Jenn’s Cook Book

Hello Everyone!

In case you were not aware, I have been out of town on vacation in Northern Michigan: land of pristine lakes, sandy beaches, too many mosquitoes, and no Internet access. Vacation aside, some other events have prevented me from my regular cooking and posting schedule, including the heat (if I turn on my stove or oven, the apartment might literally burst into flames).

There are some behind-the-scenes updates going on, which eventually will be a website redesign. We are also trying to update the software used on the site, which hopefully will lead to a better discussion board and a photo gallery.

Currently, I am brainstorms new projects to use in the kitchen - and I am always looks for ideas! If you have a great idea, please post to the discussion board. I hope to have a new project ready to launch for August. Keep checking for more details!

— Jenn 

Above: Chicken Teriyak Stir-Fry (chicken pieces marinated in teriyaki sauce for 30 minutes, stir-fried with green onions, mushrooms, matchstick carrots and zucchini, served over hot egg noodles).  

A note to those of you with other blogs/websites:

If you like my amateur photos, great! If you like my recipes, even better! If you want to post my material on your blog or website, awesome! Please do so, but give proper credit and appropriate links to my site (if you don’t, I get a little cranky…taking those pictures is hard work!).

Also, if you are going to link to my site, you should understand the context of these recipes. I am not a professional chef, nor am I any kind of food expert, dietitian, nutritionist, or medical doctor. My recipes are here because they are what I like to cook, not because I believe I have the answers to magic weight loss or disease-curing recipes. Please, consult an expert (might I recommend WebMD?).

Please note: some recipes are adaptations of published recipes, and I have given appropriate credit where necessary.

Well, I had decided to keep Veganomics going. Partly because last week’s spending was out-of-control, but mostly I want to continue this little experiment because it is starting to change the way I think about my lifestyle. When you add up all the little tips and tricks, it starts to become a big difference. And, truth be told, I find the project interesting and enjoyable.

Above: Fresh basil spruces up leftovers with a bright, earthy flavor.

Due to the holiday weekend and some outside circumstances, I am not tallying up the dollar amounts spent this week. Some nights were spent at home, others were spent out or making food at James’ house, so I am not even sure which reciepts go with what and decided to make this week a wash. I am still going to post recipes and tips in the veganomics category, but may not continue to track everything so closely.

I did notice, however, when I went grocery shopping today that my perspective has changed. I am no longer throwing things in to the shopping cart, but going in to the store with a plan and giving careful consideration to my puchases. This project has also showed me the potential my pantry has to help create a delicious meal without breaking the budget.

In the meantime, I am brainstorming and soliciting ideas for the next food project…stay tuned for more information! 

Veganomics Lesson Nine: Stop food waste by utilizing leftovers.

Above: Leftover Zucchini Chowder gets new life by adding pasta.

What are leftovers? Leftovers fall into two categories:

(1) when you prepare a meal and there is still food left
(2) when you buy a certain item for a recipe but do not use it all (a can of tomato paste is a good example)

There are several strategies for putting leftovers to good use, the first being prevention (or portion control). Prevent leftovers by making only the amount of food that will be immediately consumed. This is especially effective with side dishes such as rice or noodles, where it is relatively easy to measure and prepare proper potion sizes.

Another strategies is to look for “cook once eat twice” recipes that are designed to create leftovers, then give you a second recipe in which to use those leftovers. This method also saves energy because the second recipe rarely calls for additional heating. Check out Love Food Hate Waste for “cook once eat twice” recipes.

Substitutions are another way to prevent leftovers by avoiding extra food purchases. Rather than purchase a vegetable or spice that you rarely cook with, find a suitable replacement from your own kitchen. Many cookbooks will list common substitutions or use an online substitution guide, such as this Common Substitutions Chart from Allrecipes.com.

Over the course of the Veganomics project, I have discovered most of my food waste is in the form of leftovers. Part of it is cooking recipes meant for 4-6 people when there are only two of us, but I am just as bad with restaurant or take-out leftovers. To help combat food waste, I have developed my own method for rescuing leftovers from the trash bin: salads, sandwiches, soups, and side dishes.

Salads: Leftover fruit, vegetables, and meat are great for tossing in salads. This was the inspiration behind Spinach & Quinoa Salad.

Sandwiches: Leftover meat, especially poultry, is great for making sandwiches (think Thanksgiving leftovers: see my post on Turkey all the time! ). Get creative and create “hot” sandwiches with warmed up vegetables and potatoes.

