Thanks to MyRecipes.com, I found this Cooking Light recipe for a chocolate cake that uses applesauce and bananas to keep it moist.  Because I followed the recipe exactly — shocking, I know! — I’ll just provide a link.

How it turned out:

It’s good, but not great.  Moist and relatively chocolately, it will do the trick when you are trying to be good and still have a little dessert. I do stress “little” — a serving is 1/16 of a 9 inch cake. (I cheated and had 1/8 of the cake, but as you can see below I still didn’t break the nutritional bank). I do think the instant coffee is the cause of a slight aftertaste, so I would recommend you leave that out. And a little cool whip always helps!

Nutrition information:

According to Cooking Light, a slice (remember that’s 1/16 of this cake) has 128 calories and 3.9 grams of fat (2.2g saturated fat). With 1.4 g fiber, 34 mg cholesterol, and 106 mg sodium, this cake is well within the nutritional guidelines for a healthy diet.  Which means that, when I have cake for breakfast in the morning, I won’t feel any guilt.

Smart Shopping:

Because I had all the ingredients on hand, I had to backtrack to estimate the cost.  I think that, even using higher end chocolate from Ghirardelli and organic flour and sugar, it penciled out to $6.00 or less.  It helps that I buy baking staples in bulk and with coupons, so I always have what I need for cookie emergencies.

That bring’s this week’s total to about $23.00 (out of $86.00), though I think I’ll be putting the rest of the chili in the freezer for next week. Three days in a row is enough.

Ingredients:

1 lb 93% lean ground beef ($2.75)
6 oz frozen onion ($.60)
2 15 oz cans organic black beans ($1.25/each)
2 10 oz cans Rotel ($1.29/each)
1 15 oz can organic tomato sauce ($1.19)
1 tsp Gourmet Garden organic chili paste ($.03)
1 15 oz can of stewed tomatoes with mexican seasoning ($1.25)
2 cans of whole kernel corn ($1.49/each)
shredded mexican blend cheese ($.30/tbs)

How I made it:

In a heavy stock pot, combine the beans, tomatoes, and corn and cook over medium heat.  Be sure to rinse the beans and corn before you add them, to reduce the extra sodium in the dish.  Add the chili paste. Stir to combine well and cover. Let cook while the ground beef and onions finish.

Brown the ground beef in a non-stick skillet. Because this is not the leanest ground beef, there will be a lot of fat in the pan.  Be sure to skim it all off to reduce the fat in the chili.  Add the onions and cook until they are translucent.

Add the meat and onions to the vegetables and stir well.  Cook until bubbly.  If you like it hot, add some more chili paste or some red pepper flakes. Garnish with 1 tbs shredded mexican blend cheese.

Makes 10 one cup servings. Cost: $1.68/serving.

(My favorite taste tester says a one cup serving is not a real serving, but it’s actually quite filling.)

Nutrition information:

Based on the Recommended Daily Intake values (which not everyone follows), this meal has 1/3 your day’s protein and 30% of the fiber.  Based on the new Choose My Plate dietary guidance, this chili is over half fruits and vegetables and uses lean protein and a little dairy.

Smart shopping:

Coupons and store specials are your friend.  One of the reasons I used ground beef with a higher fat content is that it was buy one package get one free. I got 6+ pounds of ground beef for $17.07 (a savings of over 75 cents a pound).  I’m also always on the look out for coupons and sales on things like Rotel, canned tomatoes, and beans. I use these ingredients a lot, so I stock up when I can.

Store brands can also be your friend. Especially Safeway’s O Organics brand. Often, the organic Safeway brand of canned goods is the same — if not a lower — price than regular brands.

Food deserts, food stamps, food insecurity, food banks — there is a lot of debate about how to improve the health of the poor by addressing nutrition and eating habits. Food stamp recipients should be allowed to buy kale but not krispy kremes, wheat bread not wonder bread. Fresh produce should be more widely available.  Community gardens are the answer.  Ketchup is a vegetable. It’s an issue of personal choice.

There are no simple answers (except that ketchup is certainly not a vegetable).  But I have an idea.

I remember years ago when my church shifted the way they put together the Christmas boxes for needy families.  It used to be that we provided potatoes, dried beans, flour, cornmeal, sugar, carrots and other vegetables, cranberries, and a turkey.  But in the 1990′s, we realized that many of the recipients were single and elderly, or were young families where the parents didn’t always know what to do with all these ingredients. So, we shifted to cans and boxes of food instead — easy to prepare but also highly processed, high sugar, high sodium, and not so healthy.  For us, it was more important that the recipients have food they could use than for them to have the food we thought they should eat. (And, to be honest, I think what we gave away was a closer reflection of what we were eating ourselves.)

