Wholesome Sweeteners. ...yes, they exist.

Sugar is a huge part of American culture these days... and it's in EVERYTHING.  We all know white sugar is not that great for you, and have heard a million times to cut back.  So, let's get to the good stuff--what are wholesome sweeteners, and am I going to like them?

Alright, so some of these you may have heard of--raw honey, maple syrup, etc.  But those have a very distinct taste that are only good for some things.  What about a white sugar replacement that doesn't have such a specific taste?

Lately I've been doing a lot of research about two types of sugar:  Rapadura and Sucanat.  Though very similar, they each have their group of followers saying that "their" sugar is the best.  Let's discuss and find out for ourselves.

What is rapadura?
     Rapadura is made from pressed sugar cane juice that is then evaporated over low heat and sieve ground.  It contains the mollasses (where all the nutrients are) that is separated from white sugar when processed.  It is also not processed with high heat and centrifuged as white sugar is.  Because it is less refined, it contains more nutrients and breaks down slower than white sugar.  It is said to have a wonderful, caramel-like taste, and can replace white sugar in equal amounts when baking.

I will be buying some rapadura sugar soon, and will test it out.  Of course, if you have tried it yourself, please let me know what you think of it!


What is sucanat?
     Actually the brand name of the first whole sugar product introduced in the US, sucanat (SUgar CAne NATural) used to always be the exact same thing as rapadura.  However, some companies have changed the way it is processed by separating the mollasses and sugar, and adding back only part of the mollasses at the end.  You would have to find a manufacturer that processes it without taking away some of the mollasses to get the most health benefit.  Therefore, you'd be best buying rapadura to be sure it is a wholesome sweetener.

I am in the process of finding online suppliers (or national grocery chains) that sell a whole sucanat.  Of course, if you can't find rapadura (it tends to be more expensive than the more refined sucanat, it is still a better option than white sugar).

I will give you an update on my findings!

Happy Eating,

KS

Eating Well on a Budget

As a foodie and a student, it's hard to find the right balance between spending all my money on delicious food and saving enough so I can buy textbooks.  So, today we'll be talking about how to eat well on a budget.

• Keep a well-stocked pantry

     Having a well-stocked pantry is going to be the easiest way to make sure you always have food on hand to make a meal.  Eating out often is an easy way to lose a lot of money very quickly, so having the ingredients to make meals every day of the week is important.  Now, I don't always want to make an elaborate meal, so I stock up on easy things like pasta and sauce, ingredients for nachos, etc because they are  fast and easy meals to make.  This saves me from having to get take out because I don't want to go to the grocery store to buy ingredients.  Here's what I stock my pantry with, but the idea is to think up a few fast meals that use ingredients that tend not to go bad quickly.

Whole-wheat Pasta

Sauce

Tortilla Chips

Ingredients to make chili

Vegetables (carrots, celery, onions...these tend to stay fresh for a while)

Frozen chicken, beef, shrimp, or scallops

Brown Rice

Beans

Sauces (teriyaki or barbecue--anything to spice up the stock ingredients when you want a kick)

Having some stock ingredients always on hand will save you a lot of money.  

• Brown Bag It!

    Yeah, so you might seem like a bit of a dork bringing your lunchbox to work or school, but it's going to save you a lot of money and most likely make you healthier!  I know, it seems like extra work to prepare a lunch for the day, but once you start doing it, it will become a habit.  Take half an hour the night before to prepare a lunch, store it in the fridge, and then grab it on your way out.  I wouldn't leave it until the morning to prepare, just because it's easy to forget something in your haste or realize you don't have a key ingredient and stress yourself out. 

     Some easy lunches to bring are:

Any kind of sandwich (PBJ is one of my favorites)

Salads (pack the dressing in a separate container so your salad doesn't get soggy through the day)

Rice with meat and/or veggies (heat it up in the microwave at lunchtime)

There are lots of other options, but these are a few of my favorites!

• Plan Your Meals

     Like I said before, having a well-stocked pantry is key to eating on a budget.  But having a well-stocked pantry isn't really going to save you any money if none of it makes up a complete meal.  So, take a half-hour or so each week and plan what meals you're going to have.  This way, you have a list when you go to the grocery store.  Having a list makes you less likely to impulse-buy, which in turns saves you money.  It also helps you keep track of what food you have available to you, and you tend to know exactly what you need to buy next time you go to the grocery store.  This cuts down on buying extras of items you already have.

• Check Out the Freezer Section

      I was shocked last week when I found that Trader Joes sells a 2.5 bag of frozen chicken breasts for $6.99.  One pound of fresh chicken breast costs exactly the same amount.  We actually end up freezing our chicken anyways, so buying frozen chicken in bulk actually saves us a lot of money!  It's also usually cheaper to buy frozen fruits and vegetables, so check those out too.  We buy frozen mixed berries for 2.99 a bag, whereas fresh berries cost much, much more than that.  

