Tuesday Megalinks: Twitter Edition

In honor of newfangled Twitter fiddle-faddle (CHG not on yet), today’s blurbs are all 140 characters or less. (Including this one! Meta!)

Chow: All Things Healthy
Huge healthy roundup of Chow articles, recipes, and chowhound threads. Also, it looks like the strawberry is smiling at you.

Chow: Are There Really Two Scoops of Raisins in Raisin Bran?
*GASP* There’s barely even one! Post, how could you do this to us?

Consumerist: Campusfood's 75 Cent Service Fee Annoys College Students, Restaurant Owners
Delivery service assumes college kids won’t check receipts, systematically bilks them out of $0.75 “service charge.” They get F-minus!

Consumerist: Do Consumers Really Care About High Fructose Corn Syrup?
Of course. Problem is, most can’t taste the difference between HFCS and sugar, and aren’t clear on the health aspects. Color us confused.

Detroit News: Canned tomatoes are best out of season
During not-summer months, tomatoes are not ripe. Taste bad. Food Network says use canned instead, as they are bastions of awesomeness.

The Epi-Log: Top Five Reasons to Have a Potluck Lunch
Looking for way to socialize with cute co-workers/bogart free food? Have office-wide potluck lunch. Bask in deliciousness, gab like nuts.

Food Blog Code of Ethics
In which grizzled food blog veterans devise standards for all their peers, everywhere. Great idea, but will it catch on? I hope.

It’s Frugal Being Green: 30 Quick, Green, and Frugal Meal Planning Resources
Whee! Stellar rundown of useful posts, including a few from CHG. Thanks, IFBG! You are neat.

Get Rich Slowly: The New Age of Thrift
Turns out, frugal is the new black. It makes you look thinner and conducts heat well. (What? I don’t know. But neat post from JD.)

Jezebel: Green Eggs & Ham - What Meat Is Best For the Environment?
Poultry wins, with pork coming in pretty high. Beef, lamb, and goat are bad. Fish is up for grabs. They can feel pain, apparently. Who knew?

Jezebel: New Book On Overeating: Should We Treat Mac & Cheese Like Cigarettes?
Or: should we treat less-than-healthy foods like something we can become easily addicted to? Is mac-n-cheese the new heroin? Maybe.

The Kitchn: Good Question - Best Meals to Cook On Camping Trips?
Huge comment thread for you outdoorsy types. Highly touted: grilled meats, veggies, granola, anything that fits into backpack, not bugs.

The Kitchn: Wine Retailing - Do Supermarkets Offer the Best Choice?
One of the few bad parts about living in NY is no wine sold in supermarkets. Not even Boone’s. Arguments for and against in this post.

LA Times: Fast food strategy - free, or practically free
Super-low and no-cost foods lure customers into fast food joints, so they’ll buy other items. Sales are increasing for some.

LA Times: Hospitals adding fresh, organic food to the menu
The ER just got tastier: soggy green beans and mystery meat are done for in some places, replaced by organic veggies and grass-fed beef.

LA Times: Recipe for a new life -- with a dash of hope
Wherever there is a story about juvenile delinquents rehabilitating themselves by learning to cook, CHG will be there.

Lazy Man and Money: Save Money with Fast Food Value Menus
Restaurant-by-restaurant breakdown of dollar/value menus, with special attention paid to healthier options. Nice work! Want burger.

New York Magazine: Last Noodle Standing - Four starchy-food aficionados determine the best dried pasta in town
Which boxed/bagged spaghetti beats the rest? Quartet of experts agrees: Trader Joe’s. Score one more for that place. (Mmm … Trader Joe’s.)

New York Times: It May Be Cheap, but it’s Also Tasty
One more article on bargain cuts of meat. Because there can never be enough, especially if the pics are this tasty-looking. Go here, too.

New York Times: Paying a Price for Loving Red Meat
Newsflash! Red meat very bad for health. Cut back or suffer terrible consequences. Somewhat conflicting with aforementioned articles.

Oregon Live: Green salad - video and recipe
Salad bores me more than Tiger-less golf tournaments. Here, OL tells how to liven it up. Incidentally, their food pieces are usually great.

Serious Eats: What Does Barack Obama's First 100 Days Mean for Serious Eaters?
Things looking up, but seriously, it’s way too soon to tell. Early olicy rundown & nice pic of happy Barry. Good comment thread, to boot.

Slate: The Decline and Fall of High-Fructose Corn Syrup
Solid, detailed article on downfall of “unhealthy, unnatural, and unappetizing” HFCS. If nothing else, MUST read last paragraph. Fuh real.

Sugar Stacks
How many sugar cubes found in your favorite foods? Better question: where does anyone find sugar cubes nowadays?

Wise Bread: Thirty Ways I'm Using Less and Why
Post of the week right here. Myscha compiles all the little things she/you can do around the house to lessen plastic & food waste.

