"Sweetness" by Christy Jordan | Cookbook Review

Publishing Date: November 8, 2016
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
Pages: 304
Links: Goodreads | Indigo | Book Depository | Amazon | Kobo

"A celebration of sweetness in all forms - sweet foods, sweet memories, sweet blessings, and a sweet life - in recipes by Christy Jordan of Southern Plate."

Whether you have a natural sweet tooth or just occasionally need something sweet to satisfy a craving, we all have a place in our homes - well, in our stomachs - for a little sweetness.

Christy Jordan's new cookbook Sweetness has plenty of recipes that would help fill that place in an instant.

From cakes to cookies to milkshakes and beyond, you're bound to find something you're itching to make. As I was going through the recipes, I found myself so excited at all the possibilities of what I could make! Everything looks and sounds so delicious.

But when I came to one particular recipe, I knew I couldn't pass it up: Funnel Cake. You know, that delicious doughey concoction they serve at amusement parks and special events? How could I pass up an opportunity - or, excuse? - to make this in my very own home.

Funnel Cake (p.208)

To my pleasant surprise, Funnel Cake is incredibly easy to make. It involves a few ingredients, all of which are common and can easily be found at your local grocery store or, if you bake with any regularity, probably just in your pantry.

It took a bit of trial and error to get the cooking time just right - neither under- nor over-cooked - but by the end I was pretty darn good if I say so myself.

You can put whatever you want on top, but I used whipped cream and fresh strawberries, which made for an absolutely scrumptious treat, let me tell you. When I posted the above picture on my Facebook, there were calls for me to host a Funnel Cake party.

While I was very happy with how that recipe turned out, I should also mention that I tried another recipe that didn't go quite so well. I made S'Mores Muffins, which sounded great - chocolate and marshmallows, what could go wrong? But unfortunately, I found them very bland and won't be making them again.

All in all, this is a really cool cookbook. There's a huge variety of desserts and tasty treats to choose from, and most seem to be pretty straightforward. I definitely recommend picking this one up if you're looking for some sweet Southern recipes.

*I received a NetGalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"From Junk Food to Joy Food" by Joy Bauer | Cookbook Review

From Junk Food to Joy Food by Joy Bauer

Publishing Date: February 23, 2016
Publisher: Hay House, Inc.
Pages: 276
Links: Goodreads | Indigo | Book Depository | Amazon | Kobo

What if you could eat all the food you love - burgers, pasta, desserts - without the bloating and negative effects? In From Junk Food to Joy Food, Joy Bauer shows us how, with a few tweaks, we can turn our favourite comfort foods into healthy meals.

I'm always looking for healthier foods to make and eat, so when I read about this cookbook, I was so excited! Who doesn't want their favourite food to be healthier?

This book is full of a wide range of recipes, so there's sure to be something in it for everyone. It varies from starters and main courses to desserts and drinks. All the way through, we're met with helpful tips as well!

Now, let's see which recipes I made!

I was still having issues with my phone during the time when I made these recipes, so you'll once again have to endure my not-so-pretty Snapchat pictures - pictures should be back to normal for the next post!

There were so many recipes that I wanted to try, and I had a really hard time narrowing it down to three...so I did four. The first things I made were Chocolate Crunch Bars (p.196). These are basically chocolate-covered Rice Krispies and oh. my. god. I loved these. I like my chocolate to have a little texture and crunch to it, and this is the perfect treat for someone like me. Plus, they're incredibly easy to make!

Next up was a good ole classic - General Joy's Chicken (p.144), which is a variation of the more well-known General Tso's Chicken. This was a really tasty meal and it went quickly in my house. I had a hard time thickening the sauce so it was a bit runny, but throw it over some rice and problem solved.

After that, I ventured into hot territory - I made Jalapeno Poppers (p.36). These are well-loved at my house on special occasions - let's be real, if we were allowed to have these on any other occasions, they'd be well-loved then, too - so when I saw these in the cookbook, I knew I needed to try them. They were delicious and disappeared very quickly.

For my final recipe, I tried the Frozen Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cups (p.202). These were an interesting and heavenly alternative to regular peanut butter cups. Banana fans will surely agree with me on this one!

All in all, this cookbook is chock full of recipes of the foods you already love, tweaked so that they're healthier. There's a wide range of foods that are sure to appeal to even the pickiest of eaters. You can't go wrong with this one!

