Sweet, Tart, Succulent & Sensational-- My New Culinary Addiction!
583691
My new culinary addiction...these are so flavorful and fresh! The syrup is addictive, too. It is sweet and tart at the same time. I add a couple of cherries and a spoonful of syrup to a tall glass of plain or cherry seltzer water -- on ice. Give it a stir. It is like an Italian soda! You can find these cheaper in some stores, but if you can't...here's the place to get ' em. Ciao! Mangia!
3402535
I LOVE this stuff. Whenever I have a sweet craving, I just get a spoonful and savor the flavor! The honey pecan is my new favorite but I also love the vanilla cake batter and chocolate! We keep a stock of every flavor!
2509115
This book is a fantastic celebration of produce. The recipes are minimalistic, perfect for when you feel like a breezy time in the kitchen. Beautiful, colorful dishes with the ingredients and instructions set right over the photographs in a whimsical font like you see on the cover. The design aesthetics are phenomenal. The ingredients are all readily available at the average grocer. Totally recommend!

Pictured below:
1) Apricot Bites  p 34. Delicious, simple, pretty. And just moments to pull together.
2) Orange Avocado Salad  p 106. The contrast between the flavors of the sweet citrus and creamy avocado, along with the contrast in colors, is fantasic.
3) Nectarine Tomato Salad  p 108. The sweetness of the nectarines, the earthiness of the tomatoes, and the sharpness of the onion are perfectly punctuated by the feta, pecans, mint, and basil.
4) Polenta Portobellos  p 176. Garlicky roasted portobellos with polenta with creamy goat cheese (I used garlic herb goat cheese because thats what I had in the fridge), and topped with caramelized brussels sprouts and onions. Oh heck yes! This ones my favorite so far. Twenty minutes to total deliciousness.
5) Watermelon Salad  p 110. Terribly refreshing, flavorful, and summery.
6) Curried Crispy Carrots  p 138. Fun, tasty side that takes just a second to pull together, and hits the oven while you get the rest of dinner ready.
7) Peanut Butter Coconut Balls  p 204. Delicious 5 minute breakfast.
8) Peanut Butter Avocado Shake  p 228. Quick, healthy breakfast. The avocado is camouflaged by the sweetness of the banana, imparting only its creaminess. This hit the spot after my run.
9) Baked Apple Rings  p 142. Great flavor. The recipe has you roast the raisins with the apples and onions. They were overcooked at that point, so I won't roast those next time. I just tossed fresh raisins on at the end.
10) Kale Caesar with Polenta Croutons  p 90. Lovely salad. My polenta didn't crisp up. I think Ill cube those first and lay them on paper towel to remove any excess moisture while I prep the rest next time.
11) Butternut Caprese  p 94. Interesting combination of roasted butternut squash, tomatoes, smoked mozzarella, avocado, basil, and balsamic vinaigrette. Fragrant and filling.

Some others I have flagged to try:
Beer-Battered Artichoke Hearts  p 18 * Asparagus Tart  p 22 * Honey-Pepper Fresh Figs  p 32 * Polka-Dot Focaccia  p 40 * Gorgonzola Grapes  p 42 * Cucumber Spritzer  p 60 * Blueberry Sparkler  p 68 * Orange Cabbage Salad  p 99 * Eggplant Salad  p 102 * Lentil Salad  p 104 * Persimmon Salad  p 112 * Green Salad  p 118 * Yellow Salad  p 120 * Red Salad  p 122 * Rosemary Skewers  p 132 * Cauliflower Cheese Steak  p 148 * Citrus Beet Stack  p 152 * Baked Kale Egg Cups  p 162 * Lentil and Butternut Lettuce Cups  p 168 * Purple Mashed Potatoes  p 172 * Butternut Pear Soup  p 188 * Melon Cake  p 208
4390643
I love to cook, with a cookbook count to prove it.  Now, though, I'm cutting back and each volume must earn its place on the shelf.  Seeking a single outstanding dessert book covering a wide range of recipes to replace several "ho-hum" volumes, I was pleased to see Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts in a paperback version for a small investment.  It arrived yesterday and I "devoured" it in one setting.  The author thoroughly explains how to achieve the best results with her recipes that range from very easy to nicely challenging, which makes this a great choice for anyone wishing to thrill sweet teeth.  This is a keeper, and I expect to "upgrade" to a larger copy of the book to regularly dust with flour and cocoa powder in my kitchen.
3186501
Not only gorgeous, but absolutley oen of the mouth taste titillating cookbooks I've ever seen (along with their first book, Inn at Little Washington Cookbook)... and everything is do-able!!
3429422
Usually I have a love/hate relationship with cookbooks. When I browse them before buying, I tend to view them as menus and I go through them thinking "I'd like one of those, and one of those, and ooh, one of that" and conveniently forget that just owning the cookbook does not make those wonderful dishes magically appear in my home. I'll usually make one recipe from them and then go back to my lazy rotation of 4-5 can-make-them-without-thinking tried-and-true weekday meals. At which point the cookbooks all sit there on a pile on my bookshelf staring down and taunting me. (Cookbooks can be so cruel.)

