I have a lot of vegan cookbooks. Seriously. I should probably enter myself into some sort of 12-step program. None of them have impressed me as much as YumUniverse Pantry to Plate by Heather Crosby has, though. This book is HUGE. It’s jam-packed with recipes, handy charts, and cooking templates.

I’ve had many people that they have a hard time following recipes, yet they also find it difficult to come up with their own dishes. YumUniverse Pantry to Plate is here to solve that problem. While this book does have many, many recipes, it’s also full of meal templates, which allow you to create your own dishes using what you already have on hand. I was a big fan of those Choose Your Own Adventure books when I was young, and this sort of a Choose Your Own Adventure cookbook.

This book is loaded with information for those who are new to plant-based cooking or are just finding their way around the kitchen. Heather includes tips and tricks for cooking, basic cooking techniques, lists of tools and ingredients, and charts for creating rich flavor profiles.

The food is the main star of the book though. You’ll find vegan versions of just about anything you could possibly want here, such as Garden Veggie Cream Cheese, Black Bean Sliders, and Veggie Enchiladas; along with dishes you hadn’t even thought of yet, including Toasted Black Sesame Seed Milk, Rainbow Chard & Golden Raisin ‘Banzo Bake, and Za’atar-Spiced Lentil Wraps. You’ll learn how to make dairy-free milks, compotes and fruit butters, fermented veggies, nice cream, and so much more. The book is full of mouth-watering photos and fun illustrations.

Chapters in YumUniverse Pantry to Plate include:

• Good Morning, YumUniverse!
• Munch & Lunch
• Main Meals
• Sweet Tooth

Each chapter is full of its own subcategories, such as Scrambles, Granola, Pancakes & Waffles, and Muffins in the Good Morning, YumUniverse! chapter; and Cheesy Comfort Food, Epic Salad, Tacos and Wraps, and Veggie Burgers in the Main Meals Chapter. Each of those subcategories has a do-it-yourself template, giving you unlimited ways to make each dish. Want to make your own veggie burger? You’ll be able to do that Heather’s veggie burger template – just pick some veggies, a protein, something fresh, and a binder, and you’re ready to go.

If you’re new to vegan cooking and need some guidance, YumUniverse Pantry to Plate is the book for you! If you’re interested in learning more about creating your own meals without a formal recipe, you’ll definitely find help here. And if you’re already a vegan cooking pro, this book will arm you with more recipes for your kitchen arsenal.

Bourbon Salted Chocolate-Pecan Cluster Nice Cream

 

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This one is for my grandparents, who loved their bourbon, and their sweets. If you don’t love a boozy kiss in a dessert, simply leave out the bourbon.

Author: Heather Crosby

Yield: 4+ servings

Ingredients

• ½ cup (50 g) raw pecan halves
• 1 tablespoon plus ½ cup (120 ml) maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Two pinches cayenne pepper
• Two pinches ground cardamom (optional)
• 1 vanilla bean pod
• 3 cups (720 ml) canned full-fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons bourbon
• 1 tablespoon arrowroot starch/flour
• One 3-ounce (85 g) dark chocolate bar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together the pecans, 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup ¼ teaspoon of the salt, cinnamon, cayenne, and cardamom until the pecans are coated. Scatter on the baking sheet and roast for 7 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove from the baking sheet and cool in the fridge.
2. Press the vanilla bean pod so it lies flat on a cutting board. Carefully slice down its entire length with a sharp knife and open. Use the back of your knife to scrape out the caviar-like seeds and toss into a large pot. Heat the pot to medium-high and whisk together the coconut milk, the remaining 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) maple syrup, oil, bourbon, arrowroot, and ¼ teaspoon salt until velvety smooth and starting to simmer. Remove from the heat and chill for 2 to 3 hours in the fridge, until thoroughly cool.
3. Melt the chocolate bar over a double boiler and toss the pecans in the chocolate until coated. Cool in the fridge; chop into bite-sized pieces.
4. Process the chilled milk mixture in an ice cream maker until firm but stirrable. Transfer to a freezable container and fold in the pecan clusters until evenly distributed but maintain swirls and chunks. Freeze for 1 to 3 hours, until firm. Thaw to scoopable consistency and serve.

