Veggie Might: Sprouted Quinoa and Mango Tabouleh

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about all things Vegetarian. She continues CHG's No-Cook Month.

Remember last week when we sprouted quinoa in glass jars with only water, cheese cloth, rubber bands, and our devotion to Not Cooking? Oh, those were giddy days. Well, this Dear Readers, is the joyous, hip-shaking result.

Quinoa sprouts are quite tasty on their own: fresh, crunchy, and a bit nutty. They have the essence of alfalfa or mung bean sprouts but retain their recognizable quinoa flavor. You can use the sprouts to top sandwiches or salads, grind them into flour for baking, cook them like any other grain recipe, or make a fabulous grain salad, like tabouleh. (Though, yes, quinoa is technically a seed.)

Tabouleh is the original no-cook grain salad, traditionally made from bulgur, which only requires a little soak before chow time. Ubiquitous in Middle Eastern cuisine, tabouleh combines parsley, mint, tomatoes, and lemon juice with the wheat. Perfect for a hot summer… time.

Using my favorite tabouleh recipe from my very first vegetarian cookbook, the Vegetarian Times Cookbook, as a jumping off point, I added a mango, tossed in a red pepper, made a couple of last minute substitutions (cilantro for mint; yellow onion for scallion). Before long, I had a colorful, vibrant dance party in a bowl.

I took the celebration on the road to share it with my good pal Miss T after our weekly gym date. (Caution: Travel with a tight-sealing container, or you too could enjoy wearing Eau de Onion et Mango to cardio class.) After one bite she said, “You better take what you want, because I will finish this when you’re not looking.”

This is another salad combo that has everything: sweet, tangy, savory, and salty. It’s light enough for a side dish and hearty enough to be a small meal. And it’s equally good using the traditional bulgur base. So if you’re intimidated by sprouting, just soak some bulgur and crank up the house music. Try it on; it’s very you.

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If this recipe tipped your canoe, swim on over to

• Peach, Tomato, and Basil Salad
• Chopped Salad Rules
• Israeli Couscous Salad

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Sprouted Quinoa and Mango Salad
Adapted from the Vegetarian Times Cookbook
yields 4 servings

8.5 oz (about 2 cups) sprouted quinoa*
1/2 cup parsley, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1/4 cup yellow onion, minced
1 medium tomato, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
1 ripe mango, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste

* You can easily substitute traditional bulgur wheat for sprouted quinoa. Simply soak 4 oz (a little more than1/2 cup) bulgur in 1 cup warm water for about 30 minutes. The bulgur will absorb the water, becoming light, fluffy, and ready-to-eat. (Seen below.)

1) Rinse and drain the quinoa sprouts, and place in a large mixing bowl.

2) Add parsley, cilantro, onion, tomato, red pepper, and mango to quinoa sprouts.

3) Drizzle in olive oil and lemon juice, stirring gently.

4) Add salt and fresh ground pepper to taste.

5) Chill for 20–30 minutes.

6) Serve as a side or green salad topping.

7) Get a good look because it’ll be gone in a flash.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price per Serving
170.8 calories, 5.7g fat, 4.3g fiber, 2.25g protein, $.79
Bulgur Alternative
127.6 calories, 3.9g fat, 2.4g fiber, 3.5g protein, $.74

Calculations
8.5 oz sprouted quinoa: 412 calories, 8g fat, 16g fiber, 8g protein, $0.96
1/2 cup parsley: 11 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.25
1/4 cup cilantro: 5.5 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.12
1/4 cup yellow onion: 10 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.12
1 medium tomato: 22 calories, 0g fat, 1g fiber, 1g protein, $0.50
1 small red bell pepper: 5.75 calories, 0g fat, 0.25g fiber, 0.5g protein, $0.37
1 ripe mango: 85 calories, 0.6g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.50
1 tbsp olive oil: 120 calories, 14g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.08
2 tbsp lemon juice: 12 calories, 0g fat, 0g fiber, 0g protein, $0.25
1 tsp sea salt: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.02
freshly ground pepper: negligible calories, fat, fiber, protein, $0.02
Totals: 683.25 calories, 22.6g fat, 17.25g fiber, 9g protein, $3.19
Per Serving (totals/4): 170.8 calories, 5.7g fat, 4.3g fiber, 2.25g protein, $.79

Bulgur Alternative (quinoa replaced with bulgur + other stats)
1/2 cup bulgur wheat: 239.5 calories, 1g fat, 8.5g fiber, 13g protein, $0.74
Totals: 510.25 calories, 15.6g fat, 9.75g fiber, 14g protein, $2.97
Per Serving (totals/4): 127.6 calories, 3.9g fat, 2.4g fiber, 3.5g protein, $.74

68 Cheap, Healthy No-Cook Recipes

Alas, CHG’s No-Cook month is slowly coming to an end. It’s been a joyous, ovenless journey, sweet readers, and we couldn’t have done it without the blistering sun or the stifling humidity. Thanks, Mama Nature.

