In today’s society, shopping for food is anything but easy. If we’re lucky enough to fight our way through the processed food section of the grocery store and reach the shining light of the produce department, we’re still faced with that grueling question…organic or non-organic? We all know that organic is the healthier way to go. We also all know that it’s more expensive. What’s a health-food nut to do?

Usually I shamefully pass by the small organic section of my local food market, glancing long-fully at the less than perfect looking produce like a child with no allowance outside a candy store. At this point in my life I find it difficult to break that bank for a head of cauliflower. Okay, so an extra $.50 won’t break the bank, but it adds up. To supplement my lacking initiative to splurge for my health, usually opt for local, seasonal foods over organic and, fingers crossed, hope that the chemicals used to keep the pests away aren’t reeping havic on my body.

Finally, last week, a little bit of my frustration was eliminated when I found the “dirty dozen,” a list of foods that you most definitely should buy organic. Also included, a list of fruits and veggies that you can skimp on if you have to. Kudos to whomever first printed this list. My body and my wallet thank you.

So here’s the Dirty Dozen list, in no particular order, of fresh foods that you should always opt to buy organic…

12 Most Contaminated

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Pears
• Grapes (Imported)
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Potatoes

And the equally appreciated list of foods that don’t require your whole paycheck…

12 Least Contaminated

• Onions
• Avocado
• Sweet Corn
• Pineapples
• Mango
• Asparagus
• Sweet Peas
• Kiwi Fruit
• Bananas
• Cabbage
• Broccoli
• Papaya

So there ya have it. A simple solution to a grappling question. And lucky, some of these items are often on sale. Right now in California, organic pears are on sale for ridiculously cheap. Bell peppers, however, are often expensive regardless of the farming method. So I make some sacrifices, or rotate my shopping list. Whenever possible, I recommend shopping at your farmer’s market.  There you’ll find more organic options for a cheaper price and guaranteed local and in season. To find a farmer’s market near you visit localharvest.com.

Sunday is The All-Star’s birthday and his family is flying us in to celebrate. Many thank-you’s to them!  So where am I now? In Salt Lake City airport for our 3 hour layover. Thank goodness for free Wi-fi. Many thanks to SLC. Wish we were staying longer to enjoy the `slopes. But I’m excited to get to the Big Apple!

So, I’ve have become quite the traveler. Mastering the art of security checks, long layovers, and connecting flights, what I’ve struggled with is keeping my travel diet healthy. Sadly terminals aren’t exactly equipped with the healthiest of choices and their prices aren’t very budget friendly either. The good news…while you can’t bring water past airport security, you can bring food. Today, with a just little thoughtful prep-time, travel no longer means unhealthy food or a hungry tummy. My body is thanking me and so is my wallet.

Here’s what I brought for tonight’s long night red-eye trek…

• To avoid in-flight packaged snacks filled with sugar and salt…

…walnuts, raw almonds and dried cranberries.

• To avoid the layover quick-stop pit-stop…

…a bunch of asparagus sauteed in creamy butternut squash soup (just enough to coat it with delicious flavor). Seasoned with crushed red pepper.

• To avoid a greasy egg sandwich or bagel upon our early arrival at JFK…

…Cut up apples, oranges and pears.

…with some peanut butter for dipping. Yum!      

Prep time for this travel meal was about 20 minutes. Can’t beat that! And it all fit perfectly in my carry-on luggage.

Also to save a buck, because I really dislike buying over priced water, I brought along my Klean Kanteen and my new travel filter stick which alkalizes water, making the fountain, or the faucet, an easy option for quenching my thirst.

So that’s it from my travel log. I’ll try to blog from my destination, though it should be a pretty fast and busy 48 hours. Hopefully they’ll be a fridge of provisions I can raid for the long trip back on Monday. Happy weekend! And Happy Birthday to The All-Star!

The greens that is. Who knew these pesky lawn weeds could be added to any recipe calling for a leafy green. They’re a little on the bitter side so be prepared, but cooking them takes some of that edge off. Rich in vitamins like A and K, I’d think twice before chopping them up with your lawnmower blades.

Actually, I wouldn’t recommend eating anything that grows on your front lawn, unless you know for sure it hasn’t been tainted with chemical fertilizers. Luckily, you can find dandelion greens at health food stores and farmer’s markets.

I added a bit to each of my meals today. I read they’re good for the liver. Who doesn’t need a little liver boost.

For breakfast it was a fried egg with horseradish, dandelion greens and tomato. So good. The horseradish really made this dish. I highly recommend having some with your next egg.  I finished off the most important meal of the day with some cut grapefruit. The perfect combination of bitter and sweet.

Lunch was a salad of dandelion greens and quinoa. I added walnuts and dried cranberries to make it bitter-sweet. Goat cheese would have made this dish perfect, but I forgot I had some. Regardless, dandelion greens score again.

For dinner…slow cooked chicken with mushrooms, peppers and heirloom tomatoes served on a bed a dandelion greens. The perfect comfort food to end a long and busy day.

