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A Wonderful Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Cookbook: Whole Bowls by Allison Day

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Whole Bowls Cookbook by Allison Day

Whole Bowls Cookbook by Allison Day

When I had to quit eating wheat and gluten (as well as cooking, baking, smelling, and dreaming about them), I had to adopt and adapt. Adopt a new way of eating, cooking, and serving meals and adapt to every single change or be a miserable cuss.

I have no intention of being a miserable cuss… so adapt, I did!

One of my favorite sanity savers and means of serving meals became (and remains) “Bowls.”  Some call them Buddha Bowls and others call them even fancier names. Me.. well I’m a simple gal from Kentucky, so Bowls suits me just fine.

My middle daughter, Brittany (who happens to be a beautiful vegetarian – more on that in a minute), knew how much Bowls mean to me and gifted me with the gorgeous cookbook you see here, “Whole Bowls: Complete Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Meals to Power Your Day.” This cookbook could not be more up my alley! Not only are there MANY (countless, really) great gluten-free recipes but they’re ALSO vegetarian, meaning I can make them for Brittany to enjoy as well.

Only fair, right? After all, she bought the book!

Above, I referred to the recipes in this cookbook as “countless.” Obviously, the actual recipes can be counted – I’ll tell you why I insist on calling them countless! Each and every recipe in Whole Bowls can be tweaked and switched up to your individual tastes. For example, “Loaded Baked Potatoes with Baked Beans and the Works” (page 157), calls for russet potatoes, you can easily use sweet potatoes. If a recipe calls for quinoa, you can use brown rice.. if a recipe calls for white rice, you could use cauliflower rice… and on and on. I would recommend making each recipe exactly as given – but, after that, get creative. It’s your Bowl, after all!

There are also recipes for out of this world sauces that can be incorporated into the bowls they’re recommended for as well as other bowl recipes (whether in or out of this particular cookbook). A few of the sauces are Pumpkin Seed Sauce, Homemade Mayonnaise, Balsamic Glaze, and a Chive Oil (page 109) that is extraordinary on just about anything and everything. In fact, I have a special glass bottle in my Amazon cart I’m buying solely for keeping some of this oil made up and handy.

I love that author Allison Day has made Whole Foods such a gorgeous cookbook (they’re somehow more enjoyable to use, aren’t they?) and that the recipes are completely gluten-free. I also love that they’re basic – deliciously creative, but yet “doable.”

{Continued Below…}

Other AMAZING Recipes Include:

  • Mac and Cheese with Smoked Tofu and Baked Tomatoes
  • Mediterranean Pasta with Arugula, Peas, Yellow Tomatoes, and Feta
  • Roasted Pears with Whipped Goat Cheese and Maple Pine Nut Brittle
  • Hummus
  • Coconut Dreamy Whip
  • Homemade Nut Butter
  • Spring Rice Bowls with Chive Oil
  • Holiday Bowls with Stuffing, Sweet Potato Latkes, Brussels Sprouts, and Balsamic Glaze
  • Greek Mushrooms Stifado with Horseradish Mashed Potatoes
  • Miso Meal in a Bowl
  • Black Beans with Butternut Squash, Black Rice, and Chimichurri
  • Three Bean Garden Salad with Asparagus and Coconut Dressing
  • Curried Falafel with Kale Salad
  • Winter Chopped Salad
  • South of the Border Bowls with Walnut Meat and Grilled Avocado
  • And many, many, many more creative, delicious, and nutritious recipes.

About the Author


Whether you choose to eat gluten-free or the choice has been made for you, you will absolutely love Whole Bowls. For that matter, you’ll love it if you eat gluten with wild abandon! This is just a fun, exciting, and delicious cookbook. I highly recommend it to everyone.

{A few more words about Bowls below the picture…}

Bowl

A few tips I’ve picked up along the path of my relationship with Bowls:

