Feeding a Vegan: Ellie Krieger’s Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce

Though I’m a proud chicken devourer, vegetarianism always seemed like something I could handle. Like, if a doctor told me, “Kris, you have a terrible spleen disorder. We call it Spleenism, and it means you can’t eat, look at, smell, or make out with meat for one calendar year. What does the spleen have to do with meat, you ask? I don’t know. But let’s pretend for the sake of this essay,” I’d be fine. There are enough substitutes and options on this crazy, crazy planet to make me forget about animal flesh for at least a little while. (Well, except maybe bacon.)

Going vegan? That’s another story. I know there are a billion agave nectar muffins and triple bean chilis out there, but I’m not sure a life without cheese is worth living. What’s more, since 1977, I know exactly one successful vegan. I have a few college friends who tried it out way back when, but among them, even the crunchiest of Phish fan hippies failed miserably. A butterless universe seemed meaningless, and within a month or two, they always went back to the wide world of mozzarella sticks. (It sounds like I’m knocking veganism here, but I swear, I’m not. I respect and admire anyone who can hack it without resorting to rice 24/7.)

Incidentally, my one successful vegan friend, S, came over for dinner last night. Now in his ‘30s, S has been a vegan for years and years, and by god, I didn’t want to poison him. I figured pasta was safe, so I began by researching veggie-heavy noodle dishes. Then, I remembered Ellie Krieger’s Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce, which I made for one of my mom’s rare sojourns to Brooklyn last year. Thanks to the peanuts, chilis, and lime, it has a slight Thai flavor, and the mixture of snow peas, broccoli, and peanut butter sauce gives it a moxy lacking in an average pasta primavera. Mom liked the dish, and that was good enough endorsement for me.

It was good enough for S, too. He went home full and un-poisoned, which is a main goal of mine nowadays. (Oh, also the cheap and healthy thing.) After the experience, I’m ready for other vegans now, as well. At the rate I meet them, though, that won’t be ‘til 2037.

On a side note, the more I see of Ellie, the more I like her. She’s knowledgeable, reliable, and soothing-er than a Sarah McLachlan record. It’s a nice counterpoint to Ray-Ray, Ingrid Hoffman, and The Banshee That Ate Paula Deen. Here’s hoping she never gets hit by the “Turn it Up to 11” flu.

Only the pricing info is included below, since Food.com so graciously provided nutritional listings.

P.S. #1: Reviewers on the Food Network site substituted all kinds of veggies and protein for the peas (which tend to be expensive) and broccoli. You can, too. The star of the recipe is the peanut sauce, so go nuts.

P.S. #2: I was worried at first, and we had side salads just in case, but this really did feed six people.

P.S. #3: Not all pasta brands and types are safe for vegans. Read the labels to make sure.

Aromatic Noodles with Lime-Peanut Sauce
Makes 6 servings (1 cup pasta, 1 cup veggies, 2.5 T sauce)
Adapted from Ellie Krieger.

3/4 pound spinach linguine or whole-wheat spaghetti
2 cups (about 9 ounces) broccoli florets
2 cups (about 6 ounces) snow peas, trimmed
2 cups (about 6 ounces) sugar snap peas, trimmed
1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 scallion, cut into pieces
3/4 inch fresh ginger, finely grated
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup shelled unsalted peanuts

1) Cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water to stop cooking process, and set aside.

2) While pasta is cooking, steam broccoli for 3 minutes in a medium saucepan fitted with a steamer basket. Add snow peas and sugar snap peas and steam for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat when finished.

3) Toast peanuts until fragrant, around 3 minutes. Set aside. Chop when cooled.

4) Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, water, vinegar, lime juice, scallion, ginger, sugar, and red pepper flakes in a food processor. Puree until smooth.

