Beans on the Side

These are low sodium black beans, heated with a little soy sauce and cumin.  Add beans to a summer buffets served in oven- and microwave-safe ramekins.

Fill each with 1/3 -1/2 cup hot beans.  Give them a reheat in the microwave just before setting out on a tray.

Garnish with sour cream, cilantro and a little hot sauce or set up a "bean bar" to let people add their own toppings.

Perfectly portioned and fiber rich, a bean side dish goes with grilled anything, especially if some tacos or tortillas are part of the menu.

Some other bean sides for the season, perfect for Father's Day and Graduation Parties...

• Swap out different beans to suit your menu
• Baked beans (serve with hot dogs and hamburgers)
• Chili beans (serve with grilled steak)
• White beans, rosemary and olive oil (Serve with grilled salmon or trout)
• Channa Masala (serve with tandoori grilled chicken)

Smokey White Beans

Walking through Zabar's food market in New York City recently, I noticed the the smoked fish counter was being swarmed by customers picking up freshly smoked mussels from Maine.  I joined the fray for this seasonal treat.

Smoked mussels come preserved in cans but these need to be refrigerated and eaten soon.  They are great on a plain cracker or chopped and mixed with cream cheese and sour cream or yogurt for a quick dip. Soma sites recommend tossing them with hot pasta.  I found one more way to use them -- stirred into white bean soup they lend the smokey touch that kielbasa or other smoked meats like bacon gives to beans.

No recipe just stir in your smoked mussels once the bean soup is nice and hot. This works for freshly made or soup made from canned beans.  If you miss the dish during the winter, open a can of smoked mussels, drain most of the oil and add to hot beans.

Lemon & Paprika Garbanzo Bean and Spinach Stew

Simple spring dinners combine with beans, spring vegetables and greens for pure and simple one-skillet entrees.  Top these bean stews with poached eggs for a little extra protein.

In this recipe, canned beans are used.  You can substitute freshly made if you'd like.  1/2 cup dried beans will yield about one 15-ounce can of beans.

Lemon & Paprika Garbanzo Bean and Spinach Stew
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients
1 can low sodium garbanzo beans, rinsed
1 can vegetable or chicken broth
1 lemon, sliced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 9-ounce packaged baby spinach
optional: 4 eggs

Method

1. In a large skillet, combine drained beans with next four ingredients, broth through paprika.
2. Cook uncovered on low heat  for about 10 minutes, until beans are heated through and liquid is reduced by about one third.
3. Add spinach and cover.  Heat until spinach has wilted.  This will take just two to three minutes. 
4. Uncover and add eggs.  Use a spoon to create 4 small craters or divers in the bean and spinach mixture. Crack one egg into each shallow crater.  Re-cover skillet and cook two minutes until egg whites are cooked through and yolks have just set.  
5. Serve immediately with crusty bread. 

Chick Peas and Egg Salad

Two simple salads come together for a very sophisticated lunch or substantial snack.

Chick peas, aka garbanzo beans or cecci are the beans that most of us associate with hummus and falafel.  (Falafel is also made from fava beans in some parts of the world.)  Chick peas' nutty flavor and creamy texture can really enhance simple preparations like egg salad.  Here chick peas doused with some rich extra virgin olive oil and chopped cilantro top classic egg salad served on romaine lettuce leaves. 

Chick peas can also be pan sauteed with a bit of bacon or olive oil and replace croutons to garnish cream soups, especially cauliflower or potato soups.  Add any spices that appeal--a touch of cumin or smoked paprika, for example.

On their own, chick peas tossed with vinaigrette dressing, a few chopped olives and roasted red peppers make an easy side dish that can act as your starch or salad.  Leftovers can be wrapped in a flour tortilla for a post-workout snack.

End of February...short post for a short month! See you in March.

Black Bean Soup Tonight

Cuban-inspired Black Bean Soup makes a hearty weeknight dinner that can be made in under half an hour.  Beans are one of the five foods we've touched on to eat more of this year and having a few simple recipes that can be made from pantry ingredients makes enjoying these foods easy. 

