I decided to do a little baking and settled on Irish Soda bread: quick, easy and toastable. Yet leaving my GW digs in two weeks, I didn’t want to stock up on ingredients. Hampered by circumstance and forced to make due, here is what I learned.

Baking powder can be substituted for baking soda; it takes about three times as much baking powder as baking soda to get the same rising effect.

Buttermilk isn’t a common item at college supermarkets….obviously. So I made my own: 1 tbsp lemon juice or white vinegar into one cup milk and let stand for ten minutes. It isn’t as thick, but gets the job done.

That’s all; sweet and to the point, just like the Soda Bread.

(Info from Cooks Illustrated. If you don’t have a subscription, I highly recommend it. Science, Cooking, Eating. What better?)

On Sunday nights, I like to get in the kitchen and play around a bit. When I do it right, Ill have dinner and a perfect lunch for work. This weekend I bought a bag of green lentils. They looked like small mossy pebbles newly unearthed from the muddy earth.

Basing a weeks worth of meals around the lentil is kind to your pocket book and gift to your body (and it prevents that ill-conceived sandwich of left over hoisin bok choy and hickory turkey made in a rush at 7 am.)

Lentils are one of the oldest cultivated foods; archeologists have found lentil seeds in the Middle East dating back 8000 years. A member of the bean family, lentils are chock full of protein and fiber, about 17 grams of each per cup. The lentil is a complex carbohydrate which provides long lasting energy. Complex carbs are simple carbs chemically bonded together. Our body gets energy when those bonds are broken; because this process is slow, each lentil lunch fills me up and keeps me powered long into the afternoon. Eating lentils is also a great way to show your heart some love. High levels of magnesium and folate found in the legume are essential for good cardiovascular health.

The great beauty of the lentil is its versatility. Personally, I simply emptied the bag in to a pot, covered them with an inch of water (this depends on the type of lentil you choose) added a bouillon cube and let heat do the rest. Then, I doctored them up with red onion, feta and a light vinaigrette, but you can do so many other things too! Check out these easy options.

“Ellie, can you overdose on celery?” The voice on the other end of the phone line asked. “I was reading about hedge funds all afternoon and I realized I’d eaten almost 10 stalks!” Never fear my dear friend; there is more to celery than “ants on the log.”

The stalky veggie first hit the history books as a medicine. The ancient Romans thought it could cure constipation and hangovers. Just to the east, the Egyptians used the shaft to treat masculine deficiencies and the subterranean tuber (known as celeriac or celery root) for feminine disorders. Perhaps King Tut beat Dr. Freud to the pychosexual punch…

Now, nutritional science has shown that our ancestors weren’t wrong to use celery for its medicinal purposes. With nearly 45% of your daily Vitamin K and 15% Vitamin C, this veggie enhances your immune system, eases internal inflammation and even defends against bad cholesterol. Celery is filled with special compounds called pthalides which relax muscles around individual arteries allowing the blood to flow unrestricted thereby lowering blood pressure.

There are many great ways to include celery in your diet. Not discounting peanut butter and raisins, I think we dig up some more creative ideas. Celery and tomato is a natural marriage, think V8 Juice with a celery stirring stick (Vodka’s not a bad addition to this one). Try celery leaves in a salad or add some slices to a tuna sandwich. Don’t forget that celery yield great flavor to any dish so consider tossing in a few pieces in olive oil along with some onion for a soup, stir fry or pasta.

If you really want to get adventurous, try some of these recipes!

Celery Apple Gazpacho

Celery, Avocado and Bell Pepper Salad with Black Olives

Pineapple Celery Punch