Tag Archives: cookbooks

Autumn Hot Drinks

Don’t these look yummy?

What is your fav autumn “warm up” drink?

Mine is hot chocolate with all the fixins’. 😉

Hope you’re having a great week . Hugs, G

Raw Kale & Radish Pesto with Zucchini Noodles

Are you a fan of KALE?

Can’t say that I have been to date, 😉 in spite of liking almost every other kind of veggie there is!

But this post over at Girl Eats Greens grabbed my attention today, as I browsed the WP Reader.

Looks so yummy and healthy too. 🙂

Happy Eating and Week! G

Girl Eats Greens

One of my favorite things about spring turning into summer is all the deliciousness that continues to show up at my local farmer’s market. While I don’t buy all my groceries there, I do spend time every Sunday walking along with my pup and seeing what’s new to the market. What I’ve seen a lot lately? Fiddleheads. I have no idea what to do with them. But I’m dying to try them. I also stumbled upon a bunch of bright red radishes.

Raw Kale Radish Pesto with Zucchini Noodles Vegan Vegetarian Gluten Free Girl Eats Greens_0011

Growing up, I was never a fan of radishes, I thought they were too bitter. But as I’m getting older I think a lot of it had to do with the preparation of the radishes. As in, there wasn’t any. I was handed a whole radish to pop into dill dip. Radishes can have a pretty strong flavor – but if you break them down, thinly slice or


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Groovy Green Kitchen UPDATES, Now Available :-)

GGK II cover (front )

The_Groovy_Green_Kit_Cover_for_Kindle

The Groovy Green Kitchen I: Weeknight Veggie Slow Cooker

The Groovy Green Kitchen II: Simply, Super, Supper Soups

I have updated the photos in both of my: Groovy Green Kitchen cookbooks (Kindle versions) and free updates are now available from Amazon.

Amazon.com has kindly informed me that they will be sending out notices to customers who purchased one or both of these eBooks previously, re: the update. But in case you don’t hear from them, you can also contact Amazon to get the free updates.

I was having issues with the photos in both of these eBooks, when zoomed in particular. They are now looking much better and I think have added to the overall presentation quite a bit.

I have less than an optimal set-up for kitchen photos at present, but with some photo editing that I did and some help from the talented: Lissa at Postcards from the Rain (thanks again Lissa!), they are now good to go.

I also suggested to Amazon that white borders on the zoomed version of photos (instead of the ugly brown they had previously) would look a lot better. They sent in my suggestion for consideration and woohoo, they have now made that change! 🙂

I am also looking for more reviewers for both of these cookbooks.

If you like to cook and would be interested in giving one or both of these eBooks a “test drive” send me an email at:

veggiecook  @myway  .com (spaces removed), type REVIEWER in subject line

and we can go from there.  

Have a wonderful week and Happy Cooking! 🙂

Book Review AND Recipes! :-) 750 Best Muffin Recipes by Camilla V. Saulsbury

750Muffincover[1]

ChaiLatte750Muffin[1]

From the Vegan Muffins section:

Chai Latte Muffins

Scented with many of the spices of chai, these muffins are wonderful with hot black tea.

Makes 12 muffins

 12-cup muffin pan, greased

1 cup vanilla-flavored non-dairy milk (soy, almond, rice, hemp)   250 ml

2 tbsp loose black tea  30 mL

2 cups  all-purpose flour  500 mL

2 tsp  baking powder 10 mL

11⁄2 tsp  ground cinnamon  7 mL

11⁄2 tsp  ground cardamom  7 mL

1⁄2 tsp  ground ginger 2 mL

1⁄2 tsp  baking soda   2 mL

1⁄2 tsp   salt 2 mL

1⁄4 tsp  ground cloves 1 mL

2⁄3 cup packed light brown sugar     150 mL

2⁄3 cup plain soy yogurt   150 mL

1⁄3 cup vegetable oil 75 mL

1 tsp vanilla extract    5 mL

  1. In a small saucepan, bring milk and tea to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, discarding tea leaves, and let cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, baking soda, salt and cloves.
  4. Whisk brown sugar, yogurt, oil and vanilla into milk mixture until well blended.
  5. Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended.
  6. Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups.
  7. Bake for 19 to 23 minutes or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool.

