Gwyneth Paltrow quits the food stamp challenge after four days

What Paltrow bought with her $29 (Twitter)

After four long days living like America’s poor, Gwyneth Paltrow broke her much-mocked attempt at shopping on a food stamp budget in search of some chicken and black licorice.

The multimillionaire mom was derided last week when she accepted the #FoodBankNYCChallenge from celebrity chef Mario Batali. The idea is to experience how difficult it is for families to live on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) — better known as food stamps. So she set out with $29 — the amount the average person on food stamps receives — and every intention of showing those strapped for cash how to do it.

Less than a week later, the famished “Iron Man” actress has given up.

“As I suspected, we only made it through about four days, when I personally broke and had some chicken and fresh vegetables (and in full transparency, half a bag of black licorice),” she wrote on her blog, GOOP. “My perspective has been forever altered by how difficult it was to eat wholesome, nutritious food on that budget, even for just a few days — a challenge that 47 million Americans face every day, week, and year.”

Indeed, Paltrow’s grocery list was a little unusual given the task. She came home with a dozen eggs, some black beans and brown rice, and an array of fruits and veggies — including a baffling number of limes. Seven.

The Washington Post’s Abby Phillip said it looked like tacos in the making. Others noted the ingredients were better suited for a Paltrow detox recipe. The whole bag of food would have likely given her roughly 1,000 calories a day to work with, according to the Frisky’s Rebecca Vipond Brink.


Her noble attempt was mostly met with eye rolls.

“Don’t worry, poor people: Gwyneth Paltrow is here to show you how to GOOP your food-stamp benefits,” someone tweeted late last week.

The purpose, it seems, was really more about proving that it can’t be done. To be fair, SNAP is intended to be a supplemental program, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Paltrow said the purpose of the challenge was to raise awareness and money for the Food Bank for New York City (as Batali attempts to fight against food stamp cuts.)

In the end, it gave Paltrow a reason to speak out about income equality.

“I am even more outraged that there is still not equal pay in the workplace,” she wrote. “Sorry to go on a tangent, but many hardworking mothers are being asked to do the impossible: Feed their families on a budget which can only support food businesses that provide low-quality food. The food system in our beautiful country needs to be subjected to a heavy revision — it is a cyclical problem, with repercussions that we all feel. I’m not suggesting everyone eat organic food from some high horse in the sky. I’m saying everyone should be able to afford fresh, real food. And if women were paid an equal wage, families might have more of a choice in the grocery aisles, not to mention in the rest of their lives.”

“I know hunger doesn’t always touch us all directly — but it does touch us all indirectly,” she added. “After this week, I am even more grateful I am able to provide high-quality food for my kids.”

Source

Things that twenty-something year olds need to stop wasting money on

We’re all guilty of wasting money in one way or another. Millennials? Well, unchet’s just say our generation has an extra-special knack for blowing through our hard-earned cash.

One of our biggest hurdles? That would be food. We’ve been told to eat organic, locally-sourced ingredients—none of which comes cheap. Some of this stuff is so costly (is cold-pressed juice really worth $13?) that it’s not out of the realm to wonder if we’re being taken on a wild spending ride by food marketers.

Paying for convenience is another one of our pain points. It’s a relatively new phenomenon, thanks to the fact that all we have to do is press a button and we can have a car pick us up in three minutes, get sushi delivered in 15 minutes, or a pair of Jimmy Choos overnighted to our door.

Here, a list of 30 things twenty-somethings should think twice about before spending their money on. We aren’t saying you shouldn’t ever splurge—that’s no fun—but we are suggesting you give your spending habits a proper analysis in order to see where you could cut back that wouldn’t end up impacting your quality of living.

1. Daily lattes. Add up how much getting a fancy cup of coffee every day for 365 days is costing you and you might never be able to get out of bed again. Well, we did the math for you: Assuming your coffee is costing $5 a day, that’s a yearly spend of $1,825. Swallow that.

2. Unused gym memberships. We get it, you want to be fit, but sometimes saving money comes down to getting real with yourself. If you aren’t taking advantage of your gym membership, cancel it. You don’t need to be paying $100 a month for the idea that you could be going to the gym if you wanted to.

