We’ve all heard the old adage, you are what you eat, but Wendy Rowe really takes it to heart in her new cookbook, ‘Eat Beautiful.’

Rowe boasts 20 years of experience as an international makeup artist, working with such stars as Nicole Kidman, Diane Kruger, and Sienna Miller, who wrote the book’s introduction. This experience was leveraged for the creation of this beautiful book, filled to the brim with dietary tips and tricks to improve the health of your skin.

The front of the book features useful charts and lists including Rowe’s “Beauty Betrayers and Saviors” (the former include refined sugar and alcohol, while the latter include fresh produce and coconut water) as well as her guide to what to keep in the pantry to keep your skin looking beautiful (avocado, turmeric, molasses and more).

Beyond this introduction to how to care for your skin through diet, the book is organized by season, with guides to the different skin-boosting benefits of ingredients like eggs, coriander, pomegranate, salmon, and white tea. Each season also features several exquisitely photographed recipes, ranging from breakfast to dessert. Many of the recipes are plant-based, though there are a few featuring iron-rich meat and omega-3 rich fish as well.

The coriander and beetroot salad with avocado and mint is a simple lunchtime treat, including ample fresh herbs which boost both the flavor of the salad and the health of your skin, thanks to their ability to balance blood sugar.

The meatballs arrabbiata were tasty – albeit a bit dry (bake them for ten minutes instead of 15). The sauce was fresh in flavor with just the right amount of kick.

It was the sticky chili beef that had my household convinced: the simple, flavorful marinade transformed grass-fed beef into a succulent, spicy treat with just a hint of sweetness from the honey. This recipe really encapsulates what Rowe’s recipes do best: they’re super flavorful with just a few ingredients and easy to pull together, usually in under 30 minutes. And of course, knowing that they’re good for your skin is the icing on the cake.

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The post This is How to ‘Eat Beautiful’: A Cookbook for Your Skin appeared first on EcoSalon.

While Pinterest is an undeniably useful source for finding new recipes, there is no real replacement for the comfort of a cookbook.

Flipping through the pages and gawking at the delicious-looking recipes is an experience that shouldn’t be missed. These vegan cookbooks suit the needs of everyone from the home chef with little experience to the ultimate foodie.

Also, for those with a gluten allergy or intolerance, you’ll be pleased to know these cookbooks contain recipes that are gluten-free or can be easily adapted.

The Greatest Vegan Cookbooks

1. “Chloe’s Kitchen”

In her debut cookbook, “Chloe’s Kitchen“, Chloe Coscarelli successfully veganizes classic dishes such as mac and cheese, fettuccine alfredo, and even In-N-Out inspired cheeseburgers! “Chloe’s Kitchen” is the perfect vegan cookbook for new and veteran vegans alike.

Coscarelli’s delicious recipes are actually largely responsible for my own personal transition from vegetarian to vegan. Even my non-vegan friends and family members haven’t been able to resist Coscarelli’s amazing recipes.

Try These Recipes:

• Double Double Drive-Thru Burgers, page 103
• Ooh-La-La Lasagna, page 136
• Peanutty Perfection Noodles, page 141
• Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls, page 229

2. The “Oh She Glows Cookbook”

The “Oh She Glows Cookbook” by Angela Liddon is ideal for vegans who love nourishing recipes. The book is chock full of nutrient-rich recipes with wholesome ingredients. From green smoothies to salads to mains, this book has all of the recipes that your healthy lifestyle needs.

Try These Recipes:

• Taco Fiesta Potato Crisps, page 85
• Walnut, Avocado & Pear Salad with Marinated Portobello Caps & Red Onion, page 103
• Summer Harvest Tortilla Soup, 135
• Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas with Avocado-Cilantro Cream Sauce, page 147
• Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites, page 235

3. “Blissful Basil”

Newly released “Blissful Basil” by Ashley Melillo is the most unique vegan cookbook I’ve ever read. The pages are filled with recipes that I had never even tried anything similar to, despite my years of vegan cooking experience. I’ve only tried a handful of recipes so far but I loved every one of them.

Besides being filled with mouthwatering recipes, “Blissful Basil” is very allergy-friendly. Each recipe in the book is marked with symbols indicating if the recipe is gluten-free, grain-free, refined sugar-free, soy-free, nut-free, and/or oil-free.

Try These Recipes:

• Crispy Cauliflower Tacos with Tangy Slaw + Avocado Crema, page 175
• Shaved Carrot Reuben with Special Sauce + Swiss Cheese, page 185
• Baked Mostaccioli with Walnut Bolognese + Cashew Mozzarella, page 219
• Peanut Butter Cookies, page 281

4. “Chloe’s Vegan Italian Kitchen”

Chloe Coscarelli is the queen of vegan cookbooks. After publishing “Chloe’s Kitchen”, Coscarelli published “Chloe’s Vegan Desserts” and then the amazing, “Chloe’s Vegan Italian Kitchen“. This latest release, which veganizes classic Italian dishes, does not disappoint and I consider it a go-to.

