
September, 2009
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2009 Healthy Food Awards: Shopping list
Refrigerated Foods
Sabra Classic Hummus
So… when I was shopping at Stop & Shop in Dedham and saw that they had come out with a Simply Enjoy brand of hummus — which, incidentally, was located right next to the Sabra brand and comes in the exact same size and shaped container… I figured, why not? It was almost a dollar cheaper and I have had rather good results and success with S & S’s Simply Enjoy brand.
I finished up the existing Sabra container I had by wiping the remnants up with my pita. Pure goodness…
Then I cracked open the Simply Enjoy brand, dragged my finger right through the middle of the container (hey, I was home alone… no one has to know, okay?) and took a taste….
AWFUL… Inedible… It even smelled bad. The conatiner is still in my ‘fridge and will most likely land itself in the sink soon — to be rinsed out and recycled. I can’t eat the stuff.
It was bitter, not creamy enough and just didn’t taste good. It was acutally quite bad. I will not be buying it again and will continue to cough up the ridiculous cost of Sabra because it’s just that good.
Cooking and preparing my own meals is a huge part of my life. I am sure I sound like a broken record, but it’s the number one suggestion I have for people when it comes to taking control of your health. It’s economical, it’s healthy, it’s political, it’s empowering!
But the fact is, you can’t cook without a well-stocked kitchen. While grocery shopping and meal planning may seem overwhelming, I’ve finally come to understand the meaning of the word “staples.” Most recipes and dishes contain the same basic ingredients. I’m to the point now where, yes, I plan meals for the week, and I keep track of the few special ingredients I may need on my Blackberry, but 99 percent of the time, I can head to the grocery store without a list. And almost all the meals and recipes I post here use these basics.
I absolutely love grocery shopping; I love to wander the aisles, taking my time, reading labels…I always walk out renewed and stress-free. It’s my church. So…I thought I’d share my list! I noted brand names when I am particularly loyal to a certain brand; otherwise, I buy what’s on sale or experiment with new brands. Also this is my list whether I’m cooking for one or for four; the only major difference when I lived alone is that I bought less of everything — particularly less meat. Meat is pricey, and it takes a single girl much longer to eat a pound of it.
Weekly Items
Bi-Monthly
Once-a-Month (or less) Items
So-You-Worked-Some Overtime Items
After a few years of experimenting, this is what I stick with to be as healthy and budget-conscious as possible. I’ve learned that I waste bread if I buy too many varieties of it. From the dairy to the deli, I only buy enough to use. I can count how many days are in a week. If I’m buying tofu, then I’m not buying beef. I know how many lunches I can get out of a pound of chicken breasts. That extra-few-minutes thought process has really helped me save money. I’ve also learned that it’s cheaper to make snacks out of whole foods (like fruits, cottage cheese, and nuts) than it is to buy the packaged stuff for convenience. I’ve stopped relying so much on frozen meals, but it’s good to have on hand, and when I’m broke, my frozen-to-fresh ratio for fruits and veggies definitely shifts heavily to the cold stuff. I also don’t buy ice cream or frozen bars; I think it’s overpriced and I prefer treats made from scratch and just plain fruit. Obviously this reflects my personal tastes to a degree, but you know how I eat — now you can see how I shop. When you have a well-stocked kitchen, cookbooks and recipes will be way less intimidating. It’s truly amazing how healthy your diet can be (and how much money you can save) by just sticking with the staples.
In the wake of watching the movie Julie and Julia, The Clone decided she would like bruschetta for a light dinner. She actually wanted to fry the bread too, just like in the movie, but I just could not do it (as deliciously browned and crispy it looked on screen). We opted instead to cook it in the oven as we usually do.
We picked tomatoes and basil from our backyard and the only thing we needed was some bread so off to the market we went. While at the store, I remembered I had a coupon for Sabra hummus. So I picked up a pack of those too. I chose the Spinach and Artichoke flavor and the regular flavored hummus just for comparison.
We usually get our hummus from Cosco and the pack that we get there has twice as much in volume for the same price as the Sabra hummus. HOWEVER, after just one taste of the Sabra hummus, my girls and I declared it better of the two. The Sabra hummus is lighter, almost like a whipped version of the other hummus we used to get. The flavor is also more intense and smoother. While the girls were not too keen on the Spinach and Artichoke flavor, I, on the other hand, loved it! They liked the plain one better but I think it’s more that they are used to their hummus plain. I liked the change!
So when we got home and made our bruschetta, I decided to add Sabra hummus to mine and before you know it, everyone else was doing the same thing! I’m ashamed to say we finished the whole tub in one sitting
Now lucky for you, you’ll get a chance to win 4 tubs of Sabra hummus compliments of Sabra and Buzz Cooperative. See details below.
Prize: Party pack which includes 4 free product coupons and a $25 gift certificate
To Enter:
1. Leave a comment and tell me which Sabra Hummus flavor you would like to try
For additional entries you can also:
2. Follow @Sabra on Twitter
3. Share this giveaway in any media such as Twitter, StumbleUpon, Digg, Facebook, etc. There is a share button at the end of this post for your convenience. Just make sure to come back and leave a comment for each share you make and you will gain an entry for each one.
4. Blog this giveaway and you will earn 3 entries. Leave a link to your post.
RULES
1. Giveaway ends on October 10, 2009
2. Open to US addresses only. No PO Boxes.
3. Winner will be chosen by random.org and contacted by email. Please respond in 48 hours or a new winner will be chosen.
On August 30, Union Square Park will be transformed by Sabra Hummus Co. for the second year in a row into a outdoor Mediterranean Café -- the final leg of an 11-city tour.