*I received a NetGalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The London Cookbook" by Aleksandra Crapanzano | Cookbook Review

The London Cookbook
by Aleksandra Crapanzano

Publishing Date: October 11, 2016
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Pages: 304
Links: Goodreads | Indigo | Book Depository | Amazon | Kobo

This cookbook promises you all the best of London's cuisine...but does it deliver?

If you've ever wanted to take a trip to London, you might know that it has a great culinary culture - a drastic change from the bland way we thought of England's food not too long ago.

The London Cookbook contains recipes from all over London, but it seems to be mostly posh recipes. I had a really hard time finding any recipes that I either had the ingredients for, or could afford the ingredients for.

In fact, in keeping with my rule of three when I review cookbooks, I managed to make the only three recipes that I found to be affordable in this entire book.

Because my phone is currently malfunctioning, I've lost the pictures I took of the food I made (with the exception of one from my Snapchat), but I'll do my best to briefly tell you about each dish anyhow.

The first things I made were the Chocolate Squares (p.218). These were pretty simple to make, and they're basically delicious brownies. They're really rich in flavour, and are great with a dollop of ice cream on top. They were a hit with my family and I'd definitely make them again!

Next up, I made the Summer Pasta with Crème Fraîche, Arugula, and Lemon (p.52). As the title suggests, this is a great dish for summer. It was fairly straightforward to make this, with the exception of the cème faîche. I couldn't find any at the store, so I attempted to make some at home, which didn't work out exactly as I'd hoped, though that part of the sauce did taste great. Not being a big arugula fan, this wasn't my favourite meal, but I think anyone who likes arugula would love this.

Finally, I made the Shrimp Aguachili Ceviche with Jalapeño and Citrus (p.11). I was so excited to make this because I don't generally make many fancy things and this one sounded like an interesting concept. You marinade raw shrimp in a brine of citrus juices, and the citrus is supposed to essentially cook the shrimp. I had a lot of problems cooking the shrimp. When I realized the shrimp was still mostly raw after the allotted sitting time, I left it for longer. Eventually, I gave up on the citrus process and boiled the shrimp. This dish is absolutely delicious - it's a great appetizer (it would be so refreshing during summer!) and I'd definitely make it again, minus the whole citrus-cooking process.

This book gives you a feeling for the upper-class, stylish vibe in London, but to the average people like me - good luck affording any of the recipes. This cookbook would be best suited to someone with deep pockets who's interested in great-sounding dishes!

*I received a NetGalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"101 One-Dish Dinners" by Andrea Chesman | Cookbook Review

101 One-Dish Dinners by Andrea Chesman

Publishing Date: September 20, 2016
Publisher: Storey Publishing
Pages: 192
Links: Goodreads | Indigo | Book Depository | Amazon | Kobo

We all love comfort food. Whether, to you, that means soup or mac and cheese or ice cream, there's always a place for comfort food at the table. 101 One-Dish Dinners aims to put these recipes into our hands - and stomachs - by showing us that they can be pretty simple to make.

The book starts with a brief history of one-dish dinners, as well as some tips and advice for cooking and cookware.

Full of recipes both familiar and new to me, I would definitely say this cookbook is accessible to a wide range of people. Whether you want to learn recipes from other cultures or you just want to make a simple meal, or whether you're skilled in the kitchen or...just want to make a simple meal, there's something in here for you.

When I was looking through the recipes, I noticed that most of the ingredients are pretty standard and easy to find at a local grocery store. To me, that's important in a cookbook because it's nice to be able to make delicious food without breaking the bank or going on a trek to find obscure ingredients.

My one criticism of the book is that 2 of the 3 recipes I tried were not one-dish dinners. The soup used a couple of pans (which I'm not complaining about, just, it's not one dish) and the casserole required several pots and pans. I wouldn't quite call them one-dish dinners, even though they were fairly straightforward to make - I was expecting something simpler based on the title of the book.

Clockwise from left: Stovetop Mac 'n' Cheese with Ham
 & Peas (p.116); Caldo Verde (p.50); Pastitsio (p.145)

On to the food!

The first thing I made from this book was the Stovetop Mac 'n' Cheese with Ham & Peas (p.116). It was super simple and easy to make, and it's a good way of getting some greens and protein into you. I didn't have any ham at home, so it ended up being a vegetarian version of the recipe, but ham could only make it tastier. I also tossed in some leftover broccoli, which was delish. The mac 'n' cheese is a little dry, so I'd suggest using a little more milk and cheese.