3. Seamless. The convenience factor of ordering takeout from basically any restaurant in your neighborhood is hard to resist (especially after a long day at work). Just like Uber, if you add up how much $20 here, and $35 there for dinner is costing you, you might just make a vow to never eat again.

4. Kale. We’ve been instructed en masse to eat superfoods like kale, goji berries, and chia seeds. Ever notice how expensive some of these foods are? We are starting to think this might be some massive conspiracy by grocery stores.

5. Credit card interest. Millenials are notorious for racking up credit card debt. Pay attention to your interest rates, and consider plans like debt consolidation, transferring your debt to another card, or simply working out a plan to pay off that debt once and for all.

Adam Katz Sinding

6. Fast fashion. You’ve probably rolled your eyes at stories told to you by your grandmother about how she bought one coat, and then wore it for the next 30 years. But that generation might have had it right. Raise your hand if you’re guilty of buying a huge quantity of clothes, and then only wearing each item a handful of times. Sometimes smart investment shopping will save you money in the long run.

7. Brand names. Do you really need brand-name cereal, brand-name toilet paper, brand-name chips, and brand-name aspirin? We didn’t think so.

8. Throwing away leftovers. Let’s also take a cue from previous generations here, and learn to make use of our food leftovers, not just throw them away.

9. Pressed juice. If you aren’t earning Harry Styles or Selena Gomez type money in your twenties, do yourself a favor and just stop drinking $12 pressed juices. You probably can’t afford it.

10. Late fees. We know, going out on your own is tough. Sometimes saving money simply means staying organized and on top of your bills to avoid late fees. Why pay extra when you don’t have to.


11. Uber. There’s nothing quite as easy as pressing a button and having a car appear to take you where you need to go. We don’t need to tell you that your Uber habit is adding up, big time. Give yourself an Uber (or taxi) cap for the month, and do your best to stick to it.

12. Eating out. This is a big one for millennials, many of which plan social activities around eating out. The best way to address this money-waster among your group of friends? Be the one to break the cycle and plan other, cheaper activities that are just as fun (pot-luck dinners, “House of Cards” binge watching sessions, you get the idea).

13. Overdraft fees. Make it a part of your routine to monitor how much money you have in your bank account to avoid overdraft fees.

14. Takeout lunch. How many days are you eating an over-priced salad for lunch during the workday? It requires a little bit of effort, but a huge money-saver is bringing your lunch to work. We know, you’ve heard this advice again and again, but think about it–you could easily end up spending $2,600 a year on salad (that’s five salads a week for 52 weeks).

15. Paying too much for smartpone data. Millenials love their smartphones. They love spending hours on Instagram, on the Internet, but we caution, watch how much money you are spending a month for your phone provider, and if you are paying overage charges for smartphone data. A quick (and beyond) easy trick to minimize these extra charges is to make sure you get on Wi-Fi wherever you can.


16. The latest tech gadgets. Is the next iPhone really going to be that different from the current one? Do you really need the latest tablet? Don’t fall under the marketing spell of rushing to buy the newest model of every gadget you own.

17. Not negotiating. Most things in life can and should be negotiated. The price of your cable package, the interest rate on your credit card, the rent increase on your apartment? Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.

18. Overpriced cocktails. We know, that rosewater martini with liquid gold is just so damn pretty, but you don’t need to spend $25 on a drink to have a fun night out.

Professional baker taste tests donuts

Feeding babies food with peanuts may prevent allergies

Babies at high risk for becoming allergic to peanuts are much less likely to develop the allergy if they are regularly fed foods containing the legumes starting in their first year of life.

That's according to a big new study released Monday involving hundreds of British babies. The researchers found that those who consumed the equivalent of about 4 heaping teaspoons of peanut butter each week, starting when they were between 4 and 11 months old, were about 80 percent less likely to develop a peanut allergy by their fifth birthday.

"This is certainly good news," says Gideon Lack of King's College London, who led the study. He presented the research at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. It was also published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

As many as 2 million U.S. children are estimated to be allergic to peanuts — an allergy that has been increasing rapidly in the United States, Britain and other countries in recent years. While most children who are allergic to peanuts only experience relatively mild symptoms, such as hives, some have life-threatening reactions that can include trouble breathing and heart problems.

"Peanut allergy can be extremely serious," Lack says.

