Veggie Might: Quinoa with Mustard Greens and Shiitake Mushrooms - Back on the Lunch Wagon

Penned by the effervescent Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about the wide world of Vegetarianism.

Dear Readers, thank you all for your insightful, helpful suggestions and comments over the last week. You are amazing. Stay tuned to this space for more super veggie action.

So, I have a confession too. I’ve been a bad frugal eater of late. In the past few months, I have slacked off from brown-bagging my lunches every day. This lapse is mostly due to a combination of work overload and personal commitments, but laziness plays a big factor.

It’s an age-old story: woman works a 10 hour day, woman makes 30-minute walk home, on the way woman grabs something quick from the store not thinking about the next day—only that cookies sound good right now. Woman mindlessly buys a bunch of mustard greens, some shitake mushrooms, and a package of Ginger-Os.

At home, exhausted, dog walked, woman is too tired to think of anything to fix for dinner, let alone lunch for tomorrow. Woman eats cookies while watching reruns of House and Dr. G, Medical Examiner.

The next day: oh the regret. Woman must face midtown Manhattan for lunch, where a salad can run nearly $8. Woman’s alternative is the corporate cafeteria, where options are limited, but somewhat cheaper. Woman vows to bring lunch tomorrow.

So I did. That night I opened my pantry and stared, though the dog and the Ginger-Os called me to join them on the couch. An idea began to form. My recent practice of Asian cooking from books (thanks Madhur) gave me the courage do a little experimenting.

I pulled down quinoa and dried chilies. I had fresh ginger and shallots on hand, plus the mustard greens and mushrooms from my zombiefied shopping trip. The shitakes were an obvious splurge (at 5.99 for 1/2 lb!—that’s what the sign said, the tricksters). But I only got 2 ounces, and once it a while, it’s nice to treat yourself.

Before I knew it, I had whipped up a fast, easy, and super tasty meal. And as I suspected, it was ten-times better the next day for lunch. And even with the expensive mushrooms, it came in way under what I would have spent on lunch in the neighborhood or the company café.

The shallots, ginger, and chilies get sautéed in a bit of oil to release the flavors. The greens go in, and as they wilt, so do the coarsely sliced mushrooms. After about five minutes, a bit of broth is added and the whole thing simmers for another five. Toss it over quinoa and voila! Spicy and satisfying.

It’s been a while since I improvised a dish, and almost as long since I cooked with lunch in mind. It felt great. When I cook on the weekend, I usually manage to have leftovers for a couple of workdays, but I know I can do better. Now, I’m back on the bandwagon.

Now if I can just replace the cookies for supper…

Quinoa with Mustard Greens and Shitake Mushrooms
Serves 2 as entrée
Serves 3 as side
(Note: this picture comes from a similar recipe at a blog called Lots of Stuff. Leigh's camera is acting up, so we found a photo that best approximates the dish. - Kris)

1/2 cup quinoa (makes approx. 1 1/4 cups cooked)
2 + 1/4 cups water or vegetable broth

1 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 shallot (2 cloves), minced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, diced
2 dried red chilies (pinky finger sized)
4 cups mustard greens (approx. 1/2 lb)
2 oz shitake mushrooms, thickly sliced

1) Start quinoa. Rinse well and add to saucepan with 2 cups of boiling water or vegetable broth. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until rings separate from the seeds. Drain and set aside. Reserve excess broth.

2) Prep vegetables. Mince shallots, wash and remove stems from mustard greens. It’s okay if they are still wet from washing. Cut into wide ribbons. Remove dirt from mushrooms with a napkin or towel. Cut into wide slices.

3) In a heavy skillet or wok, heat oil on medium high and add shallots. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until they start to become clear. Stir in diced ginger and dried chilies. Reduce heat to medium and continue to sauté for 3 more minutes or until shallots are clear.

4) Add mustard greens and stir to combine. The greens will wilt quickly.

5) Add mushrooms and combine well.

6) If the quinoa is still cooking, carefully scoop about 1/8 cup of broth and add to greens mixture. Otherwise, use 1/8 of reserve broth. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or so.

