Everything about Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4/Day is admirable: its mission, the buy-one-donate-one marketing plan and, of course, the recipes.
Leanne Brown's New York University master's capstone project-turned-cookbook was driven by her commitment to offer advice and recipes to those living on a SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, i.e., food stamps) budget of $4 a day. But anyone hungry for an easy, nutritious diet will find Good and Cheap a go-to cookbook. Another benefit of buying the book: for every one sold, a copy will be donated to a person in need, thanks to Brown's successful Kickstarter campaign.
"More than a book of recipes, this is a book of ideas." Brown introduces a novice cook to equipment, pantry basics and versatile spices, with advice on shopping for maximum value and freshness. And for an experienced cook, or one in a rut, her creative recipes are a welcome revitalized approach. Bored with breakfast? Try one of Brown's seven ways to jazz up oatmeal, for example.
Brown is not "slavish to the bottom line." She cooks with butter and suggests buying expensive eggs, both worth it for their flavor. While there is an emphasis on fruits and vegetables, this is not a vegetarian cookbook. Brown avoids meat, but doesn't eliminate it; she includes Half-Veggie Burgers, combining ground meat and lentils.
Each recipe has a price-per-serving notation. "Leftovers" champions the creative repurposing of remainders from the book's recipes, and sidebars offer friendly tips that encourage the cook to be confident and "conjure deliciousness in any kitchen, anytime." --Cheryl Krocker McKeon, manager, Book Passage, San Francisco