But so far it's been nothing but love/love with AFR! Just in the first weeks of owning it, I made a whole bunch of recipes out of this and I've loved every one.  A lot of them feel like the kind of thing I'd normally make for myself (in terms of ease) but at the same time I'm getting lots of new ideas! It's even inspired me to clean out my kitchen cabinets, buy new spices (to replace the outdated, dust-covered ones) that had been cluttering my shelves, and make the whole space more user-friendly.

Made so far: Goddess Nicoise, Chickpea Piccata (so good I ate the leftovers cold out of Tupperware), Curried Scrambled Tofu with Wilted Arugula, Buffalo Tempeh, Mac & Trees, Pasta e Fagioli with Spinach, and the Ginger Bok Choy & Soba (with added dry-fried tofu from the Hoisin Mustard Tofu recipe) which is now my favorite thing ever. And there are many more on my to-make list.

This may technically be a low-fat cookbook, but even if you're not looking for low-fat recipes (I wasn't) this is just an all around amazing cookbook, chock full of delicious recipes, using healthy, easy-to-find ingredients, written with style and wit. Because of how easy these recipes are, I can highly recommend it for new vegans, busy vegans, and non-vegans looking to expand their veggie repertoire in the yummiest way possible.
1780773
I have Chef Simone's Zenbelly Cookbook on Kindle and LOVE it!  Her recipes are so packed with flavor and I've made several of her recipes for non-paleo athletic men -- all of whom would not shut-up about how delicious the food was, and actually craving the leftovers.  She captures the true essence of paleo -- whole, nutrient-dense real foods (primarily vegetables and related!) and moderate proteins and fats.  Extremely healthful ingredients and recipes!
My love of Zenbelly prompted me to purchase her newest book, Paleo Soups & Stews and take a local cooking class with her, cooking a few recipes from the book!  WOW!  Has she outdone herself?!  It is an utterly incredible collection of information and delicious and innovative recipes.  I have had 3 of the soups and stews so far, and they are incredible!  This is one of the most drool-worthly books in my library!  (BTW, I also found her to be a delightful and approachable person!)
361451
I am a self-confessed choco-holic and reading this book had me drooling!! I simply cannot wait to give these amazingly creative recipes a go!!
Immediately, I was drawn in by the very first recipe- 'Crepes with Carmalized Bananas and Nutella Sauce. Um, yes please!?! Like yesterday, please!?
A few of my other favorites from the book include the deliciously sounding Gluten Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, the Raw (yes, I said raw ~brilliant~) Raw Chocolate Cheesecake, Gluten Free Choloclate Cream Pie (oh how I've missed the chocolate pies the South is famous for) and last but not least, otherwise I'd be giving the entire book away, Gluten Free Chocolate Cake made with chickpeas for crying outloud! I'm just not sure where to start first!!!
This book really is a gem. It's incredibly creative and the author really thought outside the recipe box in terms of what to use in place of the run of the mill gluten-filled ingredients.
The reason I rated this book at 4 instead of five stars is this: I have never heard of Caster Sugar and after Googling, it seems like it might be hard to find or something I could maybe make myself. Also, the title Quick and Simple got me. If indeed I have to go Caster Sugar hunting or make my own that doesn't seem very easy. Plus, and this is just how my brain works, but when there are over 6-7 ingredients listed for a recipe, my mind automatically starts thinking how 1. lots of ingredients to buy = expensive and 2. lots of ingredients to pull out of the cabinets, measure, mix and the dishes that I now have to clean up. So, in a nutshell, I didn't find the recipes so easy, however, that's just at a glance. I might be overthinking that one. Otherwise, I can't wait to roll my sleeves up and dive head first into a lovely world of chocolate EvErYtHiNg!!!!!  :))
1018139
These recipes are very straightforward, uncomplicated and deliver big time on flavor and satisfaction.