7) Toss greens with quinoa and you are good to go. Oh, so good.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
(Totals/2): 257 calories, 6g fat, $1.95
(Totals/3): 171 calories, 4g fat, $1.30

Calculations
1/2 cup quinoa: 313 calories, 5g fat, $1.39
1/4 cup vegetable broth: 3 calories, 0g fat, $.05
1 1/2 tsp olive oil: 60 calories, 7g fat, $.04
1 shallot: 40 calories, 0g fat, $.12
2 tbsp fresh ginger: 12 calories, 0g fat, $.05
2 dried red chilies: negligible calories and fat, $.02
4 cups mustard greens: 60 calories, 0g fat, $.75
2 oz shitake mushrooms: 26 calories, 0g fat, $1.49
TOTALS: 514 calories, 12g fat, $3.91
PER SERVING: (totals/2): 257 calories, 6g fat, $1.95
PER SERVING: (totals/3): 171 calories, 4g fat, $1.30

(By subbing a less costly ‘shroom, the amount of green needed for this dish goes way down.)

How to Tell if a Recipe is Cheap and Healthy Just By Looking at it

Though it might seem intuitive, determining a recipe’s cost and nutritional value can get pretty complicated, pretty quickly. Ingredient prices can add up before you know it, and a combination of fats, meats, and cheeses will take a toll on your calorie count without even registering on your radar. And sometimes, even the most harmless-looking dishes, like All Recipes’ Greek Pasta Salad with Shrimp, Tomatoes, Zucchini, Peppers, and Feta, can run you $2 and 42 grams of fat per serving.

So, how can you tell if a dish is good for you, just by looking at it? How can you avoid the pitfalls of secretly fatty and financially unsound food? How can you err on the side of caution when it comes to cooking?

Look no further, sweet readers. We’ve got you covered. If your recipe source doesn’t give a nutritional breakdown and you’re unsure of the potential cost, these tips will help you decide whether the money/waistline expenditures are worth the trouble. If you have any suggestions, be sure to include them in the comment section.

DO choose your source wisely. Man, I love Paula Deen. Her food looks stupendous and she’s endlessly entertaining – like Yo Gabba Gabba if it was a charmingly cackley southern woman. That said, her concoctions might not be the best choice for those concerned about weight. If you know you’re looking for healthier recipes, sources like Everyday Food, Cooking Light, and Eating Well will generally be more helpful than the Neelys or the Two Fat Ladies. Likewise, reproducing a dish from Grant Achatz’s Alinea cookbook will probably run you a pretty penny compared to the average Cook’s Illustrated meal. Starting your search with a website, cookbook, or blog aimed at your requirements is half the battle.

DO check the number of servings. Once you have a recipe in mind, before you do anything else, check how many people it’s supposed to sate. Fourteen ounces of flank steak does little damage split among eight eaters, but can destroy diets if it’s meant only for two.

DO read the ingredient list carefully. After the serving size, the ingredients are the most important determinant of the cost and nutritional value of a recipe. Scan the rundown, look for a few keywords (many of which are listed below), and be extra aware of extravagant or difficult-to-find foods for your area, which will drive up the price.

DO consider recipes with one or two out-of-the-box ingredients. In small doses, odds are it/they won’t break the bank, and you can incorporate new flavors into your repertoire. Lemongrass? Meyer lemons? Lemon basil? Sure, why not?

DON’T dismiss a long list of ingredients outright. Lighter foods like Bon Appetit’s Turkey Chili with Beans frequently require multiple, inexpensive spices and flavorings to make up for the absence of fat. While their sheer number can seem pretty intimidating, don’t fret. Oftentimes, these foods can be found right in your pantry for minimal cost.

DO count the number of ingredients already in-house. Speaking about that pantry, recipes based on dry goods will usually be cheaper than ones requiring a trip to the supermarket. Look for meals that use rice, beans, pasta, and other staples as jump off points, and go from there.

DO opt for whole food ingredients. If it can be found in the outer aisles of your supermarket, it’s probably a good start to a meal. Fresh fruits, veggies, and lean meats give recipes more bang for the buck, and almost guarantee a healthier overall experience. Fewer preservatives and extra-excellent flavor are just bonuses.

