Eggs have always been a relatively inexpensive source of protein, perfect for the home cook trying to feed a crowd without spending a fortune. They're an obvious choice for breakfast (scrambled, fried, made into a frittata), but eggs can also serve admirably as lunch and dinner: Egg salad for lunch and spinach quiche for dinner are easy and filling options (even if you're feeding two teenaged boys).

But as inexpensive as eggs can be, there is such a thing as eggs that are too cheap, according to a recent article in Bloomberg. Here's why.

The basic explanation is fairly straightforward: When we choose to buy cheap, conventional eggs over pricier eggs that are labeled "cage-free," "free-range," or "pasture-raised," we're sending the message to farmers to keep doing things the way they've traditionally done things. Translation: Hens are squatting in spaces as small as 67 square inches. They're never allowed to spread their wings, go outside, or even walk.

Put like that, our choice as consumers seems equally straightforward: Paying 50 cents, a dollar, or even a few dollars more means better conditions for Henrietta and Henny Penny. Most of us, including myself, prefer the idea of using eggs from birds who aren't contained. The hens are less likely to become ill, and they generally lead better lives.

Only it's not simple at all.

The definitions of "cage-free," "free-range," or any of the other monikers designed to give consumers confidence are subject to minor, if any, federal regulation. In an awful lot of cases, our bucolic visions of happy chickens pecking and strutting and chatting with Wilbur the Pig are less than accurate.

A "cage-free" chicken can occupy as little as one-square-foot of space, just enough to occasionally spread her wings. "Free-range," another common label, means chickens have access to the outside, which they may or may not take advantage of. (If you have a teenager, you know that sometimes all the fresh air in the world won't tempt them off of the couch. This also applies to me, because a couch can be pretty comfy, but I digress.)

"Pasture-raised" is the most accurate description of the ideal. In general, it means chickens are grazed outdoors and are fed organic feed, free of hormones and antibiotics. But the term isn't regulated by the FDA either, so you don't really know.

Because it's hard to know what we're really getting, we, as shoppers, are less likely to spend extra. The radical cheapness of conventional eggs does tempt discerning consumers trying to balance health and ethics with the need to feed a family within a budget.

Why should we pay the bump up in cost for "cage-free" eggs, or the much higher step up for local, pasture-raised or free-range eggs, which can cost as much as 10 times more? And where does our responsibility to the industry end and our bottom line begin?

If you can afford it, buying pasture-raised, cage-free, or free-range eggs is probably the right choice. You'll be supporting a move toward better practices and improvements in the entire industry, and the eggs may be healthier (although the data on that varies). My favorite eggs are the ones I buy from local farmers because those are most likely to meet my ideal criteria, and I'm willing (and able) to pay a premium.

But when you can't get to the farmers market or there are no local suppliers in your area, how do you decide? We're throwing it out to you, readers: What kind of eggs do you buy?

Young trick-or-treaters tend to have all the fun during Halloween, but it turns out there are plenty of free treats for adults, too. There are many restaurants and chains — including Chipotle, Krispy Kreme, and IHOP — that are getting into the holiday sprit by giving away free (or very discounted) food right now. A couple of the freebies require you to dress up in a costume, but hey! You're probably doing that anyway. (Here are some last-minute ideas in case you need some inspiration!)

Don't want to miss out this year? We've rounded up the very best freebies and discounts we could find on the internet.

Baskin-Robbins: You can get a single scoop of ice cream for $1.50 today and $3 off monster cakes online with code MONSTER.

Burger King: The first 500 customers dressed up as a clown will get a free Whooper on Halloween at participating stores. This deal is most definitely a dig at McDonald's.

BurgerFi: Get a free small custard when you show up to a participating BurgerFi in a costume.

Chuck E. Cheese: This pizza palace will be giving out free slices of its candy corn pizza on the hour between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Chipotle: You can score a $3 burrito (or boorito, as they call it) today from 3 p.m. to close at participating stores.

IHOP: Kids 12 and under will receive a free "scary face" pancake between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.

Krispy Kreme: Anyone wearing a costume gets a free Krispy Kreme doughnut.

Pizza Hut: Get 25 percent off your order online today when you enter SCARYGOOD25.

Sonic Drive-In: Corn dogs are only 50 cents for Halloween, an annual tradition.

Do you plan on taking advantage of any of the freebies or discounts? Let us know your favorite one in the comments!

Long before cauliflower pizza crusts, cauliflower cakes, and cauliflower couscous, there were just a few folks looking for a lighter dish to enjoy in lieu of mashed potatoes. The popularity of all these cauliflower dishes is evident in the availability of pre-riced cauliflower widely available at most grocery stores. Lucky for us, that means all the knife work of making mashed cauliflower is already done.

But before we designate mashed cauliflower as just a lighter version of mashed potatoes, let's consider why it is a side dish with merits all its own.

Why We Love Mashed Cauliflower

You can't over-mash or over-whip cauliflower the way you can potatoes. Without potato's starch to contend with, you can purée the cauliflower all day with no risk of gumminess.

