Behind The Book: The Happy Sandwich
Author, Jason Goldstein, shares what inspired him to write The Happy Sandwich. Read along to learn why Jason believes cooking should be accessible and why he picked sandwiches for his first cookbook.
Easy Recipes for Busy People
I’ve always loved cooking and inspiring others to find joy in cooking. After years of running my blog, ChopHappy.com, I was so excited to compile my first cookbook! My mantra has always been “easy recipes for busy people,” so sandwiches were the perfect fit. They’re really the unsung hero of the food world—an easy, filling, and delicious meal in one. There are endless combinations, and I wanted to inspire people to rethink how they look at sandwiches.
Quick Inspiration
Cooking is intimidating for a lot of people. Really, all it takes is a little inspiration and preparation to make amazing, flavorful food. As a professional by day and chef by night, it’s always been important to me that my recipes are catered for other busy individuals—offering a way to quickly cook a quality meal or prep ahead and have it ready by the end of the day. That’s why I chose to showcase a variety of methods from slow cookers to sheet pans. This made for a fun and unique approach to chapters.
I wanted my cookbook to be versatile and appealing for all seasons, so this cookbook has everything from light tuna salad to rich and filling BBQ rib sandwiches (done in the slow cooker for easy cleanup). It was important for me to provide tips throughout, so the recipes would appeal to everyone—whether it’s someone’s first time in the kitchen or they are a seasoned home chef. It was also important for me to share scrumptious photos of every recipe, making it easy to flip through and find one that makes you hungry!
Balancing Healthy and Comfort Food
With my book, I provided a range of healthy options but also classic comfort foods (what is life without treats!). I dedicated a whole chapter to decadent grilled cheese recipes—it’s one of my favorite comfort foods and comes together so quickly. While it’s hard to go wrong with a classic grilled cheese, there are also endless possibilities when you unleash your creativity. It was fun to challenge myself to fill a chapter entirely of grilled cheese, but it resulted in some brand-new favorites. I want people to use the kitchen as a place of gratitude—destress from the day and just enjoy cooking. I hope my cookbook can help everyone achieve that—and result in a tasty sandwich to enjoy. There’s no reason to wait till the weekend to eat great food. I hope The Happy Sandwich helps people discover just that!