Try These Recipes:

• Avocado Caprese Pasta Salad, page 56
• Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion, and Apple Pizza, page 89
• Pizza Burgers with Avocado Pesto, page 106
• Tequila Tempeh Fettuccine, page 130
• Leftover Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Drunken Raspberries, page 222

5. “The Kind Diet”

“The Kind Diet” by Alicia Silverstone not only contains tasty vegan fare but is also an excellent source for information on the benefits of veganism, nutrition, and sustainability. After just one read, the book convinced me to incorporate more a wider variety of vegetables and legumes into my diet.

“The Kind Diet” is broken down in an easy-to-follow format which makes flipping through its pages even easier. The first recipe section has healthy yet balanced recipes which are great for new vegans while the last section has nutritious, clean, and wholesome recipes. After I eat one of the meals from the books, I always feel sustained and energized.

Note: The book uses a lot of soy products so if you have an allergy or avoid soy, I would not recommend this book.

Try These Recipes:

• Ginger-Baked Tofu, page 160
• Sweet Potato-Lentil Stew, page 166
• Cheesy, Oozy Guacamole Bean Dip, page 207
• Braised Daikon in Mirin and Shoyu, page 271

Related on EcoSalon

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21 Essential Vegan Baking Tips for the Egg and Dairy-Free Kitchen

The post The 5 Greatest Vegan Cookbooks Every Plant-Based Kitchen Needs appeared first on EcoSalon.

Column You don’t need another cookbook. You need a book about food. Yes, there’s a difference.

In the last year, I bet you have bought at least one cookbook. But how many books about food have you read? Cookbooks are inspirational, but books about food are informative. Certainly there are cookbooks and general food books that fall somewhere in the middle, but I happen to love food-themed writing that doesn’t come with recipes.

Be it political, investigative or simply a beautiful travel narrative about a tasty meal, here are 9 different books that any food lover should put on their reading list. They are in no particular order, and there are certainly many more amazing books out there, but these in particular are some of my favorites.

1. “Great Food” by Various

Ok, so this one is actually a collection of books. Pulled from across the ages, the Great Food series gives you a taste of the best food writing from the last 400 years. Everything from M.F.K. Fisher to Brillat Savarin to Alice Waters. Plus, their cool design makes them look really great as a full set.

2. “A Fork in the Road” Edited by James Oseland

If you believe that traveling is a way to discover new foods, then this is the book for you. A collection of essays on food and travel, “A Fork in the Road” is a Lonely Planet title, edited by former Saveur editor-in-chief, James Oseland.

3. “My Life in France” by Julia Child

It’s hard to find anyone who doesn’t know who Julia Child is (or know a good Julia Child quote or two), and with good reason: she was a revolutionary. The book is a retrospective on her life, looking back at the path that took her to cooking fame.

4. “Omnivore’s Dilemma” by Michael Pollan

You haven’t read this yet? Get yourself to a bookstore immediately. If you have read it, read it again, or pick up a copy of Michael Pollan’s “In Defense of Food”. These are essential titles for anyone interested in food politics and the food movement.

5. “Cooked” by Michael Pollan

Ok, ok, I know I am putting several Michael Pollan titles on this list, but that’s because he’s a talented journalist with good things to say. In the day and age where we watch more and more food television shows, but in fact, cook less, “Cooked” is a kick in the pants to get back in the kitchen, not just because it allows us to eat better, but because it’s what helps define us as human beings.

6. “Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health” by Marion Nestle

To think that “Food Politics“, written by Dr. Marion Nestle, was published all the way back in 2002 is pretty incredible. As one of the most powerful voices in the food movement, this is a primer into the crazy maze that is the food industry.

7. “The American Way of Eating” by Tracie McMillan

Sure, you know what the average American eats, but do you know all the complexities of the realities of our food system? For “The American Way of Eating“, Tracie McMillan went undercover in three jobs that feed the general American population to discover the true realities of our food system, and the people working within it: on a California farm, in a Walmart produce aisle and in an Applebee’s kitchen.

8. “An Everlasting Meal: Cooking With Economy and Grace” by Tamar E. Adler

This book is more like a cookbook than any of the other ones on here, but while Tamar E. Adler may explain in depth how to poach an egg in “An Everlasting Meal”, it’s more of a reflection on food than an instructional book on how to do it well.

