Health for life

Since September 2008, I’ve been writing the Monday morning Healthy and Delicious column for Serious Eats (except in September 2010, when Leigh took over cos I got hitched). As we don’t include those recipes on Cheap Healthy Good, I figured I’d take today’s regular article slot to list them all. Why? They’re all healthy and good, and the vast majority are eminently affordable, as well. As far as photos … they’re not bad! They make food look like food! So that’s fun. Enjoy, and I hope you get some mileage out of em.

BREAKFAST
Baked Oatmeal
Banana Nut Oatmeal (Note: The ingredients go from the 1 tablespoon walnuts through the last few shakes of Kosher salt. Steps are #4 through #7.)
Buttermilk Corn Muffins
Cardamom and Dried Cherry Scones
Cheddar Chipotle Scones
French Toast Oatmeal (Note: The ingredients go from 1/2 cup oatmeal to about halfway down, a few shakes of Kosher salt. Steps are #1 and #2 only.)
Lemon Popovers
Lighter Home Fries
Orange Cranberry Muffins
Pumpkin Muffins with Pecan Streusel Topping
Raspberry-Filled Cinnamon Muffins

APPETIZERS, DIPS and SAUCES
Avocado and Corn Salsa
Black Bean Dip
Clam-Stuffed Mushrooms
Curried Kumquat Chutney
Greek Salad Skewers
Provencal Deviled Eggs
Roasted Pepper Halves with Bread Crumb Topping
Raw Tomatillo Salsa
Spinach and Artichoke Dip
Spinach and Cannellini Bean Dip
Tomatillo Guacamole
White Bean Bruschetta
Zucchini Crostini

SOUPS, STEWS, STOCKS, & CHILIS
All-American Chili
Black Bean Soup
Curried Cauliflower Soup with Honey
Curried Sweet Potato and Brown Rice Soup
Italian Egg-Drop Soup
Mexican Potato Soup
Moroccan-Style Chickpea Soup (Missing Step #2: While that’s happening, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook about 5 minutes, until onion is a little soft and translucent. Add garlic, ginger, and cumin. Cook for another 30 to 60 seconds, until fragrant.)
Parsnip Soup with Vanilla
Pasta e Ceci
Pumpkin Turkey Chili
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Tomato Soup with Roasted Garlic and Herbs
West African Vegetable Stew
White Chicken Chili
Winter Vegetable Chili
Yellow Tomato Soup, Three Ways

SIDES
Baked Wheat Bulgur with Sweet Potatoes and Almonds
Black-Eyed Pea "Caviar"
Bulgur Wheat Salad with Avocado, Raisins, and Almonds
Butternut Squash Apple Cranberry Bake
Carrot and Sweet Potato Mash
Classic Baked Acorn Squash
Confetti Quinoa Salad
Couscous with Chickpeas and Edamame
Fresh Corn Salad
Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts
Gomen (Sauteed Cabbage)
Greek Orzo Salad
Greek-Style Chickpea Salad
Herb-Scalloped Potatoes
Honey-Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Irio
Jicama and Watermelon Salad
Lemon Basil Pasta Salad
Marinated Mushroom Salad
Nicoise Pasta Salad (Missing Step #1: Boil pasta in salted water. When it’s about 1 or 2 minutes away from being done, add green beans. Cook until pasta is al dente. Drain, reserving some cooking liquid. Run cold water immediately over pasta and beans to stop cooking process.)
Pioneer Woman’s Cranberry Sauce
Potato Salad with Green and White Beans
Quinoa and Grilled Zucchini
Red Cabbage with Apples and Honey
Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing
Shredded Beet, Apple, and Currant Salad
Southern-Style Black-Eyed Peas with Bacon
Stir-Fried Iceberg Lettuce
Tabbouleh Salad
Thyme-Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Whole-Wheat Irish Soda Bread
Yellow Tomato Salad with Roasted Red Pepper, Feta, and Mint
Zucchini Carpaccio with Feta and Pine Nuts

ENTREES (Vegetarian)
Barley Risotto
Black Bean and Tomato Quinoa
Blue Cheese Portobello Mushroom Burgers
Calabacitas Burritos
DIY Hot Pockets (Please note finished directions in comment section.)
Eggplant in Spicy Tomato Sauce
Eggplant with Miso Sauce
Grilled Zucchini with Quinoa Stuffing
Lighter Spinach Lasagna
Mushroom "Bolognese"
Mushroom Risotto
Pumpkin Orzo with Sage
Spaghetti Squash with Ricotta, Sage, and Pine Nuts
Sweet and Spicy Tofu
Tofu and Mushroom Marsala
White Bean and Mushroom Ragout
White Bean Puree with Poached Egg