While I believe it’s healthiest to eat a variety of foods throughout your day, it was fun to see how these familiar plants held up at every meal. I was pleased to find that they fit the bill and look forward to keeping them on my rotating grocery list!

While giving a look around the internet for some healthy starch choices, I happened upon the website for the Whole Grains Council. Man, there’s a council for everything.  Anyway. The folks over at WGC have come up with the “grain of the month” and for March it’s quinoa.  Clap clap clap.  Congratulations to the mother of all grains! (That’s what the ancient Incas called it.)

I also learned that 1/2  a pound of quinoa seeds is enough to plant a whole acre which can yield 1200-2000 pounds of new seed. The United Nations calls it the super-crop because it’s drought resistant and can grow in poor soils.  AND the seeds have a bitter flavor coating which acts as a natural pesticide. Nice!

Nutrition wise, it’s my grain of choice.  High in potassium, fiber and gluten-free, it can be served as a side, an addition to soups, stews and salads, and its flour can be used to make many a baked good!

Not sold yet? Studies have suggested that quinoa is useful in preventing and managing Type 2 diabetes. Most likely because it serves as a healthy alternative to starches with a high glycemic index. But also because it has high levels of quercetin, an anti-oxidant that also acts as an anti-inflammatory and an anti-histamine. Studies are examining quercetin’s ability to prevent cancer.

To learn more about this “mother grain” visit the Grain of the Month page on The Whole Grain Council’s website.

They’ve got some good recipes there too. It’s super easy to cook and only takes 15 minutes! I use my rice-cooker. 1 part quinoa, 2 parts water is all you need. One cup of uncooked seeds yields 4 servings. Just make sure you rinse the seeds a couple of times before cooking. Remember that bitter coating I mentioned? You want to avoid bringing that flavor to your food.

Enjoy and be healthy!

Mushrooms keep finding their way into my recipes lately. Maybe my body instinctively knows that they’re a good source of nutrients like potassium, selenium, and vitamin B. More likely it’s just because I dig their earthy flavor. Whatever the reason, I’m happy when there’s fungus on my plate!

For tonight I made a snap pea and mushroom saute. It was de-licious! Snap peas are another favorite of which I definitely don’t eat enough. They too are loaded with nutrients. Vitamin K, manganese and fiber, to name just a few.

I have fond memories from my childhood when my dad grew these puppies in our backyard garden. I would pick and eat them right of the vine. I loved their sweet crunchiness…and I still do!

Snap Pea and Mushroom Saute

• 3 cups snap peas, rinsed
• 2 cups white mushrooms
• half a onion, chopped
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• several sprays of Bragg Liquid Aminos
• red pepper flakes to taste

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add all ingredients and cook for 5-8 minutes.

After this, I definitely feel nourished!

I can’t believe that I haven’t mentioned this before but Pacific Natural Foods Organic Creamy Tomato Soup is my favorite pantry staple.

It’s good on its own for a quick lunch or post sledding snack but I prefer to add leftovers to create a hearty meal!

Tonight I added some asparagus from Monday’s dinner and some chicken and wild rice from dinner last night.  I was perfect, easy, fast and delicious!

Normally I’m not a fan of food in a box but the contents of this aren’t too scary, and I can pronounce all the ingredients. That’s always a plus. Another big “hooray”…it’s always on sale at my local market.

What’s your favorite pantry staple??

The All-Star and I need nourishment after our Valentine’s Day trauma, so I put my concocting hat on and made a soup. No recipe needed, a Laura original. Always a favorite around here, expect when they’re not so good. We all make a not-so-good dish now and again. It’s all part of learning to cook.

Luckily, this meal was not gross. It was very delicious.

Spinach Soup with Broccoli and Quinoa

Ingredients

• 1 large bunch of fresh spinach, rinsed, steams removed and chopped
• 1 large head of broccoli, cut into small flourets
• 1 yam, peeled and cubed
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 cups organic chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups water
• 16 oz creamy portobello mushroom soup
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp thyme
• 2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a large sauce pan heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic and cook until translucent.  Mix in broccoli, yam and quinoa.
• Pour in broth and water and bring to a boil.  Add salt and pepper, set temperature to low and simmer until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes.
• Stir in mushroom soup, thyme and more salt and pepper to taste. Add spinach and chicken and cook until spinach is wilted, about 5 more minutes.  Serve and enjoy!

Feel free to use whatever herbs and spices you like. I’m a fan of thyme. The All-Star said it gave the meal a minty flavor. Sounds good to me.

I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m reading a lot more these days and revisiting books long since returned to the shelf.  One of these books is One Bowl by the author Don Gerrard.  His goal is to help you appreciate and savor your food, all the while learning to eat less, and essentially healthier,  lose weight, and reach enlightenment (just kidding about the last one).  But it definitely inspires “thoughtful eating.”

