Noodle Salad with Shrimp, Chicken and Mint: Dinner, Reign O’er Me

First, Pearl Jam covering The Who’s “Love, Reign O’er Me” at last night’s VH1 Rock Honors:



The only way that could have been better was if zombie Keith Moon sat in on drums, downed a fifth of ghost brandy, and drove a phantom Benz into the Waldorf pool. For old times sake, y’know. Woof.

After the Quadrophenia excerpt, I’m hesitant to even get into food. I don’t know if mere victuals can live up to the sheer awesomeness of Eddie Vedder doing his best Roger Daltrey backed by a full orchestra. I’m aflutter. But I shant cry, or raise my eye. Because Cooking Light’s Noodle Salad with Shrimp, Chicken, and Mint is only teenage wasteland ain’t too shabby, yo.

To be honest, when I first bit into this light, Asian-inspired dinner, my reaction was “Meh.” The few ingredients and minimal prep didn’t seem to merit an “OOOO.” Uh … as it turns out though, I was incredibly wrong. Three helpings later, I had to remove the serving bowl from my presence, lest I scarf the whole dang thing. Whether it was the limey, sesame-infused soy sauce or the moist, flavorful chicken or the sprinkling of green onions was immaterial. All I knew was I wanted more. In fact, I want some right now, but it might not go so well with my coffee.

There were a few changes to the initial recipe – I cut some salt because there was no low-sodium soy sauce on hand, and substituted much of the shrimp for chicken. Poultry’s less expensive than shellfish, and there was a heaping mound I had to use before it freezer burned to death. (Also, I ran out of shrimp. But we won’t mention that.) If you make Noodle Salad, feel free to dump in chicken, shrimp or a combination of either. Chicken will keep the cost down and make it into something more befitting a main meal. Shrimp will be lighter, but pricier and side dishier.

Oh yeah – AND I got the mint for free. This is because:

A) It grows like crazy in our backyard, and

B) Is the only food I’m comfortable eating out of our Gowanus Canal-infused Brooklyn soil.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Gowanus … remember the first Batman movie? (Not the Christian Bale one, the Michael Keaton one.) You know how Jack Nicholson’s bad guy fell into that steaming, bubbling vat of acid, and it gave him his Joker face? The canal is kind of like that, only really, really stinky and lined with concrete-shoed mob informants. Good times.

Anyway, where was I? The Who … freezer burn … canals … wow. I seem to have gotten away from food a bit. But anyway. Try the Noodle Salad. You’ll like it. I promise.

Noodle Salad with Chicken, Shrimp and Mint
Makes 3 servings
Adapted from Cooking Light.

1 (7-ounce) package uncooked vermicelli (I used thin spaghetti and it was fine – Kris)
12 ounces chicken breast, sliced into 1/2-inch filets
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 large lime – Kris)
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 ounces medium cooked shrimp
1 tablespoon chopped green onions
Lime wedges (optional)

1) Cook pasta in large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain.

2) Salt and pepper both sides of chicken filets. In a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken. Cook around 8 minutes total, flipping once halfway through. (So, 4 minutes per side.) Once done, place chicken on a plate and let sit for a few minutes.

3) To a small bowl, add lime juice, soy sauce, honey, mint, sesame oil, salt, and garlic. Stir.

4) Go back to the chicken and chop it into bite-sized pieces.

5) In a large bowl, combine pasta, shrimp, and chicken. Add dressing. Stir to coat. Top with scallions. Serve. Lime wedges are a nice touch.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price Per Serving
463 calories, 7.2 g fat, $1.11

Calculations
1 (7-ounce) package uncooked vermicelli: 738 calories, 3 g fat, $0.21
12 ounces chicken breast: 375 calories, 4.2 g fat, $1.49
1 teaspoon olive oil: 39 calories, 4.5 g fat, $0.04
Salt and pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
2 tablespoons lime juice: 8 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce: 17 calories, 0 g fat, $0.19
1 tablespoon honey: 64 calories, 0 g fat, $0.09
2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint: 1 calorie, 0 g fat, $0.00
2 teaspoons dark sesame oil: 80 calories, 9 g fat, $0.12
1/4 teaspoon salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
2 garlic cloves, minced: 9 calories, 0 g fat, $0.06
2 ounces medium cooked shrimp: 56 calories, 0.6 g fat, $0.90
1 tablespoon chopped green onions: 2 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
TOTAL: 1389 calories, 21. g fat, $3.33
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 463 calories, 7.2 g fat, $1.11