  • If you’ve given up wheat/gluten for health reasons, to cut calories, or because you’re on a particular “diet,” you don’t have to give up flavors because of it. Get creative! Sloppy Joes, for example don’t have to have buns – they can just as easily be served over potatoes (baked, mashed, roasted..) in a bowl with pickles and onions on the side. Same with Pulled Pork or any other “sandwich” you need to deconstruct. Even Egg Rolls can be deconstructed and presented, beautifully, in bowls.
  • We all know how nutritious vegetables are or us. I won’t insult your intelligence or bore you unmercifully by going into their virtues. One of the wonderful things about Bowls is that you can “sneak” beautiful, colorful, and healthy vegetables in to the mix without compromising the taste. I love to keep avocados on hand because they add SO MUCH to bowls. They look great, taste great, and are healthy to boot.
  • Spiralized vegetables aren’t just beautiful in Bowls, they’re also filling and fun to eat. Kids, especially, love different sizes, shapes, and textures.
  • Roasted vegetables are also fun to throw into Bowls – they give a delicious contrast in flavors alongside cooked or raw vegetables and grains.
  • Bowls are IDEAL for those of us who keep and insist on using leftovers. Leftover corn is one of my favorite things to pop into bowls.
  • A “mock” KFC Chicken Bowl technique I love – Put Mashed Potatoes into the bowl(s), top with cooked yellow corn, chicken (omit if you choose), and brown gravy. I love to make and add a little vinegar coleslaw to the side, too. It’s outrageously good.
  • When buying bowls for… well… Bowls… look for wide-open bowls, usually called pasta or salad bowls.  Bowls can make a gorgeous presentation – I like to use white bowls, often, but have also fallen in love with colorful ones.
  • Bowls are ideal for breakfast, lunch, and supper. Breakfast bowls are another favorite. Potatoes, bacon or sausage, eggs, broccoli, and cauliflower bowls make a breakfast that’s worth getting out of bed early for even on a Saturday.
  • Once you go down the Bowls rabbit hole, you’ll wonder what took you so long! Again, Whole Bowls is a wonderful source for inspiration and countless ideas.


T-Fal Cookware: Their Non-Stick Pans are a Personal Obsession

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T-fal Non-Stick Fry Pan
This beauty is a personal favorite, my 12″ Non-Stick Fry Pan from T-Fal –the inventor of non-stick! This beauty came from Target, but T-Fal can also be ordered (easily) on Amazon.

T-Fal “Thermo-Spot” technology is something that was new to me, but now I’m completely hooked on it. The Thermo-Spot shows when your pan is ready to use… kind of like the red light that lets you know when your oven is good to go.

It’s amazing to me that someone hadn’t thought of this long ago. Leave it to T-Fal.

I also love that T-Fal Initiatives take the non-stick game to the next level. Seriously, everything slides right off of these pans. I love to make “cheese clumps” for salads and soups – which is simply putting little mounds of shredded cheese onto a skillet and letting them brown and crisp up a little. You’d think these guys would spell DISASTER for clean up, but T-Fal pans, they literally slide right off the skillet and into the dish.

 

As you’d expect from someone who has a food blog, I cook every single day of the week. In fact, when our cats need to find me (to play, feed them, scratch their heads or cater to them in any manner), the first place they look is always the kitchen. Come to think of it, the same’s true for every member of my family… except for the scratching heads part, the human members of my family seldom as for such a thing.

As an avid cook, I have had up close and personal experience with all manners of pots, pans, and cookware in general. If a new cook were to ask me to recommend ONE pan she/he should buy to begin their kitchen collection, I would recommend T-Fal. I love many different pans (including my beloved iron skillet collection), but this is the brand I’d most often recommend.

Why? In a word – perfection. T-Fal cookware is perfect in every single way.

Read more about T-Fal non-stick pans and their ingenious Thermo-Spots on Amazon.


T-fal Non-Stick Fry Pan

Curtis Stone Dura-Bake Nonstick 3-Piece Sheet Pan Baking Set

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We frequently buy kitchen gadgets, gizmos, small appliances, pans, dishes, and all things “COOKING” from the Home Shopping Network. One of the reasons is the convenience – see it, buy it, get it, use it… all without venturing into a single store. I’m not going to lie – I’m wild about that.

The main reason,  however, is the fact that they feature the best products imaginable. They often sell Curtis Stone pans and, as someone who spends a lot of time cooking, I can tell you – they aren’t just great – they’re phenomenal.

A recent purchase was this great looking Dura-Bake Nonstick 3-Piece Sheet Pan Baking Set (mine are even red, like the ones pictured here). They’re available on Amazon now, too, which is also crazy convenient.

The unique and divine Carbon steel with Dura-Bake nonstick coating makes these sheet pans not just gorgeous, not just excellent to cook with, but also easy to clean. Nothing sticks. I love that they come in three different sizes, too. Sometimes you just don’t need a great big pan – other times, only the big guy will do.

