About Me

I’m Leanne Brown, your friend in the kitchen. I am here to send a calming deep breath into your body as you cook so you can connect to the strength and ability that is already there waiting for you.

I believe with my whole heart that everyone can cook, but not everyone wants to cook. And that is okay! Cooking is part of how we take care of ourselves and others, but it’s not the only way. If it is something you sincerely want to learn, but feel some blocks with, I want to help you unstick yourself. Cooking is creative, and it’s a form of caring. So the attitude we approach it with is the biggest factor in how it will make us feel. Does cooking make you feel stressed or anxious? If so you are not alone. 

I believe in a process-based approach to cooking. Sure, I want you to be happy and proud of your final dish, but in the long run I know you’ll come back to cooking again and again and become more skilled if the process is calming, grounding and playful. 

We can connect with others through cooking by doing it as a shared project or by offering the food as a loving gesture. But outside of those opportunities with others, we always have the chance to connect with and care for ourselves when we cook. I believe that the skills we develop in the kitchen spill out and benefit the rest of our lives.

I live in Brooklyn with my partner Dan, our daughter Io and cat, Yoshimi. We moved to NYC from Edmonton, Canada in 2012 so I could pursue my Master’s in Food Studies from NYU. I have written several cookbooks (and have a new one coming out in January 2022!), most notably Good and Cheap, a cookbook for people with very tight budgets, particularly those on SNAP/Food Stamps benefits. The PDF is free (ahora en Español!), and has been downloaded more than 15,000,000 times. I’ve been super fortunate to be recognized  through the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Food and Drink, and Food & Wine and Fortune named me one of the Most Innovative Women in Food and Drink.

While I’ve got you here, would you like to follow me on social media?

30 Comments

  • Heather Nadon says:
    December 7, 2016 at 10:12 am

    Hi Leanne,

    We wanted to order more copies of your cookbook for programs we run. Can you provide me with the name of a Canadian supplier?

    Thank you!

    Heather

    Reply
  • Joanne says:
    December 31, 2016 at 3:31 pm

    Hi! I volunteer at a foodbank in the second-lowest-income county in West Virginia. Any chance we could get some copies of Good and Cheap for our clients, please? We serve 650 families each month and can only give each family one box of groceries, so your recipes would definitely help them stretch their food and eat healthfully.

    Hope you can help!

    Thanks!

    Reply
  • Misty says:
    March 12, 2017 at 4:02 am

    I would really like to have some crockpot respies if you have any I’m on a very fixed income with 5 people in the home .. Thank yoy

    Reply
  • Kimberly A. Bartek says:
    June 4, 2017 at 1:43 am

    Hi Leanne,
    I am a Canadian from Alberta in a small community very close to Edmonton.
    I found you while taking a Health Coaching course through the Dr. Sears Wellness Institute.
    I am thrilled with your cookbooks and was so surprised to know you were homegrown in Alberta.
    Thanks for doing what you do!
    Kimberly

    Reply
  • Karima B says:
    June 21, 2017 at 3:26 pm

    Hello Leanne,

    I am a physician interested in dietary interventions in patients with heart and brain disease. I would be interested in talking to you about a project I am working on. Please reach out to me if possible.

    Thanks,

    KB

    Reply
  • Michele Sturtevant says:
    July 24, 2017 at 2:16 pm

    i always thought that good food that is good for me costs more money. how can i make a good for us meal for 2: my husband and I for only $4.00?? it must be a very LEAN meal!!

    Reply
  • Shani says:
    September 4, 2017 at 10:15 am

    Hi leanne,

    Is there a way to donate money without actually buying the book? I’d rather not have a paper copy if possible, but would love to support the cause!

    Thanks, shani.

    Reply
    • Leanne Brown says:
      September 5, 2017 at 1:33 pm

      Hi Shani, it’s a lovely thought, but we don’t have a way to do this now since the donations are built into the book buying and that system works very well for everyone. However, if you are determined, I think the best way you could do this is for you to donate a carton of books to a non-profit in your community. You could either approach a favorite organization you know or look at the list on my website (https://www.leannebrown.com/impact/) and reach out! Then you could buy the case at the non-profit discounted price and make it a gift. Here’s the site where you can buy at the discounted non-profit price: https://www.workman.com/features/goodandcheap/

      Reply
  • Mark says:
    September 20, 2017 at 11:58 am

    Hello,

    I just picked up a copy of your book from Amazon after skimming though it online. It’s a great cookbook for anyone, not just those on a tight budget. Thank you for taking the time to write it. I hope this book gets a lot more exposure; it could help a lot of people.

    Kind Regards

    Reply
  • emma says:
    September 26, 2017 at 10:15 am

    Dear Leanne First many thanks for this cookbook as I relearn to cook after stroke, and struggle on a tiny budget.

