By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The smartest way to shop if you’re looking to pinch pennies is often with a menu and a list of specific ingredients in mind before you head to the store.

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But for flexible home cooks who don’t mind changing course on a dime, there’s a lot of value in taking advantage of something you unexpectedly happen upon that’s on super sale.

I had planned on making some sort of pasta dish when I set out for my local grocery earlier this week, since there’s so many things you can do with a box of spaghetti or bag of penne — especially when local vegetables are still in season. Then, a red “sale” sticker caught my eye in the meat department and, being a thrifty shopper, I reconsidered.

I don’t eat a lot of meat in general, and when I do, it’s almost always chicken (preferably thighs) or ground beef or pork. But there it was — a 1.15-pound pork tenderloin roast with a “$3 off” sign on it, bringing the price down to a very reasonable $5.99.

Knowing I could easily get four servings out of the narrow, boneless cut of meat — that’s just $1.50 per person — I threw it into my cart along with colorful bell peppers that also happened to be on sale, and quickly rejiggered that night’s meal.

What I came up with was pork tenderloin lettuce wraps, a dish that not only comes together quickly (a petite cut of meat, tenderloin only has to roast for about 30 minutes) but when paired with an array of good-for-you veggies, it’s also fairly low-cal and rich in nutrients.

Pork was known in the late 1980s as the “other” white meat because of its lower fat content compared to red meats like beef and lamb. Tenderloin is especially lean because it comes from the muscle that runs along the backbone, an area that is not heavily used.

This budget dinner for two costs less than $15, and includes Asian cucumber and pepper salad, pork tenderloin lettuce wraps and chocolate chip “emergency” cookies. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

Yet, it still packs a punch when it comes to protein, which is such an important building block in our bodies, especially as we get older. A 3-ounce serving of pork tenderloin packs about the same amount of protein (23 grams) as an equal serving of skinless chicken breast (25 grams).

Another reason I chose to make wraps: The meat that is tucked inside a piece of lettuce or flatbread is chopped into bite-sized pieces and combined with other ingredients, which means it goes a lot further in a dish.

Since a pork tenderloin is so lean, it’s easy to overcook it. A good marinade solves that problem by helping the meat retain moisture during cooking and keeping it tender.

Luckily, I had my choice of already-marinated tenderloins on sale — I chose a honey garlic teriyaki — which helped keep the price of the meal down because I didn’t have to make the mixture from scratch.

The soy sauce in the packaged marinade did add more sodium to the dish than I liked, but honestly, that felt like a one-off. (My son, who worked in a restaurant kitchen, tells me I always under-salt my food.)

To start the meal off on a fresh note, I plucked a juicy red pepper from the bag, cut it into slices and made it into a lightly dressed salad with cucumber, red onion and fresh cilantro, which cost $2.67 ($1.34 per person).

The lettuce wraps were a bit more expensive, thanks to the high price of leaf lettuce ($3.99 per head) and the addition of water chestnuts, but still well within my $15 budget. Because I only needed half of the tenderloin to serve two people, each serving cost less than $4.

That left precious dollars for a quick and satisfying $4.50 dessert — super-moist chocolate chip cookies studded with toasted almonds and infused with the bright, citrusy taste of orange zest. Cookbook author Sabrina Ghayour calls them “emergency” cookies because the recipe satisfies cookie cravings without the cook having to make a big batch. (It makes 3 big cookies.)

As always, I shopped my fridge and pantry to keep the total cost of the meal down. This week, that included everything I needed for the salad dressing, and the flour, baking soda and vanilla used in the cookies.

Total cost for this nutritious late-summer meal that also provided generous leftovers for lunch the next day: $14.98, or 2 cents under budget.

For more tips on how to save money while grocery shopping, go to post-gazette.com.

Cucumber, Pepper and Red Onion Salad

This easy salad is made with seedless cucumber, red onion and bell pepper tossed in a simple honey-mustard vinaigrette. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

PG tested

This fresh and vibrant late-summer salad pairs the crunch of cucumber with red onion and sweet bell pepper in a zingy-sweet dressing. A snap to make, it’s loaded with color, nutrients and flavor.