Article-wise, we’ve already discussed 13 Ways to Cook without an Oven as well as 18 No-Cook Meal Ideas. This week, we’re giving you the actual recipes: 68 inexpensive, nutritionally sound dishes you can make without ever lighting anything on fire. (Hopefully.)

Each one of these links comes from either Cheap Healthy Good or my weekly Healthy & Delicious column over at (newly redesigned!) food dynamo Serious Eats. This means three things: A) we know they work, B) there are pretty pictures involved, and C) um … turns out there were only two things.

Enjoy, everybody! And as always, if you know of a really great no-cook recipe not mentioned here, please (please) add it to the comment section.

DIPS AND SPREADS
Black Bean Dip
Blueberry Salsa
Green Garlic and Garlic Scapes Pesto
Guacamole-Bean Dip Mashup
Lemony Hummus
Mango Salsa
Pesto (Don't toast pine nuts.)
Seven-Layer Taco Dip
Tomatillo and Yellow Tomato Salsa
Tomatillo Guacamole
Tomato Avocado Salsa
White Bean Dip

CONDIMENTS
Creamy Caesar Dressing
Grasslands Herb Salsa
Horseradish Mustard
Lemon-Ginger Dressing
Spicy Brown Mustard
Vegan Mayo
Vegan Worcestershire Sauce

COLD SOUPS
Buttermilk Cucumber Soup
Cantaloupe Soup
Fruit Gazpacho
Summertime Gazpacho

GREEN SALADS
Chlorophyll and Awesomeness Salad
Chopped Salad
Grape and Feta Salad with Rosemary
Grapefruit and Avocado Salad (Skip toasting almonds.)
Relaxed Kale and Root Veg Salad
Strawberry and Avocado Salad

MAINS, NON-GREEN SALADS, AND SIDES
Autumn Apple Salads
Basil Tofu Salad
Beet and Cabbage BBQ Slaw
Black-Eyed Pea “Caviar”
Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Chickpea Salad
Daikon/Jicama Mango Slaw
Greek Antipasto Pita
Greek Salad Skewers
Greek-Style Chickpea Salad
Greek Tofu Salad
Herbed Tuna in Tomatoes
Marinated Mushroom Salad
North African-Style Chickpea Salad
Orange Yogurt
Peach, Tomato, and Basil Salad
Refrigerator-Pickled String Beans
Sprouted Grains
Sublime Fruit Salad and Mint
Summer Panzanella (Bread Salad)
Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint
White Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Wraps with Spinach
Yellow Tomato Salad with Roasted Red Peppers, Feta, and Mint
Zucchini Carpaccio with Feta and Pine Nuts

DESSERTS AND SNACKS
Cantaloupe with Honey and Lime
Chocolate Cherry “Ice Cream” Popsicles
Date Coconut Balls
No-Cook Berry Crisp
Plums with Orange and Mint
Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar
Strawberry Mousse
Tamarind-Blueberry Granita
Three-Ingredient Banana, Honey, and Peanut Butter Ice Cream

DRINKS
Basil Lemonade
Cranberry and Blackberry Champagne Punch
Mango Lassi
Mojitos
Sweet Lassi
White Sangria with Fresh Fruit Ice Cubes

Cherry Lemonade, Limeade, and White Peach Bellinis are all delicious, as well, but require simple syrup. There are ways to make it without using heat, but these three recipes all include a boiling step.

And that's it. Readers, any suggestions? We would love to hear.

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If you like this article, you might also be over the moon for:

• 156 Cheap, Healthy Recipes for 10 Common Leftover Herbs
• A Beginner's Guide to Beans, Plus 42 Bean Recipes
• Cheap, Healthy Zucchini and Eggplant: 134 Recipes

Ask the Internet: Favorite Weird Kitchen Tool?

Today’s question comes from CHG headquarters, a multi-level high-tech complex buried deep underground in Utah. (Note: Actually, an ancient apartment building in Brooklyn.)

Q: This is the Husband-Elect’s bacon fork.

It has a single function: to flip his bacon. In his eyes, no other utensil can do the job nearly as well. If I were to ever injure, mar, or disfigure the bacon fork in any way, the world would end. Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together ... mass hysteria.

Do you or your family own a similar utensil? Something with only one use, but life would be unimaginable without it?

A: Readers! This one's all you. What's your most favorite, most bizarre kitchen tool?

