Who's totally tired of all of the warm, heavy comfort foods that come with the winter? Yeah, me neither. But with all of the recipe testing for the book, my body is getting a little bit tired of heavy food (not that all of the recipes for the book are "heavy." There's just a lot of cooking going on over here and all that cooking comes with a lot of tasting). When my body starts feeling sluggish and weighed down, it's time to listen to her.
A long time ago (like, last October), Book Publishing Company sent me a copy of Alan Roettinger's latest cookbook, Extraordinary Vegan to review. So much was going on in November and December that I never got around to reviewing it. In fact, during that time, I let a lot of things fall by the wayside.However, come January, I started to catch up with things, one of them being this book.
Since I was craving something light, this was the perfect opportunity. Extraordinary Vegan is packed full of full-flavor, plant-strong, healthy recipes with tips on how to take your cooking to the next level, how to make it extraordinary, if you will. Not only are the recipes healthy, they come together in a snap. I've only had time to try one recipe so far, but I'll definitely be getting to the Masoor Dal with Kabocha Squash, Polenta with Peppers, and the Wild Mushroom Ragoût soon.
The recipe I tried was the Artichoke and Lentil Salad. French Lentils are paired with artichoke hearts and fresh shallots, and then drenched with a dressing of lemon juice, sherry vinegar, and Dijon mustard. The salad is bright and tangy but the parsley and thyme give this dish a fresh, herbal flare. I made it a few hours before Chris came home and I had to keep "checking" on it while it chilled, taking little bites every time. It could definitely be a meal on it's own but even though it's packed with lentils, it's surprisingly light.
reprinted with permission from Book Publishing Company
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or additional lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 3 cups cooked French lentils, or other lentils, well drained
- 12 canned artichoke hearts, rinsed, patted dry, and cut in half lengthwise
- 1/3 cup minced shallots
Instructions
- Put the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and whisk until emulsified. Add the parsley and thyme and whisk until incorporated. Add the lentils, artoichokes, and shallots and tossed until well combined. Serve at once.
Book Publishing Company has been kind enough to host a giveaway for one copy of Extraordinary Vegan to one of my wonderful readers. This giveaway is open to US residents only and will run until 1/18/14 at 11:59pm . Please use the box below to enter.
Thank you to Alan Roettinger and Book Publishing Company for letting me review Extraordinary Vegan and for hosting this awesome giveaway! And thank you to all of my lovely readers who've stopped by to enter!
Photography by Chris Miller
Ann Taylor
study cookbooks and know what I am cooking
Rachel @ Rachel in Veganland
That salad! I adore artichokes and I'm on a lentil kick lately, so this would be just perfect! Your photos are gorgeous, and the recipe looks simply incredible!
Rachael
Fresh herbs pack a powerful punch - I use them all the time for a burst of flavor!
Also, this recipe looks AMAZING! Can't wait to try it! Do you think it would be good warm as well?
keepinitkind
It IS amazing. We had it while the lentils were still a little warm and loved it. 🙂
Danielle
I try to inject as much flavor with spices and herbs as possible!
Shannon
I make sure to use plenty of acid and salt in my cooking 🙂
Marie Helene
I like to experiment and improvise with what I got on hand. It can lead to delicious surprises!
Molly
Sesame oil!
Robin
Coconut oil!
sheelah
hot sauce!
Michelle
Lots of herbs and garlic!
HilLesha
Herbs and spices 🙂
Melissa
First of all, Chris's photography blows me away every time I open a post of yours! Seriously, he should teach a workshop. I'd be so there! Anyway...I like to cook with the season. Focusing on healthy fresh ingredients, herbs & spices that will balance my body. In the winter months, it's all about warmth, nourishment & a little bit of "comfort!"
Ali @ Farmers Market Vegan
Using fresh, seasonal produce from the farmers market and, of course, liquid smoke. 🙂
Kelly J. R.
I've learned a lot by cooking recipes developed by a lot of different people. I'm learning to take bits and pieces of things that I've learned from different people to tweak a recipe to make it work for me.
Nora
Fresh herbs from the garden, exotic spices and layers of flavor with toasted nuts/seeds. I also like to mix some raw ingredients with my cooked ingredients to add depth to the texture.
Megan
Always have non-dairy milk on hand.
Ellen
I keep my vegan cooking extraordinary by experimenting with new ingredients and combinations of spices 🙂
Kristina
fresh herbs, and cooking with coconut oil.
Eileen
This sounds like such a fantastic combination for a full-meal salad! I especially love the excuse to shove more artichokes into my mouth. 🙂
Heather
Fresh, seasonal, and hopefully local produce + herbs
Jo
Fresh, seasonal produce tastes better than nothing else!
Michelle
Spices and fresh produce..
Michelle
Don't be afraid to season your dish! And always use fresh produce.
Kristy
Fresh herbs and nutritional yeast make meals extraordinary!
Emma
Your pictures are so beautiful Chris/Kristy! I'm a tad obsessed with French lentils and obviously artichokes are amazing so I'm sure I'd love this dish. I'm not familiar with the book but am off to check it out now!
Amy
I'm all about real ingredients: coconut oil instead of vegan butter, cacao instead of vegan chocolate chips... It's more healthy and always tastes better!
Melissa
My "trick" is lots of spices -- especially smoked paprika.
Mason
Caramelization is the key to super delicious vegan eats! From onion to tofu, there's flavor in the brown!
