Foodie Fridays: Oh She Glows Every Day
As I’m writing this blog post, my house is filled with the aroma of seasoned chickpeas roasting in the oven and my hands have a briney scent to them. I’m making the Crowd-Pleasing Caesar Salad from Angela Liddon’s new and highly anticipated cookbook, Oh She Glows Every Day (although as a note, this particular recipe is actually on her blog too).
Here’s what’s particularly cool. Angela Liddon, the blogger and chef behind the wildly popular plant-based blog Oh She Glows, is not only one of the most recognizable names in vegan cooking, I’d wager she’s one of the best-known Canadian bloggers / chefs / foodies on the planet. Her debut cookbook actually spent weeks on the New York Times bestsellers list and fans were hungry (pun intended) for more. So in between having a baby and promoting her first book, Angela started working on recipes behind the scenes.
Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin
So what’s changed between now and then? Well, as I mentioned – Angela’s got a family now, and along with that, a busier schedule. As much as I love, love, love her first cookbook (her Life-Affirming Cheese Dip is amongst my top 5 recipes of all time), I’ll admit, sometimes the time investment was a bit much for me on some dishes. The difference then, is in the title: Oh She Glows Every Day. The focus is on recipes you can use daily, many of which have way shorter prep and cooking times (like Mac and Peas or Green Taco Wraps, which both take under an hour in my experience), with handy shortcuts sprinkled throughout, like boiling your cashews instead of soaking them to get them softened up for the salad I mentioned making.
High-Rise Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spiced Buttercream Frosting / Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin.
As you might expect, the recipes are divided into the usual suspects, with chapters dedicated to everything from breakfast (hello Strawberry Oat Crumble Bars and Black Bean Rancheros) to dessert (Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies and Mile-High Black-and-White Freezer Fudge anyone?). A couple of notable inclusions? There’s an entire chapter on Smoothies & Smoothie Bowls – the latter of which were a new concept to me but definitely a fun spin on my morning meal. Get started with the Glowing Rainbow Smoothie Bowl! There’s also a chapter just on cookies and bars. In fact, this book is a bit more tailored towards those with a sweet tooth, with 16 dessert-type recipes, plus the smoothies and breakfasts often dipping into the sugar pool. That’s not a bad thing, but something to keep in mind if you aren’t looking to fix your sugar craving.
Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup / Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin.
I got to trial about a half-dozen recipes over the few weeks I’ve been testing out Oh She Glows Every Day. I opted for recipes from different sections of the book to get a feel for the level of effort involved, as well as the ingredients. When I review plant-based cookbooks in particular, I think it’s really key to highlight the latter, as oftentimes people get overwhelmed at tracking down some more ‘exotic’ vegan recipes. The good news? This cookbook is chockful of homemade staple recipes to simplify the buying process, and I was surprised at how often I’d glance at a recipe and realize all I needed were one or two fresh ingredients, depending on what the dish entailed – it really does capitalize on foods most of us have in our cupboards.
Fusilli Lentil-Mushroom Bolognese / Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin
More importantly though, is the taste. The reason why the original Oh She Glows cookbook has been such a staple in my cooking lineup is the flavours each dish is absolutely FULL of. From the 6 Vegetable and Cheese soup that’s a medley of fresh veggies and zip in every bite to the The Best Shredded Kale Salad (not a misnomer) to the explosively flavourful Comforting Red Lentil and Chickpea Curry, there wasn’t a dish in the bunch that was a miss.
So who is Oh She Glows Every Day for? Well for one, Vegetarian / Vegan Awareness Month is coming up in October, so it’d be a swell gift for that. It’s also a great book for anyone that loved the first one and wants to add a little more glow in their lives. In some ways, it’s actually a better book to buy for someone that’s new to vegan cooking and Angela’s methodologies – it’s a little simpler (but not dumbed down) and the quickness of the recipes / familiarity of the ingredients may bring some doubters on board. I love it as a gift for your best gal pal, mom, or sibling – or anyone simply curious about trying out some amazing vegan recipes. Angela Liddon is in a class of her own when it comes to creating tasty, healthy, balanced meals.
Want to try one for yourself? I’ve got a preview recipe from Oh She Glows Every Day below, for Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Argula – a perfect side that doubles as a weekday potato salad. *Drool*
Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula
From Oh She Glows Every Day. Copyright © 2016, Glo Bakery Corporation. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin.
