Posts from — September 2009

It’s getting chilly more often here in Massachusetts, and my tastes are transitioning from cool crisp salads to warm comfort foods.  That pasta I posted  a couple weeks ago is great, but you can’t eat rich foods like that all the time – you need to balance those out with some lighter selections.

This is a recipe adapted from one in Eating Well Magazine.  Eating Well is great – if you haven’t seen it, you might want to try to snag yourself a copy to check it out.  Their emphasis is on whole foods and seasonal ingredients, but also on relatively quick preparations (most are ready in 45-minutes or fewer).  Nutrition information is included for each recipe.  A subscription is a great way to keep yourself from getting into a rut with your cooking and might encourage you to try new combinations and ingredients.  There’s also an iPhone app, available for $2.99, which looks great for meal ideas on the fly.

This “salad” really isn’t “salady” at all, but rather a warm mixup of sausage, arugula and red potatoes.  Despite the ingredients, it cooks up quickly into a healthy, hearty weeknight dinner, perfect for these cool autumn days.  Enjoy!

Warm Chicken & Potato Salad

Bring 2-inches of water to a boil in a large saucepan.  Place potatoes in a steamer basket and steam, covered, until just cooked through, about 15 minutes.  Transfer to a large bowl and add arugula, tent with foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, spray a medium skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat.  Add the sausage and cook until browned and heated through, about 5 minutes.  Add this to the potato/arugula mixture and re-cover.  Save the pan!

Using the same skillet in which you just cooked the sausage, add vinegar, maple syrup and the mustard, and scrape up any browned bits.  Gradually whisk in the oil.  Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the arugula is wilted.  Season with pepper.

Serves 4.  Great with some crusty bread – I often get a bake-at-home loaf or French rolls (better portion control with these!) from the freezer at Whole Foods.

I bet you never thought you could get fresh, high-quality, authentic Chinese food in the ‘burbs, did you?  And I bet you never thought you’d find it at a little restaurant, tucked into an unassuming strip mall, and located next to a laundromat called “The Lost Sock,” right?  Guess again, peeps!

Saturday night D. and I were up in Burlington doing errands and shopping – I know, just the kind of exciting stuff you do when you have a sitter.  Well, even if you’re not bordering on the desperately lame like us, Billerica should be on your list of destinations for some of the most fantastic Sichuan cuisine around Boston.

Sichuan Gourmet has been around for a while – there are two locations, one in Framingham and one in Billerica.  We’ve only ever gone to the Billerica outpost, but the Framingham site gets great reviews too.  The Billerica restaurant is small, very casual and is consistently packed with larger parties comprised of multi-generational Chinese families.  It’s warm, and smells so, so good when you enter.  But the highlight, friends, is the food – oh!  It is so spicy, so tasty, so irresistible.  Every time we go, we ask ourselves, “why don’t we come here more often?”

So first off – make sure you understand that food from the Sichuan province of China is known for its heat.  And while they will tone down the spiciness for you, if you want the full-frontal experience of Sichuanese food, you’ve gotta crave the heat.  And then there are those famous Sichuan peppercorns – they produce a numbing sensation on your tongue after you eat them . . . really hard to describe, but addicting.

Highlights for us from the menu are: 

• Sichuan Wonton with Spicy Chili Sauce:  warm, delicate pork-filled wontons floating in a spicy chili sauce.  Slurp them up and fight over who gets the last one!
• Fresh Bamboo Shoots with Spicy Wonder Sauce:  fresh bamboo shoots bear absolutely no comparison to the ones you’ve had from the can.  The fresh ones are tender and super-tasty and not fibrous like their canned cousins.  These are drizzled with “wonder sauce” (who can resist that name?) which definitely contains chili oil, and then sprinkled with a few sesame seeds.  This is a cold dish.
• Dan Dan Noodles:  is a classic Sichuan dish, but if you’ve had it in Americanized Chinese restaurants and tasted peanut butter or sesame paste, those are not authentic.  The real  dan dan noodles are paired with a spicy sauce with preserved vegetables, chili oil, Sichuan peppers, pork, and scallions, and they are damn good.
• Dried Chicken with Chili Sauce:  small crispy-fried cubes of chicken with fresh green chilies and dried red chilies – literally a sea of chilies – and yes, there are people who eat the entire plate (we can only handle the chicken and some of the green chilies).  I had the rest of this for breakfast on Sunday morning!
• MaPo Tofu with Minced Pork:  this is another a popular Sichuan dish. Large cubes of soft tofu are set in a spicy chili- and bean-based sauce, then topped with minced pork.  Again, this is not the dumbed-down version you might have had elsewhere – true Mapo Doufu is super spicy with both conventional “heat” spiciness and the characteristic “mala” (numbing spiciness) flavor of Sichuan cuisine.  