Flavor low-sodium canned beans and canned broth with herbs and spices and a touch of salt to customize a really healthy meal that has room for your own flair.  We use a combination of beef and chicken broth but vegetable broth and water easily creates a vegetarian version.  This recipe keeps it simple with few ingredients but you can add shredded carrots, diced tomatoes and finely chopped onion to the simmering soup to add to the nutrients and the depth of flavor. 

The most important key to developing the flavor in a soup like this is the let it simmer for at least ten minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the ingredients can meld together and the spices and herbs fully hydrate.  Partially mashing the beans thickens the soup without any extra ingredients or thickening agents.  We keep the bean liquid but many people drain their beans before adding especially if not used to eating beans frequently.* I cannot find any hard facts but I have noticed that people who are sensitive to beans do very well with black beans. 

All kinds of extras can be added to make this soup feel bigger.  Serve it with a scoop of cooked rice or other cooked grain, add some diced chicken, shredded pork or sliced seiten.  My favorite unusual item to garnish the soup is diced mangoes.  Mangoes mix with the chopped red onion and lime juice for a fresh counterpart to the beans. 

Black Bean Soup Tonight
Serves 4 (1 quart soup)

Ingredients
2 cans low sodium black beans
2 cups broth or broth with up to 1/2 cup water
1 garlic clove, peeled and slightly crushed
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional: pinch cayenne

Garnishes:
chopped, fresh cilantro
diced red onion
grated cheese
sour cream
chopped avocado
chopped mango
chopped tomatoes
lime juice

Method

1. Combine beans and broth in a medium saucepan with a heavy bottom. 
2. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and add all the seasonings and the garlic clove.  
3. Cook ten minutes, uncovered ay a low bubble, stirring occasionally to prevent beans from sticking to bottom of  pot.  
4. Taste and add more salt or heat as needed.  If you are using it, a pinch of cayenne can go in now.
5. With a spoon, remove the garlic clove and discard.  Use a potato masher or the back of a fork to mash most of the beans and thicken soup.  (You can also use an immersion blender but use a gentle touch so that you do not over-puree the soup).
6. Serve with rice, leftover cooked proteins and, above all, colorful garnishes.

*Note: So much has been written about how to adapt to eating more beans. Here is a nice compendium of advice that also explains the background in simple language. 

Top 5 Foods to Get More of in 2014

Skip the diets and enjoy a few big time healthy foods more frequently if you really want to feel better and stronger this year.  Here are five foods to eat more of (every day even) in the New Year.  You’ll feel satisfied enough to forego cravings for junk.  Here are some ideas to get you started and I’ll be adding more ways to use these foods in future Pure Foods Project entries. 

Avocados
Even people who know and love avocados surprised me in 2013 with their reluctance to enjoy avocados more.  High fat was sited but remember that without some fat in your diet you cannot absorb some key nutrients like Vitamin A. And avocados have the good kind of fat -- monounsaturated---that you body needs so indulge and be happy.   

Avocados can take the place of mayonnaise on sandwiches, taste amazing with burgers, especially turkey burgers, and can be chopped into some great salads and salsas. 

We put slices in soup too.  Give a simple chicken-rice soup a little south of the border flair with a spoonful of salsa, a few crumbled corn tortillas and slices of avocado.  If you have them around, garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkling of fresh cilantro and a shot of hot sauce.

A tablespoon of mayonnaise is about 100 calories.  Replace that with ¼ quarter an avocado (double the amount of mayo) for just 80 calories and 5 carbohydrate grams.  80 calories that pack 240 grams of potassium (equal to half a banana) plus Vitamins C and B-6 and some magnesium and a touch of iron.  You even get a gram of protein.  Feeling full?  Of course, even that little amount of avocado adds 14% of the fiber you need for the day.