These are just a few tips to help you cut down on your food budget, and feel free to comment with your own suggestions!  

Happy eating,

KS

Simplify Your Diet

Alright, so today we're talking nutrition.  What's the best way to eat (if there really is a best way--this is my opinion based off the things I've learned)?  While my blog may often focus on the delicious (and sometimes not-so-healthy) things I eat, it doesn't mean I shouldn't teach you a bit about nutrition in the process.  Here goes.

     With the many options out there to choose from, it’s difficult to know what to eat.  There are many complicated diet plans that promise amazing results, but the truth is they often provide results that don’t last.  It’s time to go back to basics and learn how to simplify your life and your nutrition.  To reevaluate your food choices, start by learning to follow these six simple steps.  Don’t do everything at once; pick and choose which steps you’d like to do first.  A major diet overhaul will likely overwhelm you and thus be hard to stick to.  By changing your diet slowly, you can ensure that each change you make will last you a lifetime.

·      Start looking at nutrition labels and ingredients

  Everyday products contain ingredients you might not expect.  Check for things like trans fat (which can claim to be zero on the front of the package, which is legal if the product has less than 0.5 grams—only by checking the ingredients and seeing “partially hydrogenated oil” will you know if the product truly does not contain trans fat), and high fructose corn syrup (it’s in many things you wouldn’t even consider—ketchup and bread, for example).  Cleaning up your shopping list will do wonders for your body.

·      Clean out the cupboards

  Now that you’ve stocked your grocery cart with knowledgeable choices, it’s time to take a look at the pantry.  Our kitchens are stocked full of things that we shouldn’t eat.  Take time to go through your cabinets and purge anything with unhealthy ingredients.  Try to get rid of most processed foods, such as packaged cookies, cakes, chips, etc. If it’s not already in the house, you’ll have a hard time convincing yourself to go out and buy it when you crave it.  Even better, if you do decide you really want a cookie one night, you’ll be more likely to make them from scratch.  Though it’s still not particularly healthy, it will not have the processed ingredients of prepackaged foods.

·      Re-evaluate your grains

  Even if you decide to make homemade cookies, they can be that extra bit healthier if you use whole-wheat flour or even white whole-wheat flour.  Whole grains include all three parts of the grain—the bran, germ, and endosperm.  Unlike refined grains, whole wheat gives you fiber to keep you full, as well as vitamins and minerals.  Refined flour only contains the endosperm.  Many manufacturers enrich this flour to contain enormous amounts of some of the vitamins and minerals, but do not add back all of them.  This creates an unbalanced product that is not nearly as healthy as natural whole grain flour. 

Choose brown rice over white rice and whole-wheat pasta over white pasta (the whole grain version again contains all parts of the grain).  Also experiment with other grains such as quinoa, a very high protein grain.

                       

·      Add fruits and vegetables

Here’s where you can get creative.  Many vegetables are easy additions to stir frys and soups, so don’t be afraid to experiment.  Add vegetables you know you like, but be open to new ones as well.  Take a stroll down the produce aisle and note vegetables you have never tried and look up new recipes to try them out.  There are so many vegetables out there—it’s a shame to limit which ones you try.  Don’t be afraid to go vegetarian for a day! 

  Adding fruit to your meals is as easy as carrying an apple with your lunch, or adding a fruit smoothie to your breakfast.  Fruits are also great for desserts.  Berries with a bit of homemade whipped cream adds just the right amount of satisfying sweetness.

·      Don’t be afraid of fat

Fat gets a bad reputation these days, but don’t let that deter you.  Yes, there are types of fat that one should not eat, such as trans fat, which lowers good cholesterol and raises bad cholesterol, but there are other types that are actually good for you. Polyunsaturated fats, such as that found in sunflower-seed oil, sesame oil, corn oil, and nuts and seeds are all sources of good fat that can help lower your cholesterol.  Monounsaturated fats are also good choices, and include sources like olive oil, canola oil, and avocados. Omega-3 fatty acids are especially good for the body, and have been shown to reduce inflammation.  These fatty acids can be found in sources like fish oils and flax seeds. By just knowing which fats to cook with and eat, you can make informed choices that will lead to good health.

·      Use your kitchen

In this fast paced world, it’s hard to find time to cook.  By cooking your own food, you can be sure that only the ingredients you want in your body are being used.  Learn to use your kitchen—take a cooking class, buy a recipe book, or make up your own recipe.  Have fun and experiment!  By learning how to re-use leftovers in other recipes as well as cooking in bulk on the weekends, you can cut your cooking time down and still make delicious home cooked meals for you and your family.

