“Pattern over plate” (3)
Recently I was sent a copy of Desiree Nielsen’s Plant Magic and, immediately I was interested in her approach because she is a plant-based (vegan) recipe developer and registered dietitian (click on the link to see what this credential means in Canada, where Nielsen is based). She uses her professional knowledge of nutrition to inspire home cooks – for Nielsen, it’s about a lifetime of good nutritional patterns rather than feeling bad or scolding ourselves for enjoying a plate of fries, scoop of ice cream, or slice of cake. As she tells us: “No one food, ingredient, or meal has the power to make or break your health.” (3) For anyone who has been following along with my reviews, you know that I’m all about joy. If I’m not feeling joyful about what I’m doing in the kitchen, then why do it? This is where I’ve connected with Desiree Nielsen’s work – not only does she practise “positive nutrition” (which she describes as “what to eat more of than about what to avoid”(3)), Nielsen also encourages home cooks to see the delicious benefit to using more plants. While her focus is vegan cooking, I’ve found that as a vegetarian, her book isn’t about changing people’s diets but cheering people on to incorporate plants on whatever level feels good to them. She tells us in the opening section of the book: “My love of cooking was born of my love of eating. Transforming a handful of ingredients into a meal that makes you feel good is the best kind of magic.”(9)
As I’ve cooked through Plant Magic, I’ve found her recipes approachable because I could use ingredients I already had on hand and, I’ve found her book useful for busy weeknights when I need inspiration for quick meals. The recipes are organized into 11 chapters: 1) Morning Things, 2) Dressed-Up Veg, 3) Salads You’ll Crave, 4) Nourishing Soups + Stews, 5) Noodle Party, 6) Stuff on Bread, 7) Just One Pot (or Pan!), 8) Things For Sharing + Snacking, 9) Really Good Sweets, 10) Everyday Tonics + Potions, and 11) Staples That Make Anything Better. As a Registered Dietitian, Nielsen uses her background to offer insight and key information without overwhelming us (for those wondering – this book does not offer specific nutritional information for each recipe, but she indicates which recipes have Gluten-Free or Low FODMAP options and, which are nut-free or vegan). In the opening sections of the book, she offers information about ingredients she uses and how to properly store them. She gives home cooks a brief outline of what tools/equipment are useful or crucial. In the final sections of the book: But I Can’t Eat That: Helpful Swaps to Make Your Own Magic and A Few of My Favourite Things, Nielsen provides information to support home cooks who might have specific dietary needs and she offers links to Canadian- as well as US-based online food shops that she loves and supports.
One of my family’s favourite recipes in the book is the one for Brownie Batter Breakfast Toast – here, hemp hearts are blended up with cacao powder, maple syrup, avocado oil, water, vanilla, and salt to create a spread that’s a dead ringer for brownie batter! Both my daughter and husband enjoyed this on toast as an afternoon snack, while I slathered it on toast topped with fruit for my breakfast. I remember taking the first bite and thinking: “WOW!” It’s such a creamy and decadent chocolatey spread and it took very little effort to make, not to mention that it’s full of omega-3 fatty acids too.
As I mentioned earlier, I really appreciate Plant Magic for all the recipes I could make on busy weeknights. Her version of Dal Palak was delicious – full of ginger, garlic, spices, red lentils and chopped spinach – I took her advice in the recipe head notes and served it with rice and a batch of her Satisfying Ginger Cabbage. Another hit was her recipe for Squash and Tomato Curry with Chickpeas (served with rice and warmed naan). I loved the use of acorn squash here because you don’t need to peel the skin off while prepping it for use in the recipe. All these recipes make a good amount so that we could enjoy leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day.
A particular favourite of my husbands is the Chili Oil Ramen with Greens that I made him for his birthday. This is Nielsen’s vegan take on the noodle dish, you po mian, from the Shaanxi province of China. The recipe is divided into two parts – making the chili oil, then blanching the gai lan or choy sum as well as cooking the noodles. The noodles are tossed with the chili oil then topped with the greens and chopped peanuts. This recipe is fast to make and, I’ve found that it’s a great option when I’m looking for something to enjoy at lunchtimes.
Since it’s still spring here and we’ve had a bunch of cool evenings, I’m finding that soup is a great option for a satisfying and comforting supper. Her recipe for her avo’s (grandmother) Portuguese classic Caldo Verde echoes the springtime bright greens with the kale and the chunky potatoes make it such a hearty soup. Nielsen mentions that her avo never wrote her recipes down, so this was her attempt to recreate “that magic [they] grew up with.” I find myself drawn to recipes that have a connection – those recipes enjoyed in childhood have a special magic that’s all their own.
Plant Magic is full of a variety of delicious, plant-based recipes for all home cooks to enjoy! Nielsen offers encouragement to anyone who is looking to cook meals that offer positive nutritional benefits because she wants to empower people to see both the potential of the plants in our pantry as well as the potential of the human body.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Penguin Canada for providing me with a free, review copy of this book. I did not receive monetary compensation for my post, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. All links are given for informational purposes only, there are no affiliated links.
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