This book is so much more than just a collection of recipes. The amazing forward by Michael Chabon, the beautiful photography and a look into the soul of a chef who puts all of herself into each and every dish she cooks results in a great read that will have a permanent place in your kitchen.
I also enjoyed reading the slices of West Oakland life that are incorporated throughout the book. You get a true sense of place and time that is woven throughout the food, and Tanya Holland's descriptions, voice, and stories make you feel like you are cooking with and old friend. I've cooked my way through this book and each and every recipe turned out beyond my expectations. She makes me feel like I'm a better cook than I actually am - and my family (including the kids) can't get enough of this food!  Thank you Tanya!
1612650
This is the cookbook I've been waiting for! Aimed at the passionate amateur, readers wanting to perfectly recreate the recipes with all their components will need a very well equipped kitchen(scale, stand mixer, food processor, candy thermometer, etc) as well as a good number of pricey silicone molds. That being said, this book is gorgeous and incredibly inspiring. The "parlor tricks"(insider tips, such as using your microwave for pastry cream and chocolate tempering) alone make the book worth buying. The aesthetic is french rigor combined with a colorful, playful Portland hipster sensibility, and it totally works.
1114356
I'll admit it--my first thought was, "Oh, another Paleo cookbook." Paleo is currently exploding in popularity, and the cookbooks are starting to flood the market. Which is great, but for an experienced and confident home cook like myself, I've already got a bookshelf full of cookbooks I rarely reference.

Boy, was I wrong! Paleo Indulgences is a gorgeous, sumptuous feast for the eyes and the belly. The photos define the term "food p*rn" and the layout is stylish, yet uncluttered. Inside are recipes for things I always wondered if it would be possible to make according to Paleo guidelines, like onion rings, crackers, a Thin Mint-style cookie, whoopie pies, and a cupcake frosting that can handle being at room temp for more than a few minutes.

My 3-year-old daughter is already addicted to the Banana-Pecan Pancakes. I'm making the Cincinnati Chili tonight, and I'm looking forward to many, many more recipes in here. I'm certain I'll be trying new recipes from this book frequently in the next few weeks, and I'll be returning to favorites for years to come.
143855
Wow! I love this book! It reminds me a little of Dr. Weils food philosophy that focuses on packing nutrients in instead of eliminating things. Just like ATKs other books, each recipe has one page with a big photo, and another page with the header why this recipe works followed by the recipe itself. But in this one, they added in the nutritional breakdown per serving! They list calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, total carbs, fiber, total sugar, added sugar, and protein. Then they list the vitamins (no numbers there). The whole book is a colorful rainbow. Beautiful dishes.