And then there's the taste: Mashed cauliflower has an earthy, nutty flavor, which means it offers some complexity to the final dish that really needs nothing more than butter and salt to feel complete.

The Best Cauliflower for Mashed Cauliflower

The best cauliflower for making creamy mashed cauliflower is the prepackaged "riced" cauliflower. Because the riced cauliflower is already cut into tiny pieces, it will cook faster and mash easier without any extra prep work on your part.

However, you can still make this recipe with fresh or frozen cauliflower — just adjust the boiling time as needed to make sure the cauliflower is tender. Fresh cauliflower will take a few minutes longer, while frozen will actually be tender faster, as it was briefly cooked before freezing.

Want to rice your own cauliflower? How To Make Cauliflower Rice or Couscous

Cooking Mashed Cauliflower

Unlike potatoes, which require a tender touch to prevent gumminess, cauliflower can take some extra heat when cooking (pun intended). Before boiling, sauté the cauliflower in a bit of butter to deepen its flavor. This also helps the cauliflower boil faster once the water is added to the pot. Don't worry about overcooking the cauliflower — the longer it cooks, the creamier the results — but try to use as little water as possible to avoid it becoming waterlogged. We've called for two cups in the recipe below, which should just barely cover the cauliflower in a four-quart pot.

Tips for the Creamiest Mashed Cauliflower

• Sauté the cauliflower before boiling.
• Just barely cover the cauliflower with water.
• Boil until tender.
• Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid for mashing or puréeing.

Mashing or Puréeing the Cauliflower

Once drained, the cauliflower can be mashed or puréed, depending on your desired consistency. A traditional potato masher will give a chunky, rustic texture. Puréeing with an immersion blender is preferred, as you can purée it as smooth or as chunky as you like, and it will create that rich emulsion of butter and cauliflower. In a pinch, a stand blender or food processor can be used to purée the cauliflower as well.

Creaminess Without the Cream

You may notice that there is no actual cream in a recipe titled "creamiest mashed cauliflower." While we tried testing this recipe with both whole milk and cream, these muted the cauliflower's nuttiness and didn't improve the texture of the puréed cauliflower. Instead, a bit of the cauliflower's cooking liquid is used to create a creamy emulsion with the aid of an immersion blender. This makes the dish lighter in texture without the heaviness of cream.

When you move out of your old apartment or home, it's always a curious thing to see the changes the new owner or tenant made once you left. That said, if you were lucky enough to move into a property that was previously owned by Martha Stewart, would you have the courage to change things up? This guy did, and when Martha went back to visit, she wasn't very happy.

Tom D'Agostino is the CEO of Smart Source, a sourcing company that buys, manages and distributes print and promotional materials. He has a few bucks in his back pocket, to say the least, and, after his divorce from star Luann de Lesseps (of Real Housewives of New York City), he picked up a new bachelor pad —previously owned by Martha Stewart herself.

Martha isn't new to the world of real estate, and this was, in fact, her first apartment when she married her first husband Andrew at the age of 19. The rent at the time was a mere $125 a month! The apartment went through a few makeovers along the way, so she no doubt knew things would have changed since her time there. But, judging by her comments over at New York Magazine's "My New York" issue, as reported by Page Six, she's not in love with the most recent incarnation. "I mean, he's now a bachelor, isn't he? It's not my style anymore, I was a little taken aback," she reportedly said.

During his time in the space, Tom raised the ceiling, altered the terrace, and made the footprint of the apartment larger to increase the space in the dining room and kitchen —core changes that dramatically alter the way the space feels and functions. Altogether, it now has a manly, more "masculine" feel.

New York Magazine, and now the rest of the internet, says Martha misses the more open airy feeling the place had when she lived there. (Although, since he reportedly has yet to return the plate on which she brought a pie to her visit, it might just be some sour grapes. The nerve!)

Welcome to Kitchn's Food Budget Diaries series, where we show you how people around the country spend money on what they eat and drink. Each post will follow one person for one week and will chronicle everything that person consumed and how much it costs them.

Name: Carla
Location: New Orleans, Louisiana
Age: 37
Number of people in family: 2 (me and my husband, Justin)
Occupation: Healthcare Administrator. My husband is an inspector for construction services.
Household income: $110,000
Weekly food budget: $185

Day 1: Saturday

7:30 a.m. We've got a hurricane comin'! Yesterday, a storm entered the Gulf and it's time to prepare because better safe than sorry.

As the storm approaches, we take a look in the fridge/freezer and realize we have quite a bit of frozen meat. If we were to lose power, we have ice in a large ice chest, but maybe we should cook something. My husband, Justin, decides to make a big pot of jambalaya later on and invite some people over. We already have the ingredients we need to make it. There is a 7 p.m. curfew.

9:00 a.m. We make breakfast with what we've got. No sense in hitting the grocery now and getting things we do not know we can keep cold. Breakfast sandwiches made of bacon, turkey, cheese, and eggs on wheat is a great way to start the day. I drink two cups of coffee and Justin drinks the last of the OJ.

We spend the day cleaning up the house, watching the storm updates, and, of course, it is game day so college football games are on.