This is one of those amazing side dishes that disappears incredibly fast! It’s a fancy, restaurant-worthy recipe that is sure to impress special guests. (If you are serving a large crowd, I recommend doubling the recipe since it only serves four as a side.) If you’ve been skeptical about arugula in the past, I encourage you to give this recipe a try; the spicy, peppery-tasting green pairs beautifully with a bold and bright pesto. If you can’t find baby arugula, be sure to chop regular arugula into bite-size pieces so it’s easier to eat. Hemp hearts add a kick of protein and omega-3 fatty acids for a nutritional boost. This dish is amazing served warm, but the chilled leftovers taste great as well.
Ingredients:
FOR THE POTATOES
2 pounds (900 g) Yukon Gold or red potatoes, unpeeled, chopped into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes (about 6 cups/ 1.5 L)
1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons (22 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE ROASTED GARLIC
1 large garlic head
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
FOR THE PESTO
1 cup (250 mL/3/4 ounce/20 g) lightly packed fresh basil leaves
3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 mL) hemp hearts
1/4 cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (30 mL) fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE SALAD
3 cups (750 mL) baby arugula, chopped
Fresh lemon juice, for serving(optional)
1 tablespoon (15 mL) hemp hearts, for garnish
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line an extra-large baking sheet (15 by 21 inches/38 by 53 cm) with parchment paper.
- Make the potatoes Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and toss with the olive oil until thoroughly coated. Spread the potatoes into an even layer. Season with a couple of pinches of salt and pepper.
- Make the roasted garlic Slice the top off the garlic bulb so all the individual garlic cloves are trimmed. Place garlic bulb on a square of aluminum foil (about 8 inches/20 cm square) and drizzle the top of the cloves with the olive oil. Wrap the garlic bulb entirely in the foil and place it on the baking sheet with the potatoes.
- Roast the potatoes and garlic for 20 minutes, then remove pan from the oven and flip the potatoes with a spatula. Return the potatoes and garlic to the oven and continue roasting for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the potatoes are golden and fork-tender.
- Make the pesto In a food processor, combine the pesto ingredients and process until mostly smooth, stopping to scrape down the bowl as necessary. Keep the pesto in the processor because we will add the roasted garlic as the final step.
- Remove the potatoes and garlic from the oven. Carefully unwrap the garlic bulb and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes, until it’s cool enough to handle.
- Turn off the oven and return the potatoes to the oven with the door ajar so they stay warm. (You can also put the potatoes into an oven-safe casserole dish so the dish stays warm when serving.) Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of the bulb. You should have about 2 packed tablespoons (30 mL) of roasted garlic. Add it into the food processor with the pesto. Process until mostly smooth—you can add a touch more oil if necessary to get it going.
- Assemble the salad This is the important part where you need to act fast; I like to assemble the salad very quickly so that it’s warm when I serve it. Grab a large serving bowl and place the arugula in the bottom of the bowl. You can break it up into smaller pieces with your hands a bit. Then, remove the potatoes from the oven and quickly place them into the serving bowl on top of the arugula. Toss the potatoes and arugula with the pesto until thoroughly combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Sometimes I add another drizzle of lemon juice if I feel like the dish needs more acidity. Sprinkle on the hemp hearts and serve immediately.
Tip: On the rare chance that you have any leftovers, I’ve discovered that this side works great as a cold potato salad. Just serve it straight from the fridge!
And last but not least, I’ve got a copy of this amazing cookbook to give away to one lucky reader! Want to win Oh She Glows Every Day? Here’s how to enter:
1) First & foremost: you must be a subscriber to the Canadian Gift Guide to enter this giveaway. It’s as simple as finding ‘The Gift of Gab’ box in the righthand column and dropping in your email or clicking follow. Then, tell me in the comments below by October 12, 2016 – why do you want to receive this cookbook and which recipe that I mention in this post are you most excited to try?
2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address / per household (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around October 13, 2016 to select the winner, who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.
3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible for this promotion.
4) Bonus Entry: Share your favourite recipe photo from this post on the social media channels of your choice – including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – and tag it with #osgeveryday + @ohsheglows. Leave a separate comment with a link back to each social post you share an image on to receive up to four bonus entries into the draw.
