You can't eat meat on Fridays in Lent but fish, eggs, alligator are OK - USA TODAY

Do you really need to wash lettuce before eating it? Experts weigh in. - Yahoo Life

Is it safe to eat unwashed lettuce? Experts explain why it's important to take proper precautions when it comes to leafy greens in the kitchen. (Photo: Getty)

Home cooks try to fit in lots of fresh and leafy greens during the week. But between rising costs and ingredient scarcity, sometimes it's hard to come by that go-to iceberg or romaine for lunchtime salads and wraps.

If you do come across the lettuce you need for all those healthy dishes, chances are time is still of the essence. You may have just a few minutes to pull lunch together during a busy work or school day, and it may seem that something like washing all those greens is an unnecessary additional step standing in the way of lunch.

But is it unnecessary? Do we need to wash those greens before eating them? According to the experts, absolutely.

Why it's important to wash lettuce before eating it

Field-grown leafy greens, including romaine and iceberg lettuce, should be thoroughly washed before consuming. If we want to keep things safe and healthy, that is. "Harmful bacteria can live on lettuce as it's being harvested and going through the packaging process, so it's best to wash it right before eating to help rinse off any surface dirt," says Katie Sabatini, a dietician who works as food safety and quality assurance manager at Little Leaf Farms.

The general best practice is to always wash lettuce before serving it. "Contaminants range from pesticides to sand and mud," says Jay Weinstein, chef-instructor of plant-based culinary arts at the Institute of Culinary Education. "Lettuce from the farmer's market tends to sequester more grit than factory-farmed varieties."

Agricultural chemicals can sometimes fly under the radar, but they are still there and very dangerous. "Invisible, odorless and tasteless by design, I wouldn't risk swallowing them just to save a few minutes in the kitchen," says Weinstein.

What about pre-washed lettuce?

Buying bags of pre-washed and pre-torn lettuce can be a big time-saver. But can you feel safe trusting they've been well-washed and are good to go? That depends on if you are buying from somewhere you trust. "This is up to the individual, but I personally don't [unless it's a brand I know and trust]," says Weinstein. "I buy from reputable producers, like the locally-farmed Satur Farms brand from Long Island, and eat it right from the package. Liability is so high that they have more to lose than consumers. But I respect skeptics."

How to wash lettuce

Don't be in denial: Washing the whole head ignores hidden dirt. "Tear or cut the leaves before you wash the lettuce," says Weinstein. "The coziest place for contaminants to reside is deep inside, where leaves meet core."

Steps for washing lettuce:

• Start by washing your own hands. There's no point in washing that lettuce if you're going to get it dirty by touching it. "I recommend washing your hands for twenty seconds with soap and warm water before handling your lettuce to reduce the risk of bacteria spreading from your hands to your greens," says Sabatini.

• Next, cut your lettuce. All types of lettuce will need to be washed, but whether you tear or knife-cut will depend on the variety. "Crisp, tight head lettuces like romaine and iceberg look better knife-cut, whereas leaf lettuces like Boston Bibb or oak leaf look best hand-torn," says Weinstein. "Be sure to wash both styles before consuming."

• Then, prep your station. "​​Fill two large vessels with cold tap water," says Weinstein, adding that the outside bowl of a lettuce spinner is a good size for this task.

• The temperature of the wash water also plays a role when it comes to food safety and quality. "The tender leaves of lettuce are more susceptible to adverse quality effects from wash water that is too warm, which can include wilting, scalding, limpness and increased loss of freshness among others," says Sabatini.

• Now grab that lettuce. "Fully submerge [cut or torn lettuce leaves] in the first container of water," says Weinstein. "Agitate vigorously, using loose fingers to avoid bruising leaves."

• The rest is a bit of a process, but easy once you get into the flow. "Lift lettuce from the water and allow it to drip-drain before transferring it to the second basin and repeating the process," says Weinstein. Feel the bottom of the vessel for any grit. If you find any, then repeat the process until the vessel is grit-less.

• Spin the leaves to dry them. "A lettuce spinner uses centrifugal force to gently eliminate residual water," explains Weinstein. "Wet lettuce dilutes dressing. If that's not enough reason to spin, consider that wet lettuce spoils more quickly." ​If you don't have a salad spinner, Weinstein says to "pouch the lettuce into a towel or clean pillowcase and whip it over your head like you're winding up a slingshot."

​Bonus tip: Washing revives sleepy leaves. "If your greens have started to wilt but still have a spark of life in them, they will drink in water and crisp back up," Weinstein shares.

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Hong Kong lunchbox crisis offers some food for thought - South China Morning Post

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How many paczki can you eat in three minutes on Fat Tuesday? - MLive.com

The top three winners, from left to right, Austin Brooks, Bob Love Jr. and Bill Burgess stand together for a photo after one dozen men competed in a paczki eating contest in celebration of Fat Tuesday on Feb. 21, 2023 at Bueche’s Food World, a local grocery story in Flushing. (Jake May | MLive.com)Get Photo

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Two men eat at all 21 restaurant week locations in one day - KCRG

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) - Restaurant Week in Cedar Rapids is underway, and two men have already managed to eat at all 21 participating restaurants.