The second recipe I made was Caldo Verde (p.50), which is literally "green soup" in Portuguese. Being a half-Portuguese family, everyone in my house was super excited about this one, given that we love my grandma's version. There were a couple of things I did wrong, so I endured some light ribbing (all in good fun) from my Portuguese mother and the rest of my family ("What happened?"), but overall, I'd say it's a great recipe. It ain't pretty, but it's so incredibly tasty. Everyone who tried it absolutely loves it, and I'd say it's a big success in my house!

The last thing I made was Pastitsio (p.145), which is described as a Greek mac and cheese. This was probably the most popular thing I made from the book, as I made it late last night and it's nearly 2/3 of the way gone already. It was also the most complicated - this is the recipe that used multiple pots and pans, and it was also time-consuming. I won't be making it for a while because it was a lot of work, but I do think it's worth the effort!

All in all, this is a great cookbook if you're looking for some fairly easy, very delicious recipes.

*I received a NetGalley copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

"Clean Soups" by Rebecca Katz | Cookbook Review

Clean Soups by Rebecca Katz

Publishing Date: September 6, 2016
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Pages: 160
Links: Goodreads | Indigo | Book Depository | Amazon | Kobo

Rebecca Katz grew up watching in wonder as her mother and grandmother conjured up delicious soups. While working at the Commonweal Retreat Center in Bolinas, California, she realized just how healing nutritious soups could be; people who previously were barely able to eat would return again and again for a taste of her soup.

The recipes within this book can be made for a variety of purposes. If you want to start incorporating soup into your regular diet because of its nutrient-rich, easily-digestible properties, this is your book. On the other hand, you might be interested in trying a brief soup cleanse because of its detoxifying effects on the organs; in that case, this is also your book.

I love that at the beginning of the recipes, there's background information and a short history of the dish, including where it originated from, as well as what it's been said to treat and heal. I love that as you're cooking up a delicious meal, you can learn a bit of history so that you're knowledgeable on what exactly you're eating. Another thing I really appreciate about this book is the fact that it has such useful "Cook's Notes" - if you're ever in doubt about anything, your questions are usually answered within these notes.

My one criticism of the book is that there's too much back and forth for me. For many of the recipes, they require you to also make a recipe (usually some type of stock or garnish) from elsewhere in the book. Generally, I'm not a fan of making multiple things for one dish - when I'm making a recipe, I usually want to be making one recipe, not multiple. That said, none of the recipes I tried were particularly difficult.

Clockwise from left: Simplest Chicken Pho (p.108); 
Greek Cucumber Yogurt Soup (p.52); Mulligatawny (p.95)

Now, let's get into what I made!

The first thing I made from this cookbook is something I don't have much experience with: Pho. I'd tried Pho exactly one time before I made this and I knew I liked it, so I thought it'd be a good idea to try and find myself a good recipe for this tasty Vietnamese soup. And let me tell you, the Simplest Chicken Pho recipe (p.108) is so. freaking. flavourful. I don't have much to compare it to, but I'd definitely say this is the best Pho I've had. I made it for a get-together and everyone flocked to it and complimented me for it, so it's not just me who liked it - I highly recommend this one!

For that same get-together, I made Mulligatawny (p.95), which is an Indian soup. It didn't get as much love because everyone wanted Pho, but those who tried this liked it. I thought it was really tasty and if you're in the mood for Indian food but you're maybe not feeling the best, hey, soup is great for that kind of a day, so Mulligatawny's got you covered.

The Greek Cucumber Yogurt Soup (p.52) & Avocado and Cucumber Salsa (p.132) is a cold soup that reminds me of Tzatziki sauce, which I'm obsessed with. Out of the soups I made, this was definitely the easiest because you stick all the ingredients in a blender and simply whirl away.

Clean Soups is all about the healing power of soup. The recipes are super healthy, nutritious, and let's not forget - absolutely delicious.

*I received a NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"Easy. Whole. Vegan." by Melissa King | Cookbook Review

Easy. Whole. Vegan. by Melissa King

Publishing Date: September 6, 2016
Publisher: The Experiment
Pages: 224
Links: Goodreads | Indigo | Book Depository | Amazon | Kobo

Melissa King was vegetarian for a long time before she became vegan and gluten-free, and the lifestyle permeates much of her life. The writer, photographer, and recipe developer for the blog My Whole Food Life, who is also a wife and mother, decided to switch to a plant-based, whole-food diet when a nutritionist suggested it could help her daughter, who had a host of serious medical issues. The new diet transformed her daughter and her family and now they swear by whole foods.

