Friday, November 15, 2013

Jazzy Vegetarian {Recipes and Giveaway}

 

So apparently I live in a hole! I have never heard of the Jazzy Vegetarian until Ben Bella books offered to send me a review copy of her new cookbook!  Apparently she’s kind of a big deal!!  Who knew!?  I guess that’s what I get for not having cable! 

jazzy-vegetarian-classics (1) 

Anyways – moving on!   I LOVE COOKBOOKS  - so I get pretty excited every time Lindsey from Ben Bella books sends me an email offering me a cookbook to review (and giveaway!!)

I am fairly picky about cookbooks though – I love them to have dairy free recipes, bright colors, thick paper, lots of crisp clear photos and bonus points if they include savoury breakfast recipes!    This cookbook covered all the basis – in fact – when I opened the package I had a moment of oooohing and aweing at it because of how beautiful it was! (yes I’m a cookbook nerd…)

Ok moving on – I made 2 of the recipes from the book for dinner one night and they were just great!  Thankfully I was sent photos to include from the cookbook, because trying to stuff a potatoes was messy process for me, and they did not turn out blog worthy whatsoever!  (update – I am currently having troubles getting the photos attached in this post!)

Steamed Green Beans and Carrots with Orange Sauce

Makes 4 servings | Nut free, no oil

The refreshing citrus notes of the orange juice enhance this colorful green beans and carrots combo. A finishing sprinkle of gomasio adds a subtle crunch, but if you cannot find gomasio in your market, plain toasted (or raw) hulled sesame seeds substitute perfectly.

4 carrots, scrubbed and sliced into sticks

3 cups green beans, cleaned and trimmed

2 tablespoons orange juice (freshly squeezed or store-bought)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 teaspoon maple syrup

2 teaspoons gomasio (optional)

Fit a medium sauce pan with a steamer basket, and bring two inches of water to a boil. Add the carrots, cover, and steam for 5 minutes. Add the green beans, cover, and steam for 6 to 7 minutes more, or until the carrots and beans are crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, put the orange juice, lemon juice, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Transfer the cooked carrots and beans to a medium bowl. Add the sauce and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the gomasio (if using), toss lightly, and serve.

 

*Dairy Free Betty note – I served these to my little guy without the sesame seeds) and he loved it!! 

__________________________________________________________________

 

Twice-Baked Potatoes

[Makes 6 servings] [Nut free, no oil]

Both my grandma and my mom often made twice-baked potatoes, and I just loved them! Because it was one of my favorite dishes as a child, I set out to create an equally delectable spud, stuffed with a smooth and savory filling that is reminiscent of childhood culinary bliss!

3 very large russet potatoes, scrubbed, baked, and cooled (see note)

1 cup cooked white beans (drained and rinsed if canned)

¼ cup nondairy milk, plus more as needed

⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

⅛ teaspoon sea salt or Himalayan pink salt, plus more as needed

2 tablespoons minced onion

2 tablespoons diced sweet red pepper

¼ teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Chef's Note

The russet potatoes may be baked up to 24 hours in advance of preparing this recipe. After they have cooled, wrap them tightly in foil and store them in the refrigerator until use.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a small, rimmed baking pan with unbleached parchment paper.

Slice each potato in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out the pulp, using a teaspoon or grapefruit spoon, leaving about ¼ inch of the potato skin and pulp intact. Put the potato pulp, white beans, nondairy milk, garlic powder, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in a high-performance blending appliance and process until smooth. If the mixture is still lumpy, add more nondairy milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to achieve a smooth consistency. Put the potato mixture in a medium bowl. Gently stir in the onion and pepper. Using a large spoon or piping bag, spoon or pipe one-sixth of the potato mixture into each potato skin. Place the potato on the prepared baking pan. Repeat until all of the potato skins are filled. Sprinkle the tops of each potato with paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste.

Tent the baking pan with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops are crispy and slightly golden. Cool for 5 to 7 minutes and serve.

 

*** Dairy Free Betty note – I’ve never had twice baked potatoes before, so not how to compare them but they were good!  I highly recommend baking the potatoes a night ahead as otherwise it becomes a 2+ hour process!

________________________________________________________

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

{Open to anyone in Canada or the US – you do not need to be a blogger to enter!}

~TO ENTER  -  Leave a comment here or on facebook - telling me what things you look for in a good cookbook and/or your favourite cook book!

Giveaway open until Friday Nov 22nd at 8pm!   The winner will have 48 hours to contact me with their address – I will post the winner’s name on facebook and contact them if they provide an email address!!

Good luck!!!

____________________________________________________

PS – Book available for purchase here.  Please note I have started up an amazon store which will include my favourite products. I will receive a small commission should you purchase items from my store. I promise to only include items that I love and have personally tried!

 

I received the Jazzy Vegetarian Cookbook as a free review copy from Ben Bella Books – but as always my opinion is 100% my own!

14 comments:

  1. I have been wanting this book since it came out! I look for cookbooks that have familiar, inexpensive ingredients! I also love crazy combinations! In the twice baked potato recipe, I live how she substituted beans to make up for the "creaminess" of melted cheese, instead of just using dairy-free cheese!

    ReplyDelete
  2. What I look for in a cookbook is recipes that use everyday items that I have in the house. I hate to find out at the last minute that I am missing something that I will have to drive 30 - 40 minutes to buy. I also like good pictures and clear directions

    ReplyDelete
  3. My favorite cook book is The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What I look for in a cookbook is reliable recipes that were tested and come out as intended and inspiring photos. Thanks for hosting the giveaway!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ooohh I love new cookbooks, too! I will have to try the twice baked potatoes, as I love potato anything! I look for cookbooks that have a lot of veggies, and a nice variety between breakfast, dinner, and desserts. I like when the recipes are made healthier, too :) My favourite cookbook so far is probably Vegan With A Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. It's the one I use the most and keep going back to.

    ReplyDelete
  6. My favorite cookbook is The Looneyspoons Collection - it's full of great recipes, tips, substitutions and mouth-watering pictures! Always looking for more dairy-free recipes though :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. I look for recipes that use fresh seasonal items!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love a cookbook with a lot of pictures. When cooking, I am definitely visual.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. NICOLE - you are the winner - Please send an email to dairyfreebetty@hotmail.com with your address congrats!!

      Delete
  9. (FROM Jenn Tallis on FB) This looks like a fabulous book!! The things I look for in a cookbook are pretty pictures as well as ingredients that I can buy at my grocery store rather than really weird, obscure ones.
    My go-to's are any of the Sarah Kramer books, the Rebar cookbook and anything by Jamie Oliver.

    ReplyDelete
  10. (FROM TASHA ON FB) A good cookbook has to have ingredients I already have in my cupboard or fridge. It drives me crazy when I have to go buy stuff for one recipe. My favourite cookbook right now is The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook, by Alissa Segersten and Tom Malterre

    ReplyDelete
  11. For me a Cook Book should have easy to understand instructions, colorful images that grab me and pull me in, a wide variety is always important as well as healthy!

    ReplyDelete
  12. FROM DONNA on FB Donna Obrochta A good cookbook should have very simple & basic directions, Pictures of the recipie & substitutions for dairy or glutton free.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh darn - reading blogs late and missed the giveaway. Anyway, I look for pictures!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for your support! I love comments!

Another option is to leave a comment here! http://www.facebook.com/dairy.free.betty

Have a great day!

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails