Whom I’ve Been Cooking Lately*

* Obviously, not literally. I mean, I’m vegan, after all!

[Raw Chocolate Walnut Brownies from Eat Raw, Eat Well by Douglas McNish.]

I’ve been so busy with my own book tour the past couple of weeks that you might suppose all I do is eat Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free treats all day. Nothing could be further from the truth! I only eat them PART of each day. (Or, to paraphrase the venerable Bittman, I’m “NS&GF before dinnertime.” Well, not really true, either, but we definitely have been eating many of my baked goods around here lately!)

Do other cooks have have this same dilemma? You discover some favorite recipes, they get great feedback from the HH  the Girls  the family, so you make them again. And again. And before you know it, you’re consuming pretty much the same recipes every week. That’s why I love being a food blogger: it kind of forces me to try new recipes. Then again, it also encourages this kind of exchange:

[Dinnertime. The HH and Ricki sit at the table, cleaning their plates of Chickpea Pot Pie.]

HH: Wow, that was delicious! Definitely a success!

Ricki: Glad you liked it, honey.

HH: [Licking his chops] Yes, really good. [slurp]. I’d say this is as good as any main course I’ve had with meat.

Ricki: Really? That’s great.

HH: [Nodding vigorously] Yeah, you should really make this again.

Ricki : Nope, sorry. Gotta move on to something new for the blog!

I guess it’s lucky that I tend to test each recipe multiple times, or the poor HH would never get the same meal twice.

So today, it’s kind of fun to be able to share some of the goodies I’ve made from other people’s books for a change. A few of these are recipes I made back in the summer and just never had a chance to blog about; others are more recent.

So if you’re looking for cookbooks alongside Naturally Sweet and Gluten-Free, you might be interested in some of the following:

 [Grapefruit and Avocado Ensalada from The Plant-Powered Diet by Sharon Palmer, RD]

The Plant-Powered Diet by Sharon Palmer, RD.

This book is more than a cookbook; it’s a resource and guidebook for introducing more plant foods into your life. Palmer is a dietician and practices what she preaches. The book is filled with well-researched advice and information, with tips on how to easily implement dietary changes to increase the percentage of plant-based foods you eat. She also provides meal plans, menus and, of course, recipes. Highlights include Tuscan White Bean and Arugula Salad, Spicy Broccoli Cashew Pizza, New Orleans Red Beans and Rice, and Ancient Grain Porridge with Figs and Dates.

[Raw Midnight Mocha Cookies and Raw Russian Tea Cakes from Practically RAW Desserts by Amber Shea Crawley]

Practically RAW Desserts by Amber Shea Crawley.

Although Amber has decided to take a hiatus from blogging (for now!), her book is still for sale and still a terrific resource for raw and unbaked vegan desserts. All the recipes come with options for baking, and they contain many variations for different diets. Highlights include Pecan Chai Spice Bars, Jam Thumbprint Cookies, Deep Dish Caramel Apple Pie, or Velvety Chocolate Mousse.

[Raw Fennel and Grapefruit Salad from Eat Raw, Eat Well by Douglas McNish]

Eat Raw, Eat Well by Douglas McNish. If you live in the Toronto area, you likely already know this uber-popular raw chef. Doug just came out with his second book of quick and easy raw foods, so I’ll have to check that one out, too. Eat Raw, Eat Well was a smashing success, both because he makes raw food easy and accessible, and also because of the incredible recipes! Those brownies at the top of the post are also from Doug’s book. Highlights include Pear and Walnut Pancakes, Cauliflower Risotto, Walnut Portobello Burgers, and Sour Cream and Onion Kale Chips.

[Lynn’s Raw Carrot Halva Balls from Meals That Heal Inflammation by Julie Daniluk]

Meals that Heal Inflammation by Julie Daniluk. A Canadian superstar, Julie Daniluk is also the star of Healthy Gourmet on the Oprah Winfrey Network (Canada). And while Julie’s book isn’t vegan, I’m drawn to her philosophy of food and health (perhaps partly because we went to the same nutrition school!).  The first half of the book focuses on causes of illness and a five-step plan to help heal inflammatory illnesses; the second half provides a range of recipes. I found plenty of recipes I could enjoy from this book. Highlights include Puffed Quinoa Bars, Creamy Rice Porridge with Cranberries, Pesto Sweet Potato Mash, Anti-Inflammatory Lentil Dip, and Dandelion Salad with Tahini Dressing.

I thoroughly enjoyed making my way through some of the recipes in these four books (and looking forward to the dozen or so others still waiting in my bookcase!).

Now, back to my own recipe development for the blog. . . pity the poor HH.

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