Want to ask the interweb a question? Post one in the comment section, or write to Cheaphealthygood@gmail.com. Then, tune in next Tuesday for an answer/several answers from the good people of the World Wide Net.

No-Cook Month: Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint

NOTE #1: Hello, readers from Get Rich Slowly! Welcome to Cheap Healthy Good. It's nice to have you here. If you're looking for a good place to get to know us, this post is a good start. Thanks for visiting and enjoy!

NOTE #2: Today on Serious Eats: Zucchini Carpaccio with Feta and Pine Nuts, an excellent alternative to a green salad.

Dude. It’s watermelon season.

Last week, it went on sale for $0.39/pound, so I dragged a 13-pounder home from a supermarket half a mile away. It's been parked on my kitchen table ever since, like some giant, edible bowling ball.

Yesterday, I finally cowboyed up and gutted the thing. And now, as you can see from this picture, we have enough watermelon to fill two man-sized storage containers.

The problem is, Husband-Elect and I are but two people. True, we’re two people who really like watermelon, but we’re two people nonetheless.

Consequently, over the next week, we’re gonna have to get creative with this thing. I’m thinking Watermelon Margaritas, Watermelon Salsa, and of course, more Watermelon and Feta Salad with Mint.

I have to admit: I didn’t think dropping feta into a bowl of fruit would do much. But it adds two things: salt and creaminess, which are both unexpected and very welcome. The mint and lime provide additional freshness and lightness, which keep the dish from being murky.

Beyond that, the dish boasts three huge pluses:

1. It takes less than 10 minutes to make.
2. There are no mandatory ratios. You can tailor the amount of feta, melon, mint, and lime to your liking.
3. If you’re feeling adventurous, the recipe can be expanded to include olives, red onions, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, basil, cilantro, cotija cheese, jicama, and many, many more exciting ingredients. Guidelines abound online.

Alas, there is a minus, as well. In my experience, the salad doesn’t store particularly well. The fruit juice eventually breaks down the cheese, and you’re left with a thick, fruity mess. So you gotta eat this fresh, or within a day of making it. Otherwise … to the trash, Robin. Still, it's good. And I will be eating again. Probably several times tomorrow.

And with that, readers, any suggestions for watermelon recipes? We, uh, could use ‘em right now.