Notes

Credit line: Recipe from YumUniverse Pantry to Plate © Heather Crosby, 2017. Photographs copyright © Heather Crosby, 2017. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. theexperimentpublishing.com Photo by Heather Crosby.

3.5.3226

The post Bourbon Salted Chocolate-Pecan Cluster Nice Cream from YumUniverse Pantry to Plate appeared first on Chic Vegan.

I recently had the opportunity to chat with Heather, and we talked about Yum Universe, food, and the future.

Chic Vegan: You describe the way you eat as “plant-powerful.” How long have you been living a plant-powerful life? Was it an overnight switch or more gradual shift?

Heather Crosby: I eased my way into a plant-inspired approach to food about 10 years ago. And I went gluten-free about 5-6 years ago.

Illness inspired me to make the change, but very soon after I began researching, the more reasons I had to stick with this lifestyle (animal welfare, environmental realities). I was a complete veggie-phobe well into adulthood, but when doctors told me that I would have to be on medication for the rest of my life, it was then that I realized that I’d have to turn the health ship around myself. I wanted to heal the cause of my discomfort for good, and plant-based foods helped me get there. It took a while, making changes step-by-step, but eventually my palate changed, my symptoms subsided and I started to feel better than I ever imagined I could.

CV: When people learn that you live a plant-powerful lifestyle, what is the #1 question they ask and what is your response?

HC: It’s got to be “where do you get your protein?” And depending on the tone of the questioner (I don’t engage with aggressive types, but enjoy kind, curious people), I can respond by explaining that animals like gorillas and horses are able to build very strong bodies from eating plants—and, ok, maybe the occasional bug. Nearly all plant-based foods contain protein, and nearly all forms of protein contain all protein-forming amino acids in some quantity, and this why eating a variety of plant-based foods every day is so important.

Now, I think that the vegan protein question is not something to take lightly—it’s too often easily dismissed—but there’s plenty of processed, nutritionally-void vegan foods out there, and just like folks who eat a Standard American Diet (SAD), they can end up with deficiencies of all kinds, so we have to be accountable for our health.

Some excellent plant-based sources include lentils (cooked 18g per cup), pumpkin seeds and almonds (8g per ¼ cup), quinoa and peas (cooked 8g per cup), black beans (15g per cup)… even blackberries and avocado have 2-3 g per cup.

CV: Tell me a little bit about your new book YumUniverse and what inspired you to write it.

HC: When folks decide to make a long-term dietary change, I think the key to success is approaching it as a lifestyle, not a “diet” because our relationship with food has to be addressed—this can take a lifetime. We have habits, addictions and emotional attachments to food that are very powerful. That’s the reality, and anyone who tells people they can change in one week isn’t being honest.

I wanted to create the ultimate go-to book that provides people with the WHY, the HOW and the EATs they need to find the wellness they want. It was my goal to help people creatively incorporate more plant-powerful foods into their routine, no matter what label they fall under (vegan, paleo, etc.). I also wanted to make sure that these options would be gluten-free since there aren’t as many plant-based and gluten-free cookbook options out there—whether you’re gluten-free or plant-based or not, the recipes are delicious. Good food is good food.

CV: Do you have any favorite recipes in the book?

HC: They’re all like my children, it’s impossible to choose just one! I often find myself repeat-making Cardamom Cream Chia Pudding with Fresh Fruit, Roasted Veggies with any combo of herbs I have on hand, Brussels Sprouts with Miso Dijon Sauce, Quinoa Tacos, Pad Thai and Quinoa & Kale Salad.

CV: What inspires you to create a new recipe?

HC: It depends on the day. Sometimes, I want to “plantify” a family favorite, and other times, I will see produce at the market that I want to cook with. If I want to eat it, and I think others would too, then I get to work!

CV: What advice would you give to someone trying to adopt a vegan and gluten-free diet but might think it might be too limiting?

HC: It’s all about perspective. You can either focus on what you can’t eat, or what you can eat (infinite possibilities). So, before you begin, decide how you want to see the journey and try to stay in that headspace. If you’re curious and willing to try new foods, it can be a lot of fun. Eating a plant-based (or primarily plant-based) diet it a lot like learning a new language. It may seem overwhelming or intimidating at first, but with each new thing you learn, the more confidence you build and the more effortless it all becomes. So, take it one step at a time.