Veggie Might: Penne with Lemon, Potatoes, and Cannellini (When I Want Something, DIM)

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

Whenever I see some handmade wonder light years beyond my budget, I don’t sweat it. Instead of “Dang, I wish I could afford that,” I think, “I can make that better and cheaper.” It may take awhile, culling instructions and patterns from multiple sources, experiencing minor and major disasters, but the end product will be awesome, because it will be uniquely mine. Or at least I’ll have had fun trying.

Part of my urge to craft is genetic. My southern grandmother was famous for her tole painting, French knot needlework, and Easter egg dioramas. The other part of my crafty tendency is a combination of frugality and the aforementioned hubris.

I apply this same ethos to cooking. Following a recipe often means buying new stuff when I have a plenty to work with in my cabinet or fridge, or going back out once I’ve gotten home from work. And I am, above all things, a lazy gal.

In true DIY-style, I improvise most dishes I make. Recipes are like a jumping off point, the suggestion from the audience at the beginning of a comedy show.

Tuesday night, I knew a few things: I absolutely had to have for dinner this pasta and potato dish that I vaguely remembered reading about; I had about 4 cups of amaranth greens from the CSA that must be used or else; I really wanted this fantasy pasta dish to have a lemon sauce; and I couldn’t bear to be on the computer another second.

Scouring my cookbooks for a recipe that probably didn’t exist within the four walls of my apartment, I came upon one that at least answered the essential question in my mind. How do you cook potatoes you plan to put with pasta? Do you boil them first? Do you cook them in the sauce? Moosewood to the rescue!

Every vegetarian has at least one Moosewood cookbook. They’re given out when you recruit other vegetarians, kind like how Ellen’s “friend” got her toaster oven. Smack in the middle of the pasta section of Moosewood Restaurant New Classics, hiding under the nonpotatoey name of Trenette al Pesto, was my savior.

The recipe itself was nothing like I wanted or had ingredients for—it was after 8 p.m., the All-Star Game was starting, and my tummy was rumbling—though it sounded great for another time. It did have, however the instructions for preparing and cooking the taters.

Peel the potatoes. (Okay, I didn’t. I like my taters with the skins on.) Cut them lengthwise into quarters and then crosswise into 1/4”slices to make about 2 cups. (I didn’t measure. I had four potatoes; I used four potatoes) … When the water is boiling vigorously, add the potatoes and then the pasta. Stir well and cover. (That’s it?) … When the pasta is al dente, drain. (That’s it.).

The rest was DIY magic. With the game on in the background, I chopped and stirred and sautéed until viola! It was exactly the dish I wanted it to be. I’ve been experimenting with a lemon pasta dish, and it’s never been this good. Last time, it wasn’t saucy enough. Somehow it was oily and dry at the same time. This time, it was flawless.

The pasta and potatoes cooked perfectly together. I was so surprised they were done at the same time. The Moosewood Collective knows its stuff. For the sauce, I cut back the oil and added stock, which I didn’t do last time. It was the missing piece to the puzzle.

If you’re hesitant to stray from recipes, I hereby release you from your fear. Ruining one batch of pasta is no reason not to experiment a little. That too-dry pasta…I threw some tomato sauce on it and ate it anyway. Unless something is burnt beyond recognition, it’s probably salvageable.

Take this recipe and change whatever you want: the basil to thyme, the lemon to tomato, the penne to …well that’s too easy. But be creative, do it yourself, and have a blast.

Penne with Lemon, Potatoes, and Cannellini
Yields 8 servings
Adapted from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics.

Pasta/Potatoes
1 1/2 vegetable bullion cubes
16 oz whole wheat pasta
4 small caribe (or any potatoes (about 1 lb)

Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp dried basil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup vegetable broth/stock
1 lemon juiced
4 cups amaranth or fresh spinach, washed and chopped if leaves are large
1 15 oz can cannellini beans
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh basil (optional)
2 tbsp fresh chives (optional)

1) Add water to a large pot. Bring to a boil.