I’ve used mine for biscuits, pastry puffs, roasted vegetables, baked fish, fries, bacon-wrapped asparagus, garlic bread, cinnamon toast… They’re perfect each and every time. I love the easy cleanup and the performance but I think my favorite thing may be much more simple and shallow that the rest…. They’re gorgeous!

The largest one is ideal for most frozen pizzas – not that you or I would ever resort to something like frozen pizzas. But IF we did… well, it’s perfect. 😉

Below is bacon-wrapped asparagus I recently made on one of the pans in my set. As you can tell, I didn’t use parchment paper (something I’d normally ALWAYS do with traditional cooking sheets). It’s absolutely unnecessary with these pans simply because they clean up so easily.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus on a Curtis Stone Sheet Pan

Product Description from Amazon:

What you get: 17″ x 12″ Sheet pan 15″ x 10″ Sheet pan 13″ x 9″ Sheet pan

Basic Measurements: 17″ x 12″ Sheet Pan – Approx. 17-1/2″L x 12-1/2″W x 1″H; 15″ x 10″ Sheet Pan – Approx. 15-1/2″L x 10-1/2″W x 1″H; 13″ x 9″ Sheet Pan – Approx. 13-1/2″L x 9-1/2″W x 1″H Base Thickness: 0.7mm

Material Composition: Carbon steel with Dura-Bake nonstick coating

Use and Care: Oven Safe Temperature: up to 450 degrees F

Care: Dishwasher safe, but hand washing is recommended

Features: Dura-Bake nonstick coating

Takes the successful nonstick capabilities of Dura-Pan nonstick and applies them to Curtis’ range of bakeware. Specially formulated multiple-layer nonstick coating engineered for added strength and durability. Offers improved nonstick performance in comparison to traditional nonstick bakeware. Provides premium food release when baking and easy cleanup 8 times stronger than unreinforced nonsticks. Versatile pans Perfect for baking, roasting and cooking one-pan meals Ideal size for baking a batch of cookies or cooking a sheet pan supper. Set of 3 sheet pans Includes a small pan, medium pan and large pan. Provides a perfectly sized pan for every dish. Carbon steel construction.

See Dura-Bake Nonstick 3-Piece Sheet Pan Baking Set for more information. These would be IDEAL for Mother’s Day or Father’s Day.

Pig Pallet Art Wall Hanging: Pig Collectors, You’ll Love This

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I’ve promised to always show you fellow pig lovers and collectors when I find irresistible pig decor or kitchen items.  This one is a beauty.

The Pig Pallet Art Wall Hanging combines two of my favorite things – pigs and a rustic look. Love it!

The Pallet Art measures approximately 9″ by 12″ and comes ready to hang with a saw tooth hanger or wire picture hanger. These are hand cut and painted so they will vary slightly, making them one of a kind… something that makes it even better in my book.

Click through the link above or picture to the right for more information.

(Continued Below the lit up pigs!)

Pigs on Hutch

Part of my pig collection now sits on top of the hutch in our kitchen. My grandbaby LOVES pigs and he LOVES lights… so pigs and lights, it is!

eBay is a great place to find vintage pig collectibles, as are Hobby Lobby and Amazon.

Pigs on Hutch


Cookware Protector Sets: Absolutely Ingenious, No Doubt About It

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Cookware Protector Set

 

TJMaxx gets me. They just really, really get me. So much so that they’re often a few feet ahead of me when it comes to knowing what I need. Honestly, I’ve lost track of the times I’ve meandered through the store and found things I had no idea I needed! Which is exactly why when any of my daughters and I go, we allow time for at least an hour of wandering and shopping.

The males in our family seldom are up for this – except for the 10 month old. He doesn’t have much of a choice.

The Core Kitchen Cookware Protector Set (link to other Core Kitchen Protector Sets on Amazon) jumped out at me on a recent trip. The bright colors caught my eye and I had to take a closer look.

Each set comes with three colorful cookware (or plates, bowls…) protectors. They’re designed in a way to simply and beautifully cushion your pans or dishes and protect them from scratches.

I wish I’d had these many, many, many scratched pans ago.

If you live near a TJMaxx, look for these beauties – they’d make brilliant additions to your own home as well as fun and useful gift ideas for the cooks in your life. There are also many different color combinations available on Amazon.