9. “Consider the Fork: A History of How We Cook and Eat” by Bee Wilson

Ever wonder how we ended up in a world of fancy cuisine and numerous kitchen gadgets? What we eat isn’t just about the ingredients; it’s about the tools that helped us prepare them. In “Consider the Fork“, Author Bee Wilson takes us through the compelling history of food, and how specific tools (the fork is just one of many), revolutionized how we eat and got us to where we are today.

Related on EcoSalon

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Image: Katrin Morenz

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Have a vegetable garden? Then you’ll love these 5 cookbooks.

The point of starting a vegetable garden is of course to reap the benefits, aka eat the food you grow. Anyone who grows their own food will know the special feeling of putting together a meal with produce that comes from their own raised beds. To go from seed to plant to plate is an amazing process. And with more and more people starting to grow their own food, there are a growing number of garden related cookbooks.

But let’s be honest: these are inspiring books even if you don’t have the space to garden (or if your space is tiny). Ultimately they are celebrations of local and seasonal food, something we could all be eating more of.

1. “Carina Contini’s Kitchen Garden Cookbook” by Carina Contini

Part gardener’s journal, part family memoir, part cookbook, “Kitchen Garden Cookbook” will appeal to gardeners and food lovers of all kinds. It’s organized by month, which means that even in the seemingly dreary root vegetable overdose of the winter, you’ll still be able to to find some cooking inspiration.

2. “Kitchen Garden Experts: 20 Celebrated Chefs and Their Head Gardeners” by Cinead McTernan

Ever wonder how food goes from garden to table in the restaurants of chefs who are working hard to incorporate food grown on site? “Kitchen Garden Experts” brings us into the world of UK chefs and their gardeners, a book that’s as much about the products that are grown as the people that grow them.

3. “From Seed to Skillet” by Jimmie Williams

In “From Seed to Skillet” you actually get a gardening guide and cookbook in one. Learning the art of growing and cooking vegetables from his grandmother, a South Carolina native from a traditional Gullah community whose members were descendents of Caribbean slaves, his book serves as a guide to building your own vegetable garden and putting it to good use. Gardening guides and recipes abound.

4. “Grow Cook Eat” by Willi Galloway

Just because you love good food doesn’t mean you know how to garden. And just because you love to garden, doesn’t necessarily mean that you feel like a master in the kitchen. “Grow Cook Eat” is the book to fill that void. The book is devoted to cultivating fresh, gourmet food, ensuring that everyone has the skills to grow their own, but also that they know what to do with them.

5. “The Gardener and the Grill” by by Karen Adler and Judith Fertig

Who said that all you could do with a grill was meat? “The Gardener and the Grill” is for gardeners who believe in the power of the vegetable. With more than 100 vegetarian recipes, it’s the perfect summer guide to good eating. You could also kindly give it to the grill aficionado in your life to prove that vegetables do have a place over the coals.

Related on EcoSalon

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Images: Anna Brones, Frances Lincoln, Chronicle Books, Sasquatch Books, Running Press

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10 good books, from food and public radio essays to photos about living in a van.

A lot of writers (even really good ones) often struggle with the pile of rejection letters from major publishing houses, but in the day and age of the internet, finding a small, independent publisher that’s willing to take on the title, or even branching out and self-publishing is getting easier and easier.

That being said, the market is saturated, and there are certainly as many bad books out there as their are good ones. But if you’re looking to support the small scale, independently minded authors and publishers, here are ten titles that are worth some space on your bookshelf:

1. “Bikeonomics: How Bicycling Can Save the Economy”

Cycling author and activist Elly Blue has written the book that any bike lover has been dreaming of. “Bikeonomics: How Bicycling Can Save the Economy” is essentially the guide to why bikes will save the world. Because if you ever thought that bicycling was just something that made people feel good, think again. It creates jobs, helps the environment and provides opportunities for expanding public space.

For the reader who: wants a good argument the next time someone at a dinner party asks if there are really any good reasons to ride a bicycle. 

2. “Eat Awesome”

If you have ever debated on going vegan, or simple sticking to a more plant-based diet, Paul Jarvis’ “Eat Awesome” should set you off on the right foot. His self-published e-book is a hassle-free, down to earth guide on eating well, and makes a plant-based diet not seem intimidating in the slightest.

For the reader who: always wanted to know how to make cashew cream.

3. “The New American Road Trip Mix Tape”

Thirty-two years old and post-breakup, writer Brendan Leonard is debating on what to do with his life. He sets off to do what many before him have done: go on a journey. A climber, he makes his way across the West, living out of his car, staying on couches, spare beds and many a National Park ground. While “The New American Road Trip Mix Tape” is certainly written by a lover of climbing, even if you’ve never gone near a rock wall you can still find the beauty in this book, because ultimately it’s an exploration of what it means to be human, have relationships and create a meaningful life no necessarily bound by the constrictions of normal society. And yes, there is an actual mix tape.

