4 Things To Do With Tube Polenta

     Polenta in a tube is a versatile, Clean grain. Just make sure to buy one with a low sodium count, and organic if possible. Polenta is cornmeal that has been boiled until it forms a cohesive mixture. In the tube, it can be found in flavored versions ( garlic, sun dried tomato, etc ) or plain, as you see below.

     Tubes of polenta area great pantry staple. They are shelf stable, meaning they will keep for a long time in a cool, dark pantry. They are versatile - a tube of polenta can be used in multiple different ways. They are healthy and wholesome: cornmeal is a Clean grain and an easy way to add fiber to your diet.

1. Make polenta "pizza" rounds:

Slice the tube of polenta into rounds ( thick or thin, but thinner works a bit better ) , top with a Clean tomato sauce , a mushroom slice, and a little melted organic mozzarella, and bake until warm and melty. Delicious!


2. Make polenta fries:

Slice a tube of polenta lengthwise-

 

     Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick oil spray. In a bowl gently ( gently! ) coat your polenta spears with a mixture of olive oil, salt, pepper, and whatever seasoning floats your boat at the time ( you may notice a can of Old Bay in the background of the pic... ) Place polenta in a single layer on the cookie sheet, and bake at 450 degrees until the polenta looks golden brown and crispy - about 30-45 minutes, more or less. 

3. Use it as a substitute for pasta in a layered casserole type dish ( like a veggie lasagna ). 

     Saute a variety of vegetables you like until tender crisp: onions, carrots, squash, peas, bell peppers, Slice the polenta ( you may need 2 tubes, depending on the size pan you are making ) into rounds, and spread in a layer into a baking dish sprayed with non-stick spray or lined with foil. Top with the veggie mixture, then a thin coat of Clean tomato sauce, then a thin layer of organic cheese. Repeat with another layer, and bake in a 350-375 degree oven until hot and bubbly. Let sit for a few minutes so it is more readily sliceable.

4. Grill it! 

      Nothing could be an easier side dish than grilling a few slices of lightly oiled and seasoned polenta. They take on a nice firmness when grilled, and are a perfect "on the side" to really any meat or fish. Easy peasy - I love my little countertop grill!

Veggie Cooking Cheat Sheet

I saw this on Pinterest the other day, and thought I'd share it with you. What is it about little cheat sheets that amuses me so much?
I'm guessing the microwave time column is at high power - and not from frozen. If what you are cooking is frozen, you'll have to add multiple minutes to the time. Also, this list appears to have British origins - they call peppers by their Latin word ( common in England ) - capsicum.

$1 off any 4 Larabars

Love Larabars, Love saving money on them even more.

Go to Coupons.com  , and enter the zip code 77477 in the little zip code box. Sort the results that come up by "Food" - On the second page of food, you'll see the $1 off 4 Larabars coupon. You can print it twice.

( While you are at coupons.com, there's also a coupon for $1 off Star olive oil, .55 off 1 Hinode rice, and $1 off McCann Irish oatmeal coupons! )

More Clean Salad Dressing Recipes!

    

Clean Food Spotting #3 - The Seafood Restaurant

     And you thought there wouldn't be a test today...tsk, tsk...

    Seafood - what could be Cleaner, right?  In some cases...wrong. Don't give in to your more base instincts here! 

 Check out the menu below - another minefield of  inappropriate choices for the Clean Eater. 

What do you pick? There are some definitely better choices than others - but there's no need to stick strictly to the Steamer and Raw Bar here! Navigate this menu for a good, Clean meal. The more you practice, the better you'll be when confronted with a real menu.

My pics in the comments section.

Greek Yogurt Substitution Chart

     Have you been wondering how and when you can substitute Greek yogurt for other things?? I know I have...and this nifty little pic shows you ways to sub plain Greek yogurt ( any brand will work; this is from the Chobani folks ). Keep in mind some brands are tarter than others - so the Fage plain would be a good sub for sour cream or mayonnaise, while the Dannon or more sugary brands would be better for creme fraiche or cream cheese.