5) In a large serving bowl, mix pasta with 3/4 cup peanut sauce, stirring thoroughly to combine. Top with veggies and pour remaining sauce over everything. Serve with roasted peanuts on top.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
451 calories, 19 g fat, $1.58

Calculations
3/4 pound spinach linguine or whole-wheat spaghetti: $1.12
2 cups (about 9 ounces) broccoli florets: $0.99
2 cups (about 6 ounces) snow peas, trimmed: $1.60
2 cups (about 6 ounces) sugar snap peas, trimmed: $2.74
1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter: $0.42
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce: $0.38
1/4 cup water: $0.00
2 tablespoons rice vinegar: $0.48
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice: $0.60
1 scallion, cut into pieces: $0.20
3/4 inch fresh ginger, finely grated: $0.20
2 tablespoons brown sugar: $0.06
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes: $0.01
1/2 cup shelled unsalted peanuts: $0.70
TOTAL: $9.50
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): $1.58

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Jet Lag Cooking: Sweet and Sour Shrimp with Vegetables

When I asked my friend H what it was like to have a baby, her first words were, “well, there’s no difference between am and pm anymore.” After ten days visiting India, it feels like I just had a baby. The only things that are missing are the crib, the stretchmarks, and the actual child. Oh, and the overwhelming sense of tremendous responsibility for the next 18 years. I don’t have that either. Hm. Maybe this was a bad metaphor.

Anyway, India’s 10-1/2 hours ahead of Brooklyn, meaning if I was typing this at the same time last week, I’d be finishing up dinner instead of eating a bowl of Rice Chex. It’d be dark, and my friend S and I would be at the guesthouse, reading the Hindustan Times and listening to stray dogs howl. Now, I’m watching Regis and Kathie Lee … er Howie and Kelly (What the hell happened while I was away?), and pining for a hazelnut coffee.

Though it’s much better these last 24 hours, the switch in night and day played some fun games with my body. For one, I just haven’t been hungry, and that’s never happened before in my life. Not for ten seconds. I also have a slowly-abating head cold which sounds like a simmering volcano every time I cough. Finally, there’s sleep. I’ve been involuntarily rising at 6am and taking three-or-four-hour naps around 2pm.

After rising from my jet lag siesta yesterday, I had an hour for dinner before my roommate’s birthday party. (I wasn’t really hungry, but there would be beer. And beer + no food = hangover city.) The Boyfriend had Chinese takeout from the previous night, and there was lots of brown rice and steamed mixed vegetables (mostly broccoli) left over. So, I whipped open my Cook’s Illustrated Best 30-Minute Recipes cookbook (new for Christmas!) and flipped to page 102, where five Asian-oriented stir-fry sauces live to tantalize readers with their tangy goodness.

Following CI's directions for stir-fry, Sweet and Sour Shrimp with Vegetables came together in about 15 minutes. And I liked it. And it used up my leftovers, but turned them into something entirely new. And? And? If I keep making it, I can take more naps in the future. Infinite naps. I may never get over my jet lag by choice.

Please note that there are lots of possibilities here. Tons of options and switch-outs, including substitutions for fresh vegetables and raw meat. I used pre-cooked shrimp because I had it on hand. (I know raw is preferred, but hey.) If you get the chance, try some and let me know whatchoo think. Viva la Cook’s Illustrated!

Sweet and Sour Shrimp with Vegetables
Makes 1 serving with lots of sauce
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated Best 30-Minute Recipe.

2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons orange juice
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon ketchup
1/3 teaspoon cornstarch
1/6 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup steamed vegetables (I used broccoli.)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
12 medium pre-cooked frozen shrimp (I used Trader Joe’s.)
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (I only had powdered, but fresh is preferred.)

1) In a medium bowl, combine  vinegar, orange juice, sugar, ketchup, cornstarch, and salt with a whisk. Set aside.

2) Defrost shrimp under cold water, sopping up any extra moisture with a paper towel. In a small bowl, mix with soy sauce. Set aside.

3) In a large skillet or wok, heat 1/2 teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add veggies and cook 1 or 2 minutes, until heated through.

4) Move veggies to outside perimeter of skillet. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

5) Add shrimp to pan and cook another 30 seconds, until heated through

6) Pour sweet and sour sauce to pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until sauce is thickened. Serve over brown rice.

NOTE: If you don’t have leftovers lying around, grab a cup of your favorite vegetables (cut up), add them directly to the pan and cook until crisp-tender. (As per Cooks Illustrated, “If using very tough vegetables, add to skillet with ½ cup water, cover and steam over high heat for about 2 minutes; uncover.") Then follow the rest of the directions as-is.

NOTE #2: You can use any kind of meat with this. If it’s not pre-cooked, sauté about 4 ounces (cut into small chunks) over high heat until browned. Then transfer to a clean bowl, and proceed to Step 3. Transfer back to pan in Step 5.