 

 RaspOat750Muffin[1]

From the Breakfast Muffins section:

Raspberry Oat Muffins

These tempting, raspberry-filled muffins are a nice (and healthy) way to get started in the morning.

 Makes 15 muffins

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)

Two 12-cup muffin pans, 15 cups greased

2 cups  all-purpose flour  500 mL

1 cup large-flake (old-fashioned) rolled oats  250 ml

1 cup  packed light brown sugar   250 mL

2 tsp baking powder 10 mL

1⁄2 tsp   baking soda   2 mL

1⁄2 tsp   salt 2 mL

1⁄2 tsp  ground allspice   2 mL

1 egg  

1 cup milk 250 mL

1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, melted 60 mL

1 tsp vanilla extract  5 mL

11⁄2 cups raspberries  375 mL

1⁄4 cup granulated sugar  60 mL

 

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and allspice.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, milk, butter and vanilla until well blended.
  3. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just blended. Gently fold in raspberries.
  4. Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
  5. Bake in preheated oven for 16 to 21 minutes or until tops are light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pans on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then transfer to the rack to cool.

Courtesy of 750 Best Muffin Recipes by Camilla V. Saulsbury

© 2010 www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with publisher permission.

♄♄

As any of my regular readers already know, I’m a BIG fan of muffins! So, when I had the opportunity to test-drive this MASSIVE muffin collection, I was a happy camper! 😉

And 750 Best Muffin Recipes did not disappoint. This is a fantastic baking book and one that every muffin lover needs to have! 

So far, I have made the:

-Toasted Walnut Muffins (Satisfying and not too sweet, perfect for breakfast)

-Oatmeal and Prune Muffins ( I ♄ prunes and these are VERY satisfying, with a nice “toothsome” texture)

Brown Rice and Cheese Muffins (These were AMAZING served with the Cream of Cauliflower and Tarragon Soup from The Groovy Green Kitchen II: Simply, Super, Supper Soups)

And on the menu today:

-Coconut Crumb Muffins (These look so delish, LOADED with coconut in the muffins and topping them too)

I’m planning to try one or two new muffin recipes each week, to work my way through this book. That’s going to take a while but what a yummy journey it will be. 😉

What do I like about this cookbook, well…everything actually!

The recipes are creative, original, easy to make, LOTS of variety (and that includes everything from the top muffin classics, coffeehouse gourmet muffins, gluten free muffins and a good selection of vegan ones too!)

Another plus, from what I’ve noted so far, none of the recipes are heavy on sugar or a lot of other unhealthy ingredients…it really is the ultimate muffin-lovers collection and I’m so glad to have a copy to enjoy, again and again and again!

The only thing that I am tweaking a bit in each recipe is when adding: coconut, fruit, nuts, etc…to the mix. I always add these with the dry ingredients, (not as the last additions)  to dredge them with the flour etc. and to help to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins when mixed. A little baking tip that has worked well over the years. No problem making this slight change and for me, it’s just a long-time personal preference.

And I hope you enjoy the two luscious muffin recipes featured above,that were graciously provided by Robert Rose, the publishers of this cookbook. Stop by their site to see all their bestselling cookbook choices.

And definitely DO plan to order a copy of 750 Best Muffin Recipes soon!

750 Best Muffin Recipes (Amazon.ca) 

750 Best Muffin Recipes (Amazon.com)

Now I’m off to the kitchen to get those muffin cups ready! 😉

Happy Baking!  

