Jannelle Reads | Books & Lifestyle Blog: Cookbook Review

Hello & happy Thursday!

It's been a crazy and wonderful week for me full of new and exciting experiences. Throughout it all, I have realized that sometimes you just need to chill the eff out and read. Or play video games. Or cook. I mean, whatever the heck makes you happy, do it!

I've officially spent about 3 weeks NOT cooking professionally. Everyone asks me, "how do you feel?" or "do you miss the kitchen?" Well, it's not always so easy to answer these kinds of questions. Do I miss 16 hour work days? Eh, not really. Do I miss cooking and the hustle & bustle of the kitchen & my amazing friends/co-workers in Orlando? Hell yeah. I'm not the sit still type unless I'm reading. And even then I'm moving around, trying to find the right position.

In these past 3 weeks I have sort of rekindled my love of cooking. While in Miami, I cooked for plenty of family and friends and was able to experiment with old and new flavor combinations and textures. And now (with the gas finally installed), I'm trying to look up as many recipes as I can to try out.This, of course, involves me looking through cookbooks I either have laying around (and maybe kind of forgot about) and those I have been dying to pick up that I can finally look through. Like this one:

I'm not a vegetarian or vegan but if I can eat meat-free or gluten-free (as I am known to do), I opt for that option. Why? Well, something can be said from eating a full meal and after marveling in the bold flavors and interesting textures, realizing that there was no meat, poultry... nada.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is no easy feat. Most of us (at least Americans) grow up with animal protein as the main component in each and every meal. Once we get older and attempt to eat a healthier option or one out of a lifestyle change, we are always comparing it to something similar with an animal protein. Hell, my dad thinks that a meal without meat or chicken isn't a meal at all.

Reading through Plenty More, I passed recipe by recipe, annotating those I wanted to try, scarcely making any adaptations except for ingredient changes due to accessibility.

It was only until I reached the very end, closed the book and looked down at my notes that I remembered I had been skimming through a vegetarian cookbook.

The recipes in Plenty More are for every type of meal - breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert - for every type of meal option - main course, hearty side, salad, etc - and from a multitude of international cuisines.

Ottolenghi also provides plenty of pictures of the finished product or pictures depicting the steps taken to get to the final meal. I love recipe books with pictures. Food is such a sensual thing and whether you care to admit it or not, you eat with your eyes, first. Then with your sense of smell and finally, taste and mouth feel. Pictures are a necessary component of any cookbook and if you look for the visual appeal as much as I do, Plenty More definitely delivers.

In regards to recipe difficulty, all recipes were described in great detail and Ottolenghi even gave options for substitutions. I will, however, touch on this in greater detail when I have adapted one of the recipes. :)

No recipe adaptation made yet but I promise I will have one up as soon as I can decide which one I want to try first - they all look so good!

Do yourself or a fellow foodie friend a favor and get them this cookbook.

Basic info. about this book:

Name: Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London's Ottolenghi

Author(s): Yotam Ottolenghi

Review Source: Provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Publishing Company: Ten Speed Press

Publication Date: October 14, 2014

Genre: Cookbooks, Food & Wine

Rating (out of 5): 4.5 (might be a 5 ; let me cook something first!)

Recommend? Yes!

Where it can be purchased: Book Depository | Amazon