Pasta with Eggplant, Zucchini, and Tomatoes, Plus a Very Important Question

(Readers! Leigh of Veggie Might fame is looking for suggestions for future columns. If you can buzz in with a few ideas, 'twould be ever so lovely. Woot!)Normally, this is where we talk about food. But earlier this week, I had a dream. I was in the dream as myself, and a man – I couldn’t really see his face – asked me a clear, pointed question that I considered very seriously, but could not answer. Since then, I’ve spent my waking hours pondering the ins and outs of the inquiry, with no definitive conclusion.That question was this: “Is Frankenstein technically a zombie?”Compared to queries like “What is the soul?” and “Why is the sky blue?” it’s relatively minor, but SWEET BEA ARTHUR the dang thing’s been killing me. You can argue it every...

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Posted in: Mains,Pasta,Vegan,Vegetarian

CHG Favorites of the Week

Food Blog of the WeekSupermarket GuruOnline since the beginning of time, Phil Lempert is THE internet authority on grocery shopping. Without exaggeration, his extensive site will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about buying food. The design is a little jumbled but I’m not one to quibble when the content is this good. Go. Now.Food Comedy of the Week“Fast Food Song (at the Taco Bell Drive Thru)” by Rhett and LinkAdorable, with a doubly adorable twist ending.Food Quote of the Week“My wife dresses to kill. She cooks the same way.” – Henny YoungmanFood Scene of the WeekLunch scene with Jessup from A Few Good MenBecause Jack Nicholson JUST CAN’T HANDLE a lovely cup of café leche with an accusatory Tom Cruise and Demi Moore. He eats breakfast...

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Posted in: Links

Veggie Might: An Engagement, a Veg-friendly Wedding, and an Anniversary

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a regular Thursday feature about all things Vegetarian.Congratulations are in order for so many folks this month. First of all, I’d like to officially raise a glass of mint limeade to Kris and her Husband-Elect. You two were already as cute as can be, and now this. I can barely stand it. Mazel tov!Speaking of mah-wage, I just returned from the wedding extravaganza of my dear friend JF, nee B. It was a glorious affair in my favorite vegetarian-friendly town, Asheville, NC. The bride was gorgeous, and the groom was gregarious. It was a fabulous party—for four days straight—and it couldn’t happen to a lovelier couple. Slainte!Oh, I should tell you about the food. At J & G’s reception, I ate the...

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Posted in: Veggie Might

Prepping for Unemployment: Food, Money, Mind

While I’ve been fortunate enough to be pretty consistently employed, my line of work often involves long breaks between projects. These fallow periods can last days, weeks, or months, and there’s a lot of job turnover in the industry because of the instability. It’s a weird, unpredictable way to live, and my co-workers and I are always somewhat prepared for the possibility of unemployment. Thus is the life of a freelancer.Come Friday, I’ll be on one of these breaks, which is a polite way of saying, “I ain’t got no job.” It’s happened before, and usually isn’t a big deal, since freelancing preps you for this stuff the second you finish interning. Ideally, there will be other gigs on other shows with other nice folks. And in the downtime, hopefully...

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Posted in: About Cheap Healthy Good,Frugality,Organization

Tuesday Megalinks

Happy Tuesday, everybody! Hope your weekends were lovely and full of perfectly grilled edibles. To welcome y’all back, we’ve got barbecue tips, soda taxes, and a piece on the uprightness of iceberg lettuce. Enjoy!Casual Kitchen: How to Lie About the Soda TaxDan takes on lies, damned lies, and statistics perpetuated by the New York Times, of all sources. The manipulation of data is a scary thing, folks, and Dan’s conclusion might make you think twice about the proposed tariffs on Coke. (Please check this Epi-Log post for a bit of background on this.)Chicago Tribune: 13 strategies for shopping a farmers marketSolid rundown of market tips for newbies. If I was Emeril, I’d end this article with a “BAM!” Then I’d shuffle off to eat some shrimp and...

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Posted in: Links

Cantaloupe with Honey and Lime: a Holiday Bonus Recipe

Hey folks - just a quickie today, in honor of the holiday weekend. It’s a simple fruit dessert from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food cookbook (one of mah favorites), guaranteed to make cantaloupe lovers melt and cantaloupe ambivalents (like me) reconsider. At 70 to 140 calories (depending on the serving size), you can’t beat the health aspect, either.Happy day off!Honey with Cantaloupe and LimeServes 4 to 8From Everyday Food1 cantaloupe, peeled and seeded (see here)1/4 cup honey1 limeWith a sharp pairing knife or awesome vegetable peeler, slice the cantaloupe into ribbons/as thin as you possibly can. The end results should be long, thin strips, kind of like carpaccio. Split the slices up among all the serving plates. Drizzle 1/2 to 1 tablespoon...

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Posted in: 15 Minutes or Less,Desserts and Snacks,Vegan,Vegetarian

Gallo Pinto and Happy Accidents

Over at Casual Kitchen, Dan’s first rule of cooking from a book is this: read the recipe twice before you even think of approaching an oven.And he’s right. It can’t be overstated. Scanning a recipe multiple times ensures you have all the ingredients on hand, the time to make everything, technical clarity, and no last-minute surprises. (“Crap! I needed a lime?”) Conversely, not reading instructions twice (or at all) can have horrific results, like disease, war, or – god forbid - Sandra Lee’s Kwanzaa Cake.Occasionally, though, mistakes can’t be helped. You can memorize the damn thing, and still confuse a chop for a mince, a teaspoon for a tablespoon, or an onion for a Funion.Case in point: Gallo Pinto. It’s a jazzed-up Costa Rican version of...

