CHG Best of April 2010

April: there were showers. There were flowers. There were even the New York Mets, exercising their baseball powers. And here at CHG, it was a lovely month. Let us now look back on 30 days of local produce, questionable food photography (see: recipe #1), and the best little ol’ posts you ever did see. To borrow from the great Stan Lee, excelsior!APRIL RECIPESBreakfast Couscous Custard with PeachesCrustless Spinach Mushroom QuicheLemon-Ginger DressingRoasted Asparagus with ChickpeasStrawberry Rhubarb CrispSweet Potato KugelTofu Bahn MiWhole Wheat Pasta with Asparagus and Turkey SausageAPRIL ARTICLES‘Twas a month of lists here at CHG, and it all started with The 10 Cheapest, Healthiest Foods Money Can Buy.Then we moved on to Cheap, Healthy Asparagus: 81 Recipes for the Springiest of Spring Vegetables.And...

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Posted in: Links

Top Ten Links of the Week: 4/23/10 – 4/29/10

Happy Friday, folks! Quick update on Tuesday’s Ask the Internet question: the broth and new ratio totally worked with the polenta, and the addition of pancetta provided some much-needed depth and textural variation. Howevs, the spinach still needs work. I sautéed it much faster this time, using the oil left over from the meat, but the aftertaste remained. I’m thinking a switch to either kale, chard, or baby spinach is in order. Almost there, though! Look for the final version on Monday.Meanwhile, BEHOLD! Here’re the links.1) Oregon Live: Meet some of Portland's radical homemakersA fantastic piece. Just stellar, and I love the reconceptualizing of domesticity as, “living by four tenets: ecological sustainability, social justice, family and community.”...

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Posted in: Links

Veggie Might: Tofu Bánh Mì - Spicy Vietnamese Sandwiches

Penned by the effervescent Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about the wide world of Vegetarianism.Living in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood of New York City, I’m surrounded by restaurants of nearly every nationality. I’m proudly well versed in Indian, Korean, Japanese, Ethiopian, Afghan, Thai, and all manner of Mediterranean delicacies. One cuisine, however, is conspicuously missing from my neighborhood United Nations: Vietnamese. I’ve had many a phō when venturing beyond these borders; but I just recently had my first bánh mì, the outrageously spicy, Vietnamese baguette sandwich, piled high with pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro, and, your choice of protein, traditionally paté, pork, headcheese (blargh), or tofu. Guess which...

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Posted in: Mains,Vegan,Vegetarian,Veggie Might

Cheap, Healthy Asparagus: 81 Recipes for the Springiest of Spring Vegetables

Despite the snow that fell in Syracuse yesterday, spring is pretty much upon us. And along with the warming sun and astronomical pollen count comes that earliest of vegetable bloomers, asparagus.I don’t know about you guys, but during April and May, I buy as much asparagus as humanly possible. (Perhaps an exaggeration, but you catch my drift.) What's more, I’m always looking for different ways to prepare it. Because I loves me some roasted shoots, but after awhile, you know – variety, spice of life – all that jazz.This may be coming a week or two early in some areas, but this compilation of 81 asparagus recipes should keep you in the culinary clear until next year. FYI, the criteria for each chosen dish were as follows:It had to include inexpensive,...

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Posted in: Breakfast,Cooking,Mains,Sides,Soups and Stocks,Vegetarian

Ask the Internet: Recipe Help?

Today’s question is born of frustration.Q: Sweet readers! I’ve been working on a recipe for Parmesan Polenta with Spinach and a Fried Egg the past few days, but can’t get it right. It’s driving me crazy. The polenta seems dry and needs more flavor, the spinach is giving off a weird aftertaste, and the whole thing begs for more textural variety. Can you make some suggestions to improve the situation? (Note: Not this situation.)A: Here’s the recipe, portioned for one person:1/3 cup polenta1/4 skim milk1/2 cup water2 tablespoons parmesan1/2 teaspoon olive oil, divided1 small clove garlic, minced1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes2 ounces fresh spinach, stemmed and torn into bite-sized pieces1/2 teaspoon unsalted butter1 eggKosher salt and freshly ground...