2) Slice potatoes a lá Moosewood instructions: quarter, then slice lengthwise, 1/4”.

3) Once water is boiling, add bullion cubes. Stir until they're dissolved. Add potatoes and pasta (in that order). Cover. Cook until pasta is al dente and potatoes are tender/cooked all the way through. Drain and return to pot.

In the meantime...

4) In a small bowl, combine dried basil and olive oil. Mix. Set aside

5) In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add basil and warm through. Add garlic. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until fragrant and it just starts to brown.

6) Add vegetable broth and lemon juice, scraping bottom of pan with your spoon to get all the good stuff mixed in.

7) Add greens. Stir until just wilted. Add beans with just a bit of the bean water. Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.

Somewhere in here you will have remembered to check the pasta/potatoes and miraculously not let them overcook. (Did I say “you”? I meant “I”.)

8) In the large pasta pot (assuming it will leave room for you to stir), add sauce to the pasta/potatoes and mix it all together.

9) Garnish with fresh basil and chives if you have them lying around. I had just a few leaves of basil and barely an ounce of chives I needed to use. That’s why they’re in there.

10) Chow down and cry with love.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
316 calories, 4g fat, $0.66

Calculations
1 1/2 vegetable bullion cubes: 30 calories, 2g fat, $.45
16 oz whole wheat pasta: 1440 calories, 12g fat, $1.99
4 small potatoes: 524 calories, .6g fat, $.40
1 tbsp olive oil: 120 calories, 14g fat, $.08
2 tbsp dried basil: 10 calories, 0g fat, $.10
5 cloves garlic, minced: 21 calories, 0g fat, $.06
1 cup vegetable broth/stock: 15 calories, 0g fat, $.25
1 lemon juiced: 12 calories, 0g fat, $0.25
4 cups amaranth: 24 calories, 0g fat, $.75 (fresh spinach: 28 calories, 0g fat, $0.75)
1 15 oz can cannellini beans: 330 calories, 3g fat, $.79
salt and pepper: negligible calories and fat, $.04
1 tsp fresh basil: .5 calories, 0g fat, $.05
1 tbsp fresh chives: 1 calories, 0g fat, $.07
TOTALS: 2528 calories, 32g fat, $5.28
PER SERVING: 316 calories, 4g fat, $.66

CHG Favorites of the Week

Food Blog of the Week
Waiterrant.net
Beautifully written vignettes about life as a server, penned completely by the mysterious Waiter. If you’ve ever wanted a personal account of behind-the-scenes restaurantary, but don’t have the patience for a self-aggrandizing owner’s biography, this is the place to be.

Food Book of the Week
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
TGC is much like A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: a stunning, bittersweet memoir about a resourceful little girl brought up in total poverty by charismatic, flawed parents. In both cases, Jeannette Walls and Francie Nolan go hungry for days at a time. When they do scrounge up food – whether its sifted from a garbage pail or earned through Katie Nolan’s hard-won salary – it’s a minor miracle. It makes me grateful for the eats I have.

Food Comedy of the Week
"Western Spaghetti" by PES
Really, really neat stop-motion meals made out of inanimate objects. (Speaking of, I was cleaning my office for a move today and found a tsai. Last time we moved, it was nunchuks and a Night Ranger album. I think I’m being stalked by very patient workplace ninjas.) (Thanks to Onion AV Club for the link.)



Food Organization of the Week
Treats for Troops
In their words, “Thousands of men and women from every branch of the service are registered with Treats for Troops. If you want to send a care package to show your support, we’ll match you with a soldier who’d love to hear from you.” The packs are a tad expensive, but totally worth it. And if you’d just like to drop a line to say thanks, don’t forget Operation Dear Abby.

Food Quote of the Week
“Part of the secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.” – Mark Twain

Food Video of the Week
“I Want Candy” by Bow Wow Wow
Three things you might not have known about “I Want Candy”:
1) Lead singer Annabella Lwin was 15 when she posed naked for the album cover. Many were not pleased.
2) It’s a cover. The Strangeloves sang the original.
3) Former Spice Girl Mel C did a version. Good Charlotte did as well, for the totally underrated Not Another Teen Movie (in which Jamie Pressley is the funniest thing, ever).