Beyond guacamole, here are five ways to add avocado to this week’s meals...

• Serve mango-avocado-lime salsa over grilled fish or chicken.
• Chop some into a corn side dish (hot or cold) and garnish with sliced scallions
• Make a salad with blue cheese, avocados and toasted pecans
• Add to pasta salad or better yet, toss diced avocado with hot spaghetti. It will melt into the pasta to ward off a creamy craving.
• Serve steamed cold shrimp on a cracker with a little wedge of avocado and a squeeze of lemon.

Beans
Canned, dried or working hard in food preparations like hummus and tofu, beans are a major source of plant-based protein to much of the human population.  Experts advise combining beans with another plant based protein like a grain to get the most from each. 

Include chick peas (hummus), soy beans (edamame, tofu), peanuts (a legume, look for peanut butter made from only peanuts and salt) and beans of every color in this year’s meals to keep you satisfied.  Beans are part of just about any cuisine you are into.    

Fermented Foods
New research is telling us to give ourselves a gut check.  Fermented foods may be one of our most powerful immune fighting resources we have available to us in natural form.  Next time you have a cold and reach for chicken soup, have a half-sour pickle on the side to feel better even faster.

Go beyond cucumber pickles with pickled vegetables like okra, cauliflower, zucchini and green beans.  These are especially available at Farmers Markets toward the end of summer.  Find more fermentation in dishes with:

• Sauerkraut
• Kimchi
• Tempeh
• Yogurt (try coconut yogurt)
• Miso (try white miso)
• Tamari
• Crème fraiche
• Sour cream
• Buttermilk
• Tabasco sauce
• Soy sauce
• Fish sauce

Orange Foods
Orange was on fashion runways everywhere in 2013.  In 2014, it goes into practical use on the table.

Winter is a great time to find interesting orange vegetables and starting in March citrus season hits most of the country with deals on fruit. 
Butternut squash, pumpkin, rutabaga, carrots, sweet potatoes
Oranges, peaches, cantaloupe, mangoes, apricots, kumquats, mandarins
And don’t miss out on orange beets and orange bell peppers.

Carotenoids give orange foods their color and give us better skin regeneration, immune system support and digestive and urinary tract health.  Vitamin A is the hero and, as noted above, likes a little assist from some fat to do its job. A little olive oil, a bit of avocado or some nuts go well with these foods. 

Berries
Berries get credited for preventing everything from depression to cancer to fly-away hair and joint inflammation.  Berries can fit into every meal and snack so pop some berries instead of pills. 

• Blueberries and oatmeal
• Strawberries mashed into plain yogurt
• Blackberries with a tablespoon of cream on top
• Cranberries—are they really berries?  Yes, as are grapes.  

Scallops, White Beans and Fennel

Just about any pasta dish can transform into a bean-based dish.  Seafood like scallops go so well with white beans and get a mild lift from fennel in this simple, pure dinner.

The pure foods bonus is that this is so effortless to pull together using canned beans and frozen scallops. Just as easy as a pasta night.  A few fresh ingredients-- fennel and spinach-- add sophistication with no additional fuss.  You can even use frozen spinach and replace the fennel with celery if the cupboard is bare and a trip to the grocery store is not in the cards before dinner has to get on the table.

This is a good recipe to hold onto when holiday errands get a little hectic and eating properly becomes an afterthought.

Scallops, White Bean and Fennel Ragout
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 pound frozen bay scallops
2 cans low sodium white beans, drained
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil, divided
1 can chicken broth (low sodium)
2 bulbs fennel, sliced
1 8-ounce package fresh baby spinach (use 2 if your family loves spinach)
salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Thaw scallops according to package directions. 
2. Place drained beans in a large pot with chicken broth.  Heat beans over medium heat. When they begin to bubble, lower heat to a simmer while you prepare remaining ingredients. Do not cover beans.  
3. Cook spinach and set aside.  If fresh,  microwave 2 minutes.  
4. Slice fennel and saute in a wide skillet over medium-high heat in 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil. Salt and pepper vegetables to taste.  Add cooked fennel to beans.  
5. In same skillet, quickly saute thawed scallops in remaining tablespoon butter or olive oil.  Add scallops to pot and turn off heat.  
6. Stir in spinach or use as a giant garnish.  