    I’d like to make the zucchini chocolate muffins but want a domed (just slightly) top. I see in thee picture that the tops are flat. How could I change the leavening with baking soda and/or baking powder to achieve this? It looks like a rather heavy batter. I want to make them for a bake sale, and people do think if the top is flat the leavening didn’t work, so the muffin will taste bad. I can’t afford to experiment. Could I use 2 tsps baking *powder* instead of baking soda, and maybe 1/2 tsp baking soda?

    Reply
    • Leanne Brown says:
      April 16, 2018 at 1:30 pm

      Oh I’m so sorry Emma, I have not checked this page in ages! I’m sorry to say I am not sure about the tweak for creating the domed tops. I would have to do some experimenting to be sure and I don’t want to steer you wrong! I hope the bake sale went well and sorry again.

      Reply
  • Bernadine McCarron says:
    October 27, 2017 at 5:20 pm

    Hi Leanne,
    We offer a program called the Culture of Wellness in Preschools which is a childhood obesity prevention program. We work with preschool staff, children and parents in low socio-economic areas of Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo, promoting healthy eating and increase in physical activity. We LOVE your book and are hoping to get a reduced cost to give to parents that we work with. We are funded by SNAP-Ed and they will only pay $4 toward the cost of a “gift” to parents.
    Bernie
    Culture of Wellness in Preschools

    Reply
  • alle says:
    July 12, 2018 at 8:34 am

    Hi Leanne, I just found your book at our library and loved it. thank you for making this book so easy to read and follow, especially for my budget and my health! Please continue to create more nutritious meals for us!
    best to you and your family, alle

    Reply
  • Lori says:
    September 14, 2018 at 2:22 am

    Leanne,

    I have chosen to keep a minimalist lifestyle. I will not be purchasing your book in print copy. However, I have just downloaded your book but still wanted to make a contribution to your mission. How am I able to do this? One can only give what one has. I know you are very wealthy for your contributions. Thank you for your amazing inspiration of service to others. I am finding my best path in how I am to best serve others.

    Reply
  • Sean says:
    February 22, 2019 at 9:59 am

    I was just curious if you went to WP Wagner for high school and graduated in 2002?

    Reply
  • Kristin says:
    March 27, 2019 at 12:37 pm

    I just found your cookbook as I was volunteering at my college’s food pantry. Our food pantry was started last year by two faculty who noticed food shortages we had on campus. There is a copy of the cookbook in the pantry for those who want some good, fast, cheap recipes. I’m going to download a copy because I’m vegetarian and I always like finding a cookbook that’s veg-friendly.
    Thank you!

    Reply
  • James says:
    November 5, 2019 at 4:11 pm

    You are awesome! This world could use more people like you.

    Reply
  • rob elliott says:
    April 27, 2020 at 8:29 pm

    Hello Leanne, from Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. Do you have any idea where I could purchase a new”Edmonton Cooks” cookbook? Have not been able to find one anywhere for quite a while. thx

    rob

    Reply
    • Leanne Brown says:
      February 16, 2021 at 1:04 pm

      Hi Rob, I’m sorry to say they are out of print. They were a limited run and the publisher is not planning to make any more.

      Reply
  • Nigel Ogilvie says:
    May 6, 2020 at 9:47 am

    Leanne, we who follow you are thinking of you and your family in NYC during the pandemic. May the cosmos be with you and may you and your husband keep yourselves and your new addition to the family safe.

    Reply
  • Maribel says:
    September 10, 2020 at 5:28 pm

    Acabo de descubrir tu maravilloso trabajo hoy! Gracias por tanto! Especialmente en los tiempos que vivimos! Adelante! Sigue así! Mucho ánimo y cuidaos mucho! También yo tengo un gato! Se llama Lola. 😉

    Reply
  • Carol Mintz Evans says:
    June 27, 2021 at 10:43 am

    Good and Cheap is, without a doubt, the most practical and user-friendly collection of recipes I have ever seen. I cook as an adventure and your book is probably the main reason I decided to try out and commit to vegetarian eating. My grocery bill has diminished considerably since using and practicing recipes and suggestions in the book. I’ve gifted it to several people and recommended it to many more. Thank you for a job well done!

    Reply

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Leanne Brown

Hi! I'm Leanne Brown, a home cook in Brooklyn by way of Canada. I write cookbooks, like the one below!

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Good and Cheap cover 2nd edition

Good and Cheap is a gorgeous cookbook for people with limited income, particularly on a $4/day food stamps budget. The PDF is free (ahora en Español!) and has been downloaded over 1,000,000 times. I have more cookbooks!

AmazonFree PDFPDF (Español)Amazon.caIn bulk: $5.19/copy!

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