DON’T choose recipes made from processed food. The less ingredients are handled by humans, the better. Why? Well, in general, heavily processed and pre-cut edibles are more expensive and worse for you than the aforementioned whole foods. Semi Homemade-style meals may be convenient, but when you’re sacrificing money, nutrition, and taste, is it worth it?

DO watch out for lots of meat and cheese. In moderation, neither of these is anything to fear. But prices and calories rise when a meal centers on multiple cups of frommage or large cuts of beef or pork. Instead, search for recipes where meat and cheese are add-ons instead of the main event. You’ll save all around.

DO calculate about 12 or 13 grams of fat per tablespoon of butter or oil. When doing a cursory scan of any recipe, I take extra care to check the total cooking fat. If there’s a lot, but it can be easily reduced (like in sautés), I keep going. If there’s a lot, but the amount is set in stone (as in some baking), I move along to the next dish.

DON’T rule out all fatty ingredients. Nuts, olives, avocados and certain oils aren’t low-fat foods, but they’re healthy ones because of the vitamins and minerals they offer. Relatively inexpensive and often pivotal to a dish’s overall flavor, they should be incorporated into any diet in moderation.

DO look for words like: baked, roasted, steamed, grilled, or sautéed. These cooking techniques tend to use less fat than others while still producing flavorful foods. Steaming and boiling are good keywords as well.

DON’T choose recipes with the words: fried, au gratin, cream sauce, bisque, bacon-wrapped, or lard. Each of these terms implies one thing: fat. If you’re serious about watching your weight, there are lighter recipes for certain dishes (Spaghetti Carbonara, etc.), but straight-up lobster bisque will do a number on your numbers.

Confusing? Maybe. Do-able? Definitely. With some practice, these rules will get easier to use. And in the end, you’ll have no problem telling the difference between the recipe you really want and the recipe you thought you wanted.