Camden Stovie and Colton Storla started the new tradition of eating at all the restaurants participating in Restaurant Week last year, but this year they did it in just one day.

Restaurant Week officially kicked off last Friday, and their mission started the following day.

Radio station KHAK reports the men kicked off their day at 7:30 a.m. at Lucky’s on 16th, and wrapped it up at Black Sheep at around 6:30 p.m.

The men spent more than two hours driving to and from all 21 restaurants. They told KHAK they were so full by the end of the day they didn’t even bother ordering entrées from the last couple of restaurants.

Camden said he gained more than 14 pounds after eating all that food.

A chef from local restaurant, the hip-stir, joins us to talk Cedar Rapids Restaurant Week.

Here’s the list of participating restaurants:

• 30hop - 951 Blairs Ferry Rd NE, Cedar Rapids
• Black Sheep Social Club - 600 1st Street SE, Cedar Rapids
• Cedar Ridge Winery & Distillery - 1441 Marak Rd NW, Swisher
• Chophouse Downtown - 411 1st Street SE, Cedar Rapids
• Crosby’s - 1028 3rd St SE Suite #1, Cedar Rapids
• Dash Coffee Roasters - 120 3rd Ave SW Ste 2, Cedar Rapids
• Groundswell Café - 201 3rd Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids
• La Cantina Bar N Grill - 5400 Edgewood Road NE, Cedar Rapids
• Lion Bridge Brewing Company - 59 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids
• Lucky’s on 16th - 86 16th Avenue SW, Cedar Rapids
• Midtown Reserve - 319 7th St SE, Cedar Rapids
• Need Pizza - 207 2nd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids
• Pedalers Fork - 2010 Sylvia Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids
• Pub 217 - 217 3rd Street SE, Cedar Rapids
• O’s Grill - 3911 Center Point Rd NE, Cedar Rapids
• Sacred Cow Tavern - 1000 7th St SE, Cedar Rapids
• The Class Act Restaurant - 7725 Kirkwood Boulevard SW, Cedar Rapids
• The Edison Pub and Eatery - 475 Northland Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids
• The hip-stir - 1120 7th Ave, Marion
• The Map Room - 416 3rd Street SE, Cedar Rapids
• Tic Toc - 600 17th St NE, Cedar Rapids

Restaurant Week wraps up next Sunday.

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A nutritionist shares the 'most underrated' food she eats every day to boost her energy - CNBC

So many of us are constantly trying to keep up with our jam-packed schedules, and when noon comes around, we're already exhausted and unfocused.

That's when we'll reach for a second cup of coffee.

But as a nutritionist, I don't turn to caffeine for an energy boost. Too much of it can have negative side effects, including headaches, trouble sleeping and anxiousness.

Instead, I eat an unlikely food that has been ignored for too long: Prunes.

Prunes: The most underrated energy-boosting food

Prunes are best known as a remedy for people who need help with their digestive health.

But they're also a good source of energy in the form of natural sugars. What's great is that they don't result in a rapid rise of blood sugar concentration.

In some cases, a blood sugar spike can be followed by a blood sugar crash, leaving you feeling sluggish. Low-glycemic foods like prunes can help give you sustained energy without the crash afterward.

While it depends on the size of the prunes themselves, I have about 30 grams a day, which is roughly three to four prunes.

Another bonus: Eating prunes every day may help keep bones strong as we age. A 2022 study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a daily 50-gram dose of prunes (five to six prunes) can prevent hip bone mineral density loss among postmenopausal women.

How to add more prunes to your diet

Prunes are great on their own — just make sure the brand you choose has no added sugars. Prune juice is another option, but I recommend keeping daily portion sizes to about one cup or less.

Here are some of my favorite ways to incorporate prunes into my diet:

1. Add prunes to your smoothie.

Add prunes to your smoothies if you need a boost of natural sweetness.

For an energizing morning smoothie, I'll add four pitted prunes with one frozen banana, a 1/2 tablespoon of lime zest, one cup of frozen peaches, a 3/4 cup of frozen pitted cherries, and a 1/2 cup of oat milk.

2. Swap sugar with prune purée in baked goods.

Combine 16 ounces of prunes with a 1/2 cup of warm water in a blender, then blend until a purée forms. You can use the purée to replace anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 of the sugar in a recipe.

Prune purée can also be used as a substitute for eggs or fat. To replace one large egg, use 1/4 a cup of purée. To cut down on fat, replace up to half of the butter or oil in a recipe with an equal amount of purée.

3. Dip prunes in dark chocolate.

For an antioxidant-rich, fiber-filled dessert, dip five pitted prunes into melted dark chocolate and let it set for a few hours.

4. Add chopped prunes to chicken salad.

The surprising sweetness that prunes add to chicken salad is an easy way to dress up the classic poultry dish. Simply add chopped pitted prunes to your favorite chicken salad recipe and mix well.

Lauren Manaker is an award-winning dietitian and author of "The First-Time Mom's Pregnancy Cookbook: A Nutrition Guide, Recipes, and Meal Plans for a Healthy Pregnancy." She's held leadership roles at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and has written for publications, including HealthDay and Livestrong. Follow her on Instagram.

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