My pics and thoughts on the dishes I tried:
1) One pan chicken with kale and butternut squash  p 154. I made this one first because we were just coming home from vacation, and I needed something fast and easy. I had it all in the oven in no time, and everyone loved it!
2) Beet chips  p 270. These are super crispy and have nothing but beets and a little salt! They take over your oven for 2 hours, so they need a little time planning.
3) Super greens soup  p 92. Oh my gosh. This has a full bunch of kale, a full bunch of chard, and half a package of arugula in it. This looks like its going to taste like salad soup, but it doesnt. It tastes like sweet, slow caramelized onions and woodsy mushrooms, with an amazing pop of freshness from the greens. The brightness of the lemon zest and juice in the yogurt is a lovely finish.
4) Turkey meatballs with lemon brown rice and sun dried tomatoes  p 167. My little one flagged this one. She loves Greek lemon rice soup. The pop of color and flavor from the sun dried tomatoes is great. This ones absolutely amazing. Four recipes in is probably too early to call best in book, but theyll have a tough time topping this one!
5) Carrot tabbouleh with mint, pistachios, and pomegranate  p 216. Lovely balance of sweet and smoky. Quick, delicious salad.
6) Garlic chicken and wild rice soup  p 97. Twenty-five cloves of garlic. The kids walked in and came straight to the kitchen. The whole house smells amazing. And is that ever yummy soup!
7) Salmon, avocado, grapefruit, and watercress salad  p 129. Beautiful, flavorful, easy peasy, and on the table in about 20 minutes. My grocer was out of watercress, so I used the rest of the arugula that I had from the soup.

Some other recipes I have flagged to try: Pinto bean-beet burgers  p 90 * Turkish tomato, bulgur, and red pepper soup  p 94 * Italian wedding soup with kale and farro  p 107 * Pesto farro salad with cherry tomatoes and artichokes  p 117 * Raw beet and carrot noodle salad with almond-sesame dressing  p 122 * Chinese chicken salad  p 124 * Chicken and arugula salad with figs and warm spices  p 127 * Summer rolls with spicy almond butter sauce  p 133 * Oven-roasted salmon with tangerine and ginger relish  p 137 * Salmon tacos with super slaw  p 139 * Black rice bowls with salmon  p 143 * Poached chicken with warm tomato-ginger vinaigrette  p 150 * Turkey shepherds pie  p 164 * Pumpkin turkey chili  p 169 * Grilled flank steak with tomato, orange, and avocado  p 172 * Beef stir-fry with bok choy and green beans  p 175 * Sweet potato, poblano, and black bean tacos  p 191 * Stir-fried eggplant with garlic-basil sauce  p 226 * Twice-baked sweet potatoes with hazelnuts  p 237 * Sweet potatoes and swiss chard gratin  p 238 * Beet muhammara  p 256 * Super guacamole  p 258 * Sweet potato hummus  p 261 * Skillet roasted apples with dried figs, walnuts, and maple yogurt  p 294 * Chocolate avocado pudding  p 298 (Curious, but certainly skeptical about this one. I made a chocolate avocado pudding I found on Pinterest once, and it almost broke my taste buds.)

Ill update this as I play in the book more.
1568440
I have been a Sprouted Kitchen blog stalker for a few years now and love Sara's recipes, stories, and general presentation, not to mention photography!  Her cooking and recipe style is very straight forward with minimal ingredients and focusing on everyday type of meals or snacks that are wholesome and nourishing.  Including things on the lighter side like figs and burrata on crusty bread (for breakfast!) to heartier crowd-pleasers like her Smoky Chili.  Obviously this book's niche is geared towards bowl food but does stray a bit but the overall concept of a casual whole meal (grain, veggies, protein, sauce, garnish) is definitely there.  She even includes a "how to" to help your own creative juices flow to make your own bowl food.

This book concept immediately intrigued me mostly because any recipe I've come up with on my own or with my boyfriend is labeled as some type of "bowl".  My specialties are sauces to jazz up a bowl of grains, protein (of the vegetarian variety), and lots of veggies, cooked any which way.  I wasn't sure this book would be able to inspire me in ways other than more sauce ideas but the Ahi Poke bowl alone is reason enough to give this book the chance it deserves.  I never would have thought to make that and with such a delicious sounding slaw too.  Oh, the slaw ideas.  And the savory breakfast recipes too, for that matter.

One thing I love about a cookbook like this is reading the intro paragraphs for each recipe.  Even if the recipe doesn't reflect my taste, these stories are a wealth of information and ideas all their own.  In the Egg Bake recipe, Sara mentions how she often cooks eggs in the morning, even making single portion frittatas in a mini skillet which I think is genius.  I savored reading through this book as long as I could, which was only 3 days, but I'm still dreaming of these recipes and my next grocery run.

