Category Archives: Cookbook Musings

I first found Oh She Glows as a blog. https://ohsheglows.com/ The recipes were intriguing and healthy; I was drawn in by the bright, colourful images of food!  A cookbook of the same name emerged from the blog a few years later and I immediately purchased it.  It is one of my go-to cookbooks when I want nourishing, whole-food meals.  The author, Angela Liddon, came out with a follow-up cookbook, Oh She Glows Every Day which features the same beautiful diversity of recipes, but focuses on simple and fast food prep.  Both cookbooks are plant-based/vegan, but one does not need to be a vegan to appreciate and enjoy the recipes.  This is food for everyone.

I have to confess that I really am a bit obsessed with buying cookbooks.  I do look up recipes online, but perusing through photos and recipes in book form is a favourite pleasure of mine.  That being said, there is a place for online recipes.  Oh She Glows also has an app, so you can access recipes and food inspirations on your phone or tablet, etc. https://ohsheglows.com/app/

This simple “cheese” sauce is truly satisfying and can be used in so many different ways!

All-Purpose Vegan Cheese Sauce

This week’s cookbook isn’t really a cookbook, however, it is an essential tool for those home cooks who like to experiment with creating their own recipes.  Are

you the type of cook who doesn’t use a recipe, or starts to follow along with a recipe then by the end you have completely gone off in your own direction?  If so, then this book is for you.  The Flavor Bible by Karen Page is the perfect tool for creating your own meals and recipes in the kitchen with some ingredient pairing guidance.  This is especially helpful when you are experimenting with new flavours from around that world.  What I love most about it is that it helps you understand flavour compatibility.  It breaks foods down into their basic ingredients then gives each their own flavour profile.  Then, the best part, it provides a list of all the other foods that pair well with it in a recipe or meal.  Flavour affinities are essential to creating a delicious, cohesive dish.  At ~ 450 pages, you are bound to find just about every ingredient you could possibly be searching for. For example, Ginger is considered sour, sweet and hot.  Its volume is LOUD!  Techniques are many:  bake, candy, dry, fresh, pickle, etc.  Pairs well with:  bok Chou, cardamom, carrots, cashews, cauliflower, cilantro, cinnamon, eggplant, figs, grapefruit, etc.

There are two versions of the book – The Flavor Bible and The Vegetarian Flavor Bible, so just choose the one that best suits your diet.

This book is essential for your library if you are a fan of Indian food.   Madhur Jaffrey is a prolific author of several cookbooks, many of which have won James Beard Awards.

One of my favourite parts of the book is the plethora of images – 117 photographs of tantalizing food, interspersed with photos from India.  As a photographer, I appreciate good photography and I am drawn to cookbooks with beautiful food.  It’s rare that I will purchase a cookbook without photos – how would you be inspired to cook a recipe without the image?

The recipes are diverse ranging from appetizers, snacks, mains, desserts and drinks.  The recipes are well laid out so that you can easily see ingredients and follow the directions.

One of my favourite recipes is Masaledar Mumura – Spicy, Crisp Puffed Rice Nibbles.  This is a delicious Indian snack, often served in paper cones as a street food.  Another go-to recipe is for the Parathas Stuffed with Spiced Cauliflower – great for lunches or travelling.  I’m salivating as I’m typing; they are so yummy.

If you are already experienced in the kitchen with Indian food, grab this book, and if not, grab this book.  It is a good resource for every level of home chef.

See her in action here using an Instant Pot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfCcF9hFid4

Madhur Jaffrey – A Conversation in Food

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfqmlxfGWOU&list=PLZ7bzR_bNTK2hWNrvsscOmEmbw0AIN4sk&index=6

REBAR: a classic vegetarian Cookbook and go-to Victoria restaurant!

The Rebar cookbook is a staple recipe collection in our household.  So many of our friends already have it on their cookbook shelves.

I have never cooked a recipe from the Rebar cookbook that an Omnivore, Vegetarian Vegan or Flexitarian guest didn’t ask for the recipe…

We often make the Botanical burgers and serve them along with our spinach turkey burgers for a mixed group of guests. Another favourite on curry night is the curried chickpea soup with cilantro, peanuts and greek yogurt as toppings.

One of our weeknight go-to recipes is the Chiang Mai tofu grill. It is an over the top exotic treat, combining the flavours of a well-simmered kaffir peanut lime sauce served over a delicious stir fry. It is a really handy recipe on day 7 when you have leftover veggies to use up! Serve it over jasmine rice or soba noodles topped with mint leaves and fresh lime.

When in Victoria the Rebar restaurant in downtown Bastion square is a bright sub-terrarium favourite which I have been visiting for 20 years!

Some of the recipes in the cookbook can be found online or get your own copy at Munro books, Victoria.

https://www.facebook.com/RebarModernFood/

Warning, if you are easily offended by profanity, then this book is not for you!

I heard about Thug Kitchen years ago from my cousin, Nic, who showed me the trailer for the soon-to-be released cookbook. See trailer here .  It came across like a spoof or a Viagra/Cialis commercial.  It was hilarious.   I grabbed the cookbook as soon as it came out and was pleased by the plant-based content.  Everyone, including non-vegans can enjoy these recipes. There is a lot of swearing – that is their thing.  If you don’t appreciate the humour of this then there are many other plant-based cookbooks out there to enjoy.  The Thug Kitchen books aim to push your buttons with the language.

They have since come out with two other versions:  Thug Kitchen Party Grub and Thug Kitchen 101.

One of my favourite recipes from the Party Grub book is the Butternut Squash Queso; It is easy, delicious and makes a great healthy option for entertaining.

Here is their recipe – profanity all theirs.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH QUESO

Servings: Makes 2 ½ cups total, enough for 6 hungry motherfuckers

https://www.thugkitchen.com/recipes/butternut-squash-queso

There are other great recipes on the blog, so have a look.

Have fun,

Kelli

There comes a time when you really get into your cookbooks, like cooking more than 1 recipe from 1 cookbook?!

I have been really enjoying the Ottolenghi cookbook “Simple” for more than one dinner lately. The recipes are really simple, not too gourmet and basic well-stocked pantries will have most of the ingredients.

At the end of our 7 days of groceries last week, we had cauliflower and some frozen fish as the centerpieces of a dinner. I turned to Simple for inspiration.

I found the Chile fish with Tahini( pg 250) fit the bill.

Other than subbing canned tomatoes for the fresh called for in the recipe, the fish dish was simple and delicious and certainly jazzed up boring white pacific cod fillets.

We also made the Whole Roasted Cauliflower found on page 94. The basting is necessary to brown the cauliflower over its 1 ½ hour roasting time. The result is unbelievably tasty…dipped in green tahini sauce with lemon and salt it’s a total winner!

We added a green salad with a few leftover greens and lemon vinaigrette for a very satisfying middle eastern style dinner.

You an find the cookbook on the Indigo site or on Amazon books. Also, both these recipes are available on the internet if you search Ottolenghi and the recipe name.