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Posted in: Ask the Internet

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp: A Multiple Choice Quiz

Today on Serious Eats: Black Bean Dip. I want to eat it all the time. Even when I’m sleeping. Which is probably ill-advised.Please mark off the following questionnaire with a #2 pencil. Should that process begin to cause excessive damage to your computer, you may point to your answers onscreen.This dish seems familiar because:A) Déjà vu.B) Leigh posted a similar Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble less than a year ago, and Kris (that’s me) forgot to double check when she was making the recipe. Doy.C) It is your father.Rhubarb and strawberries are/is:A) Mellifluous.B) Almost in season, and natural sweet/tart compliments for each other.C) Peaches and Herb’s original name.The difference between a crisp and a crumble is:A) Inconsequential.B) Nothing really,...

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Posted in: Desserts and Snacks,Vegetarian

Saturday Throwback: 61 Tips for Travel Eats on a Budget

Hey there! We're trying something new! Each Saturday we're posting an older piece from CHG’s archives. Today's comes from August 2007. Hope you enjoy.As the summer draws to a close (or begins - Edited 2010), several bajillion Americans (self included) are itching to get out of work; to soak up the last lingering rays of another warm season gone by.Also, they’re hungry.Transportation and housing aside, food’s a major budget concern when planning a vacation. Since most travelers are just trying to find a decent, affordable meal, nutritional considerations nearly always fall by the wayside.What follows, then, is a plan: the ultimate guide to saving dough on food while you’re away, with extra emphasis on healthy options.BEFORE YOU GO1. Research. Citysearch, Frommers, Zagat, and Lonely Planet are...

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Posted in: Buying Food,Dining Out,Frugality

Top Ten Links of the Week: 4/16/10 – 4/22/10

Great googly moogly, the links are numerous this week. Meaning there's like, a lot of 'em. Let’s get to it.1) Jezebel: Can Feminists Wear Aprons?The recent apron trend (no, seriously) becomes a jumping off point for an honest discussion about cooking and feminism. First and second wavers fought hard to provide work options beyond the home. Many third wavers are finding big-time fulfillment in what's traditionally considered domestic work, like mastering the kitchen. Both, of course, have tremendous value. Maybe feminism's greatest accomplishment is that we have a choice now. (Or we can do both. Why not?)2) Slate: The Pioneer Woman vs. Thomas KellerAuthor Jennifer Reese prepped two fried chicken dinners for her family. The first used recipes...

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Posted in: Links

Veggie Might: Vegetarian Meal Planning for Meat Eaters

Written by the fabulous Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about all things Vegetarian.Meal planning is a hot topic ‘round these parts; you’d think we’d covered it all. But what if you’re a mostly vegetarian, or a family of omnis trying to work in a few vegetarian meals a week? A reader wrote in asking specifically how to plan for vegetarian meals that don’t involve tapas.This Veg is here to help. Here are some tips and tricks to help you plan weekly meals that will improve your health, reduce your budget, and satisfy everyone at the table.Decide How Many Vegetarian Meals/WeekDecide how many times a week you want to eat vegetarian meals and to what degree. Will you eschew all animal products (like dairy and eggs) or just meat?...

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Posted in: Cooking,Veggie Might

On Progress

I’m nearly finished with Barbara Kingsolver’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. I’d suggest it to anybody. It’s a fantastic book, full of humor, wisdom, gorgeous prose, and excellent recipes. (Seriously, try the Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp.) Still, I can’t help but feel a little guilty reading the thing. The author is an ardent gardener and regular buyer of all foods organic, local, and humanely raised. She argues that it costs more up front, but the prices – to the environment, to her family’s health, to the local economy – even out in the long run. She is undoubtedly right on, and I agree completely. But I also write a blog about inexpensive, nutritious cooking. And sometimes it’s difficult to reconcile ethical choices with workable choices.Is a cheap...

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Posted in: About Cheap Healthy Good