Food Frauds - Another "Bad Food" Installment

1. Smucker's Simply Fruit 

All varieties of Smucker’s Simply Fruit contain more fruit syrup than actual fruit. And the syrup doesn’t even come from the fruit in the products’ names, but from (cheaper) apple, pineapple, or pear juice concentrate. Next time you are in the jam aisle, look at a jar, any jar. Chances are great, you'll see a variety of fruit juices bolstering the ingredient list of your jam or jelly.

2. Multigrain Tostitos Chips

 A one-ounce (8 chips) serving of Multigrain Tostitos has more sugar (1 gram) than any of its “Four Wholesome Grains.” Grains, by definition - do not contain sugar. Why is sugar added to Tostitos?

3. Kellogg's Special K Fruit & Yogurt Cereal

The company touts that the "cereal combines the crunch of whole grain goodness, the smooth creaminess of yogurt and the sweet taste of berries….” Yet there is more refined rice than whole grain wheat, no berries (just dyed apple pieces), and no yogurt (just yogurt powder that is usually heat treated, killing any beneficial bacteria) in the cereal.

4. Sara Lee Fruits of the Forest Deep Dish Pie 

      Pie is no health food, but Sara Lee’s looks like an exception. With photos of luscious apples, rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, the pie seems like a virtual cocktail of vitamin-packed fruits, “simmered in their own juices” to cut down on the added sugar. But Fruits of the Forest has more partially hydrogenated oil and sugar than any fruit except apples. The upshot: Each serving (1/9 of a pie) has 340 calories, 4 -1/2 grams of saturated fat, and 4 grams of trans! That’s half a day’s bad fat.

5. Kellogg's Eggo NutriGrain Waffles

The box boasts that these pancakes are “Made with Whole Wheat and Whole Grain,” but they consist primarily of white flour.

6. Gerber Graduates for Toddlers Juice Treats

The packaging is decorated with pictures of oranges, grapes, cherries, peaches, and pineapples. Yet the leading ingredients are corn syrup and sugar – and the only “fruit” they contain is nutritionally poor white grape juice concentrate. These snacks are more candy than fruit juice!

 7. Enviga

Coca-Cola/Nestle claims that their new drink’s combination of caffeine and an antioxidant extracted from green tea will cause people to burn more calories than the drink provides and help them control their weight. In fact, one in five people drinking Enviga burn fewer, not more, calories and long-term studies on the ingredients show no consistent effect on weight.

8. DanActive "Immunity" Dairy Drink

This Dannon product claims to help “strengthen your body's defenses.” But the only study Dannon did to see if drinking DanActive kept people from getting sick found that it didn’t!

Frozen Food Buying Guide

I found this frozen food buying guide over at RealSimple.com, and thought the advice so straight forward I'd repost it for you here.

Frozen vegetables and fruits can actually be more nutritious than fresh, since they’re packaged immediately after harvesting and the nutrients stay at their peak. Vegetables and fruits typically last for about eight months unopened in the freezer.

Vegetables

Look for: Plain, 100 percent vegetables (they should be the only things on the ingredient list). There’s no nutritional difference among the boxed, bagged, or steam-in-bag plain varieties, so go with whatever you like. Make sure the vegetables haven’t frozen into a lump―a sign that they have been thawed and refrozen. This means they retain fewer vitamins, says Sarah Krieger, a registered dietitian in St. Petersburg, Florida, and a spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association.

 Avoid: Anything mixed with cheese, topped with sauce (such as garlic), or accompanied by pasta or rice. A cup of plain frozen broccoli, for example, has 30 calories, no fat, and 20 milligrams of sodium. Package that same vegetable in a cheese sauce and the calories more than double and the sodium soars to about 600 milligrams.

 Tip: Speed up meal prep during the week and amp up nutritional content by adding frozen vegetables (thawed in the microwave or a bowl of cool water) to casseroles, stews, and soups. You can also blend them into dips and use them to top fresh salads.

 

Fruit

Look for: Again, pure and simple fruit is the best option. The bags will stay good for about two months after they’ve been opened. Look for resealable bags to help prevent ice crystals, which can signal the fruit has become dehydrated and possibly lost some of its flavor or nutrients, says Krieger.

