No Fries in ’09 — #6: FAILED! Baked onion rings?

Feb. 14, 2009   1 Comment  

Baking did not work for onion rings.

Onion rings. They’re not good for you. According to About.com, a single serving of 8-9 onion rings contains 276 calories, 15.5 grams of fat, including 7 grams of saturated fat, 14 milligrams of cholesterol, and almost 20 percent of your daily sodium. Plus there’s more than 31 grams of carbs! I set out to see [...]

No Fries in ’09 — #5: Colorful Peppers and Onions

Feb. 3, 2009   Leave a Comment  

Shake and stir, baby!

Summer church carnivals bring the old familiar tastes of sausage, pepper and onion subs. Unfortunately, there are very few diets that will let you eat sausage on Italian bread. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to healthily cook and eat peppers and onions. They are fabulous for you; packed with vitamins, and they fill you [...]

No Fries in ’09 — #4: Virtually Fat-Free Chicken Tenders

Jan. 23, 2009   Leave a Comment  

Virtually Fat-Free Chicken Tenders with Veggies!

Even if you’re not eating French fries for a whole year, deep fried and heavily battered chicken tenders, while absolutely delicious, can still ruin a perfectly good diet. On a health kick, my father threw together baked chicken tenders, and, if done right, it’s a healthy and delicious way to eat chicken. When I retire [...]

No Fries in ’09 — #3: Baked Sweet Potato Wedges

Jan. 16, 2009   2 Comments  

foodtest017

Sage, meet the readers. Readers, sage. The problem with cooking healthy is that it is a widely-known fact that the flavor is often in the fat. But fresh herbs, however daunting that section of the produce department is, are the secrets to dishes that are packed with healthy flavor. If you want a dish that [...]

No Fries in ’09 — #2: Tasty Broccoli

Jan. 10, 2009   Leave a Comment  

Make sure you lower the heat when you cover the pan!

You first have to get past your fear. It didn’t happen overnight for me either. I was the pickiest eater in my family growing up, and forget about veggies. I actually gagged the first time I really sat down to eat a plate of broccoli when I was 17. But it was all in my [...]

The first major test of No Fries in ’09

Jan. 3, 2009   Leave a Comment  

MIDDLEBOROUGH, Mass. — Did somebody say McDonald’s? Oh my god this is painful. I am working on‚ a story for the Boston Globe here in Middleborough, and the only place I could find with wireless Internet to file my story is … a McDonald’s. I’m totally not a paying customer. I’m not buying anything, especially French [...]

No Fries in ’09 — #1: BBQ-infused green beans

Jan. 2, 2009   Leave a Comment  

The whole dish is 8 Weight Watchers Points, but I get no points for presentation.

This is the first in a 50-part food series called “No Fries in ’09.” I am pledging not to eat a single french fry in 2009 (as well as eat sensibly and exercise regularly) all year and come up with 50 delicious side dishes that are filling, healthy and NOT french fries. I’ll be mixing [...]

Letter from the editor: A “Dear John” to the French fries

Dec. 31, 2008   2 Comments  

My dear, dear French fries, We need to talk. The years have gone by so fast for us. From my first McDonald’s fry 24 years ago to the wide crinkle cut deliciousness at Glenwood in Connecticut and Town Spa in Stoughton. It’s always been good. That was never the problem. Something changed between us. It [...]