For the reader who: is dreaming of dropping everything and living simply.

4. “Women on Wheels”

From biking to work to biking with kids, “Women on Wheels” by April Streeter a guidebook intended for women. The pocket book is small enough so you can stash it in your purse or backpack, and ensure that you have all the cycling tips you need no matter where you are.

For the reader who: wants to live a two-wheeled lifestyle but just needed the know-how. 

5. “Home is Where You Park It”

If you have ever drooled over glorious photos of Airstreams, then you need this book. “Home is Where You Park It” is a collection of photos by Foster Huntington. When he himself left his job in 2011 and bought a VW Vanagon, he started meeting travelers that had done the same, and he decided to document them. This book shows some of his favorites, highlighting the true beauty in living simply and taking part in, as Huntington calls it, “van life.”

For the reader who: really is focused on the TINY in “tiny living” and loves cabin porn. 

6. “Choose Yourself”

In a changing world where the economy has tanked and jobs have disappeared, how do you move forward? It’s a new world, and in “Choose Yourself”, James Altucher wants to remind us that in this day and age, success is not about connections or credentials, it’s about you and how much you are willing to believe in yourself to succeed, both inward and outward. Don’t wait for someone else to make you happy, do it yourself, and start doing it today.

For the reader who: needs a kick in the pants to get inspired and move forward. 

7. “APE”

This book gets back to the first paragraph of this article: we live in a time of self-publishing, but how do you make that publishing successful? “Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur” by Guy Kawasaki is essentially a guidebook for how to succeed at self-publishing, not just building a career as an author, but as an entrepreneur. This is no get-rich-quick-scheme, this is a guide to navigating the world of self-publishing and helping you put in the hard work to make yourself successful.

For the reader who: has ideas, wants to write about them and wants their words to be read.

8. “Bouquet”

With limited edition reprints of wine and food books, Eat Drink is certainly a niche publisher, but “Bouquet” is sure to resonate with any bon vivant. It’s the account of G.B. Stern (1890-1973), an author, playwright, and critic, and her four-month tour of vineyards in France in 1926. Beautifully bound and printed on FSC-certified paper, this isn’t just a book, it’s a work of art.

For the reader who: needs a book that’s more impressive than their wine collection. 

9. “All the Dancing Birds”

Winner of the 2013 Independent Publisher Book Awards, “All the Dancing Birds” by Auburn McCanta is a story told from the perspective of a woman suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. A look into dementia in a way that only words can do.

For the reader who: simply needs a good, heart-wrenching book for the reading list. 

10. “Just Three Minutes, Please? Thinking Out Loud on Public Radio”

Why are stories on Public Radio so compelling? Because the people that put them together manage to get a lot of information and emotion into a very short amount of time. “Just Three Minutes, Please? Thinking Out Loud on Public Radio” by Michael Blumenthal is a collection of those kinds of stories, poignant essays, all commissioned by West Virginia Public Radio. To get a message, and often complex messages, across in a matter or minutes and a matter of words is a skill that deserves our respect.

For the reader who: never turns off NPR and spends Sundays on the couch listening to archived “This American Life” episodes. 

Related on EcoSalon

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Images: Home is Where You Park It, Semi Rad, Eat Drink

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KA: What was the inspiration behind “Handmade Gatherings”? Did this have more to do with throwing your own parties or with being a lucky attendee at other people’s soirees?

KA: Tell me about a handmade gathering, for which you were the host or a guest, that changed you in some way, for better or worse.  This could be something subtle (Whoa! I never thought to serve chili out of a pumpkin!) or, you know, an earth-shattering epiphany (I witnessed a Handfasting ceremony and was moved to start my own coven).

KA: One thing that’s always impressed is your seemingly effortless way of creating community within the walls of your home. I always leave with a full belly, a warm heart, and a new friend.  What’s your secret?

A little gift for our readers! This recipe, perfect for serving, sharing or gifting is featured in”The Cookie Exchange” from the forthcoming book, “Handmade Gatherings“, by Ashley English.

The post Interview: Author Ashley English on Holiday Entertaining & Handmade Gatherings appeared first on EcoSalon.