Readers, fire away in the comment section.

~~~

If you liked this article, you might also dig:

• How to Tell if a Recipe is Worth Cooking With Five Easy Questions at Casual Kitchen
• Frugal Food Hacks: 10 Tricks to Simplifying Online Recipe Searches
• The Dos and Don’ts of Buying a Cookbook
  

(Photos courtesy of Scrapbook's blog, The Leftover Queen, and Good Housekeeping.)

Tuesday Megalinks

This week, it’s plenty from The Kitchn, a pair of posts from Wise Bread and Chow, and all New York Times, all the time. Plus, R.I.P. 100-calorie packs. You won’t be missed.

344 Pounds: Weight Loss Accountability
Tyler, currently down 82 pounds, writes about the importance of having people there to help you along the weight-losing way. He doesn’t necessarily mean a support system, but rather folks who are depending on you to lose the poundage. Solid post on a not oft-seen topic. (Thanks to Casual Kitchen for the link.)

Associated Press: U.S. Food Pantries Struggle to Stay Stocked as More People Frequent
The recession has hit pantries particularly hard, with more and more hungry families are coming to them for help. Read of their difficulties here, and head over to Charity Navigator to find out how you can contribute. (Thanks to Serious Eats for the link.)

Chow: Cooking Green
Last week, Chow gave us a monster rundown on the art of the grill. This week, they tackle environmentally sound cooking, with similar triumphant results.

Chow: Too Poor for Drinks - Staying home is the new going out
News flash: broke drunk people are tippling in their own kitchens, rather than forking over $6 per pint at the local pub. But seriously, Three Buck Chuck is the new Cristal, everybody, and Chow has some fine tips on how to keep backyard boozing interesting. Get a game night going and drink up.

Eat Me Daily: Amanda Hesser to Michelle Obama - Get Back in the Kitchen
New York Times alum Hesser gets all up in the First Lady’s grill about her dislike of cooking. As if MO’s not busy enough with gardening and volunteering at soup kitchens and sustainable eating and health initiatives for kids and whatnot. Eat Me Daily chimes in with their view, summed up neatly by Gastropoda’s Regina Schrambling: “a woman’s place is not always in the kitchen.”

The Epi-Log: Quick and Healthy Recipes for Uncooked Pasta Sauces
Neat, quick recipe rundown for stove-less spaghetti toppings. Because sometimes, the kitchen’s too hot already.

Jezebel: 100-Calorie Pack Fad - Finally Finished
And not a moment too soon. Sales of 100-calorie packs have dipped precipitously in the last few months, with more shoppers finding them too expensive. Which … yeah. Eat two cookies and save yourself three bucks.

The Kitchn: Salad for Dinner - 7 Additions to Make it Filling
Summertime is salad time for many of us out there, and Kitchnites have some out-of-the-box suggestions to liven up our greens. Not included: fudge. Dang!

The Kitchn: Family Mealtime - Cooking for Babies
Neato guest post from Backseat Gourmet’s Cheryl on introducing new foods to your babe. (Note: your baby, not your foxy/hunky S.O.). The gist: make ‘em good eaters early, and you might not have to worry about it later on.

The Kitchn: Scavenger – Fabulous Finds from Coast to Coast
Ooo! I loved this post. While I’m sure most of the 25 Craigslist kitchen goods are gone by now, it’s a great reminder that you don’t have to buy new to buy well. Viva la classifieds!

Lifehacker: Make Your Refrigerator Far More Efficient
Rather than inject your crisper drawer with steroids, check these tips to optimize the inner workings of your most valuable appliance. (Next to the air conditioner, of course. Oh, August. How you oppress me.)

New York Times: Childhood - Food Allergies May Be Linked to Obesity
This is fascinating: “Researchers studying more than 4,000 children ages 2 to 19 ... [found] obese and overweight children were about 25 percent more likely to have one or more food allergies.” Remember, there’s a difference between correlation and causation, but these findings are something to seriously chew on.

New York Times: In This Subway Series, the Ballparks Offer Sushi vs. Steak Tacos
Queens, represent! The Bruni pits the Yankees versus the Mets in a battle for supreme ballpark cuisine, with Citifield coming out on top. YOU GOTTA BELIEVE … in Shake Shack burgers.

New York Times: Play With Your Food, Just Don’t Text!
I like to think I’m easygoing, but there are a few rude behaviors that drive me to drink, including: not giving pregnant ladies seats on the subway, nail clipping in public areas, customers who open packages to check merchandise and then immediately return the boxes to the shelves, and people who furtively text during dinner. Put the damn phone away and concentrate on your company, kid. (Also: get off my lawn!)

New York Times: Preserving Time in a Bottle (or a Jar)
There’s been a tremendous upswing in canning and jarring the last few years, even in metropolitan areas where storage is usually at a minimum. The Gray Lady examines the phenomenon.

New York Times: Organic Dairies Watch the Good Times Turn Bad
Ouch. While organic products are doing pretty well for agricultural engineers (a.k.a. farmers) all over, organic dairy farmers are the exception. A one-two punch of rising costs and the recession are putting many out of business.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: PW Favorites
There are not enough OOOOOs in the world to express how happy I am that Ree comped her favorite recipes into an easy-to-access master list. So I’ll settle for one long one: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