Review: Eat a Little Better by Sam Kass

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Eat a Little Better by Sam Kass

Eat a Little Better: Great Flavor, Good Health, Better World by Sam Kass

The links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I earn a small amount when you click through and make a purchase. This (of course) costs you nothing extra – it simply allows me to support my cat in the lifestyle they’ve become accustomed to!

As I’ve mentioned on the food blog a number of times, I collect cookbooks and have since I was a teenager. I have candy cookbooks, vegetarian cookbooks, meat lovers cookbooks, Paleo cookbooks, Keto cookbooks, cookie cookbooks, Indian cuisine cookbooks…. okay, I have just about every conceivable kind of cookbook you can imagine.

You’re looking at the newest member of the cookbook family above: Eat a Little Better by Sam Kass. 3-4 years ago, I had to give up all gluten and wheat (health reasons). Around that time, a close family member had to have a stint put in and these back-to-back health upheavals shook up my world as well as my kitchen. The fact that the way we eat directly effects the way we live hit home and I totally changed the way I looked at food.

I hope to never see another person I love in recovery of a cardiac hospital and I am determined to do my part to keep it from happening again. I’m also committed to stay as healthy as I possibly can because, if we’re being honest, this crazy family of mine needs me more than they realize!

For this reason, the majority of my cookbooks now focus on eating healthy. NOT counting calories, NOT depriving yourself of delicious food, and NOT obsessing to the point of making people want to throw an entire cheesecake at you…. but simply eating healthier food and making smarter choices at the store as well as in the kitchen.  You know, things that’ll help keep you playing horseshoes in the yard with your family as opposed to having them visit you in the hospital.

Books like Eat a Little Better make it easier because the food is DELICIOUS and… this is something we all appreciate… the recipes are completely doable, with ingredients we’ve heard of, can easily find, and very often already have on hand.

Grilled Vegetables Recipes in Eat a Little Better

Did you know that fried potato consumption (hello, French fries) beats out even soft drinks as an indicator for obesity?

From the Back Cover: As a chef, and then as a senior food policy advisor to President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, Sam Kass became an expert on the ins and outs of deliciousness, nutrition, and sustainability.

Recipes in Eat a Little Better Include…

  • Whipped Sweet Potatoes  with Maple-Cider Vinegar
  • Slow-Roasted Salmon
  • Barbecued Chicken
  • Roasted Chicken Stir-Fry
  • Dirty Brown Rice
  • White Bean Hummus
  • Canned Salad (fascinating!)
  • Mustard Green Salad
  • Celery-Radish Salad
  • Charred Zucchini
  • Grilled Cauliflower Steaks
  • Pork Chops with Tomato Corn Relish
  • Rigatoni with Pork Ragu
  • And many, many more…

While I do have to eat gluten-free and most of the recipes on Get Cooking are gluten-free…. this is not a gluten-free cookbook. However, as I always point out in all of my non-gluten-free cookbook reviews, all recipes are easy enough to tweak and twist in order to make them gluten-free. Simply substitute gluten-free options for the gluteny ones listed! For example, in the Rigatoni with Pork Ragu, it’s a cinch to substitute gluten-free pasta for the traditional rigatoni.

Sam Kass, former chef to the Obamas and White House food policy advisor, makes it easier to do a little better for your diet–and the environment–every day, through smart ways to think about shopping, setting up your kitchen so the healthy stuff comes to hand most naturally, and through 90 delicious, simple recipes.

This book lays out Kass’s plan to eat a little better. Knowing that sustainability and healthfulness come most, well, sustainably when new habits and choices seem appealing rather than drastic and punitive, Kass shares his philosophy and methods to help make it easy to choose, cook, and eat delicious foods without depriving yourself of agency or pleasure. He knows that going organic, local, and so forth all the time is just not realistic for most people, and that’s ok–it’s all about choosing and doing a little bett er, and how those choices add up to big change. It’s the philosophy he helped the Obamas instill in their home, both in Chicago and that big white one in Washington.  – Amazon

Recipe from Eat a Little Better

 

I love everything about this beautiful cookbook. I love that it’s hardback (so much more durable!), I love the big gorgeous photographs, I love the creativity and the simplicity of the recipes (a rare combo), and I love the fact that the focus is on eating healthier.

But there’s something else I love… I love the peak we get inside President and Michelle Obama’s family – as in their efforts to eat healthier. This focus on health, of course, led Sam Kass and the First Lady to implement healthier meals in our public schools. Their efforts were incredibly commendable and I hope their hard work continues.