 

“The rules for living well, if you can call them that, are simple and a pleasure to follow. Eat local and mostly plants. Ride your bike, even on rainy days. Say yes to dinner invitations. Always bring your signature dessert. Invite people on picnics. Bike in the sunshine. Follow a morning ride with a strong French press.” – “The Culinary Cyclist” by Anna Brones

EcoSalon’s own Foodie Underground, Anna Brones, has penned a cookbook for bike-loving foodies that’s full of creative, delicious and healthy slow food recipes alongside tips for successfully stocking your kitchen and transporting culinary masterpieces on two wheels. As founder of the taste bud tantalizing blog Foodie Underground, Anna has incorporated her Swedish heritage, time in the Pacific Northwest and current life in Paris into this guide for hedonistic, healthy and bike-heavy living. You’ll find gluten-free recipes like sea salt chocolate cake and baked eggs in avocado halves alongside instructions for shopping in bulk with a bike, gracefully hosting a dinner party and picnics by bike.

The pages are riddled with Anna’s anecdotes on the development of her recipes as well as Johanna Kindvall’s charming illustrations, which are a treat in themselves. Following an amazingly successful Kickstarter campaign, pre-orders of the book can be placed via Foodie Underground, with delivery estimated for August 2013. We caught up with Anna to hear more about the inspiration behind the book and to give you a taste test of her thoughts on slow food, cycling and good living.

Leena Oijala: What was the inspiration behind “The Culinary Cyclist”?

Anna Brones: My publisher-to-be and I met up last fall to discuss various projects we were both working on and in the course of the conversation we started talking about food (I am known to talk about food quite regularly!). I told her she should think about publishing a book about food and bikes, she responded with, “why don’t you write it?” It was impossible to say no.

LO: This book will be quite the resource for the modern-day city cycler. Why do you think it hasn’t been written already?

AB: I am sure there is a book somewhere out there that has touched on the same topics. Most people know how to ride a bike, most people know how to make something edible to put on the table, I’m just hoping that this book inspires people to step it up a notch, not because they have to, but because they want to.

LO: Which country’s culinary culture most influenced the recipes you chose to include in the book?

AB: I would have to say that most of the book’s recipes come from my mother. She was born in Sweden, so she certainly has had a more European approach to cooking, but she also likes to experiment. She taught me to not be afraid in the kitchen, rarely use exact measurements and to change recipes whenever possible. So most of the recipes in the book don’t have a regional influence, just an influence of an attitude towards eating and cooking. There’s also no doubt that I have been influenced by living in locavore-centric Portland where it’s easy to shop locally and seasonally, and where no one will ever raise their eyebrows at you for brewing your own kombucha.

LO: What is your favorite recipe in the book?

AB: Ack! That is a touchy question. If I had to choose I would say the Quinoa Apple Spice Cake recipe. It’s a personal favorite because when you tell people you can make a cake with quinoa they look at you like you’re crazy. But I happen to have a thing for putting odd ingredients in recipes, so I guess that’s normal.

LO: Your book includes mostly vegan and gluten-free recipes. Why do you think so many people have begun to gravitate toward these types of diets?

AB: I think it’s because people have started paying attention to what makes them feel good. For some people that’s a meat-heavy diet, but I think a lot of us have found that a diet of lean proteins and low dairy intake does us quite a bit of good. I am not vegan, vegetarian or even 100 percent gluten-free, I just cook the kind of food that I know is healthy for me and makes me feel good. At the end of the day, everyone has to choose their own eating habits, and most of the time it’s a matter of trial and error to finally end up at the type of eating that works right for you. It’s not necessarily about what we eat but being conscious about what we eat; where it comes from, how it makes us feel, etc.

LO: Why do you think food brings people together?

AB: No matter who you are or where you are from, you have to eat. Food brings us together because it’s a unifier; it’s something that we all do no matter our race or gender. If you look at various cultures around the world you will find that food is quite often the cornerstone of celebrations and traditions. Our ancestors sat around a fire and ate what they had hunted or harvested. Today we sit around the table. It’s a way of connecting not only with other people, but also with the place that our food comes from.

LO: Why do you think our relationship to food has changed so much in the last five decades?

AB: We have opted for larger economic profits instead of health, and because of it we’re in a system where we’ve externalized all the costs so that unhealthy food is the cheapest option out there. I love the term that Michael Pollan used in “Omnivore’s Dilemma,”– “irresponsibly priced food”– meaning that you can look at a certain product and think that it’s cheap, but the price you pay at the checkout isn’t the real cost of the food to the environment and society. We live in fast, modern times, and many of us don’t make the time to eat well because, unfortunately, we don’t see it as a priority. But if you force yourself to remember that the only thing that’s keeping you going every day is what you eat, you can’t help but want to do better.

LO: If you could choose anyone in the world, who would you invite to dinner?

AB: Ah, the ideal dinner guest, good question. In terms of an interesting conversation about food, I would love to sit down with Marion Nestle, PhD. She has been such an influence in the world of food politics, and I think the dinner conversation would be more than enlightening. It’s one thing to talk about wanting to change the food system, and it’s another to actually do it. She’s one of the people that’s doing it, and that’s inspiring to me. Although, I would be super nervous about what to cook!