 

On the Menu: Tangy Barley Buttermilk Soup

image019

It was a perfect “soup day” yesterday, here in BC. 🙂

There was a bit of chill in the air, intermittent drizzle….so I got busy and made a big pot of: Tangy Barley Buttermilk Soup along with some: Sausage, Cheese and Thyme Muffins. What a yummy and oh so satisfying dinner it was! 🙂

GGK II cover (front )

I’ve shared the complete soup recipe below, this one is from the Groovy Green Kitchen II: Simply, Super, Supper Soups.

The muffins are from volume I of: The Groovy Green Kitchen: Weeknight Veggie Slow Cooker. They were perfect with this luscious, cream soup. 😉

The_Groovy_Green_Kit_Cover_for_Kindle

I hope you’ll enjoy a bowl (or two) soon!

Happy Cooking and Week!

PS: Yes, the cover of the GGK I has been updated.I also did some work on the interior photos to improve the overall presentation. If you have a copy already, an update would be available from Amazon. If you need any further info. about this, just send me an email (see contact page).

***

Tangy Barley Buttermilk Soup

This soup was inspired by a recipe from the first edition of the ground-breaking book: Diet for a Small Planet. My updated version adds garlic and herbs but leaves out the butter.

I also recently “tweaked” the seaonings a bit, adding some from Splendor Garden (certified organic, gotta ♄ that, and they added a wonderful flavor and color boost to the soup). Serves 6.

-Ÿ C. pearl or pot barley

-3 T. vegetable or olive oil

-1 large (preferably sweet) onion, diced

-2-4 cloves garlic, minced (to taste)

-2 teas. bouquet garni seasoning or GGK Herbal Blend Seasoning (GGK seasoning recipe is in the book)

-1-2 teas. dried chives (to taste)

-ÂŒ – œ teas. freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

-1-2 teas. Splendor Garden Organic All-Purpose Seasoning SF OR Splendor Garden Organic Lemon Pepper Seasoning

-5 C. vegetable soup stock

-2 C. regular or low-fat buttermilk

-Optional garnishes: finely chopped fresh parsley or chives and/or additional sprinkle of Splendor Garden seasoning blend

Thoroughly rinse and drain barley, set aside.

In a large soup pot, heat vegetable oil over MEDIUM-HIGH heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes.

Add herbs, black pepper, Splendor Garden seasoning and the barley and stir to combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Cover and steam over MEDIUM-LOW heat for 5 minutes to release flavors and slightly toast barley. (Hint: be careful not to burn the barley, stir at least a couple of times)

Add vegetable soup stock, cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to LOW and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until barley is cooked but not mushy.

Add buttermilk to soup and simmer for 2-3 additional minutes, just to heat through.

Adjust seasonings if required. Garnish and serve.

Cookbook Countdown! ;-)

I’m type, type, typing…. away!!!

cover crop

I’ve made the end of February, my deadline for finishing my newest cookbook (print and Kindle/eBook versions):

The Groovy Green Kitchen II: Simply, Super, Supper Soups

I think I can still reach my time goal; I am on the home stretch. 😉

I don’t know why this particular book project has taken me sooooo long to complete.

But right now, I’m just focused on the fact that it IS almost complete and that’s a good thing! 🙂

In the meantime, I am having a free Kindle promo this weekend for my other GGK cookbook:

GGK COVER WITH MY PHOTO-FRONT COVER ONLY

The Groovy Green Kitchen I: Weeknight Veggie Slow Cooker

It will be available as a free Kindle/eBook download, all this weekend (Feb. 20-22) at:

Amazon.com, .ca, UK….

♄♄♄

And here’s a sample soup recipe from the GGK II:

Southern Nights Slow Cooker Veggie and Sausage Gumbo…

….to get your taste-buds ready for the full collection. 😉

In addition to lots of great soups in this new book/eBook, there’s a variety of side dishes to go along with them. 

