With Spring’s arrival, I’m jonesing to plant my vegetable garden. However, space and time confine me (I live in San Francisco and have a back deck the size of my closet.) Therefore, I’ve decided to try my luck on the “Whiskey barrel” garden. I’ve found them on sale for around $28, so as not to break my pocketbook. I’m going to start with tomatoes as there’s nothing better than fresh tomatoes from the vine.

With the recession in full swing, it also has become somewhat of a savings measure as well — my 401k being down by almost 20%, all of the meals cooked at home will go right back into my retirement. Apparently, I’m not the only one who’s taking her veggies into her own hands. Home Depot reported that seed packet sales in January 2009 were “up in the high double digits.”

As 2009 begins and we’re all watching our wallets, it’s obvious that this year will be one of many home cooked meals. With that in mind, spending more time in your kitchen means coming up with more recipes that are not only tasty, but nutritious.

Therefore, consider the following 11 foods to integrate into your diet. Many of them are not only amazing for your health, but easy on your pocketbook as well — cabbage, pumpkin, beets, to name a few.

Here’s to healthy meals on a budget.

So, I don’t believe it dieting. However, as one of my New Year’s challenges (as I also don’t believe in New Year’s resolutions), I’ve started a gluten-free kick. What does that mean exactly?

Well, for starters I’m trying (repeat trying) to cut out all foods in my diet that contain gluten. It’s not that I’m allergic to gluten, but rather that I’m interested in seeing my body’s reaction to life sans gluten. What I’ve been most surprised to discover is not only how easy it is, but how tasty the meals that result from experimenting with recipes.

My favorite thus far is the following:

Balsamic Honey Chicken

3 chicken tenders
1 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 T raw honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in frying pan. Add in chicken, balsamic vinegar, honey, salt and pepper. Cook until chicken is golden brown and cooked through (it’s about 7-10 minutes.) It’s really that simple!

It’s the unavoidable, perpetual cycle. We all mean to start the new year with healthy meals and frequent gym visits in order to shed those love handles that grew on our sides during the holidays, but after a couple of weeks we all settle back into what’s easy: grabbing take-out and convincing ourselves we’ll deal with it next year. We’re tired, we had a long day, cooking takes too long…enough of the excuses. The recipe below is really quick, very tasty, and will make you want to eat healthy. Try serving it with roasted asparagus (toss with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 400 degrees for 12 minutes) and whole wheat cous cous.

Seared Sea Bass with Creamy Lemon-Herb Sauce
serves 4

1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1/4 cup low-fat mayo
1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
juice of 1/4 lemon
1/2 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons basil, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons chives, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons tarragon, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
water
extra light extra virgin olive oil
4 sea bass filets, about 4-6 ounces each

1. To make the dressing: combine sour cream, mayo, shallot, lemon juice, parsley, basil chives, tarragon, salt and pepper in a blender or food processor. Blend until herbs are very finely chopped. It will be thick at this point so add about a tablespoon or so of water and blend. It should be thin enough to drizzle but not too watery.

2. Remove the fish from the fridge about 20 minutes before cooking it.

3. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat and add oil. While the pan heats up, season the fish on both sides with salt and pepper. When the oil begins to smoke add the fish to the pan. Let it sear about 4 minutes, then flip and continue cooking another 4-5 minutes. The fish should be flakey but not dried out.

4. Serve fish with a dollop of sauce on top.

Your eyes have not deceived you. I actually saw an article with this title and was stunned and confused. Why would someone write an article on how to gain weight? But, I have to say, it caught my attention much more so than the millions of articles about how not to gain weight over the holidays. The article was actually meant to be tongue-in-cheek and rather points out some of our poor habits over the holidays. The tip below was my favorite:

“Cut the largest piece of pie you can fit on your plate. Add an extra dollop of whipped cream, just because. And remember that — slice for slice — pecan pie contains at least 200 calories more than pumpkin pie.”

As per a recent article in the NY Times, more and more individuals are cooking at home as the economy worsens. Many individuals are finding that eating out or buying already prepared foods is just too expensive right now. Left with little other choice, they are cooking at home more. Not only does cooking save you money, but it usually results in more nutritious meals. You not only control what goes into your food, but you control the portion sizes. Having less money to spend on food, however, doesn’t necessarily translate into having more time. So, quick meals, prep tips and ways to use leftovers are essential.

Check out Katie’s blogs for great tips and recipes and of course The Little Black Apron for quick, healthy recipes to get you through these times.

I saw this great portion size test today. It’s to see if you know the appropriate portion sizes of some of your favorite holiday foods like stuffing, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes. Check this out before the holidays roll around so you aren’t rolling yourself home.

Problem:
They’re thinner at one end than at the other, causing the thicker end to need more cooking time, thus drying out the thin end.
Solution:
Lay the chicken breast on a flat surface between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound it to a uniform thickness of about 1/4 inch.

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Problem:
You took it out of the fridge right before you cooked it, causing the outside to overcook by the time the inside is done.
Solution:
Pull the chicken out of the fridge 30-45 minutes before you plan to cook it in order to bring it to room temp.

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Problem:
You followed the grocery store guideline of cooking your chicken to 180 degrees, yet it’s now the consistency of shoe leather.
Solution:
Chicken reaches a safe temperature at 165 degrees, but it will carry over cook (after you take it off the heat, residule heat will keep cooking it) so be sure to remove it from the heat at about 160 degrees.

1. Now, with these tips in mind, heat your grill to medium-high heat.
2. Fold up a paper towel in 8ths, dip it in a bit of extra light olive oil and rub it on the grill grates to prevent your chicken from sticking.
3. Season the chicken on both sides with whatever you desire (your favorite seasoning blend; fresh garlic, chopped basil, tarragon and parsley; lemon juice and chopped capers;, etc). Cook on each side 2-3 minutes, depending on how thin you’ve pounded it. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before sliceing into it.