Lack's study was launched after he noticed that Israeli kids are much less likely to have peanut allergies than are Jewish kids in Britain and the United States.

"My Israeli colleagues and friends and young parents were telling me, 'Look, we give peanuts to these children very early. Not whole peanuts, but peanut snacks,' " Lack says.

Peanut snacks called Bamba, which are made of peanut butter and corn, are wildly popular in Israel, where parents give them to their kids when they're very young. That's very different from what parents do in Britain and the United States, where fears about food allergies have prompted many parents to keep their children away from peanuts, even though the American Academy of Pediatrics revised a recommendation to do so in 2008.

"That raised the question whether early exposure would prevent these allergies" by training babies' immune systems not to overreact to peanuts, Lack says. "It's really a very fundamental change in the way we're approaching these children."

To try to find out, Lack and his colleagues got funding from the U.S. National Institutes of Health to launch a study. They found 640 babies who were at high risk for developing peanut allergies because they already had eczema or egg allergy. They asked half of the infants' parents to start feeding them Bamba, peanut butter, peanut soup or peanut in some other form before their first birthday and followed them for about five years.

"What we found was a very great reduction in the rate of peanut allergy," Lack says. About 17 percent of the kids who avoided peanuts developed peanut allergies, compared with only 3.2 percent of the kids who ate peanuts, the researchers reported.

Based on the findings, Lack thinks most parents should start feeding their babies peanut products as early as possible — not whole peanuts or globs of peanut butter, but peanut mixed in some other food to avoid any possible choking hazard.

"We've moved, really, 180 degrees from complete avoidance to we should give peanuts to young children actively," Lack says.

Other allergy experts hailed the results as an important advance.

"This is a major study — really what we would call a landmark study," says Scott Sicherer, who advises the American Academy of Pediatrics on allergies. "There's been a huge question about why there's an increase in peanut allergy and what we can do to try to stem that increase. And this is a study that directly addresses that issue."

But Sicherer says we have to be careful, since some kids are really sensitive to peanuts.

"If you're a parent sitting at home with your child looking at them saying, 'Well, gee, they didn't eat peanut yet. Maybe I should run to the cupboard and get some peanut butter for them,' it could be a little bit dangerous because if you do that and the child has a bad allergic reaction, you would be at home and have a problem," Sicherer says.

So Sicherer says parents who have some reason to think their kids might be allergic to peanuts should get them tested first and then only try feeding them peanuts with a doctor in the room.

But other specialists say for most parents, the new findings should encourage them to start feeding their kids peanuts as early as possible.

"This is a question we get asked constantly in our clinic. When parents come in, they often have young children. They want to know what should they do. This really provides us with the answer," says Hugh Sampson, who heads the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at Mount Sinai in New York. Sampson co-authored an editorial being published with the study.

"So now I think we're on firm ground, and we can go forward and look the parents in the eye and say, 'This is something that will be beneficial,' " Sampson says.

A key question is whether kids will have to keep eating peanuts to keep any allergy at bay. Lack is following the kids in his study to find out what happened to them after they stopped eating peanuts regularly.

Source

Billy on the street with FLOTUS and Big Bird

Billy On The Street with First Lady Michelle Obama, Big Bird, And Elena!!! from Funny Or Die

Recipe: Healthy Fettuccine Alfredo

This recipe replaces parmesan cheese normally found in fettuccine alfredo for cauliflower. It is not an exact substitute but still a delicious, guilt-free alternative!

Ingredients

1 lb. uncooked fettuccine noodles
3 small heads cauliflower
6 cups vegetable broth
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup heavy cream
1 cup starchy boiling water from pasta pot
Pinch of parsley for garnish


INSTRUCTIONS
1. Chop the cauliflower. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil over medium high heat and add cauliflower. Cook until cauliflower is soft, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and saute for 4-5 minutes or until soft and fragrant.

2. As the garlic and cauliflower are cooking, bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the fettuccine according to directions on package, reserving some of the starchy water to add to the sauce later.

3. Transfer cauliflower to a food processor with about 2 cups of the broth. Add the sauteed garlic, salt, nutmeg, and black pepper and puree until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Once the mixture is moving, stream the olive oil into the blender. Add more broth or water if the mixture is too thick to move through the blender. You want it to turn through the blender easily. When puree is very smooth, transfer back to the butter/garlic skillet.

