Cheap Healthy Good Turns 3: The Top 10 Recipes of Our Previous Year of Existence

Sweet readers! Don’t forget: tomorrow begins CHG’s No-Cook July. It’s all the food you’ve come to know and tolerate, minus any bacteria-killing heat. See you then!You guys! We’ve been around for three years! Who knew that financial idiocy and an inability to cook would someday lead to a blog with over 120,000 George Clooney references?But seriously, folks. It’s been a sweet year here at the CHG compound. Our readership remained aweradbodaciousicalsome. We even grew a little, with over a million visits since last July. We got a tad burned out. We came roaring back. We introduced Ask the Internet, which thanks to y’all, has been a thriving success/fab way to brainstorm. Our photos have become marginally better. (See here, then here.) We watched...

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Posted in: About Cheap Healthy Good

CHG Best of June 2010

Holy moly, there was a lot of cooking happening this month. Special thanks to all the turkey sausage, corn, and tofu that made the sacrifice. And special thanks to all yis readers, who make writing this thing so very worthwhile. Ups!JUNE RECIPESBaked Radish ChipsBasil Tofu SaladDIY Microwave PopcornFruit GazpachoGreek Tofu SaladGreen Garlic and Garlic Scapes PestoGrilled Tofu SteaksItalian Turkey SlidersLemony Couscous with ChickpeasSpanish Black Beans and Rice (Moors and Christians)Summer PanzanellaJUNE ARTICLESWe took 46 fabulous answers from a kid-concerned Ask the Internet question, and turned them into Cooking For Small Children: 15 Hows, Whys, and … Honey, Please Put That Cleaver Down.We took a Zen approach to cooking, blogging, and uh,...

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Posted in: Links

Ask the Internet: Eating More Leafy Greens?

Sweet readers! Don’t forget: Thursday kicks off CHG’s No-Cook July, our month-long journey into Joseph Conrad’s heart of darkness meals made without heat.But first, today’s question! It comes from the lovely Rebecca. She asks:Q: My boyfriend loves him some leafy greens and I'm trying to, really really trying to, but a few years ago I lived in a co-op where they fed me nothing but leafy greens and it's kind of ruined it for me. We even make a bunch of recipes that use greens on your site, but still no go. I think I have a mental block towards them or something, who knows. Do you have any suggestions for tricking myself into eating more of these great-for-you vegetables? (No, I'm not six-years-old, but the strategy is probably similar!)A: Rebecca!...

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Posted in: Ask the Internet

Summer Panzanella: An Open Letter

NOTE #1: Today on Serious Eats: Greek Salad Skewers from Giada DeLaurentiis. This no-cook, veggie heavy, completely delicious appetizer can only mean one thing: the big-bosomed Italian scores again.NOTE #2: Sweet readers! July is NO-COOK MONTH here at Cheap Healthy Good. Starting with Leigh’s Veggie Might column on Thursday and continuing through August 1st, all our recipes will be heating implement-free. (Because frankly, we Noo Yawkuhs are freakin’ dyin' ovah heah.) See you then!Dear Panzanella,I admit it. You had me fooled.I knew you were essentially bread and tomato salad. I knew you included other foods – olives, onions, herbs – for kicks. I knew people liked you, and you were a staple of Italian cuisine.But I never considered you to be...

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Posted in: Mains,Sides,Vegetarian

Saturday Throwback: Cheap Healthy Good’s Ultimate Guide to Kitchen Equipment

Every Saturday, we post a piece from the CHG archives, which are coincidentally located in the same warehouse where Indiana Jones stashed the Ark of the Covenant. This articles comes from November 2007.One of the most popular, frequently-posted-on topics in all of cooking blogdom is Kitchen Equipment. Everybody (including me) wants to know: what should we buy? In what sizes? Why would anyone need a freezer thermometer, unless he’s trying to preserve a body? (Note to self: maybe cut back on Dexter a bit.)The problem is, there are oodles of clashing opinions, because everybody comes from different culinary perspectives. In other words, equipment suggestions from a pro chef will be way out of step with a mom of 27, and her advice might be totally...

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Posted in: Frugality

Top 10 Links of the Week: 6/18/10 – 6/24/10

Man. If the links are any indication, it's gonna be a good weekend. I can feel it, folks. Happy June.1) stonesoup: the absolute beginners guide to the art of seasoning [5 ingredients | 10 minutes]Man, this blog just keeps getting better. Today, it’s on seasoning your food well, and what to do if you under- or overdo it.2) NY Times: Saving Time and Stress with Cooking Co-opsOo! I love this. It’s like a potluck, but in take-home Tupperware. Sure, there are drawbacks (one dastardly participant relied too much on Hamburger Helper), but cooking one meal for many, and then getting six meals back, seems like an all-around win. (Photo is from the piece.)3) Casual Kitchen: On the Benefits of Being a Part-Time VegetarianThe CK household cut their meat...