Soups: Turning sauteed vegetables and/or pasta dishes into soup is a great way to use leftovers. A dish like Stoplight Pasta is easily made into soup by adding chicken or vegetable stock. 

Side dishes: Create a side dish by adding pasta to creamy soups such as Broccoli Cheese or Zucchini Garden Chowder (made with cheese). Prepare 2-3 cups of pasta or rice, then add leftover soup and reheat. Add torn basil and fresh ground black pepper to enhance the flavors. Another option: strain out some of the liquid of a broth-based soup and add sauteed vegetables.

Homework: Get creative and turn leftovers into new dishes!

A couple weeks ago, I bought over a pound of chicken breasts for $1.97 marked down because it was almost the “sell by” date. I promptly brought them home and popped them in the freezer. To take advantage of this purchase, I adapted a stir-fry recipe from Sunset magazine. This recipe combines a few simple ingredients to make a quick and easy sauce that tastes pretty darn good.

I added some vegetables to the recipe and reduced the amount of fresh basil (3 cups of basil leaves seems a little excessive to me). To round out the meal, I made some Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice. Despite the exotic sounding name, a bag of rice typically is $1.19 and usually I will take advantage of a 2 for 1 deal.

Above: Stir-fried chicken with snap peas served over saffron yellow rice.

Basil Chicken Stir-Fry
adapted from Sunset magazine

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp soy sauce
4-5 springs of fresh basil leaves, torn
1/2 lb sugar snap peas (or vegetable of your choice)

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cut into strips about 1/2 inch thick and 2 to 3 inches long. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute garlic and ginger until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken pieces and cook 3-4 minutes until just about cooked through and no longer pink.

Whisk together stock, cornstarch, and soy sauce. Pour into skillet and toss with chicken. Bring liquid to a simmer, reduce heat, and pour sugar snap peas over top. Cover skillet and allow peas to “steam” for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in basil until all ingredients are combined. Remove from heat and serve, over rice or noodles if preferred.

Above: All gone!

Economically Friendly: Get a good deal by purcahsing meat close to the sell by date and putting in the freezer as soon as you bring it home. Substitute any seasonal vegetable to save money, and the rest of the ingredients are pretty standard staples of the kitchen. I buy bouillon cubes for around a dollar so I can make a simple cup of broth without wasting an entire can. It is much more cost effective and tastes the same as far as I could tell. I did purchase extra basil for this recipe, otherwise I would have picked my basil plant clean.

Environmentally Friendly: Use seasonal, local produce (organic if possible). The basil I purchased was both local and organic from a nearby farm that sells products at the grocery store. This recipe makes a good size meal, but not a huge amount to where food would go to waste.

Excellently Healthy: Nothing to complain about here: chicken breast, vegetables, and natural flavor from garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Keep rice or noodle portions in check and this is a pretty healthy meal.

Veganomics Lesson Nine: Take a page out of a hypermiler’s playbook.

What is a hypermiler? USA Today ran an article last week about folks across the country using various tricks in the quest to eek out more miles per gallon. The

average hypermiler can often increase gas efficiency to 100 mpg.

Let me repeat that: 100 miles per gallon.

Hypermilers are using methods that have more than a few people raising eyebrows. AAA and other travel officials have issued warnings against gas-saving tricks deemed dangerous, including over-inflation of tires beyond the manufacturer’s recommendations, drivers turning off engines and coasting through city streets, and the practice of “drafting” semi-trucks (closely following a truck to avoid wind resistance).

But hypermilers are also practicing some savvy tips to improve their mpg, such as:

• Regularly checking oil levels

• Changing the air filter

• Slowing and accelerating at gradual rates

• Utilizing cruise control

• Driving at lower speeds on the highway (see fuel ecomony graph, ideal is 55-60 mph)

• Timing traffic lights to avoid coming to a complete stop

• Purchasing hybrid vehicles

• Following the maintenance schedule

While hypermilers sometimes take these measures to the extreme, such as driving dangerously below the recommended speed limit, most of these are common sense approaches to reduce gasoline consumption.  Other practices, such as only cracking the windows slightly and driving without A/C, might be uncomfortable on hot days or long drives. To see which practices are safe, get the experts take from USA Today.

