And then one day, I honestly don’t remember if I’d read about the technique or was just feeling feisty, I held a big fan of Swiss chard in my fist and just zipped the leaves clean off. It was shocking how quickly it happened, actually. Then I did it again and again and before I knew it the entire bunch was de-stemmed and laying in a neat little pile . . . all in less than 60 seconds.

Technique for “Zipping” Hearty Greens

• Hold the stalk firmly in one hand
• With the thumb and forefinger of the other hand, pinch where the base of the leaves meets the stem and tug gently to separate
• Continue tugging up the line of the stem, zipping the leaves off as you go (you’ll get the hang of how much pressure you need)

Watch the video here:

“What’s that?” I asked, not sure what she meant.

She looked at me with her I’ll-be-patient-with-you-because-I-love-you-Mama look and said, “Miss Emma says we have to eat our grow food first.”

And then it dawned on me.

We’ve all encountered it; we pack a nice healthy sandwich and apple slices and a bag of Goldfish crackers. At school, that translates into goldfish first, then a couple bites of the sandwich … and then they run out of steam before the apple sees the light of day.

So, as Noemi explained it, Miss Emma set a rule that the kids have to eat their “grow food”–the healthy stuff–first.

Brilliant, that Miss Emma.

It has become a practice we use at our table too and has opened up a new door for me to talk with Noemi about the basics of sound nutrition as we pack her lunch. I’ll even admit to a certain amount of parental pride on the days I can report to Noemi that all the foods in her lunchbox are grow foods.

Anatomy of a Lunchbox

So what makes something a grow food? Here are four things to look for:

• Healthy fats. Kids, like adults, need healthy fats. Omega-3 fatty acids are particularly important at early ages for neurological development and brain function. Foods like walnuts and flaked wild-caught salmon are great sources of omega-3s, and avocado and olive oil are full of heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Fats also add flavor and mouthfeel to food … important for picky eaters.
• Whole grains. Breads, crackers and pasta made from refined wheat flour  can cause blood sugar levels to spike (and, in response, insulin and adrenaline levels) because our bodies absorb it so quickly. That energy spike also leads to a midafternoon slump that makes hard for kids to concentrate in the classroom. But pasta made from whole grain uses all three parts—endosperm, germ and bran—to provide protein, micronutrients and fiber in a much healthier package for sustained energy throughout the day. It might take a period of turned-up noses, but kids’ palates can adapt. Look for whole grain breads and crackers with a fine crumb to make the transition easier. And remember, corn chips and corn tortillas count too!
• Smart proteins. Proteins are a natural for kids … they’re the body’s building blocks, after all. Lean lunch meats like turkey and ham are alright, but think outside the deli too. Edamame and hummus (even better, the hummus-like edamame dip below) are fun foods that transport beautifully. Quinoa salad, beans and lentils also make great lunches for kids and grown-ups alike.
• Whole foods. Any kind of whole vegetable or fruit (whole meaning not processed; you can cut it up) is a welcome lunchbox grow food. Cherry tomatoes are great at this time of year, and we mix up the fruit depending on what’s in season.

Sure, you’ll have other elements in your kids’ lunchbox too—cheese sticks, pretzels, an occasional sweet. The idea is, though, to load in as many grow foods in as many different guises as possible, and then encourage your kids to feel good about eating them … first.

They also found that the more saturated fat and added sugar a person consumes, the more food costs drop.

The issue isn’t that healthy food is too expensive but that our government’s current system of farm subsidies has made the price of unhealthy food artificially low. We spend less on food – not even 6% of our income – than the rest of the world.

Of course, all those cheap eats come at a very high price. What people save in the short term at the cash register when they load up on fatty, sugary, salty processed food they pay in the long term with their health. A recent large-scale study found that high-sodium/low-potassium diet – otherwise known as the typical American diet – significantly increases risk of death from all causes.

Is there any higher price than that?