Serve ragout in wide bowls.  This meal is very happy alongside a simple salad or a slice of crusty bread to wipe up the juices.

Options: Frozen or canned artichokes, peas, freshly steamed asparagus or wilted kale are all good additions to this simple repast.  Any of these vegetables can be roasted instead of sauteed.  In fact, this meal was made for leftover roasted veggies like fennel, onions, carrots, etc.

Chick Pea Salad for Picnics

Here’s a weekend bean salad for summer inspired by a pasta salad I saw at my local deli.  The base is chick peas (aka garbanzo beans) in a tomato-based vinaigrette that can be changed up to suit your refrigerator’s or garden’s bounty.

Just abut any recipe for macaroni or pasta salad can be updated and given a jolt of fiber by substituting beans for all or part of the pasta. 

This weekend I add steamed sliced zucchini, but you can also toss in green beans, fresh peas, zucchini blossoms or tiny cooked potatoes from your garden.  Fresh chopped herbs like basil, Italian parsley or dill are also great additions. 

Chick Pea Salad
Serves 6 –8 as a side dish
Ingredients
2 cups cooked or canned chick peas (about a 14 oz can)
1/2 green bell pepper, minced
1 zucchini, steamed whole then sliced in half moons
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 small celery stalk, sliced
1/4 cup chopped black olives
3 scallions, chopped up to green part
3/4 cup tomato juice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard powder
Salt & pepper
Optional: hot sauce

Method

1. Drain the chick peas if canned.  
2. In a medium bowl, toss beans with remaining ingredients.  
3. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving. 

Sweet Potato Black Beans and Rice

We did not grow up eating fresh sweet potatoes.  The canned variety made an annual appearance under a blanket of bronzed marshmallows at Thanksgiving and not a year went by without leaving me in culinary confusion. What was dessert doing next to my mashed potatoes and stuffing?  (We called it stuffing back then because it was stuffed in the bird.  Now we bake stuffing separately but can’t remember to call it dressing.) Yes, I know the cranberry sauce is sweet too but that is an accompaniment, not a dish of its own. 

The years passed and we all moved around a bit.  Some of my family landed in Kentucky and then North Carolina where sweet potatoes were part of the food vernacular, not reserved for November only.  So when at last fresh sweet potatoes started showing up at our northern supermarkets, we got busy baking them.  We love the small ones that we pierce with a turkey skewer and bake at 400˚F until the flesh just under the skin begins to caramelize.  Lots of black pepper and a touch of salt and butter make this our favorite pork side dish. 

I’ve been impressed by how well sweet potatoes go with all kinds of cuisines.   One of my favorites is a variation on Latin cuisine’s beans and rice.  Sweet potatoes cooked with black beans and tomatoes make a sublime combination.  One of the keys to this dish is cooking the sweet potatoes in the juice from the tomatoes.  It seems to bring up some essential flavor common to both ingredients and creates a tasty match with the beans and spices including Spanish smoked sweet paprika. This is a year-round meal because it can be made from (low-sodium) canned beans and tomatoes and fresh sweet potatoes from the pantry. 