What does all of this have to do with Veganomics? Allow me to demonstrate how implementing these practices can lead to spending less money on fuel, reducing your carbon footprint, and improving your overall health. A technique hypermilers often use is “combination” trips. Many of us already try to condense trips, such as going to the bank, the post office, and the grocery store all in one car trip. A hypermiler, however, will do that and much more.

To mimic a hypermiler, select locations that are all within walking distance. Park at the closest location, as close to the street as possible, and avoid circling or searching for a parking spot. Select a parking spot where you can pull straight through, rather than having to back out later. Now, get some exercise and walk to the other locations and carry out your errands. When you are finished, walk back to your vehicle and drive straight home. Bonus: if you park farther away from the grocery store, you will probably only buy the food items you really need, therefore saving money on your bill.

Homework: Borrow safe and sensible techniques from hypermilers to reduce fuel consumption.

CNN Money also published a great article that translates hypermiling into practices all motorists can use for better fuel economy.

I am constantly scouring the bookstore for new cookbooks, not necessarily because I need more recipes but because I often draw inspiration for recipes for a variety of sources. Over the past two years, I have become more adapt at creating my own dishes, but still need a little guidance. Often, I will see a recipe and image how I would make that dish. This is one of those instances, from my new cookbook The Vegetarian Bible.

Through the Veganomics project, it is obvious that I am not a vegetarian but I do enjoy vegetarian cuisine. My goal was to eat less meat, not necessarily to give it up completely. This meal, however, makes me want to be a vegetarian because it is wholesome, satisfying, and delicious. The fact that eggplant is usually sold for less than $1 per pound does not hurt either.

Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan
adapted from The Vegetarian Bible

2 cups dried pasta, such as penne, rotini, or another short shape
2 eggplants, about 1 lb each
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14-16 oz) diced tomatoes, do not drain
2 tsp dried oregano (or 2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped)
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup dry breadcrumbs with Italian Seasoning
1 jar marinara sauce, without meat
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil, as needed

Preheat oven to 400F and cover a baking sheet with foil. Brush foil with olive oil and set aside.

Bring a medium to large stockpot of water to boil. Add 1 tsp salt and pasta, preparing according to package directions until just tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain and return to pan, tossing with a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking, cover and keep warm.

Meanwhile, cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and score around the insides with a sharp paring knife, being careful not to pierce the shells. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Brush the insides of the shells with olive and and place in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Chop the flesh and set aside.

Heat 2-3 tbsp of oil in a large skillet. Cook onion over medium-high heat for 5 minutes, until softened and golden brown. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chopped eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add additional olive oil if needed. Reduce heat to medium-low and add tomatoes and oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes, reducing heat if necessary. Add pasta, tossing gently to combine until mixture has absorbed all the liquid, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese in the shells of the eggplant. Spoon tomato and pasta mixture into the shells, then top with marinara sauce. Combine Parmesan cheese and bread crumbs in a small bowl, then sprinkle evenly over the prepared shells. Bake eggplant for 15-20 minutes, until topping is golden brown.

Serve topped with additional mozzarella cheese, if desired.

Economically Friendly: Most everything in this recipe was a pantry staple: pasta, onion, garlic, canned tomato, bread crumbs, seasonings, even marinara sauce. I will indulge and buy high quality Parmesan cheese, but a little goes a long way. The recipe called for penne pasta or a short, shaped pasta and I had whole wheat rotini on hand, which worked great. As previously mentioned, eggplant is an inexpensive substitute for meat.

Environmentally Responsible: Aside from being inexpensive, discovering eggplant has helped me reduce the amount of meat I consume without feeling like I am making a sacrifice, which makes my carbon footprint smaller. In the current grain and rice crisis, I am not sure where pasta fits into the picture, but the amount in this recipe is rather small (only 2 cups dried as oppose to a box or even half a box).

Excellently Healthy: Whole wheat pasta, plenty of vegetables, part-skim mozzarella, and some healthy fat from extra-virgin olive oil are all part of a healthy diet with moderation and variety. To complete the meal, I served this with my Spinach & Quinoa Salad, made with zucchini instead of cucumbers. Lightly saute zucchini in olive oil with garlic, fresh basil, salt and pepper until warmed through, then toss with spinach, quinoa and golden raisins. Sprinkle with some balsamic vinegar and that is one tasty salad.

For this meal, we had guests visiting. By serving two dishes with meat substitions, eggplant and quinoa, no one felt hungry afterwards. The combination was very filling without being heavy. It also helps that our guests enjoy vegetarian cuisine, and that I have restored James faith in eggplant.