Approximate Calories, Fat and Price per Serving
268 calories, 6.3 g fat, $1.76

Calculations (using broccoli)
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar: negligible calories and fat, $0.16
2 Tablespoons orange juice: 14 calories, 0 g fat, $0.09
2 Tablespoons sugar: 93 calories, 0 g fat, $0.04
1 Tablespoon ketchup: 15 calories, 0 g fat, $0.05
1/3 teaspoon cornstarch: 2 calories, 0 g fat, $0.01
1/6 teaspoon salt: negligible calories and fat, $0.01
1 teaspoon vegetable oil: 44 calories, 5 g fat, $0.02
1 cup steamed vegetables: 31 calories, 0.3 g fat, $0.58
1 teaspoon soy sauce: 3 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
12 medium pre-cooked frozen shrimp: 60 calories, 1 g fat, $0.69
1 clove garlic: 4 calories, 0 g fat, $0.05
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger: 2 calories, 0 g fat, $0.03
TOTAL (which is also per serving): 268 calories, 6.3 g fat, $1.76

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CHG Favorites of the Week: The Back in the US of A Edition

Hi everybody! I’m back from India. It was grand and gorgeous and full of so many contrasts (and camels) that it’s difficult to summarize. Still, I learned a few things, food-related and otherwise:

1. India is the best place in the world to be a vegetarian.
2. Though Indian Hindus (who make up like, 80% of the country) consider the cow sacred, McDonald’s still exists. They just serve things like Chicken McCurry and Tikka Aloo instead of Big Macs. (We just went in to see – no eating.)
3. You know how spices are cheaper in ethnic markets? They’re even less expensive in the actual foreign country. I got a little thingy of saffron for less than a can of Schweppes. (Of course, the plane ticket kind of makes up for the cost.)
4. Adapting to the water in far-away places takes time. And by that, I mean it takes time spent in the ladies' room, praying your lower intestine doesn't fall out with everything else you just ate. (Too graphic?)
   
5. Naan is the bread-nectar of the gods.
6. Lassis are the nectar-nectar of the gods.
7. When you forget about a banana for five days in your shoulder bag, it … no, never mind. I can’t explain. Too traumatic. Just know that the bag didn’t make it.
8. It’s not a good idea to handwash a red-dyed Rajasthani shawl in a white tile bathroom. My tub looks like I was butchering a deer.

More on the trip in future posts. In the meantime, many gigantic thanks to Rachel, who covered CHG during my absence. She’s a New Year’s Day to celebrate, a chocolate-covered candy heart to give away, a bird of spring, and a flower of, er, bloom. In other words, I just wrote to say I’m grateful.

Now, on to this week’s favorites (brought to you by the makers of jet lag).

Blog of the Week
The Simple Dollar
Trent is one of the big dogs in the Personal Finance blogging world, and fortunately, he writes plenty about the economics, procurement, and love of food. A blossoming cook, he’s even launching his own site soon, so stay tuned.

Food Comedy of the Week
The Bowl At The Howling Rim Of Famous-Ity by Patton Oswalt
Patton Oswalt’s (Ratatouille, King of Queens) standup bit about KFC’s Famous Bowl is approaching legend. But he never actually tried it before this article. Come feel the pain. (Rated PG-13 for language, preservatives.)

Interview of the Week
Anthony Bourdain in Onion AV Club
Um … EEEEE!

Quote of the Week
“You know, the only thing worse than an American to an Italian is an Italian from the next village.” – Anthony Bourdain on why his Italian wife doesn’t like his Italian cooking. (Just dare me to write the word "Italian" again.)

Tip of the Week
This week’s tip comes courtesy of my sister, a convenience cook if there ever was one: if you’re making pasta and don’t have the time/energy/will to clean anymore dishes, instead of heating pasta sauce separately, pour it directly into the drained, still-hot spaghetti. It will warm the sauce and cool the pasta to just the right temperature.

Video of the Week (Food Division)
“Know Your Chicken” – Cibo Matto
I was a DJ for four years as an undergrad, and this was by far the weirdest song we played with any consistency. And in the college radio world, where bands like Dead Milkmen, They Might Be Giants, and Primus reign supreme, that’s saying something.