 Avoid: Fruits packaged with sugar. Frozen strawberries in syrup, for instance, can contain up to 11 times as much sugar (about 17 teaspoons) as natural, unsweetened ones.

 Tip: Frozen fruits can be delicious straight from the freezer. Mango chunks, cherries, and blackberries are particularly tasty when eaten ice-cold. You can also blend them into smoothies, or top pancakes, waffles, and yogurt with them for an antioxidant boost.

Marinated Sweet Chili Shrimp with Basil

      I found this wonderful grilled shrimp recipe online a few weeks ago, and I've been eager to try it ever since. The family and I love fresh shrimp, and the recipe seemed like one I could easily clean up. On my way home from work last night, I decided we'd make the following recipe for dinner. 

The one thing I forgot about? 

Physics Lesson #104: 

The 150 foot tall oak tree in your yard sheds a limb. Said limb is approximately 125 lbs.. 

Q: At what point does the limb reach Terminal Velocity? 

Let's ask my grill:

Go with God, my fair grill. Go to that little charcoal grill heaven in the sky.

So grilling was out of the picture for last night. What did I do? I turned the recipe into a stir-fry like riff on the original recipe, and it turned out terrific! My family LOVED it.

Original Recipe: Marinated Sweet Chili Shrimp With Basil

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Cup fresh diced tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 bunch fresh basil (about a 1/2 Cup)
• 1/4 c sweet chili sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 lbs. fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• skewers (soaked in water 1 hour)

Preparation

1. Put all your ingredients except the shrimp into a food processor and pulse until well blended. Transfer the mixture to a food storage bag with the shrimp. Gently shake until the shrimp are well coated. Refrigerate for a half hour turning twice.

2. Preheat your grill to medium, oil the grates to prevent the shrimp from sticking. Put a few shrimp on each skewer, and cook for about 3 minutes.


 My Stir-fry like Riff on the Recipe:

Ingredients

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 bunch fresh basil (about a 1/2 Cup)
• 1 big squeeze Gourmet Gardens Chili Pepper in a Tube
• 1 big squeeze organic ketchup
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 2 lbs. fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch

Preparation

1. Put all your ingredients except the shrimp and cornstarch into a food processor and pulse until well blended. Transfer the mixture to a food storage bag with the shrimp. Gently shake until the shrimp are well coated. Refrigerate for a half hour turning twice. 

2. Heat a large skillet until very hot. Cook the shrimp quickly until just cooked, stirring frequently , about 2-3 minutes. As the shrimp cooks, it will release water. The marinating sauce will go to the bottom of the skillet.  Remove all the shrimp from the pan once cooked, and set aside. Allow the marinating sauce to reduce for a few minutes.


3. In a small glass whisk together the cornstarch and just enough water to dissolve it into a thin slurry.  While stirring the sauce in the pan, add the cornstarch slurry quickly into the center of the pan until the sauce begins to thicken and "seize up", becoming more gravy like. Pour over shrimp and serve.


I served this over rice. 

Note - my family agreed it could have used a stronger acidic note. I didn't have any fresh tomatoes in the house, and opted not to go the canned route - so next time, I'll definitely add diced tomatoes.Also...get fresh basil. It is definitely worth it; the flavor was outstanding.

Gourmet Gardens Chili Pepper in a Tube:

http://seriousfoodforthesoul.blogspot.com/2011/12/marinated-grilled-shrimp-with-sweet.html

Cherry Pick To Lower Your Clean Eating Grocery Bill

 Definition of CHERRY-PICK

intransitive verb
: to select the best or most desirable

  One of the things I do in my spare time ( ha! )  is teach people how to coupon effectively over at weusecoupons.com,  one of the largest couponing forums on the Internet. Saving money at the grocery store is easy if you just take the time to map out a plan for the stores where you plan to shop.  If you live in a suburban area, more than likely you have 3-4 large grocery store chains competing for your business. If you receive the sale circulars in the mail ( or can pick them up the week before at the store ), you can take advantage of superior cherry picking to your benefit.The following is an article I wrote for weusecoupons about cherry picking deals at grocery stores. If you use this technique to shop for groceries
( whether Clean or Unclean... ) you can lower your grocery expenditures by at least 30% each month - simply by planning ahead and picking the best deals at each store.