2:00 p.m. The jambalaya is on the stove. It's basically a mixture of smoked sausage, pork, and chicken browned in a big cast iron pot. The meat is taken out and the "holy trinity" goes in (chopped celery, green peppers, and onion.) Garlic, tomato paste, spices, chicken broth, and rice go in and the meat is thrown back in. It takes about 25 to 30 minutes from here for everything to combine and become delicious.

Get the recipe: Chicken and Sausage Jambalaya from Louisiana Cookin'

4:00 p.m. Neighbors and family members arrive and eat. There are about eight of us in total. I also put together a simple salad of lettuce, tomato, cucumber, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Note to self: Need more salad stuff.

We all just hang out and watch games (an LSU tiger win!) and eat and drink beer.

9:30 p.m. This storm is thankfully a bust for the New Orleans area. It's barely raining and there is hardly any wind. The curfew is lifted and we (my husband and I and some neighbors) decide to take a walk after being cooped up all day. We share stories with some other groups of neighbors and then head to the neighborhood dive bar. There, we take turns ordering beers.

11:30 p.m. Walk home and get to bed.

Day Two: Sunday

8:30 a.m. We are up, and I need coffee! We cook a jambalaya omelet for breakfast; we reheat the jambalaya with the rice and meat in a pan, crack some eggs, and scramble till cooked. It's a good way to use up leftovers. I also make a pot of cheese grits with milk, water, cheddar, feta, salt, and pepper. I deliberately make too much, as this can serve as another breakfast later in the week. I pack up the leftovers. I drink coffee and he drinks water.

10:00 a.m. I do an inventory of what we have left over. Surprisingly, not much. Four chicken thighs didn't seem to make it into the jambalaya, so I bake them simply using olive oil, dried dill, salt, and pepper and pack them up.

I defrost pork chops and ground beef I found yesterday in the freezer. I also note I have a jar of salsa. This means we're having tacos. I also have two potatoes, so I'll make oven fries to go with the pork chops.

I go ahead and make a grocery list now that I have a plan. I also had Thai food last week and really want to try something new, so I research and find a recipe for coconut shrimp noodle and veggie bowls.

10:30 a.m. We head out to the park with bottled waters to get some exercise and bring our dog, Reba, so she can take a swim.

1:00 p.m. We have a meeting with our real estate agent as we are looking to purchase a home, yet another reason budgeting is key. We shower and get to the meeting.

2:30 p.m. We drove around the city and toured some homes and chatted, now we are hungry and I want to hit the grocery store. We decide to go to SAM's to get salad stuff, as I think you get more for your money there. We also hit up our regular neighborhood grocery for the other items. It's exhausting going to more than one grocery store, but it's worth it.

We also decide to get a snack at SAM's, but they are remodeling the store and the café is closed. Just great.

We quickly do our shopping and head home for a snack. We have dinner plans at my mother's house at 6 p.m.

3:30 p.m. I make one sandwich using two chicken thighs, mustard, cheeses, tomato, and pickles on wheat and we split it. We snack on white cheddar cheese puffs I find in the pantry. I drink a carbonated water. He has bottled water.

4:00 p.m. I head out to the second grocery store and he stays home and cleans the kitchen. I get the rest of the things we need and maybe a few extras.

6:00 p.m. We put all groceries away and head to my mom's place. She brought back some packaged Parmesan cheese from Italy and my brother made chicken Parmesan, spaghetti, green beans, salad, bread, and store-bought gelato for dinner. A free Italian family Sunday dinner is a nice way to end the weekend.

We bring a container of leftover jambalaya to my family. It is appreciated.

9:00 p.m. We get home and get organized for the week. I pack up lunches for us both for tomorrow. He requests jambalaya, so that's what he gets along with a Greek yogurt and banana for breakfast. I also pack him up some peanuts, two protein bars, and two caramel chocolates for snacks. He buys one Coke at $1 every day.

I pack up some leftover beef stew and rice from last week for myself, a French yogurt, and the rest of the white cheddar crisps for myself. This will be my fourth time eating this stew. It's delicious and hearty, but I'm over it. As much as leftovers keep us both going, three times is enough!

Get the recipe: Beef Stew with Carrots ad Potatoes from Once Upon a Chef

10:00 p.m. Off to bed.

Day 3: Monday

7:00 a.m. Justin is out the door with all his food and I am getting up.

8:00 a.m. I am out the door with my coffee, yogurt, and lunch in tow.

We both drink water provided to us at our workplace throughout the day. I often shove a carbonated water in my bag to drink in the afternoon. Although it does not have caffeine, it serves as a pick-me-up.

5:00 p.m. I'm out the office and plan to make the coconut shrimp noodle and veggie bowls for dinner. Justin and I both arrive home around the same time. He walks Reba and also takes a walk to the neighbor's where he is dog training for a very cute brown lab puppy.

I work on dinner. I soak and drain the rice noodles and move on to the rest. In a pot, I sauté onions, garlic, and ginger. I add Thai roasted pepper paste and then light coconut milk, chicken broth, soy sauce, lime juice, a big bunch of bok choy, green onions, cilantro, and shrimp. It all cooks down. I taste it and it's a bit bland, so I add more Thai paste, soy, and some Sriracha for spice. It's better and we eat it. I like it, but I can tell he does not love it. This was loosely based off of this recipe.