Images: Johanna Kindvall

The post Interview with Anna Brones on Her New Slow Food and Slow Living Cookbook ‘The Culinary Cyclist’ appeared first on EcoSalon.

Good news for fans of the plant-based/undead cooking show “The Vegan Zombie” – a recipe book is on the way.

In an interview with Syracuse.com, the popular YouTube series’ creators, Chris Cooney and Jon Tedd, have revealed that a cookbook featuring 75-100 vegan recipes will be released this fall. Even better, the tome will include chapters in between the recipes that graphically illustrate just how the zombie apocalypse happened.

“It’s not just a cookbook, it’s also a graphic novel, like a comic that tells the story of ‘The Vegan Zombie,’” Cooney explains. “It’ll tell what the story is for the people who can’t wait for the movie to come out.”

Movie? That’s right – a feature-length film is also in the works.

Expect a Kickstarter campaign in the coming weeks to help fund the new cookbook.

“It’s not just for vegans, it’s for meat-eaters, for vegetarians, people who want to be healthy, people who love the horror genre,” Cooney tells the site. “There are a lot of people who say ‘I’m not vegan, but I love your show.’ We welcome everybody. It means a lot to us when somebody says ‘I eat one of your meals at least once a week’ so we’re doing our part at least one day a week.”

For more on “The Vegan Zombie” check out their official site here.

Ecorazzi covers news and gossip on celebrities and notables in support of the environment and humanitarian causes. You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Image: Pink Sherbet Photography

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ColumnHas the seduction of cookbooks made us forget how to actually cook?

In a bookstore last week, I headed for the cookbook aisle. It’s often a place of cheap inspiration; you don’t have to buy a new cookbook to get new ideas. I love cookbooks. The pages, the words, the stories… a good cookbook is a combination of all these things.

But I also get overwhelmed by cookbooks. Standing in the cookbook aisle looking at all of the bright covers – How to Bake Bread, How to Bake Bread That’s Not Really Bread, How to Stop Baking Bread and Make Cupcakes Instead – I had that feeling. You couldn’t cook fast enough to keep up with the proliferation of cookbooks.

In a world of up close food photos with a shallow depth of field, I find myself drawn to the books without photos. The books that leave a little up to the imagination. You don’t really know how that apple tart is going to turn out do you? But at least you now have a basic recipe.

So I picked up The Flavour Thesaurus, a book about flavors and pairings: categorizing what goes with what. Coffee and coriander? Why not. I flipped through a few pages, and saw only text. No photos at all. Just a reference book for new food ideas. I bought it immediately. (As a complete and utter side note: I was in a Swedish bookstore, bought the Swedish version Smaklexikon, only to later realize that it was originally written in English. Global cooking to say the least.)

I came home and began the introduction, where the author Niki Segnit has a great line about after 20 years of cooking, still questioning her ability to cook food. Had she really learned to cook food or was she just fairly good at following recipes? Then she follows with a line that stuck with me, “My mother is, just like my grandmother was, an amazing cook but owns only two cookbooks and a folder with old cut out recipes, and she rarely looks in any of them.”

I was staying with my own grandmother, who having raised four children, knows her way around the kitchen, and there are always fresh baked rolls and cookies in her apartment. But her cookbook stash is tiny. All she really uses is one from 1985 with a funny photo on the front of a woman with a Farah Fawcett haircut, and even then, it’s only because she wrote down a few family recipes in the blank pages at the end.

My mother’s own cooking base comes from a worn out blue three-ring binder that dates back all the way to when she moved from Sweden to the US with my American father, sometime in the mid-1970s. Pages fall out and get put back in, no matter what the order. Some of her best recipes are in that binder, but she rarely has to consult them.

My mind returned to the bookstore, and the overwhelming amount of shelves with books from what to pair with wine to how to bake with licorice (ok, still sort of upset I didn’t buy that one). In the proliferation of cookbooks, have we actually forgotten how to cook?

Cookbooks have somehow given us the illusion that we are interested in food. That we dream of food. That we think about food. That we know what to do with it. But go to anyone’s home with more than a few cookbooks and see how worn the pages are. Most cookbooks remain only an illusion of a life well lived; we buy them because they provide a break from our everyday reality, but sometimes, we never even use them. A sort of lifestyle porn. We’re seduced by the dream that we too could be serving three course dinners and fresh scones with homemade yogurt every morning for breakfast. But can you whip up a dessert with just a few ingredients or are you stuck to being guided by a recipe? Does everything fall apart when you realize you don’t have three tablespoons of soy sauce?

If, for every time you had to eat, you had to take out a cookbook, you’d never even have the time to leave your position standing in front of the bookshelf. Cooking is a combination of being inspired and learning new things and daring to experiment.

