Cookbooks Under the Christmas Tree

 

It's been a while since I've bothered looking at any new cookbooks. You guys tease me a lot about my "innovations" in cooking, but the truth is, I've never been much for following recipes. I use them more as a jumping off place.

I imagine the same will hold true with these two cookbooks my daughter requested for Christmas, but the recipes and photos are so amazing that I just wanted to share them with you.

 I had ordered the Oh She Glows for Dinner months ago as a Christmas present, but I liked it so much that I kept it for myself and  sent another one to Maine for my daughter. The recipes in this book just beg you to try them.

There's a recipe for butternut squash, sweet potato and red lentil stew that looks gorgeous! It reminds me of some of the dishes I've experimented with. The recipe for that one is can be found here.

I LOVE mashed potatoes, but the carbs leave me needing protein, so I'm intrigued to try her "Sneaky Protein-Packed Mashed Potatoes." *hint - it involves chickpeas.

There's a smoky black bean veggie burger recipe and something called Sloppy Glows that seems like a lentil-based version of Sloppy Joes.

And so on.

But leave some room for dessert, because here comes Rachel Conners.

Rachel's Bakerita cookbook is just so beautiful! It inspires me to want to make all the things.

If you want to get an idea of some of the recipes, you can check out her website - bakerita.com

I could get lost over there. I'm particularly intrigued to try her recipe for London Fog Tea Latte. Doesn't that sound just perfect for curling up with on a winter afternoon?

There's a recipe for Chocolate Strawberry fudge and one for a grapefruit tart that is simply a work of art!

I could go on raving about all the fabulous recipes, but why don't you go Look Inside yourself - Bakerita

You can even read some of her inspiring story. I'll admit, I immediately felt a connection when I read these opening lines.

Yup. That would be me.

Honestly, after reading these cookbooks, I just want to go shopping and cook amazing foods all day!

How about you? Did anything jump out at you?

Also, I'm excited to say - ONLY TWO MORE DAYS BEFORE MY BOOK RELEASES!!!

Texas Witness Threat

Lentil Balls for Kav

Last week, I was an unwitting tease.

Okay, as I'm typing that I'm laughing. Do I mean that I unwittingly teased Kav with the hint of Lentil Balls or that I am unwitted meaning I have no wits.

*SMH*

Anyone else have to stop and think anytime they see those initials. LOL I know. But *SMH makes me, well SMH.

So, Lentil Balls.

Every year for Thanksgiving, the vegan girl and I dig into the recipe books looking for something new to share while the others eat turkey and ham.  This year, for Christmas, we didn't want the standard nut loaf. Instead we decided on a recipe she found for lentil balls.

To be precise, we made Lentil mushroom walnut balls with cranberry pear sauce. They come from the Oh She She Glows Cookbook and you can find her recipe and a wonderful picture tight here.

For anyone unfamiliar with this cookbook, it is amazing. We call it the cookbook that never fails.  We have yet to make a recipe that isn't just out of this world fabulous. (Although if you love to see recipe  fails, she does show a pretty epic pie explosion on the page with the lentil balls!)

Since you have her recipe, I'll just give our photos.

Disclaimer: we used pecans instead of walnuts.

My favorite part was the leftovers. That's where I got creative.

The first night I spread plain hummus on pita bread, added the smashed lentil balls and added some roasted red cabbage. That was delicious, but I was so busy eating, I forgot to take photos!

As I'm typing this, I'm eating defrosted lentil balls on pita with lemon rosemary hummus, beets, and beet greens. YUM!  (And sshhhhh - so very healthy!)

Two mini pitas spread with this luscious hummus.

Frozen lentil balls

These beet greens were so gorgeous in the January market!

I chiffonaded the leaves and boiled briefly.

 Added on the oven-roasted slices of beet and Voila!