Looking for a new cook book? Give this one a whirl

By Casey Knoll

When it comes to food, baking is my strong suit – cooking, not so much.

So when I whip up a dish, I like to keep things simple and tasty.

Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking by Carla Kelly checked off both of those boxes.

I found this book when I was in Chapters at Christmas, hunting down a vegetarian cookbook for my mom. A helpful sales associate told me about Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking and handed me a copy.

Contrary to its name, the book has a wide selection of gluten-free recipes. While the lengthy ingredient lists are intimidating (especially when it comes to spices I haven’t heard of), the recipes themselves are simple.

That’s what I love about slow cooking. You just throw everything in a pot, and leave it to its own devices.

The dish I made: Peas, Potatoes, and Broccoli.

The recipe I made was called Peas, Potatoes, and Broccoli. Basically, the vegetables are slow cooked in a spice/vegetable stock mixture, which includes cumin, coriander, garlic powder, cinnamon, and black pepper. Chickpeas and potatoes are cooked for three hours on low in the spice mixture, with green peas and broccoli added last.

It was awesome. The slow cooking really brought out the spices. I served it with basmati rice, but this dish can stand by itself. It also passed the left-over test, as it was still yummy after multiple re-heats in the microwave.

So if you’re in a market for a new cook book, this one is worth checking out.

Have a favourite cook book? Let us know!