Website of the Week
Television Without Pity
At first glance, it looks like a bunch of programming summaries (which it is, essentially), but a further exploration reveals TWOP’s extensive message boards, which food TV fans use to dissect their favorite shows, rate recipes they’ve tried, and make fun of Sandra Lee. Lurk around for awhile, and see what folks have to say. It’s a solid way to get advance word and/or suggestions on a dish.

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Guest Post From Rachel, The CHG Gourmet: On Pasta and Improvisation

Have you ever had a day where your insurmountable project is due in 48 hours, and you have about a thousand calls to make, and equally as many errands to run, and you just haven't had the time to food-shop or clean the house (much less yourself), and you keep saying to yourself, "If I can just not sleep until [*flips through calendar*] a week from Saturday, everything'll be fine..."?

(I'm sure a lot of you out there could add, "...and the kids are sick, and I need to get my transmission fixed, and the dog ate something florescent blue--please don't ask how we know." To you fine people, I tip my hat.)

Whatever your circumstances, we've all hit the wall from time to time. I don't know about you, but in these instances, hunger and frugality forces me to break out the dreaded "I" word: improvisation.

Since I'm doing my best not to order out, and Jeff and I are both so swamped that we don't really have time to spend on a grocery store visit, I've been trying to mine the depths of the pantry and overcome my quasi-fear of full-on meal improvisation. So far, so good.

While I wouldn't say my "I"-word recipes are particularly upscale, they've been fast, tasty, satisfying, up to CHG standards, and have somehow enhanced my feeling of resourcefulness. Over the past few days, it's kind of like I've earned my Eagle Scout merit badge for fridge-foraging.

Case in point:


Whole Wheat Penne With Grape Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Navy Beans, and Sausage
Makes 1 entree serving, or two large side servings
[Note: This recipe could be altered in a thousand different ways based on what you've got lying around. Me? I just used what I had on hand, so don't feel beholden to the ingredients list. Experiment, have fun, and don't be afraid of the "I" word! -- Rachel]

3 oz. whole wheat penne (or any non-spaghetti whole wheat pasta)
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup canned navy beans, drained
1 link Aidells Portobello Mushroom Chicken/Turkey Sausage, sliced into thin rounds
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
Several sprays of Pam

1) In a medium pot, cook the pasta in boiling water for about five minutes.

2) Heat a medium-sized pan coated with cooking spray over a medium flame, until hot. Lay the sausage in the pan in one even layer, and cook until the first side browns, about five minutes. Flip to cook the other side until just brown, several minutes more, and remove to a separate bowl.

3) Pour a small amount of pasta water into the sausage pan, and over lowered heat, scrape the fond (that awesome brown gunky residue) off the bottom with a wooden spoon to form a murky brown liquid that just covers the bottom of the pan.
[Note: I know it looks a little gross, but trust me--the flavor it imparts is worth it. - Rachel]

4) Add the tomatoes and mushrooms to the sausage pan, and simmer until softened and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes.

5) In the pasta pot, replace the water with the vegetable broth. Simmer the pasta in the broth until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
[Note: If your veggies are starting to dry out, you can add in some of this broth.]
[Other note: The whole wheat penne I use tends to be pretty tough, so even a longer submersion still leaves it pretty al dente. Feel free to adjust times according to your texture preferences. - Rachel, again.]

6) Drain the pasta, and add to the tomato/mushroom mixture. Add the beans and sausage, and cook to warm through, about two minutes. Combine and serve.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Weight Watchers Points Value and Price per Serving
about 273 calories, about 5.9g fat, Points Value: 9, $2.13

Calculations
3 oz. whole wheat penne: 270 calories, 2.3g fat, $0.47
1 cup grape tomatoes: 30 calories, 0g fat, $0.75
1 cup mushrooms, sliced: 15 calories, 0.2g fat, $0.45
1/2 cup canned navy beans: 90 calories, 1g fat, $0.23
1 link Aidells Portobello Mushroom Chicken/Turkey Sausage: 140 calories, 8g fat, $1.75
1 cup vegetable broth: 10 calories, 0g fat, $0.16
Several sprays of Pam: negligable calories and fat, $0.02
SINGLE SERVING TOTAL: 555 calories, 11.5g fat, $3.83
DUAL SERVING TOTAL: 277.5 calories, 5.75g fat, $1.92

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Guest Post From Rachel, The CHG Gourmet: Technical Difficulties

Oh, sweet CHG friends and readers and readerly friends, I promise (promise!) I had four posts all lined up for you.