Colombe Jacobsen will be on hand cooking up fun recipes with New Yorkers and passing out thousands of free "Hummus Sundaes." As a preview to the event, Jacobson stopped by the studio to make a a Red Pepper Couli and Hummus Ravioli using an assortment of quick and easy tips that embrace healthy oils and exotic spices.
Jacobsen recently appeared on the Food Network in season 3 of The Next Food Network Star; she is best remembered for her creatively healthy approach to everyday meals. Named in 2007 as one of Shape Magazine's "Woman who Shape the World," Jacobsen also coordinates Harvest Time, a non-profit in Harlem that teaches children nutritious, yet practical cooking techniques and recipes.
For more information, visit www.sabra.com.
Sabra has so many flavors I want to try. Doesn’t these names sound appealing? Cranberry & Fig, Sun-dried Tomato, Caramelized Onion, Chipotle, and Peppradew. Those are the new flavors Sabra just came out with. I haven’t even gotten a chance to try out all the original flavors yet and now you are telling me you have NEW flavors. Need to catch up. Would I buy the Roasted Red Pepper flavor again? Probably not since there are so many other Sabra flavors to try and I like the Roasted Garlic Flavor more. Of course, there are other lower in calories hummus out there on the market, but I like the smooth and creamy texture of Sabra so much that I don’t mind the extra calories.
One serving of 2 tbsp is 70 calories, 2 WW, 6 grams of fat (1 gram saturated), zero cholesterol, 120 milligram of sodium, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 1 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar and 1 gram of protein.
Retails: $4.49 per 10 ounce tub @ Pavilions
My Cost: $2.99 (on sale)
Calories: 70 per 2 tbsp
WW: 2
Some New Snack Ideas
Fitness magazine got together their nutrition experts to compile a list of the Best Snacks. After going through thousands of different foods they came up with a list of items that you can add to your grocery list to make shopping for great foods easier.
Sabra Hummus makes a great dip for veggies or pita chips and can also be a great spread on a sandwich - it's also my favorite brand!
Per 2 tablespoons: 70 calories, 2g protein, 4g carbohydrate, 6g fat (1g saturated), 1g fiber
The Best Grocery Store Snack Foods
July 2009
View Article
Best Hummus
Some days you have time to pack a Ziploc of fresh veggies or raw nuts for a mid-afternoon snack. But other times, you’re grabbing something on the go– and that something is ideally tasty, crunchy, and oh yeah, healthy too. Over Fourth of July weekend, two Go-Getter Girl friends introduced me to Sabra hummus “To Go” packs– which might just be the perfect summer snack. It’s a little self-contained package of creamy, tangy hummus (available in classic, roasted red pepper, or garlic flavors), plus a handful-size serving of crispy pretzel chips. And, since the pretzels and hummus are sealed separately, you can choose to opt out of the crisps and enjoy the hummus as a dip for things like (naturally) freshly cut veggies.
Available at many grocery stores and markets, check Sabra’s website for locations near you.
NEW YORK—The candidates are the heads of the table—literally. Heads of presidential candidates John McCain, Barack Obama and former candidate Hillary Clinton made of hummus made a show at the 54th Summer Fancy Food Show yesterday along with other products playing up the electoral hype.
Three political rivals sat in unlikely harmony in the back of an aisle flanked on both sides by a medley of different products while Kirk Rademaker, the mind behind the heads, carefully sculpted their faces. Scoop by scoop he places dollops of humus that has slid from place back into its original state, a process Rademaker jokes as a "face lift."
Carved from over 100 pounds of hummus supplied by Sabra Go Mediterranean, a New York company specializing in making dips and spreads, the candidates are true to life as any food product can be. Hillary Clinton has blue M&Ms for eyes while both McCain and Obama sport raisin dotted ones.
A seasoned sand sculptor for the past 10 years, Rademaker was approached by Sabra into producing the three political figures. Sabra wanted to define their brand as "American as these candidates have become" and Rademaker hopped on the wagon.
While working on the project, Rademaker carefully studied the expressions and facial structures of each of the candidates. He then created plaster models to give it a three dimensional feel. Despite the initial preparation, the actual work was more difficult than expected.
"When you work with sand it stays in place," says Rademaker. "But hummus is wet and gooey and it drips all over the place. But it's all fun."
In the process, Rademaker also discovered a swing in political opinion.
"Originally I was for Obama," says Rademaker. "But when I started studying Hillary's features more and more for the sculptures, I kind of developed a liking for her also."
Other exhibitions also put out patriotic themed items as well. Byrd Cookie Co. displayed red and blue state cookie tins while Long Grove Confectionary Company introduced animal chocolate lollipops in shapes of the Republican elephant and Democratic donkey. Drinks by McSteven's Inc featured coffee called Obamaccino and McCain Mocha.
In its 55th run this year, the show featured over 2,400 exhibition booths with specialty foods ranging from culinary giants such as France and Italy to newcomers from the United Arab Emeritus, Panama and Costa Rica. Hundreds of vendors displayed dozens of kinds of cheeses and others lured retailers with enticing displays of rare products such as truffles.
Oganic foods also dominated the exhibition this year, taking up an entire section of the floor.
June 17, 2009
http://www.
Cuisine
NEW Snacking on the Go Do your busy days lead you to unhealthy vending machine offerings more than you like? For a new go-to snack that’s portable and portioned, try Sabra’s To Go! With Pretzel Crisps. A ready-to-eat snack option with your pick of either hummus or salsa, each portion comes with a side of crispy pretzel chips that are perfect for dipping and taste great. Available in classic, roasted red pepper, and roasted garlic hummus flavors and mild to zesty salsa, this snack is a no-trans fat, no-cholesterol treat you can take anywhere. (www.sabra.com) - JS