prepared in a healthy manner though, which will save on the grocery bill as well.

Kay Hansen, author of the cookbook, Vegan Homestyle: Simple Recipes for Healthy Living, has several recipes for preparing delicious potato dishes so you can tighten your belt and your wallet.


Home Fries
Ingredients
6-8 medium Russet potatoes, steamed until just tender and cooked
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. basil (optional)
paprika

Directions
Preheat oven to 425F degrees. Cut potatoes into quarter and then into 1” chunks. Place potatoes in a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and paprika (basil, if desired), stirring to coat evenly. Place on a baking sheet and bake until crispy and browned, about 20minutes. Serve immediately. They’re the perfect low-fat answer to French fries. Serves 8.

Nutritional Information: 1 serving; 193 calories; 3 grams fat; 165 mg. sodium; 36 grams carbohydrate; 4 grams fiber; 2 grams sugar; 4 grams protein.



Garlic Potatoes
Ingredients
4 large potatoes
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
¼ cup warm water
1 tsp. oregano
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. tahini
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. paprika
dried parsley


Directions
Scrub potatoes and dry. Cut into ½” strips. Place in a 9”x11” baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Stir tahini smooth in the water. Add the rest of the seasonings and garlic. Pour over potatoes and turn to coat all sides. Bake at 400F degrees, uncovered, for 1 hour or until tender. (Place a stainless steel cookie sheet under the casserole to prevent burning, if needed). Stir occasionally. Serve hot. Serves 4.

Nutritional Information: 1 serving; 160 calories; 1 gram fat; 160 mg. sodium; 33 grams carbohudrate; 3 grams fiber; 2 grams sugar; 4 grams protein



Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

“A traditional Jewish favorite. My mother served them with applesauce and a dollop of sour cream. This vegan version makes a nice light evening supper dish.”
Ingredients
2 cups warm mashed potatoes
¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup soy milk
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. Rumford baking powder or EnerG baking Powder

Directions
Stir together all ingredients to make a soft batter. Preheat the oven to 400F degrees. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Create pancakes by spooning batter onto the baking sheet. Bake until brown on the bottom, for about 10 minutes. Turn and bake for about 10 minutes more. Remove to a platter and keep hot in a low oven until ready to serve. (Latkes can also be baked on a non-stick griddle.) Serve with applesauce and Tofu sour cream or plain soy yogurt. Makes 12 pancakes.

Nutritional Information: 1 pancake; 67 calories; 1 gram fat; 193 mg. sodium; 12 grams carbohydrate; 1 gram fiber; 0 grams sugar; 2 grams protein




Vegan Homestyle (ISBN 978-0-9788632-0-3; $24.95) is available at major booksellers like Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com. It is also available directly from www.cookbookmarketplace.com.

March's Top-Seller

This month's top-selling book in the Cookbook Marketplace is Eating Well through Cancer by Holly Clegg and Oncologist Gerald Miletello, M.D.

Many people don't know that Clegg's father was diagnosed with larynx cancer while she was creating this book. Thus, Clegg was completely emotionally invested in creating a book that could help people remain nourished and enjoy good, home-cooked meals while enduring cancer treatment.

The book is also great for people who want to help their loved ones endure cancer treatments, as it empowers them to actually do something that will help the patient, by creating a delicious meal that can alleviate side effects like sore mouth or throat.

The following recipe is from the "Healthy Living Post-Treatment" section of Eating Well through Cancer.

Couscous Salad
Couscous only takes minutes to prepare and this wonderful combination of cranberries, snow peas, and peanuts makes this recipe a wonderful recipe.

1 tsp. minced garlic, divided
4 tbsp. lemon juice, divided
2 ½ cups canned, fat-free chicken broth
1 ½ cups couscous
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 (10-ounce) package snow peas, cooked crisp tender according to directions
5 green onions (scallions), chopped
½ cup peanuts
½ cup dried cherries
2 tbsp. olive oil
Dash of hot pepper sauce

In a pot coated with nonstick cooking spray, sauté ½ tsp. garlic and add 1 tbsp. lemon juice and chicken broth. Bring to a full boil and add couscous, cover pot and remove from heat. Let sit for 5 minutes, fluff with a fork and add parsley. Set aside to cool. When cool, add snow peas, green onions, peanuts and cherries. For dressing, mix together remaining ½ tsp. minced garlic and 3 tbsp. lemon juice, oil and hot sauce. Toss the dressing with the couscous mixture.

Makes 8-10 servings

Nutrition Information per serving
Calories 204
Protein (g) 7
Carbohydrate (g) 30
Fat (g) 7
Calories from Fat (%) 29
Saturated Fat (g) 1
Dietary Fiber (g) 4
Cholesterol (mg) 0
Sodium (mg) 162

Diabetic Exchanges: 1.5 starch; 0.5 fruit; 1 fat