    Cherry picking is a skill most seasoned shoppers use to carefully maximize their savings while ensuring what they are buying  are items that are recognized to be an excellent deal while avoiding those items at the store each week that are what I like to call “second or third tier deals.”

      Most grocery stores publish a circular each week to announce the week’s sale items. On nearly every front page, there will be one or two items that are deeply discounted and will catch your attention immediately. That’s the item you spot and mutter to yourself “Wow, that’s a great price for X…” With a little self control and some strategy, you can maximize your grocery budget by zeroing in on these items.

      These items are referred to by the grocery store industry as “loss leaders” – items that are priced just above or just below cost to lure shoppers into the store. The second part of the phrase – “leader” is where the industry hopes to make up the lost revenue – they are betting the average consumer will enter the store, buy the loss leader, and while they are in the store, pick up multiple full price items that will more than offset the minimal profit item in their basket.


 
The following is an excellent and relatively easy way to lower your overall cost of groceries. Gather together the 2 to 4 circulars for grocery stores in your area, or view them online.

• Take each circular and review to identify that store’s loss leaders for the week – the ½ price items, the items you instantly recognize as significantly below the regular cost, or those items that make for a great deal when the store coupon in the circular ( like Safeway ) matches up with a current, known manufacturer coupon.
• Make a list of these items, carefully noting the advertised price. Make a separate list for each store.
• If you have a running grocery list for the week (items perhaps listed on the fridge that you ran out of during the week or need to remind yourself to buy ) bring it over to the cherry pick list once you’ve completed identifying the loss leaders.
• Take the first item on your grocery list – for example, bananas. Look at the circulars before you, and see if they are on sale at one of the stores. If they are, note “bananas” on the cherry pick list for the store that has them on sale, again noting the price.
• Move to the next item on your running weekly list: English muffins. Are English muffins advertised as a sale item at store #1? No? Move to store #2. If you find it listed in one of the circulars, note it on that circular’s cherry pick list.
• Eventually you’ll have divided your running grocery list up amongst the stores before you.

So this week, my running grocery list for the week was bananas, cheese sticks, potato chips ( not for me!! ), apples, and English muffins. These are items I needed to replenish in my fridge or pantry. 2 large grocery store chains in the DC area where I live are Giant and Safeway.

Your list might look something like this:

Giant:
Cherry pick: Maxwell House Coffee, ½ price
Cherry Pick: Dawn dish detergent, ½ price
Cherry pick: chicken breasts, ½ price

Bananas: .29 / lb
Sargento cheese sticks, $2.50
Lay’s potato chips, $2


Safeway:
Cherry pick: 85% Ground beef , $1.99 / lb
Cherry pick: Eggs, $1.99 a dozen
Cherry pick: Tuna pouches, $1 each

Apples: .50 / lb
English muffins: Buy 2, get 2 free


Then note on your list which items on your list have a coupon:


Giant:
Cherry pick: Maxwell House Coffee, ½ price ( coupon )
Cherry Pick: Dawn dish detergent, ½ price ( coupon )
Cherry pick: chicken breasts, ½ price

Bananas: .29 / lb
Sargento cheese sticks, $2.50 ( coupon )
Lay’s potato chips, $2


Safeway:
Cherry pick: 85% Ground beef , $1.99 / lb
Cherry pick: Eggs, $1.99 a dozen ( coupon )
Cherry pick: Tuna pouches, $1 each ( coupon )

Apples: .50 / lb
English muffins: Buy 2, get 2 free ( coupon )


You are now fully prepared to go to each store. This part takes self discipline – the only things you can buy are what is on your list. The ONLY exception to this rule is when you stumble upon a clearance item or an unadvertised special. This is the ONLY time I will allow myself to deviate from my list.

Lowering your overall grocery bill is relatively easy if you take some time to plan what you are going to buy where - especially if you shop at more than one grocery store each week!

