The Great British Baking Show

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We have fallen in love with the Great British Baking Show.  We've been streaming it on Netflix, and we absolutely love it.  We've become arm chair experts in the fine art of baking pastry.  I found Chetna's cookbook - The Cardamom Trail.  Having seen her beautiful dishes, I decided that I had to get the cookbook and try some of these gorgeous creations myself.  Cardamom was a new flavor for me.  I had heard of it, but never cooked with it in any way, shape, or form.  (There aren't many spices I'm not familiar with, but Cardamom is one of them.)  It took me a while to find the Cardamom.  It wasn't in the "regular" spice aisle at our grocery store.  It was in the organic food section.  

With the purchase of the Cardamom, we began cooking our way through Chetna's cookbook.  First up was the Carrot and Banana Spiced Cake.  This very easy cake recipe hid an unexpected depth of flavor.  

*Note - due to our gluten and dairy allergies, we subbed in Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour and used fake butter in place of the real thing.  I couldn't tell the difference at all! 

For this recipe, I couldn't find a dairy free version of the Mascarpone Cheese that is called for in the icing.  Let me tell you, the cake didn't need it!  It was rich, moist and all around wonderful!  If I were to make this for company, I would top the cake with powdered sugar, just to make it pretty!  If I had a paper doily on hand, I would put the doily on top of the cake and then sprinkle the sugar on the doily and then remove it, leaving the gorgeous lace like pattern on the top of the cake.

(I admit it, my cakes don't look nearly as good as anything produced on the British Baking Show.)

I've got the ingredients for the Black Sesame and Lime Cake as well as Clove, Cinnamon, and Chocolate Cookies waiting to be pulled together for Easter Sunday.  I can't wait to see how these taste!

Book Review: Outlander Kitchen

Fans of the book and the series will enjoy this nod to traditional Highland Cuisine.  Painstakingly researched, every recipe in this book ties in with some type of food from the books.  The author gives the passage from the book where the food is mentioned, and then writes at least one paragraph going into the historical details of this food, from how it was traditionally made to where to find more traditional ingredients.  She also gives information on acceptable substitutions for foods that our modern taste buds might not appreciate!

Thoroughly researched, beautifully photographed and lovingly presented, this cookbook will be a welcome challenge for any seasoned cook who wants to take a trip to the Highlands without ever leaving the comfort of their home!

However, if you're like me, it will inspire you to begin planning a trip to Scotland. A trip that involves a lot of eating.  And several teas.  And maybe a beer or two. 

Book Review: Vegan Bowl Attack

Image: Amazon

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What an awesome find!  As you may know, daughter is a Vegetarian and both of us are allergic to dairy.  So, this book seemed like an answer to our "What's for Dinner" dilemma that we face most nights of the week.

The recipes in this book are tasty and easy to follow.  Many vegetarian meals call for extensive chopping and slicing and dicing.  Not this one!  Minimal chopping and slicing and dicing are involved, and the meals are more than filling.  The directions are clear, concise, and easy to follow

While we've tried several of the bowls for both breakfast and dinner, my favorite so far has been the Mushroom Wild Rice Slow Cooker stew.  Oh my stars!  Filled with the rich earthy taste of mushrooms, this bowl was a wonder of tastes that filled us up and kept us going for hours.  I have to admit - I cheated on the mushrooms.  I bought a pound of assorted sliced mushrooms from Wegmans.  I then diced them down before adding them to the stew.  I also neglected to put the ingredients in the slow cooker before I left for work.  So, I came home and tossed everything in a big pot.  One hour, start to finish.  It was amazing!  I already have plans to make it again.  It's in the permanent dinner rotation.

I don't have permission to post any of her recipes directly, but I can link you over to her wonderful blog, the Vegan Yack Attack!  Great name!  Head on over to her site, and take a look.  Not only does she have the most beautiful food pictures I've ever seen, she has posted some recipes.  I now have her top recipe for today - Roasted Carrots and Creamy Quinoa on my list of meals for the week.  It looks so good!

If you are looking for a healthy change of pace to your normal meals, I highly recommend this book!
(I see Christmas presents for the kids!)

Book Review: The MILF Diet

Have you ever wondered what a MILF is?  According to Wikipedia, "MILF" denotes a sexually attractive older female, generally between 30 and 50 in age and not necessarily an actual mother.  The term was popularized in the film American Pie (1999), though the origin of the term predates this (as it was) already used for years on the internet.

My daughter told me that she was "disturbed beyond words that her mother had checked out a book entitled the MILF diet".

Once you get past the "ickiness" of the premise, the book contains solid dietary advice for anyone who is looking to eat right and stay healthy.  Becoming a sex goddess is just a side benefit of eating right.

The MILF diet stresses whole grains, vegetables, proteins (primarily plant based), sea vegetables, natural sweets, and fermented foods. Thoughtful eating strategies are stressed, as well as eating in season fruits and vegetables.  Eating as low as possible on the food chain is encouraged.  There are so many wonderful gems and tidbits in this book, it is worth taking the time to read just for the nutritional tidbits.

The recipes include Millet Croquettes, Sun-Dried Tomato Ketchup, Fried Rice, Spelt Salad, Polenta with Braised Wild Mushrooms, Brad Pitt Vegetables, Tempeh-Collard Wraps with Peanut Sauce, Arame with Onion, Carrot, and Corn,  and Vegetarian Chili.

I can't wait to try these recipes and so many more... everything looks easy to make and very tasty!

Seriously, if you're looking to eat more mindfully and maybe even lose a few pounds, the book is well worth reading.