Happy Eating,

KS

Lemonade!

So, it's been absurdly hot in NYC this week, so I thought I'd post something to cool you down...


What could possibly be better on a hot day than LEMONADE?!


Mmmmmmmm....


One of the best beverages on Earth--and ruined by the soft drink companies.  I can honestly say I don't think I've ever bought a quality lemonade.  It pays to make it yourself.  So good.  If you've never made it before, I suggest you try it.  You'll be shocked at how delicious it is!


So, without further adieu, I present to you my lemonade recipe:


1 1/2 lemons (you can add more if you want)


Approximately 32 oz filtered water


2 tablespoons sugar (or honey or whatever you want to sweeten it with.  I think for the crispness of the lemon taste, regular sugar is best)


Alright!  So, juice those lemons, mix the juice with the water, add the sugar, mix, and YAY!  Fresh, homemade, AWESOME lemonade!


That was too easy, right?  I know.  Incredibly easy, and yet little kids still resort to those powdered nasty lemonade packets for their lemonade stands.  Now you can put them out of business...


Once you try homemade lemonade, it's hard to go back to the processed stuff.  Doesn't taste nearly as good and has more sugar than you can imagine--so why do you drink it?  STOP TODAY!  Making lemonade is so easy--there's no reason to drink the nasty stuff!


Here's my delicious lemonade!

Notice the clearer (read: not YELLOW) lemonade.  Oh right, that's what lemon juice looks like watered down without Yellow #5 dye added...


Enjoy this one!


Happy Eating,


KS

Sharing!

Sharing--it's great, right?  But, sharing food is one of those things that can go either way.  Some people would put a moat around their plate if they could, and others always ask for a taste of your food.  Though some may not be the biggest fan of sharing food, it can really be a great experience.

Recently, my roommates and I all started cooking for each other.  That is, one night a week, one of us will prepare a meal for the other three and we will all have a nice dinner together.  We used to all buy groceries together and occasionally eat meals together, but we gave it up a while ago in favor of each couple buying their own groceries.  The thing we missed about that, though, was the occasional dinner that we could share with each other.  It's a nice bonding experience, and we got to try foods that we may not have made ourselves.

First, Lay made us an awesome fettucini carbonara (which I do not have a picture of unfortunately).

Then, Cameo made a Frenched lamb rib rack, which was cooked to perfection.  You can see this piece of beauty here:

Looks awesome, right?  It was delicious.  The ribs were roasted with rosemary, salt, and pepper, and then a fantastic mint vinaigrette was poured on top.  As you bit into the meat, it was extremely tender and juicy.  Nice job, Cameo.

Next was A.  TACO NIGHT!  Fresh tacos are great!  Usually, tacos are something I don't want to eat because I just automatically think of something along the lines of a Taco Bell taco, which is just about the least appetizing thing ever.  But, A's tacos are something to die for.  Really, really great.  Grass-fed beef, fresh summer tomatoes, sharp cheddar cheese, and perfectly green lettuce. Here's a picture of everything:

And the delicious final product:

It's my turn next week, so I'll let you know what I decide to cook!  I'm considering duck la orange at the moment...

So next time you're sick of your usual dinners, try getting together with another family or some friends and cook for each other!  You'll get to try some new things, and prepare a specialty for friends.  If you end up loving something a friend makes, ask them for the recipe and you've got something to add to your repertoire.  It's a fun way to bond with friends and family, and make your life a little easier.

Let me know what you would cook for your friends!

Happy Eating,

KS

Chicken Francaise

Mmmmmm...  Butter.  Even better--buttery chicken.  Even better than that--buttery lemon chicken.  Butter is pretty much the best invention ever.  Combine that with some lemon and some chicken and you end up with a delicious result:  chicken francaise.  Dieters beware.

This chicken dish is extremely tender--the extra fat in the butter acts as a tenderizer for the meat.

So here's how you make this awesome dish:
You'll need:

2 chicken breasts

1/2 stick butter

 1 lemon

Chives, for garnish

6 tablespoons flour (I used whole wheat)

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

Dash of garlic powder

I started off with two chicken breasts, which I cut lengthwise in half so they were thinner.  I then pounded those to be quite thin.

Melt a little more than half the butter in a pan.  Don't let it brown.

Then, beat the egg slightly and add the tablespoon of milk and garlic powder.  I poured this on a plate with a rim for easy dipping.  Put the flour on another plate.

Dip the each piece of chicken first into the flour, then into the egg, then lightly into the flour again.  Place chicken in the pan and brown on both sides.

When chicken is thoroughly cooked, remove from pan.

Squeeze juice of the lemon into the pan.  Melt remaining butter in the pan.  Pour this mixture over the chicken pieces and garnish with chives.