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Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula- this recipie looks amazing!
I have Angela’s first cookbook and really enjoy many of the recipes. The photography is just beautiful! You are right, some of the recipes are very time consuming. I would love to have this second cookbook and would have to try the pumpkin cupcakes.
I’d love to try Mac and Peas. What a great veggie to add in Mac and “cheeze.” I’m excited to try additional healthy plant-based recipes, so this cookbook would be an awesome addition to my meal planning staples.
I love the continuation of Oh She Glows! The first book had such a fantastic flavour sensation. Would love to try those smoothie bowls from the her second book.
My sister has the original book and raves about it. I would like to win this for my daughter at university
This cookbook looks inspiring the pumpkin cupcakes look delicious
I often feel overwhelmed when I have to make dishes for my vegan friends. This book sounds like it would make it a breeze!
I love her recipes and my husband just went dairy free so new ideas would be great!
The Green Tacos sound amazing ☺
I’ve already tried the crowd pleasing Caesar salad and it was just amazing! So I’d love to try the rest of the recipes because I’m sure they’re just as good! I’d start with the roasted garlic basil pesto potato saladwith arugula.
I wouldn’t mind winning this for my mother. I think she would like the pumpkin cupcakes.
I’ve loved all of Angela’s other books and can’t wait to try her new recipes! The roasted garlic basil pesto potatoes recipe is at the top of my to-do list! Plus… This new cookbook is just what I need to help (gently) sway my friends and family to the joys of vegan food!
I’m trying to eat healthier and I love trying new recipes – the Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Argula looks excellent.
I would like to try the Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes as I love potato salads.
I subscribe to the Oh She GLows emails & have an earlier cookbook. Love the recipes & the kale and potatoe recipes are always a hit in my house. WOuld love to try the new recipes in her new cookbook.
I’m always looking for great new recipes! I’d like to try the red lentil and chickpea curry.
I would love to have this cookbook. I’m trying to cook healthier for my family. I am super excited to try the Strawberry Oat Crumble Bars.
I’d love to win this as I am a huge fan of her first cookbook and her blog!
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I’d like to win this cookbook because I really need to get some tasty non-meat recipes that are not difficult to make and that everyone in my family will like. I’m most intrigued by the smoothie-bowl recipes that you mentioned. Sounds very interesting!!
I could really use a good vegetarian/vegan cookbook. My daughter & son-in-law are vegan & I need some good tasting recipes in my arsenal for when they come to visit. I’m a soup lover so I’m interested in Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup.
I’ve been trying to change my eating habits & really enjoying the adventure. I’m definitely going to be making the “Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup”
Thank You so much for the chance to win this wonderful gift!
https://twitter.com/1stkarma/status/776845113766981632
I am a subscriber for one
I would love to try either the pumpkin cupcakes or those potatoes!
I want to receive this cookbook because I’m in a recipe rut and need something new to try! I am most excited to try the Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula!
My daughter is interested in pursuing a plant-based diet and my repertoire is somewhat limited in that area. This would be an ideal cookbook to get us started. Is there anything finer than a hot soup on a chilly autumn day? The Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup has me drooling!
I would love to win this because I want to eat healthier food that tastes great! Would love to try this recipe: Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula
My daughter and I have been trying to eat less meat and are always searching for easy, tasty meals and this book seems perfect. The Fusili Lentil-Mushroom Bolognese sounds delicious!
I’m so excited to try the lentil mushroom bolognese! Looks so good!
I would like to make the creamy thai carrot sweet potato soup – love homemade veggie soups!
I’m such a fan of oh she glows! I would love to win this because I’m vegan and I loved all of her other cookbooks. I can only imagine this one will be amazing too. I’d like to try the roasted garlic basil pesto potatoes with arugula recipe. Looks delicious!
I would love this book because I have her first book and it’s in heavy rotation in my kitchen! I can’t wait to make the Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula
I would like to go to a more plat-based diet and I think this book would help guide me. I would like to try the Strawberry Oat bars.
I’m most looking forward to trying the Fusilli Lentil-Mushroom Bolognese
I want this cook book so I can make more plant-based recipes. I’m most looking forward to trying the Fusilli Lentil-Mushroom Bolognese
I want this cook book so I can make more plant-based recipes. I’m most looking forward to trying the Fusilli Lentil-Mushroom Bolognese
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As a vegetarian, I’m interested in learning more about plant-based eating and this cookbook seems perfect for that! I would like to win this book because it would be fun to try out some new meals. I’m most excited to try the Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula, especially because it is nut-free!