ENTREES (Carnivore)
30-Minute Chicken Tagine
Avocado Chicken Salad
Baked Apples with Barley-Sausage Pilaf
Baked Rotelle Puttanesca (has anchovies)
Basil Chicken Pasta
Broccoli Rabe, Turkey Sausage, and Grapes
Chicken Paprikash
Chicken with Artichokes and Capers
Curried Pork with Apples
Chicken with Citrus Sauce
Dijon Tuna Burgers
Marcella Hazan’s Lemon Roasted Chicken with Carrots and Potatoes
Mussels in Spicy Tomato Sauce
Pork Chops with Tomatillo and Green Apple Sauce
Pork Roast En Cocotte with Apples and Shallots
Squid in Red Wine Sauce
Swiss Chard and Turkey Sausage Over Polenta
Turkey Sausage and Arugula with Whole Wheat Pasta
Whole Wheat Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Chickpeas, and Garlicky Greens

DESSERTS & SNACKS
Blueberry Salsa
Cider-Poached Pears with Yogurt and Toasted Almonds
Granola Bars
Greek Yogurt Lemon Mousse
Homemade Peppermint Patties
Mexican Chocolate Cake
No-Cook Berry Crisp
Quick and Easy Apple Tart
Sugar-Roasted Plums with Balsamic and Rosemary Syrup
Three-Ingredient Banana, Honey, and Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Top-Crust Peach and Cardamom Pie