Enjoy!

While this might not be a recipe to be used often because of its high fat content, it's absolutely fantastic as a treat,  and is sure to impress your family and guests.  Its perfect mix of savory and tart flavors are sure to please the palate.  I justify this meal using the fact that chicken breast is already very low in fat, so all that extra butter can't be that bad...  Plus I'm a huge proponent for butter and fat in general, anyway, but I know some of you out there aren't in the same boat as me on that.  We'll discuss that another day...

Enjoy your delicious chicken francaise, and lick up that butter!

Happy Eating,

KS

The Experimental Cuisine Collective

Tonight I attended my first meeting of the Experimental Cuisine Collective.  Sounds cool, right?


The Experimental Cuisine Collective (or ECC for short) is a group that holds meetings each month about a topic in food science for food enthusiasts, chefs, scientists, writers, and anyone else who wants to attend.  I read about it in the New York Times a few weeks ago, and thought it would be fun to see what it was all about.


I'll start off by introducing you to the people I was sitting next to, just to give you an idea of the kind of people that show up to these things:  To my right, a Harvard graduate student who travelled all the way here from Boston for this meeting (he's looking to do his Ph.D on the best way to make a glossy chocolate--sweet!), a man who wrote the book Cooking for Geeks (due out in a month or so... I hope I'm not giving anything away--it's good press, man!), and a woman who wrote the book called Cook and Freeze (or something like that... Also due out in a month or so).  To my left, a retired Ph.D chemist.  Wow.


As you can see, there were some pretty intense people here.  We all went around and introduced ourselves and what why we were here (you know, if our profession had anything to do with food science... My favorite answer of the night was a man all the way in the back corner who told us his name, then said, "because I cook, eat, and drink".  Gotta love it.)


Anyway, the topic for tonight's meeting was this:  Plant Saponin Amphiphiles: Dessert Topping or Floor Wax?  Basically, can we create a substance that tastes delicious as a dessert and can also function as a floor wax?


The answer, is...maybe.  Depends on how much you like bitter-tasting desserts.


Kent Kirshenbaum, of NYU's chemistry department (and co-founder of the ECC), started the evening off with a clip of an SNL skit from the '70s that depicted an ad featuring a husband and wife fighting over whether a can of foam was a a floor wax or a dessert topping--and it ended up being both!  Kirshenbaum talked to us about the reality of making a product like this, and gave us a sample of his solution.


So, let's backtrack here--what makes a soap able to clean?  Basically, the main requirement of a soap is that it is amphiphilic--that is, it has a hydrophilic (water-loving) end and a hydrophobic (water-fearing) end.  Soaps are made from a chemical process called saponification.  When a soap is used to clean away dirt and oil, the micelles rearrange so that oil is trapped inside the micelles.  Then, the dirt can be rinsed away.


There are many saponins that occur in nature.  So which ones can we use in food that will be palatable?  Good question.


Saponins tend to be very bitter, and are found in plants like quinoa (which is why you have to rinse it before cooking), many legumes, licorice root, horse chesnuts, and ginseng (there are many more, as well).  Kirshenbaum decided to use extract from the quillaja (soap bark tree), found in Chile.


He modified a recipe written for Campari meringues, and added the quillaja extract.  He wanted a recipe for a meringue in which a bitter taste would not be shocking, hence the Campari meringues.  The result was a bitter, but not horrible tasting dessert.  It was definitely...interesting.  Here's some pictures:

The outside of the meringue.

You can see the inside texture in the second picture.  This had been sitting on my desk for a day though, so the inside had gotten a little moisture and had a gooey texture when I broke it in half.  The inner texture was a lot nicer the first day.  It didn't compare to regular meringues, but still had a texture that was reminiscent of of them.  They could make a nice vegan dessert.


After tasting the dessert, we discussed the effects of saponins in the diet.  One of the most interesting and well-studied of the effects is it's cholesterol-lowering powers.  The Masai of East Africa eat a diet composed mostly of meat and dairy--both high cholesterol items.  Yet, they have very low cholesterol.  It is thought that the addition of saponin-rich herbs to the foods they make may increase the excretion of cholesterol from the body.  Saponins bind cholesterol with bile, and prevent cholesterol reabsorption.


Using more saponin-rich plants in the diet could have a beneficial effect on those who have high cholesterol--a very large problem in the U.S.  Maybe Kirshenbaum will start marketing a variety of meringues aimed at high-cholesterol patients!  There's a large market out there...


These naturally-derived saponins might be an option for those with high cholesterol that want to use a more natural product than synthetic cholesterol-lowering drugs.


Overall, it was a very interesting seminar with some very interesting people.  If you're in NYC, I suggest you check it out!


Happy Eating,


KS