How You Vote Every Week and May Not Realize It

At the end of the film “Food, Inc.”, we are reminded that every time we as consumers buy food at the grocery store, we are essentially voting with our wallet and choosing the way we want the food industry in our county to go. A perfect example of this reality happened to me this past weekend when I went to wholesale store Costco. I was drawn there by the allure of more affordable new tires for my car. While they worked their magic, I had some time on my hands and wandered around the store.

The last time I shopped at Costco was probably in the 90's with my mom, stocking up on Bagel Bites and Chicken Taquitos . Let me tell you, a lot has changed since those days, and I believe that it has everything to do with customer demand.

Every aisle held surprises as I noticed a startling amount of healthy foods: bags of frozen fish fillets, huge jars of almond butter for $5, bags of steel-cut oats, and organic chicken and beef. The samples we tried (always the best part of a Costco trip) included free-range chicken meatballs, fruit smoothies made in a Vitamix blender, and Organic Tuscan Italian dressing (made with sea salt) on vegetables.

This was a far cry from the Whitecastle frozen mini hamburgers I remember being offered on childhood visits to Costco. While the store may still stock the freezers with Bagel Bites, they are also adding a lot of health-conscious selections. At least where this business is concerned, the voice of the people is being heard and catered to. So never underestimate the power of your vote for organic/local produce and free-range/grass-fed/sustainable meats!

And in case you’re wondering if the Costco hot dogs taste better now than in the past, the answer is sadly: not really. But I had to check just in case, because hey, $1.50 with drink included is hard to turn down. I never learn.

I Need You to Know... About Pork Belly

I consider it my solemn blogger duty to report that there may be something missing in your life. At least it was missing from my life until this weekend, when a trip to local Sacramento restaurant Roxy alerted me to the deficiency.

Pork belly.

Not pig stomach as my husband initially thought it meant, but pork belly - a tender, moist, rich cut of pork taken from the stomach region.

We had brunch at Roxy on Saturday, a rancher-owned restaurant where the quality of the meat draws locals out morning, noon and night. To be specific, the dish that blew me away consisted of the following: A crispy Southern-style biscuit topped with a slice of braised pork belly, melted aged cheddar, and a softly poached egg. Oh, and a few vegetables and greens, but they're not really the point here.

Have you ever cut open a delicate poached egg and watched the yellow yolk ooze over a braised piece of pork belly so tender that it falls apart when you cut into it? I highly recommend it if you haven't.

I now consider my duty complete.

Miracle Berry

Last night, I attended a free Yelp event where I encountered a most intriguing new product. Miracle Berry hails from West Africa originally, and is now available in pill format in the US as a red pill that dissolves on the tongue. For approximately 20 minutes afterwards, anything sour will taste sweet.

My favorite thing to eat while "flavor tripping" was lemon slices. It tasted like drinking delicious lemonade. Also on the table: balsamic vinegar and hot sauce. Funniest moment: my husband taking a shot of the hot sauce. Sure, the miracle berry made it drinkable, but the physical effects of the heat were still evident. Moments after taking the shot, my husband was coughing, hiccuping and sweating. I guess the berry could fool his tongue, but not the rest of this body!

I don’t recommend eating other sweet things while the effects of the pill last, because the flavor will be noticeably off. The mini cupcake I had towards the end of my 20-minute experience was not satisfying because of the strange stuff going on with my taste buds.

But I would love to try Miracle Berry again, especially with lemons!

The Candwich

It's time for another unbelievable story from the world of food. A new product now pushes the limits of what we thought was possible with regards to convenience food. I give you, the Candwich! Now lunch can be as easy for you as opening a soda. Pop open a can and you will find a ready-made sandwich on the inside- available in Strawberry PB&J, Grape PB&J, or (this one turns my stomach) BBQ Chicken. (To me, meat is not meant to sit on a shelf for months. I have a problem with that idea; meat-flavored spaghetti sauce has the same repulsive effect.)

From the look of their ad, the Candwich is going to be aggressively marketed to children, campers and construction workers. The product is not yet available, according to their web site, but may be "coming soon". Part of me can see the appeal to a backpacker because of the lightweight and durable nature of the can. But could one (or even two) of these dinky sandwiches on what looks like white bread (no fiber!) fill up a construction worker for a full day of manual labor? Even for a young child, do we want to teach the next generation that spreading two items on a slice of (hopefully whole grain) bread is "too much work"? If the Candwich ever does pop up in my grocery store, I will not be putting it in my cart.

The KFC Monstrosity and Cavemen

What. The. Heck. Is. This.

KFC has announced that their new Double Down sandwich which debuted in April, will remain around as long as the demand for it is strong. Originally only intended as a 6-week promotion, this stunning invention features 2 pieces of fried chicken, processed ham and processed cheese. No bun. Just meat. The advertisements market the Double Down as a very "manly" thing to eat.

The sandwich contains 32 grams of saturated fat and KFC has sold 10 million already. This feels to me like a major loss in the battle against obesity in America. Furthermore, I can’t help but wonder why the idea of masculinity has to be equated with foolish dietary choices, particularly menu items that are heavy on meat and fat and light on anything nourishing. Carls Jr. generally has the corner on this market, with their ads encouraging a mentality of "I’m a manly man who hangs out with my cool guy buddies and together we stuff our arteries with the biggest, fattiest burgers in town".

I hope the future holds a different kind of advertising industry. I want to see masculine men making healthy dietary choices, taking responsibility for their bodies and health. Spokesman Jared of Subway fame comes closest to this ideal at this time, although he’s not exactly a sex symbol.