BEVERAGES
Basil Lemonade
Cherry Lemonade
White Peach Bellini

~~~

If you like recipe lists like this, get a load of these:

• 60 Cheap and Healthy Marinade Recipes
• Cheap, Healthy Asparagus: 81 Recipes for the Springiest of Spring Vegetables
• Save Money on Seasonings: MYOM (Make Your Own Mix)

A few months agone, CHG announce a chunk erred to as Overcoming Your cookery Obstacles, discussing why of us avoid their own kitchens. I argued that cookery is imperative to saving money (because you pay less) and consumption healthier (because you have got control), then bestowed some methods for capture common cooking fears.

Sadly, there’s associate obstacle I incomprehensible . A big one. perhaps the largest one in all all.

What if your family doesn’t cook? What if they neer did? What if they don’t need to, either?

At first, this could appear to be a tangle simply solved . “Suck it up and acquire going,” you may hear. “This is your journey, not theirs.” Boo, I say. Boo. That response ignores the cultural, behavioral, and environmental factors inherent in family problems. particularly ones addressing food.

I perceive. My grannie lived till i used to be thirty. She was howling and sensible as hell, however within the 3 decades we tend to spent time, I neer saw her roast, chop, or heat one victual. My oldsters hold their own, however don’t think about cookery a very thrilling activity. (With the exception of Ma’s masterful Christmas cookies. I got your back, Ma.) My sister would rather hit herself within the head with a mallet than sauté one thing.

And this can be whole okay. Yeah, typically I envy my Italian friends, WHO appear to own the direction for red sauce imprinted in their deoxyribonucleic acid. however family is family, and you can’t can them into the room. To borrow a support-group byword phrase, I will solely amendment myself. Same goes for everyone.

In the in the meantime, here ar some tips for co-existing together with your kitchen-resistant kin. The tricks ought to create learning to cook somewhat easier, and would possibly even get your live-in relations concerned within the method. We’d like to hear additional concepts, too, theore don’t forget to own your say within the comment section.

Avoid inform fingers.
Though an absence of cookery skillz is nobodys fault in and of itself, it’s tempting answerable that gap in data on those that neglected to show. Alas, this road leads solely to ruin. (Weird, passive-aggressive ruin.) rather than dawdling with accusations and unhealthy feelings, target the positive. You’re on the point of discover a delicious new world, and it’s getting to be a wonderful journey.

Realize there’s solely most youll be able to management.
You may begin to cook hoping itll alter your family’s consumption habits. If this works out, go you! If it doesn’t, no worries. Dietary behaviors ar pretty constituted, and you can’t force folks to remodel themselves. (They might not need to, anyway. It’s a little forward to suppose theore.) Work on your own state of affairs, and dismiss non-constructive criticism as best youll be able to.

Observe friends.
If you’re haptic sensation to cook, however can’t learn reception, look to your social circle for facilitate. hang around with buddies WHO relish tooling round the room. Watch their oldsters as they prepare meals. raise if youll be able to participate. It’s free, and odds ar the ascertained are flattered.

Volunteer to form meals reception.
Learning to cook may be a active activity. By stepping in to handle dinner, you’re gaining valuable expertise AND assuaging your family of a job. If they’re proud of the results, they could even do the dishes. And that, my friends, is that the greatest gift of all.

Make cookery a gaggle activity.
When it involves exercise, im strictly a team sports quite lady. Treadmills bore my play, however I’ll play softball till the apocalypse. an equivalent is also true of your family and meal school assignment. So, strive selecting dishes that need cluster assembly, like burritos or personal pizzas. The additional fun you have got, the better. It might inspire you to stay going, and spark room interest in somebody else.

Ask a loved one to point out you the way to organize his/her specialty.
If crowds aren’t your issue, go one on one. Even the foremost uninformed of cooks has one good meal in his/her repertoire, and it’s possible he/she are excited to share. Again, you’ll gain expertise, and perhaps create a contented memory.

Watch a cookery show along.
Do you apprehend somebody WHO doesn’t provides a flying you-know-what regarding food, till they see Giada DeLaurentiis creating it? yea, me too. whereas TV may not propel admired ones into the room, it will get the voice communication rolling.

Try new food.
If your members of the family ar daring sorts (though not essentially cooks themselves), strive transfer uncommon fruit or vegetables home. My oldsters discovered persimmons this manner, and currently it’s a healthy food we will all eat along. If you’re feeling very saucy, create it a contest: whoever buys the weirdest, tastiest edible wins … a nickel? A DVD? A pony? no matter reward suits your brood the simplest.

With that, I hand it over to you guys. What ar another ways in which to agitate a cooking-adverse family?

(Rejected titles for this post: “Free Cooking Lessons Part II: Electric Cookaloo,” “Free Cooking Lessons Part II: The Cookening”)

Months ago, CHG featured two pieces about finding cooking lessons for free on the internet. One was cleverly called Free Cooking Lessons, while the other, a rundown of web-based slicing and carving techniques, was titled Chop ‘til You Drop. Today’s article is a sequel to those posts, focusing on television instead of the web.

See, while many might of us not have access to high speed internet, many of us get some form of basic cable or cable TV. This means that morning, noon, and night, we’re exposed to some of the best chefs and cooks on Earth, from flame-haired, Dionysian Italians to entrancingly mom-esque Hampton doyennes. These folks can teach us TONS, as long as we’re patient, observant, and know how to navigate through the programming. That last part is where CHG comes in.

