I’m being super frugal lately. At first, out of necessity. But now it’s also become a source of pride. (A sick pride? Perhaps. But when I’m walking around with a vaguely sticky stain on my right sleeve, I’ll take a little pride wherever I can get it!)  So when I read FoodieTot’s post a couple of weeks ago about Eating Down the Fridge (inspired by Kim O’Donnel’s Eating Down the Fridge Challenge), I realized I wasn’t alone.

There’s something immensely gratifying about taking some foodstuffs you already have, stuff you didn’t buy with a specific dish in mind, stuff that was left over and forgotten (and perhaps about to spoil) in the far reaches of your pantry—and turning it into something special to feed your family. That’s what I did with some dried white beans, fast-fading fresh-ish vegetables, and frozen smoked bacon. This delicious White Bean and Bacon Soup made me feel like I could turn lead into gold. And suddenly the vaguely sticky stain on my shirt didn’t matter anymore.

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I read in a recent NRP story that during WWII, Americans were encouraged to eat lentils as an alternative to meat since they were cheap, plentiful, and nutritionally dense.  It seems fitting, then, that in the midst of both a recession and growing concerns about food sustainability, lentils should be cool again.

What’s the scoop?

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I recently spied the recipe title “Quinoa Fried Rice” in my Taste Spotting digest. I didn’t look carefully at the featured recipe (though I noticed it’s a Weight Watchers dish for those of you on that program), but was inspired to make my own version. 

I actually like quinoa better than brown rice cooked this way. Something about the way quinoa’s smokiness works with the sesame, soy, and rice vinegar. It also comes out lighter and fluffier than fried brown rice. I tried to keep this low in oil and soy sauce so that you can feel good feeding it to the whole family, but feel free to add more of both if you want a more decadent version (ie, slightly greasier, Chinese take-out style).
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Photo: Better Homes & Gardens

Food News, Things We Crave, Resources, Green Your Eats, and Tips, Tools & Techniques. Check out this week’s picks.

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Photo: TheGirlsNY

There’s not much in my fridge. I’ve been freelancing all week, the ChowPapa is working a 4-day construction job to bring in some quick cash, and the ChowBaby has some virus that makes him cough a lot at night and keep us all awake (and the doctor says there’s nothing to do but ride it out). So, no, we haven’t gone shopping. Hell, I haven’t even taken a shower today. (Although I’m pretty sure I brushed my teeth.)

I’ve got some slightly wilted Swiss Chard, some leftover cream (from a pancake brunch last weekend with Stacie’s ChowCrew), a chunk of parmesan that isn’t too dried out, and a chicken carcass with a bit of meat still intact. Hmm. Veggies, dairy, and protein. If I pick up a loaf of  bread when I go out to walk the dogs, I see a real meal. A meal built around Creamed Swiss Chard.

 
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Photo: dcaCRL

I was on my local Brooklyn parenting board (yo, BoCoCa!) last Friday and read a post from a mom asking for advice about first foods. How easy is it to make your own? Does it take a ton of time? What special equipment do I need? Am I crazy? Okay, so she didn’t ask that last question–but she could have. Because the idea of making baby food from scratch can seem a little nuts. Or at least daunting, right? But here’s a parenting tip from someone who has done it: making homemade baby food is ridiculously simple. I swear.

But just because it’s easy doesn’t mean it isn’t intimidating. Look at me. I was so worried about what I was going to feed my ChowBaby that I started my own kids’ food company. Hello? Can you say overachiever? My mother always said I didn’t know when to stop. But I want to prove my mother wrong. At least in this post…

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