Sitting back in my desk chair, I read through the introduction of Claire Thomson’s Veggie Family Cookbook (her ninth book – read reviews for Home Cookery Year here and Tomato here), and I am drawn into the warm and inviting kitchen of a woman who adores cooking for her family. If you’ve ever seen any of Thomson’s Instagram cooking reels, you know that cooking is a joyful experience for her and, as she tells us in the introduction: as she’s cooking, she’s always “stir[ring] in love and happy thoughts.” (10) Like some modern families, not everyone at Thomson’s dinner table is observing the same diet or preferences. In her case, having a couple of vegetarian children has encouraged her to develop more vegetable-centric recipes that she hopes will broaden the repertoire of home cooks. In my own little family of three, we are all veggievores who relish the expansive world of plant-focused recipes. Thomson briefly poses an intriguing question: “Do we need to even call it vegetarianism?” For my daughter who has never known any other way to eat, to her, her diet is as label-less as any other kids, and it wasn’t until she entered the school system that she was asked to explain it. So, I appreciate the fact that Thomson’s book is not focused on vegetarianism but, rather, on how anyone – regardless of diet – can enjoy more vegetables daily.
Sweet Potato Soup w/ Salsa of Black Beans and Jalapeño, p.19The recipes are organized into 9 chapters: Soup Kitchen, Fridge Raid, Loaded Vegetable Traybakes, Panic in the Kitchen, Rainy Day on the Radio, Snacks & Packed Lunches, Family & Friends Celebrate, Fruity Times, and SOS. Not your run-of-the-mill chapter titles, she employs interesting monikers meant to evoke what it’s like cooking for a family not only on a daily or weekly basis but year-round. Thomson uses a wide variety of vegetables and fruits which are readily available at the local supermarket, grocery shop or farmer’s market. I like that almost all the recipes serve 4 but can be scaled accordingly (I found that the leftovers make packed lunches something to look forward to the next day and, Katie would often stake her claim the night before so that she could ensure a tasty lunch). As a side note, maybe this will sound heretical, but I love that Thomson doesn’t include sections on pantry, equipment or ingredients – she delves straight into the recipes. She also has a very engaging style, so I appreciated reading the intros to each chapter as well as her recipe headnotes.
It’s the middle of winter here, so soup season is in full swing! One of our favourites from the book is the Sweet Potato Soup with Salsa of Black Beans and Jalapeno. Here, the sweet potatoes are first roasted in the oven, then some are blended with cooked onions, bell peppers, and garlic. The remaining sweet potatoes, as well as coconut milk are added to the puréed soup which is then served topped with the fresh salsa, dollops of sour cream and toasted tortilla chips. This soup has loads of texture and flavour and, it was easy to pack the next day in Katie’s lunch.
Pearl Barely, Mushroom and Marmite Rolls, p.156Continuing with what I’ve made from Veggie Family Cookbook (whose alternative title should be: Leftovers To Fight Over), I made her version of Spanakopita with Tzatziki. Full of spinach, this could be one of my favourite ways to enjoy it (she also gives an alternative version – greens pie – in the recipe notes, where other greens like chard, kale, nettles – even broccoli can be used). If you’ve never tried spanakopita before, it’s a lovely Greek dish consisting of a cooked spinach filling (containing feta cheese, herbs, spices, onion, bulgar wheat and beaten eggs) that is layered between sheets of buttery filo and baked in the oven. Slices are served with homemade tzatziki – a sauce made from grated cucumber, yogurt, mint and lemon juice. Sounds good, right? As you’ve likely guessed, the leftover spanakopita went to school in a packed lunch the next day.
Pearl Barely, Mushroom and Marmite Rolls, p.156You’d think in ten years of writing cookbook reviews I’ve seen all the techniques, but I haven’t! In a clever take on the classic sausage roll, Thomson uses grated mushrooms in her recipe for Pearl Barley, Mushroom and Marmite Rolls – I ended up using the grater attachment on my food processor to make short work of the mushrooms. I’ve never grated mushrooms before, and in this recipe, it adds to the texture of the filling. I love the hearty texture of the barley and mushroom and, even thinking about how much umami the cheese and marmite adds makes my mouth water. I doubled this recipe so that we could all enjoy the leftovers!
Although it’s probably one of the easiest things to bake (and, it was likely the first thing I ever learned how to bake), I really don’t make a lot of banana bread. Although I’m not quite sure of the reason why – as Thomson says in the opening to the recipe for Spiced Banana and Date Loaf with Chia Seeds: “Peak banana bread?” so maybe I’ve seen too many recipes for it? In any case, as Thomson encourages us, this recipe is a keeper! I really enjoy the natural sweetness dates add to baking and, these are especially lovely since they are first soaked in Earl Grey tea. The recipe makes enough for two loaves and can be wrapped and frozen to be consumed later. We enjoyed warmed slices slathered in salted butter as an afternoon snack.
Spiced Banana and Date Loaf w/ Chia Seeds, p.234I could eat broccoli until I’m sick. Thinking about it makes me crave it and, I’m happy to enjoy it prepared in any way I can. So, her recipe for Broccoli with Rosemary Cheese Cobbler is a total win in my mind – broccoli florets are mixed in a pan with fried onion and garlic, then coated with cream and Dijon mustard. Cheesy, buttery biscuits are placed on top then the dish is baked in the oven. I ended up taking this recipe a step further by adding a can of chickpeas to the broccoli mixture. My daughter and I think Dijon mustard is the best, so I served the meal as Thomson advises: with extra Dijon on the side.
Broccoli w/ Rosemary Cheese Cobbler, p.131Veggie Family Cookbook is an engaging, delicious book full of vegetable-focused recipes to suit any occasion. All the recipes are accompanied by the incredibly appetizing pictures from her longtime photographic collaborator Sam Folan. What we eat is a choice, and I like how Thomson describes it: “…the possibility that the food we choose to eat at any given time can then go on to underpin all of what we are, of how we live our lives.” (10) I’d like to think that even the smallest of choices I make in the kitchen create a ripple effect. So, whether you’re eating more plants for health, the environment or any other reason, Veggie Family Cookbook offers crowd-pleasing, delicious vegetable-centred recipes for any occasion.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Hardie Grant USA 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.
Spanakopita w/ Tzatziki, p.127
Spanakopita w/ Tzatziki, p.127
Shipshape Eatworthy 