I've heard so many stories like Melissa's, about how embracing a vegan or plant-based diet has cured people of their ailments. It seems that natural foods, sans added chemicals and hormones, are best for us! Who would've guessed. Although I'm not vegan myself, I like to eat mostly vegetarian and vegan foods, and I find that I feel best when I eat plant-based foods. So I'm always excited to try new vegan recipes and cookbooks!

After we learn Melissa's family's story, she walks us through some common ingredients in a vegan pantry. I always find these sections useful because a vegan kitchen by nature has different staples than a "regular" kitchen does. One important distinction is that vegans need egg substitutes when baking! And did you know there are several ways to substitute an egg, including with chia and flax seeds?

I made a few recipes from the cookbook and the first one I want to mention is the Blueberry Muffin Smoothie (p.198), because it is SO GOOD. *Ahem* So. Good. I'm definitely a smoothie lover, but this is by far one of the best smoothies I've ever had. It feels like a hearty breakfast smoothie with just the right amount of sweetness. And I can't get over the shade of purple it was - the picture doesn't even do it justice. This is going to be a staple in my diet from now on.

Clockwise from top left: Maple Vanilla Bakes Oatmeal
Squares (p.33); Avocado and Chickpea-Stuffed Cucumbers
 (p.66); Caramelized Onion Soup (p.89); Blueberry Muffin
Smoothie (p.198)

The Maple Vanilla Baked Oatmeal Squares (p.33) were up next. I was excited to try these because based on their appearance, I thought they'd be granola bars, but they actually weren't. That would've been fine, but I found the texture really strange - I'm not really sure how to describe it, but I guess I'd say it was kind of soft and kind of like hard foam. That said, I know some vegan recipes take some adjusting to because they don't always use common ingredients. And these squares do taste good and would be great for on-the-go snacking!

I made the Avocado and Chickpea-Stuffed Cucumbers (p.66) as an appetizer for a get-together, and let me tell you, they went fast! These little bites pack a refreshing punch and are perfect for the summer weather we've been having.

The final recipe I made was the Caramelized Onion Soup (p.89). It was incredibly easy to make, as you just chop up your onions and gather a few other ingredients and then stick everything in a crock pot for a few hours. I found it nice though a bit bland, however, so I recommend using some pepper if you feel the same way. Since I'm not vegan, my quick fix was to eat it the traditional way, with some bread and melted cheese on top, and I found that it was great that way.

Overall, this is a useful cookbook if you're interested in going vegan. It provides good information how to adjust your pantry's staples and you'll learn vegan alternatives to common animal products. I have mixed feelings about the recipes I tried, but there are plenty more delicious-sounding recipes in the book, and the recipes I did enjoy were ones I loved.

*I received a NetGalley copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

"Batch" by Joel MacCharles & Dana Harrison | Book Review

Batch by Joel MacCharles & Dana Harrison

Publishing Date: May 3, 2016
Pages: 352
Publisher: Appetite by Random House
Links: Goodreads | Indigo | Book Depository | Amazon

It all started with a blog. In 2008, the food blog "WellPreserved.ca" was created; it now holds more than 700 recipes and has inspired a food festival, pop-up events, and even a graphic design company.

The first part of the book gives you instructions on seven different styles of preserving, including fermenting, cellaring, and infusing, which are the methods I used in the recipes I'll talk about at the end of this post. For complete beginners like me, these chapters will basically be your preserving Bible because they give you the basic knowledge you need to get started.

The recipes are organized by ingredient, which makes grocery store trips a dream when you're making things from this book. In each chapter, you'll learn a few different ways to preserve an ingredient, such as peaches, peppers, and meat. At the end of each chapter, there are recipes that show you the delicious ways you can use the preserves you've just made.

Along with each recipe, you can see the level of difficulty which, as a complete newcomer to preserving, I really valued. I wanted to start off easy so I could learn along the way and work up to some harder recipes.