For salad

1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced

1 bell pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

For dressing

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon honey

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place sliced cucumber, bell peppers, onion and cilantro in a large salad bowl.

Add the dressing ingredients to a glass jar with a lid. Shake well until emulsified, then taste and adjust as needed.

Pour dressing over the salad just before serving, and toss until well combined.

Serve immediately.

Serves 2, with leftovers.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Pork Tenderloin Teriyaki Lettuce Wraps

This budget dinner for two includes Asian cucumber and pepper salad, pork tenderloin lettuce wraps and chocolate chip “emergency” cookies. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

PG tested

I used a pork tenderloin that had already been marinated in teriyaki sauce because that was on sale, but you can use any marinade you like — either homemade or jarred — or no marinade at all.

Other options for vegetables include bean sprouts, green onion and shredded cabbage and carrots.

1 bell pepper, deseeded and halved

1-pound pre-marinated pork tenderloin

1/2 8-ounce can diced water chestnuts

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced or chopped

Salt or soy sauce, for seasoning

Chopped cilantro leaves, for garnish

8-12 butter lettuce leaves, washed and patted dry

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place halved pepper and tenderloin in a shallow baking pan. Roast in oven, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes, or until internal temperature reads 145 degrees in the thickest part of the tenderloin. (Alternatively, place it in a skillet and cook, rotating every 4-5 minutes, until browned on all sides and the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees.)

Remove from oven (or pan) and let pork rest for 3 minutes.

Chop the roasted pepper into bite-sized pieces. Slice pork into bite-sized pieces.

Place peppers and pork in large bowl. Add water chestnuts and chopped red onion, and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning, and add a little salt or soy sauce if needed.

Assemble the wraps: On a large serving platter, arrange “cups” of lettuce leaves with 2 layers of lettuce per cup.

Top each lettuce cup with a couple of big spoonfuls of the pork and pepper mixture. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve immediately.

Serves 2, with leftovers.

— Gretchen McKay, Post-Gazette

Chocolate, Almond and Orange Emergency Cookies

These “emergency” cookies from“ Periana Easy” by Sabrina Ghayour are kissed with orange zest and studded with dark chocolate. (Gretchen McKay/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS)

PG tested

Seriously, who doesn’t love a soft and chewy cookie for dessert?

The original cookie recipe in British Iranian chef Sabrina Ghayour’s soon-to-be-published cookbook, “Persiana Easy” (Mitchell Beazley, $35), calls for dividing the dough into just 3 portions — a tough proposition when you’re making dessert for two diners. So I went smaller and scooped 6 cookies onto the baking sheet.

Don’t love the zing of orange in baked goods? Opt for a mix of white chocolate, pistachio and lemon instead, or “go rogue with whatever you like and have on hand,” writes Ghayour.

3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

4 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 egg yolk

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

1 teaspoon vanilla

2/3 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

1/4 cup blanched almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper.

Beat butter and sugars together in a mixing bowl with a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy.

Add egg yolk, orange zest and vanilla and mix again.

Add flour and baking soda and mix until a dough forms, then mix in the chocolate chips and nuts until evenly distributed.

Divide cookie dough into 6 portions and roll into balls. Place spaced out on the lined tray and bake for 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on tray for 20 minutes before eating.

Makes 6 cookies.

— adapted from “Persiana Easy” by Sabrina Ghayour

©2025 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By KENYA HUNTER

Having your mouth taped shut is the stuff of nightmares — but some people are doing just that to themselves. And in an attempt to sleep better, no less.

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Doctors say don’t do it.

Some on social media say it’s a hack for getting more and better sleep and to reduce snoring. The claims — which are not backed by science — are taking off on places like TikTok, sometimes pushed by people working for companies selling related products.