Gerrard encourages readers to find a bowl, make it special to you, and to eat all of your meals, even sandwiches, from this bowl.  You don’t have to do this forever but it’s recommended until you get used to the change of eating habit.

I have notyet  purchased “my bow”l, but what I have invested in are some smaller bowls, as well as a set of Pyrex storage containers. My favorite of the assorted set is the 2-cup size.  They are a perfect fit for my work-week lunches, and since they’re made of glass, I don’t have to worry so much about popping them in the microwave.  No evil BPA’s leaching into my leftovers!

At first The All-Star was distraught over the size of these 2-cup containers.  He thought they couldn’t hold nearly enough good to feed his hungry lunch-time belly.  I urged him to trust me and he quickly learned that it was just enough!

Many diets encourage the use of smaller dishes to keep you in “portion control” and I can vouch for this first hand.  When the meal is done, I’m always satisfied but never too full and it feels good.  My weight is maintained and I never find myself hitting that after lunch wall with the dreaded “tummy-itis.”

I bought my perfect Pyrex containers at Amazon.com for $40.  They also sell smaller sets and you can probably find them at Target or another place like that.  The small bowls for home were a score at Big Lots.  Just a dollar! How awesome is that?

How do you keep your portions in control?

Well, Super Bowl Sunday turned out to be a lot more eventful then the actually Superbowl.  I’m sorry, but did anyone else think that game was a little boring?  For me the highlight of those four hours was The Who’s performance. Great light show!

Anyway. In the morning I made Irish Soda Bread.  Not exactly a healthy-as-can-be choice but what’s a little bit of bread now and again?  (Oh, I feel like I’m going to health-nut hell for that one)  If you dare, check out my recipe page for the recipe.  And if anyone out there has a gluten-free/vegan/healthy variation of your choice,  please share with the class.  Here’s what my baking mess looked like.

I am such a messy baker.  They even look messy baking in the oven.

This bread is so good though.  It’s worth the clean-up.

After the bread-making extravaganza, we were off to another museum.  This time it was the Bowers Museum in Orange.  The Art-Student, as I am now calling him, needed to go there for an assignment and I was happy to tag along.  I believe part of my path to wellness is being cultured and looking at art is a great way to do it. Bowers is a small museum exhibiting mostly early Californian art.  At present, however, they are exhibiting the ancient arts of China. Very cool.  They are also showcasing Chris Rainer who documented through photography the culture of New Guinea.  Very intense.

This was my favorite piece…I really love paintings of market places.

The Art-Student fancied this piece done in pastels…He tried to do his own pastel piece tonight but realized he had no fixer.  Anyway know what to use to fix pastels?

We both agreed that this chess set was amazing.  The carving detail was incredible…

So that was our culture for the day.  We then went on to watch the Colts give it up to the Saints, who deserved to win anyway, in my opinion.

And now it’s Monday.  I felt kinda sickly this morning and cruddy all day.  I feel better now and just completed another baking escapade.  I’ve been baking a lot lately and I’ll tell you why…I’m terrible at it and this bothers me greatly so I need the practice.  I like to think of myself as a pretty good cook but baking is just not my forte.  Those who are good at it, hats off to you.  Perhaps next time you can bestow on me some your magic touch or whatever it is.  Regardless, tonight I made vegetable muffins.  I know it sounds weird, but they are actually pretty good. Think of it more as bread with veggies in it.  I figure they will be good for an on-the-go breakfast.  Maybe with a hummus spread.  This recipe can also be found on the recipe page.

I’m excited for tomorrow.  I’m making a Chicken and Cauliflower Curry in the crock-pot, with a few of my own modifications, of course. Stay tuned to see how it turns out.

It seems that chili is in season this time of year and I’ve unknowingly joined the trend.  I’m not sure where I got the idea to make it.  Perhaps in was the undeniable force of a collective consciousness. Whatever the reason, I was craving it, so I made it, and it was delicious.  Since my own personal chili-party, I’m seeing other bloggers sharing their favorite chili recipes with cyber space, so I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon too.  I found this recipe while looking for something to warm my winter-chilled belly.  It seemed like the perfect dish.  I hope you’ll try it and enjoy. (p.s. It’s a slightly modified Giada recipe. Hi, I’m Laura and I’m a Food Network junky.  Two months sober. I don’t have cable.)

White Bean and Chicken Chili

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 pounds ground chicken
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 2 (15-ounce cans) Northern white bean, rinsed and drained
• 1 bunch fresh spinach, rinsed, stems removed, and chopped
• 11/2 cups frozen corn, thawed
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

Directions

In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the ground chicken, 1 teaspoon salt, cumin, fennel seeds, oregano, and chili powder. Cook, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir the flour into the chicken mixture. Add the beans, spinach, corn, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer for 55-60 minutes until the liquid has reduced by about half and the chili has thickened. Add the red pepper flakes and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Next time I’d like to add some crushed tomato and see how that tastes.  I craved a little acidy-sweet. Maybe even a little Cholula would do the trick!