What follows is a basic guide to 21 instructional cooking shows, including brief descriptions and links. It’s designed to give beginners an idea of where to start, and to direct more advanced cooks to series that might interest them. It focuses mostly on the Food Network, though several PBS shows and a few Martha Stewart ventures are included. Air times should be included in the links.

Before getting started, a word: while I usually try to avoid injecting my opinion into Wednesday articles, it’s not the case here. This post is 99% personal opinion (1% bad jokes), with my favorite shows marked as “suggested viewing.” That said, I urge readers to chime in with brilliant suggestions, supportive comments, terrible insults, and threats to turn me into a tablescape.

Lets get this thing started...

BEGINNER

America’s Test Kitchen with Christopher Kimball (PBS)
Good for: anyone
Bad for: N/A
America’s Test Kitchen is PBS in a nutshell: calm, informative, and most excellent. The sister show to Cook’s Illustrated magazine, it’s chock full of equipment tests, product tastings, and painstakingly researched recipes. The cuisine is mostly traditional American, though international dishes do make frequent appearances. Suggested viewing.

Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger (Food Network)
Good for: healthy eaters, dieters
Bad for: sumo wrestlers
Oh, I like Ellie a lot. Her measured, sweet demeanor is a soothing oasis in a land of yappers. As FN’s resident healthy chef, she creates sane, lo-cal dishes with a dollop of nice flavor. I’ve prepared several of her recipes, and their success/failure rate is about 3 to 1. Suggested viewing.

Everyday Food with the Everyday Food Crew (PBS)
Good for: folks on the go, simplicity enthusiasts, fans of Thoreau’s “Walden”
Bad for: N/A
Martha Stewart is the Executive Producer here, and it shows. Simply presented and gorgeously shot, EF’s a solid reference for casual cooks and beginners, both. It covers the basics of preparation quite well, and has some fine-looking recipes to boot. The show’s one downfall? The 14,000 hosts, who switch off every segment. Theyre a tad tough to identify.

Everyday Italian with Giada DeLaurentiis (Food Network)
Good for: anyone, but especially Italian food lovers
Bad for: N/A
Dubbed "Little Big Head" by the denizens of Television Without Pity, the quality of Giada’s food is in direct proportion to the fabulousness of her cleavage. In other words, the lady can cook. By employing fresh ingredients and simple techniques, she creates some seriously good-looking Italian food that’s easy enough for most kitchen novices. GD takes a lot of flack for being an abnormally attractive, thin chef (well, that and the claw hand), but the haters need to back off.

Good Deal with Dave Lieberman
Good for: college kids, first-time apartment owners, anyone
Bad for: N/A
Cute! Smart! A good cook! The eminently date-able Lieberman centers his show on simple, lower (but not low) cost food – the kind most people can procure at the local supermarket. I haven’t made many of his dishes, but the Braised Hoisin Beer Short Ribs are TO DIE FOR. Worth checking out, especially for younger viewers.

Good Eats with Alton Brown (Food Network)
Good for: anyone
Bad for: N/A
Food Historian, Science Geek, Gastronomic Innovator, Guy You Wish Was Related Somehow: Alton Brown is all of these and then some. It’s really, really hard to find detractors of his show, Good Eats, because I don’t think there are any. Alton pretty much breaks down where meals originate, how they come together on a chemical level, and which ways they’re best prepared. I CAN NOT recommend it (or his cookbooks) highly enough. Suggested viewing.

Guy’s Big Bite with Guy Fieri (Food Network)
Good for: dudes
Bad for: people concerned about their health
Are you a dude? Are you a large dude? Are you a large dude who’ll eat 87 wings in a single sitting and then take enormous pride in farting on your girlfriend? Big Bite is the show for you. Guy’s a spike-haired skater who specializes in Man Food, and his series is a solid resource for Super Bowl Sunday and/or any impending tailgate parties.

Jacques Pepin’s various shows (PBS)
Good for: almost anyone
Bad for: people who don’t understand thick Bourg-en-Bresse accents
Initially, I thought Jacques’ shows consisted entirely of upscale French chef-ery. Alas, I’m dumb. While he does specialize in la cuisine de Paris, he’s also a technique guy, who carefully and methodically demonstrates the proper ways to make a plethora of dishes. Jacques, vous êtes trés bon.

Paula’s Home Cooking with Paula Deen (Food Network)
Good for: southern cooking enthusiasts, comfort food lovers
Bad for: weight watchers, people allergic to “Y’ALL!!!!!!!”
Years ago, PauDain was a relaxed, sweet middle-aged lady who serenely prepared all sorts of indulgent, down-home goodies. Today she cooks the same food, but the personality volume is constantly jacked up to 11. I still harbor happy feelings about Paula and her wonderfully extravagant “27 sticks of butter!” meals, but others may shy away from the loud.

30 Minute Meals with Rachael Ray (Food Network)
Good for: people who love Rachael Ray
Bad for: people who hate Rachael Ray
The objective view: Rachael Ray shows viewers how to prepare a diversity of filling meals in under 30 minutes with easily attainable ingredients. Her recipes are do-able for almost anyone, and she’s inspired more home chefs than possibly even Julia Child. Also, she has dogs.
The subjective view: Anyone who uses the word “yummo” in regular conversation deserves ... well, a food empire, apparently.

Sara’s Secrets with Sara Moulton (Food Network)
Good for: Anyone
Bad for: N/A
