June Cookbook Club: Skinnytaste Fast and Slow

Good morning! And how are we already into mid-June?! The summer days are slow and easy but time still seems to speed by. 

For the June edition of Cookbook Club, Allie and I chose a book by one of our favorite food bloggers, Fast and Slow by Gina Homolka of Skinnytaste. I love love love this book and I love Gina even more. She is one of the very first food blogs that I started reading and still remains one of my favorites. Her recipes are wholesome, healthy and super family friendly! I'm confident that anyone who frequents her blog or owns any of her cookbooks will tell you the same. 

I love Gina's approach to cooking so much. Her recipes never lack flavor and I've never made anything of hers that disappointed. Fast and Slow is filled with recipes that come together quickly as well as ones that cook all day in the slow cooker- all things that are especially appreciated during the busy weeknights that we all seem to have! 

I'm pulling out an old recipe from my archives to share with you all from the book because it's one I seriously go back to over and over again. I have made so many things out of this cookbook but the Caulflower Potato Tacos have been my favorite by far. It's such an unexpected combo of ingredients and flavors which is why I think we love it so much. I've only actually made these as tacos twice, but the cauliflower potato mixture is on regular rotation on our dinner menu as a side! The flavor is unbelievable and the addition of the Lime-Cilantro Chutney takes it to another level. We love this dish so much! Perfect for a meatless Monday or using the cauliflower potato mixture as a flavorful side like we do most times. You can find this recipe on an older post HERE.

Here are a few other favorites from this cookbook!

I especially love panzanella salad in the Summer and this one is DELICIOUS! Especially with farmer's market or garden fresh tomatoes.

Cold Peanut- Sesame Chicken and Spiralized Cucumber Noodle Salad- this is RIDICULOUS. So good, light and fresh for Summer! I pick up a rotisserie chicken when I made this meal and will often times sub in almond butter for the peanut butter and it's just as delicious. The dressing is my favorite part of this and I always like to make a little extra to dip veggies in as a snack!

If you follow any Whole30 or Paleo bloggers, you know that eggroll bowls are all the rage right now. I've tried several and this is the best recipe I've found. It comes together seamlessly and in no time at all.

I cannot recommend this book enough. I've had it for over a year now and it is still front and center when I grab a stack of books to look through as I meal plan on Sundays. 

Don't forget to link your favorite recipe from the book below! We are taking a break from Cookbook Club for the Summer but will likely pick it back up again in the fall. If you have any book ideas or books that you want to see featured, leave it in the comments below. Happy Cooking!

An InLinkz Link-up

May Cookbook Club: Giada's Feel Good Food

For the fourth installment of Cookbook Club, we chose Giada's Feel Good Food. Giada DeLaurentiis has long been one of my all time favorites from the Food Network. I own almost all of her cookbooks and she is often my go-to when I go to grab a book from my cookbok shelf. Her recipes never disappoint and since we both come from Italian roots so much of how she cooks is the kind of food that I love most.

I love this book so much because it doesn't focus so much on any certain "diet" but a healthy, wholesome way of living and eating. Giada's balanced approach is what I gravitate so much to in this book. I don't think you should completely deprive yourself of anything and having a treat every now and then is never a bad thing. This book is filled with tons of recipes using fresh, wholesome ingredients. She takes a simple approach to healthy and balanced eating and uses food in a positive and nourishing way. 

This toast may look like nothing but it is EVERYTHING. We may be living in an avocado toast world but there are so many more toast options to explore. I'm a huge fan of ricotta cheese and have even been known to eat it plain in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and some salt and pepper. The texture is so light and fluffy and it truly takes on any flavors that you combine it with. The mixture of ricotta, cinnamon, vanilla and a tiny bit of sweet from honey is just perfection. Topped on a warm piece of bread and you are winning. I subbed honey instead of sugar and used Ezekial bread. This is delicious for breakfast, or a sweet afternoon snack.

In a world of avocado toast, be the ricotta toast! Seriously though. All this toast talk makes me want to have a toast party.

Chocolate Ricotta Toast

1 cup fresh full-fat ricotta cheese

2 Tbsp. honey

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

4 slices of bread

Dark chocolate, for shaving

In a bowl, mix ricotta, honey cinnamon and vanilla using a rubber spatula. Set aside. 

Toast slices of bread and spread evenly with a generous amount of the ricotta mixture. Grate chocolate on top of the toast, fully coating each slice.

Make sure to pop over to Allie's blog to see what she made from the book and link up your own recipes below!

An InLinkz Link-up

Cookbok Club: Julia Child's Ratatouille

Julia Child is probably one of the very first cooking shows I ever watched. Her voice is one of the most recognizable ones ever and she is beyond respected in the food industry. Her book Mastering the Art of French Cooking is a staple in kitchens across America and has been for over forty years. Kitchen beginners and experts alike can find something to make within the pages of this book- and can learn to master the art of French cuisine. Now that I have made something from this book, I feel like I'm really winning in the kitchen. Ha! 