Week Four was a little difficult, with a combination of factors contributing to a bit of a relapse. I also visited the Farmer’s Market and specialty stores.

Food purchases for June 22-28:

This week, I visited two different Farmer’s Markets in search of deals and locally grown produce. Here is what I found:

Bread ($5): Freshly baked by local bakers, this was a present for James.

Basil plant ($4): Showcased in Dried Herbs vs. Fresh Herbs. The amount of basil on the plant is the equivalent of two $1.99 packages from the grocery store, but every time I buy basil it goes bad before I can use it. The perfect solution is to invest in a plant that (hopefully) will stay alive long enough to use the basil.

Peaches ($3): This year, the stands at the Farmer’s Market have started marking where the produce was grown. The peaches, for example, were from Georgia. Michigan farmers will have more produce to sell in July and August.

Cherries ($3): From California, just like the grocery store.

Zucchini ($2): Five for $2 is a pretty good deal, and the farmer said his zucchini will be ready to cut next week. Hopefully, that means buying local for the rest of the summer (because you cannot have summer without zucchini).

Above: Zucchini from the Farmer’s Market, waiting patiently to become part of a delicious dish.

After my first stop to the Farmer’s Market, my second stop was the Fresh Market. The Fresh Market is one of my favorite stores, even though I do not shop there regularly. It is always great for picking up inexpensive spices and pantry staples.

Sea salt ($0.95): The Fresh Market has the best selection of spices for the cheapest prices. While salt is generally inexpensive, the other spices are sold for about the same amount.

Tri-color orzo ($4.99):On sale from $6.99, a combination of plain, sun-dried tomato, and spinach flavors. Speaking of tri-color…

Tri-color couscous ($6.49):One of my favorite products, I needed to restock. The price seems extravagant, but for over 5 cups of dried couscous, it is not a bad deal.

Another great find this week came from a surprising place. While visiting a discount store out of town, I discovered one of my favorite products (on sale!):

Smoked paprika ($2.99): One sale from $4, this smoked paprika is imported from Spain and is twice the size of a grocery store container sold for the sale price.

Most of my other grocery shopping was for normal items, with a few good deals:

Olive oil ($8.61): High quality extra-virgin olive oil on sale from $11.49.

Lipton tea ($2.39): Two packages, both $2.39 marked down from $2.99, of cold brew iced tea (one box of single size tea bags and one box of pitcher sized tea bags).

Above: A refreshing glass of orange pekoe iced tea from Lipton, perfect for hot summer days.

Total grocery bill: $82.47

Higher than usual, which leads me to wonder about price comparison from the farmer’s markets versus the grocery store. There were also some “gourmet” purchases from the specialty stores. My non-coupon savings, however, was $14.13. At least I was saving money somewhere.

On-the-Go Food Purchases: $61.91

Bombay Cuisine ($52.26): A special occasion dinner at an Indian cuisine restaurant (paid for both James and myself). This was three course with appetizer, main dishes, and dessert.

The rest of the food purchases were mostly at coffee shops, and once again I have a feeling I am missing receipts and this total should be higher. The purchases I made out of town are not included, because they will be reimbursed by my employer. Here are the totals for 28 days:

Four week food total: $323.74

Average daily total: $11.56

Unfortunately, my average daily total has exceeded my $10 goal. I am hopeful, however, that given another week I can bring that average back down. The project was set to end on June 30, but I am finishing out the week at least through July 4. I still have recipes and “lessons” to post as well, so hopefully I can bring the daily average back down under $10.

Above: Pork chops, on sale for a bargain of $2.19 for 3, with Spicy Paprika Rub.

Food Waste: Minimal
Not much to report here, most of my grocery shopping was later in the week. The only casualties were a package of ground chicken with freezer burn that was over 3 months old and a cucumber that tasted funny despite being purchased this week.

For next week: Continue the project until the July 4th weekend, in hopes of bringing down the daily average below $10, less eating out and more cooking with items already in the pantry or refrigerator. My grocery shopping schedule is a bit off, so I may not need to purchase much next week as I finish up things bought late this week. I will attempt to go “back to basics” and drastically cut my spending for the next few days.

