Sarah Britton isn’t trying to sell you on anything. The Toronto amateur cook and blogger-turned-Copenhagen cookbook author comes up with health-inspired recipes that are based on whole foods, not hard rules and silly trends.
That means the plant-based meals sometimes include dairy or an egg. There are carbs and fats. Smoothie bowls are kept to a minimum and the ingredients are mostly accessible. Britton is a holistic nutritionist and it shows; her new cookbook, like all her recipes, is focused on that elusive sense of well-being.
“Nothing makes me feel better, think better and look better than whole foods!” she writes on her blog, My New Roots. “And the big bonus? I never count calories or worry about my weight because I know that if I eat this way, my body will be in a perfect state of balance and health, naturally.” While Britton might also be genetically lucky, her meals are fresh and balanced.
The book: Out Feb. 14, Naturally Nourished: Healthy, Delicious Meals Made with Everyday Ingredients, $32.95 through Appetite by Random House, is a collection of recipes that is divided by meal type and follows the seasons. So there are summer soups and winter salads, for example, as well as mains; simple sides and small plates; and savoury and sweet snacks. Vegan, raw, grain-free and gluten-free recipes are indicated. But Britton wants to make healthy cooking as easy as possible, so there are tips on meal prep and what she calls “rollovers,” a way to use last night’s roasted beets or sun-dried tomatoes in tomorrow’s hummus or tacos in order to spend more time “assembling” meals and less time standing over the stove when you’re hungry.
The quote: “Yes, I get jazzed about exotic ingredients, but really, the bulk of my diet consists of vegetables, fruit, legumes and grains that don’t need a lot of doctoring up. In fact, most of my favourite ingredients are found at my neighbourhood grocery store.”
The tester: In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book (well, an IOU for a pre-ordered copy) as a Christmas gift. These recipes are right up my alley: vegetarian but not fussy, easy but not boring. There is only so much tofu a person can eat.
Recipes I’m dying to make: Cashew Corn Chowder with Chipotle Oil, Grilled Caesar Salad with Chickpea Croutons, Savoury Leek and Mushroom Galette, Logic-Defying Zucchini Fries
Coconut Cardamom Blueberry Snack Cake
I made this for a brunch party and it was a hit. Cardamom has a distinct, almost soapy flavour so use less for a subtler taste. It’s sugar-free — how 2017 — and uses maple syrup as a sweetener instead.
1 tsp (5 mL) coconut oil
1 cup (250 mL) shredded, unsweetened coconut, plus 1 tbsp (15 mL) more for garnish
1 cup (250 mL) rolled oats
1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour
1 to 2 tsp (5 to 10 mL) cardamom, to taste
1 1/2 tsp (7 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking soda
3/4 tsp (4 mL) salt
1 can (400 mL) full-fat coconut milk
Zest of one lemon
2 tbsp (30 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp (10 mL) pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup (60 mL) maple syrup
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup (250 mL) fresh blueberries
In a 20 cm-by-20 cm (8 inch-by-8 inch) baking pan, add coconut oil, spreading evenly to coat bottom and sides. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup coconut, oats, flour, cardamom, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a separate medium bowl, combine coconut milk, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla, maple syrup and eggs. Whisk together.
Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and stir to combine. Do not overmix. Fold in blueberries. Pour batter into baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.
Bake in a 350 F/180 C oven for 40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Slice into 16 squares. Cover and store for up to five days in refrigerator.
Makes 16 servings.
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