.75 off Nature's Own Whole Grain Bread

Nice! I love high value coupons like this on Clean products.

http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=xdboaff9851984&bt=vg&o=99773&c=SQ&p=8lFGdZ9W

Get .75 off any loaf of Nature's Own Whole Grain bread. I would also think this coupon would be good on their whole grain buns  which are a real treat for Clean Eaters! Nature's Own is one of the only semi-nationally distributed brands that doesn't put HFCS in their bread, their breads are whole grain - not just whole wheat - and the ingredient list is remarkably low. If you eat bread a few times a week, make it a brand like this one.


Coupon printing hint - you can actually print 2 copies of this coupon. Click the "Back" button on your browser after the coupon prints, and it will say "Document Expired" - Click "Try Again" - and then click "Resend" - a second coupon will print!

Quakeover

     The manipulation of the American public through advertising is something that interests me so much more now that I'm so in tune with what I'm eating. I'm so much more aware of advertising gimmicks and smoke & mirrors.

      In an effort to reinforce the healthy benefits of eating oatmeal, PepsiCo ( who owns Quaker Oats ) has given the Quaker Oats Logo a bit of subliminal manipulation: the Quaker Oats guy is thinner, with no double chin. His cheekbones are flatter, his face less round.

The Quaker Oats man has undergone a cereal makeover.
The smiling, white-haired man will be sporting a slimmer face, broader shoulders and tamer hairdo.
PepsiCo Inc., which owns the 134-year-old brand, chose to put the sweet-faced mascot on a diet to help consumers associate the products with “energy and healthy choices,” Justin Lambeth, Quaker’s chief marketing officer, told The Wall Street Journal.
They were careful to keep him jolly and inviting — no chiseled cheekbones or Botoxed grimace — but they axed his double chin and gave him a more flattering haircut.
“We took about 5 pounds off him,” said Michael Connors, the head designer of the firm hired to give the Quaker Oats man his new look.

 http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/quaker-oats-man-thinner-face-hairdo-broader-shoulders-promote-heathy-choices-article-1.1052762

It's funny how standards change over time. When they first thought him up, being fat was probably still a symbol of prosperity and health. In an effort to make you think "healthy" - they gave their logo a leaner look.

Product Review: Bolthouse Farms Carrot Juice

     I've been curious about carrot juice for some time now. I don't have a juicer at home ( not that I feel a particular urge to get one ) so when I stumbled upon a few Bolthouse Farms drinks coupons, I went to the refrigerated case in my store's produce department to see what I could see. Lo and behold, the Bolthouse Farms drinks were on sale - and with my coupon, very affordable for a "single serve" drink bottle.

         I was interested to read the bottle and find each bottle contains the juice of 8 carrots, and each serving ( there are 2 servings in a bottle ) contain 3 3/4 servings veggies. ( Remember, the term serving  is no longer the "preferred" phrase. Instead, the USDA wants us to refer to "cups" of fruits or vegetables per day.  )
The ingredients were as they should be- one ingredient - carrot juice. No added sugar. The sugars listed on the nutrition label are naturally occurring. 

     Carrot juice is well - carrot juice. It tastes a little sweeter than I expected - but it tasted like carrots. Liquid carrots. It's a little disconcerting drinking something so oddly orange colored, but after getting over my initial "Um...this is different." thoughts, I realized I didn't dislike it. I wouldn't call this a ringing endorsement. I liked it ok. Would I reach for a bottle of carrot juice as a snack? Maybe. Would I opt for a bottle as an accompaniment with a mid day mini-meal? Perhaps.

     I think carrot juice is one of those things you should try with an open mind, and decide for yourself.
I'll drink it again, I think. Perhaps each time I try it, I'll like it even more. I certainly didn't hate it - but drinking the same taste you are so used to crunching...it's an odd experience.

     Let me know what you think about carrot juice!

Coupon: Save .75 off 1 Carton Land O Lakes Eggs

Me and my coupons - just love saving money!

 Get .75 off one carton Land O Lakes Eggs! 

If your store doubles coupons under 99 cents, this coupon is worth $1.50 off 1 carton of eggs - not shabby at all! Even if your stores don't double - .75 is worth the effort; the savings add up quickly!

( If you've never printed a coupon from the Internet before, it will prompt you to install a small program onto your computer in order to print. This coupon printer is perfectly safe, and you can download it without worry. It will allow you to print coupons easily. )