Hey guys! Welcome to our first cookbook review!
We’re so pumped to have been invited to join an incredible group of Canadian bloggers for this cookbook blog hop. What’s that you say? It’s a really really (really) cool group of bloggers who collaborate to review the same cookbook via their blogs at the same time. We help get the good word out about good cookbooks.
We receive a copy of the book from the publisher (Hi, Whitecap! Thanks for the book!) and get a chance to cook through the book at our leisure and write a review of the recipes we test. Some of us will even give you a teaser recipe if you’re super duper lucky (that’s you).
Not only that, our readers get a chance to win a copy for themselves. Booya!
Let’s get down to biz.
The cookbook is Nourish. The authors are Nettie Cronish, a vegetarian chef and culinary instructor and Cara Rosenbloom, Registered Dietitian and President of Words to Eat By Nutrition Communications. The concept is 100+ whole food recipes featuring seeds, nuts and beans. Chapters include Breakfasts/Brunch, Salads, Soups/Stews, Entrées and Snacks & Desserts among others. Overall there is a big emphasis on plant-based recipes, although there are a number of fish-focused entrées and a small number of dishes based around meat, too. Each recipe features nuts, seeds or beans in some way. Obvs.
2016 being the international year of pulses, these gals NAILED the timing of this book.
Naturally, I also LOVE that this one’s been written by a fellow RD.
Here are some other great things about this book:
- Chapter 1: Cara’s ‘Nutrition: Quick & Simple’ sets the tone for the book in the best way. “People eat food, not nutrients” is the framework that allows her and her family to “embrace food for its potential to nourish us while we enjoy it”. Her big picture thinking is exactly in line with How to Eat’s MO and why we started blogging to begin with. This chapter also includes a ‘healthy pantry’ checklist which word for word, lists almost every staple I have in my own cupboard. Talk about a cookbook up my alley.
- The guide to buying, soaking and cooking beans from scratch. It’s a simple chart that gives any legume newbie the confidence to give dried beans a whirl.
- The nutrition, preparation, storage and serving ‘Tip’ boxes peppered throughout the book. Here’s one I didn’t know: If you’re making a dish with cashews and want to freeze it, it’s best to reserve them and add them once you’ve defrosted it to avoid an unappetizing colour change. Mind. Blown.
- There is a Snack and Desserts chapter. Yes, we’re dietitians. Yes, we eat them. That is all.
I went 3/3 for recipes in this book. Here’s what I made:
Savoury Chickpea Patties with Tzatziki: Reminiscent of falafel, a quick zip of all the ingredients, including chickpeas, oats, sesame and flax seeds in a food processor makes this recipe ideal for a weeknight meal. Nearly all of the ingredients are pantry staples, too. I served them with our very own Asparagus and Quinoa Salad. The patties were flavourful, hearty and kept well for lunch the next day.
The Quinoa Tuna Casserole: A remake of the classic comfort dish, this version is loaded with a variety of vegetables and comes together beautifully with quinoa rather than pasta. The cheese sauce provides the perfect level of creaminess, without being insanely indulgent.
Nut and Seed Brittle: A variety of nuts and seeds suspended in candy. CANDY, guys! Here’s where I spoil you with a photo tutorial recipe.
But wait! Before you rush to the bulk store to stock up on plenty of nuts and seeds, enter our giveaway. Simply leave a comment telling us how you plan to celebrate the International Year of Pulses in your kitchen and click on the Rafflecopter link below.
Nut and Seed Brittle
Serves | Makes about 2 dozen, 2 oz servings |
Cook time | 30 minutes |
From book | Nourish: Whole Food Recipes featuring Seeds, Nuts & Beans |
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ½ cup pecans
- ½ cup coarsely chopped unsalted pistachios
- 2 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons raw unsalted sunflower seeds
Note
I've written the recipe exactly as it is in the book. I did make one small (and important in my opinion) adjustment for my batch, though. Once I poured the candy out on to the baking sheet, I sprinkled the whole slab with about ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Sweet and salty heaven.
Directions
1. | Line a 10 x 15inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Grease pan with butter. Set aside. |
2. | Put the sugar in a large saucepan and slowly add the water taking care not to splash. Stir just to dissolve the sugar, then bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Let the liquified sugar simmer until it turns an amber or reddish-brown. Watch it very closely to prevent burning. It should take about 17 minutes. Remove immediately from heat and stir in the remaining ingredients. |
3. | Pour mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Let cool. |
4. | When brittle is cool, invert to remove from pan. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container. |
Want to see what the rest of the food blogging posse tried from the book? See below for a list and have yourself a nice little blog hop!
Looking forward to our next review already!
Erin
Kelly from Kelly Neil
Photography
Tiffany from Eating Niagara
Regina from Leelalicious
Redawna from Nutmeg Disrupted
Gwen from Devour and Conquer
Hilary from Cocoa Bean, the Vegetable
Jo-Anna from A Pretty Life in the Suburbs
Stephanie from Kitchen Frolic
Caroline from Do it All Working Mom
Libby from Libby Roach
Katrina from Kitchen Trials
Laureen from Art and the Kitchen
Emily from Best of this Life
Lauren from Lauren Follett Nutrition
Zannat from Food for Happiness
Sarah from Kiwi and Bean
Charmian from The Messy Baker
Heather from The Tasty Gardener
This giveaway is open to all legal residents of Canada who have reached the age of majority at the time of the contest in the province or territory in which they reside.
No purchase necessary to enter.
Giveaway will run from Wednesday, May 4, 2016 at 12:01am to end on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at 11:59pm. Winner is chosen at random via Rafflecopter. Winner will be contacted via email and given 48 hours to respond. If not, a new winner will be chosen. Winner selected MUST correctly answer a skill-testing mathematical question. Winner’s name will be displayed on Rafflecopter widget. Email address will never be given out to any third party or anyone for that matter.
Prize value is approximately $30CDN.
Jackie says
Hi! Thanks for the review – I am extremely intrigued by this cookbook. I am making my weeks heavier on vegetarian food, which includes pulses! Any new and innovative recipes with pulses, I am interested in making! I’ve come a long way getting my husband to eat pulses and I take all the credit 🙂
Keep the great recipes coming!
Cathy Ireland says
I’ll be promoting pulses throughout my after school kid’s cooking classes and can’t wait to get my hands on this book!
Jenn says
Ok I won’t lie – I didn’t know what pulses were until your post. So thank you for educating me! I’ve been calling them wrong all these years! Pulses is way more fancy! ;). My family has slowly integrated more and more in their diet over the years but new ideas and recipes would be amaze balls! I would like to try to add them to every meal of the day! Thanks again!
William Deaffie says
I have always loved pulses but I am making an effort to include them in at least one meal and one snack a day. Plus spreading the love with people who have never tried them before.