But how much do healthy foods cost, really? A USDA study earlier this year found it costs $2-$2.50 a day, on average, for the recommended daily 4-5 cups of fruits and vegetables. But other USDA research has also found geography has a big impact on food prices. What’s cheap for me may be pricey for you.

We talk about food costs all the time in Nourish Network, and while we believe a nourishing diet is a smart investment, we don’t think it should break your budget. With that in mind, here are 6 ways to save on your groceries:

1. Cook! Awhile back we asked our Facebook followers to share their strategies for saving money on groceries. The No. 1 tip? Buy whole foods and cook from scratch.
2. Plan your meals. Planning is the cornerstone of a healthy diet. Armed with an organized shopping list, you’re less likely to give into temptation for expensive “extras” at the store and you’re more likely to use up everything you buy. (Need some help planning weeknight meals? Check out our Nourish Weekly Menus service.)
3. Eat in season. It’s a bargain compared to out-of-season fare. It tastes better, too.
4. Shop smart for organics. Don’t always want to pay extra for organic produce? Choose organic versions of the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen (fruits and vegetables most likely be contaminated with pesticides) and go for cheaper conventional versions of the Clean 15.
5. Check out the bulk bins. You can save up to 60% on pantry staples – with much less packaging, which is nice for the planet.
6. Pay cash. A recent study in the Journal of Consumer Research found people are much more likely to splurge on unhealthy treats when they pay with a credit or debit card than when they use cash. Lesson: Leave the plastic at home when you go grocery shopping.
7. Minimize waste. If you’re like the average American family, you throw away $2,275 a year in uneaten groceries tossed in the trash or the compost heap or sent down the garbage disposer. Remember, buy only what you need and use what you buy. This  pesto is an easy way to use up extra herbs – use any combo of herbs you have on hand.

Officially, confit (pronounced con-FEE) is a specialty of Southwestern France where meat is cooked in its own fat for long hours at a low heat to render it succulent and silken—think duck confit and you’ll get the picture. Unofficially, confit is just about anything cooked slowly in a bit of fat and its own juices to give it a melt-in-your-mouth texture and rich depth of flavor, making it a great technique to use on summer veggies.

There’s a magical give and take with a vegetable confit. Oil at a steady, low heat almost melts the vegetables and burnishes them with just the slightest hint of sweetness while they, in turn, impart their distinctive flavor back into the oil. Strain off that oil and you’ve got the makings for one tasty vinaigrette. Or scrape everything into a tight-sealing jar and store it in the fridge for up to a week.

Using Confits

Summer confits are extraordinarily versatile—somewhere between a condiment, a spread, a dip and a sauce—and the ultimate summer convenience food. Here are just a few ways to use them:

• *  Mounded on grilled baguette slices for out-of-this-world crostini toppings
• *  Tossed with pasta and a grating of pecorino for an easy, no-cook pasta sauce
• *  Served in a bowl next to a basket of pita chips as an impromptu dip
• *  Spooned onto a plate as a condiment for a cheese course
• *  Spread on the bottom of a baguette as the base for a stellar sandwich
• *  Mixed into beaten eggs for an easy frittata

Making Confits

Confits take a bit of time to cook because of the low-and-slow approach, but they scale easily so feel free to double or even triple the recipe. The basic method is the same for all confits, although you’ll have to adjust timing and measurements for each vegetable.

Step 1: Start with 2 cups thinly sliced vegetables (some, like onions and peppers, will hold their shape better than others, like zucchini and tomatoes, which will become almost the consistency of jam or marmalade). Feel free to add thinly sliced aromatics (garlic, shallot, onion or even ginger) and chopped herbs to the heap.

Step 2: Heat ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil over medium-low heat in a large sauté pan and swirl to coat the pan. Add vegetables (along with any aromatics or herbs) and a pinch of salt and pepper (add a pinch of sugar tooif it’s an especially bitter vegetable). Toss to coat. Cook, stirring every few minutes to ensure even cooking, for 25-75 minutes depending on the vegetable, until they’re meltingly soft and lightly gilded with caramelization.