One thing that stands out the most from reading this book actually has to do with children. It’s up to us to provide them with better diets than French fries, soft

drinks, and hamburgers. Arming yourself with wonderful recipes is the single best way to provide healthier meals for your children, grandchildren, spouse… and, of course, yourself!

You will love Eat a Little Better – click through and read more about it (there’s even a recipe on the Amazon page for “Lucky Pasta!”).

Eat a Little Better 

 

Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.

All I Need Today is a Little Bit of Coffee and A Whole Lot of Jesus… AMEN!

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Obsessed. That’s what I have become with Primitives by Kathy on Amazon. The wonderful humor, love of life, and adorable images… seriously, I cannot get enough of it. So many people on my Christmas list are getting gifts with Primitives by Kathy tags on them!

I’d be lying if I said I haven’t ordered any for myself. Shhhh, don’t tell.

The towel pictured above is on its way to my home and it may or not be another one for me.

It is.

What can I say? It’s my motto. In fact, if it mentioned cats, old movies, baseball and chocolate I’d swear it were made for me personally.

Details: All I Need Today is a Little Coffee and a Whole Lotta Jesus

  • Cotton
  • Imported
  • Towel measures 28″ x 28″
  • Made with a high quality Cotton
  • Makes a great gift
  • Towel measures 28″ x 28″
  • Made of Cotton

Click through to take a closer look at the Primitives by Kathy Coffee & Jesus Towel. Her towels are selling like crazy – and I swear I’m not the only one buying them up!

P.S. Don’t tell, but I definitely got this one for one of my daughters.


Surpahs 10-Inch Stackable Cake Stands Made of Bamboo Fiber are Gorgeous

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Surpahs Stackable Cake Stand
The links in this post are affiliate links, meaning I earn a small amount when you click through and make a purchase. This (of course) costs you nothing extra – it simply allows me to support my cat in the lifestyle they’ve become accustomed to!

One of my favorite things about having a food blog (or any of my blogs, for that matter) is the opportunity I have to review great cookbooks, food, kitchen gadgets, pots, pans, or brilliant beauties like the colorful Surpahs 10-Inch Stackable Cake Stand pictured here.

When I was contacted about receiving one of these stands in exchange for telling you about it, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.  I mean, it was obviously beautiful in the pictures sent to me. I’m full-on wild about colorful, out of the ordinary, and whimsical things,and I could tell (from the pictures alone) that this colorful cake stand was something I’d love.

However, I had no idea that it would be as gorgeous as it is in person. There’s an exceptionally, unmistakably “high quality” to these pieces that pictures, alone can’t possibly pick up.

Surpahs Stackable Cake Stand
Speaking of pictures – this cake stand was a particular challenge for me! I LOVE taking pictures of things I’m sent to review and take great pains to “set up” the right atmosphere, lighting, etc – everything I think will showcase it to its fullest.

With this cake stand, I found myself kind of flustered because there’s just no way to show you how beautiful it is!  Trust me, I tried every angle, but it’s “in person” beauty far surpasses its “in photograph” beauty. The quality you see in person simply can’t be completely appreciated in pictures.

Kind of like a sunset, a sailboat on a lake, or a deer eating leaves from a tree. The camera can only do so much.

Surpahs Stackable Cake Stand
This six piece set can be stacked together to create a beautiful display for cupcakes, cookies, slices of cake, dipped strawberries… just about anything you can think of.  You could also use it as three separate colorful serving platters.  They’re perfect for hamburger or taco bars or for “extras” when serving salads… you know, those components that some members of the family like, while others look at you like, “You can’t possibly think I’m going to eat that…” In our family, these foods include olives, cilantro, bacon bits, and onions.

The thing that makes this set so uncommonly beautiful is the new material, Bamboo Fiber.  In addition to looking fantastic, the bamboo fiber is also biodegradable, eco-friendly, and dishwasher safe.

Two words that are always music to my ears – dishwasher safe.

Edamame on a Surpahs Stackable Layer
Most stands pre-determine which plate goes on top because they’re various sizes (and the smallest gets top billing), but, since these are all the same size, you decide which color you want on top – orange, green, or pink. Naturally, this can change each time you use them.

Ahhh, the freedom of expression!

Surpahs Stackable Cake Stand
I am crazy about these stands (I say stands because I tend to think of this set as five different stands – three individuals, a 3-tier and a 2-tier, when one takes the night off). Not only are they gorgeous on your table when in use, they’re gorgeous sitting on a shelf or hutch when not in use.