Now a couple of these recipes, namely the Harissa sauce and Cauliflower Gratin, are on her blog already, but well worth mentioning again.  The new recipes have me excited to start cooking and thinking about how I can tweak them to be more my own.  I believe a cookbook is worth every penny if it has at least 3 recipes you love and want to make over and over.  This book is much more than that and absolutely worth it!
519400
Having been a RFD fan for quite some time, I was very excited about "Vegan Family Meals: Real Food for Everyone." This cookbook has exceeded my expectations. The book itself is beautifully done-pleasing to the eye and well-written. It is a pleasure to read and cook from, and the food is delicious. (Even my carnivorous family and friends are impressed)! Everything that I've tried has been wonderful, and I can't wait to cook my way through the whole book. I live on the smoothies, granola, and salads; however, I am now addicted to maple tempeh bacon and oven-roasted sweet potato fries...yum!
1097329
Instagram is where I first encountered the recipes of Mrs. Serano. Been anticipating this book for a couple of months and now that I have a copy, Im thrilled! I went vegan in August and of the many fab cookbooks Ive collected, this one stands apart. The flavor combinations in this book are wildly compelling and loaded with simple, yet modern ideas. The fact that each recipe is complete in seven ingredients or less is a subtle punctuation to the creative sophistication behind each dish. Loads of variety and seasonally minded. Theres a European sensibility that stands tall while warmly inviting fusion in many light dishes and wholesome centerpieces. No pastiche here, these recipes are one of a kind and stand alone. Although I love all my cookbooks, if I could only keep one, this would be top of the stack. Whats more, the design is sleek and the images pop with vibrancy that looks effortless. This little number is rock solid from cover to cover. Im starting with the millet porridge w/ orange-roasted rhubarb or maybe the smoked carrot lax bites. This book is a game changer for me. Enjoy!
1965662
I am obsessed with this cookbook! I ordered it about two months ago and so far all of the recipes I've made have been outstanding! The recipes are easy, fast, healthy, and super-delicious! I also have their Veganomican cookbook, as well as their pie & cupcake books. All of them are great, but I think this may be the best.  My favorite recipes so far are the Quinoa, Spinach and White Bean Stew, Sweet Potato Drop Biscuits (my first time ever making biscuits-- now I've made them 3 times), Chickpea Piccata and Chipotle Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts. Others I've made: Smoky Tempeh & Greens Stew (I'm kinda into stew), Black-Eyed Pea & Tempeh Beanballs, Hottie Black-Eyed Peas and Greens, Forty-Clove Chickpeas and Broccoli, Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes, and Balsamic Dressing (best homemade salad dressing I've ever had). All have been outstanding. Even my very carnivorous husband has loved all of these recipes. If you only get one vegan cookbook, it should be this.  Just to give you an idea of how obsessed I am, I have already ordered copies for my mother, my brother, and two close friends. None of them are vegan, but I know that they will all enjoy these recipes. I think the Quinoa Stew alone is worth the price of this cookbook. Buy it!
2775426
A thoroughly well thought out compilation of wonderful recipes!  Nearly all the recipes include a beautiful and artfully prepared picture of the finished product, which was a big selling point for me.  Sometimes just staring at a picture of the end result is enough motivation to help me get through the dread of having to shop, chop, prep, cook and serve something the family ends up devouring in minutes, without so much as a nod in my general direction.  And then I get to clean up and do the dishes - oh joy! (insert sarcastic emoji here)
The huge bonus for me is the included "Alternative Cooking Method" box added to the end of most of the recipes, giving me an excuse to skip the outdoor experience and take my glass of wine inside where I can sip, chop, sip again, prep, sip again and again and again and. . . . wait, what was I doing??  Oh yes, cook the meal in the preheated oven and not the un-preheated one underneath (true story - spouses, check on your chef if s/he seems extra happy in that kitchen!)
I especially love the S'Mores Buffet suggestions to liven up any post-meal campfire family time - anyone up for s'mores a la The Elvis (graham crackers, peanut butter, bananas and marshmallows - a bite of Burning Love I must say!!!)
Whether or not you're in your wine-induced happy place, this awesome cookbook will satisfy your every craving - sweet or savory!