Step 3: If you like, finish with a squeeze of lemon or a bit of citrus zest or fresh herbs.

Makes 1 to 1-1/2 cups

Here are seven things I like to keep stocked in my pantry during summer:

• Anchovies — Anchovies are amazing. They add a punch of savory umami–and good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids–to anything from tomato sauce (think pasta putanesca) to salad dressing (yep, hail caesar). I think their flavor pairs especially well with summery foods like zucchini, tomato and pepper. Salted anchovies have the best flavor, but can be hard to come by. I like to keep a jar of good-quality anchovies in my fridge; if you’re intimidated by whole anchovies, you could opt for a tube of anchovy paste instead.
• White Beans — In summer, when we tend to eat lighter and focus more heavily on vegetables, a can of beans can make a main course. Toss them into a fresh garden salad, stir them into a summer stir-fry, or mix them in with your favorite vegetarian pasta. Besides adding a lovely “umph” and flavor to the dish, beans bring a healthy dose of filling fiber and protein.
• Capers — It’s so funny. In winter, I think of capers as a quintessentially cold-weather addition, and in summer I think of them as belonging to that season. They go especially well with tomatoes, and I like them paired with squash too. They also bring a nice zing to grilled summer foods like firm white fish fillets, chicken or steak. I like them best whisked into oil with a copious amount of minced garlic and parsley.
• Good Extra Virgin Olive Oil — Around the stove, I reach for an average Joe bottle of extra virgin olive oil. Those tend to be filtered, which means they stand up better to a bit of heat. But come summer, I want the cloudiest, most unctuous, tongue-tingling extra virgin olive oil I can find because I’m drizzling it fresh over raw veggies. That cloudiness comes from impurities in the oil–little bits of olive paste that were left after the first pressing. That sediment is what makes the oil so incredibly flavorful (and so incredibly healthy … the antioxidants are what make your tongue tingle), but it’s also what burns when heated. So keep your high-quality extra virgin olive oil away from the stove … and use it liberally during summer!
• Whole Grain Pasta — I haven’t yet met a summer vegetable I couldn’t turn into ten or more variations of pasta. If you’ve got a garden, and you’ve got a box of whole grain pasta on the shelf, you’ve got dinner (bonus if you have these other items in your pantry too!).
• Good Salt — Get yourself a perfectly-ripe heirloom tomato. Slice it into think wedges. Get yourself a great bottle of extra virgin olive oil and drizzle a bit on top. Get yourself a box of Maldon Sea Salt (or another flakey sea salt) and sprinkle on a pinch. Take a bite. I rest my case.
• White and Red Wine Vinegar — Yes, I am an advocate of having four or more types of vinegar in your pantry at any given time. But to me, summer is a time for the mellow flavors of white and red wine vinegar. A couple of lemon cucumbers from the garden sprinkled with white wine vinegar and sea salt is often my mid-afternoon snack. And red wine vinegar, to me, makes a lovely, flavorful foil for mixed greens laden with tomatoes and onion.

These are seven things I’m never without come summer. What are yours?

“It’s an important day for the entire country,” he declared, as he prepared to introduce the USDA’s new MyPlate. The icon replaces the old MyPyramid.

Well, important for dietitians, public health advocates and those interested in nutrition, maybe. I suspect more Americans were following Weinergate.

For the most part, MyPlate got a warm reception. First, it’s simple to understand. Anyone can glance at it and know half your plate should be fruits and vegetables, a quarter grains (mostly whole) and a quarter protein– with a small serving of dairy on the side. That’s a huge improvement over the old MyPyramid, which was widely criticized for being confusing and, basically, useless. That’s it here. Do you have any idea what those multicolored stripes mean? That’s OK, no one else did either.

Is it perfect? No, these things never are. As Adrienne Youdim, M.D., medical director of the Cedars-Sinai Weight Loss Clinic in Los Angeles noted, what you gain in simplicity you sacrifice in detail. Still, if people get the message on the proper proportions of fruits, veggies, grains and protein, that’s enough of a step in the right direction. In perfect world, she added, MyPlate would incorporate the message of physical activity, much like the stick figure did in the old pyramid.