Get the recipe: Thai Coconut Shrimp Noodle Bowl from Laura in the Kitchen

While I cook the noodle bowls, I throw a veggie mix of carrots, parsnips, and apples in the oven and also make the taco meat for tomorrow.

My philosophy is, if you are going to stand there cooking for any amount of time, make it worth it! Try to get ahead by getting something else done, if you can throw some vegetables in the oven to roast, bake some sweet potatoes, or cook some chicken or other meat. It's something!

My husband eats some of the veggies, he likes them, so I pack up lunches. He gets the two remaining leftover chicken thighs and some of the veggie mix, a Greek yogurt, a banana, and a bag of trail mix. I pack up a noodle bowl (add more soy and Sriracha), a French yogurt, a protein bar, and a carbonated water.

8:00 p.m. We go pick Justin's mother up at the airport and bring her back to our home where her car is. We give her some leftover white beans and rice from last week and she's on her way home.

10:00 p.m. We watch TV and get to bed.

Day 4: Tuesday

6:45 a.m. We are up, Justin is out the door at 7:15 a.m. with his breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I do last night's dishes and I'm out at 7:45 a.m. with my coffee, breakfast, and lunch.

8:30 a.m. I eat breakfast while working.

12:30 p.m. I'm hungry and eat my lunch early; Justin and I text, he already ate lunch and said it was great! We have another meeting with our agent at 6 p.m. this evening. My plan is to assemble the tacos for Taco Tuesday right when we get home. I'm glad I did the dishes and cooked the meat already.

4:30 p.m. I'm out of work and head home to walk the dog and grab a snack of hummus, crackers, tomato, and a couple slices of cheese. Justin makes it home and we head to meet our agent.

7:30 p.m. We are back home after another tour and I whip up a taco bar. We have a few leftover hard taco shells in the pantry, so I heat these up along with some soft tortillas. I heat the meat in the microwave and make a fresh plate of chopped lettuce, tomato, cheeses, green onions, and salsa.

Luckily, this takes 10 minutes and we eat and watch TV.

9:30 p.m. Justin does some laundry and I pack up our goodies for the next day. He takes the last of the beef stew (he only ate this a couple times) and I pack up the leftover grits and put into two containers: one for me and one for him. That's breakfast! I take the last of the jambalaya and finally last week's leftovers are gone. I put a couple protein bars and some caramels in a baggie for snacks for him. I pack up a baggie of cheese crackers for me, as we both have busy work days.

10:00 p.m. Off to bed.

Day 5: Wednesday

6:00 a.m. We are both up. I make coffee and have a piece of toast. The hubs is off to work early, and I enjoy an hour of The Today Show and the coffee.

7:45 a.m. I am off to work. We both have our food for the day and we have an event to attend later with food and drinks, so no more cooking for me.

6:30 p.m. After work, we get home, we shower up and get pretty and head out to the event. Courtesy of my work, we attend a fundraiser and sample lots of food and desserts, and we both drink cocktails. The turtle soup and cannoli are among our favorites. There are mini tacos, pastas, dips, coq au vin, coconut cream puffs, chocolates, Champagne, etc. There is also music and dancing and people I haven't seen in a while.

A very nice event, indeed, and how often do you get to wine and dine and shake it on a Wednesday?

9:30 p.m. We get home and each have a beer for a nightcap and I pack up our food for the next day. We are running low, so he gets two turkey and cheese tortilla wraps and the leftover veggie mix and snacks, protein bars, and chocolates.

I pack a bag of trail mix for me. I think I may go home for lunch and make a salad.

10:30 p.m. Off to bed.

Day 6: Thursday

7:30 a.m. We are both late getting up, but we manage to get out the door by 8:15-ish. Justin grabs a banana and his food that I wrapped up and leaves. I'm right behind with my coffee and trail mix. I did put two frozen chicken breasts in the fridge to defrost. I'll cook them later when I cook dinner. There is a light at the end of the freezer! I am using what we have and it's getting much less crowded in there.

10:00 a.m. I'm a bit hungry, so I snack on the trail mix.

12:30 p.m. I need to run an errand somewhat close to home, so I do that and then stop in and make a simple salad. I've been craving salad! Lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, and grated Romano cheese, with buttermilk ranch and a few crackers with hummus. And then I head back to work.

4:00 p.m. I'm out of work and run to a pilates class since I haven't exercised all week and then head home to make dinner.

8:00 p.m. Justin is finally home from work and I waited for him to eat. I made three pork chops and the two small chicken breasts I had defrosted, oven fries with the two potatoes I had on hand, and some baked Roma tomatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, breadcrumbs, and Romano cheese. I also make a small salad (because it was so refreshing) with lettuce, cucumbers, green onions, the last of some feta cheese, croutons, and the last of the ranch dressing.