Clockwise from left: Penne a la Chili-Infused Vodka (p. 178);
Fermented Pancakes with Maple Syrup with Dried Blueberries
(pp. 140 & 132); Fridge Pickles (p. 194)

The first things I made were Fermented Pancakes with Maple Syrup with Dried Blueberries. The maple syrup was easy to make, but you need to be very careful not to burn the syrup because that can happen in an instant. The pancakes were time-consuming (as pancakes generally are) but completely worth it because in all honesty, they are the best pancakes I've ever had - and my whole family was in agreement! My only problem was that there seems to be a missing step in the recipe - it never tells you what to do with the egg yolk mixture. Basically though, you just have to combine everything.

The pickles were by far the easiest recipe I made, and they were such a yummy snack.

Being the pasta freak I am, the penne recipe was definitely my favourite out of all the things I made. The recipe calls for chilies, but I went a step down in heat and used jalapenos instead. This recipe is SO delicious, I can't recommend it enough. It was my first time eating and making penne a la vodka, but it certainly won't be the last time!

I'm really pleased with how all the recipes I tried turned out, and I'm looking forward to trying more of these recipes and methods this summer when there are more foods in season!

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

"Sirocco" by Sabrina Ghayour | Book Review

Sirocco by Sabrina Ghayour

Publishing Date: May 3, 2016
Pages: 240
Publisher: Appetite by Random House
Links: Goodreads | Indigo | Book Depository | Amazon

The word "sirocco" means "a hot, dry wind blowing from East to West, often carrying with it flavours of the Mediterranean". And this cookbook is exactly that.

Sabrina Ghayour is back with her second cookbook, full of delicious recipes from the Middle East and the Mediterranean. The recipes are inspired by the flavours of the East, but use the ingredients and cooking styles of the West. From snacks to main dishes to desserts, Ghayour uses simple, everyday ingredients to make wonderfully flavourful food.

As I flipped through this book looking for recipes I wanted to try, I found myself flagging practically everything - the recipes just sound (and the photography looks) that good!

As the introduction suggests, it's easy to find most of the ingredients required in this cookbook. For the recipes I decided to make, all the ingredients were either things I had at home, or things that we regularly buy for our household anyway. It was convenient to not have to look for "special" ingredients!

Clockwise from left: Dark Chocolate & Pistachio Cookies (p. 219);
Kofta Burgers (p. 181); Two-Cheese Melts with Thyme-Roasted
Onions (p. 30); Grape Leaf-Baked Feta (p. 81)

I ended up making two appetizer/snack recipes, one main dish, and a dessert. All of them were delicious. I think my personal favourite was either the Kofta Burgers or the Two-Cheese Melts with Thyme-Roasted Onions, but it's a tough competition.

Everything was pretty simple/easy to make and didn't require a whole lot of effort, which is a plus. I think people of most skill levels in the kitchen would be able to make these recipes with no problems.

To top it all off, these recipes are approved by everyone in my family who tried them, which means that in some cases, they're even picky-people-approved!

Sirocco is full of simple, delicious recipes and it has quickly become my favourite cookbook!

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

"Eat Better, Live Better, Feel Better" by Julie Cove | Book Review

Eat Better, Live Better, Feel Better by Julie Cove

Publishing Date: March 1, 2016
Pages: 298
Publisher: Appetite by Random House
Links: Goodreads | Indigo | Book Depository | Kobo

Eat Better, Live Better, Feel Better is an interesting new cookbook all about alkalizing your life. It includes a 4-step program to ease you into the alkaline lifestyle.

I was interested in this cookbook because I like learning about the different ways you can feed your body - i.e. vegan, paleo, gluten-free, alkaline - and I love having recipes for clean eating.

This cookbook is very educational on the subject of an alkaline diet, and there's tons of useful information provided. You'll learn everything from what exactly the alkaline lifestyle is, to how to check your pH levels, to the symptoms of overacidity in your diet. There's a list of foods and their alkaline levels...even an alkaline food pyramid! It's full of beautiful pictures, adorable illustrations, and delicious-sounding recipes.

I went through the whole book looking for recipes I could sink my teeth into. Like I've said before on here, I do consider my kitchen very well-stocked...in spite of this, I could only find three recipes to make based on what I had at home.

Clockwise from left: Chai-Spiced Hemp Mylk (p. 121);
Lemon-Lime Chia Fresca (p. 120); Wild Summer Berries
with Vanilla Almond Lemon Cream (p. 257)

Now, that's subjective because it all depends on what kind of food you stock your kitchen with; part of what I learned from this book is that if I were to eat alkaline, I'd have to do an overhaul because there are a lot of different- and sometimes fancy-sounding things required for several recipes, and they're not what I consider everyday ingredients based on how and what I eat now.