Even Food Politics‘ Marion Nestle, who’s a tough critic of the USDA, is (mostly) satisfied with MyPlate. “My one quibble? Protein,” she notes in her blog. “Protein is a nutrient, not a food. Protein is not exactly lacking in American diets. The average American consumes twice the protein needed.  Grains and dairy, each with its own sector, are important sources of protein in American diets.”

The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine PCRM raises another issue. While MyPlate emphasizes fruits and vegetables–and looks a lot (OK, almost exactly) like the PCRM’s own Power Plate–it’s at odds with current federal agricultural subsidies.

“The plate icon advises Americans to limit high-fat products like meat and cheese, but the federal government is subsidizing these very products with billions of tax dollars and giving almost no support to fruits and vegetables,” says PCRM staff nutritionist Kathryn Strong, M.S., R.D.

More than 60% of federal subsidies go toward promoting meat and dairy. Fruits and vegetables get less than 1%. So while the government is touting fruits and vegetables on half MyPlate, it’s doing little to fund promoting those foods.

Sure, if you visit the ChooseMyPlate.gov website, you can click around the plate to learn the different foods that make up the plate, and there are some improvements there. In “Proteins,” beans and peas, nuts and seeds, and seafood suggestions overwhelm those for meat and poultry. “Dairy” includes soy milk as an alternative (though as a bit of an afterthought), and “Grains” clearly favors whole grains over refined varieties.

But how many Americans are going to spend time trolling around ChooseMyPlate.gov, anyway? Harvey Hartman, of the market research firm Hartman Group, which does wonderful research on consumer behavior, has long maintained that plates, pyramids and other government-created public-education efforts are a waste of time.

“We were among the first to warn that the last refresh of the food pyramid in 2005 would prove unsuccessful and likely have no effect on obesity rates,” he notes. “We knew this because the pyramid was particularly confusing and people do not eat according to scientific principles. But more foundationally, because our research always shows that most people are not interested in this source of information, there is little reason to expect any correlated behavioral change.”

MyPlate is unlikely to fare any better.

“Once again, the powers-that-be refused to consider the historical evidence (i.e. that these things never work) and pursue more innovative approaches,” he says. “Rather than thrusting a plate upon us, why not remove all vending machines from schools? It’s always struck me as bizarre that we would let our children eat from machines.”

What’s your take on plates and pyramids? Do you care? In the meantime, try this Obscenely Good Eggplant-Ricotta Tartine. It’s healthy, delicious food on a plate. Your plate.

Heirloom beans–heritage breeds that are the legume equivalent of ancient grains–hold even more allure. When I spy packages of them in the store, I’m seduced by their gorgeous colors and patterns. Even their names evoke culinary romance. How can I resist splashy burgundy-swirled Anasazis (first cultivated by the Navajos) or the purple-and-ivory splotched Appaloosas (another Southwest favorite)? Or the dramatic black-and-white Calypso beans that evoke the yin/yang icon or the smaller version known as the Orca? This weekend, I was won over by shiny Eye of Goat beans, a Baja California native with subtle brown-on-brown swirls.

Given that we eat with eyes first, heirloom beans do a great job of selling themselves.

Heirloom beans can be used interchangeably with more common varieties. Just consider the bean’s size and characteristics. Their flavor ranges from mild and slightly sweet to full-bodied and earthy; their texture varies from creamy to firm.

Though you’re unlikely to find heirloom beans at the local supermarket, they’re still easy to find. Whole Foods carries several varieties (that’s where I spied my Eye of Goats), and I’ve even grabbed packages of golden Yellow Indian Woman beans at World Market. Your farmers’ market may offer some locally grown varieties. And, of course, there are many online sources, including Rancho Gordo, Zursun Beans and Purcell Mountain Farms. Yes, you’ll pay a good bit more for these babies than for more common varieties–about $5 a pound. But that’s still only about 40 cents a serving.