See Surpahs 10-Inch Stackable Cake Stand for more information. Their price on Amazon is unbelievably low – meaning you can scarf one for yourself AND one or two for gift-giving. These are phenomenal.

 

Surpahs Stackable Bamboo Cake Stand

Himalayan Salt Block for Grilling (Review)

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Voltas Himalayan Salt Block and Ground Chuck

VOLTAS Himalayan Salt Block

I bought my husband the Himalayan Salt Block pictured for Father’s Day (along with Salt Block Grilling: 70 Recipes for Outdoor Cooking with Himalayan Salt Blocks by Mark Bitterman).  He’s a huge fan of grilling and we’re both huge fans of Himalayan salt and great food, so it seemed like a can’t miss gift – and it’s proven to be just that.

Features of the VOLTAS Himalayan Salt Block:

  • 100% Pure Himalayan Salt block imparts a naturally rich and delicious flavor to food.
  • Thick Himalayan Salt Plate has beveled edges to reduce chipping and it comes with Stainless steel Salt Plate Holder, and a very handy cotton tote for safe storage.
  • Use for Grilling, Searing and Cooking Meat, Fish and Vegetables. Use Directly on Grill or Stove Top.
  • Unique (and highly attractive!) way to cook, serve and display food & appetizers when serving guests.
  • The stainless steel holder extends the life of the salt rock plate while allowing for easy handling.
  • 100% SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. VOLTAS Will replace the block or refund your money if you have any concerns.

Voltas Himalayan Salt Block, Rack, and Storage Tote

VOLTAS Himalayan Salt Block

Gourmet Cooking & Beautiful Food Presentation
The pink Himalayan salt block has a deep history and evidence surrounding its many benefits. Millions of years ago, a sea bed crystallized and was covered with a layer of lava. As snow and earth accumulated, what we now know as the Himalayas formed. The salt from this deposit is considered the purest salt ever found because it has been untouched by any pollutants. The benefits of using this salt slab are endless. Himalayan salt crystals contain almost a 100 natural minerals, more than any salt in the world. It contains less sodium and has been attributed to countless health benefits.
With naturally low moisture contents, the plate can be heated or chilled to extreme temperatures. The VOLTAS stainless steel salt plate holder eliminates excess pressure to any one area of your plate, while protecting fragile edges and extending the salt plate’s life. As your salt plate begins to wear down, you can use the holder as a frame to hold together the pieces of salt.
Transform your backyard parties with this stylish grilling masterpiece or impress your guests by using it as a contemporary serving piece. Cooking food with the salt plate on stove-top or BBQ grill enhances your culinary skills. This block takes “slow cook” to whole new level by naturally seasoning your food and conducting heat by spreading pressure evenly over the slab.

Directions and Maintenance:

  • On a stovetop slowly increase the heat over time as the salt plate retains and conducts heat and spreads pressure evenly. Once it has reached the desired temperature, you can add anything on it that you’d like to cook or you can even remove the slab and cook without the flame.
  • The same can be done on a BBQ grill by keeping the lid closed during heating.
  • Because it’s anti-microbial, the salt plate is very easy to clean. Just wipe it with a damp paper towel and then pat it dry.

I did quite a bit of research and reading before deciding which Himalayan Salt Block to order for my personal grill chef.  I loved the fact that this particular Himalayan Salt Block came with its own steel rack AND storage tote. The size was as big as any I’d come across and it received better reviews than others I’d looked at – always a great sign.

Hamburgers and Asparagus on the VOLTAS Himalayan Salt Block

Not surprisingly, the first thing he wanted to fix on the block were burgers (he could give Popeye’s buddy Wimpy a run for his money) and asparagus (his favorite vegetable).  He cooked some burgers and asparagus on another part of the grill (for comparison’s sake) and the juiciness of the burgers were BEYOND noticeable. In fact, “JUICY,” was the first thing out of our mouths – when they weren’t full, of course – our mothers taught us manners, after all.   They were delectable and juicier than any burger I think I’ve ever had.

Ever.

As for the asparagus, if all asparagus tasted as great as these did, it’d be more people’s favorite vegetable. Before putting them on the block, I lightly oiled them with EVOO and seasoned them with pepper and garlic powder – I trusted the block to take care of the salt factor.

