Blog
You’re the Chip to my Dip
I love it when I can make a meal out of a bunch of snacks. The trend of creating party boards with a variety of crackers, veggies, cheeses and dips is right up my alley. If you like this style of eating as much as I do, consider making your own pita chips for a fun, homemade addition. They are simple to make and they hold up really well to hearty dips and spreads. Don’t you hate it when your chip or cracker breaks into a million pieces in the dip! Try them with this month’s recipe, Baba Ganoush. They also pair well with Tzatziki, or Cowboy Caviar.
Favorite Tools Series – Sheet Pans!
Today begins a fun series with all of our Spend Smart. Eat Smart. bloggers. We are going to share our favorite kitchen tools and how we like to use them. It is easy to fall into a trap of thinking you need a lot of tools and gadgets to cook well and enjoy your time in the kitchen. That is really not true. A few good tools that do a lot of different jobs go a long way.
Christine’s Food Memories
This month we are kicking off a new Spend Smart. Eat Smart. series celebrating food memories. Food is so much more than fuel for our bodies. It has ties to our families, traditions and cultures and is a source of pleasure in our lives. This month you will hear from me, Katy and Jody on some of our strongest food memories.
Pass the Toppings – It’s Chili Time!
Last week Jody showed us how packaged foods are a big source of sodium for most of us and how we can use the Nutrition Facts Label to see how much sodium a food has in it. Another way to stay on top of how much sodium we eat is to cook more at home from fresh ingredients. Canned soup is a staple for many of us. The canned varieties are convenient, but are often high in sodium. As it turns out, homemade soup is usually very easy to make and you can cook it once and eat it for several meals. This week I have done a recipe round-up of my favorite chili recipes on our website. I have to be honest and share that I do not like chili that has a whole bunch of tomato in it. I prefer a little bit of tomato or even none at all, so you will see that reflected in my choices!
Enjoying Cooking for One
As a single person cooking for one, my goals are straightforward: eat healthy, maintain weight, take minimal time, and create little waste. Also, enjoy my food as I do love to eat! I travel frequently for work so planning is important. Each weekend I look at my calendar and determine which days I will be home for meals. Then I make a quick trip to the grocery store for fresh food items and any staples I need to replace in the pantry. I keep the menu simple with a rotation of fish, poultry, beef, pork, and soups. Seasonings are used instead of sauces; baking and roasting instead of frying; simple preparation instead of complex recipes. I always prepare enough for two meals – one to eat immediately and one for the fridge or freezer. I grew up knowing you never waste food so I keep an eye on the refrigerator contents to easily see what needs used up before it goes bad. Or, if I’m going to be gone for several days I spend five minutes transferring items to freezer containers or making a mishmash meal. A small bowl of fruit sprinkled with cinnamon or a vegetable omelet are easy solutions. Lastly, I set the table even if it is just for myself.