(Photos courtesy of Flickr member DSCF2138, Bridge Bloggin’, and Clever Karen.)

Why Mango Lassis are the Best Ever, or, an Abundance of Mangoes

(You guys! My column today at Serious Eats is on Avocado Chicken Salad. No joke, it’s one of the best things I’ve made this year. Thanks to Mrs. Micah for the idea and The Boyfriend for slurping it up like a team of ravenous little leaguers.)

Last week, I came into possession of two large, ripe mangoes. And let me tell you, folks - there are few things in life greater than receiving mangoes for free. They include, but are not limited to:

• free backrubs
• free concert tickets
• freedom from oppression

Alas, as we were invaded by horrible, six-legged Woody Allen cartoons, it took me awhile to get to the beckoning fruit. Four days after their arrival, they weren’t quite mushy, but had most definitely surpassed the salsa stage. (Meaning the mangoes could be chopped up, but wouldn’t hold their shape very well.)

Here’s the rub: when you search online for mango recipes, 99.9 of the first 100 bazillion are for mango salsa. Once you scroll 14,000 pages past those, there’s a severed link for mango chutney. But never fret. Because if you persevere, you will find, at the very end of the internet, next to an 8-bit porno from 1982 and an ASCII drawing of Homer Simpson, a recipe for mango lassis.

Mango lassis, to put it simply, are THE BEST. An offshoot of the regular lassi (seen here), they’re shake-like and fruity and sweet and filling and positively wonderful. Plus, they have magical powers. Bad things don’t happen when mango lassis are around. To wit:

• If Joss Whedon knew about mango lassis, Buffy wouldn’t have become so weird in the last few seasons.
• If the Hells Angels knew about mango lassis, Altamont would never have happened.
• If Kim Jong-Il knew about mango lassis, North Korea would be a flourishing democratic republic/vacation spot, welcoming of all races and creeds, where nuclear warheads would be used as in-ground swimming pools instead of weapons of mass ouchification.

This mango lassi is a lighter version of the one from the lovely Elise at Simply Recipes. Though it uses milk, you could probably substitute cold water and/or crushed ice based on your preferences. Cardamom is optional, but couldn’t hurt.

In conclusion: mango lassi. Get one.

Mango Lassi
Serves 2
From Simply Recipes.

1 cup lowfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup 1% milk
1 cup chopped mango, peeled and stone removed (about 1 large)
4 teaspoons sugar, to taste
A dash of ground cardamom (optional)

1) Get out a blender. Add  yogurt, milk, mango, sugar, and cardamom. Blend for about 2 minutes, or until everything is smooth and relatively chunk-free. Distribute evenly among your glasses. Serve super-cold.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
190 calories, 2.8 g fat, $0.92

Calculations
1 cup lowfat plain yogurt: 154 calories, 3.9 g fat, $0.70
1/2 cup 1% milk: 53 calories, 1.2 g fat, $0.11
1 cup chopped mango, peeled and stone removed: 107 calories, 0.5 g fat, $0.99
4 teaspoons sugar, to taste: 65 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
TOTAL: 379 calories, 5.6 g fat, $1.83
PER SERVING (TOTAL/2): 190 calories, 2.8 g fat, $0.92

Shirataki Noodles: The Review

It’s been a freakin’ bowl of cherries, but National Ants Are Invading My Kitchen Week has finally come to an end. The Boyfriend and I went Wolverine on them a few days ago, and have seen nary an antennae or thorax since. In retrospect, it’s a relief they were only ants, and not the pterodactyl-sized “waterbugs” that tend to hang around my fine borough in warmer weather. (Note: KNOCKING ON MANY PIECES OF WOOD.)

For the first post-insect dish, I decided to try shirataki noodles. There are several different kinds of these guys, but recently, the tofu variety from House Foods has become particularly huge, thanks to exhaustive endorsements from Hungry Girl.

When it comes to dieters and folks with allergies, there are definite advantages to choosing shirataki noodles over pasta or rice. House Foods brand is vegan, gluten-free, cholesterol-free, and relatively guilt-free. Each ½-cup serving comes out to about 20 calories, and sources say they generally take well to Asian-style dishes. While there’s a rinsing process, the noodles don’t need to be boiled for any length of time, making them conveniently heat-n-serve.

However (and there’s always a however), there are drawbacks. First, some claim shirataki noodles aren’t much good in Italian dishes. Second, the lighter caloric load means they won’t necessarily fill you up, either.

Finally – and most significantly - there’s the price. Shirataki noodles come in 8-oz. bags filled with water (for preservation). After draining, this is just about a single cup of actual noodles. My Key Food charges $1.50 for this on sale, or $0.75 per ½-cup serving. Of noodles. Just noodles.

To compare, a single 1-lb. box of Ronzoni thin spaghetti costs $0.66 on sale, and produces about four cups of cooked pasta. That’s roughly $0.08 per ½-cup serving. Rice noodles are more expensive, at about $0.45 per ½-serving, but are still a bargain comparatively. I’m not even gonna get into rice itself, because my brain hurts now.