P.S. All-watermelon barbecue at my house tomorrow!

~~~

If you’re thinking about making this, you might also whip up some:

• Plums with Orange and Mint
• Strawberry and Avocado Salad
• Sublime Fruit Salad and Mint

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Watermelon Feta Salad with Mint
Serves 1 or more.
Adapted from many, many sources, but especially Whipped.

A few cups watermelon, balled or cut into 2-inch chunks and chilled
A small block of feta cheese
A small handful mint leaves, chopped
Fresh lime juice

1) Place desired amount of watermelon in a bowl or on a plate.

2) Crumble desired amount of feta over watermelon. (The more, the better.)

3) Sprinkle mint over watermelon-feta mixture.

4) Squeeze lime over it all.

5) No. Seriously. That’s it.

Approximate Calories, Fat, Fiber, Protein, and Price Per Serving
147 calories, 6.5 g fat, 1 g fiber, 5.5 g protein, $0.79

NOTE: As this recipe is totally/completely adaptable to your tastes and preferences, I’m making up some arbitrary numbers for calculations, just to give y’all an idea of the nutrition/price breakdown. Your numbers will undoubtedly be different, so please take this as a rough guide, only.

Calculations
1-1/2 cups watermelon: 69 calories, 0.5 g fat, 0.9 g fiber, 1.4 g protein, $0.26
1 ounce feta cheese: 75 calories, 6 g fat, 0 g fiber, 4 g protein, $0.37
1 tablespoon mint leaves, chopped: 1 calorie, 0 g fat, 0.1 g fiber, 0.1 g protein, $0.10
1 teaspoon lime juice: 2 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g fiber, 0 g protein, $0.06
TOTAL: 147 calories, 6.5 g fat, 1 g fiber, 5.5 g protein, $0.79

Saturday Throwback: Food, Frugality, and Fighting Brand Loyalty

Every Saturday, we post a piece from the CHG Archives. This number is from February 2008. Those were the days, Edith.

I have a confession: cooking healthily and staying on budget remain constant struggles. Though I’m learning, and hope you’re enjoying the journey, I’m ultimately not an expert chef, dietician, or personal finance guru.

But I am a media professional. And I know a little bit about advertising. And I know that the brass ring of every ad agency in existence is brand loyalty. And I know that brand loyalty can cost a food shopper (you, me, us, etc.) a lot of cash.

Today’s article focuses on that phenomenon. What is brand loyalty? When does it start? Why is it less than great? How can it be tamed? You might find the piece a bit drier than most CHG posts (in which case, pace yourself by periodically checking into Cute Overload), but it could also be the most important one yet.

(Did that sound good? Yeah? Okay, cool. Let’s get started.)

What it is
Simply, brand loyalty occurs when a consumer uses a product or service over and over again, because A) it works for her, B) it’s habitual, and C) she’s hesitant to spend cash on the unfamiliar. For example, when I buy orange juice, it’s Tropicana, and it has been for as long as I can remember. My mom always bought it, and from what I recall, her mom did, too. I rarely purchase other brands, because it’s been imprinted on my brain (through personal experience and tons of advertising) that they won’t taste as good as Tropicana.

When it begins
One of the most eye-opening moments of my professional career occurred about five years ago, when I had a meeting in a room just used by employees of a kids television channel, whose target demographic is children between the ages of 4 and 11. One of their employees left a marketing presentation printout on the conference table. In it, kids (again, ages 4 to 11) were referred to as “consumers.” Yikes.

Like that company, many (if not most) corporations start building consumer brand loyalty from birth. (It would begin at conception if zygotes could read.) Advertisers spend billions of dollars each year to promote directly to toddlers and school-age children through magazines, television shows, movies, clothes, billboards, music, commercials, and … well, you name it. The earlier marketing begins, the more ingrained the product is, and the longer those kids will be customers.

In fact, the National Institute of Media and Family estimates that “Children as young as age three recognize brand logos, with brand loyalty influence starting at age two.” If anyone has a little girl obsessed with Disney Princesses (as many of my mom-friends do), you know what they’re talking about.

Why it costs you more
Once you become loyal to a brand, that company counts on your repeat business throughout the course of your lifetime. As a result, prices can be jacked up because it’s assumed you’ll continue to pay a premium out of allegiance. What’s more, you’ll ignore competing items, no matter what advantages they present. Wikipedia puts it best: “For example, if Joe has brand loyalty to Company A he will purchase Company A's products even if Company B's are cheaper and/or of a higher quality.”

Think of it this way: there are three types of oatmeal on sale - Quaker, McCann’s, and Generi-oats. They contain mostly the same ingredients, and are essentially the same shape, color and consistency. Quaker goes for $3 a box. McCann’s is $2 after a coupon. Generi-oats runs a mere $1.50. Since it’s habit and your dear ol’ Dad always did it, you buy Quaker without thinking twice. You’re down at least $1.50 because of brand loyalty.

Now, multiply that $1.50 by the number of items in your shopping cart. How much does brand loyalty cost you per trip? Per month? Per year?

What does this have to do with the “Healthy” part of “Cheap, Healthy, Good”?
Well, advertisers throw a LOT of resources into marketing processed food, meaning you have a better chance at becoming brand-loyal. Those products are generally less nutritious than whole foods like meats, produce, and dairy, which aren’t pushed as hard in commercials and print ads. So, not only do brand-name processed foods cost more, they can crowd fresher, healthier foods out of your shopping cart.

How to fight it
While advertising and some brand loyalty are nearly impossible to avoid, there are steps you can take to minimize their influence:

EVERYDAY LIFE: Flip off the TV. Mute commercials. Try to minimize advertising found around the home. Don’t prioritize brand names, especially in front of kids. Promote media literacy. Stress variety and try new things.

FOOD: Buy generic. Experiment with brands besides the ones you regularly use. Shop with coupons, which offer savings on a different brand each week. Use the circular, which varies discounts throughout the year. Cook from scratch. Purchase foods found around the perimeter of the supermarket. Cut back on brand-based cookbooks.

A caveat
You know what? Though they’re nearly twice the price, I find Ghirardelli chocolate chips tastier than Nestle. Inarguably, they make my cookies better. I’ve developed a brand loyalty to them. On the same note, I’m highly hesitant to switch my contact lens solution. Other products dry out my eyes, and I have an annoying habit of walking into sharp things when I can’t see.

There’s nothing wrong with brand loyalty if a product works for you, especially if you’ve tried the alternatives. It’s when that devotion is uninformed and automatic there can be an issue.

In the end
Brand loyalty isn’t catastrophic, and it won’t ruin any lives or hopes for the future (like say, smoking or riding the M Train naked). While it can be costly, both nutritionally and wallet…ally, knowing the facts and shopping smart is a stellar way of addressing concerns. If you’re interested in learning more, check out these resources:

• Answers.com provides a deeper explanation of brand loyalty.
• For hardcore shopping statistics, there’s this About.com article, and more from the Grocery Manufacturers of America.
• For lots of somewhat frightening information on kids and advertising, check out the National Institute on Media and Family’s fact sheet.

(Photos courtesy of Global Package Gallery, The Wooden Porch, and Flickr member aqualilflower.)