Kelly
I like to make it special by tweaking recipes with a little extra something - smoked paprika for example.
sarah
i swear adding cauliflower to anything makes it better
Kristen
Flavored olive oils, particularly TJ's organic garlic olive oil.
marquis @realrawkitchen
This looks so delicious! I feel ya though .. on the weekends I try to catch up on all the recipes in my head and then I'm stuck with all my creations for the rest of the week. Sometimes I just feel like I need a break from all the heavy foods!
Lizanna
It's not a trick per-say, however, I like to eat as fresh and organic as possible. Always creating, colorful and nutritious dishes. I believe that you can create something extraordinary with just a little imagination and fresh ingredients 🙂 A few of my recipes can be found on my site http://www.naturallyvegan.net - Lizanna
k-a
I use veggie broth instead of oils! Makes everything so much lighter.
Cathy ziff
This does look amazing. I think I would add some mushrooms.
Greg
Don't be shy with seasonings. Use fresh ingredients.
Kelly
That looks and sounds amazing!
Sarah
Lots of delicious herbs and spices!
Dicey
I'm new to vegan cooking by about 2 months and make it extraordinary by using fresh ingredients and being adventurous! Luckily my family isn't picky and likes to try new things. Cooking fresh, plant-based foods has been a very exciting and rewarding experience for me.
Ana
Instead of trying to replace favorite non-vegan recipes with vegan ones, I look for interesting and tasty new recipes. It's a great 'excuse' to try out new flavors!
Jenifer
Use the freshest ingredients possible and use what is in season.
Rachel
Fresh and local! I incorporate the veggies I get each week from my local CSA.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Spices and herbs make my vegan cooking amazing!
Shelli
Keep trying new things, as some will be surprisingly yummy!
Sarah
Adding fresh fruits always brings salads up to the next level.
Jess C
Sub coconut oil for Earth Balance in baking - makes a BIG difference! ☺
marlies
I love using coconut oil in baked goods! it makes them amaaaaazing 🙂
Jessica
My one tip is to find the best cheeze sauce recipe and everything else will come together..lol
Sara
I make my vegan cooking delicious just by simple flavorings! Fresh herbs, olive oil, chipotle or red pepper flakes, soy sauce, lemon and salt and pepper can go a long way.
Ani
Flax eggs for baked goods!
Karen Matlock
I love converting classic recipes to vegan. I can make a whole Thanksgiving dinner totally vegan and delicious!
Cadry
Buying high quality organic ingredients at the peak of freshness makes all of the difference in the world!
Denise
Experiment and use spices !!
Sarah
I use healthy fats freely, without feeling like I should be making something fat-free... because that does not equal healthy or delicious!
Kimberly
I use fresh and not canned whenever possible. I buy dried beans in bulk, grow fresh herbs and vegetables, and get our staples from the local market.
Christine
Coconut oil
Jessica
I have never been good at creating recipes, so by studying every blog I come across and utilizing all my resources on the internet and apps, I can put together a healthy vegan meal with what I have on hand and make it yummy! That Lentil Artichoke Salad looks amazing!
Bess
We keep toasted seasame seeds and toasted pine nuts on hand to sprinkle on dishes as appropriate. Hemp seeds make a good addition, too!
B
Coconut oil!
Leticia H
To make vegan cooking extraordinary I add lots of spice.
Kate
I love to try unusual flavor combinations.
Nat
Vegan blogs and sites, just like tis one!
kathie
I try to use different spices and herbs to see what flavors I can enhance.
Laurie
That salad looks fantastic! I like to use all kinds of different herbs, plus miso to punch up a dish.
Jasmine B
I always must include DEHYDRATED CELERY! I use it in place of salt, and it is just marvelous! It works the exact same way as salt does in enhancing flavor and it much better for your body! Everyone needs to try it out!
Cinthia F
Be adventurous with seasoning and herbs.
Amy
Good spices
Gaby
I love artichoke! I like using fresh ingredients and vegetables and creating things that show how simple ingredients can create something really flavorful. Exactly like this salad!
Samantha
I love using fresh vegetables and spices to make the dish lively!
Lydia Claire
Fresh and local ingredients.
Deb Esling
I always use a cookbook as a basis for recipes, but then modify to my own tastes and ingredients on hand.
Todd H Miller
Roasting or searing individual ingredients, and layering many flavors together.
Amber
Fresh Herbs go a long way! Also, toasted nuts and seeds really make a difference between ordinary and extraordinary!
Anna {Herbivore Triathlete}
Herbs and spices are the keys to making vegan foods delicious in my opinion.
Jennifer
Cashews! They are so versatile and add a lot of texture/flavor to your dishes.
Ericka Shervington
I love to keep Spanish seasoning on hand... it makes a dish... sazon, sofrito... nom nom nom..
Karen Drake
I use fresh ingredients and I grow my own herbs.
Claire McKeon
I love roasting the veggies even if the recipe doesn't call for it, especially for soups. Roasting brings out so much yummy flavor, ,
Kat Emerick
Absolutely love garlic and herbs when I cook.
Jenny
To me, making sure there's an umami element makes food extraordinary
Charissa
I think of food as art. I like to follow a recipe and put my own twist on it. I add a little bit of this and that to elevate the flavors. I like to cook vegan food that is visually appealing and remarkably delicious.
PJ
Add a lot of flavor by adding plenty of seasoning.
Buddy Garrett
I like to experiment with adding different herbs and spices to my veggie dishes.
Erin Salisbury
Following a lot of bloggers to continue to be inspired to try new things!
Deven Dougherty
Garlic and other seasonings!
Alan Roettinger
Thanks SO MUCH for hosting this giveaway, Kristy!
keepinitkind
Thank you so much for such a great book! 🙂