“The studies behind mouth tape are small, the benefits are modest and the potential risks are there,” said Dr. Kimberly Hutchison, a neurologist and sleep medicine expert at Oregon Health & Science University. Some of those risks include making sleep disorders like sleep apnea worse, or even causing suffocation.

It is better to breathe through your nose most of the time

Mouth breathing in adults is not a major health problem, but it is better to breath through your nose, experts say. Your nose is a natural filtering system, trapping dust and other allergens before they can get to your lungs.

If you’re breathing with your mouth open at night, you could wake up with a dry mouth and irritated throat, which can contribute to bad breath and oral health problems. Mouth breathing is also associated with more snoring.

Don’t rush to use mouth tape

But even though breathing through your nose is better than breathing through your mouth, taping your mouth shut isn’t the best way to fix the issue.

There’s no strong evidence it helps improve sleep. A few studies have been conducted, most of which showed little or no impact, but they were so small experts say conclusions should not be drawn from them.

And meanwhile, there are the potential dangers to be avoided.

Dr. David Schulman, a sleep doctor at Emory University, said there are other things to try, like prescription mouth pieces that can open up your airway, or a CPAP machine. If you’re a smoker or are overweight, for example, quitting smoking and losing weight can help.

Mouth breathing could be a sign of something serious — so find out

The safest approach is to figure out why exactly you are breathing with your mouth, because there could be something else going on.

You may be breathing through your mouth because you have obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep because of a blocked airway. The disorder is linked to both open mouth breathing and snoring, and is typically treated with a CPAP machine.

“The reason sleep apnea can be bad is that any decrease in the quality of sleep can affect you day to day or over the course of your life,” said Dr. Brian Chen, a sleep doctor at the Cleveland Clinic. “Depending on how bad the sleep is, you may just feel sleep deprived or require more sleep.”

The best thing to do, Emory’s Shulman says, is get a sleep test, some of which can be done at home. “It’s always better to know than not know,” he said. “And if you know that something’s going on and you choose not to pursue therapy, at least you know you’re making an educated decision.”

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

By JON GAMBRELL, Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed an executive order vowing to use all measures including U.S. military action to defend the energy-rich nation of Qatar — though it remains unclear just what weight the pledge will carry.

The text of the order, available Wednesday on the White House’s website but dated Monday, appears to be another measure by Trump to assure the Qataris following Israel’s surprise attack on the country targeting Hamas leaders as they weighed accepting a ceasefire with Israel over the war in the Gaza Strip.

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The order cites the two countries’ “close cooperation” and “shared interest,” vowing to “guarantee the security and territorial integrity of the state of Qatar against external attack.”

“The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty or critical infrastructure of the state of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States,” the order says.

“In the event of such an attack, the United States shall take all lawful and appropriate measures — including diplomatic, economic, and, if necessary, military — to defend the interests of the United States and of the state of Qatar and to restore peace and stability.”

The order apparently came during a visit to Washington on Monday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump organized a call by Netanyahu to Qatar during the visit in which Netanyahu “expressed his deep regret” over the strike that killed six people, including a member of the Qatari security forces, the White House said.

Qatari officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s order. However, the Qatari-funded satellite news network Al Jazeera prominently reported about it Wednesday under the headline: “New Trump executive order guarantees Qatar security after Israeli attack.”

The true scope of the pledge remains in question. Typically, legally binding agreements, or treaties, need to receive the approval of the U.S. Senate. However, presidents have entered international agreements without the Senate’s approval, like President Barack Obama did with Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.

And ultimately, any decision to take military action rests with the president. That uncertainty has clouded previous U.S. defense agreements in Trump’s second term, like NATO’s Article 5 guarantees.

Qatar, a peninsular nation that sticks out into the Persian Gulf, became fantastically wealthy through its natural gas reserves. It has been a key U.S. military partner, allowing America’s Central Command to have its forward operating base at its vast Al Udeid Air Base. President Joe Biden named Qatar as a major non-NATO ally in 2022, in part due to its help during America’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.