Of course, the deciding factor for any food should be its taste. And in that sense, the shirataki noodles were okay. Not good, not bad. Just okay. They barely have a flavor, actually. I prepared them with peppers, onions, chicken, and Cook’s Illustrated Orange Sesame Stir Fry Sauce, and they blended seamlessly into the mix. I suspect they’d go very well with ramen-style dishes, too.

Ultimately, my verdict is this: unless you have allergies, certain dietary restrictions, or are a VERY beginning dieter, shirataki noodles may not be the best buy. There are tastier, significantly cheaper ways to cut calories.

Have a great weekend everyone. Monday, we're back to bug-free posting. (To repeat: wood, she is being knocked on.)

Orange Sesame Stir Fry with Shirataki Noodles
Serves 3 or 4
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated Best 30-Minute Recipe.


½ cup orange juice
¼ cup soy sauce, plus 1 separate teaspoon
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 bell peppers (any kind), sliced into strips
1 medium onion, sliced into thick strips
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bag House Foods shirataki noodles, drained and rinsed

1) In a small bowl, combine orange juice. 1/4 cup soy sauce, broth, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Whisk it all together. Set aside. In a separate medium bowl, coat chicken in the other 1 teaspoon of soy sauce.

2) In a large skillet or wok, heat 2 teaspoons veggie oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned. Using tongs, remove it to a dish

3) Add 1 tablespoon veggie oil to the skillet. Add veggies. Saute them until they're crisp-tender, another few minutes.

4) Spread veggies around the perimeter of the pan and add the remaining 1 teaspoon of veggie oil. Add garlic and ginger. Cook 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant.

5) Add chicken back to skillet and stir everything together. Heat until warmed, a minute or two.

6) Re-whisk orange-sesame sauce, and add it to skillet. Bring everything up to a simmer. Cook for another minute or two, until the sauce is thickened. (It will thicken. Don't worry.) Add noodles and warm through. Serve.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
Three servings: 389 calories, 15.4 g fat, $1.87
Four servings: 291 calories, 11.6 g fat, $1.40

Calculations
½ cup orange juice: 55 calories, 0 g fat, $0.16
¼ cup soy sauce, plus 1 separate teaspoon: 37 calories, 0 g fat, $0.40
¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth: 22 calories, 0.75 g fat, $0.06
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil: 80 calories, 9 g fat, $0.12
2 teaspoons cornstarch: 20 calories, 0 g fat, $0.02
2 tablespoons vegetable oil: 256 calories, 29 g fat, $0.18
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces: 497 calories, 5.4 g fat, $1.69
3 bell peppers (any kind), sliced into strips: 98 calories, 1 g fat, $1.09
1 medium onion, sliced into thick strips: 46 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.24
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger: 5 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced: 11 calories, 0 g fat, $0.12
1 bag House Foods shirataki noodles, drained and rinsed: 40 calories, $1.50
TOTAL: 1167 calories, 46.25 g fat, $5.61
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 389 calories, 15.4 g fat, $1.87
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 291 calories, 11.6 g fat, $1.40

CHG Favorites of the Week

Food Blog/Site of the Week
Recipes for Health at the New York Times
The Gray Lady (or more likely, her interns) (okay, actually Times writer Martha Rose Shulman) has compiled all her healthiest recipes into a single database, crying out to be searched. From risotto to eggplant to stale bread (yes, stale bread), it’s waiting for your clicks.

Food Comedy of the Week
Food’lebrities
If you like food puns – and I KNOW you like food puns – go here right now. Don’t even read the next thing. Just go. You will laugh your corny butt off for days. Down below: Eddie Cheddar. (Thanks to Jezebel for the link.)

Food Quote of the Week
Continuing with this week’s literary theme, this excerpt comes from Ray Bradbury’s Dandelion Wine, via commenter Wifemommaniac. Sweet:

“RELISH! What a special name for the minced pickle sweetly crushed in its white capped jar. The man who had named it, what a man he must have been. Roaring, stamping around, he must have tromped the joys of the world and jammed them in this jar and writ in a big hand, shouting, RELISH! For its very sound meant rolling in sweet fields with roistering chestnut mares, mouths bearded with grass, plunging your head fathoms deep in trough water so the sea poured cavernously through your head. RELISH!”

Food Movie Clip of the Week
The dinner scene from American Beauty
To know:
1) This is rated R for language.
2) This is a great scene.
3) Kevin Spacey and Annette Bening act their faces off.
4) Asparagus is thrown.



Totally Unrelated Extra Special Bonus of the Week
Shadow Hare
Crime is afoot in Cincinnati! Fortunately, Shadow Hare, his ever-so-slightly prepubescent voice, and several others are here to help. In its way, this is incredibly heartwarming.