Repeat episodes of this show are becoming ever so rare, and that’s a big, fat bummer. If you have the good fortune to catch Sara Moulton on anything, you’ll quickly find she’s a lot like my friend K – quiet, competent, and blonde. It’s really a pleasure to watch her cook, and like Alton or the America’s Test Kitchen crew, she’s a great teacher of the basics. Suggested viewing.

Simply Ming with Ming Tsai (PBS)
Good for: anyone, but especially Chinese food lovers
Bad for: people with ginger allergies
America’s most famous Chinese chef, Ming Tsai makes a wonderful case for eating the cuisine exclusively. Also? He’s super-hot. Suggested viewing. (Especially for all the ladies out there.)

Food 911 or Tylers Ultimate with Tyler Florence
Good for: anyone
Bad for: N/A
Tyler specializes in meals fundamental to American menus, but branches out from time to time with positive results. Provided Good Eats and America’s Test Kitchen aren’t broadcasting at the same time, those searching for the end-all-be-all macaroni and cheese recipe could do worse than starting here.

BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE

Barefoot Contessa (Food Network)
Good for: anyone - especially if you own a beach house
Bad for: N/A
I put Ina in the intermediate section for two reasons: 1) she tends to use some expensive ingredients, which beginner cooks may not want to experiment with yet, and 2) that Kitchen-Aid standup mixer makes an appearance in 50% of her recipes, and it’s kind of an advanced tool. If neither of these apply to you, please tune in to Barefoot Contessa RIGHT NOW. Ina rules, and her recipes simply do not fail. Even if you don’t give a flying crap about braising, icing, or frying, it’s worth a gander for the soothingness of her voice. Suggested viewing.

Boy Meets Grill with Bobby Flay (Food Network)
Good for: dudes, chile pepper lovers, people with grills
Bad for: people who hate mango
The Flayster. Flayorama. The Flayonator. Food Network built part of their empire on this man’s back, and it’s kind of easy to see why. His food is fun, gorgeous, and unifying, in that it marries a lot of fruit and spiciness to great effect. Like Ina, Flay’s tools and ingredients can be a tad expensive (he works with a bunch of seafood), which is why he’s not in the beginner’s category. Nonetheless, Boy Meets Grill is a great resource for recipe ideas, particularly if you’re planning a backyard shindig.

Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello (Food Network)
Good for: easy entertainers
Bad for: difficult entertainers
For those who need to wow a crowd, Michael Chiarello is the man with the plan. Based in Napa Valley, Easy Entertaining concentrates on classy, crowd-friendly dishes, often created with neato wine pairings in mind. The ingredients could run a buck or two, but otherwise, Chiarello’s fun to watch.

Essence of Emeril or Emeril Live with Emeril Lagasse (Food Network)
Good for: anyone, especially Louisiana food lovers
Bad for: Emeril’s nemesis - Evil Emeril
There’s not much to say about Emeril that hasn’t already been covered by every food blog, ever. Yet, in spite of his tiny-bit-hammy onstage persona - dude can cook like the dickens. Watch and learn.

Lidia’s Italy with Lidia Bastianich (PBS)
Good for: anyone, especially Italian food lovers
Bad for: N/A
Lidia is my secret Italian grandma – the one who whipped up massive Istrian feasts every Sunday without breaking a sweat. Her elegant show is a gentle wonder, and her children’s occasional appearances are always good for comic relief. The abundance of handmade pasta may be a bit complex for newbies, but otherwise, Lidia’s Italy is aces. Suggested viewing.

INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED

Lessons with Master Chefs with Julia Child (PBS)
Good for: the cult of Julia, anyone
Bad for: people who believe this is actually Julia Child
From what I’ve seen of this older show, it’s lovely and not as slick as todays cooking series. There aren’t many beauty shots (of the food) and the techniques seem to fly by fairly quickly, which makes them a tiny bit harder to follow. That said, it’s Julia fargin’ Child. The woman didn’t become the first lady of American cooking for nothing. Plus? Apparently, Meryl Streep signed on to play Julia in the upcoming Julie & Julia movie, so that’s fun.

The Martha Stewart Show with Martha Stewart (NBC)
Good for: moms, organized people, fans of Real Simple, anyone
Bad for: frat guys
Do you spatchcock? Would you like to know how? Martha knows. In fact, Martha knows everything, except possibly how to project enthusiasm loudly (though she can be dryly hilarious, and isn’t above poking fun at herself). Her show is faboo for creative meal ideas, from flavor combinations to placemat patterns to cupcakes that look like toadstools. And while Martha’s recipes can occasionally seem very Sunday Dinner in Cape Cod, those who look past her image will discover a treasure trove of kitchen brilliance.

Molto Mario with Mario Batali (Food Network)
Good for: anyone, especially Italian food lovers
Bad for: N/A
Look, this guy is a GREAT chef (I’ve eaten at two of his restaurants), but preparing his food on my own scares the crud out of me. Those not totally intimidated by Mario’s awesomeness should DVR this show at every possible opportunity. He’s not just a wonder to behold, but a veritable fountain of culinary knowledge as well.

UNCLASSIFIABLE

Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee (Food Network)
Good for: people who hate food
Bad for: everyone else
Two words: Kwanzaa Cake.

UNKNOWN (Input welcomed)

Daisy Cooks! with Daisy Martinez (PBS)
Down Home with the Neelys (Food Network
The Hot Australian Guy That Cooks for People in Their Homes (?)
Jamie at Home with Jamie Oliver (Food Network)
Kathleen Daelemans (Food Network)
Mark Bittman (PBS)
Nigella Feasts with Nigella Lawson (Food Network)
Party Line with the Hearty Boys (Food Network
Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller (Food Network)
Simply Delicioso with Ingrid Hoffman (Food Network)

Comments are open and I’d love to hear your input. Thanks!

(Photos courtesy of CelebChefs.net, newasiancuisine.com, and circlealine.com.)