Naturally Nourished Cookbook: Healthy, Delicious Meals Made with Everyday Ingredients Hardcover – February 14, 2017

I'm a huge fan of Sarah Britton. I absolutely devoured her first book, "My New Roots". When I heard she was releasing another book I pre-ordered months in advanced and it's finally arrived. This is my first review where I've actually cooked two recipes before I've reviewed the book.At first glance I really liked the way she's laid out this book. In my new roots, Sarah cooked through the seasons and I really liked that approach. I knew recipes I made in that season would probably have the best ingredients because they were at the peak of their season. She approaches the same with this book however, she categorized the chapters into soups, salads, mains, sides and small plates and sweet and savory snacks. Then within the chapters she uses the "seasons" approach. Another genius thing she does in this book at the end of some of the recipes she has "Rollover" ideas. This is where she will tell you how to use ingredients in other recipes with in the book because you might have made too much or have left overs. Wow!!! brilliant idea that is not shared by many cookbook writers.Her approach to this book is basically a home cooks dream. Simple, wholesome, plant-based foods that don't require a laundry list of weird ingredients and really save time in the kitchen. I love to cook and sometimes I love to spend all day in the kitchen. However, I'm a working woman too, and at times, I just want to get a good healthy meal on the table.As soon as I opened to the first chapter the Fall Minestrone jump out at me and I said I have to make that! However, 26 pages in I saw the luxurious cream of mushroom soup and THAT was it. My first recipe from Naturally Nourished. As it happens, the very first recipe I made from My New Roots was the Oyster Mushroom Bisque... what can I say, "I'm floored by mushroom!!!" The soup was a breeze to make. I think what I like the best about the recipe was how she uses plant-based milk and white beans to thicken the soup! I didn't vary from the recipe at all. And the brilliance of this recipe is the balsamic vinegar. Don't leave it out! Genius! Brilliant! Amazing. I will definitely make this again.Secondly, I made the Fall Minestrone. Very easy. Came together in about 30 min. For this recipe I did not follow it exactly. Currently, pumpkins are nowhere to be found except in a can. So I substituted 3 1/2 cups of sweet potatoes. I also chose to use Kale and for the pasta I used a organic corn/quinoa blend (GF). This soup was very satisfying and hearty. It needed nothing however, half way through my bowl I shredded some parmesan cheese on it just to see how it might taste. It was very good BOTH ways...I'm really thankful for cooks like Sarah Britton. I love that she shares her gift of creating and exploring different ways to enjoy plant based, whole foods with the world. She makes powerfully healthy ingredients simply irresistible. In the words of Michael Pollan, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants!" and that's what I intend to do.... fill my body with nutritious wholesome good for me plant based foods. I can't wait to cook my way through this book just like I did with My New Roots.... Highly recommend whether your vegan, vegetarian, or simply trying to choose more plant based foods.Update 2/24/17: Made two more amazing recipes. I had everything on hand so these two recipes came together quickly. Roasted Sesame Avocado Cream: amazing fresh taste. It's really light and airy with a fabulous lite taste for avocados. We tried with a flat bread cracker and veggies. My favorite way was with cucumbers and carrots. Baked Feta: OMG... this was amazing. I never thought of baking feta. It reminds me of a rustic Italian cheese dip. Oregano pops in this recipe. So good with baked pita chips. Very easy to put together. Longest time was the baking. I could probably eat this daily!Update 3/12/17: Cooked again from this wonderful cookbook! Rained all day here so I was in the mood for soup and salad. The Soup of choice - Golden Curry Coconut Dal. Two reasons I chose this: I'm trying to explore new food with a slant towards Indian cuisine and I'm not a huge curry fan so I wanted to give this a try. I should have listened to Sarah in her header notes - "double even triple because this soup is amazing!" First, it's quick - if you have everything it comes together in about 40min. All the flavors blend so well together I can't chose just one thing in it that makes this soup. The lentils and the spices and the coconut milk all blend so well to make a comforting and simplistic and down right amazing soup. I will make this often. Now on the to the salad - I chose the Coconut -Quinoa Coleslaw. This recipe is on two pages so the prep is not quick but it doesn't take hours either. First the dressing is fabulous - I used all the mint it called for but I think it could have had more. Comes together super quick in a Vitamix blender. This salad calls for quinoa so you have to cook that - about 15 min. Then prep the slaw part - chopping veggies and toasting coconut. Upon tasting the completed dish I wasn't blown away like I was the soup. I love quinoa but it didn't fit in this slaw. I was looking for more crunch like a nut so I might change this up in the future. I liked the combination of the veggies - red cabbage, green cabbage, kale, carrot and red pepper and I loved the toasted coconut! very unique in a salad. Who knows maybe it will be better as leftovers. I know the soup will.

I own and indeed love Sarah Brittons first book – My New Roots, so could not wait to get my hands on this; particularly as though the focus is still healthy and plant based, this book is geared to those of us who like cooking with readily available ingredients rather than buying weird things for one recipe that we will never use again (and yes I have done that and would prefer not to repeat it). It respects time, budgets and skill set in the kitchen.The idea behind this book is you can make these recipes, with things found at any local grocery store; using the tips she suggests getting maximum flavor with little effort. As I write this, I have just wrapped up work, am sitting poolside (not relaxing, but waiting for the kids to end swim practice), catching up on paperwork, procrastinating from said paperwork by writing this review…then we go home to make food amongst countless other to dos. In a nutshell, I have a life that does not allow me hours to procure odd foods, or spend time slaving away in the kitchen!! This is a book that respects that! Recipes are not overly complicated and can often be made ahead of time and in this book we have “rollovers” a note section that allows one recipe to flow into another for tomorrow by making a little more of one component that can lend to another meal.Each section flows from lighter to heavier, to essentially mimic the flow of the seasons -for example, chapter one is soups and we go from fresh pea and dill soup or a nice gazpacho to the more wintery root vegetable based soups such as parsnip oven soup or a hearty dal. The pea soup is an example of how easy this is -10 simple readily found ingredients and about 10 minutes of time from start to finish! Granted there are more complicated dishes as well, but I wanted to show there are easy options for when pressed for time but still wanting to eat healthily.After soups we have salads, and I was so happy to see “different” recipes, instead of the same old ideas I have seen time and time again. The Caesar is accompanied by chickpea croutons, there is a coconut quinoa coleslaw, a tarragon green bean salad or as we get to winter, a creamy Brussels sprout salad; many of them robust enough to be a complete meal. That said, there is also a wide selection of main courses ranging from simple such as a sandwich to pasta, pizza, risotto (an oven version so you are not standing around stirring every few minutes); a stunning looking stuffed pumpkin that would be amazing for Thanksgiving.After the main course, there are small plates, sides and snacks, including different sauces and dips that can be easily incorporated into other dishes and of course desserts for those craving something sweet. It is worth noting however that there are not really any breakfast options, and not many desserts -I liked this as I find most vegetarian books have way too many breakfast ideas and I honestly do not have the time for that, and also tend to be way too heavy of desserts which I rarely make; so I preferred the fact that this book is really more focused on savory meals that you could eat for lunch and dinner without getting too complicated!The book is well written, easy to follow and like its predecessor, filled with stunning photography! There are so many great meal options all made with easy to find ingredients that will not break the bank! Truly a book for everyday healthful eating!