I pack up the leftover pork chop, a chicken breast, and a few tomatoes for his lunch with the last banana and a couple protein bars. I have plans with a friend for lunch. It's Friday, payday, and well, there isn't anything left to pack up in the fridge anyway.

Day 7: Friday

6:30 a.m. We are up, I make coffee and toast with a piece of cheese and Justin takes his breakfast and lunch and heads to work. I chill out for a bit.

8:00 a.m. I am off to work with my coffee and a carbonated water.

10:00 a.m. I'm thirsty and drink my carbonated water.

12:00 p.m. I meet my friend for lunch. Iced tea, bread and butter, a small salad, and quiche maison (with veggies and seafood) is my order from a cute local French restaurant. It's creamy and delicious! A Friday treat! Usually, once a week I go to lunch with a coworker or friend; it's a nice getaway from the office. I try to keep it under $20.

2:00 p.m. Back at work and planning the weekend and when the best time is to hit the grocery and what to get. I know we have a family dinner tonight at our favorite local seafood restaurant. I know we have enough breakfast ingredients to get us through the weekend, and Saturday we will be going to a festival where we will eat dinner and have drinks with friends. We also still have salad stuff and a frozen pizza. When all else fails, we have frozen pizza. We usually dress it up with anything we have in the fridge — cheeses, olives, roasted veggies, fresh tomatoes, canned artichokes, etc.

So, Sunday I will make a grocery trip. I plan out a couple of meals based on what we have and trying something new — Beef and Sweet Potato Chili – since there is a "cold front" coming in and it will be 82 degrees!

I do not prefer ground turkey, so I will substitute lean ground beef.

4:45 p.m. I leave work and take the dog out for a walk. Justin does not get home until after 6:00 p.m. We head to dinner.

7:00 p.m. It's my aunt's 70th birthday and we celebrate at our favorite local seafood restaurant. There are about 30 of us. Justin and I each have two beers, crab claws, crab dip with blue corn chips, and we split a dessert with others.

10:00 p.m. We are both exhausted from the week and get to bed.

1. How did you set your food budget?

We try to hit the grocery once a week and spend around $100. Even for two people, this still requires planning. We enjoy cooking and eat at home and take food with us from home most days. Therefore, we need breakfast items, a few meals that create leftovers, snacks, etc. I always do an inventory of what we have and plan around that.

This leaves around $85 for our weekly social activities. Let's face it — our food and drink budget also includes our entire social life! In NOLA, we gather to eat and drink. Also, we hardly ever turn down a free meal!

2. What are the kitchen ingredients you can't live without?

Eggs! With some additional ingredients, we can whip up an omelet or a frittata for breakfast. Along with a biscuit or a piece of toast, you've got a meal. Also, OJ and coffee and milk are a must.

Salad stuff! We both enjoy salad, so having just the basics like lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper is essential. Anything else is extra, like cheese, olives, vegetables, meats, and nuts.

Meat! We are meat eaters. Having a couple meat options available and ready for cooking is needed on a weekly basis. Chicken breasts, pork chops, or shrimp. As long as there is a meat product on hand, I can usually find one or two other items to make a meal.

Some other essentials include tortillas (for tacos), frozen pizz, sweet potatoes, and carbonated water.

And beer!

3. What's the budget recipe you always rely on?

Red beans with sausage and rice or white beans with ham and rice. And soup – we usually have some broth in the pantry and some onions and garlic in the fridge, so that's a base right there.

At Kitchn we believe setting a food budget for you and your family is an essential part in getting your financial life in order. Don't know where to start? We have a guide for that. Want to share your food budget diary with Kitchn? See how here.

Perhaps you've seen escolar at your local fishmonger or on the menu at restaurants. With some varieties of fish in danger of being overfished and other species becoming undesirable due to their high mercury content, seafood purveyors need a fish that's delicious, cheap, sustainable, and low in mercury. And escolar fits the bill. It's economical and politically correct; it's also extremely tasty.

But before you eat it, there is something important you need to know.

But, First: What Is Escolar?

Escolar is a type of snake mackerel. Sometimes it's under the name "butterfish," "oilfish," or "waloo/walu." Sushi restaurants occasionally serve it as "super white tuna" or "king tuna." As mentioned above, it is, in many ways, the perfect fish: It's cheap, it's sustainable, and it's buttery and succulent.

So, what's the problem?

The Problem with Escolar

Escolar cannot metabolize the wax esters naturally found in its diet. These esters are called gempylotoxin, and this is what gives the flesh of escolar its oily texture. The downside is that these esters are are very similar to castor or mineral oil, and when full portions of escolar are consumed, they can cause gastrointestinal symptoms.

To be frankly and bluntly specific — and I'm sorry for this — consumption of escolar causes explosive, oily, orange diarrhea. People have reported that the discharges are often difficult to control and accidents can happen while passing gas.

I personally know someone who ate an escolar steak one night, unaware of its side effects. The next day he was riding the elevator to his office when out of nowhere his bowels unleashed a surprise attack on his pants. As he said later, "Thank God I had my gym bag with me, which had a clean pair of underwear in it." This explains why escolar is also called the "olestra fish" and the "ex-lax fish."