4. Add the cream and cook over low heat. Add the starchy pasta water (or regular water if you're not making pasta) and keep warm until ready to serve. Combine noodles and sauce in a large pot or skillet and serve immediately. Eight servings.

Heinz reveals new sriracha flavored ketchup

Heinz® Tomato Ketchup has been a key player in happy gatherings for generations – starting this month, Heinz is giving fans one more reason to smile with new Heinz Ketchup Blended with Sriracha Flavor. This exciting twist on a classic maintains the recognizable taste and consistency of America’s Favorite Ketchup®, with an added kick from spicy chili pepper and garlic flavors.

“We are thrilled to announce that Heinz Tomato Ketchup Blended with Sriracha Flavor will join the beloved Heinz Ketchup portfolio,” said Joseph Giallanella, Brand Manager of Heinz Tomato Ketchup. “Building off of our successful line of flavored ketchups, fans told us that they would love another bold take on their favorite condiment. The new offering adds a new kick to your favorite foods and recipes, pairing well with cheeseburgers, French fries and hot dogs, and is the perfect flavor boost for chicken and eggs.”

The flavor comes in the familiar upside-down 14-ounce plastic squeeze bottle featuring a green and red label. It joins a line of flavored ketchups currently offered by Heinz, including Heinz Tomato Ketchup Blended with Real Jalapeno, Heinz Tomato Ketchup Blended with Balsamic Vinegar and Heinz Hot & Spicy Ketchup Blended with Tabasco® Brand Pepper Sauce.

“From family gatherings to backyard BBQs and ballpark visits, Heinz Tomato Ketchup has been a mainstay in national celebrations for generations, inspiring unique, happy memories associated with the iconic brand,” Giallanella says. “This latest launch continues in this 140 year tradition.”

Heinz Ketchup Blended with Sriracha Flavor is now available at select retailers, including Walmart and Target locations, for a suggested retail price of $2.69.

Source

Recipe: Spinach Avocado Pasta

Ingredients

• 2 cups of pasta (I used linguine)
• 1/4 cooked spinach
• 1 ripe avocado
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tbsp of lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Cook the pasta per the package instructions. Drain the pasta.

2. Cook the spinach using 1 tsp of the olive oil.

3. Combine the spinach, avocado, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender. Blend until creamy.

4. Mix the mixture with the cooked pasta. Serve immediately.

Chipotle stops serving pork at hundreds of restaurants

Gene Puskar/AP

Chipotle says it stopped serving pork at hundreds of its restaurants after suspending a supplier that violated its standards.

Chris Arnold, a spokesman for the Mexican food chain, told The Associated Press it's the first time the company stopped serving a topping for its burritos and bowls. He said Chipotle learned of the violation by the supplier on Friday through a routine audit, and did not have a timeline for when carnitas would return to affected stores, about a third of its total base.

"It's hard to say how long it will last," he said.

In New York City on Tuesday, a sign on the door of a Chipotle location stated, "SORRY, NO CARNITAS."

Arnold said most of the issues related to the violations concerned the housing for the pigs. Chipotle demands that its suppliers raise pigs in humane conditions with access to the outdoors, rather than in cramped pens.

On other occasions, Chipotle customers may have noticed signs saying a restaurant is serving meat that doesn't meet the company's "responsibly raised" standards. That's typically because Chipotle has trouble securing supplies of beef raised without antibiotics or hormones, Arnold said. The company then serves beef that was "conventionally raised."

That is not happening with the carnitas, however.

"In this case, we won't make that kind of substitution," Arnold said in an email.

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. had 1,724 restaurants as of Sept. 30. The Denver-based chain has enjoyed strong sales growth, in part by positioning its food as a higher quality alternative to traditional fast-food restaurants. In the latest quarter, sales surged 19.8 percent at established locations.

Paul Shapiro, vice president of farm animal protection for The Humane Society of the United States, said that most breeding pigs in the country are kept in gestation crates with concrete floors. Pigs that are raised with access to the outdoors or bedding represent a "very small portion of the pork industry," he said.

Even among farms where pigs have better conditions, Shapiro said access to the outdoors can vary.