In the aftermath of the Israeli attack, Saudi Arabia entered a mutual defense agreement with Pakistan, bringing the kingdom under Islamabad’s nuclear umbrella. It’s unclear whether other Gulf Arab countries, both worried about Israel and Iran as it faces reimposed United Nations sanctions over its nuclear program, may seek similar arrangements as well with the region’s longtime security guarantor.

“The Gulf’s centrality in the Middle East and its significance to the United States warrants specific U.S. guarantees beyond President Donald J. Trump’s assurances of nonrepetition and dinner meetings,” wrote Bader al-Saif, a history professor at Kuwait University who analyzes Gulf Arab affairs.

On Reddit, a user recently asked for help recovering from a credit card scam. The poster was more concerned with the emotional impact than the lost funds.

The person who posted expressed embarrassment about falling for the scam and didn’t know how to recover from the experience.

Respondents offered many good ideas: Try to recover the money. Focus on positive things in your life. Forgive yourself for making a mistake. Many assured the individual that anyone can fall for a scam and emphasized that there’s no reason to feel shame.

Experts on financial fraud and identity theft agree with that sentiment.

“The scammers are bad. You’re not bad. You were lied to,” says Eva Velasquez, president and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. “We are all vulnerable.”

Even a fraud expert could fall for a scam, she adds.

That’s why knowing how to bounce back from a financial scam is the key to getting past it. Here’s how fraud experts say you can recover:

Keep track of exactly what happened

“Gather as much detailed information about what occurred as possible,” Velasquez says. Try to remember what you clicked on or who you interacted with. Those details can help determine the best way to proceed.

For example, if you clicked on a link but didn’t enter any information, you might not need to take further steps. If you downloaded malware onto your computer, then the next step might be to run a scan of your devices or undergo a factory reset.

“If you clicked on a website and it asked you to log in, then it probably logged your keystrokes,” says Jason Zirkle, training director at the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners and former fraud analyst with law enforcement.

In that case, you’ll want to change your password immediately and then follow up with your bank. “If you catch it quickly, it lessens the damage,” he says.

Call your financial institution

If you shared your credit card or banking information with a scammer, then call your financial institution to let them know. They will follow a fraud procedure that might include helping you change your password, or closing your old account and opening a new one. The latter may require new credit and debit cards.

In the case of credit card fraud like the Reddit poster experienced, you can often dispute the charge and recover the money by following the card issuer’s fraud protection procedure. After all, credit cards come with built-in fraud protections.

If you shared your driver’s license number or passport details, then Velasquez suggests reaching out to the relevant government agencies to follow their protocol for lost or stolen identification items.

Velasquez says to monitor financial accounts for any unfamiliar charges for a time after the fraud, too. You might also want to consider freezing your credit to prevent new accounts from being opened in your name.

Paid credit monitoring services are another option. They can’t necessarily prevent fraud from taking place, but they can alert you to unusual activity so you can take action quickly.

File a police report

File a report with your local police department to create an official record of what happened. That’s important if you or your financial institution are trying to recover the funds.

You can also file a complaint through the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, your state’s attorney general’s office and the Federal Trade Commission’s complaint center .

Zirkle warns that while important, none of these steps are likely to get your money back.

“It’s hard to swallow, but if you can accept the funds won’t be recovered, it sets realistic expectations,” Zirkle says.

But you can do your part to stop further losses.

Talk about what happened

One way to fight back against the shame that often surrounds scams is to talk about it, Velasquez says.

You can share your story with friends and family to help them spot the signs and avert a sketchy situation.

Reach out if you know someone recovering from the aftermath of a scam, Velasquez recommends. “Say, ‘I can help you through this. We’ll find answers together.’”

After all, a big part of recovery is the emotional component, as the Reddit poster showed us.

Reddit is an online forum where users share their thoughts in “threads” on various topics. The popular site includes plenty of discussion on financial subjects like fraud, so we sifted through Reddit forums to get a pulse check. People post anonymously, so we cannot confirm their individual experiences or circumstances.

The article What’s the Best Way to Recover From a Scam? originally appeared on NerdWallet.