That doesn’t mean we’ll never buy a new cookbook again – I have plenty on my “want” list – but what are the cookbooks that work? The ones that are references. Guidebooks to navigating and understanding the world of food. My own favorite cookbooks are the simple ones. Text-heavy, simply illustrated and straightforward. A good recipe doesn’t have to hide behind a flashy image; it stands alone.

Have cookbooks changed how we cook? Most certainly. A good cookbook collection can provide culinary inspiration as well as guidance for the daily staples. But they have to be used. The pages must be worn. The recipes tried more than once. Notes written in the margins.

Food won’t happen just by having a colorful cookbook on your table. You have to step in to the kitchen and get your hands dirty.

This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’ weekly column at EcoSalon: Foodie Underground, an exploration of what’s new and different in the underground movement, and how we make the topic of good food more accessible to everyone. More musings on the topic can be found at www.foodieunderground.com.

Image: timsackton

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ColumnThe joy of delving into a good cookbook.

When I was home earlier this summer, I asked my mother for a recipe. She pulled out her worn 3-ring binder. This binder is blue, has yellowed pages falling out of it and has sat in the same place on the bookshelf for as long as I can remember. In it are recipes scratched in her handwriting of her earlier years, additions by her sisters, and almost four decades’ worth of recipe inspiration ripped from magazines.

My natural instinct when I need a recipe is to go to that online thing that starts with G. For my mother, it’s to go to her recipe shelf. If it’s not in the blue book then there has to be a recipe that can be improvised on elsewhere among the culinary titles. In fact, it was only recently that she called to tell me that she was wondering about a specific recipe and went to her computer herself to search around the internet for it (normally she calls me and has me cull the pages and select a few links, her personal search engine so to say).

I am ashamed to say that I have not started such a recipe collection myself. Raised in the digital age, my own is a mish-mash of bookmarked links and emails that I always plan to organize but never get around to. But although I am quick to tap in a search query that combines a few ingredients that I have lying around and I don’t know what to do with (raspberry, kale, go…), I have an affinity for my small cookbook stash.

The collection is small because I have limited space, and it’s worth committing to the tried and true: The Essential New York Times Cookbook (Amanda Hesser what would I do without you?), Vår Kokbok (a Swedish essential) Swedish Cakes and Cookies, a few from Moosewood Collective, Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Cooking, and Sheila Lutkins’ All Around the World Cookbook. There are a few others here and there, but that is the staple collection and it doesn’t shift very much. I have a favorite recipe in each, and they all have numerous dog eared pages.

In need of dinner inspiration? Sit on the couch with a few of the books and a pen and paper and good things are bound to happen.

There is something that happens with cookbooks that doesn’t happen with food blogs or obsessively looking at food porn on Pinterest. Away from the screen, you engage with a recipe in a different way. You take time to think about the preparation and the process. That is why I prefer predominantly text cookbooks; you are not seduced by photos the way you are int he digital world, your are swayed by words and culinary combinations. A good cookbook is the one you can put your trust in; let it guide you through the cooking process.

And that is what a cookbook should be: a guidebook, a resource. The kind of thing you can go to again and again and again. Not because you loved one recipe, but because no matter how many times you read it, you’ll always learn something new. That is what I discovered in Roots: The Definitive Compendium with more than 225 Recipes, which arrived at my doorstep just a couple of weeks ago.

Let me restate the fact that I am hesitant to add new cookbooks to the collection; my appetite for more food inspiration is countered by an acceptance of the reality of space, and the fact that too many cookbooks can be a bad thing. But Roots was meant to be added to that space, it hit all of my cookbook expectations. It’s a resource (and a good one at that), the photos are beautiful but the recipes aren’t over dominated by them, the story is personal, and in reading it, you get a lesson in food. For example, I had no idea that carrots are believed to have originated in Afghanistan.

I had never given root vegetables much thought, but after reading through numerous sections I soon wondered how I had gone without this book for so long. Sauteed beet greens with a little lemon juice will now certainly be a regular concoction.

Newly obsessed with root vegetables, I caught up with Roots author Diane Morgan to learn more about the cookbook, the most underrated root vegetable out there and her favorite recipe (hint: it might be the only time I am ever tempted to make a cupcake, because these look good).

This book is such a valuable resource. Why do you think something like it hasn’t been done before?

There are a couple of much older books focused on the “common” root vegetables (beets, turnips, rutabagas, sweet potatoes), and there are encyclopedic books written on vegetables, but an encyclopedic book written on the large family of root vegetables along with a large selection of recipes hasn’t been written until now. I went looking for the book I wanted to own and realized it didn’t exist, so I decided to tackle the subject and write the book I wanted to own.