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Posted in: Mains,Vegan,Vegetarian

CHG Favorites of the Week

Food Blog of the WeekKath Eats Real FoodI saw this smart, charming blog for the first time last week, after The Simple Dollar’s Trent linked to it in a roundup. It friggin’ rules. The back story: Kath lost 30 pounds a few years ago, managed to keep it off, and began her own blog as a way to document her progress/spread the word. Check it out, and be sure to look at the oatmeal section. If you’re a fan of the oats, you won’t be disappointed.Food Comedy of the Week"Little Crop of Horrors" from The Daily Show(Rated PG-13 for some language and images.) Michelle Obama planted a garden. This guy thinks it’s irresponsible. Samantha Bee reports. (Thanks to Eat Me Daily for the link.)Food Quote of the Week“I'm never gonna get used to the 31st century. Caffineated bacon? Baconated grapefruit? ADMIRAL...

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Posted in: Links

Veggie Might: Chlorophyll and Awesomness Salad (or, Need Salad Now)

Penned by the effervescent Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about the wide world of Vegetarianism.There are times when all I want is salad. Often those times follow periods of bad eating, but this most recent salad fixation is inspired by all the garden-related food porn in the blogosphere.In the past couple of weeks, I’ve been a slave to the glorious photos of asparagus, radishes, green beans, and leafy lettuce.I mean seriously, check out this radish salad and tell me you don’t want to just stick your face in there? Or this bowlful of chlorophyll and awesomeness? The Kitchn needs to rein it in or I’m going to pack up and move to wherever it is.These salads inspired me to create something green and gorgeous to shove in my face—STAT....

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Posted in: Mains,Sides,Vegan,Vegetarian,Veggie Might

26 Common Food Labels, Explained

These days, grocery shopping involves a lot of reading. Food is rarely content to just be, and instead, must include dozens of labels designating it as CAGE-FREE, HIGH IN ANTIOXIDANTS, or the dreaded ORGANIC. And even if you know your PASTURED from your HUMANELY-RAISED chickens, odds are you still need a PhD to decode most of the other language.So, to make navigating your supermarket a tad easier, here are 26 food labels, defined and explained in terms understandable to humans. I have to be honest - 36 hours ago, I couldn't tell the difference between LOW-FAT, LITE and REDUCED-FAT. Now, I can. And I have this guide to consult when I forget.Readers, if I made a mistake (or several hundred) lemme know and I will correct it.ALL-NATURAL / NATURAL...

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Posted in: Buying Food,Frugality,Health

Tuesday Megalinks

This week, it’s cookbooks, registry tips, and more chickens than you can shake a drumstick at. Plus, I didn't add a link (because Eater's got it covered), but New York Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni is giving up his seat come August. So, if you’re looking for a great job…Casual Kitchen: Brand DisloyaltyForgoing your favorite brands for equally effective, less expensive versions of the same product will save you MAD CASH over time. Possibly in the millions, if your favorite brand is Aston Martin.Casual Kitchen: What's Your Take on Going Vegetarian? A Poll of Meat-Eating BloggersDan asked five food bloggers (including yours truly) if they’d ever consider going full veggie. There’s a range of answers, but the biggest hang up (including for...

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Posted in: Links

Carrots and Zucchini with Garlic and Ginger: Back in Orange/Green

Okay! It’s a new week! No more ants! No more fun life announcements! No more stomach bug! (Thank the heavens. I lost 164 pounds last week. And I only weigh 148.)Henceforth, it’ll be calmer than the entire cast of Ace of Cakes around here. I’ll post articles on time. (Before 11:56pm, even!) Everything will be spelled correctly. (I won’t accidentally use the word “ravished” to describe hungry little leaguers!) Recipes will include pictures that don’t look like they were taken in Transylvania in December. (Mmm … chicken in focus!)Kicking off our entirely new stretch of timely deliciousness is Carrots and Zucchini with Garlic and Ginger, a simple sautéed side from Alton Brown. I procured the vegetables for a stunningly low price at a place called...

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Posted in: Sides,Vegan,Vegetarian

Imodium, Anyone?

Hey folks,Apologies for the lack of posting (again). I've got the stomach flu something fierce. Should (please please please) be back to the normal schedule on Monday. Have a great weekend.K...

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Veggie Might: Birdseed Granola Bars from the Snackmaster

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a regular Thursday feature about all things Vegetarian. It's coming a day early this week, and Wednesday's regularly scheduled article will appear on Thursday.Every office has a snackmaster: that one person who supplies the junk food, whether it be chocolate, cookies, or Doritos. At one office, there was a woman who baked for us weekly, though she never ate the “goodies” herself. Note to all cooks and bakers out there: taste before you serve. It’s the merciful thing to do.But no one can live up to the legendary candy supply of a former colleague at my current job. She kept a variety of miniature candy bars and snack-size chocolates at her desk for anyone and everyone. If she found out your preference,...

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Posted in: Desserts and Snacks,Vegan,Vegetarian,Veggie Might