They were about dal (a delicious lentil side dish with a slightly spicy edge), cassoulet (a hearty, French, chicken/sausage/bean stew with great depth of flavor), chicken tagine (moist, cumin-y, North African-style chicken), and my fail-safe dessert, mini apple pies (which is like having several apple pies, but mini-er).

Each one had pretty (or, given my photo-taking skills, mediocre) pictures and nutritional/financial breakdowns and such. They were just waiting there on my desktop, begging me to post them, or at very least, back them up.

And then, my aged, finicky, wheezing iMac blew a gasket and I lost everything. The weird thing is, I normally back everything up twice over; why these posts escaped their alloted destination on my jump drive, I can only ascribe to fate, kismet or Steve Jobs-based sabotage.

The ol' girl's getting some R-and-R right now, but it looks like the data's gone. I'll do my best to shoot a recipe your way tomorrow, but until then, please enjoy one of my favorite sketches from the long-since defunct Dana Carvey Show:

Waiters Who Are Nauseated By Food (starring baby-faced Steve Carrell and Stephen Colbert)

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Guest Post From Rachel, The CHG Gourmet: Chicken Piccata

I love problem-solver recipes that take a lighter (but authentically flavorful) twist on traditional flavor combinations. It's a bonus if they allow you to maximize the potential of your pantry and/or freezer. It's a super-duper, triple-ding-dog-day, I-got-the-brass-ring-and-the-golden-ticket-so-chew-on-that-sucka bonus when they let you do all that and, in the process, you get to pound the daylights out of something.

In my book, Food Network host Robin Miller often has the right idea. Her roll-over meal-planning concept is incredibly CHG-friendly; basically, she constructs weekly meal plans that depend heavily on incorporating re-purposed leftovers into different flavor profiles. Since Monday's roast chicken is Thursday's chicken fajitas, your family won't be sick of the chick by week's end.

I mined this recipe as a fast-and-easy one-off. As I recall, my ornery impetus was that a) it was 7pm, b) Jeff and I were both crazy hungry, and c) I refused to make a meal using anything that would require a supermarket trip.

Sometimes, even we--the worst of the procrastinators--can eat well when we're under the gun.


Chicken Piccata with Lemon, Capers and Artichoke Hearts
Make 4 servings.
(adapted from Robin Miller's recipe, and with thanks to the Food Network)

4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, quartered
1/4 cup drained capers

1) Zip chicken into a plastic bag, making sure to squeeze the air out. Pound with a heavy object until each breast is about 1/4-inch thick. Remove and season with salt and pepper.

2) In a medium-sized dish or shallow bowl mix flour, lemon zest, paprika, and garlic powder. Coat chicken with mixture, and place on a separate plate, gently shaking off any extra flour.

3) In a large skillet, heat oil in over medium-high heat. Cook chicken about 2 minutes on either side, until coating is golden brown and poultry is almost done. Pour in lemon juice, wine, and broth and simmer about 5 minutes. When finished, chicken should be totally cooked and sauce will be thick. Add artichoke hearts and capers and heat through, about a minute.

[Note: Once you get to the simmering phase, the cooking times are a little variable. In my kitchen, the sauce-thickening takes closer to 8 minutes, and since my previously frozen artichokes were still chilly from their thaw, they took closer to 6 minutes to warm through.]

[Other Note: Robin recommends a brown rice and lima bean combo as the starch for under this dish. Instead, I've often used left-over pesto-roasted potatoes, or 2 oz. of whole wheat orzo and 1/3 cup of frozen peas. If choosing the latter, the orzo/peas spent half their prep time in water, and half in chicken broth to enhance flavor. It's not that Robin's idea isn't awesome; I just opted for my alternatives simply because--you guessed it--they were in my pantry.]

