What I Vegan with Chloe’s Kitchen

Tags

Barley Bliss casserole, cheesy broccoli soup, Chef Chloe Coscarelli, chef-y, Chloe's Kitchen, cinnamon rolls, Cupcake Wars, fettuccine alfredo, food, garden ricotta, Meet the Shannons, noodles, Peanutty Perfection noodles, Pineapple Not-So-Fried Rice, Stuffed Shells, vegan

I ♥ vegan cookbooks.

They inspire me to try new recipes, let me see what’s possible (vegan poached egg?!), and bring out my inner chef.

But I should have you know that my inner chef is not too chef-y.

I don’t know technical cooking terms, I take forever to chop an onion, and if it involves making any sort of roux or something intimidating-sounding, I will immediately give up and order Chinese.

That’s why my new favorite cookbook is Chloe’s Kitchen.

I don’t have to be super chef-y to make her accessible and delightfully tasty dishes.

In fact, the first sentence in the intro to the book is:

“You can cook!”

Yeah! Thanks for the encouragement!

Given to me by thoughtful coworkers as a gift, Chloe’s Kitchen has been open on my counter every week since I got it.

Chloe Coscarelli is too cute first of all, with her friendly writing style and jokes. Reading her cookbook is like having your friend in the kitchen gabbing and drinking wine with you as you cook – it’s so much FUN!

Chef Chloe’s baking prowess first brought her fame on the Food Network TV show Cupcake Wars (click here for a clip of her on the show). She was the first ever (but not the last!) vegan winner in a Food Network competition.

So where did Chloe learn her awesome ninja chef skills?

She went to The Natural Gourmet Institute after graduating from UC Berkeley. She also knows her nutrition – she completed Cornell University’s Plant-Based Nutrition program.

Her recipes are imaginative (Green Curry Crepes) yet comfortable (Cheesy Broccoli Soup in Sourdough Bowls).

They’re easy (several put-all-ingredients-in-blender recipes) yet sophisticated (Minted Couscous with Arugula, Butternut Squash, and Currants).

One of said gorgeous photos from the book. These are the Falafel Sliders with Avocado Hummus. Mmmm.

Another nice thing is that there’s no hunting specialty markets for these ingredients; they’re readily available at your normal grocery store.

Also, the recipes have gorgeous pictures with them, so you know what you’re going for. ———>

Below are a few pictures of the recipes I’ve tried out so far.

Being a pasta lover, her “Oodles of Noodles” section has seen me a lot. But there are several other categories including “Eat With Your Hands,” “The Main Event,” and “Small Bites.”

I have loved every single dish I’ve made.

Chloe’s Pineapple Not-So-Fried Rice (This is best served in the actual pineapple boat, but I cheated with pre-cut!)

These are her delectable Stuffed Shells, filled with flavorful and fresh garden ‘ricotta’

Peanutty Perfection Noodles were just that – perfect. It happens to be Chloe’s favorite recipe in the book, and it’s in the running for mine too!

This is Barley Bliss Casserole, and indeed, eating it was blissful. Plus, I had leftovers for days!

Fettuccine Alfredo might have been my favorite pre-vegan food. And now with this cruelty-free version, it once again is at the top of my list!

My sweet and chef-y friend Lori made these Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls from the cookbook for me!

I actually made this dish, Avocado Pesto Pasta, before I got the cookbook because it was featured on VegNews. Click the pic to go to the recipe!

I highly recommend getting this cookbook if:

• you’re new to vegan cooking
• you’re into cooking but not a chef (á la me)
• you’re an experienced vegan with extensive cooking experience

…because the recipes are all so doable, fun to make, and knock-your-socks-off delicious.

FYI – I’m not being paid to promote this book! I am truly offering my opinion on what I think is one of the best cookbooks you can buy.

You know I only share the vegan créme de la créme with you, my lovely friends!

Try out some of Chef Chloe’s recipes available for free on her website too. That way you don’t have to wait ’til you’ve gone to the bookstore to chow down.

To Finding Your Inner Chef!

Sarah