Indonesian Curried Bean Stew: Mmm … Fiber

Let's cut to the chase: there are 18.7 grams of fiber in each portion of this stew. That’s more than a regulation can of black beans or a serving of Fiber One cereal, which has “fiber” RIGHT THERE IN THE TITLE. There are wheat fields with less roughage, and upon scarfing a bowl, I was reminded of this SNL gem from the ‘90s:While the calories and fat are a little high, no doctor, nutritionist, or Oprah in America would call this an unhealthy dish. Beany? Yes. Energy-packed? Of course. Farty? Most definitely. But unhealthy? No. It’s a meatless, dairy-less, powerhouse that will keep you sated (and, er, regular) clear into next weekThis is to say nothing of the taste. The stew’s a sweeter variation of Curried Black Beans and Chickpeas, defined...

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Posted in: Mains,Vegan,Vegetarian

On Splurging

My Pa is my idol. He’s a funny guy, with the patience of Gandhi and the work ethic of an Iditarod sled dog. Even on bad days, he makes Atticus Finch look like an angry slacker. And last week, he turned 60. This is significant for many reasons:Senior discounts galore. (Hello, IHOP!) He’s halfway through his quest to become the world’s oldest man.Sandals! Over black socks! No one gives a damn anymore! He’s the same age as Sean Connery in Hunt for Red October, Katharine Hepburn in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and, er, Harrison Ford in K-19: The Widowmaker. Barring that last one, that’s pretty cool. I wasn’t around to celebrate. Instead (with his blessing, but still), I was oogling mountains in the Pacific Northwest. To make up for my absence,...

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Posted in: About Cheap Healthy Good,Dining Out,Frugality

CHG Favorites of the Week

Yesterday's long-promised article is coming in a bit, but first: this week's favorites!Food Blog of the WeekBrokeass GourmetWhat I appreciate most about this blog, besides its solid writing and good-lookin’ recipes, is that there’s no inappropriate dash in the title. Because “Broke Ass-Gourmet” would be a very different ball of wax.Food Comedy of the WeekMaking Chocolate Mousse with The Swedish ChefBecause sometimes, we all need some antlers in our dessert.Food Quote of the WeekFrom This is Spinal Tap:David St. Hubbins: What's that on your finger?Nigel Tufnel: It's my gum.David St. Hubbins: What are you doing with it on your finger?Nigel Tufnel: I might need it later.David St. Hubbins: Put it on the table, that's terrible.Nigel Tufnel: No,...

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Posted in: Links

Veggie Might: Relaxed Kale and Root Veg Salad - A Relaxing Evening with Kale

Penned by the effervescent Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about the wide world of Vegetarianism. It's being posted a day early this week because I (Kris) am mercilessly behind in blog writing, and Leigh is more prepared than a battalion of Boy Scouts. The regular Wednesday article will appear tomorrow. (Thanks, Leigh!)Thank you, Dear Readers, for the encouraging comments about Curry Fest 2009. I’m so glad you’re on board; it’s going to be great fun. To do proper justice to the subject matter, I’ve decided to make it a monthly (and occasionally bi-monthly) feature. Not only will this keep us from burn out, we can take advantage of in-season fruits and veggies as they come around. So keep checking back for more coriander- and...

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Posted in: Sides,Vegan,Vegetarian,Veggie Might

Tuesday Megalinks

This week, it's multiple links from Consumerist and the ever-informative New York Times, along with a killer Salon post and the prettiest kitchen ever, courtesy of The Kitchn (naturally).Chow: 10 Things to Cook for OneIs one the hungriest number you have ever known? No worries. This nice linkfest from the Chow folks will help you through dinner, AND BEYOND.Consumerist: Buy In Bulk With Friends From Warehouse ClubsNeat idea for apartment-dwellers, and/or folks who just won’t finish 3,000 capers all by their lonesome.Consumerist: Learn To Make Depression Era Recipes With 93-Year-Old ClaraYou’ll want Clara to be your grandma by the time this video is over. She wields a potato peeler pretty well for a nonagenarian.Consumerist: Man Sues Walmart...

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Posted in: Links

Pasta Puttanesca: Fancy Food for Frugal Entertainers

I’ve learned many things since moving out on my own (make the bed, don’t do drugs, etc.), but perhaps none have been as vital as the following excerpt from a 2003 life skills instruction manual. It was written by a wise, wonderful, unassuming literary icon (note: me) upon her brother’s college graduation, in hopes of inspiring him to put pants on:“Learn to be at least marginally entertaining. Even if you are aggressively anti-social or covered in boils, the time will come when people want to see you. You must be prepared. Clean your place and don’t leave them to entertain themselves.”See, with great power (adulthood) comes great responsibility (hosting friends and family). And occasionally, that means feeding people.Which is why sometimes,...

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Posted in: Mains,Meat and Fish,Pasta

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower and Food Phobias

“I do not like broccoli. And I haven't liked it since I was a little kid and my mother made me eat it. And I'm President of the United States and I'm not going to eat any more broccoli.” –George H.W. BushMuch like our 41st President, cruciferous vegetables haven’t always been my thing. Broccoli and cauliflower kind of grossed me out as a kid, as they were A) healthy, B) not made entirely of sugar, and C) shaped like flora. Back then, I climbed in trees. I didn’t eat them, much less drown them in cheese.Fortunately (unlike G.H.W.B.), I got over the broccoli aversion pretty fast, since it could be added to pasta, thus disguising its prolific nutritional value. Cauliflower, on the other hand? Not so much. Up until late last year, it still gave...