As a very comprehensive guide, this cookbook packs in a lot of information. How long did the research and writing process for it take? Any glitches along the way?

It took me two and a half years to develop the book proposal, and then research and write the entire book. I am not a botanist(!), so the research to make sure I found all the edible roots that exist was challenging. Even as I was turning in the manuscript I would double check some exotic root to make sure it was classified properly. With regard to glitches, there is a lot of confusion between malanga and taro and it took me time to resolve the distinctions. They are fascinating roots with interesting cooking properties. The high starch factor makes them delightful to mash and terrific as fritters.

I am assuming you ate a lot of root vegetable dishes while doing recipe development. Are you sick of them now? Or do you incorporate more roots into your diet than before?

I have never tired of eating roots. They are so varied and so seasonal that something that goes out of season, such as celery root, delivered a new-found excitement when I see it again the next season.

What was the most interesting thing you learned while writing the book?

There were many interesting discoveries, but I did love learning about all the edible tops – beet greens, radish tops, carrot tops, turnip tops – all are edible and highly nutritious.

Which is the most underrated root?

It would be a toss up between rutabagas and burdock root! Rutabagas take on many flavors – they are delicious when braised in beer and also paired with apples for a wonderful wintertime sweet galette. On the other hand, burdock root, used commonly in Japanese cuisine, is amazing when paired with mussels. If you love mussels then you must try my recipes for Steamed Mussels with Burdock Root, Shallots, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes.

If you had to pick one, what is your favorite root and why?

That’s like asking which is your favorite child. They all have such unique characteristics! However, since writing the book, I have incorporated the dark orange-fleshed sweet potatoes into my diet more often. They are an incredible superfood, packed with vitamins. I roast them or even grill-roast them and then rewarm them for breakfast. Skip your morning toast and eat a sweet potato!

Can you share one of your favorite recipes with us?

While I have many favorite recipes in the book, I am delighted with the Red Velvet Cupcakes because it is so unexpected and most folks think red velvet cake is made with food coloring, when, in fact, the gorgeous magenta color of the cupcakes comes from pureeing fresh-roasted beets.

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Orange Buttercream

These darling magenta-hued cupcakes are brilliantly colored all the way through. No food coloring is used here; the color comes from pureeing freshly roasted beets. I tested the recipe with canned beets and the color is drab and faded, but given how easy it is to roast beets this simple step can be done while you measure and prepare the ingredients for the cupcakes and buttercream. I finely chop the roasted beets and then puree them in a food processor. It is important to let the machine run for a couple of minutes, scraping down the sides of the workbowl once or twice, until the puree is completely smooth.

Makes 12 cupcakes

Cupcakes

• 2 cups/200 g sifted cake/soft-wheat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
• 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups/342 g puréed red roasted beets
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp/225 g granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 2/3 cup/180 ml canola oil
• 3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Orange Buttercream

• 1 1/4 cups/280 g unsalted butter at room temperature
• 2 cups confectioners’/icing sugar
• 1 tbsp heavy (whipping)/double cream
• 1/2 tsp pure orange oil (see Cook’s Notes)
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 to 3 tbsp fresh orange juice

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F/180°C/gas 4. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the beets, sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Using a rubber spatula, stir in one-third of the flour mixture, and continue stirring just until the flour disappears. Do not beat or overmix. Repeat, adding the remaining flour mixture in 2 batches.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing the batter evenly and filling each cup almost to the top of the liner. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Let the cupcakes rest in the pan, set on a wire rack, for 10 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to the wire rack to cool completely, about an hour.

To make the buttercream, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a mixing bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream the butter on low speed. Add the sugar, cream, orange oil, and vanilla, and beat until incorporated, about 2 minutes. Add the orange juice, a little at a time, until the buttercream is fluffy and smooth.

When the cupcakes are completely cool, spread a thick layer of buttercream over the tops, swirling the frosting to decorate the tops. Alternatively, the frosting can be transferred to a pastry bag and piped around the tops of the cupcakes. The cupcakes can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store, covered, at room temperature.

Cook’s Notes
Pure orange oil is an essential oil cold pressed from the rind of oranges. It is different from pure orange extract. Look for pure orange oil in the baking section of natural foods stores, at baking supply stores, or Middle Eastern grocers. Two brands I see often is Boyajian or Frontier.

The cupcakes freeze well and are handy to have on hand for a party. Freeze the cupcakes unwrapped on a baking sheet/tray. Once frozen, wrap them individually, first with plastic wrap/cling film and then with aluminum foil. The cupcakes can be frozen up to 1 month. Unwrap the cupcakes and thaw at room temperature.

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s weekly column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground, discovering what’s new and different in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to the culinary avant garde.

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