Julie Guthman, an expert on issues of food and politics, has written that “poor people get the dregs.”  But I wonder if the issue isn’t that poor people don’t have the information and skills to make the most of the food they have. Creating healthy meals on a budget is hard enough – imagine doing it on food stamps!

Periodically, politicians and activists vow to eat for a month of what food stamps provide. In Alaska, the good intentioned folks pined for their lattes and complained that they couldn’t afford organic strawberries in February.  To me, that’s not a reasonable exercise in proving that poverty prevents healthy eating.  It sells papers, but it doesn’t help anyone.

So — here’s my plan: I’m going to create healthy meals within the food stamp allowance of $371/month for a household of 1 in (rural) Alaska. That works out to $86.00/week. That sounds like a lot, but remember how expensive our food stuffs are here.  (If I were to do this in my home state, the allowance would be $46.50.)

If I can’t do it, eat healthy on $86/week, then I’ll have reinforced my own belief that poverty compromises nutrition in a way that is not easily overcome with coupons and creative cooking.  If I can do it, then I’ll have a host of recipes to share with folks who are trying to raise healthy families without the luxury of a reasonable grocery budget.

If you’ve followed my kitchen meanderings for a while, you’ll remember my last bout of activism around food insecurity — fasting.  That was a dismal experience, for me and my friends, and was unsustainable.  I have much higher hopes this time around.

Ingredients:

1 lb frozen medium size shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 lb sea scallops, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 lb lump crab meat, rinsed and patted dry
2 tbs unsalted butter
4 tsp minced garlic
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup half and half
3/4 cup shredded parmesan, divided in half
salt and pepper
2 cups frozen broccoli florets
8 oz fettucini, cooked

How I made it:

Thaw the shrimp in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours.

In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter.  Saute the garlic for 2 minutes. Add the scallops and turn down the heat to medium.

Blanch the shrimp in boiling water for 2-3 minutes (it helps address the yucky grey color of the shrimp). Remove them from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and pat dry (carefully, they’ll be hot). Add the shrimp to the skillet, then the crab.  Turn the scallops and continue to cook until the seafood is heated through.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the heavy cream first, then the half and half. Stir to combine.  Sprinkle half of the shredded parmesan over the seafood mixture and stir again.  Salt and pepper to taste. Turn the heat down to low, and stir occasionally so that a skin doesn’t form while you prepare the pasta.

Cook the fettucini according to the package directions, adding the frozen broccoli four minutes before the pasta is al dente. When done, drain and rinse the pasta and broccoli.

Combine the pasta, broccoli, and seafood mixture in a large bowl, using tongs to ensure that the pasta is thoroughly coated. This is a thin sauce, so it should combine easily. Top with the remaining shredded cheese and serve.

How it turned out:

Wonderful! Not only was it delicious the first night, the leftovers were even better.

(Makes 6 servings)

The Prepara Cookook Stand is designed for a tablet!!  It’s adjustable and it swivels. My Kindle Fire fits perfectly behind the protective screen, allowing me to see the recipe AND cook with my usual reckless abandon without worrying about the health and safety of my technology. Oh — and it will hold a book or magazine, too.

Ingredients:

won ton wrappers
1 8 oz container 1/3 less fat Philadelphia Onion and Chive Cream Cheese
1 cup crab meat (or krab meat)
2 tbs water

How to make it:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Chop the crab/krab meat finely.  Mix it into the cream cheese, making sure to blend thoroughly.

Spoon a 1-2 tsp sized dollop of filling into the center of a won ton wrapper. Don’t over fill it. Wet the edges of the wrapper with water (a quick swipe of the finger is enough). Fold the corners together to create a purse, sealing the edges closed. Continue to make the rangoons until you are out of filling.

Place the rangoons on a non-stick baking sheet (or a sheet lined with non-stick foil).  Spray with olive oil in a mister or an olive oil cooking spray. Bake until the won tons are crispy and golden (about 10 minutes, but keep an eye on them).

How they turned out:

Good, and with less guilt than the fried version at your favorite Chinese restaurant. But — they are only good while hot.  Right out of the oven, they are too hot (you’ll melt your mouth).  After about 15-20 minutes, they get cold and gummy.  So only make as many as you will need, or make them in batches so that your guests get hot and yummy appetizers.