Really, isn’t that a bargain for so much history, romance and flavor?

Here’s what I really love about the book: While Speck acknowledges the health benefits of whole grains, her primary goal is to make staples like millet and spelt so appealing that the reader can’t resist craving them. Who wouldn’t want to start the day with Walnut Spice Breakfast Cake?

“I was very lucky,” she writes. “Unlike many of us today, I was never introduced to whole grains as a health food. No one lectured me to add them to my diet.” Instead, Speck, who grew up in a Greek-German household where grains were always on the table, treats them as the ultimate comfort food.

“To me, whole grains carry luxurious qualities: lively textures, vivid colors and rich flavors.”

That passion comes through in every recipe and tip. You can’t help by be drawn to fare as tempting as Mediterranean Mussels with Farro and White Wine or Greek Millet Saganaki with Shrimp and Ouzo. (Sara Remington’s stunning photos add to the mouthwatering appeal of Speck’s wonderful prose and tempting recipes – that’s Remington’s handiwork, above left.)

While her Greek grandmother rose at the crack of dawn to cook for the family, Speck’s approach to cooking whole grains is in sync with hectic American schedules. Her handy reference cooking guides are divided by quick-cooking grains (those ready in less than 30 minutes) and slow-cooking grains, which may require overnight soaking and take up to an hour to cook.

She also offers plenty of helpful tips to make whole grains easier for busy cooks to prepare with strategies like putting a potful of grains on to soak before you leave for work (one our favorites!) and parboiling brown rice for quick weeknight suppers.

The book’s 100 recipes run a wide gamut of seasonality, and while Speck adores hearty, slow-cooking wheat berries and the like, she’s no whole grain snob. There’s room on her plate for instant brown rice, which turns up in Spring Pilaf with Artichokes and Green Peas. There are plenty of ideas for quick-cookers like bulgur, whole grain pastas and, my current favorite, whole wheat couscous (a curious anomaly, she notes, that’s neither a grain nor a pasta, but a sort of hybrid).

Such speedy options are balanced with recipes sure to appeal to more ambitious cooks. You can try your had at making Homemade Spelt Fettuccine, for example, or an intriguing Floating Sesame Bread, a yeast bread that calls for proofing the dough in a pot of cool water (can’t wait to try that one).

I suspect my now-pristine copy of Ancient Grains will soon be dog-eared and spattered with kitchen stains – sure signs of a well-loved cookbook.

That’s where I dispense with the “good” and “bad” labels and bring out a new one: Indulgence.

Let’s get one thing straight up-front. Our bodies need monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like those I mentioned above (olive oil, avocados, salmon, flaxseed, etc.). They play several essential roles like storing energy and regulating cell function, and also have a positive impact on blood lipid levels (they lower overall cholesterol and LDL while raising HDL). So these types of fats aren’t luxuries; they’re a necessary staple of a nourishing plate.

Saturated fat, on the other hand, is a luxury (and it raises LDL)—your body already makes all it needs. So there’s no need to look for ways to add saturated fat to your daily diet. But … saturated fats, which come primarily from meat and dairy, are the creamy, silky, buttery, melt-in your mouth fats that can pack a lot of pleasure into just a few calories, which can come in quite handy if your meals are heavy on veggies. Not every meal. Not every day. But every once in a while.

