I’m thoroughly enjoying Sarah’s book, which is full of original and delicious offerings. We’re entering a brave new world, where foraged, seasonal, raw, vegetarian, vegan and allergen-free cooking-styles are colliding head first. I’ve the most obscure Scandinavian restaurant books sitting along-side my raw books, and for the first time it’s beginning to feel as though these worlds are overlapping in mainstream vegetarian books… Yes, there have been a spate of releases in this genre of late, but this is probably my favourite of 2015. These are dishes that are balanced, well-considered, and beautiful – they feel a little more grown-up than some of the other offerings.
The book is divided in to the following sections:
Essential techniques
Spring
Mornings: strawberry coconut milkshake; carrot rhubarb muffins; freekeh pancakes with wilted Swiss chard and poached eggs; strawberry chia jam; dark chocolate cherry overnight oats; the life-changing loaf of bread with olives and caraway; spring cabbage wraps with couscous, za’atar and spicy tahini dressing; pick-me-up pickled turnips; shaved turnip and radish salad with poppy seed dressing; savory spring hand pies; dandelion greens with ghee-poached radishes and smoked salt; oyster mushroom bisque; quinoa risotto with grilled scapes and rocket; black lentil salad with tzatziki, avocado and pea shoots; sprouted wild rice with pistachios and spring vegetables; socca with grilled white and green asparagus, dill and feta; moon macaroon; apricot rhubarb clafoutis; strawberry chamomile and no-churn frozen yogurt; sunflower sesame seed brittle
Early summer
Mornings: rooibos ginger sun tea; multi-grain carrot cake porridge with pecan crunch; tempeh mushroom breakfast bowl. fully loaded breakfast bars
Small Measures: sorrel hummus; labneh with rose petals, sesame and honey; carrot top and garlic scape pesto; grilled courgette and spring onions with baby spinach and hazelnuts; the real deal ginger ale
Mains: caramelised onion, olive and kale calzones; full-bloom rocket salad with millet, redcurrant and nasturtiums; caramelised fennel on herbed pollen; Thai-style coconut soup with courgette noodles; broad bean, sweet pean and tarragon soup
Sweets: mint chip ice cream sandwiches; the raw blondie; raspberry macadamia thumbprint cookies; piña colada passion fruit popsicles
Late summer
Mornings: raspberry breeze smoothie; raw cashew yoghurt with maple and blackberry; cornmeal pancakes with gingered plum compote; blueberry cardamom chia pudding
All measures: sparkling mint lemonade; cleansing grape salsa; courgette firecracker corn bread; roasted red pepper walnut dip; heirloom tomatoes with olive-cured olives and crusty bread; sundown carrot and grilled corn salad; the best lentil salad ever
Mains: CBLT-coconut “bacon” lettuce tomato sandwich; cucumber nigella spelt salad; miso sesame-clazed aubergine; grain-free hemp tabbouleh; buckwheat crepes with creamy green bean slaw
Sweets: blueberry-lemon star anise cantuccini; berry volcano cake with white chocolate hemp sauce; raw key lime coconut tarts, grilled peaches with blackberry sauce; rawkin’ funky monkey ice-cream
Autumn
Mornings: vanilla rose apple cider; green galaxy smoothie bowl with buckwheat crispies; hazelnut flatbread with maple spice pumpkin butter; warm spinach. “bacon”, and egg salad; fig and buckwheat breakfast tart
Small measures: red onion lentil soup with Manchebo toasts; raw cashew cheese; celeriac ribbon salad with toasted coming and pomegranate; pan beignet with sunflower seed “tuna”; roasted butternut squash with grilled helium and duke on massaged kale
Mains: skinny dip white bean fondue; roasted cauliflower with Lebanese lentils and kaniwa; forest floor flatbreads; 10-spiced chocolate chili; roasted pumpkin with black rice and tangerine tahini sauce
Sweets: pear apple blackberry crumble; upside-down plum cake; walnut fig bars; raw chocolate night sky; banoffee pie.
Winter
Mornings: chaga tea; chaga hot chocolate; chunky banana bread granola; ginger-rosemary roasted grapefruit with macadamia nut cream; chipotle sweet potato and trumpet mushroom breakfast tacos; cranberry carrot loaf
Small Measures: pickled fennel, grapefruit, cabbage and avocado salad; beetroot party with orange and pine nuts; roasted parsnips with pomegranate glaze and za’atar; trippy tie-dye soup
Mains: four corners lentil soup; butternut stacks with kale pesto, kasha and butter beans; leek “scallops” and chanterelles on black rice; grain-free black kale sushi rolls with white miso ginger sauce
Sweets: creamy eggnog milkshake; pecan cranberry pie; rooibos-poached pears with raw chocolate olive sauce; salt ‘n’ pepper chocolate chip cookies; blood orange chocolate cake.
Stocking the pantry
There’s a useful introduction to the basic techniques and ingredients in a well stocked vegetarian kitchen, together with options that are gluten, dairy and sugar-free. The book is divided by season, something we’re beginning to see more and more frequently {hurrah!}, and encourages you to get out into the market to see what’s fresh. You won’t see many of the offerings that had filled the Sunday supplements of late, and that’s my reason for giving Sarah an elusive 5th star – there are enough original recipes in this book to ensure you’re kept moving forward. I’m particularly looking forward to giving the coconut ‘bacon’ BLT a go – I loathe meat substitutes, but I reckon this one will actually be pretty interesting, with tamari, liquid smoke, maple syrup and coconut… The book is also beautifully shot – you can tell Sarah has come up the food-blogger route – it shows on every page…
One note of caution, this isn’t a book for someone who’s looking for the odd vegetarian recipe – not everyone keeps organic cacao nibs and chia seeds in their pantry {the cost can add up quickly unless you’re using them regularly}, and so it isn’t necessary going to suit those looking to supplement their usual diet with an occasional foray into this world.