You should know that most of the waitstaff does not speak a ton of English – but the woman who does the seating does, and she’s super friendly and ever-eager to answer questions.  Don’t shy away from hailing her and asking questions about the menu – you will learn a lot and you may discover dishes you’ll dream about the next day. 

And while Sichuan Gourmet does serve more Americanized Chinese food, we’ve never tried it, so I can’t vouch for its taste.  L. has snarfed down their lo mein, and for the truly faint of heart, there is always boiled white rice.  But if you crave spicy, flavorful food and want to experience authentic preparations of traditional Sichuan dishes, this is a place you’ll want to find.  Enjoy!

Last week I posted about cell phone radiation, and one of you asked – “should I be worried about electromagnetic fields in general?” In short, yes. But this, my friends, falls into the category of things I think we might need to live with and watch, because short of moving to the boonies and disconnecting ourselves from much of the technology on which we’ve come to rely, there isn’t any great way of completely avoiding EMFs. Read on and decide how hypochondriacal and OCD you’re willing to get over this one . . . .  [Read more →]

This is another super quick recipe. I found the inspiration for this from a thread on Chowhound, which, if you don’t use it already, is a GREAT resource for home-cooking ideas (also for area-specific dining ideas).

Mexican Quinoa

Cook quinoa according to the package directions, using the broth (not water).

Meanwhile, heat the kidney beans with the salsa.   Add the spices above, or tweak to taste.  Add the heated salsa mixture to the cooked quinoa and stir in the green onion and spinach until the spinach is wilted.

Serves 4.

This is a staple at our house.  If you use prepared ingredients, it’ll take you approximately 20 minutes to get this from counter to table!  That’s less time than ordering take-out, and this is a low-cal, high-fiber one-dish meal that’s fresh and flavorful.  You can’t say that about anything at your local pizza house, can you?

Chicken With Broccoli & Bulgur

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.  Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and the garlic and cook until chicken is almost cooked through, approximately 2-3 minutes.  Stir in broth, bulgur and lemon peel.  Arrange the broccoli florets on top.  Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 7-10 minutes until the chicken, broccoli and bulgur are tender.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 1.5-cup servings.

Adapted from the American Heart Association Quick and Easy Cookbook.

Not everyone reading this blog wants to follow my current low-cal craze, so if you’ve got the urge to splurge, especially since the temps have dropped here in the Northeast, here’s a recipe for you to cook up this weekend.

My husband’s birthday was last week, and because it was chilly and rainy on Saturday, I indulged D’s love for my baked pasta.  My master recipe is below, but know that this is an easy one to riff off of if you want to.  Does your crew like mushrooms?  Quarter some nice buttons and throw them in.  Other veggies?  Zucchini perhaps?  Would be great in here.  Love a particular type of cheese?  Add more of that, please!   This is the basic version, which is what I usually make.  We have a nice spinach salad with Dijon vinaigrette on the side, and of course, crusty bread from Iggy’s.  Bon appetit!

Sarah’s Pasta Bake

Preheat oven to 350.

Remove the sausages from their casings and add them to a large skillet that’s been lightly coated with a little olive oil.  Start breaking the sausage apart to brown it, and once it’s gotten going, add the onion and garlic.  Cook this until the sausage is cooked through and the onions are translucent.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until it’s a little less than al dente – it should taste slightly under-done.  It’ll cook up more in the oven with the sauce, and you don’t want soggy pasta, do you?  As a certain 6-year-old would say, “eeeeeeew!”  Drain this and return it to the pan.

Add the sausage/onion/garlic mixture to the pasta along with all your sauce and mix the whole mess together gently in the pot. 

Spray a 9X13 casserole dish with cooking spray.  Put a couple of spoonfuls of the pasta mixture into the pan, then scatter some of your cheeses over the top.  Add more pasta mixture, more cheese, etc. until you use up both – it really doesn’t matter if you have cheese on top or not.

Cover this with foil and throw it in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until it seems to be getting warmed through.  Uncover and bake for another 20 minutes or so, or until the top gets browned and crusty.

Remove from oven and eat it up!  This’ll serve approximately 6 people as an entree, depending on the appetites of those you’re feeding.

A couple of notes:  You can assemble this ahead of time, cover it, and put it in the fridge for up to 24 hours.  Remove it about 1 hour before you want to bake it and let the casserole come to room temperature.  Follow the baking directions above . . . this is great for get-togethers where you actually want to visit with your guests.  

