Far From Being a SNAP

2 Bean & Yam Turkey Chili

My SNAP Challenge week has ended. True to its name, it was definitely not a snap and was most certainly a challenge.

With $63 (at $4.50 per person per day), I set out to shop for 2 people last Sunday. I typically shop at Sprouts Farmers Market and Trader Joe's and was able to get everything I needed from those 2 grocers. Before I set forth, I perused the weekly ad from Sprouts and planned my menu based on the produce on sale.

My week's total for 2 people: $61.30

Note: salt, pepper, spices, and vinegar weren't accounted for in the $63 budget.

Challenge Accepted

Image via Greater Boston Food Bank

$4.50. That's about how much I'd plunk down for a latte at a fancy coffee shop sometimes. But for this entire week, I'll have to use the same amount to feed myself for a whole day. Yikes. it's not because I lost a bet, but because I'm taking the SNAP Challenge with some fellow colleagues from the Hunger & Environmental Nutrition Group.

SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (often referred to as food stamps). We decided to take this challenge to gain a better understanding of the struggles of not having enough to eat, a real problem that millions of Americans face each day. Hunger often conjures up the image of an emaciated child in a 3rd world country but with the economic downturn and income gap increasingly widening, it's a real issue that is happening in our own backyard.

Farm to Table: Spaghetti alla Cinese

Worthy of a magazine cover...
photo by eating partner, Delwin L. 

Legend has it that 13th Century traveler Marco Polo brought back what is now known as pasta from his travel to China. Whether that's a true story or a mere sensationalized tale, pasta is popular outside of just Italy. Spaghetti alla Cinese, or Chinese Spaghetti, is a homage to the legendary Chinese influence on these noodles. It marries whole wheat spaghetti with modernized Chinese flavors using sweet soy sauce, spring onion, and Japanese mustard. The result is a light yet satisfying meal appeals to the eyes and palate alike.

Freshly picked produce from the farmers market lend bright flavors to this dish. But feel free to substitute any of the veggies with whatever's available at the market. Julienned bok choy will work well when squash isn't available, and bean sprouts will be just fine in place of pea sprouts.This version is vegan-friendly but grilled chicken or shrimp may be added to nudge meat-lovers to try this dish.

$5 Challenge

I had looked forward to Slow Food USA's $5 Challenge for weeks. Partly because I was excited to get some of my closest foodie friends together, also because I knew it would be a delicious feast, but mostly because I corralled my foodie friends together for some delicious food that cost (+/-) $5 each!

As I had hoped, it was an evening with good friends, good food, good wine, and good times. Now I have to add a new "good"- good intentions! It proved that eating well doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg. Although we did end up with a bunch of carbs and starches, I'm confident that we'll get more creative in making well-rounded dishes as we practice more with $5 Challenges.

Dollar 'n Sense #1: Farm to Table

We've all heard it (and possibly experienced it): It's expensive to buy food at farmers markets.

Yes, there are produce that cost more than what we wish to pay. But more often than not, they're more reasonable than you might think. Take my red chard and mushroom that became a delicious and nutritious pasta dish, for example.