Great snowed-in food ranges from brownies to kale.
Although the amount of snow these past few days in Athens has only amounted to a few inches, the roads and sidewalks in the community have been hazardous to navigate. That leaves many scrambling to stock up their pantry in preparation for the next blizzard.
Last-minute shoppers generally make a beeline for the eggs, milk and bread — the essential products. While eggs, milk and bread are vital in any kitchen, there is a much wider, tastier net to be cast for a snowed-in and bored individual.
Here’s a list of some essential items for when you’re snowed in:
- Box of Ghirardelli Brownie Mix and Ice Cream: Feel free to indulge with a hearty-sized brownie topped with a mind-blowingly tasty ice cream flavor in the unfortunate weather. When in the mood for decadence, buy a pint of Village Bakery’s Gelato. I am forever grateful to Caitlyn McDaniel for treating me to this and leaving it in my freezer.
- Kale: Kale has seemed to explode lately on the food circuit. While acai was not worth the hype, kale lives up to every expectation. Kale can be used in a multitude of dishes and is packed with vitamins. You can also use kale to make chips, to liven scrambled eggs and to add nutrients to pasta.
- “Fancy” Snacks: I use the word “fancy” loosely here. While I consider Rosemary Crackers a norm in my diet, many of my friends look at me like I have a third eye when I eat them. Many of the mainstream packaged snack foods lack flavor and are overpacked with sodium and oil. Try 34 Degrees’ Crispbread to discover how a cracker should taste. For popcorn lovers, adding a coat of sunflower oil to plain popcorn gives it an extravagant taste of butter without the calories.
- Quinoa: The easy-to-cook grain can be cooked quickly. Unlike many other dried pastas and grains, quinoa holds a lot of flavor, especially when cooked with chicken broth instead of water. Quinoa stands well on its own, but can be incorporated into other dishes, such as stuffed peppers, risottos, salads and vegetarian burgers.
Cassie Fait is a senior studying journalism and women’s, gender and sexuality studies. Email her at cf301411@ohio.edu.