Wish me luck for finishing “on time” and happy weekend, G 

Got Pretzels to Use Up? Check Out This Recipe List! ;-)

I’m NOT a big fan of pretzels but I DO use them when I make:

Slow Cooker Party Mix. 

The problem is, where we live, there seems to be no small bags of pretzels, just LARGE BAGS that leave me with a lot left over, when I make a batch of party mix.

Thought I’d check out some other ideas for using up pretzels today and I found this list:

27 Perfect Ways to Eat Pretzels

I’m still undecided what I’m going to try from this list, maybe the Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars or the snack mix.

But I definitely will be able to use up those pretzels! 😉

Do you like pretzels? Have any recipes to share that include pretzels? Please do! 😉

Happy Cooking! 

Photo courtesy of Flickr

Two Kindle Countdown Deals at Amazon.com! :-)

Two of my Kindle books are on sale (at Amazon.com only) from November 21-28th. 

**Here is the Countdown Deal page link at Amazon.com to find both deals.**

Featured Image -- 4481

third chapter second chance cover

I am not able to access the page with the discount price living in Canada, but both eBooks should come up at .99 sale price, for anyone living in the US. 

Just go to the Cookbook category for The Groovy Green Kitchen and the Romance category for Third Chapter, Second Chance via the link I’ve given above, scroll down the list to my book(s) and the sale price will come up. 

Happy Reading and Weekend! 🙂

New Cookbook Progress and Reviewers Needed

potato soup

I’ve been working on my third cookbook for several months now and have been making slow but steady progress on this project.

This will be the second book/Ebook in the Groovy Green Kitchen series.

This one is all about yummy soups along with a selection of easy, interchangeable side dishes to go with them.

I ♄ soups so much and all year long, so this is definitely an easy topic/book project for me to take on with a lot of interest and enthusiasm!

I have had some unforeseen delays in getting this book completed (most beyond my control) but now I’m thinking that wasn’t such a bad thing after all. 😉 Summer is NOT the time to release a new soup cookbook, the fall is definitely better.

And by autumn: The Groovy Green Kitchen (Volume 2): Simply, Super, Supper Soups will definitely be a “done deal” 😉

In the meantime, I am also still promoting all my other books, including my newest one:

Laughing AT the Grim Reaper! Gems of Wisdom for Aging Well

 that I just published in April.

I need more Amazon reviews for all my books and here’s where you come in. 😉

If any of you are interested in reading/reviewing one of my books: 

Amazon Author’s Page for Geraldine Helen Hartman (click to see list)

send me an email (subject line: book reviewer) at:

veggiecook @ myway . com (spaces removed)

and I will be happy to send along a review/gift Kindle copy for this purpose.

I have 6 Ebooks now available so this is definitely not just for the cooks who are reading this! 😉

And thanks to everyone who has already written reviews for my books/Ebooks! Most appreciated.

Happy Reading, Cooking and Mid-Week! 

Spiced Pumpkin Seed and Cashew Crunch

***Doesn’t these look like a yummy snack option?***

Thanks to Chef Julianna for this spiced nut-mix recipe.

I’m planning to make some later this week. Looks like a keeper! 😉

Happy Snacking.

Foodie On Board

Pumpkin Seed and Cashew Crunch Pumpkin Seed and Cashew Crunch

Everyone loves a party, right?  Especially in the bleak winter months of January and February when we all need a lift!  Well, when I heard that Angie over at The Novice Gardener was hosting a Friday night blog party called Fiesta Friday, I thought it would be fun to hang out with a bunch of like-minded bloggers and mix and mingle a bit. So, like I normally do when I’m going to a pot-luck, I hit my back issues of Bon AppĂ©tit magazine to search for some inspiration for my contribution.  When I saw this recipe I knew what I was bringing!  It’s perfect for a party and I could make a double batch as afternoon snacks for my husband and I. This is an awesome recipe! Let me tell you, we have been nibbling away at the bowl since yesterday and you guys


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