Italian Chili

This was fantastic! Seriously, I loved it so much that I could not stop at tasting (for quality control purposes of course) and finally just got out a bowl and ate dinner at 4:30pm. The downsides are that it is not very green (organic Italian sausage would be hard to find in most smaller cities and towns I think) and it is a wee bit spicy for kids (just right for adults though).

Italian Chili
adapted from a Woman's Day recipe

12oz Italian sausage
*I was able to get ground at Gerbes but if you have to use links, remove casing*
1c chopped onion
1c chopped anaheim peppers (don't forget to wash your hands after chopping!)
*the recipe calls for cubanelle peppers but anaheim are more readily available, Banana peppers would work as well and would make this recipe less spicy*
1Tbsp chili powder
*the recipe calls for 1 and 1/2 tbsp but using only one will bring the spice level down*
1/4tsp salt
1/4tsp basil
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes in puree
1 can cannelli beans, rinsed

Cover bottom of saucepan in olive oil and heat until warmed through. Add sausage, onion, and peppers. Cook until meat is browned, breaking up chunks with a spoon. Add spices and salt and cook for a minute or two more. Add tomatoes and beans and turn heat down low. Simmer for thirty minutes or so.

Great additions to this one pot meal would be garlic bread and a salad.

Cost factor: A
@$1.57 per serving, serves four
beans: $0.74
tomatoes: $1.25
meat: $2.99
onion $0.30
peppers: $0.66
spices: $0.35
I would add another $2-$3 to the cost to use organic tomatoes and beans, two foods I usually buy conventional versions of. You could bring the cost per serving down by using dried beans.

Freezing factor: A+
Reheating factor: A+

Sorry, no link to the original recipe. I couldn't find it on their website. It is from the April 14th, 2009 edition.

The New Superfoods

It being the New Year and all there have been a host of articles on healthy eating including more than a few on "superfoods". I know there is a new one every other day but I am always intrigued to find out what the new superfood is. After all, who could resist a "natural food regarded as especially beneficial because of its nutrient profile or its health-protecting qualities" (as defined by the Oxford encyclopedia).

The New York Times article listed the best new superfoods as:
1. Beets
2. Cabbage
3. Swiss chard
4. Cinnamon
5. Pomegranate juice
6. Dried plums
7. Pumpkin seeds
8. Sardines
9. Turmeric
10. Frozen blueberries
11. Canned pumpkin

We actually eat all of these, except pumpkin seeds, already. But some are part of our daily and weekly diets and some make an appearance every couple of months. So I will be aiming to add more of them to our everyday meals. The article lists ideas on how to incorporate them as well as the nutritional benefits of each.

New Year, New Start

Though we eat fairly well already, I have made several food based resolutions for our family. A friend of mine makes the number of resolutions that the year is turning so inspired by her here are ten goals for 2010:

1: Log our meals and recipes on this blog so I can remember what works and what doesn't
2: Stick to our budget as much as possible
3: Look into joining a CSA
4: As much as we can and stay sane, eliminate artificial food dyes from our diet.
5: For me, stop drinking cokes unless they are made with cane sugar (this is my biggest vice!)
6: When we buy a house look into buying a quarter or half a cow from a local organic farm
7: Make more vegetarian meals, at least once a week
8: For snack time start making more things instead of always giving the girls packaged snacks or fruit
9: Learn how to cook more ethnic foods so we can eat out less and eat some of the foods we love but can't get here
10: At home, only eat humanely raised meat and only wild caught fish

At the beginning of the month I plan to check in on each and see how I am doing.