Nettie Cronish, Chef, and Cara Rosenbloom, Registered Dietician, have combined their knowledge of cooking and nutrition to author the cookbook Nourish: Whole Food Recipes Featuring Seeds, Nuts & Beans. The recipes are written for home cooks to incorporate healthier ingredients, such as nutritious beans, seeds and nuts in everyday vegetarian and meat meals the whole family will enjoy.
Contents
The recipes are spread throughout nine chapters:
- Nutrition, Quick & Simple
- The Power of Seeds, Nuts & Beans
- Breakfast & Brunch
- Appetizers
- Salads
- Soups & Stews
- Entrées
- Vegetables Side Dishes
- Snacks & Desserts
There is also a Glossary, Index, Details About Nutrient Analysis, For Further Reading and Products Used information located at the end of the cookbook.
The first chapter, Nutrition Quick & Simple, lists a guide for shopping for a healthy kitchen and a healthy grocery list, while the second chapter, The Power of Seeds, Nuts & Beans, lists the different legumes and seeds, how to buy them and how to prepare them.
The Recipes
The 101 recipes are well written and easy to follow, and include tips and notes for cooking, serving and ingredients. The Nutrients Per Serving information located at the end of each recipe is a bonus, in my opinion.
While I was reading through the recipes, I discovered how simple it was to combine these nutritious ingredients into our daily meals.
Sample recipes include:
- Savoury Cheddar Scones and Broccoli Brunch Patties in Breakfast and Brunch
- Picante Black Bean Dip on Corn Tortilla Chips and Spiced-Roasted Chickpeas in Appetizers
- Tofu Caprese Stack and Warm Lentil Salad in Salads
- Cod & White Bean Chowder and Chicken Beans & Greens Stew for Soup & Stews
- Sesame-Crusted Salmon with Asian Greens & Tamari Dressing and Maple-Glazed Lamb Chops with Brussels Spout-Apple Slaw in Entrées
- Kale & Red Pepper Stir-Fry and Marrakesh Cinnamon Vanilla Carrots in Vegetable Side Dishes
- Date and Fig Slices and Banana Oat Muffins in Snacks & Desserts
Tested Recipes
Watermelon Salad with Chickpeas, Feta & Mint (Page 97)
When I had surgery two years ago and was unable to cook, my goddaughter Tanya used to come by and prepare meals for us once in a while. One day she made a flavourful watermelon salad with feta and mint. I loved the taste of the cold, sweet watermelon paired with the salty feta, but I didn’t like this version with chickpeas as much. Although I love chickpeas, I expected another layer of flavour. Perhaps it’s a matter of taste. The addition of chickpeas does add protein for a healthier salad.
Grilled Vegetable & Goat Cheese Sandwich (Page 144)
This sandwich has to be one of my all-time favourites. I always grill a double batch of vegetables so it was a no-brainer for me to choose this recipe. The essential ingredients in the pesto used in this sandwich are kale and cannellini beans which, when combined with the rest of the ingredients, produce a savoury pesto with a smooth texture. Picture this: you spread the pesto on the bottom half of a sliced baguette, add the roasted vegetables on top, and top with arugula. Spread the top half of the sliced baguette with the goat cheese and place it on the bottom half. Take a bite. Your taste buds will thank you. A sandwich fit for a Queen (or King)!
Cod & White Bean Chowder (Page 102)
This soup is hearty and nutritious, and will fend off the chills on those cold winter nights coming our way soon. Loaded with chunks of cod and vegetables, it’s full of flavour and and satisfy your appetite. Serve as a main meal and make sure to have lots of crusty bread to mop up the broth.
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1K lb (700 g) skinless, boneless cod fillets
- 1 shallot, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large white potato, diced
- 2 cups (625 mL) no-salt added vegetable broth
- 15 oz (440 mL) can diced tomatoes and juice
- 14 oz (410 mL) can no-salt added cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- ½ tsp (2 mL) sea salt
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) fresh thyme leaves (no stems)
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh basil
- Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil.
- Add cod and sear each fillet for 2 minutes per side.
- Break it apart into bite-sized chunks. Set aside on a plate.
- In the same pot, add remaining 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil.
- Add shallots, celery, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in potatoes, broth, tomatoes and beans.
- Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Return the cod to the pot and cover. Cook until the cod is cooked through, about 4 minutes.
- Add salt and serve.
NUTRIENTS PER SERVING
SERVING SIZE: 1½ CUPS (375 ML) SOUP
251 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 447 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrates, 5 g fibre, 5 g sugars, 26 g protein. High in fibre. Excellent source of vitamin A, thiamin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and magnesium. Good source of folate.
Bookshelf Worthy?
I’ve bookmarked quite a few recipes from Nourish to incorporate into my menu planning. I like that the recipes are not just for vegetarians and the healthy, nutritious ingredients can be incorporated in meals for the whole family to enjoy. Yes, Nourish should be added to your bookshelf.
Nourish: Whole Food Recipes Featuring Seeds, Nuts & Beans
Authors: Nettie Cronish & Cara Rosenbloom, RD
Softcover: 224 pages
Publisher: White Cap Books
ISBN: 978-1-77050-243-7
Acknowledgement
Cod and White Bean Chowder recipe excerpted from Nourish, by Nettie Cronish and Cara Rosenbloom. Reprinted with permission of Whitecap Books, 2016.
The Nourish cookbook review was written by Liliana Tommasini, author of the aptly named blog My Cookbook Addiction. Her passion for baking and cooking began at an early age. Liliana grew up in an Italian household where each meal was made from scratch with fresh ingredients and Sunday family lunches were always a celebration. She has a passion for collecting cookbooks and believes that every recipe tells a story that must be shared to nourish your soul and feed your belly. You can connect with Liliana on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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