Sweet Potato Black Beans with Rice
Yield: About 3 cups (3 main dish servings, 5-6 side servings)

Ingredients
1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (1/2” cubes)
1 14-oz can low-sodium tomatoes
1 14-oz can low-sodium black beans
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika (look for a variety from Spain)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Optional: hot sauce to taste
2 cups cooked brown rice


Method

1. Place diced sweet potatoes in a microwavable container with the juice from the canned tomatoes.   Microwave, covered with several small vents , for 4-5 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.  
2. Meanwhile, roughly chop tomatoes and drain beans.  Place tomatoes and beans in a saucepan and add oregano, cumin and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat then lower heat and stir to cook bean and tomato mixture down.  
3. When most of the liquid has evaporated, stir in cooked sweet potatoes and remove from heat.  Add chopped cilantro, pumpkin seeds and hot sauce.  (Sweet potato mixture can be set aside at this point, covered and refrigerated for use within the next 2 days.)
4. Serve perfectly plain over cooked rice with a warm whole wheat flour tortilla or top with extra cilantro, chopped black olives, pickled jalapeños, queso fresco and sour cream.

Note: This recipe is being submitted to the North Carolina Sweet Potatoes Commission Bloggers Contest.

Apres Ski Cassoulet

A very simple version with smoked turkey thighs and frozen artichokes hearts.

It’s hearty, it’s elegant, it’s pure comfort food on a cold night.  And really, it’s just pork and beans at its best. This version combines a veggie version with a meat version so you get the most rich meal possible.  The recipe is forgiving because the must-haves list is short and the variations allow you to use what you have and what you like.  A crusty loaf of bread, a green salad and a hearty red wine keep things simple yet complete.  Bon appetit!

Cassoulet, the Easy Way
Serves 4, recipe may be doubled
Determine the meats you use by family preference. Provide a sampling of everything to amount to 1/4-1/3 pound meat per person (meat will cook down a bit) plus a cup+ of beans and vegetables.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 crushed garlic clove
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 cans low-sodium white beans, drained
1 can chicken broth 1 teaspoon dried thyme (1 tablespoon fresh)
4-6 sun-dried tomatoes chopped (1/2 can tomatoes with  juice)
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt (less if using regular rather than low-sodium beans)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-2 smoked turkey thighs or ham hocks (turkey preferred since it yields more meat, but your choice)
High quality pork sausage (chicken varieties can be substituted, try something new but not breakfast sausage)
Any of the following: thin pork chops (loin or shoulder, bone-in), duck confit, cooked ham chunks or slabs of pancetta, chicken (boneless, skinless chicken breast can be added part way through cooking if you have some picky eaters.)
Vegetable add-ins:
2 medium zucchini, sliced
1 can or package frozen artichoke hearts
1 cup green beans, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced

In a large heavy bottomed pot with cover, sauté the celery and onion in olive oil then add garlic and stir briefly to release oils, being careful not to burn.  Lower heat and add beans, broth, tomatoes and seasoning. Nestle remaining ingredients (meats and vegetables) into beans and cover pot. Let simmer on medium-low temperature until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. 
This is a good slow cooker meal.  Set it up before you hit the slopes and enjoy après ski.  It will stew for up to 8 hours on low or 4-6 on high. Place onion, celery, carrots and green beans on the bottom of the pot if using a slow cooker.

Bonus Meals: Leftover cassoulet can be turned into soup for lunch the next day.  Remove any leftover meat and chop into bite-sized pieces.  Puree a few ladlefuls of the remaining cassoulet and return to pot with cubed meat. Add additional broth- enough to make it the consistency of soup.  It also makes a great bean dip, once meat is removed.  Just cook down the remaining beans and vegetables until almost all liquid is absorbed then puree.  Taste and adjust for seasoning. A nice blend-in is soft goat cheese to give the dip some body. You may want to add salt, pepper or crushed garlic also.  Serve as an appetizer with sliced vegetables and warm chunks of bread or crackers.

Falafel Burgers

Since the 1970’s street food carts in  U.S. cities have been packing pita pockets with middle eastern falafel and salad drizzled with yogurt and tahini sauces for just a few bucks.  I remember a time when lunchtime crowds would converge on a certain mid-town Manhattan street corner to get what was rumored to be the best falafel in the city.  My colleagues and I would often walk 15 blocks passing several other vendors to get the falafel with the special hot sauce served from this cart. 

