It’s back and its cool- the brown bag lunch is the up and coming trend for those with dwindling bank accounts or maybe just wanting to have a healthier lunch. And taking your lunch to work or school can save both money and time. Brown bag lunches aren’t just bologna sandwiches anymore.

One of our favorite ideas for an easy lunch is to turn your dinner leftovers in to a healthy wrap. Use your leftover grilled chicken and add fresh apple slices, chopped pecans, shredded cheddar cheese and a little mayonnaise. The great thing about this wrap is that it can be heated or cold- either way it is delicious and easy to throw together before work in the morning.

Look at the money you saved! Plus you can use the extra time it would have taken to have lunch out for an errand or a leisurely walk.

We're pretty excited-  The October issue of the Twin Cities Metro Magazine features First Kitchen as one of the experts in their “Ultimate Hostess Guide.”

Entertaining can be stressful enough if you know how to cook,but what if your only specialty is Ramen Noodles?

Not to worry! The First Kitchen DVD (and the tips on our web site) can guide you through step-by-step recipes to help you through your hosting debut. You don’t have to be a Rachel Ray prodigy to throw your guests a memorable night. Our goal with our First Kitchen DVD and website is to help cooks become confident in their own kitchens. 

No, we are NOT asking for money, we’re asking for ideas!  What are YOU doing to save money right now?  Just because the economy is in the dumps doesn’t mean that your social life, fashion, or food has to be also…. Without an expense account or deep pockets it can be tough to buy and spend money on things you usually enjoy such as eating, shopping and entertaining! 

But now its time to get CREATIVE…. share with us your money-saving ideas that are getting you through this tough financial time.  We’ll also share some of our thrifty ideas for entertaining, cooking and fashion!   With the economy not turning around anytime soon, it’s time to start learning new ways to cope with the crisis and not give in to the financial doom.  So, lets keep enjoying life…. on a budget!    

Please share your money-saving ideas for entertaining, cooking, shopping, etc…and

The fall is breezing in and soon summer will be a distant memory….No need to fret (or freeze)!  There are many exciting fall activities that can be enjoyed outdoors- it will just take one more layer of clothingJ 

Since we have discovered the fun of cooking, what better way to do so than with fresh ingredients that you can find at your local farmer’s market! 

Most farmers’ markets are usually open until the end of October so there is still plenty of time to make a trip and get busy planning a fall feast!  Among the produce you’ll find in season this time of year include: Apples, Squash, Garlic, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Swiss Chard, Pumpkin, Pears, Mushrooms, Parsnips, Ginger, Cauliflower and Figs. 

You can throw together a simple sauté of garlic, squash, swiss chard, and mushrooms tossed with a little olive oil and salt…. serve it with a grilled chicken breast and you’ve got a tasty and healthy fall meal!  For the more experienced- try your hand at a basic apple pie recipe, you’ll be sure to have all the neighbors lining up at your door!  For more ideas check out our FK DVD! 

For all those fearless garlic lovers…It’s garlic season!  Garlic is an extremely healthy food that is found in abundance during the fall months at your local farmer’s markets and grocery stores.  There are many claims for the  fearless garlic bulb-  an anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial agent. It also is believed  to be an immune system booster with many anti-inflammatory properties…but one thing we do know- it can be a tasty addition to many dishes. 

For a great and simple fall treat try my favorite- roasted garlic.  All you need is a head of garlic (the whole thing), olive oil, tin foil, sharp knife and an oven or toaster oven (not a toaster!)

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees

-Peel the excess layers of the garlic bulb but leave the individual skins of the garlic cloves in tact

-With a sharp knife cut the pointed top of the garlic head (about ½ inch) so the individual garlic cloves are revealed

-Enclose the garlic head in a tinfoil and drizzle with a few teaspoons of olive oil and cover completely with the tinfoil

-Stick it in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the top of the garlic is slightly brown and soft throughout

This can be eaten many ways- most simply spread on a piece of French bread…once the cloves have cooled you can simply squeeze out the soft garlic cloves and enjoy!  Roasted garlic is much more mild than raw garlic or even sautéed garlic, so don’t be afraid to try this healthy and tasty food!

The signs of the end of a great summer are all around- the State Fair is in full swing, friends or siblings are starting to go back to school and that cool crisp air sneaks through our windows at night.  Fall can't be far behind but the days are still beautiful (and less humid!) so we are planning a Labor Day barbecue for our friends- no one has to do anything on Labor Day!  You could even make it an afternoon BBQ so that people who have work or school starting the next day can get to bed at a decent hour and let their food digest!  It is going to be simple but fun. 

Tomatoes are in season so we’ll have a delicious Caprese Salad along with our Surf n’ Turf kebabs.  (Check out the recipe page on our FK website.)