Having said all that, I was able to find three recipes (in addition to the recipe for alkaline water, which I also made because several recipes call for it) as I like to do for cookbooks. For me personally, these are all an acquired taste. They're things that in my mind I think I could get used to, or that I need to tweak for my own taste buds next time I make the recipes.

All in all, this cookbook teaches you all about what it means to eat an alkaline diet and why it's good for your body. It's full of alkaline, mostly vegan meals, and even though the ones I tried weren't my favourite, there are still tons of recipes I'd like to try from this book!

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

"Hot Thai Kitchen" by Pailin Chongchitnant | Book Review

Hot Thai Kitchen by Pailin Chongchitnant

Publishing Date: March 8, 2016
Pages: 264
Publisher: Appetite by Random House
Links: Goodreads | Indigo | Book Depository | Kobo

Pailin Chongchitnant grew up in Thailand, watching all the beautiful, fragrant food being made in her kitchen. She became a Cordon Bleu-educated chef in San Francisco and, wanting to share her knowledge and teach people about Thai cuisine, she started her own cooking show on YouTube called Hot Thai Kitchen!

Pailin really seeks to educate in this cookbook. There is so much interesting, useful information in this book for those of us who are interested in learning about Thai food - there are nearly 100 pages before the "Recipes" section, with everything from how Thais eat, to iconic dishes from different regions of Thailand, to the structure of a Thai dish.

One section I found very interesting was "How to Make an Educated Substitution". In this, Pailin teaches us what we need to consider about the recipe before we decide what substitute to use. What you use depends on several factors, and it's great information to have so you can rest assured you're still making an authentically Thai dish.

Another great section is "Where to Buy Thai Ingredients". It's important to note that Thai cuisine involves a particular set of ingredients. I consider my kitchen to be very well-stocked, but I was missing tons of ingredients because Thai food involves a lot of ingredients I don't generally keep on hand. That said, I was still able to make delicious food from this book, using only what I had at home.

And now, on to the food!

My absolute favourite dish I made, and the one that was by far the biggest hit with my family, were the Crispy Spring Rolls. For some reason I had anticipated these being hard to make, but I actually found them pretty simple and kind of therapeutic to make! I didn't have spring roll wrappers, which the recipe asked for, so instead I used rice paper and I think it worked out really well. These spring rolls are so delicious and I'm already looking for an excuse to make more.

Clockwise from the top: Crispy Spring Rolls (p. 162); Street-
Style Fried Bananas (p. 225); Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with
Soy Sauce & Chinese Broccoli

Whenever I'm at a restaurant and I see that they have fried bananas, that's my go-to dessert. So when I saw this recipe for Street-Style Fried Bananas, it wasn't even a question, I knew I was going to make these. Again, I didn't have the Namwa bananas or sweet plantains that the recipe called for, so I used regular bananas and they worked great. This dish is a nice balance of sweet (from the sugar and coconut) and savoury (from the sesame seeds).

The last dish I made from the cookbook was Stir-Fried Rice Noodles with Soy Sauce & Chinese Broccoli. Now, I made a lot of substitutions in this recipe (instant noodles instead of rice noodles, broccoli instead of Chinese broccoli), but I kept the sauce pretty close to what was called for. Even though the ingredients were quite different from the recipe, I really like how the dish turned out!

All in all, Hot Thai Kitchen is a very informative cookbook full of pretty photography and delicious recipes. It's great for anyone interested in learning about Thai cuisine and becoming acquainted with new ingredients!

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

"Seven Spoons" by Tara O'Brady | Book Review

Seven Spoons by Tara O'Brady

When I heard this book was coming out, I was excited. Really excited. To me, it's so cool to know that a fellow blogger is having a book published!

Tara O'Brady has been blogging over at sevenspoons.net for years now, providing us with delicious recipes to try, and gorgeous photography to ogle.

In Seven Spoons: My Favorite Recipes for Any and Every Day, Tara describes the culinary diversity she grew up with, and how that still expanded when she started to make a life of her own.

