One box Trader Joe’s frozen Eggplant Cutlets, thawed
One jar of marinara sauce
4 oz. mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese

Cook eggplant as directed. Assemble entrée by layering one slice of eggplant, a layer of marinara sauce, and top with mozzarella cheese. Repeat layer. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over prepared dish. Broil for 2 minutes. Serve with a green salad.

a friend

Do you ever wonder if it’s worth it to buy organic? It’s almost always more expensive than the regular version of a brand. I’ve read a lot about sending a message with your dollar by purchasing organic products and produce, but wouldn’t you like to know what you’re getting for the extra money you’re spending? Rubbing nickels.com is here to help you debunk the organic labeling at the supermarket.

Speaking of labels, what DO the organic labels mean, legally? Here are some definitions for terms that we see on packaged food. The premium labeling for organic are the words “100% organic” which means that ALL the ingredients are organic. The label “organic” means that 95% of the ingredients are organic. The loosest terminology, “made with organic ingredients”, is actually deceiving in that it only guarantees 70% of the ingredients in the product are organic.

For fresh ingredients, “organic” means a wide range of things. “Organic produce” means that the produce has been grown without synthetic fertilizers, pesticides or sewage sludge (yuk!) and hasn’t been altered genetically. “Organic milk” means that it comes from animals that have been fed organic feed and weren’t given antibiotics or hormones for the last 12 months. The same goes for “organic eggs” which were fed organic feed and not given hormones for the last 12 months.

My favorite newsletter, from the Center for Science in the Public Interest, recently published a list of what they called the “dirty dozen”. This was a list of the fruits and vegetables that they found most likely to have pesticide residues, making them the most important items to buy “organic”. Their list included peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, grapes (imported), spinach, lettuce and potatoes. On their list of consistently clean produce were papaya, broccoli, cabbage, bananas, kiwi, sweet peas, asparagus, mango, pineapples, avocado and onions. These would be the safest to buy in non-organic.

I hope this info saves you a few nickels!

Sincerely,

Julie Arnheim and Darcy Ratner
Founders, Rubbingnickels.com

a friend

The ingredients for this dinner can be prepared on the grill. Using the grill will help keep the kitchen cool on a hot summer day.

1 red onion, quartered
1 zucchini, quartered
1 red or yellow pepper, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium English cucumber
Cooked chicken, preferably grilled, coarsely chopped
4 Roma tomatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
½ cup Garlic Herb Dressing (Recipe below)
6 slices grilled bread, torn or cut into ½ inch pieces

Brush the red onion, zucchini and pepper quarters with olive oil. Grill for five minutes on each side. Chop grilled vegetables and cucumber into ½ inch dice. Combine all ingredients and let sit 5-20 minutes, depending on how soft you like the bread.

Garlic Herb Dressing

2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 cup olive oil
3 sprigs fresh thyme, lightly crushed
1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
¼ teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients, except for the oil, in a food processor. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil. Refrigerate until ready to use.

a friend