Fire up the grill (if no grill- the oven broiler will do) and get cookin’!  You could heat up a baguette on the grill (wrap it in aluminum foil) to serve along side the meal and toss together a simple salad- get ideas from our First Kitchen DVD http://firstkitchencooks.com/fk-shop.html

Have your friends chip in a little bit of money to help with cost of the meat and some of the other food.   Make sure you provide the basics like utensils and condiments but definitely have your friends BYOB (bring your own beverage).  Savor these last days of summer with good food and friends!

So what is the difference between organic and sustainable?

We were a little confused about this. How about you?  We certainly want to buy foods that are healthy and help save our environment so what does this all mean?  We did a little research to try to sort it out. 

In theory, something that is organic should be sustainable, right?   Or sustainable should be organic?  The two are often used in conjunction with one another but they are not necessarily the same.

Here are a few key differences:

 Organic is regulated, but not necessarily small or local.  Organic products are regulated by the USDA and must meet specific guidelines in order to be labeled organic.   It means growing food without the aid of synthetic pesticides, growing livestock without administering antibiotics or hormones.  Organic, however, does not necessarily mean small or locally grown.  Many corporations have jumped on the organic movement by using organic practices because they see the consumer demand for it.  Now organic products can be available anywhere, any time.  For example, we can have citrus or asparagus in cold weather climates in the middle of January.   So while organic maybe healthier for you and environment, mass production and long distance shipping still uses many non-reusable resources.

Sustainable agriculture is local. Sustainable farms by definition are not large-scale mass producers. Sustainable practices use local resources and tend not to move food farther than 200 miles from the site of production- another words, bringing the farmer closer to the consumer. 

 In theory it means using limited resources, minimizing waste and implementing farm practices that lessen the impact on the environment. For example, rather than relying on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, it means more reliance on methods such as crop rotation, animal manure fertilizers and/or biological controls to manage insects, and weeds.  So while sustainable products may not necessarily be organic, sustainable agriculture is a method of farming that minimizes environmental damage and depletion of resources. 

The moral of the story- stay educated on your food choices and how they are grown or manufactured.  It is our consumer dollar that influences the way in which our food is produced. 

Do you have any comments or questions about organic or sustainable production??  Let us know!

We discovered a really simple and refreshing, but impressive dessert to serve to our friends.  On a recent trip, we were served this elegant dessert in a restaurant and we thought – hey we can do that.  So here it is if you want to give it try.   It’s just lemon sorbet and some real lemons.   

Cut a lemon in two- making one part larger than the other.  The one side is just the “hat” for the dessert. 

Scoop out and discard the lemon to make a lemon cup.  Fill the cup with lemon sorbet, top with the hat and place them in the freezer.  Allow them to freeze until firm.  They’re ready to serve.  If you want to get creative, add a few berries and sprig of mint on the side or maybe a cookie or maybe a chocolate. Yumm!

So if you’re a first time cook or just looking for a simple recipe, try this idea of your next dinner party.

Stay cool!

Have friends or roommates that are vegetarians?  Or maybe you’re thinking of becoming vegetarian?  Do you wonder what the heck vegetarians eat?  How come some of them are eating fish and others won’t touch it.  Then again some eat eggs and drink milk while some don’t. To clear up this confusion, let’s talk about the different types of vegetarians:

Lacto-vegetarian- eats dairy and not eggs or any meat.

Ovo-vegetarian- eats eggs but not dairy or any meat.

Lacto-ovo-vegetarian- can you guess? Ok, they exclude all animal products including dairy and eggs.  

Pesco-vegetarian- eats fish, dairy, eggs, but no meat

Semi-vegetarian- eats all foods except red meat

Vegan- no meat, egg or dairy (basically NO animal products)

So how do vegetarians get all of the nutrients they need?   Without careful planning, they may be deficient in some nutrients such as protein, iron, calcium, vitamin B12 and vitamin D.

Protein- vegetarians who don’t eat meat, need to replace it with high-protein vegetarian foods, such as nuts, peanut butter, soy foods, and legumes like beans, peas, and lentils.

Iron- is found not only in the same foods high protein vegetarian foods listed above  but also in dark green leafy veggies (broccoli, spinach) and iron fortified breakfast cereal. 

Calcium- the obvious sources of calcium comes from dairy products, but vegans or ovo-vegetarians (no dairy), can find it from sources such as dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli.  Foods such as soymilk, orange juice and cereal are also fortified with calcium …just make sure to read the label!

B12- this is the only one exclusively found in animal products and must be added to a vegan-vegetarian diet. Nutritional yeast flakes, fortified soy milk and fortified cereals may contain vitamin B₁₂.