The reality of our diet comes down to this fact: a body that is healthy and fit is sexy. A diet of junk food should stop being attractive around the time of high school graduation, like many other stupid choices made by the young. Let's hope that we can evolve beyond the "carnivorous cave man" mentality by making smarter dietary choices so we can curb the tide of diet-related disease and deaths that plagues our country today.

Best Prepared Indian Food?

I received a wonderful basket of prepared sauces from a friend recently, and we have been testing them. I already gave high marks to the W-S Sloppy Joe starter. Tonight, we sampled a Coconut Tamarind Curry sauce made by Maya Kaimal. I have also tried the Tikka Masala sauce made by the same brand and I am very impressed with their products.

Indian food is tricky. I have tried multiple kinds of prepared Indian dishes, from frozen to canned to pouches and most were inedible, to be honest. Maya Kaimal has offered the best made-at-home option that I've found. It couldn't be easier to make- just brown the meat/fish, add in vegetables of your choice, simmer in the sauce for a few minutes, and serve it up over basmati rice.

The products are available at igourmet.com, some Williams-Sonoma stores, some Whole Foods Markets, and other grocers depending on the area. More info can be found at http://mayakaimal.com/index.html.

Nuggets of Goodness

I blogged about a few W-S products I like last time, but we’re all cutting back these days (whether in money or in calories), so here are a few of my favorite healthy grocery store finds. All can be found at the Nugget market, and many can be found elsewhere as well.

Kashi Raspberry Chocolate Bars: These taste indulgent but offer 4g of fiber and make a tasty afternoon pick-me-up.

Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: Addictive, smooth, creamy, delicious. Fanastic with crackers or vegetables.

Figueroa Olive Oil: Produced at an LA-area farm, this extra-virgin olive oil has got me hooked with its delectable fruity notes. I use it in salad dressings, marinades, baked goods, etc. Nothing like the bland, flavorless brands you usually find at the grocery store. Wallaby Organic yogurt: The Strawberries and Cream tastes like just that - mild, creamy yogurt mixed with chunky, real fruit. I feel like I’m eating dessert at snacktime!

Yummy Food Product Recommendations

Here are some of my favorite food products that I have tried lately! (Courtesy of a delicious Christmas basket of treats from my friend Laurel, and a free coupon courtesy of Starbucks!)

Mixed with ground beef or turkey and served on toasted whole wheat buns, this Sloppy Joe starter from Williams-Sonoma makes a delicious, quick dinner.

A healthy breakfast to go! The Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal comes with a mixed nut medley, a dried fruit medley, and a packet of brown sugar. Mmm! Healthwise, it sure beats an Egg McMuffin.

‘Wichcraft Cranberry and Apricot Chutney: Delicious on grilled sourdough with roasted chicken or turkey, this fruity condiment begs to be put in a panini. Also available at Williams-Sonoma.

Meatloaf - It's what's for Dinner!

My aunt bought me the following Christmas present:

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Norpro 2 Piece Nonstick Meatloaf Bread Pan Set

You can use the outer pan for baking bread and pound cake. But the double design is especially good for making meatloaf, as the unique design allows the fat with its calories and cholesterol to drain into the bottom pan.

I don't know if my aunt was aware that I have a special place in my heart for meatloaf (hello, comfort food!), but tonight I used this pan to make my own special meatloaf. I knew I would have my work cut out for me, seeing as my husband reminded me that he does not normally care for this dish.

So I came up with the following recipe:

Delicious Meatloaf

Mix together in a bowl until smooth:
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1 piece of wheat bread, blended into crumbs (pop it in the blender until it's smooth)
Sprinkle of dried onions
Garlic salt and freshly ground pepper, to salt

Mix in:
1 lb. lean beef

Then shape mixture into loaf plan and top with sauce, a mixture of:
1/3 c. ketchup
2 T. brown sugar
Squeeze of lemon juice, yellow mustard, and honey.

Bake in 350F oven for 45 minutes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes, then slice and serve. Serves 4.

Result: After a few bites, my husband admitted, "I actually like this meatloaf." That's the best compliment a cook can hope for!

My Tribute to Whole Foods Market

A lunchtime run to the local Whole Foods Market inspired this, my tribute to this indulgent treat of a store.

Things I Love About Whole Foods Market:

1) The amazing prepared food section. From the deli, I love their all-natural chicken tenders and delicious couscous salad with seasonal veggie and dried fruit. Whether you're looking for Mexican, BBQ, Hanukkah specialities, soup, panini, speciality baked goods, or salads, Whole Foods has it ready to take out!

2) Holistic healing magazines and their own store magazine, which features recipes such as vegan pumpkin pie. I don't know who makes and eats that stuff but it's fascinating nonetheless. Gotta love it!

3) Cute reusable bags and quirky cards and gifts for sale

4) Organic... everything! From fresh fruits and veggies to canned fire-roasted tomatoes to whole wheat bread, you'll find it here. Plus sustainably harvested fish, humanely raised meat, and a staggering offering of health foods that can be hard to find elsewhere. Quinoa, flaxseed meal, and soy cheese, oh my!

5) Non-dairy options, even including soy eggnog, which I bought today! Now THAT'S what I'm talkin' about! My Christmas just got a whole lot merrier.

6) Edgy-looking but nice employees. Also, most of them seem to be Asian. I don't know why.

7) The ambiance itself seems to radiate good karma. I feel that I'm doing the earth and my body a good turn every time I visit. Or is it just me?