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Posted in: Sides,Vegan,Vegetarian

Veggie Might: Curry—The Very, Very Beginning

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a regular Thursday feature about all things Vegetarian.Lately, I’ve been thinking quite a bit about (and eating a lot of) curry. There are so many countries and regions that are known for it: Thailand, the Caribbean, Japan, and of course, India. So I made one of my new year’s resolutions to explore the Curries of the World.Well. That is a big task, my friends, not to mention somewhat misguided. I have so much to learn, and I’m a bit overwhelmed. Please bear with me.My mind reels with questions: What makes a curry curry? How are they different? Is there a common link? Is it possible for one New York vegetarian to eat them all?Let’s just hang out here at the beginning for today, shall we? The very,...

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Posted in: Sides,Vegan,Vegetarian,Veggie Might

CHG Favorites of the Week

Food Blog of the WeekThe KitchnWe link to the Kitchn all the time in Tuesday’s Megalinks comps, but never highlighted it on its own until now. Part of the Apartment Therapy empire, it’s a gorgeous, well-designed cooking blog that, in past years, has been a little upscale for my everyday use. Lately, though, it’s been on a total roll. Recent articles on rental kitchens, ways to build flavor, and stocking a vegetarian pantry have been aces, to say nothing of the recipe lists. Definitely worth a daily visit.Food Comedy of the WeekJim Gaffigan on FoodI love Jim Gaffigan. I love food. Together, they’re an unstoppably delicious comedy force. From Indiana.Food Quote of the WeekThis week, it’s three from the greatest romantic comedy ever, Say Anything:Diane Court: I just can't have any social life...

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Posted in: Links

1 Chicken, 17 Healthy Meals, $26 Bucks, No Mayo

The stretchability of a whole chicken is a frequently discussed topic among food and frugality bloggers. It’s commonly accepted that a single fowl will feed a family of 11 for weeks, years - even millennia. Even after 20 months of keeping CHG, I’m constantly gobsmacked by how moms and dads can create dinner after dinner from the same bird.Here’s the thing: sometimes, those dinners aren’t the healthiest meals in the world. There tend to be a lot of quesadillas and casseroles whenever these type of posts pop up, not to mention chicken salads drenched with full-fat mayo. Now, there’s nothing wrong with this whatsoever (except the mayo - blech), but I wanted to see if I could put a healthier spin on it.In a sentence: I wanted to find out if it...

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Posted in: Cooking,Frugality,Mains,Meat and Fish,Organization

City Kitchen Chronicles: Not-Quite Colcannon

City Kitchen Chronicles is a bi-weekly column about living frugally in Manhattan. It's penned by the lovely Jaime.Every so often I look down at my items on the grocery store check-out conveyor belt, or unpacked onto my kitchen counter to be put away, and I think about starting a blog called Single Girl Grocery Shops. Most recently: one bag of green lentils, one sweet potato, a jar of Goya green olives, a can of vegetarian baked beans.I’ll set your minds at ease right now by disclaiming that these were not fixins for a single meal. I’m not sure what exactly I went in for – I think to see if there were any good deals on vegetables – but apparently I’ve been in the mood for salt lately. (I also recently acquired a jar of Bac’n Bits. Yup, they’re...

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Posted in: City Kitchen Chronicles,Sides,Vegan,Vegetarian

Tuesday Megalinks

This week, it’s all Get Rich Slowly and The Kitchn, all the time. But beyond their seven combined posts (on DIY recipes, winter weight gain, and more), there are some nice entries from Being Frugal on a new coupon service, Like Merchant Ships on feeding your children, and Serious Eats on recession waitressing. Behold…11th Heaven’s Homemaking Haven: Make it From Scratch FestivalTons of great cooking and craft ideas from this week’s carnival, hosted by a mother of NINE (so you know she knows what she’s talking about). Leigh’s Vegan Ginger Cookies made the list, so run hence!Being Frugal: A Full Cup ReviewLynnae’s found a replacement for the Grocery Game. I’ll let her describe: “[A Full Cup] features an easy to navigate message board, coupon database,...

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Posted in: Links

Cheap Healthy Good: Now With Extra Columns!

Happy Presidents Day, universe! To celebrate our fine Commander-in-Chiefs, we here at CHG decided to go live with a brand spankin' new layout. Don't worry; all the extraneous features and sidebar thingies you've come to vaguely know and kinda love are still here. They're just in slightly different locations, with a picture of lasagna on top instead of cherries.However! The design isn't 100% final yet, and we'd love to know your opinions. Are the colors pretty? Does the font agree with your eyes? Do you find lasagna close-ups to be particularly offensive, since one of them once mugged you in a parking lot back in '76? If so, these are important things to mention, and we encourage you to fire away in the comment section.Special thanks to The Boyfriend for the web design and J (he of the Summertime...

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Posted in: About Cheap Healthy Good

CHG’s Hall of Shame II: Even Shamier

First, there was the original Hall of Shame.But now …In a world …Where sometimes, recipes don’t work out …No matter how much you want them to …It’s …CHG'S HALL OF SHAME II: EVEN SHAMIER.To celebrate Friday the 13th, we here at CHG thought we’d bring you even MORE failed recipes. See, in the effort to cook three frugal, nutritional, delicious dishes per week, we create quite a few duds.But there’s a bright side to those failures: we can post about ‘em anyway, to let you know that we don’t write up EVERYTHING we cook. It’s gotta be good, or it doesn’t make the blog.So, without further ado…(NOTE: To protect the innocent, some sources have been omitted. Except Jenny Craig – she can take it.)Meringue CookiesOh, man. WHAT did I do wrong here? I used...

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Posted in: Cooking