San Francisco Gate: Gluten intolerance becoming more commonplace
Marion Nestle explores the recent uptick in celiac disease, the autoimmune disorder that makes people unable to digest wheat and certain other grains. The good parts: it’s easier to diagnose nowadays, and public eating areas (schools, work cafeterias, etc.) are increasingly able to handle the dietary restrictions. (Thanks to Serious Eats for the link.)

San Francisco Gate: Going vegan for a month
Amanda Berne, SFGate’s Accidental Vegetarian, recently went vegan for 30 days to find out what the deal was. While it was much harder eating out and food preparation took way longer than normal, she felt spectacularly healthy by the end, and counted it as a victory. Chalk one up for the seitanists. (Thanks to Serious Eats for the link.)

Seattle Times: Getting the most out of grilled chicken
The only thing in the world easier than last night’s Final Jeopardy question (answer: gravity) is burning the crap out of grilled chicken. Here, the Seattle Times lets us in on a few moistifying secrets. (Thanks to Serious Eats for the link.)

The Simple Dollar: Grocery Shopping 101 – Quantity Surcharges and 10 Products to Watch Out For
From tuna fish to baked beans to canned veggies, some foods simply aren’t worth buying in bulk. Trent gives us the heads up on these, plus seven more better-in-smaller-increments edibles.

The Simple Dollar: The Art of the Marinade: Making Inexpensive Foods Dazzlingly Tasty for Pennies
Much like the board game Blokus, the art of the marinade is easy to learn, but difficult to master. Fortunately, a few basic recipes and rules can help you on your way. Confucius say: he who soaks food in flavorful liquid will have flavorful food.

Slashfood: Salt – How much is too much?
Lots of good tips here. One they missed: taste food as you’re salting it – because there’s no better gauge of saltiness than your own tongue.

Wise Bread: Bargain Shopping 101
A.k.a. The Basics of Saving Money on Food
A.k.a. Elementary Supermarketing
A.k.a. A Wallet-Saving Work of Staggering Genius

Wise Bread: Supermarket Angst Part II: What Eggs Should I Buy?
Carrie Kirby researches egg labeling ("cage free," "with Omega 3," etc.) to find that almost none of it makes any difference whatsoever.

(Photos courtesy of Community Service Community Development, Latest Trends in Home Appliances, and Pollocompestreinc.com.)

Grilled Corn on the Cob: Summer, She Comes

My heart grows about 47 sizes every time a new Pixar movie comes out. This weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing Up, and the first 20 minutes left me a gooey, soggy mess. So much so, that I had to hide my snotty, tear-stained face in my shirt so the seven-year-old girl next to me wouldn’t think I was a big loser.

When I finally stopped openly weeping, it occurred to me that Pixar movies have become one of the things I most look forward to with the coming of summer. Also included: my backyard, eating outside, cold beer, iced coffee, wandering the main branch at the Brooklyn library, air-conditioned subway cars, besuboru, sundresses, late sunset, tomatoes, peppers, and sweet corn.

An Ohio native, sweet corn on the cob is the Husband-Elect’s favorite thing in life (besides cars that turn into robots). I try to indulge him as much as I can, though I don’t think I really understood how to prepare it correctly until this weekend. But that all changed, thanks to the aptly-named Grilledcornonthecob.com.

Apparently (and I did not know this) soaking the corn in the husk before hand helps A LOT. See, once the cob is placed on the grill, the wet leaves simultaneously roast and steam the kernels. The result is perfectly tender corn with a delicious char-tinged flavor. It’s a thing to behold, and a better thing to eat.

One thing: take care not to let the cob sit too long after grilling. I prepared corn twice this weekend using this method, and the first time they rested for almost 45 minutes. The taste was lukewarm and a little dry. The second time, we ate it immediately, and it was much, much better.

Happy summer, everyone. Don’t forget: see Up (bring tissues), and eat corn. In that order, if you can.

P.S. Incidentally, Up started a discussion about ranking Pixar films. There have been ten so far, and here’s how I’d put them (1 = best, 10 = not worst - there are no bad Pixar movies. So maybe least best?) Readers, how would you rank them?

1. Finding Nemo
2. Toy Story 2
3. The Incredibles
4. Up
5. Wall-E
6. Toy Story
7. Ratatouille
8. Monsters, Inc.
9. A Bug’s Life
10. Cars

Grilled Corn on the Cob
Serves 1
Adapted from Grilledcornonthecob.com.

1 ear corn with husk still on
Butter
Salt and pepper

1) Carefully peel back corn husk to reveal kernels and silk. Remove all silk, and put the husk back where it was, taking care to cover any errant kernels.

2) Soak corn in a pot of cold water for at least 30 minutes. Make sure to weigh it down so it stays under water.

3) Remove corn from water, and shake off to get rid of extra moisture. Place on a grill over medium-high heat, and cover. Cook for 30 minutes, or until entire husk is crispy and dark brown. Take care to turn every 5 minutes or so.

4) Remove from heat, shuck, and rinse quickly in warm water to get rid of any extra ash. Add salt and pepper to taste and eat immediately.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
93 calories, 4.2 g fat, $0.36

Calculations
1 ear corn: 59 calories, 0.4 g fat, $0.33
1 teaspoon butter: 34 calories, 3.8 g fat, $0.02
Salt and pepper to taste: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
TOTAL: 93 calories, 4.2 g fat, $0.36