Get Light and Happy

Anna Jones states in the early pages that she wants to eat in a way that leaves her feeling light and happy at the same time.  She doesn't want to rely on a lot of heavy carbs or dairy.  Instead, she uses spice, texture, flavor and easy to create light and happy dishes.  Indeed, her recipes are packed with flavor.

For Jones, cooking changed when she became a vegetarian.   And like Jones, many of us have changed our eating habits to embrace more vegetables, less meat or more protein, less carbs.   All these dietary changes create new challenges.  How to nourish ourselves with food that tastes good and stimulates our tastebuds.  Jones breaks down how she puts a recipe together, an 8 step flow chart. Hero ingredient, how will she cook it, supporting role, accents, flavor, herb, crunch, season and finish.  Sounds really easy, right?

Most of the recipes are easy.   She breaks down the thought processes on soup, salad.   She has a page devoted to vegetable underdogs like turnips, rutabaga, celeriac.  There's a lot for breakfast and sweets -- not my favorites.  This book, however, is great for anyone who wants to eat lighter without sacrificing flavor, and is intimidated by where to start.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.

Cook and Eat Like a Rock Star

Chris Taylor spends most of his time touring with his band, Grizzly Bear, but musicians have to eat, too.  Turns out, Taylor likes to eat well, cook with friends.   Yes, cook with, not for, friends.  This is a lovely way to bond and minimize some of the stress that comes with entertaining.  You eliminate the need to make things perfect if you cook with, but you do need to have the space/kitchen to allow more cooks in the kitchen.  I simply don't.  I have always dreamed of a large, open kitchen (and a Steinway grand piano), but have always been cursed with a Manhattan galley kitchen.

Like Taylor, however, I spend most of time writing, teaching, performing, so when I cook and entertain, I want it to be an enjoyable experience.   Not too stressful.  So I appreciate many of the recipes in here that are meant to inspire.  They tell you in the intro to feel free to tear the book apart, write in the margins, change things around, cross things out.  

Neither Taylor nor Schori are dessert guys, so credit for the desserts belongs to Lillie O'Brien.  

The book is divided by seasons.  The photos are lovely and definitely whet your appetite.  The recipes are very friendly and invite improvisation.  The pork chops and charred applesauce looks delicious, and charring the applesauce elevates this dish.  The plating in this book is artistic, and I like their philosophy about plating.  Even though we're all tempted to serve family style when we have big groups of people over with differing diet concerns, Taylor and Schori noticed that people end up eating components separately that way.  Sometimes, flavors pop and foodgasms happen when you mix dishes together.  For example, the sauteed snaps and mushrooms with soft boiled eggs might change how you compose a salad.

This cookbook is great for people who want to enjoy simple, satisfying food without the stress and aggravation.  Don't overcomplicate, overthink, second guess -- just do it.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Chinese Girls Don't Swear, The Buckeye Edition

BUCKEYES and FRIENDS OF BUCKEYES

Please SAVE the date Thursday, July 23, 7 PM and come see me perform at the Akron Civic Center. Comedy!! 

Me Make You Laugh Longtime! 

CHINESE GIRLS DON'T SWEAR. Info and tickets available at 
http://akroncivic.com/site/page.php?id=422&eventid=1865

Many moons ago, I performed ballet at the Akron Civic Theatre.  Now, I'm going to perform my one woman show, a hybrid of storytelling and stand up comedy.

I am performing the night before my official class reunion begins.  So some of my former classmates will bless me with their attendance.   It promises to be a night to remember.  I used to perform ballet at the Akron Civic Theatre.  If you told me I'd be back again then, I would have thought you were crazy.  If you go home again, make them laugh.  LeBron James would approve.

Impress Me With Your Genius

I couldn't wait to review Food52 Genius Recipes, especially when it claims on the cover, "100 recipes that will change the way you cook."  A lofty claim like that is both exciting and intimidating.

Recently, I made my first olive oil cake, but before I did, I researched the Internet to find the "best" one.  There were so many.  I had to be careful, finding "my" recipe didn't become a full time job. That's what this book is, someone has done the work of combing through similar recipes and chosen what they feel is the standout recipe.  This way, you can focus on making the dish.

There's a lot of celebrity naming in this book. Marcella Hazan, Eric Ripert, Alice Waters, Yotam Ottolenghi, et al..  If you're like me, you own a lot of cookbooks by these same celebs.   What if you combined the best of -- what would you include?  Tough, huh?  Fret not, Kristen Miglore makes it easy for you and adds her own touch of "genius."

Take something as simple as applesauce.  I've always made it on the stovetop which takes constant watch, but apparently roasted applesauce helps apples become their best.  Thanks to the late Judy Rodgers from Zuni Cafe for that revelation.  I just bought some duck eggs, to treat myself, but until this cookbook, I never thought of poached scrambled eggs.  Thanks, Daniel Patterson!  Can't wait to make Rao's meatballs.  And of course, the cover photo whets your appetite.   Marcella Hazan's tomato sauce with butter and onion may look simple, but Hazan reminds us, "Simple doesn't mean easy."  True enough, but with this book, simple is made easier, and as my father used to say (actually, he threatened), "Impress Me With Your Genius."

Bon appetit!

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Happiness is a Sprouted Bowl

This cookbook offers bowls of happiness, thanks to Sara Forte's recipes and her husband Hugh's stunning photographs.  This is how life should be daily.  Daily!  You ask, how is this possible?  I am busy, I juggle 5 jobs.  I have a family.  I am too tired.  Yes, yes, yes to all that.  But here's the thing, you still need to eat.  You still need to nourish yourself and your loved ones.

Bowls are warm, inviting, whole.  In the overview, Sara mentions that she doesn't necessarily have a favorite cuisine or speciality.  I could really relate to this.  People ask me the same question all the time.  My answer is usually good fresh food, whatever's in season, whatever looks best, so I totally identified with Sara when I read:  "What I do well is what I care most about, which is produce."

This is why this cookbook is good every day.  It's divided into morning bowls, side bowls, big bowls, sweet bowls.  There's a section on dressing and sauces.  Go ahead and let your bowl runneth over. You and your body deserve it.

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.