"It doesn't mean these animals are living in ideal conditions on Old MacDonald's farm," he said.

As for Chipotle, Arnold said the company is looking at a variety of ways to remedy its carnitas shortage, including the use of different cuts of pork or increasing orders from other suppliers. He said he hopes the supplier in question will fix its issues and eventually come "back on board."

Arnold said the carnitas topping typically accounts for about 6 to 7 percent of entree orders; chicken is the most popular topping.

Source 

How McDonalds makes its French fries

Recipe: Turkey Quinoa Meatloaf and Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients

1/4 cup quinoa
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 (20 ounce) package ground turkey
1/3 cup grated zucchini
1/3 cup grated carrot
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Frank's Red Hot
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon water

Directions

1. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute; remove from heat to cool.
4. Stir the turkey, cooked quinoa, onions, tomato paste, hot sauce, 2 tablespoons Worcestershire, carrot, zucchini, egg, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well combined. The mixture will be very moist. Shape into a loaf in a greased loaf pan.
5. Combine the brown sugar, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire, and 1 teaspoon water in a small bowl. Rub the paste over the top of the meatloaf.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 50 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Since this meatloaf is very moist, some excess liquid may need to be drained off during cooking. Let the meatloaf cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

8 medium red potatoes, quartered
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup fat-free milk, warmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Place potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.
2. Drain well. Add the butter, milk and salt; mash. Stir in cheese.

Recipe: Smoky bean and spinach slider

Ingredients

2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 cup chopped onion
2 15 ounce cans of kidney beans or 2-15 ounce can
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
4 minced cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons oregano
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
black pepper to taste
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Directions

1. Set oven to 375 degrees and lightly grease a large baking sheet.
2. Add the spinach and onion to a food processor and pulse. Add the kidney beans, rice, garlic, liquid smoke, soy sauce, and seasonings and pulse until everything is all mixed up.
3.Place the bean-spinach mixture into a medium bowl and add breadcrumbs. This should be slightly sticky and hold nicely when you form it into a ball. If it is too wet, add more breadcrumbs.
4. Divide the mixture into 16 patties if you are making sliders or 8 patties if you are making regular burgers. Place them on the baking sheet, spray them lightly with oil and bake for 15 minutes or until the bottom is a crispy golden brown. Flip the patties and bake for 15 or until golden brown.
5. Let them cool for a few minutes before serving.

Serving size: Makes 16 sliders or 8 regular patties

Taste test of childhood snacks

Recipe: Vegan avocado pasta

This is an amazing dairy-free, vegan, egg-free take on pesto pasta! While it does not identically replicate the taste of pesto, it is delicious in its own way and does replicate the creaminess of pesto. I love, love, love this recipe.

Ingredients

12 ounces spaghetti
2 ripe avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup canned corn kernels, drained and rinsed (I used frozen corn kernels and defrosted it with the boiling water from the pasta)

Directions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain.
2. To make the avocado sauce, combine avocados, basil, garlic and lemon juice in the bowl of a food processor; season with salt and pepper, to taste. With the motor running, add olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine pasta, avocado sauce, cherry tomatoes and corn. Serve immediately.

Recipe: Vegan creamy pasta with spinach

This recipe is vegan but SO good. The cauliflower may not be a perfect substitute for cheese, but it is definitely a yummy alternative.

Ingredients

1 pound fettuccine pasta
4 cups chopped spinach
Salt and pepper
1/2 head cauliflower (about 1 pound) separated into little trees
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon miso paste
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. When it’s all done, throw it in a large bowl with the spinach, toss, and set aside.
2. While the pasta cooks, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Throw in a pinch of salt and the cauliflower and simmer all that until the cauliflower is tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Drain the cauliflower and toss into a blender. Add the milk, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, miso and 1/8 teaspoon salt to the blender and blend until the sauce is creamy.
4. Pour the cauliflower purée back into the pot you boiled the cauliflower in and set over low heat. Add the pasta and spinach and toss until everything is mixed and warm. Top with some parsley, salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Signature DC dishes

DC isn't just about half smokes (it's definitely all about the half smokes, but that's different). The dishes that define our burgeoning culinary scene range from old-school to cutting edge, from spicy to sloppy. How many of these 15 signature DC dishes have you eaten your way through?