When we reach a point where we need/want to make changes, we usually have a lifetime of habits, addictions and emotional connections to food to re-examine and chip away at. If you don’t want to resent the changes you’ll be making, be kind to yourself and tackle one goal or intention at a time. You’ll make mistakes—don’t use them as excuses to abandon your goals. Learn from them, dust yourself off and keep moving forward. Once you master one goal, then add another. Repeat.

CV: What vegan product could you not live without?

HC: Fermented foods. They’ve helped me rebuild my health. My counters are covered in jars and bottles not only because they’re delicious, but they’re a lot of fun to create—good for the body and the creative spirit.

CV: What is your favorite vegan indulgence?

HC: Oh, it’s definitely some version of my recipe for gluten-free, vegan Mac & Cheese depending on the veggies I have in the fridge. Sometimes, you just want a big bowl of creamy, comforting noodles.

CV: What’s next for YumUniverse? Are you working on anything now that Chic Vegan readers should know about?

HC: I’m working on a pretty cool immersive experience that will help folks transition into, and maintain a plant-based diet. If folks are interested in learning more, they should click here for updates (and to get a free meal plan)!

CV: In your wildest dreams what will your life look like in 5 years?

HC: Creating and connecting with lovely people. I’m open to how it all unfolds.

The post Interview Series: Heather Crosby appeared first on Chic Vegan.

This is gorgeous!  That’s the first thing I thought when I opened Yum Universe:  Infinite  Possibilities for a Gluten-Free, Plant-Powerful, Whole Food Lifestyle, by blogger Heather Crosby.  It really is a beautiful book.  The front of the book, a picture of the lovely author happily chopping vegetables, is welcoming and friendly.  Flipping through the book, you see colors everywhere.  It’s a wonderful layout and it drew me right in.  I actually spent a lot of time just looking at pictures before I started reading.

Looking at all of the food porn in this book might make you think it’s a cookbook.  And half of it is.  But the other half is a real book that is well worth the read.  After giving us some background on her journey to health, Heather covers the Whys and Hows of living a plant-powerful lifestyle.  A lot of information is covered in the Why.  If you’re thinking of adding more plants to your diet, this section is worth the read.  But don’t skip this part if you’re already plant-powerful – you’ll miss a couple of good recipes, including Almond Crunch Kale Chips!

I loved the How section.  Again, not everything is new if you’ve been at this for a while, but Heather upped the ante a bit.  There’s a section on planning ahead, which includes on-the-go breakfast and salad ideas.  She also covers shopping, kitchen tools and basic techniques.  In my favorite part, she addressed food storage.  Here she includes just about every item you might include in your plant-powerful pantry, how to store it and for how long.  She also includes storage of fruits and vegetables and items that need cold storage.  I’ve been cooking for years, but I got some great tips from this section of the book.

And there are bonus goodies for book owners!  Extra on-line goodies, such as recipes, videos and other tips not found in the book.  Use your code and go to yumuniverse.com to find the link to extras.

On to the recipes.  Heather includes a good variety of recipes, including breakfasts, main dishes, soups (see recipe below), sides, beverages, snacks and desserts.  She also provides great variations for sandwiches, cashew cheese spreads and chickpea flatbread, among others.  The recipes are gluten-free, and most of the ingredients can be found pretty much anywhere.  Note that she does use honey in some of the recipes.  Those of us who don’t go there can easily find a substitute.

Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Bisque

Ingredients:

• 2 red bell peppers, seeds and ribs removed, quartered
• 2 large tomatoes, quartered
• ½ cup onion, quartered
• 1–1 ½ teaspoons sea salt or more to taste
• Pinch of black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 teaspoons rosemary leaves, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced in half
• 1 ¼ cups veggie stock
• 1⁄3 cup cashews, soaked

 Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a large baking dish with oil, or line with parchment paper. Place red bell peppers and tomatoes face down in baking dish with onion, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper, and roast for 25 minutes.

2. Remove baking dish and add rosemary and garlic and roast another 7 minutes.

3. Transfer all ingredients to the blender and purée until smooth. Season with salt and additional pepper to taste. Serve warm, so heat up on the range if you need to.

You really can’t go wrong with this book.  It’s fun to read, it’s beautiful and it’s informative.   It would make a great gift, even for yourself!

The post Book Review and Recipe: Yum Universe by Heather Crosby appeared first on Chic Vegan.