I'm a veggie lover and as much as we eat them, I've never made this classic dish. It's so basic, yet so much more than just sauteing or roasting your veggies- there's a real method here and that's how all of Julia Child's recipes seem to be. So simple, yet so complicated. That's the best way to describe this veggie side dish. 

Word to the wise- this isn't exactly a quick and easy dish. It takes time, and had I done some extra prep work, I probably wouldn't have had to take some short cuts. I'll definitely be making this again when I have a few extra moments to take my time and love it into existence (like risotto). Regardless, this is full of flavor and I love that it focuses on simple, fresh ingredients. I LOVE eggplant and although the recipe calls for peeling it, next time I will definitely leave the skin on. I also left the skin on my tomatoes and didn't seed them to save on time. 

This was wonderful served alongside my Oven Roasted Lemon Caper Cod. Let me know if you try making this classic French dish!

Julia Child's Ratatioulle
recipe from Julia Child

1 large eggplant
1 large zucchini
1 tsp. salt, plus more for seasoning
4-6 Tbsp. olive oil, divied
1/2 pound thinly sliced yellow onion (about 1.5 cups)1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
2 coves mashed garlic
pepper
2-3 roma tomatoes, peeled and then seeded and juiced
3 Tbsp. minced parsley

Peel the eggplant and cut lengthwise slices about 3/8" thick about 3" long and 1" wide. Slice the ends off the zucchini and cut into similar size slices as the eggplant. Toss the eggplant and zucchini in a bowl with some salt and let it sit for 30 minutes. Once it has sat, pat dry with paper towel. 

In a 10-12" inch skillet with 4 Tablespoons of olive oil, sautee the zucchini and eggplant for about one minute on each side, or until slightly browned. Transfer to another dish.

In the same skillet, cook onions and peppers and add additional oil if needed. Cook until tender, but not browned. Stir in the smashes garlic and add some salt and pepper to season.

Slice tomato into strips and lay it on top of the peppers and onions. Cover the skillet and cook for five minutes, or until the tomatoes have gotten juicy. Uncover, raise the heat and boil for several minutes until the juice has almost entirely evaporated.

Transfer all but 1/3 of the tomato mixture to another dish. Top the remaining 1/3 of tomato mixture with 1 Tablespoon of fresh parsley. Arrange half of the zucchini and eggplant mixture on top, then half of the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini and top with the remaining tomatoes and parsley. 

Cover and simmer on low for 10 minutes. Uncover, tip the skillet and baste with the juices. Raise heat and cook, uncovered, for about 15 more minutes, basting often.


Link up your Julia Child recipes below and don't forget- next month's book is Giada's Feel Good Food! We hope to see what some of you have been cooking!

An InLinkz Link-up

Butternut Squash + Tahini Spread (March Cookbook Club)

I'm back for another installment of the Cookbook Club series I'm doing in collaboration with my friend Allie over at Key Ingredients. This month's book is Jerusalem, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi, former residents of Jerusalem and now well-acclaimed London restaurateurs and chefs. It's is filled with mouth watering Middle Easter recipes and I want to make them all. Next to Italian and Mediterranean food, Middle Eastern cuisine is my runner up. 

I've seen very few cookbooks that are as stunning as this one. The pages are filled with authentic and unique recipes. Some are easy and some require a little more work, but if you're into cooking and this type of cuisine, this book is a must add to your cookbook shelf. 

I went to bed thinking about this dip and woke still thinking about it. I want to find everything I can and dip it in this spread. Hummus is a favorite around here, but I love mixing it up. And since beans are a legume and a bit harder on the digestive system, using butternut squash here is a nice break from the heaviness of beans. 

The roasted squash and cinnamon caramelizes just enough to give this a sweet yet slightly smokey flavor. I opted out of the date paste drizzle on top and swapped it for a simple maple syrup swirl on top just before serving. I think it added a little sweetness without being too much. You better believe I will be making this again and trying the date paste, too. If sesame seeds aren't your thing, leave those off (I did). I also garnished with a tiny handful of cilantro. To make this dip dairy free, grab your favorite dairy free yogurt or use full fat coconut cream as an alternative. 

Enjoy this spread as an starter with warm laffah bread or use it as the base in a hummus bowl. The options are endless! 

Butternut Squash + Tahini Spread

1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
5 Tbsp. tahini paste
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tsp. mixed black and white sesame seeds (optional)
1 1/2 tsp. maple syrup (or date syrup)
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spread squash out onto a roasting pan. Toss with olive oil, sprinkle with the cinnamon and 1/2 tsp of salt. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil. Roast for 60-70 minutes, tossing halfway through. Remove squash from oven and let cool.