Totally Unrelated Extra-Special Bonus of the Week
I have a secret, terrible weakness for commencement speeches. They’re so profound and meaningful. I love that they’re all like, “Hey kid. Your real life is about to get started. I’ve been there, so lemme tell you how it's gonna be.” So, here you go - four STELLAR graduation orations from four funny dudes. Every single one is tremendous, I swear. The Patton Oswalt speech is the newest, and it absolutely blew me away.

Patton Oswalt: And Now, The Actual Speech

Conan O’Brian: Commencement Speech to the Havard Class of 2000

Jon Stewart: Commencement Address at The College of William & Mary

Bill Watterson (creator of Calvin and Hobbes): Some Thoughts on the Real World by One Who Glimpsed it and Fled

The Booze of Summer: A Quick and Dirty Guide to Lighter, Cheaper Drinks

As the warm, hazy days of early summer give way to the scorching, sticky, I-didn’t-think-it-was-possible-to-sweat-this-much months of July and August, there’s never been a better time for drink. Crisp wines, frosty pints, and the occasional Vodka Club are hallmarks of hot weather, and in moderation, they both relax and cool, like vacation weekends in a glass.

Alas, alcohol is expensive, and certain beverages come with calorie counts you’d expect only from a Double Whopper. So, how can one quaff without ending up as nutritionally and financially bankrupt as 70s-era Meat Loaf? Read on…

CUTTING CALORIES

For starters, to chop your caloric intake, avoid these 13 drinks:
(Note: all serving sizes standard)

Regular Beer (140–180 calories)
Malt beverages (Mike’s Hard, Bacardi, etc.) (190-240 calories)
Melon Ball (~300 calories)
Sex on the Beach (~300 calories)
Mai Tai (~350 calories)
Rum and regular Coke (~350 calories)
Mudslide (~ 400 calories)
White Russian (~400 calories)
Chocolate Martini (~450 calories)
Hurricane (~600 calories)
Pina Colada (~600 calories)
Frozen Margarita (~700 calories)
Long Island Iced Tea (~750 calories)

And drink these 13 instead:

Bellini (~65 calories)
Mimosa (~80 calories)
Light Beer (95-110 calories)
Scotch, vodka, gin, or bourbon (~100 calories)
Red, white, or sparkling white wine (100-120 calories)
Bloody Mary (~110 calories)
Rum and Diet Coke (~115 calories)
Tom Collins (~120 calories)
Sloe Gin Fizz (~120 calories)
Vodka Martini (~125 calories)
Guinness (12 oz = 125 calories)
Mojito (~160 calories)
Cosmopolitan (~160 calories)

Once you’ve got that memorized, try these tips, some of which (nursing, drinking water) coincide nicely with the whole “save money” thing:

Plan ahead. Before going out, spend some time researching the nutritional aspects of certain beverages (and yes, the term “nutritional” is being used loosely here). Dottie’s Weight Loss Zone and Recipe Circus both have comprehensive calorie-per-serving listings that'll give you a good idea of what you’re guzzling. For even more information, check the source listing at the bottom of this article.

Know your ingredients. If you don’t have time set aside to research (and really … I understand), keep these in mind:

• To better your chances of scoring a low-calorie mixed drink, watch out for milk, coconut milk, heavy cream, Red Bull, Crème de anything, premade mixes, regular soda, lemonade, sugar, and full-sugar fruit juice.
• Instead, look for diet sodas, diet mixes, club soda/seltzer, ice, tomato juice, champagne, prosecco, cava, and fruit purees.

Establish boundaries. Give yourself a pre-set limit and stick to it. No more than two beers at a picnic, three glasses of wine at a wedding, etc. To make this strategy doubly effective, enlist a partner and help each other keep track.

Order a bigger drink. I don’t know about y’all, but I can knock off a standard-sized Cosmo during a commercial break. If that’s your situation as well, it might help to choose a larger, lighter beverage with less alcohol content. A 12-oz Beck’s Premier Light (only 64 calories) can take a full hour to imbibe, which contrasts nicely to those three-minute martinis. Speaking of…

Learn to nurse. Note: A beer, not a baby.