They were just fantastic – flavorful with the perfect amount of crispiness. Wilty, overcooked asparagus is depressing and these were nowhere near that.

Himalayan Salt Blocks are PERFECT for:

  • Steaks
  • Kabobs
  • Fish
  • Burgers (Juicy burgers, that is)
  • Vegetables

I think the cast of characters for a fajita – skirt steak sliced bell peppers, mushrooms and onions – would be out of this world too.  The possibilities are endless.

Since grilling on a Himalayan Salt Block was a whole new ballgame for my husband, I thought that a great cookbook to accompany the gift would be in excellent taste (see what I did there?). Salt Block Grilling: 70 Recipes for Outdoor Cooking with Himalayan Salt Blocks by Mark Bitterman proved to be a perfect companion. It’s full of ideas, recipes, and tips – everything a new salt block griller needs to know to have the confidence and swagger to work their salt block magic.

Salt Block Grilling: 70 Recipes for Outdoor Cooking with Himalayan Salt Blocks

Salt Block Grilling by Mark Bitterman

Book Description: Over 70 all new recipes for grilling traditional and nontraditional dishes on a Himalayan salt block from salt expert and best-selling author of Salt Block Cooking, Mark Bitterman.

Everyone who loves the excitement and pleasure of discovering new cooking techniques will enjoy this guide to grilling and entertaining with salt blocks. The introduction is your salt block owner’s manual, with everything you need to know to purchase, use, and maintain salt blocks with confidence. The six chapters that follow are divided into over 70 recipes organized by key ingredients: Meat, Seafood, Poultry, Vegetables and Fruit, Dairy, and Doughs. You’ll find recipes for Salt Seared Smoked Pork Belly, Lamb Satay with Mint Chutney and Spicy Peanut Crumble, Salt Seared Tuna Nicoise Salad, Hot Salted Edamame with Sesame, Shiso, and Szechuan Pepper, and Salty, Smoky Walnut-Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

Bitterman is the foremost salt block expert and one of the largest importers and retail distributors of salt blocks.The precious pink mineral mined from ancient hills in Pakistan’s Punjab province has arrived on the American cooking scene as an exciting and enticing new form of grilling. Himalayan salt blocks are available at specialty retail stores around the world and the market is growing.

 

Recipe from Salt Block Grilling

Information and Recipes Include:

  • Essential Tools
  • Care and Handling
  • Heating Step by Step and Heating 101
  • Cleaning and Storage
  • Sandwich Steak with Peppers Onions and Aged Provolone
  • Short Rib Tacos
  • Roasted Chicken Stuffed with Hot Salt Rocks and Fresh Herbs
  • Salt-Barbecued Scallops with Habanero Sprinkle
  • Salt-Block Grilled Vegetables
  • Hot Salted Edamame with Sesame, Shiso, and Sichuan Pepper
  • Blistered Baby Peppers
  • Pizza on a Salt Block
  • Salty-Smoky Walnut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
  • Plus a lot more delicious recipes – like all cookbooks, there are a few you’ll never make (I’m looking at you baby octopuses and you know it) but all will intrigue you and inspire you. The process and food combinations are exceptional and it’s a must have book if this is your first time grilling with a salt block.

Also See:

Hamburgers and Asparagus on the VOLTAS Himalayan Salt Block

Food52 Mighty Salads: 60 Ways to Turn Salad Into Dinner

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Food52 Mighty Salads Cookbook
I think I’ve finally figured out why I’m such a salad fanatic and the it turns out it isn’t much of a mystery at all… I’m all about vegetables. And, oddly enough, it doesn’t have anything to do with their nutritional value. That’s just a bonus. I love the taste, the crunch, and the visual appeal of vegetables and a salad is sort of a masterpiece where they all come together.

Okay, so that’s a little flowery, but you get the idea.

Food 52 Mighty Salads: 60 Ways to Turn Salad Into Dinner is, understandably, my latest cookbook obsession. Here’s the thing about cookbooks – you can (and should) try out the recipes, as instructed… only substituting where necessary – like for allergies or intolerances or for ingredients you either can’t find or have zero intention of paying for (I’m looking at you $saffron). However, you can (and most definitely SHOULD) also use recipes in cookbooks as “guides” and “inspiration.” Mighty Salads is a beautiful example of the latter, in particular.