Transfer squash to food processor, along with tahini, yogurt and garlic. Pulse until it reaches your desired consistency. I opted for a smoother spread, but you can leave it chunkier if you like! I added a little more olive oil as I was processing.

Serve in a bowl or on a flat plate. Drizzle with maple syrup and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Grab the link below and add your recipe to our linkup! Thank you for coking along with us

An InLinkz Link-up

Cookbook Club: Cooking for Jeffrey

Happy love day and happy first day of the Cookbook Club linkup! We're so excited to have you here and see what you all have cooked from Ina's book. Don't forget to use the linkup tool at the bottom of this post to participate in the linkup and share your recipe! 

This Maple Roasted Carrot Salad has been on my radar for awhile and I was excited to give it a try. Ina is my go-to girl in the kitchen, especially when it comes to salads. Ina said this may be her "favorite salad ever". Twist my arm! Ina, all of your salads are my favorites ever. I love that her salads are always filled with simple ingredients and TONS of flavor. Fresh greens, sweet roasted carrots and a simple vinaigrette? What's not to love.

I served this with a roasted pork tenderloin and roasted baby red potatoes. It was the perfect salad and added beautiful color on our plates. This would be a great salad to serve at a dinner party. I skipped on the goat cheese and almonds because I forgot to add them to my grocery list this week but it was still delicious! I also added some chopped romaine to thicken it up. There are so many layers of flavor going on here and I'm completely smitten with this salad. You better believe I will add those in the next time I make this- which will be soon! 

The recipe below comes straight from the book. I cut back on the amounts as I only made enough for two servings. I also subbed baby carrots for the regular size ones because that's what I had on hand. Enjoy!

Maple Roasted Carrot Salad
recipe via Ina Garten's Cooking for Jeffrey

2 pounds carrots
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup pure grade A maple syrup
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
3 Tbsp. sherry wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, grated on a Mircoplane
6 ounces baby arugula
6 ounces goat cheese
2/3 cup roasted, salted Marcona almonds

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Trim and scrub the carrots and cut them in half lengthwise, then cut them into large diagonal slices. Place them in a bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil, a little salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Transfer to a sheet pan, making sure they have room to spread out. Use two sheet pans if necessary. Roast for 20 minutes, tossing halfway through. 

Once they are done, toss right on the sheet pan with the maple syrup and roast for another 10-15 minutes until the edges are caramelized. Be sure to watch them every few minutes. Toss them with a spatula and let them sit aside for 10 minutes. 

Combine the cranberries and orange juice in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer, then set aside for 10 minutes. 

In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Whisk in 3 Tablespoons of olive oil. Place the arugula in a large bowl. Add the cranberries (with their liquid), goat cheese, almonds and the vinaigrette. Toss together and sprinkle with salt if needed. Serve at room temperature. 

In case you are planners like we are, we have chosen the cookbooks for the next two months! March's book will be Jerusalem: A Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi.  April's book will be Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. I'm so excited to cook from both of these books! 

Thank you for participating this month and we look forward to meeting you all back here in March! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

An InLinkz Link-up

{Cook}Book Club

I'm excited to kick off February with a little something new I'm doing in collaboration with my friend Allie over at Key Ingredients! We have been talking about doing a link up for awhile and we are finally making it happen. Allie is a dear friend and we met almost five years ago when our oldest children were just tiny babies and we instantly bonded over our love of food. 

We both have a passion for cooking and making healthy meals for our families. A cookbook link up was a no- brainer when we started talking about this idea of creating a link up!

Here's what we'll do. Every month, we will choose a cookbook to cook from. If you want to participate, pick your favorite or new recipe from the book and make it! On the second Wednesday of each month, we will all link up to my blog or Allie's and share what we've made! Don't have the specific book? No problem! So many of these wonderful recipes can also be found online. Take photos of your finished dish and tell a little bit about it. Add in a review of the recipe and any notes on changes or anything that you may have done or would do differently. Post the recipe if you would like and make sure to credit the book/source!

To kick off our Club, we are turning to one of our very favorites- Ina Garten! Her recipes are some sort of magic and she is a favorite among the both of us. It only seems fitting that we use her newest cookbook, Cooking For Jeffrey, as our pick for the month of love. This cookbook is packed full of delicious recipes and even better stories. If you are a fan of Ina and Jeffrey, you will LOVE this book. It focuses so much on them as a couple with beautiful stories intertwined with the recipes. It's a book you can use in the kitchen AND curl up on the couch with. The stories are wonderfully written!

We hope to see many of you here next Wednesday, which also happens to be Valentine's Day! This gives you a week to find something yummy to make and post. We can't wait to see what everyone is cooking! 

- Nina and Allie