Saving money on organic eating ... A Barley-Pinto Stew

Dear Lynne: I buy organic for my kids, but cannot afford it for all of us. Any thoughts on how to save money on organic foods? We have stores that sell organic foods, so finding it isn't too hard. -- Grateful Dad

Dear Grateful Dad: It's tough, especially in these times, to pay any kind of premium for anything. Absolute solutions depend upon where you live and what prices are like in your area. This information could help you save money on organic eating:

SAVING MONEY ON ORGANIC FOODS

1. What to Look For: Make sure the USDA "Organic" seal is on the food. Without it you could be paying more money for food that isn't organic at all.

2. How to Save Money: Nothing eats up a budget like prepared foods, takeout and mixes. If you don't already do it, learn to cook even one or two dishes. Cooking just two simple meals a week will save serious money.

3. Best Buys: Three best buys in organics are dried beans and grains bought in bulk, and seasonal fresh produce.

Organic grains and beans range from around 80 cents to $3 a pound, and a pound could be the mainstay of a meal for four people.

4. Where to Shop: Don't assume that supermarkets will have the best prices; they can be more expensive. Do a one-time store-scan run around your area to check prices on organic dried beans and grains (and remember they keep six months in a dark, cool, dry place).

5. Nutrition: When you pair whole grains with beans, you have a complete protein, the equivalent of a piece of meat.

6. Taste: Here's a quick take on flavors (generally, organic does taste better):

BEANS

Organic pintos -- rich and remind me of chicken.

Anasazi -- sweet, mild and creamy.

Azuki -- sweet and meaty.

Black bean-- extra-meaty with a little earthiness.

Black-eyed peas -- earthy, robust.

Cannellini -- creamy, lush -- a Rolls-Royce of a bean.

Chickpeas cook to nutlike and a little sweet. Their cooking water makes a fine broth to eat on its own or use in soups.

Great northerns -- neutral and pleasing.

Kidney -- assertive, beanlike.

Lentils have all the proteins of meat with flavors ranging from earthy (brown), to meatlike and nutty (green), to nutlike and starchy (red).

GRAINS

Whole-wheat berries -- nutlike, toothy.

Barley -- sweet and good with almost any flavoring, especially tomato sauce or high spicing.

Brown rice -- complex, resembles hazelnuts.

Whole-wheat couscous -- wheaten and toasted-tasting and so easy -- just moisten and it's ready to eat.

Buckwheat -- can be mild and delicate.

Bulgur -- cooked whole wheat that's been dried and cracked. All this needs is 30 minutes in warm water. Very wheaty.

7. How to Use Grains and Beans: Cooking times will always vary, but use the recipe below as a guide for cooking beans and grains. Cooked grains and beans keep 5 days in the refrigerator.

Grains and beans take to any seasonings or additions you like. They can be stews, sautes and risottos, sauced like pasta, cooked as soups, pureed, crushed or spiced and shaped into patties and cooked as burgers. Since one-third of the world lives on these foods, you'll find a lifetime's worth of recipes by checking out cuisines from Mexico to the Mediterranean, all of Europe, Africa, South America and the Caribbean.

For starters, try this stew.

BARLEY-PINTO STEW WITH SPICY TOMATOES

Serves 4 to 6 as a main dish. Can be made a couple of days before serving. Store in the refrigerator. If possible, use all organic ingredients.

Barley and Pintos (can be done 5 days ahead):

1 to 1-1/4 cups dried organic pinto beans

Boiling water

1-1/2 cups organic pearled barley

Water

Salt

The Stew:

Good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

5 whole cloves

4 large cloves garlic, minced

Shredded zest of 1 medium orange

1 teaspoon each ground allspice, cinnamon, sweet paprika, cumin and coriander

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

1/4 to 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

28-ounce can and 14-ounce can whole tomatoes (organic preferred)

An hour before cooking, put the beans in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Soak 1 hour, drain, put the beans in a large saucepan, cover with 2 inches of water and simmer until tender (45 to 90 minutes). Salt to taste and drain, saving about 2 cups of the cooking water.

Bring about 5 quarts water to a boil, drop in the barley with a tablespoon of salt and bubble gently about 45 minutes to an hour, or until very tender. Drain.

Film a 12-inch straight-sided skillet with olive oil. Heat over medium high. Add the onion with salt and pepper. Saute until golden. Stir in the cloves, garlic, orange zest, spices and balsamic vinegar. Stir as you cook down the vinegar to a film on the bottom of the pan. Don't let it scorch. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, breaking them up with your hands. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook, stirring often, 8 to 10 minutes, or until rich-tasting.

Add the beans and barley and the reserved cooking water. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes, or until the stew is thick. Serve hot. You could top the stew with dollops of whole-milk yogurt, or chopped parsley.

(Lynne Rossetto Kasper hosts "The Splendid Table," American Public Media's national food show, and is co-author of "The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories and Opinions." Ask questions and find Lynne, recipes and station listings at splendidtable.org or 800-537-5252.)