The Bite (Issue 11): Beans and Greens

Keys to eating healthfully amid Christmas cookie season none A few weeks ago, I got a text from my mother: “This year, I’m making peanut butter balls, pumpkin cookies with cream cheese icing, ginger cookies, [cranberry-date](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RKaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjAvMTEvMjkvbGVmdG92ZXItY3JhbmJlcnJ5LXNhdWNlLWRlc3NlcnQtcmVjaXBlcy9XA3NwY0IKYbPloLRhrCvn5lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl) bars and I was going to try to come up with some kind of [eggnog](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RbaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMTkvMTIvMjIvaG93LXRvLW1ha2UtZWdnbm9nLXRydWx5LWdvb2QtbGlnaHQtZnJvdGh5LWVnZ25vZ19wYXJ0bmVyL1cDc3BjQgphs-WgtGGsK-fmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACU~)cookie.” There was a beat, then she sent a follow-up message. “I am not talking like dozens of each,” she wrote. “Just a little assortment of things.” (Reader, there will still be dozens of each). Meanwhile, her mother, my maternal grandmother, has already embarked on her own batches for the holidays. There will be chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge,[sugar cookies](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0QvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMDEvMDEvMDIvc3VnYXJfY29va2llcy9XA3NwY0IKYbPloLRhrCvn5lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl), gingerbread and likely some competing cranberry-date bars and peanut butter balls. If my dad’s mother were still alive, she’d add to the mix, most notably with her pillowy-soft [chocolate chip cookies](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0R9aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjAvMDUvMDkvZG91YmxldHJlZS1zaGFyZWQtaXRzLXNlY3JldC1jaG9jb2xhdGUtY2hpcC1jb29raWUtcmVjaXBlLWFuZC1pdC1jb250YWlucy1mcmVzaC1sZW1vbi1qdWljZS9XA3NwY0IKYbPloLRhrCvn5lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl), which she placed on the baking sheet with such exacting precision that they all looked shockingly uniform; my siblings and I used to lovingly joke that she rearranged the chocolate chips with a pair of tweezers so that the end result would be identical. This to say, I come from a line of women who bake — I mean, really bake — for the holidays. I’ve picked up the habit, too, and found my lane making miniature gingerbread cloud cakes, homemade cinnamon rolls and assorted breads. If you’re curious, ask me sometime about the year I made 72 miniature babka knots in my studio apartment galley kitchen as Christmas gifts. Much of December, for me personally, is a series of sugar surges and dips. I’m writing this newsletter after having cookies twice already today. Once for breakfast (a chocolate-spice cookie from [Scafuri’s Bakery](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0QaaHR0cHM6Ly9zY2FmdXJpYmFrZXJ5LmNvbS9XA3NwY0IKYbPloLRhrCvn5lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl), which paired beautifully with an iced oat milk latte) and once during rush-hour traffic (a [Kaffarep shortbread cookie](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9JS0VBLUtBRkZFUkVQLVNob3J0YnJlYWQtQ2VydGlmaWVkLVJhc3BiZXJyeS9kcC9CMDdENkREM1dSVwNzcGNCCmGz5aC0Yawr5-ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAJQ~~) with raspberry filling, bought after spending four hours in IKEA). I’ve got another week of recipe testing for our holiday baking week, too. And while I’m not one for equating food with guilt or shame — I politely, but promptly, unfollow anyone who posts about how many jumping jacks or sit-ups you’d have to do to “work off” various holiday treats — however, when my diet suddenly becomes 20% royal icing, I know that I have to shift what I’m eating during my other meals so that I’m not just one big walking yuletide sugar migraine. This is the time of year when I lean on beans, greens and easy proteins . If it comes together with relatively little effort and kitchen space, that’s a bonus. This week’s issue of “The Bite,” Salon Food’s weekly food newsletter, we’ll turn our focus to dishes that incorporate those. Does your diet shift much during the holidays? What do you find yourself making more or less of this time of year? Let us know at food@salon.com — Ashlie Stevens, deputy food editor. none Kale-ing it this holiday season Earlier this week, I made a variation of Molly Baz’s crunchy chicken salad, which Mary Elizabeth Williams[covered this summer](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RUaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMDQvMjIvcmVjaXBlLXF1aWNrLWFuZC1kaXJ0eS1jcnVuY2h5LWNoaWNrZW4tZnJpdG8tc2FsYWQvVwNzcGNCCmGz5aC0Yawr5-ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAJQ~~)in her weekly column Quick and Dirty. Typically, the recipe uses a head of Napa cabbage as the base, then builds flavor with briny cotija cheese, radishes, cilantro, garlic, lime, shredded rotisserie chicken — and a healthy bit of crunch from crushed corn nuts or Fritos. My version involved rescuing a bunch of farmer’s market kale from the refrigerator and topping it with goat cheese, an errant handful of peppery arugula, corn nuts, rotisserie chicken and some clementine segments and juice. While it wasn’t completely true to the original, this version was incredibly flavorful, filling and served as a nice kitchen clean-out recipe that was heavy on the greens. Use Molly and Mary Elizabeth’s recipe as a base for your winter