Granted, when it comes to salads, I am a pro. If salad making were a sport, I’d be LeBron James, Serena Williams, Peyton Manning, and Albert Pujols rolled into one. Sorry, I just don’t have time for modesty today. However, even I found innumerable ideas and creative inspirations in Mighty Salads. There were techniques I’d never thought of and even ingredients I’d never considered.

While salads are beautiful and delicious, they can also be next level nutritious, especially when you can add a variety of vegetables or fruits to your creation. So, a cookbook that gives you countless ideas for doing so is… in my opinion… priceless.

From the Inside Cover:

A collection of 60 recipes for turning ordinary salads into one-dish worthy meals.

Does anybody need a recipe to make a salad? Of course not. But if you want your salad to hold strong in your lunch bag or carry the day as a one-bowl dinner, dressing on lettuce isn’t going to cut it.

Make way for Mighty Salads, in which the editors of Food52 present sixty salads hefty with vegetables, meats, grains, beans, fish, seafood, pasta, and bread. Think shrimp and radicchio tossed in a bacon vinaigrette, a make-ahead jumble of white beans with charred lemon and fennel, slow-roasted duck and apples scattered across spicy greens. It’s comforting food made captivating by simply charring one ingredient or marinating another—shaving some, or roasting a bunch.

But because we don’t always follow recipes, there are also loose formulas for confident off-roading, as well as back-pocket tips and genius tricks for improving any old salad. Because once you know how to fix too-salty dressing, wash greens once and for all, keep an avocado from browning, and even sprout your own grains, the humble salad starts looking a lot more interesting—and a whole lot more like dinner.

Salad recipes, tips, and ideas cover lettuce-based salads, pasta salads, and potato salads. While this is not a “gluten-free” cookbook, each recipe can be easily adapted to fit those of us who have to or choose to eat gluten-free.  Also, while there are a lot of recipes that call for meat, vegetarians will find them equally easy to tweak. In fact, I think this cookbook is IDEAL for vegetarians (as well as anyone looking for ways to add more vegetables to their diet.

I just can’t tell you how many innovative ideas and creative tips are included in this one very handsome cookbook. It’s packed with them!

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Food52 Mighty Salads Cookbook
Recipes Include:

  • Fresh Corn Cakes With Crab-Tomato Salad
  • Roasted Potato Salad with Mustard-Walnut Vinaigrette
  • Wilted Escarole with Feta and Honey
  • Grilled Bread, Broccoli Rabe & Summer Squash Salad
  • Lemony Greek Pasta Salad
  • Thai Pork Salad with Crisped Rice
  • Charred Broccoli & Lentil Salad
  • Shaved Brussels Sprouts, Endive & Apple Salad
  • And many, many more great salad recipes and ideas.

“While Emily’s and the other recipes in this book are mighty, they are just the beginning. Even if you never make a single recipe in the book to completion but instead create a mash-up you like better or that serves as a happy home for your leftover vegetables, we’ve done our job.” – From the Introduction

Food52 Mighty Salads Cookbook and Salad!

Food52 Mighty Salads: 60 New Ways to Turn Salad into Dinner
When doing cookbook reviews, I detest the idea of giving away any of the recipes or tips the author(s) work so hard to compile. However, sometimes a “tease” helps give the reader an idea of what they can expect – as well as a hint as to why I’m so excited about the book. One of the coolest ideas I take away from this book of beautiful and innovative recipes is the idea of “shaving” unexpected vegetables into salads. Brussels Sprouts, asparagus, and beets to name a few. The “shaving” technique makes them easier to incorporate into a salad, easier to eat, and… let’s face it… beautiful to behold (and photograph, if you’re a food blogger and/or foodie).

I also (as an experienced salad pro… still zero hint of modesty) found myself saying, “I agree!” or “Preach on!” again and again. For example, when making your salad’s dressing, they tout the importance of taste-testing the dressing, not on a spoon or finger, but on one of the salad’s stars. A great dressing is meant to be a co-star – it isn’t meant to be the star attraction. It should compliment the diva of the salad and the best way to see if it’s worthy of sharing the spotlight is to test it on a cast member.

I completely and whole-heartedly recommend Food52 Mighty Salads: 60 New Ways to Turn Salad into Dinner. It’s a great-looking cookbook that’ll make your kitchen healthier, more colorful, more creative, and (perhaps most importantly) more delicious. If you click through any of the links above, you’ll find a recipe from the book: Cobb Salad with Hard-Boiled Egg Dressing!


Note: I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review. The opinions are entirely my own.