True falafel uses chickpeas soaked in bicarbonate of soda that are ground with parsley and spices then fried as bite-sized balls or patties. In Egypt, fava beans rather than chickpeas are used for falafel, a word that is used to describe things of a fluffy and crunchy texture in Arabic.  It is also thought to be a derivative of the Arabic word for peppers which sounds like “filfil.”

My falafel burgers shortcut the process with cooked chickpeas giving them a slightly softer texture but the same satisfying experience.  The burgers are baked rather than fried and can be made ahead and frozen for a future snack or lunch. A batch makes a week’s worth of bag lunches.  Peppery, spicey, fluffy, crunchy falafel burgers are easy to prepare and make a pure snack for big after-school and post-workout appetites.  For the truly time-starved (or oven-challenged) I've even included a no-bake falafel pita dip. 


Falafel Burgers with Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce
Makes 5 burgers

Ingredients
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained or 2 cups cooked chickpeas
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 cup fresh parsley or cilantro
1 cloves garlic, mashed
1 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup plain dry bread crumbs
spray cooking oil

Method

1. In a large bowl mash chickpeas with a fork until the mashed beans hold together but are still a bit chunky.
2. Microwave diced onion on high 1 minute (or cook in a covered pan with a tablespoon or two of water).  Watch it carefully to ensure onions stay moist while they soften.  Add onion and parsley to chickpeas.
3. Using the side of a chef’s knife, smash garlic clove and remove outer skin.  Sprinkle peeled clove with a bit of salt to provide friction and chop to a fine consistency.  Use the side of the knife to smooth garlic and salt into a paste.  Add to bean mixture.
4. Next add cumin, coriander, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon juice and olive oil.  Taste mixture and adjust according to your tastes for more cayenne, lemon or spices. 

The falafel mixture can be eaten at this point, scooped into pita pockets with salad and tahini sauce or the yogurt-cucumber sauce below or served as a chunky dip.  To turn the dip into burgers, continue with recipe.

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F.  Line a baking sheet with tin foil and lightly spray with cooking oil.
2. Stir in egg and baking powder.  Using a 1/3 cup scoop or measuring cup, place a scoop of falafel onto a shallow dish covered with a few tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Flatten into a patty using the back of a fork or the measuring cup.  Sprinkle top of patty with more bread crumbs.  Use a spatula to carefully lift falafel patty to baking sheet.  Patties are quite delicate at this stage.  Use a fork to make any needed repairs from the dish to thje baking sheet.  
3. When all patties are formed, spray the tops with a little more cooking oil and bake for 15 minutes, turning once.  

Falafel burgers can be served at once over a salad dressed with yogurt-cucumber sauce (below) or tucked into a pita pocket with lettuce, cucumbers, radishes and tahini sauce (see note).  Your favorite hot sauce finishes these burgers for those who like even more spice. 

Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce
Makes about 1 1/3 cups

Ingredients
8 oz plain yogurt
1/2 cucumber - peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
several fresh mint leaves, chopped
salt and pepper

In a small bowl combine yogurt, cucumber, dill, mint, salt and pepper. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Note: Tahni is sesame seed paste.   Thin a few tablespoons with water and lemon juice to make tahini sauce.  Natural peanut butter can be substituted.  If you find you love these burgers, buy some real tahini which comes in resealable cans and can be found in most international sections of your grocery.


When in New York City-- Falafel can be found served from carts on just about every corner but when I am in NYC and want some great falafel I head to Taim, a little shop in the west village where they serve falafel flavored three different ways.  Try a combo to learn what great falafel should taste like. (222 Waverly Place, west of 7th-- closest subway stations: Christopher St (#1) or 14th Street (#1,2,3).

Pure Pantry

U.S. hunger statistics are too high and growing.  Many Americans, particularly children, suffer from under-nutrition.  This is a condition that results from eating quantities of food low in nutritional value.  At this time of year, many generous people join food drives and drop off extra groceries at their local food shelf and come closer than usual to the problem.  One of the paradoxes of the situation is a rise in obesity and obesity’s related health issues like diabetes and heart disease.  Not simply how much is in the pantry, but what is in the pantry could be a contributing factor.

