Book Reviews · Cookbooks · cooking · Dinner · Vitamix Recipes

Cookbook Review: The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook

The new surge of plant-based cookbooks being published has been wonderful. There is always room for new ideas!

I was happy to review a copy of The Karma Chow Ultimate Cookbook: 125+ Delectable Plant-Based Vegan Recipes for a Fit, Happy, Healthy You, being released on October 1st (You can pre-order it on Amazon).

A vegan cookbook that is friendly and welcoming. No hipsters or heavily tattooed ladies, just great recipes that are easy to follow. The recipes feature a heavy emphasis on gluten-free, although if one doesn’t eat that way they can always use a wheat based pasta or flour if desired in recipes calling for GF pasta/flours. But since I happen to enjoy new treats….this will be a well used cookbook in our kitchen!

Following her suggestions, I doubled the seasonings (reflected below) and added in peas. Will it win over non-vegans? Maybe, maybe not. I know we had no leftovers, the toddler happily wolfed his share down. Does it taste like actual mac & cheese? Not really. The closet to that usually has cashews in it, the high fat gives it the creaminess of cheese. For what it is though, the dish is good. It is warming, hearty and feels like “comfort food”.

Mac and Ch-Ch-cheeeeze

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces shells or elbows, gluten-free or whole-grain/whole-wheat
  • 1 cup petite frozen green peas, unsalted
  • 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk
  • ½ cup nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • ½ tsp dry mustard
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt
  • ¼ tsp smoked paprika
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • Pinch ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp tahini (or as I did, 2 Tbsp raw sesame seeds)
  • 2 Tbsp Earth Balance Buttery stick or 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp brown rice flour

Directions:

Bring a pot of water to boil, lightly salted. Add the pasta and cook for time on package, add in the peas and drain.

Meanwhile, add the milk through tahini (or sesame seeds) into a high-speed blender, such as a Vitamix Blender, and process on high until smooth, set aside.

Heat a medium saucepan over medium, add the butter or oil, melt and whisk in the flour to make a roux, until the mixture boils and thickens. Whisk in the milk mixture and let cook until thickened, whisking often.

Toss the sauce with the pasta and peas, sprinkling a bit more smoked paprika on top.

Serves 3 to 4.

For this recipe I cut it in half, which made the perfect amount for Kirk, I, Ford and Walker’s smaller appetite. It calls for baby reds, I used yellow fingerlings I had on hand. Either way, this is a winner. The potatoes are creamy inside and crunchy on the outside. Having a fresh herb garden in the backyard pays off in recipes such as this. I’d say this will become a go-to recipe for the little spuds.

Blissed-Out Herb-Roasted Taters

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb small potatoes, used fingerlings (if using small red or Yukons, cut in half)
  • 1½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme
  • Fine sea salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°. Toss the potatoes with the oil, herbs and salt. Spread evenly on a small rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes, shaking a couple of times to turn the potatoes over.

Serves 3 to 4.

FTC Disclaimer: We received a preview copy for potential review.

 

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