The Japanese and Italian governments have banned the importation and sale of escolar for these reasons. The governments of Canada, Sweden, and Denmark require that all escolar come with warning labels. The FDA lifted the escolar ban in 1992 because the fish is nontoxic (sure, it causes embarrassing things to happen in your pants, but it won't hurt or kill you).

So, Should You Eat Escolar?

In spite of all this, escolar is indeed very buttery and delicious, and should be enjoyed, but never in portions larger than six ounces. Portions below six ounces will not cause gastrointestinal distress. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Mistakes happen to everyone, right? At least that's what you're supposed to say when someone really messes up and there's nothing else that can be done except to crawl into a hole and die. In what is likely the most embarrassing news this morning, Great British Bake Off host Prue Leith accidentally Tweeted out the winner for this season's show a whole 12 hours before the final episode was to air.

According to The Guardian, "The Great British Bake Off judge Prue Leith was forced to hastily delete a tweet on Tuesday, after she named the winner of this year's show before the final episode had been broadcast."

The mistake was apparently due to a timezone error. Leith told the Press Association that she was in Bhutan. "The time difference is massive. I thought that they got it six hours ago. I'm in too much of a state to talk about it," Leith goes on to explain.

A few hours later she apologized for her error on Twitter: "I am so sorry to the fans of the show for my mistake this morning, I am in a different time zone and mortified by my error," she said.

If you've been following this season on Channel 4 and want to avoid spoilers, I highly recommend you stay off of Twitter or at least the hashtag #GBBO until the episode airs tonight. Even in the comments of her apology, people are posting Leith's original Tweet without the name blacked out.

And let's remember not to be too hard on Leith. Part of what makes this so cringe-worthy is that it could totally happen to any of us — especially on social media. Maybe someone accidentally told you the end to a movie you were about to watch, or maybe you told a friend that you're throwing them a surprise party by accident. It happens! But it's still the worst.

I've spent the last few years culling down my cleaning supplies to just the essentials and switching over to natural cleaners where I could. Despite a brief stint making our own laundry detergent (this was before we had two small children), I never had enough time or motivation to make my own cleaners. I enviously pined away at beautiful glass bottles of homemade cleaners on Pinterest and resolved to hiding even my favorite cleaners under the sink.

Until I discovered cleaning concentrates — the perfect compromise between store-bought cleaners and homemade ones. They make me feel like an environmental superhero and a domestic goddess in one fell swoop.

Here's how I discovered cleaning concentrates: A few months ago I started ordering household supplies online though Grove Collaborative as a means of cutting down my trips to Target and hopefully sticking to my budget. I could order my favorite Mrs. Meyers dish soap and Seventh Generation bathroom cleaners and have them delivered each month instead of making a bi-weekly run to Target for household supplies (and thus not also filling my cart with impulse purchases from the Dollar Spot). Spoiler: I didn't end up quitting Target all together, but I did find that detergent delivery improved my cleaning.

Recently, Grove introduced a line of cleaning concentrates and I instantly fell in love. I could use my own spray bottles to "make" cleaners and ditch a few of those mainstream packaged cleaners.

Not only do I feel like a cleaning queen every time I pour a small package of concentrate into a clean bottle and add some water, but I've also gotten to customize my cleaning caddy into a Pinterest-worthy stash of brown, blue, and clear glass bottles. Small as it may be, seeing it under the cabinet or out on the counter brings me joy — despite the fact that I'm cleaning with it.

While I started with the Grove Collaborative concentrates, and still love their all-purpose cleaner for kitchen counters, I've found that the Seventh Generation glass and surface cleaner does a better job on mirrors and windows.

I like to think the small packaging of concentrate (and reusing my own spray bottles) is also producing less waste. Yes, there's probably even less waste in making my own cleaners from vinegar, essential oils, or lemon juice, but cleaning concentrates have helped me find a sweet spot of convenience, consumption, and joyful cleaning.

Membership warehouse stores can bring you big savings if you buy in bulk — but often those large quantities just don't make sense for single people living alone. As tempted as you are by the deal on that 12-pack of chicken thighs or 24-pack of paper towel rolls, it just isn't practical to store these things until you'll use them all. The apocalypse may come before you can finish it all, and you need that refrigerator, freezer, and cabinet space in the meantime!

So does it make sense at all to be a warehouse club member as a single person? Sure, if you share with a friend!

To be clear: You cannot, technically, share a membership. Unless you pay more for a business or premium membership, the membership rules state that the card is for you and your family — aka people who can prove that they live at the same address as you. (Maybe a roommate would qualify, but that doesn't solve your storage problem.) The rules are also pretty clear that you may not resell anything you've bought at the membership club without a valid resale license number on file. Net-net: You're really not supposed to shop for other people.

So what I'm suggesting to you is more of a swap. One of you stocks up on the bulk goods, the other signs up for a CSA, milk delivery, Blue Apron, or whatever service for perishables you like best — because often those are hard to get through as a single person, too! Work it out so you have an even spend. Then every week you pool your resources and take what each of you needs.