This book is a collection of her favourite recipes, ones that have become staples with her family and friends. There are simple recipes and more complicated ones, recipes with a handful of ingredients and ones with a long list, recipes for everyday food and ones for special occasions. Tara's aforementioned culinary diversity is very present in Seven Spoons - from Pakora (Indian Vegetable Fritters; p.131) to Vietnamese-Inspired Sausage Rolls (p.135) to Dog in a Bog (a twist on the classic British Toad in the Hole; p.157). There's something here for everyone to try!

Tara writes at the beginning of each recipe, telling stories of how each came to be and imparting cooking knowledge. The layout of the book makes it easy to plan your day's meals, as it is divided into sections: Breads & Breakfasts; Lunches; Soups, Starters & Snacks; Suppers; Vegetables & Sides; Sweets, Treats & Sips; Staples.

Chocolate Olive Oil Zucchini Muffins, pp.57-58

I've said it once and I'll say it again: the photography is absolutely beautiful. The colours, patterns, arrangements, lighting - they're all a pleasure to look at. You need only look at the front cover to know the quality of photography within!

Now - on to the recipes I tried!

The first recipe I made out of Seven Spoons was the Chocolate Olive Oil Zucchini Bread. The recipe gives the option of making muffins, so I elected to make them that way.

It started off with my mom wanting to make zucchini bread. Hoping to sway the recipe in my taste buds' favour, I said, "There's a chocolate version in Seven Spoons." I needed say no more, that was that! Chocolate always wins.

They were delicious. Fun fact: zucchini pretty much takes on the flavour of whatever you put it with, so this was like having a chocolate muffin that's good for you. My sister hates zucchini and she didn't know there was any in these until I told her - after she'd had several.

I also did a cooking day with Christine and Michelle, where we each chose a recipe we wanted to try, and then we made them together! Two out of the three recipes were pretty simple; I, as usual, managed to pick a more complicated recipe.

I've always loved the aesthetics of Salad Rolls, and so I've wanted to make them for a long time - and when I saw the recipe in Seven Spoons, I figured it was my perfect opportunity! Let's just say, I'm glad Christine was there to do the rolling, because rice paper is difficult to work with if you don't know what you're doing.

The rolls themselves were yummy - the sauces are what really make it. You have an option of two different sauces, and though they were both great, I prefer the milder sesame dressing. And you can adapt the salad rolls and put whatever you want in them, it's really a matter of what you like.

Next up: Mushrooms and Greens with Toast. So good!! Of the three things we made that day, this was definitely my favourite. You get lots of nutrients from the mushrooms and spinach, with all the comfort of that melted cheese. And it was so easy!

Last but not least, the Roasted Red Pepper, Almond, and Feta Salad. I loved this recipe too! I love the taste of roasted red peppers straight out of the oily jar, and to add feta cheese (mmm...) and almonds to that is genius to me.

I know I was in the minority that day in terms of liking the amount of lemon juice in the salad, but part of the beauty of this book is that with a lot of the recipes, you can adapt the ingredients according to your palette preferences or even just what you have on hand!

Tara's passion for food shines through in her debut cookbook, and her photography and words will make you feel that passion too. Whether you're a beginner or a pro in the kitchen, there are many delicious recipes in Seven Spoons for you to try!

To see my recap of last night's book launch, click here!


Seven Spoons is now available in hardcover (see Chapters/Indigo and Amazon) and as an eBook (see Amazon Kindle and Kobo).

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

"The Sweetapolita Bakebook" by Rosie Alyea | Book Review

The Sweetapolita Bakebook by Rosie Alyea

I absolutely love decorating cakes and desserts, so I was very excited to hear about this, The Sweetapolita Bakebook: 75 Fanciful Cakes, Cookies, and More to Decorate, written by Rosie Alyea.

Rosie has loved cakes for a long time, but she fell in love with designing them when she attended the acclaimed Bonnie Gordon School in Toronto. She started the Sweetapolita blog in 2010, and it has been gaining in popularity ever since.

Many of the recipes in this book are interactive, meaning if you make a cake or some cookies for a kids' party, they can decorate the desserts however they want to. This encourages creativity which I think is so important, valuable, and thrilling for children big and small (I'm included in that statement!).

I can't comment too much on the colour photography because I have an uncorrected proof that's mostly black and white, but the few colour photos at the front are stunning - there's so much colour involved in these recipes, it makes me happy just to look at them!