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Posted in: Links

Veggie Might: Grilled Tofu Steaks of Victory

Penned by the effervescent Leigh, Veggie Might is a weekly Thursday column about the wide world of Vegetarianism.Whenever a barbecue looms, I’m overcome by a swirl of emotions: joy at the prospect of dining outside for a change; happiness with the anticipation of seeing my friends; and irritation from wondering what in the name of sweet Maude in heaven I am going to put on the grill.I used to just buy a package of veggie burgs or dogs on the way to the party and be content. But I don’t really eat that way anymore. Okay, when I’m at a baseball game, I will track down that one stand that serves a veggie hotdog, but that’s baseball. Now I try to get creative, or at least a little healthy. At Kris’ barbecues past, I’ve slapped marinated portabella...

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Posted in: Mains,Vegan,Vegetarian,Veggie Might

Should You Read Cheap Healthy Good? Take This Quiz and Find Out.

Here at Cheap Healthy Good, we usually reserve Wednesdays for long, academic posts in which the conclusions inevitably boil down to “eat more vegetables” and/or “do what’s best for you.” (The internet: where non-answers are the best answers.)Today, we figured we’d try something a little different: a quiz. It’s designed to determine whether you should start, continue, or stop reading this blog. In a way, it’s kind of like asking, “How good are you at applying all this stuff?” or "Kale is awesome, right?"So, using a pencil and a piece of paper, record your answers as you go along (or, you know, just remember them). At the end of the post, evaluate yourself using the provided key. Have fun and good luck.1. You have five dollars to feed yourself...

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Posted in: About Cheap Healthy Good

Green Kitchen: Tofu Salad with Herbs, Two Ways

Green Kitchen is a bi-weekly column about nutritious, inexpensive, and ethical food and cooking. It's penned by the lovely Jaime Green.Happy belated solstice, everyone! For us northern hemispherers, yesterday was the longest day of the year. That's happy news for druids and lovers of late-evening sunshine, but oh, if only that meant the hottest day of the year were behind us as well. Unfortunately, the sun's just getting started pumping the atmosphere full of heat, and the sweaty months of summer stretch into the distance ahead of us, as if into a hazy, humid infinity.Hi. Sorry. It was 95 degrees in New York City yesterday. Project no-AC goes strong, but still. Stepping into the midday sun is like ... whoa. That stuff hits you hard.So, even...

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Posted in: Green Kitchen,Sides,Vegan,Vegetarian

Ask the Internet: Healthy Snacks for Little Kids?

Holy cow! Did you guys know that the Ice Cream Man/Woman makes between $400 and $900 a day in the summer, depending on the weather? Wow. Time for a career shift.Speaking about fun foods, reader Rachael wrote in with a question pertaining to last week’s Cooking for Small Children post:Q: I have 3 children 3 and under. My two oldest love to snack! I have plenty of fruits and veggies for them, but sometimes they aren't the easiest on the go. I'd like to steer clear of snacks like cheddar fish or crackers, even. What are some delicious whole, nutritious, on the go snacks?!A: Thanks for writing, Rachael! While I don’t have kids of my own, my cousins/friends/guy on the corner really seem to like Sabra’s single-serving hummus tubs. They’re portable,...

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Posted in: Ask the Internet

Lemony Couscous with Chickpeas and a Hidden Gem Cookbook

Today on Serious Eats: Potato Salad with Green & White Beans. It’ll make a crowd giggle with delight.You know, how sometimes, when you discover something no one else knows about, you get all excited, but a little hesitant to share your newfound knowledge, because it wouldn’t be JUST YOURS anymore? I used to feel that way about music. My friend H. introduced me to Jeff Buckley in 1995, my freshman year of college. His Grace album became a touchstone of our existence, with the final track, a cover of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah, as its crowning achievement. And even though H. shared Buckley with me, I was hesitant to pass him on to anyone else. I felt like it would take the specialness away.Well, here’s the thing. If something’s really good,...

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Posted in: Sides,Vegan,Vegetarian

Saturday Throwback: 10 Thrifty, Healthy Ingredients to Improve the Quality of Your Meals

Every Saturday, we post a piece from the CHG archives. Today's article comes from November 2007. For the first 25 years of my existence, my food stood alone. Meat went unseasoned, starches sought no accompaniment, and vegetables … hermits, all of them. Only recently have I discovered the wonders of spices, sauces, and assorted flavorings. I had heard they made edibles better, but discounted it as a blasphemous rumor. Y’know, like gravity.In honor of these fine, zestful components, today’s article will expound on joy and wonder of my favorite ten. The following foods generally aren’t the main focus of a dish. Instead, they’re simple, easily attainable additives that will boost the quality of your spread immensely. Some cost a few cents more...

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Posted in: Buying Food,Cooking,Frugality

Top 10 Links of the Week: 6/11/10 – 6/17/10

Between Chinese menu misspellings, Sandra Lee’s lasagna, and the campaign to bring LeBron James to the Knicks, the links are a bit NYC-centric today. But, why not? It’s a helluva town.P.S. Don’t do it, LeBron! You saw what happened to Patrick Ewing! (Poor, broken Pat Ewing. He has permanent unsmiley face now.)1) New York Times: Hummus Catches On in America (As Long as its Flavored)Hummus has taken America by storm the last few years, but it’s not necessarily the traditional chickpea/tahini/garlic/lemon concoction found everywhere in the Middle East. This neat article discusses its U.S. evolution from simple garbanzo dip to the Baskin Robbins of bean spreads.2) Shades of Gray: Breaking the Cycle - Raising a Daughter With a Healthy Self ImageJulie...

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Posted in: Links