Which is why I call them “Indulgence Fats.” Here are a few ways to use them:

• Butter – Butter is renowned for adding richness to a dish. Swirl in a tablespoon or so (off the heat) at the end of a sauté to give it body and depth. Or brown the butter slightly before sautéing your veggies, like we did with these Sauteed Radishes with Mint, for an even more complex flavor.
• Cream – Cream brings a lush silkiness to foods. Whisk a tablespoon or two into a pasta sauce, like our Brussels Sprouts Carbonara, or dribble some into a pan sauce for a creamy texture.
• Duck Fat – This may sound wacky, but duck fat is a terrific indulgence fat. Make our Revelationary Duck Confit, save the fat in a jar in the fridge and use it in place of oil to add ridiculous richness to things like mushrooms, onions and potatoes. One tablespoon (enough, quite frankly, to sauté mushrooms for four people) has just 4 grams of saturated fat, which is half the amount of butter.
• Bacon – People tend to demonize bacon, which is too bad. One slice has just 40 calories and 1 gram of saturated fat, and it can add a LOT of flavor to a dish (it is high in sodium though, which is another thing entirely). Try these Clams with Bacon and Garlicky Spinach and you’ll see what I mean. I recommend chopping the raw bacon up and sautéing it with onion or garlic so the flavor permeates the ‘base’ of the dish. Then drain off all but a teaspoon or so of the fat and go on with your sauté.

Is this a green light to sit down and eat a package of bacon fried in butter for dinner tonight? Um, no. But you already know that. This is more about letting go of the paradigm that Indulgence Fats are “bad” and using them (occasionally) to enhance the wholesome foods you want to be eating more of.

Enjoy!

Here are 5 forms of coconut, and how to use them:

Coconut Oil

Extracted from mature coconuts, coconut oil has a high smoke point so it can be used for high-temperature cooking. Choose unrefined coconut oil, which retains more of the beneficial fats than refined and has a rich, nutty flavor with hints of vanilla.

Use it: for sauteing, baking or anywhere you’d like to add a coconut-y note–like in our Creamy Millet with Blueberry Compote.

Canned Coconut Milk

You’ve probably used thick, creamy canned coconut milk to add rich texture to curries, like our Spring Vegetable Curry or Curried Mussels. It’s made from pressing fresh ripe coconut meat. Light coconut milk has about 60% fewer calories than the regular variety, and it’s still pretty rich.

Use it: In addition to curries, try coconut milk in baked goods, pancakes or anywhere you’d like to add a rich, nutty, tropical note. It’s also great for thickening sauces. Refrigerate leftover opened canned coconut milk for up to 3 days.

I also really like this tip from the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Companion: Don’t shake the can before opening. Instead, skim some of the thick cream that has risen to the top to use in place of oil to make a curry paste. Then stir the rest of the oil back into the milk to use in the sauce.

Coconut Milk Beverage

This is a relative newcomer on the market, and you’ll find it in the refrigerated section of many health-food stores with other nondairy milks like soy or almond milk. It’s made with regular coconut milk but has a thinner consistency so you can drink it by the glass. It has a subtle coconut flavor. It has 50 calories per cup, including 25% of your saturated fat needs for the day.

Use it: Drink it like milk, pour it over cereal, use in baked goods, puddings and the like.

Coconut Water

If you’re the athletic type, you’ll want to take a close look at coconut water as a natural alternative to sports drinks. It’s made from young, green coconuts (as opposed to the mature brown fruit used to make coconut milk). Coconut water has about one-third fewer calories than a sports drink yet it’s higher in potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron–all electrolytes that are key for hydration. It’s also a good choice for kids and pregnant or lactating women.

Use it: Opt for unsweetened coconut water, which you also can use in cooking as well as for sipping.

Coconut Sugar

Also known as palm sugar, coconut sugar is made from the sap of the coconut tree’s unopened flower bud stalks. Its texture is a bit sandier than granulated sugar with a subtle caramel-y flavor similar to brown sugar (but it doesn’t have brown sugar’s moistness or “pack”). You can find it in health food stores (where it’s sold in packages and, sometimes, the bulk bins) or in Asian and Latin markets. Double-check the label to be sure you’re picking up 100% coconut sugar–some variations from Asia are mixed with cane sugar.

Coconut sugar has a much lower glycemic index than granulated (or brown) sugar, which means it produces smaller fluctuations in blood sugar levels. It also has about one-third fewer calories per teaspoon.

Use it: Try it in place of either granulated or brown sugar in sweet and savory recipes.