expand slideshow to fullscreen

•  SHAREON FACEBOOK
•  PIN IT 

CENTRAL MICHEL RICHARD 

Fried Chicken

Central Michel Richard (address and info)
Downtown

Yes, a French culinary icon can make a mean fried chicken. The secret? It’s in the crust. Chef Richard breads the chicken with lumps of country bread before frying it in clarified butter. Central serves the golden brown goodness with mashed potatoes that are just as addictive. Wanna try to make it at home? Pick up a copy of Richard’s Happy in the Kitchen cookbook. Then go back to his place when you inevitably fail.

expand slideshow to fullscreen

•  SHAREON FACEBOOK
•  PIN IT 

LAURA HAYES 

Half Smoke & Pizza

Ben's Chili Bowl (address and info) & Jumbo Slice (address and info)
U Street

This "U Street Taco" is so magical that it actually contains two sig dishes all rolled (literally!) into one. First, the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl half smoke that’s been devoured by a bunch of presidents and Bill Cosby. Then, there’s the Jumbo Slice, which you’ll claim is the best pizza in DC, if someone asks you at 3am.

expand slideshow to fullscreen

•  SHAREON FACEBOOK
•  PIN IT 

LAURA HAYES 

Chicken Thighs with Pepperoni Sauce

Graffiato (address and info)
Chinatown

It’s hard to make Top Chef judges swoon, so it was quite a surprise when Mike Isabella’s pepperoni sauce turned out to be a real panty dropper on the show. Padma and Tom both went wild for it. Fortunately though, you don’t have to crawl into your TV to try it. Just head to Graffiato, where it’s served with Amish chicken thighs. Again: liquid pepperoni!

expand slideshow to fullscreen

•  SHAREON FACEBOOK
•  PIN IT 

FLICKR/SAIKOFISH 

Senate Bean Soup

Senate Dining Room (address and info)

Capitol Hill

This soup is about as boring as politics, but this list wouldn’t be legit without it since it’s mandated that it be available in the Senate Dining Room every day. People have been slurping this slop of navy beans and smoked ham since the early 20th century. Even Oliver Twist wouldn’t ask for more. Pro tip: the public can dine in the SDR, but you need a reservation and Congress must be in session.

Oil pulling: Does it work?

I've been oil pulling for a few days. I feel like my teeth are whiter and it definitely helped me when I was feeling a little hungover this weekend. Also, my throat was feeling sore and the next day felt much better. Who knows! My thoughts are: "Well, it can't hurt."

joannawnuk/iStockphoto

Starting the day off at the beach with your skin smelling of tropical-scented sunscreen can be one of life's greatest pleasures. Smelling coconut oil as you swish it around in your mouth before work -- well, that's another story.

Oil pulling, or placing oil in the mouth to kill harmful bacteria, seems to have caught on recently. It's a controversial practice that takes dedication and time, though fortunately not the 10 or 20 minutes of marathon swishing some sources suggest.

Two sessions of four minutes, as recommended by Dr. Amala Guha, assistant professor of immunology and medicine at the University of Connecticut Health Center and the founding president of The International Society for Ayurveda and Health, were sufficient for my first attempt at oil pulling.

The taste itself isn't so bad on the surface, but putting chunky coconut oil in your mouth before being fully awake can trigger a gag reflex. Luckily, the time goes by quickly, and afterward I admit my teeth felt polished throughout the day, as if I'd just come from the dentist.

But what's the scope (and scoop) on this mouth rinse practice? Does it work?

"It's not given proper credit," said Guha, who was trained in Ayurveda, a traditional form of medicine that relies on natural healing, in India.

She explains that using liquids in the mouth for health purposes is mentioned in two ancient Indian Ayurvedic texts (one written in 800 B.C. and the other in 700 B.C.), and the practice is part of one of the oldest health systems in the world.

Oil pulling for oral hygiene is common. But before you go racing out to the store for oil, the American Dental Association cautions that because of a lack of evidence, they do not recommend oil pulling as a replacement for standard oral health care such as flossing and teeth brushing.

The texts also claim that about 30 systemic diseases, including headaches and diabetes, can be cured. Yet there is a lack of knowledge on the science and side effects behind the practice, according to Guha.