I have two favorite sources for sausage.  Either DePasquale’s in Newton, or the garlic rosemary sausages from Formaggio in Cambridge.  Both of these are intensely flavorful sausages – you get a lot of bang for your buck with these.  Both are housemade and therefore super fresh.  But use whatever’s your favorite in here, and if you want to make your life even easier, buy bulk so you don’t have to peel off the casings.

Remember how I mentioned “the boot” on Monday?  And how I haven’t been exercising much?  Well, I’ve got a confession to make – I got on the scale yesterday and the picture’s not pretty.  All this not moving has caused weight gain I’m not comfortable with.  Sure, I expect that I’ll spread out at a time like this – I can’t do the gagillion squats and lunges I depend on to keep things in check – but now I know I’ve also been too lax in the eating department.

So, the hammer’s coming down.  Back to 1,200 calories.  Back to logging everything that goes in my mouth.  Back to rules and goals – if I can’t log it, I can’t eat it, and if I make my first goal, I’m treating myself to a massage.  Those who know me know I treat myself pretty well – but a massage is a true indulgence for me.  It’s definitely something to look forward to if I can reign it in a little bit here for the next month.  And that’s how I go about this, and you might want to, too.  Small, intermediate goals help you feel the sense of achievement you need to stay on track.  Sure, you might want to change your life radically in some way, maybe it’s weight-loss, but if you set a huge goal for yourself it just might be too overwhelming to deal with after a week.  I’m all about baby steps – now literally and figuratively (groan).

But another confession, I’ve been enjoying eating anything I want.  I’ve been conscious of moderation, but I’ve definitely been eating more calorie-dense foods.  I like the variety of foods that being more relaxed has allowed me to eat.  So my other goal for this time is to come up with some yummy new ideas for snacks and meals that will still fit into my calorie budget.  Add to that the easy-prep angle, and I’ve got a challenge.  But lucky for all of us, I love a challenge!  [Read more →]

Cell phone safety is all over the news in the last few weeks.  It began after a group called the International EMF Collaborative issued a report warning that cell phones may be more dangerous than users have been led to believe by health authorities.  Last week, the Environmental Working Group released their online guide to cellphone radiation.  And yesterday, Pennsylvania senator and brain cancer survivor Arlen Specter held a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing to focus on whether cellular phone use causes health problems. At the same time and also in the nation’s capital, attendees at an international conference examined the potential cancer risks of radiation generated by cell phones. 

What is going on?  The EMF Collaborative report, titled “Cellphones and Brain Tumors: 15 Reasons for Concern,” says the latest research indicates that regular use of cell phones can result in a “significant” risk of brain tumors.  It also says kids are at greater risk than adults because their still-developing brain cells are more vulnerable to electromagnetic radiation.  This study adds to the mounting evidence which indicates we should reduce our exposures while research continues on this question.  Consider this:  Americans’ use of cell phones increased 50% last year – fueled in large part by the “smartphone” craze.  If cell phone radiation is indeed a problem, it’s going to be a really huge problem in the coming years.

Last week the Environmental Working Group received a lot of attention when it released its comprehensive online consumer guide to cell phone radiation, which rates more than 1,000 cell phones marketed in the U.S.  The guide is the culmination of a 10-month research review to understand the risks of cell phone usage. The EWG also found that cell phones emit radiation – enough so that scientists are concerned about potential cancer risks. Using their guide, you can:

• Look up your phone;
• Read and download tips to reduce your exposure;
• See the top 10 best phones;
• Read the full Cell Phone Radiation Science Review;
• Take action and tell the government that it’s time to modernize their radiation standards.

What else can you do now to limit your exposure?  If you need a new mobile phone, it’s smart to buy phones with lower radiation emissions – use the EWG guide to figure out which is best for you.  Whichever phone you have, it’s a good idea to keep it as far away from your body as possible.  Researchers say using the speaker, sending text messages or talking on a headset all cut down on radiation exposure.  Opinions differ on whether a wireless Bluetooth headset poses a risk – some scientists at Monday’s hearing said it could be a problem, while others did not. But they all agreed a wired headset is best.  And using any headset means less radiation than if you’re holding the phone directly to your ear.  Also try making calls when the signal is high so that the phone doesn’t have to work as hard. 

What about your kids?  Talk to them about these findings, and help them to limit their exposure:  kids actually can absorb twice as much radiation as an adult from the same cell phone.  If your kids give you flak, let them know that advisories to limit cell phone use have already been issued by numerous countries and advisory boards including: the UK; Germany; France; Russia; India; Israel; Belgium; Japan; the Toronto Board of Health; and the Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. Dr. Devra Davis, Director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh has said “Children under the age of 12 should not use cell phones unless in an emergency situation. If they must use cell phones, make sure they connect using a headset.”

Read more in the L.A. Times, Wired, Green Living Online, and at CNET.com.