I love Angela Liddon! I have been following her blog for years – its incredible! I would love her new cookbook to add to my collection. I have her latest book as well and use it all the time!
I love Angela Liddon! I have been following her blog for years – its incredible! I would love her new cookbook to add to my collection. I have her latest book as well and use it all the time! I would like to try out her recipe for Fusilli Lentil-Mushroom Bolognese – it looks delicious.
I’m subscribed to your blog via email. I’m most excited to try the ROASTED GARLIC BASIL PESTO POTATOES WITH ARUGULA recipe. I would eat potatoes everyday if the rest of the house didn’t protest! I’d love to win the cookbook because I loved her first cookbook!!
I WOULD LOVE TO WIN THIS FOR MY SISTER WHO IS VEGAN, AND I WOULD LOVE TO TRY THE Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup
I’m trying to eat less meat in my diet and need more ideas to make great dishes like that!
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I would really love some new recipes!!! I would love to try the ROASTED GARLIC BASIL PESTO POTATOES WITH ARUGULA recipe.
I would love to win this for my SIL. I have the Oh She Glows Cookbook and my SIL is always borrowoing it. I would most like to try the Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup
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I would love to win because I love plant-based cooking. The recipe I would be most excited to try first would be Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup. Yum!
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Been eating more gluten free and love finding great ideas for something new to make. Want to try the Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup .
I would love to win because I always needs new healthy recipe ideas. And I’d especially love to try the The Best Shredded Kale Salad.
I am trying to eat a cleaner diet and would love to win this cookbook. I am most interested in making the Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup.
https://twitter.com/leaherhardt/status/777928092429934592
My bonus entry I commented on the eye post !
Oh my word, I’m not even going to joke, but those pumpkin cupcakes look just *delicious*!! Omnomnom! ❤
I spread some love on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/QueridaSara/status/778002943794515968
I left some love on Facebook, too! 🙂
I would like to try the ROASTED GARLIC BASIL PESTO POTATOES WITH ARUGULA …the picture had me. it looks like yummy healthy comfort food. how is that possible?
I am trying to eat plant based food right now and the word “quick” is a good one. I would love to try the Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup.
Looks very healthy I would love to check it out
Its that time of year! High-Rise Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spiced Buttercream Frosting sounds delicious!
The Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula sound amazing!
I loved her first cookbook. I would want to make the Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula.
The Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula look delicious! Would love to try.
I would love to win this because I’m trying to get our family to eat healthier! The first recipe I would try would be the Best Shredded Kale Salad.
The food in this book looks amazing, I like the carrot thai soup recipe!
The Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula would be my perfect comfort food!
I love my veggies.
I’m most excited to try Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup. Love the fall because it’s soup weather! Both my daughters have this authors first book so I would love to win this and share it with them.
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I’d love to try out this cookbook. Especially the Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup, it sounds delicious.
I’d love to win this cookbook because it has healthy recipies that use ingredients that my family like. The one that caught me attention was the Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes.
I would love to win this so that me and my boyfriend can make some goodies at home 🙂
I have her first cookbook but I’d love to try the Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes
I’m a cookbook lover. I don’t have her first book but I’m definitely interested in this one because I’m always looking for recipes that aren’t too time consuming. I’d most like to try the High-Rise Pumpkin Cupcakes with Spiced Buttercream Frosting. I love baking with pumpkin!
I would like to try the the 6 veg able and cheese soup.
I’m a subscriber and I’d love to try Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup
I would love to add “Oh She Glows Everyday” cookbook to my collection. I have “Oh She Glows!” and absolutely love it! I would be excited to make the High-Rise pumpkin cupcakes with spiced buttercream frosting 🙂
Not sure why my post from FB says no longer available. I did not delete it. Not real tech savvy here. So I pinned recipe here:
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I am always looking for more interesting vegetable based dishes to add into my meals and I would love to try the creamy thai carrot sweet potato soup
A great author, I love that the recipes appeal to non vegetarians as the flavours are bold and delicious in a time when we are all more conscious of what we put into our bodies. A must for anyone who simply lives great tasting food.
Great post!