Ingredients:

2 cans Bruce’s Yams in syrup
2 tbs unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp nutmeg
marshmallows

How to make it:

In a sturdy bowl, mash the yams. Do this by hand, not with a mixer, so that they retain some structure (they should not be pureed).  Add the cream and butter and blend well. Finally, stir in the nutmeg.

Spread the sweet potato mixture into a greased casserole dish. Top with marshmallows. (I use the large ones and cut them in half, placing them cut side down on top of the casserole.)

Bake the casserole at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through and browned on top.  You might want to cover it with foil to heat it through and then brown the marhsmallows right at the end.  Otherwise, keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn.

How it turns out:

Perfect every time. Pair with your Thanksgiving turkey, a holiday ham, or even fried chicken.

Ingredients:

1 14-16 pound organic free range turkey
1/4 cup  salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons chile powder
1 orange
1 lime
1 small yellow onion, halved
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3/4 cup good quality maple syrup
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups Jim Beam Black double aged bourbon

How I Made It:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Rinse and pat dry the turkey, removing the bag of giblets and the neck.  Place these (sans bag) in the bottom of the roasting pan.  Place the turkey, breast side up, in the rack in the roasting pan.

Combine the salt, sugar, and chili powder. Rub the seasoning all over the turkey, making sure to evenly spice the entire bird.

Quarter the orange, lime, and onion. Stuff these into the turkey, then follow with the garlic cloves and the bay leaves.

In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, combine the molasses, maple syrup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and 1 cup of bourbon. Heat over medium heat and stir continuously until blended and smooth.  (This is where I left the Beekman Boys behind — my recipe calls for bourbon in the basting sauce as well as the pan.)

With a silicone brush, thoroughly cover the turkey with the maple bourbon sauce. Make sure to get a few tablespoons into the cavity as well.  You should use at least half of the sauce, but make sure you have enough reserved for basting as it roasts.

Pour 1 cup of bourbon into the bottom of the roasting pan (not over the bird). Cover the wing tips with foil and  tie the drumsticks with kitchen twine.  Finally, tent the entire turkey with non-stick foil.

Roast covered for 90 minutes. Uncover, baste well with maple bourbon sauce, and continue roasting for 30 minutes.

Using a meat thermometer in the thigh, check the temperature.  If the turkey has reached 150 degrees or so, baste again and return uncovered to the oven. (If it hasn’t, keep roasting covered and check every 15 minutes until it reaches 150 degrees).

Roast the turkey uncovered for another 30 minutes, basting as needed (I’m a frequent baster because I like a moist turkey).  After 30 minutes, check to ensure that the turkey has reached 165 degrees. If it has, remove from the oven.

Let rest covered for 15 minutes before carving.

How It Turned Out:

Wonderful! Moist, flavorful, and if you have folks who like the  turkey skin — this will be their favorite turkey ever.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup Splenda+sugar blend
1/2 tsp salt
1 can organic pumpkin
2 large eggs
1/3 cup canola oil
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

How I Made Them:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the muffin tin(s) with festive liners.

Combine the dry ingredients, sifting together with a fork until well combined. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then add the pumpkin and canola oil and mix well. Combine the dry and wet mixtures until blended and smooth.  Add the chocolate chips.

Fill the muffin tins about 3/4 full. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

How They Turned Out:

Moist with a lovely texture, not too dense or too crumby, these are wonderful with a glass of cold milk. The taste is complex, with chocolate the primary impression at first and the pumpkin and spices coming through underneath.  I’m wondering if some cream cheese frosting wouldn’t be a nice addition, or if it would just be gilding a pumpkin.

Ingredients:

2 cups organic flour
1 cup Splenda-sugar blend
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 organic or vegetarian-fed cage free eggs
1 can organic pumpkin
1 cup canola oil
6 tbs organic unsalted butter
1 package Pamela’s dark chocolate frosting mix
4 tbs water

How I Made It:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9 inch cake pans with Baker’s Secret or use nonstick pans.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl.  Beat the eggs, adding the pumpkin and canola oil and mixing thoroughly.  Add the wet mixture to the dry and mix on medium-slow speed until completely combined and smooth.

Pour the batter into the cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool cakes completely. Using a serated knife, cut just enough off the top of one of the cakes to make it flat.

Make the frosting according to the directions on the package.  Spread a layer of frosting on the top of the flat cake.  Add the next cake layer and frost completely.  There will be just enough frosting for the cake, so frost carefully (don’t sneak too many tastes).

How It Turned Out:

The ginger gives the cake just a little bite, balancing the dark sweet frosting.  It’s dense, moist and full of vitamins.  Add a little homemade whipped cream if you want.