On Wednesday, Mother Nature Network reported that food packaging is a "significant source" of human ingestion of bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic substance used in plastic and aluminum products.
The top culprits are coconut milk, soup, meat, vegetables, juice, fish, beans, meal-replacement drinks, and fruit.
Yikes. That knocks out a third of the pantry.
But avoiding canned goods isn't impossible. We talked to our resident budget recipe connoisseur, Kimberly Morales of Poor Girl Eats Well, to find home-cooked recipes that don't require a can opener.
Kimberly admitted that edibles in wrapping are an unfortunate reality of budget dining that she's faced herself.
"I harp a lot about the sodium content and additives/preservatives of packaged foods on my blog all the time, but never really thought about the packaging," she tells TakePart. "Yet another reason to do it yourself!"
Here, several of her recommendations that give Hamburger Helper and Campbell's cans a run for their money.
All recipes come from Poor Girl Eats Well, Kimberly's blog dedicated to eating "ridiculously well on a miniscule budget."
Penne with Heirloom Tomato Arrabbiata Sauce (serves 4)
6-8 lbs ripe heirloom tomatoes
3 small hot red chiles, finely chopped
4 t crushed red chile flakes
1 c finely chopped onion
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 t dried oregano
2/3 c dry red wine
1 T salt
1 t sugar
3 T olive oil
1 T chopped fresh basil
3 c cooked penne pasta (preferably whole wheat, but white will also do in a pinch)
Salt & pepper to taste
For the recipe, go here.
Shrimp & Scallops over Angel Hair Pasta (Serves 2)
Toasted Cumin Chicken with Broccoli & Curried Cashews (serves 4 as an entree w/rice)
4 large chicken thighs (or breasts, if you prefer)
1 c broccoli florets
1 T whole cumin seed
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/2 t curry powder
1-2 T cooking oil
1/3 c non-fat plain yogurt
1 T honey
1 T curry powder
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 t ground cayenne
1/4 t salt
2 c white jasmine or basmati rice
For the cashews...
1 c cashews
1 T cooking oil
1/4 t curry powder
1/4 t salt
1/4 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t garlic powder
For the full recipe, go here.
See all of Kimberly's Poor Girl Eats Well recipes here.
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