Interesting story about this recipe: during one of my visits to the doctor’s office, I spotted a great recipe for Vegetable Couscous Pilaf in Food & Wine magazine while in the waiting room. I figured I would find it online afterwards, but after trolling Food & Wine’s website as well as countless Google searches, I finally gave up my quest. Fortunately (or not, depending on your view of the situation), I returned to the doctor’s office two weeks later and hunted down the magazine. I was in the middle of hand copying the magazine when the doctor interrupted me and tore out the pages. What a nice guy!

While I did make some minor adjustments, the recipe was excellent. The spice combination of cumin, paprika, and caraway seed gave the dish a subtle, exotic seasoning complimented by hearty carrots, parsnips, and fresh zucchini. This couscous is flavored with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, which adds to the overall flavor. It is not quite an all-in-one meal, but a simple side of eggplant, mushrooms, or meat would create a balanced dinner.

Above: Sauteed veggies simmer in a stockpot. 

Moroccan Vegetable Couscous
adapted from Food & Wine

1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium parsnip, peeled and finely sliced
1 medium carrot, finely sliced
2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp caraway seeds
1 1/2 cups couscous
2 cups low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup golden raisins

Heat oil in a large stockpot or deep skillet. Over high heat, saute parsnip and carrot until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add zucchini, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Saute an additional 5 minutes, until vegetables begin to brown slightly.

Add cumin, paprika, and caraway. Saute until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add couscous and cook, stirring frequently, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken stock, then cover pot and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff couscous with a fork and stir in golden raisins just before serving.

Above: Just after fluffing the couscous.

Economically Friendly: Fresh veggies are always inexpensive, along with onions and garlic. Things like chicken stock, couscous, and golden raisins are pantry staples for me and can often be found on sale. The spices in this recipe are fairly common, caraway seed is not something I normally use but is in the spice rack. At only 1/4 teaspoon, it could be omitted without sacrificing too much flavor. Fennel seed or anise seed would be adequate substitutions.

Environmentally Responsible: Root vegetables are typically considered “all season” even though they peak in autumn, as they keep for longer than most produce. Zucchini can be purchased locally in most areas this time of year as well. A dish like this also makes meat a “side” item rather than the main attraction.

Excellently Healthy:Vegetables, spices, and couscous are great for balancing a diet. Keep the rest of the meal in check and this is a very healthy (and delicious) dish.

Veganomics Lesson Eight: Which is better, dried herbs or fresh herbs?

Above: Are fresh herbs better than dried? Continue reading to find out…

We’ve already learned how to check if dried herbs have gone stale, but are dried herbs even worth it? Conflicting reports from various sources are questioning the validity of dried herbs in the kitchen. Here is a breakdown of the differences between dried and fresh herbs:

Potency: The Food Network states that dried herbs are 3 times more potent than fresh herbs, but without the same “purity of flavor.” Other sources, however, contest dried herbs have no flavor and no place in the kitchen. The most common conversion rate is 1 tablespoon fresh herbs = 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.

Cost: Initially, dried herbs will most likely cost more than fresh herbs. A bottle of dried basil, however, will probably contribute to more dishes than a bunch of fresh basil. On the other hand, a potted herb plant can potentially yield unlimited uses for a slightly higher price.

Longevity: Dried herbs will obviously outlast fresh herbs, unless you can care for a potted herb plant. This can also depend on if the plant can grow at the rate it is needed for use in the kitchen.

Taste: Hands down, most any source will herald the taste of fresh herbs over dried herbs. A bit different from potency, fresh herbs have an earthy taste that dried herbs cannot replicate.

Verdict:From reading expert (and some not-so-expert) opinions, as well as my own personal experience, fresh herbs win. To make fresh herbs cost effective, try your hand at growing a small herb garden of your favorites. My personal choices: basil, mint, rosemary, and thyme. Other good choices: parsley, sage, and lavender (for no other reason then its lovely scent in the kitchen).

Homework: Start a small collection of potted herbs, starting with my new basil plant. I have kept it alive for almost a week! Next step: mint.

Above: Potted basil plant, a Farmer’s Market find for $4.

Veganomics Lesson Seven: Make learning about healthy eating fun!

Okay, this isn’t so much a lesson as it is a cool website for parents and children to play games about healthy eating. I found this game to be endlessly entertaining and addicting (I’ve gotten to level 9 but am yet to beat it). C’mon, try it…you know you want to!

PLAYNORMOUS
Fun Health Games

PLAYNORMOUS
Fun Health Games

Homework: Make healthy eating fun by playing a couple rounds.

Update: I have now made it to level 12 but cannot pass…yes, I have entirely too much time on my hands.