I’m completely in love with Isa Does It. That’s not a surprise, though, after I gave it such a glowing review when it arrived at my doorstep two weeks ago. (In fact, I was so enamored with it that I immediately ordered a copy for my sister, who is new to the world of veg eating and cooking.)
So which recipes have I tried?
- Soups
- Harira with Eggplant & Chickpeas (p. 38)
- Wild Rice Soup with Browned Seitan Strips (p. 42)
- New England Glam Chowder (p. 45) *
- Salads
- Sesame Slaw with Warm Garlicky Seitan (p. 58)
- Handheld
- Jerk Sloppy Joes with Coconut Creamed Spinach (pp. 94-5) *
- Pasta & Risotto
- Tempeh Meatballs & Spaghetti with Spicy Slurpy Spaghetti Sauce (pp. 119, 121)
- Pesto Risotto with Roasted Zucchini (pp. 139-40) *
- Stews, Chilis & Curries
- Smoky Incan Stew (p. 165)
- Stir-Fries & Sautes
- Cast-Iron Stir-Fry with Avocado, Basil & Peanuts (p. 175)
- Mango Fried Rice (p. 180)
- Sticky Orange Chicky Stir-Fry (p. 182)
- A Few Basic Proteins
- Simmered Seitan (p. 240)
- Steamed Chicky Seitan (p. 241)
- Breakfast, Brunch & Bakes for the Morning
- Muffin Pan Mini Omelets (p. 247)
- Puffy Pillow Pancakes (p. 253) *
- Desserts
- Sugar & Spice Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (p. 288)
* = Recipe that, because it was available online before the book came out, I used before I ever even got the book. Some were made again after I got the book, too!
Everything has turned out wonderfully so far! The only trouble I had was with the tempeh meatballs: the 1/2 cup raw diced yellow onion is too much for the recipe! It was mouthful after mouthful of raw onion. Otherwise, the texture and flavors are just right. In the future, I would either omit the onion altogether (and throw in some onion powder into the temepeh mixture) or halve the amount and perhaps saute them briefly before adding to the tempeh.
I’ve also had mixed results with the pillow pancakes. The batter comes out very thick and dense, which is weird to work with on a griddle. I also noticed that Alex doesn’t like them as much as other pancakes I’ve made but I like their puffiness and … I want to say “blandness” but that makes it sound like a bad thing. They are a great canvas for a warm, fruity compote, some coconut creme whipped topping, and confectioner’s sugar. (Is it still breakfast when it’s so decadent?)
There are so many recipes (and so many photos) in this cookbook that I’m doing to be busy for months making them all for the first time… And then making them over and over again as they become staples in my kitchen.
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