What’s in your pantry?  If you took an inventory right now, would you find foods that are real?  Or would you find ones with ingredients you don’t recognize?  Many dieters know that if a high-risk food is not in the house, it’s less likely to be consumed.  Apply the same logic to a pure pantry.  If the staples in your pantry are purer, that’s what will end up inside your family.

Many are convinced that eating pure healthy foods is expensive. While it is true that cheap mixes and processed foods rely on inexpensive fillers and artificial flavorings to extend portions, there are plenty of good pantry choices where the maxim “less is more” rules.  The fewer ingredients on the label, the more real food you’ll find inside.  That is a real value.  If you are in the midst of making a donation, consider a rethink of your own pantry too. The advice on selection here is a good way for you to buy for your own pantry.

A random sampling of Food Pantry needs around the country shows some common items in constant need. Many food pantries request your help in keeping their clients healthy and ask for low- and no-salt versions.  When you donate, consider a natural brand or one with the least amount of processing.  The list below provides some of the most requested items and suggestions to help you fill the order with a purer choice.   Regular sizes work best for most pantries, but yours may appreciate larger sizes too—call and ask.

Most requested items:
Canned beans- low sodium is best.  All types are welcome.  This is the top item requested.

Cereal-- most requested: Cocoa Puffs, Mini Wheats, Raisin Bran, Fruit Loops, Lucky Charms.  This is a controversial item since our children are inundated with sugar in so many forms.  Perhaps we should call some of these packaged boxes of fun Sweets instead of Cereal and put them in their rightful spot on the menu: dessert instead of breakfast. Clearly cereal is of the best places to clean up our national food act. Go for low sugar cereal to donate and to feed your family. Sprinkle on a bit of sugar if you crave more.  Taste buds adjust faster than you think and your body will thank you. A word of caution, many manufacturers use several forms of sugar that can be listed separately.  Beware of cereals which appear to have less actual sugar but also have other sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup, rice syrup, etc.  Check total grams of sugar to get the real picture.

Pasta and noodle products- manufacturers learned that whole wheat is not this country’s favorite and have developed pastas with softer grains combined with whole wheat ones that taste great.  Introduce them to your own household in baked pasta dishes.

Peanut Butter- Many supermarkets have store brands that are natural.  Look for one with just peanuts and salt.  At the very least, skip ones that have sugar as an ingredient.

Potatoes, instant- Check the label.  Potatoes dehydrate easily and fillers are not necessary though simple preservatives are acceptable.  Fresh mashed potatoes are preferred but many food shelves do not have fresh vegetable facilities.

Rice and rice products- Opt for rice instead of rice products.  Brown rice is inexpensive and delicious cooked with low-salt broth.

Pancake mix- The less is more rule is important here since this is prime territory for fillers.  There are many good tasting multi-grain varieties.

Canned Soup-  Hearty varieties are in demand as well as low- and no-salt.  Low-Sodium broths are healthy on their own and as ingredients in many dishes.  A small amount of salt can be added at the table.  Alternatively, fresh or dried herbs boost and compliment broths replacing salt entirely.  Try adding dried thyme to canned chicken broth for a mid-winter flavor boost.

Canned Vegetables (corn, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, tomatoes)-- The vegetable should be the first ingredient listed.  Avoid brands with added sugars.  Look for brands low in sodium.

Canned Fruit (peaches, pears, oranges)—Look for ones packed in juice, not heavy syrup.  Applesauce tastes great without added sugar. 

Canned or tinned proteins- Tuna and other fish, chicken, meat stews are in high demand.

Canned tomato products—sauces, juice, whole or crushed tomatoes.  Additional ingredients like basil, peppers and onion are OK but shun extra sugars and salt.