Hit the web. If you’re preparing drinks at home, look for websites that specifically cater to light beverage seekers. Hungry Girl is excellent, as are Cooking Light and the Weight Watchers boards.

Embrace agua. Sipping a glass of water between drinks will:
A) keep you hydrated in the heat,
B) keep you sober, and able to regulate your cash flow better,
C) chop your caloric intake in half, and
D) chop your spent dollars in half.

Flip a brain switch. Try to think of liquor as a treat (like ice cream or bacon) rather than an everymeal event (like water or vegetables). With practice, the distinction could become a habit, saving oodles of calories (and cash) in the long run.

Ignore peer pressure. Dude. Drinking is not a requirement for social events. If you like soda better, that’s completely fine. Get down with your teetotaling self.

CUTTING EXPENDITURES

Of course, price is another matter entirely. Unless you’re drinking it out of a king-size plastic flagon (Which … no judgment. Been there.) hooch costs add up quickly – especially if you’re sating a party. These tips should help to slash some costs.

Go bargain hunting. Look for happy hours, drink specials, and brunch menus with drinks included. Sites like Unthirsty and Happy-Hour are great resources, and folks in metro areas can Google some pretty decent city guides, as well. Always remember, though: if you can’t afford to tip the bartender/waitress, you can’t afford to go out.

Keep it simple. Mixed drinks are sometimes priced by their degree of prep difficulty and/or the amount of alcohol contained within. Fortunately, lots of lighter drinks are fairly unfussy that way. So, next time you’re deciding between a made-from-scratch Frozen Strawberry Daquiri and vodka with club soda, go with the latter.

Mix intelligently. Don’t use or ask for high-quality alcohol in mixed drinks. Stuff like Macallan is meant to be savored on its own or with very little enhancement. Combining it with lesser liquor misses the point.

Purchase wine wisely. According to studies, the vast majority of vino chuggers can’t tell the difference between a $6 bottle of Trader Joe’s Cabernet and a $50 jug of the upscale stuff. Ask the clerk for his/her best lower-range suggestions, and when in doubt, go for the less-expensive (but not bottom-of-the-barrel) brand. I find that Cavit, Fetzer, Ravenswood, Yellow Tail, Veramonte, and Charles Shaw (a.k.a. Two Buck Chuck) are all pretty reliable, fairly economic labels.

Abandon your brand loyalty. Dropping your allegiance to certain labels opens up a whole new world of bargains and flavors. Why? Well, oftentimes, the stuff you like won’t be on sale, but a similar-tasting item will be. Give it a shot, and you might be pleasantly surprised. (Note: This doesn’t mean you have to forgo Smithwicks for Schlitz. It means that if there are two six-packs of similar Hefeweizens, and A’s on sale for $2 less than B, choose A.)

Buy in bulk. Almost without fail, alcohol is cheaper in bigger packages – beer especially. What’s more, certain wine and liquor stores give 10% case discounts, so don’t forget to ask the cashier. (Of course, some may argue that having so much booze lying around might tempt you to drink more often. If that’s the case, please only buy in bulk for gathering-type situations.)

Order online. Sites like Wine.com and My Wines Direct offer a wide selection of highly-rated, deeply discounted wines that can be shipped anywhere. Look for Clearance or Under $20 sections, and be sure to check RetailMeNot for bargain codes before purchasing.

Go beyond the norm. Beer barns, airports, Trader Joe’s, breweries, and wineries are just a sampling of the locales where intoxicants can be purchased at a less-than-soul-crushing price. Next time you pass one, step inside and consider.

Stay at home. If you’re really looking to get your drink on, consider inviting a few friends over instead of going out. Bars and restaurants make mad cash on alcohol, and tippling at either can cost you 500% more than if you set up shop in your own kitchen. If you do head out to an eatery, consider one with a BYO policy.

And that’s it. Readers, do you have any suggestions on either the health or cash front? What are your favorite low-cal drinks? How do you save a bundle when buying liquor? Bring it!


Sources for calorie information:
Calorie King
Divine Caroline
Dottie's Weight Loss ZoneFitSugar
Forbes
Glamour
Men's Health
Recipe Circus
Washington Post

(Photos courtesy of Corbis, Stuff Educated Latinos Like, and Wine and Words.)