How it works
Guha says there are two oil pulling techniques: kavala and gandusa.

With kavala, you fill your mouth with liquid and hold it there for a couple of minutes before swirling it around the mouth and spitting it out. The process shouldn't exceed more than three or four minutes; it's repeated at least two or three times.

Gandusa is the technique of holding the liquid still in the mouth for three to five minutes. The liquid is then spit out and the process is repeated.

In Ayurveda, many different liquids can be used depending on the condition being treated and the physiology of the person. Milk, honey and hot water containing herbs are just some of the other mediums, explains Guha.

For daily oral hygiene, she recommends using coconut or sesame oil, which she says have mild abrasive powers and more healing benefits than other oils (and are less harmful).

Results can be expected in a few months, she says, with benefits such as reduced plaque, cavity prevention and stronger gums for individuals who already have a healthy mouth. For the person with plaque buildup, she recommends a teeth cleaning first for faster results.

A small study published in 2009 involving sesame oil and 20 adolescent boys with plaque-induced gingivitis found that oil pulling reduced plaque and the bacterium Streptococcus mutans. This bacterium is cited as being a major cause of tooth decay and overgrowth of bacteria in mouth can also lead to gum disease.

A larger study published in 2013, also using sesame oil, found similar results, summarizing that oil pulling had a significant effect on plaque and gingivitis.

For coconut oil users, lauric acid found in the oil can be a benefit. It is known for its antimicrobial properties, such as the ability to fight off viruses, bacteria and yeasts.

How it doesn't work
Mark Wolff, professor and chair at the New York University College of Dentistry, expresses skepticism about oil pulling's effects on oral health.

"I am not sure there is any harm, but I have never seen it have any positive effect on my patients who have been using oil pulling or in clinical research that has been published."

There is also little research available on the effectiveness of these treatments to cure other diseases.

Guha warns that there can be negative side effects if improper technique is used, including dry mouth, excessive thirst, muscular stiffness, exhaustion and loss of sensation or taste in the mouth.

Individuals who are interested in trying kavala or gandusa to treat health conditions need to review all credentials of Ayruvedic practitioners before starting any treatment. Guha says that there are very few trained professionals in the United States as none of the Ayurveda schools here are accredited; only schools in India provide the proper certifications.

Bottom line? If you're just looking for a natural way to boost your oral health, you can oil away without supervision and get about the same benefits as commercial mouthwash.

Just don't forget to floss.

Source

Recipe: Greek-Style Baked Salmon

Ingredients  

8 (5 ounce) salmon fillets, with skin
1/4 cup olive oil
4 plum tomatoes, diced (I used heirloom tomatoes)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 red onion, diced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
4 kalamata olives, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Brush each salmon fillet on all sides with olive oil and arrange into the bottom of a glass baking dish with the skin side facing down.
3. Scatter the tomatoes, feta cheese, onion, basil, and olives over the fillets; sprinkle with the lemon juice.
4. Bake until the salmon flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes.

Recipe: Thai chicken lettuce wraps with homemade peanut sauce

Ingredients

For the salad
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 small head iceberg lettuce
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 large carrots, shredded (about 2 cups)
green onions, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
cilantro for topping (optional)

For the peanut sauce
¼ cup lime juice
4 teaspoons fish sauce
4 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce
4 teaspoons canola oil
4 teaspoons sugar
3 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons water
1 cup peanuts
8 small cloves garlic, minced
1½ tablespoons lemongrass paste (Find this in the refrigerated salad section, I used this brand)

Directions

1) Bring a large pot of water to boil. Place the chicken breasts in the water (add garlic cloves and salt to season). Simmer for 20 minutes or more until the chicken breasts are cooked through. Drain the water. When they are cool enough to handle, shred the chicken with two forks. Chill in the refrigerator.

2. Cut the bottom stem off the lettuce so the leaves come apart easily while still staying intact. Wash the leaves and set aside. Prepare the other vegetables.

3. Combine the dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor. Puree until the mixture resembles chunky peanut butter. Taste and adjust to fit your preferences.

4. Assemble the lettuce wraps by filling the lettuce leaves with chicken, carrots, peppers, green onions, and cilantro. Top with a spoonful of peanut sauce and an extra drizzle of soy sauce.

What's the difference between these foods?