salads, along with Maggie Hennessy’s [guide for digging out of your next salad rut (plus, her panzanella recipe fit for a hearty lunch)](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMjAvaG93LXRvLWRpZy1vdXQtb2YteW91ci1uZXh0LXNhbGFkLXJ1dC9XA3NwY0IKYbPloLRhrCvn5lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl). Bean pies, gratins and love letters In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Frances Moore Lappé’s “Diet for a Small Planet,” Mary Elizabeth Williams revisited her [fall bean pie](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RVaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMTQvYS1yZXZvbHV0aW9uYXJ5LWNydW5jaHktYmVhbi1waWUtZm9yLWEtc21hbGwtcGxhbmV0L1cDc3BjQgphs-WgtGGsK-fmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACU~) which — with its pleasant mix of corn, kidney beans and grated cheddar cheese — is really seasonless. It’s a perfect dish for cool winter evenings when you don’t want something too heavy, but still comforting. For something a little more decadent, [David Kinch's beans and greens gratin](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0SDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMDUvMTMvdGhpcy1iZWFucy1hbmQtZ3JlZW5zLWdyYXRpbi1pcy1jb21mb3J0LWluLWEtcGFuLWFuZC1oYXMtZG91YmxlLXRoZS1hbW91bnQtb2YtY2hlZXNleW91cmUtd2VsY29tZS9XA3NwY0IKYbPloLRhrCvn5lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl)blends a healthy amount of melting cheese with cannellini beans and torn kale, all topped with a crispy breadcrumb crust. While you’re waiting for your pies and gratins to bake, take a few moments to read Maggie Hennessy’s [love letter to kidney beans](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTAvMDYvYS1sb3ZlLWxldHRlci10by10aGUtdmFzdGx5LXVuZGVycmF0ZWQta2lkbmV5LWJlYW5fcGFydG5lci9XA3NwY0IKYbPloLRhrCvn5lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl), in which she “wax[es] poetic on this special bean that is often, inconceivably, overlooked in a lot of households.” *** From the kitchens of our home cooks Oracle Pour: [How to make a perfect Air Mail cocktail at home — all you need are four ingredients](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMDUvMTUvaG93LXRvLW1ha2UtYW4tYWlyLW1haWwtY29ja3RhaWwtYXQtaG9tZS0tYWxsLXlvdS1uZWVkLWFyZS1mb3VyLWVhc3ktaW5ncmVkaWVudHMvVwNzcGNCCmGz5aC0Yawr5-ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAJQ~~) Quick & Dirty: [Make this rosé bucatini for the wine mom in your life](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMDkvbWFrZS10aGlzLXJvcy1idWNhdGluaS1mb3ItdGhlLXdpbmUtbW9tLWluLXlvdXItbGlmZS9XA3NwY0IKYbPloLRhrCvn5lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl) One Way: [Free your barley from soup and risotto it instead](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RTaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMTIvMDUvZnJlZS15b3VyLWJhcmxleS1mcm9tLXNvdXAtYW5kLXJpc290dG8taXQtaW5zdGVhZC9XA3NwY0IKYbPloLRhrCvn5lIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAl) What we’re reading - Bros., Lecce: We Eat at The Worst Michelin Starred Restaurant, Ever — [The EverywhereistÂ](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RtaHR0cHM6Ly9ldmVyeXdoZXJlaXN0LmNvbS8yMDIxLzEyL2Jyb3MtcmVzdGF1cmFudC1sZWNjZS13ZS1lYXQtYXQtdGhlLXdvcnN0LW1pY2hlbGluLXN0YXJyZWQtcmVzdGF1cmFudC1ldmVyL1cDc3BjQgphs-WgtGGsK-fmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACU~) - The Secret to This Glazed Holiday Ham? Root Beer. — [The New York Times MagazineÂ](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RFaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8xMi8wOC9tYWdhemluZS9yb290LWJlZXItaGFtLXJlY2lwZS5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmGz5aC0Yawr5-ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAJQ~~) - The Publishing World Is Finally Embracing Black Cookbooks — [Eater](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0ROaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZWF0ZXIuY29tLzIyODI0NDI1L2VtYnJhY2luZy1ibGFjay1jb29rYm9va3MtcHVibGlzaGVycy1ib29rc3RvcmVzVwNzcGNCCmGz5aC0Yawr5-ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAJQ~~) And finally, something rancid... First it was toilet paper. Then it was bucatini. Now — it’s cream cheese. According to the New York Times, bagel makers say “a schmear shortage is threatening one of the most treasured local delicacies: a fresh bagel with cream cheese.” One bagel store owner told the Times that he had gotten a call from his dairy supplier Thursday night telling him that the 800-pound order he was expecting on Friday would not be arriving. However, many food distributors are struggling to understand why the Philadelphia cream cheese coffers have suddenly run dry. Read more [here.Â](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0RRaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMS8xMi8wNC9ueXJlZ2lvbi9jcmVhbS1jaGVlc2Utc2hvcnRhZ2UtbnljLWJhZ2Vscy5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmGz5aC0Yawr5-ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAJQ~~) Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, 19801 DE [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0Q8aHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvdGhlLWJpdGUvdW5zdWJzY3JpYmU_aWQ9QDM0NTA5VwNzcGNCCmGz5aC0Yawr5-ZSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAJQ~~) Copyright © 2021 The Bite, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRjlyXjP0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgphs-WgtGGsK-fmUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACU~)