Also requested:
Stuffing mix- plain stuffing with a small jar of poultry seasoning is a better bet than pre-packaged mixes.
Condiments (Salsa, Mustard, Ketchup, salt & pepper)Sugar (white, brown, Splenda)
Jelly—look for “all fruit” types rather than true jams and jellies.  Also try apple and pear butters.
Dessert mixes (muffins, cakes, frosting, pie filling, chocolate chips)- all children have birthdays so don’t neglect this category
Baby food
Drink and mixes (lemonade, juice boxes, decaf and regular tea bags & coffee)
Crackers, saltines

Some have facilities for fresh foods (vegetables, fruit, meats).  Call and ask.  Many food stamp and healthy kids nutrition programs still do not cover these items so it is very nice for families to have a source of fresh foods.   Root vegetables like onions and winter squash keep well but your local group may have means to store more perishable goods too.

Non-food items that are in high demand include paper towels, toilet paper, household cleaners, dishwashing liquid and laundry detergent, re-sealable plastic bags and 33-gallon trash bags and diapers.  There are healthy choices for most of these items too.  Non-toxic and natural cleaners and paper goods made with recycled fibers are easier to find and less costly than in years past.
 
Your generosity and kindness is needed and appreciated as we all relearn how to feed ourselves and our neighbors with both dignity and truly nutritious food. If you’d like to learn more, one of many good sources is the World Food Program’s website.  Information and resources on the site apply to populations both far away and around the corner.

What's Next

Making soup from the leftover turkey carcass is easy.  It’s roasting the meat that seems to make the stock superior and all that work has been done already.  Now, place the leftover bones in a large pot with a few scrubbed carrots, celery stalks and tops, onion and a bay leaf or two. My Czech-American grandmother taught me to toss a tomato in too. (It adds a rosy pink color and another nice supporting flavor.)  Barely cover these ingredients with water and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to simmer, skim any accumulated foam with a slotted spoon and cover the pot loosely.  Leave this to simmer and bubble on very low heat for 2-3 hours or more.  Taste the stock and trust yourself to know when the flavor has transferred from bone and root to the liquid.  Strain the liquid, add a bit of salt, pepper and herbs like thyme and allow to cool in the refrigerator a few hours or overnight.  Any fat will rise to the top and the liquid will solidify making it easy to scrape off the fat before using your stock right away or dividing it into 1 and 2 cup portions to freeze and use later.

To make the soups below your own,  use your taste buds to adjust the flavor to your liking before you serve them.  Adjust the amount of water/stock, add salt, pepper and more herbs or look in the refrigerator for leftover cooked vegetables like butternut squash or roasted potatoes.  You'll notice these "recipes" are not very precise.  Measurements are inexact if present at all.  That's because making soup is not difficult if you follow the basics and trust yourself for the rest.  It is a collaboration between you and the food at hand, often leftovers that can be used to create something spectacularly simple and new. 


Wild Rice Turkey Soup
Cook wild or plain brown rice in water with some stock and salt added (follow the package directions).  Meanwhile over a medium setting, heat stock thinned with water plus peeled and sliced carrots, parsnips and celery.  When the vegetables are tender add cooked rice and leftover cooked turkey. 

Southwest Turkey Soup
Make a southwestern variation with brown rice, a can of low sodium black beans (rinsed), a half cup of fresh salsa and chopped cilantro.  Heat a few corn tortillas on the side topped with melted cheese. 

Pea Soup
For pea soup, pick over and rinse 2 cups of dried peas and add them to 6 cups of stock and water (1/2 and 1/2 is fine).  Add chopped celery, carrots and onion.   Simmer, stirring occasionally until legumes break down (about 1 hour).  Add more water  (half cup at a time) if you prefer a thinner soup.  Serve with a shot of dry sherry for a grown-up treat.  This recipe can be doubled.

Hearty soups served with simple green salads and whole grain breads make the transition into winter dinners pure and easy.