Approximate Calories, Fat, Weight Watchers Points Value and Price per Serving
about 273 calories, about 5.9g fat, Points Value: 4, $2.13

Calculations
4 (4-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves: 480 calories, 6g fat, $3.69
Salt and ground black pepper: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1/4 cup all-purpose flour: 120 calories, .5g fat, $0.05
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest/1/4 cup fresh lemon juice: 20 calories, 0g fat, $0.66
1/2 teaspoon paprika: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder: negligible calories and fat, $0.02
1 tablespoon olive oil: 119 calories, 13.5g fat, $0.08
1/2 cup dry white wine: 96 calories, 0 g fat, $0.54
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (using Better Than Bouillon, and using 1/2 cup for orzo/pea prep): 10 calories, 0g fat, $0.16
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, quartered: 240 calories, 3g fat, $1.50
1/4 cup drained capers: 8 calories, .4g fat, $1.79
TOTAL: 1093 calories, 23.4g fat, $8.53
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): about 273.25 calories, about 5.9g fat, $2.13

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Guest Post From Rachel, The CHG Gourmet: Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup

Because I am a dorkus with a penchant for glossy paper, I get some of the food rags delivered to casa de la CHG Gourmet. Among others, Gourmet, Bon Appetit and Food & Wine all grace my doorstep monthly. Yes, I know I’m killing trees, but there’s something really satisfying about gawking at pretty, shiny pictures and getting to dog-ear pages; I suppose this is what comes of not getting to read enough Tiger Beat as an adolescent.

Of all these mags, Cook’s Illustrated is my clear favorite. I’ll go one further: I have a full-blown crush on CI. If I could personify it, CI would be the unattainable, hunky, early-30’s professor who knows just about everything and totally gets you. On the other hand, Cooking Light would be the smart-but-underachieving annoying back-row slacker with an undiagnosed case of ADHD.

Since CL can be so hit-or-miss, I’m floored when the mag does something right—and *boy* did it do something right. The November issue boasts a feature with Alexandra Jamieson, she of the vegetarian cookery and the Morgan Spurlock wedlock. Man alive, can that woman cook. Case in point: her delicious foods helped Morgan regain his girlish figure after his month of bodily abuse, courtesy of Mickey D’s. (And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, rent Super Size Me right this instant. Go. Now. I’ll wait.)

Anyway, Alex is the very definition of CHG standards. She’s big on making flavor paramount, sacrificing fat, and proving that it can be done on a shoestring. In any event, that wily minx actually convinced me to try a CL recipe, and boy, am I glad I did.

Alexandra Jamieson’s Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup (adapted slightly for my pantry)
Makes 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Adapted from Cooking Light.


1 1-oz. package of dried shiitake mushrooms [Note: Kris and I joined Coscto several years ago, and purchased a mammoth bag of dried shiitakes for next to nothing. This is a great use for those bulk buys.-Rachel]
2 cups boiling water
2 tsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chopped fresh spinach, or 10-16 oz. of frozen chopped spinach
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
¼ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 15.5 oz. can of cannelloni beans or Goya small white beans
14 oz. of organic vegetable broth
Kosher salt to taste

1) In a small bowl, mix mushrooms and boiling water. Cover and leave about 15 minutes. Drain mushrooms, reserving liquid. Once mushrooms are drained, chop them up and set aside.

2) In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook 5 minutes, until onions are soft and mushrooms are tender. Add reserved mushroom juice, spinach, rosemary, thyme, black pepper, beans, and broth. Bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to medium-low, and simmer about 10 minutes. Season with salt. Serve with thyme and a little red pepper.

Cooking Light’s Nutritional Breakdown:
CALORIES 78 (22% from fat); FAT 1.9g (sat 0.3g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.4g); PROTEIN 2.8g; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 42mg; SODIUM 261mg; FIBER 2.9g; IRON 1.3mg; CARBOHYDRATE 13.5g

Approximate Calories, Fat, Weight Watchers Points Value, and Price per Serving
78 calories, 1.9 g fat, Points Value: 1

Calculations
1-oz. dried shiitake mushrooms: $0.58
2 tsp. olive oil: $0.06
1 cup chopped yellow onion: $0.20
2 garlic cloves, minced: $0.10
16 oz. of frozen chopped spinach: $1.49
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary: $0.25
¼ tsp. dried thyme: $0.05
¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper: $0.01
1 15.5 oz. can Goya small white beans: $0.69
14 oz. of organic vegetable broth: $0.30
Kosher salt to taste: $0.01
TOTAL: $3.74
PER SERVING (TOTAL/6): 78 calories, 1.9 g fat, about $0.62

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