As you may know, I like to make a few recipes out of the cook/bakebooks I review, and this time was no different. I made three recipes in one day, with the help of my best friend Christine over at Padfoot's Library, and we were exhausted by the end of it. Making these pretty things gives you an appreciation for what professional bakers do!

No exaggeration, this is probably the best chocolate cake I've ever had. The icing involves a lot of steps, but it's absolutely worth it in my opinion. I like the nearly-naked look of the cake too! The cake itself is so moist (it's an icky word, but it's a great thing when you're talking about cake) and together with the icing, it's a rich and decadent cake.

Sugar cookies are always complicated, but they're also delicious. The watercolour painting requires some artistic skill to achieve the loveliness pictured in the book, but I imagine it would be a great and fun thing to have kids do at a party - they'd love the opportunity to decorate their own cookies! And that's part of the draw of this book - the interactive nature.

In my opinion, the two baked goods recipes I made are geared toward people with some home baking experience, as opposed to novice bakers: the cake icing is complicated because it begins as a meringue, which is easy to mess up, so thankfully my mom (who bakes up a delicious storm) was around to answer my questions and help out; and sugar cookies always involve a lot of steps, so that's no fault of this recipe.

Rest assured, there are some simple recipes in this book, it's just that my eyes were immediately drawn to the more complicated ones because of how pretty they are.

If you don't have a pantry stocked with a lot of cake decorating things, it might be a little pricey for you at first because food colouring and cake decorating tools can be expensive - so stock up on coupons. For me, it pretty much always ends up being worth buying the tools because I love seeing people's reactions to nicely-decorated baked goodies - in fact, I'm planning on making another cake from Sweetapolita this weekend for a family friend's birthday!

If you love making unique desserts or are interested in learning, this is a great book for you. It'll give you an appreciation for the hard work that goes into these beautiful creations, and you'll end up with pretty, delicious treats you'll love!


The Sweetapolita Bakebook is now available in paperback (see Chapters/Indigo and Amazon) and eBook (see Kobo and Amazon Kindle) formats.

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

1 and 2. Photos by nikkitheknack. 3. Photo courtesy Penguin Random House Canada.

"Good Food, Good Life" by Curtis Stone | Book Review

Good Food, Good Life by Curtis Stone

Curtis Stone loves food, and he wants you to be able to love it as well. For him, food isn't just something you ingest - it's an experience. Food brings people together, whether it be for drinks and a snack with friends, or for a hearty feast with the whole family. His passion for food is very clear, and he seems to genuinely want to spread love through food.

His new cookbook, Good Food, Good Life: 130 Simple Recipes You'll Love to Make and Eat, includes recipes you can make for all manner of occasions. The book is divided into the following categories: Light Meals, Dinners, Sides, Sweets, In the Morning, Snacks, and Drinks. Each chapter begins with an anecdote about what the food means to him, which is a nice personal touch.

There's a lot of variety in the recipes in this book, and most of them use ingredients that are easy to find at your local grocery store. I've made a few recipes so far, and all of them were pretty easy to accomplish - and they were delicious!

I made the Grilled Vegetable Salad with Curry-Yogurt Vinaigrette (p. 8), which was very yummy on its own, but I added some goat cheese for a nice variation. The Veggie Flatbread Sandwich with Feta-Yogurt Spread (p. 34), which I had on the Grilled Flatbreads with Garlic-Rosemary Oil (p. 230), was a scrumptious, refreshing sandwich that I'll probably be having often this summer. The Maple-Glazed Planked Salmon (p. 85) was so good; the maple brine soaked through the whole fillet for a beautifully sweet taste - it was a hit with my whole family.

I love a good cookbook, but there are always some recipes that work out and some that don't. With Good Food, Good Life, I've been really pleasantly surprised because everything I've tried so far has been so tasty and simple to make!

What's your favourite recipe to make at home?

*This book was sent to me by Penguin Random House Canada in exchange for an honest review.

Photos 1-2 by nikkitheknack. Banner courtesy Penguin Random House Canada.

December Book Haul!

I got a few books this month! Most of them were gifts (thanks, friends!), though I did win a book through Goodreads and I did pick one up from Book Outlet. Regardless of how I got my books, I'm excited to read them!

1. Yes Please by Amy Poehler

2. The Oh She Glows Cookbook by Angela Liddon

3. The Infects by Sean Beaudoin

4. Sign by Lou Rera

Enter Goodreads giveaways here!

5. The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie

What books did you get this month?