Also, it's worth pointing out that you are allowed to bring a guest to the store with you. So maybe one person rents a Zipcar, and the other buys the groceries? Get coffees first and it sounds like a lovely Saturday morning once a month, actually — and a good way to stay on budget, too! In the days of easy money exchange with Venmo and the like, it's tempting to split costs down to the penny, but isn't the barter system somehow … friendlier?

If the advertising of the very early '90s taught us anything, it can be summed up in the following slogan: "Milk: It does a body good." But does it really? Here, we weigh the nutritional pros and cons of milk.

Cow's Milk: The Nutritional Basics

From a nutritional standpoint alone, cow's milk has quite a lot going for it, the New York Times points out in their examination of the topic.

An eight-ounce glass of cow's milk naturally contains about eight grams of protein and almost a third of the recommended Percent Daily Value of calcium. Cow's milk also naturally contains nutrients like potassium and vitamin B12. Cow's milk is also usually fortified with vitamins A and D.

Those statistics are pretty much consistent regardless of the particular fat content of the cow's milk you're drinking, although whole milk is significantly higher in fat and calories than the nonfat version. An eight-ounce glass of whole milk has 150 calories and eight grams of fat, including five grams of saturated; an equivalent glass of nonfat milk comes in at 90 calories, with no fat.

Dairy's Dark Side: The Link Between Milk and Cancer

But of course, nothing is ever so simple. While cow's milk of all stripes (spots?) has some obvious health benefits, and also some less obvious ones (there's very, very tenuous) evidence it can help you lose weight), dairy consumption may come with a dark side.

As the Guardian has pointed out, studies have been suggesting a link between milk and prostate cancer since the 1970s, and Men's Health points to a 2010 Canadian paper which found men who consumed more dairy products had double the risk of prostate cancer than their milk-abstaining peers.

Mother Jones reported on another study by Harvard researcher Ganmaa Davaasambuu, which found that consumption "strongly correlated with the rates of breast, ovarian, and uterine cancers in 40 countries." Davaasambuu suggests that the culprit isn't milk itself, though — it's the hormones that come with it, even in milk that's labeled hormone-free.

When she and her colleagues compared milk from the U.S. and Japan — both countries with higher rates of breast and prostate cancer — to milk from Mongolia, where the rates of those cancers is low, they found that the Japanese and American milks had much, much higher levels of sex hormones. That's because in the U.S. and Japan, dairy cows are milked for 10 months out of the year — which, Mother Jones explains, "is only possible because she is impregnated by artificial insemination while still secreting milk from her previous pregnancy." And milk from pregnant cows — surprise! — has a lot more hormones than milk from non-pregnant ones.

The Bottom Line on Milk

More research is needed before we can draw any definitive conclusions, and doing that research is … complicated. As Mother Jones notes, the NIH denied Davaasambuu funding for a follow-up study, "arguing that the dairy systems and human populations in the two countries were too different to merit comparison." It's worth noting too, as always, that correlation is not causation, and that milk consumption is just one variable in a tangled web of interrelated lifestyle habits.

So what, then, should we do with this information?

A good first step is always to be informed about the milk purchases you're making. As we recently discovered, "organic" doesn't always mean organic, but there are consumer resources that can shed light onto the source of your milk. At whereismymilkfrom.com, you can learn about where their milk came from and the grazing practices of different farms. Cornucopia Institute gives out a dairy scorecard.

You know this carrot ginger dressing from the sushi, teriyaki, and hibachi restaurants who serve it over crisp iceberg lettuce at the start of many meals. The orange hue boasts a zippy sweetness, thanks to the carrots, sweet onions, and fresh ginger. Think this dressing is a one-trick pony? Try it as a marinade for grilled chicken or serve it on cold noodles and you'll know why I'm never without a batch in the fridge. And the best part? You can make this recipe from start to finish in the blender or food processor — minimal chopping required.

What Is Ginger Carrot Dressing?

Ginger carrot dressing is essentially a raw carrot purée flavored with ginger and shallots. The purée is blended with rice wine vinegar, miso, sesame, and vegetable oil to make it suitable for salad dressing. It has a slight pulpy thickness, thanks to those raw carrots, making it just as much a dressing for coating lettuce leaves as it is a delicious addition to soups and noodle dishes alike. This dressing literally comes together in just a few minutes, but can be used as a base or finishing step for dozens of dishes.

Two Steps for Better Carrot Ginger Dressing

• Chop the vegetables for easier blending. Peel and roughly chop the carrots and ginger before finely chopping them in the blender. Not only will the dressing chop more quickly, but you'll also get a finer texture in the finished dressing too.
• Stream in the oil and water for thickening. Once your base ingredients — the carrots, ginger, and miso — have been added and puréed, add the vegetable oil and water in a steady stream to the blender or food processor while running to emulsify.

Storing and Using Carrot Ginger Dressing

Refrigerate the finished dressing in an airtight container for up to a week. Spoon the dressing into yogurt for a quick dip for pita or crackers, or add it as a finishing step to creamy soups or hearty stews. Of course, you could use it to top crisp lettuce, thinly sliced radishes, and sliced avocado and enjoy an upgraded restaurant classic at home.

During my college years, my routine breakfast was to run through the dining hall and pick up a stack of pancakes, plop them in a napkin, and grab a small container of ranch dressing. I would then dip and eat on the go as I raced to class. So please, let the record state that I eat and enjoy weird pancake combinations and usually enjoy a savory pancake more than I do a sweet one.

But Rachael Ray might have just taken things too far. In fact, she might possibly break the internet with this ridiculous recipe for a pancake (if you can even call it that!).

In my mind, I think of the collective whole of social media as a mouse on a wheel. It's running, taking things in stride, and then, all of a sudden, something makes it fall right off its little legs. (Unicorn Frappuccinos and frozen peanut butter are just a few!)

This time it looks like Rachel Ray's Macaroni n Cheese Pancakes, which she published in 2012, are getting quite a bit of attention. Macaroni and cheese is delicious, pancakes are delicious, so why shouldn't they be together? Unfortunately I think this combo is kind of like socks and sandals. They are great as individual items, but together? Not so much.

The other thing to note is that this isn't exactly a macaroni and cheese pancake. It's more like pancake batter with shredded cheddar and cooked noodles folded in. The pancakes are also topped with maple syrup instead of, I don't know, something even more cheesy. This seems like a missed opportunity and is frankly a little upsetting.

What do you think? Would you try these pancakes? Let us know in the comments!

Kicking off your morning with a dose of vegetables is an easy way to automatically feel like you're on the right track to eating well that day. Spinach and tomatoes and peppers aren't going to fill you up on their own, however. They need to join forces with protein, whole grains, or both in order to fill you up and send you out the door strong. Here are seven recipes that do just that.

These vegan pita sandwiches get their stomach-filling protein from chickpeas, and are loaded with spiced spinach and peppers. The best part about them is that they can be assembled ahead and refrigerated or frozen, so you can grab them as you need them.

This recipe definitely holds up to its reputation: It's loaded with mushrooms, carrots, spinach, potatoes, and roasted red peppers. Leftovers keep well for up to five days in the fridge, so feel free to bake it, then slice of squares throughout the week.

To ensure this grain bowl has enough staying power to it, it's not only made with protein-rich quinoa, but it's also filled with black beans and topped with an egg.

These savory pancakes are super adaptable depending on what you happen to have in your crisper drawer. Try swapping kale in for the parsley or some radishes in for the carrots then top a stack with a big dollop of Greek yogurt or a fried egg.

These wholesome wraps are a great project to tackle on a lazy weekend. Stick them in the freezer for when you need them — they only need a couple of minutes in the microwave to come back to life.

A bit of shredded cheddar adds extra creaminess to the mix, and when served with a couple of slices of whole grain toast these green eggs are sure to set you up for a great day.

This egg sandwich has a whole 1 1/2 cups of kale stuffed inside of it, so it's a guarantee you are getting your fill of greens. If you'd like to keep this sandwich vegetarian, you can definitely leave the bacon out.

The only green thing that Boris Karloff is known for is the green tufts of fur on The Grinch, or the ghoulish putre that was Frankenstein's skin. But guacamole? That certainly doesn't come to mind.

But the king of horror loved Mexican food. (Karloff frequently worked with Mexican directors.) In an undated newspaper article, the writer extolls the professional brute as a kind, civilized man with a desire for fine food, with guacamole top among his favorites.

Based on the description of guacamole ("an avocado-based sauce … served on a bed of lettuce as a salad or with fried tortilla wedges as an appetizer or simply as a sauce"), we can surmise the article dates to the 1950s or early 1960s, when Tex-Mex cuisine first infiltrated the American populous and avocados became more accessible.

Another key element that dates the article is one particularly hair-raising ingredient: sherry.

Karloff's recipe for guacamole (which the writer reports, "that he makes in a spicy, tantalizing fashion,") includes a generous dose of sherry and omits lime juice and cilantro that we more commonly associate with the tortilla chip's favorite companion.

I Tried Making Frankenstein's Guacamole

So how does it taste? I knew I had to try Frankenstein's guacamole recipe for myself. Would it be too soup-y with the sherry? Would it be sweeter than normal? Here are the results.

Despite the fact that the sherry caused the otherwise verdant guac to instantly oxidize into a gnarly shade of greenish ocher best suited for monster-ooze special effects, the addition of sherry was not as sweet as expected. The guac was still balanced in flavor (cayenne and canned chiles provide substantial heat), but the soupy texture and heinous color (imagine guac left out overnight, uncovered, after a party) were enough to relegate this recipe as a relic of American experimentation with new flavors and cuisines. (No doubt the sherry was added due to the French cooking trends and techniques that were infiltration American kitchens at the time. Thanks, Julia.)

In homage to the master of fright, pull out that bottle of sherry hiding in the back of your pantry and crack open a few avocados. Make Karloff's recipe for guacamole once the last trick-or-treater has left and it's time for your favorite scary movie. Just make sure you eat it in the dark — there's no need to frighten yourself more with that Frankenstein-esque color.

Would you try this frightful guacamole recipe? Let us know in the comments!