Book Review & Giveaway: "Oh She Glows Everyday"

I was late in the game to appreciate the amazing recipes over at OhSheGlows.com, in fact, I didn't discover Angela Liddon's recipes until I received a copy of her first cookbook The Oh She Glows Cookbook to review for this blog. Within just a few recipes, I was smitten. Over the years I have made and loved and shared so many recipes from The OSG Cookbook and from her blog. I even have the OSG app* and I really love it. So, I was super stoked to have the opportunity to review her second book: Oh She Glows Every Day ! I made lots of goodies from this beautiful book...

*By the way, if you like cooking from apps, I really like the OSG app. It's got lots of recipes and Angela is always adding more. Also, I was stoked to see that the app is now available for Android phones too. I switched from Apple to Android, and now I can have it on my new phone too! 

cooking from the OSG app

a soup so full of veggies, it's practically a stew!

I have loved pretty much every OSG soup recipe that I've tried, so I'm always interested in new soup recipes from Angela. The first time I flipped through OSGED, this Metabolism-Revving Spicy Cabbage Soup caught my eye right away - especially because after all the rich and abundant eating of holiday times, I was attracted to such a light and nutritious soup. I really loved the flavors and textures and body of this soup and I've already made it twice. It's not really all that spicy, as much as well-spiced, flavorful, and light. As most soups do, this soup also got better and better with each passing day.  This is a recipe I'm sure to make again and again.

a perfect winter time soup

Mr. VE&T and I loved this 6 Vegetable and "Cheese" Soup! It's loaded with veggies like sweet potatoes, broccoli, and carrots; it's got a hearty dose of nutritional yeast, and the result is thick, chunky, rich, and satisfying. I took the picture before I put on the pepitas and croutons for topping (doh!). It's not the most photogenic soup - ha ha! - but don't let that deter you from making it. I promise, it's really good! 

colorful and nutritious and delicious! 

I think this Sweet Potato, Chickpea, and Spinach Coconut Curry is one of my favorite recipes so far from this book. As you can see it's full of veggies and chickpeas. What you can't see is that it's warm and warming and super hearty. It's also a great use for chickpeas if you've been cooking up chickpeas just for the aquafaba. I like having a good stash of homemade aquafaba and homecooked chickpeas in the freezer -- in case of culinary emergencies! 

BFFs: Sweet potatoes, Chickpeas, and Me

so perfect

This Crowd-Pleasing Caesar Salad totally lives up to its name. I made this when some friends came over, and we all loved it. The base is a combination of Romaine lettuce and Lacinato Kale, with a rich and really delicious caesar dressing. The creamy tang of the dressing with the fresh crunch of the greens is an extremely satisfying combo. And, the toppings really make it even better: 

the Garlic-Roasted Chickpeas are an excellent spin on croutons, they're quick and easy to prepare and they provide a good umami blast, some chew, and some more protein to the salad.

The Vegan Parmesan Cheese is also in the book and is quick to throw together and also adds a lot to the salad over all - increased depth of flavor and cheesiness. Just writing about this recipe makes me want to eat it again right now! 

giant piles of good stuff!

This recipe for Loaded Sweet Potatoes is pretty straightforward, but somehow it is also so goood! I don't make potato-y things very often, but I loved these baked sweet potatoes overflowing with beans and salsa and Avocado-Cilantro Crema. In fact, as you can see, I've made these twice and I've been dreaming about them ever since. I especially loved the idea of using sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes - the sweetness goes so nicely with the salsa and the other toppings.

sweet dreams in my little sweet potato

creamy perfection!

Oh man, it doesn't happen often, but Mr VE&T and I disagreed on this one. I really really liked this dinner, and he didn't like it. What the heck!? Oh well, more for me! The All-Purpose Cheese Sauce in this Mac & Peas is great, with cashews, potatoes, carrots, nooch, a little coconut oil, and other goodies. It's thick and creamy and lovely. At least I thought so! Now I'll have to wait for Mr VE&T to have some other dinner plans so I can make this again. I'd also love to make the cheese sauce and put it to use as a dip or sauce with veggies, or on nachos! 

gluten-free and loaded with yumz

Oh wow, these Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies were so good! I love that this book has so many gluten-free treats. (In fact every recipe indicates up at the top of the page whether it's gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, oil-free, etc ) These cookies have shredded coconut, chocolate chips, oats, maple syrup, and peanut butter! I made these for one of my yoga classes - and they were a big hit! I always like to make gf cookies for my students, just in case any of my students are gf. I also have lots of friends and loved ones who are gf and so I'm always on the look out for special treats I can make for them. Also, I must say, I haven't yet ever made a dud cookie from one of Angela's recipes. I think she has some real cookie skillz! 

spiced, a little crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside

Speaking of excellent gluten-free cookies, I've already made these Chewy Molasses Spelt Cookies three times - they were just perfect for the holiday season and wintry treats! I love the amount of spices in this cookie and the crispy crackle of the outside paired with the chewy molasses-y insides. I also made these for my yoga students and they were happily devoured! 

ours is a household full of cookie fans!

There are a lot more recipes that I'd still like to make: 

Chili Cheese Nachos

Big Tabbouleh Bowl

Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup

Marinated Italian Tofu

Sweet Potato Casserole

Marinated Lentils

Thai Crunch Salad

Soba Noodle Salad

Chocolate-Almond Espresso Cookies

The book is divided up into nine chapters:

Smoothies and Smoothie Bowls

Breakfast

Snacks

Sides and Soups

Entrees

Cookies and Bars

Desserts

Homemade Staples

True to her style, the recipes in OSGED are healthy without sacrificing flavor and tasty without being overly complex or requiring elaborate ingredients - both which I really appreciate.  This book would be especially good for newer vegans, for someone who is interested in exploring vegan or plant-based food, or as a gift to get for family members who never know what to cook for you. I particularly love that there are hardly any unusual "specialty" ingredients, you won't need to go to two natural food stores, the mainstream store, and Trader Joe's to complete your shopping for any of these recipes.

As I mentioned, I also have the first OSG cookbook and there are some similar recipes in both books, so there is a little bit of overlap. Several of the recipes in OSGED are quite simple: things like nut butters, coconut butter, chia pudding, two hummus recipes, guacamole, and avocado toast. I already know about these things, but I know there are a lot of folks out there who don't, and the book presents them really well and in clear and appealing way. And also, her recipes are consistently reliable: good, clear, easy to follow, easy to prepare. I really appreciate that about her recipes so much. I can't remember ever making a recipe from OSG and not having it come out the way I expected it to, which is really saying something. This book presents a good balance of simple and quick recipes along with more complex flavors and recipes. 

Aesthetically, the book is fantastic: every single recipe has a beautiful full-page color picture, the font is clean and lovely and easy to read, the ingredients are laid out clearly and in order of use, every recipe indicates if it's soy-free/gluten-free/oil-free/kid-friendly/etc, and prep time and cooking time estimate are provided. It's a pleasant and effortless user experience! 

As for me, I especially love the entrees, soups and salads, and the desserts! Plus, I mean really, a whole cookie chapter? I am, after all, the gal that made 13 kinds of cookies for my own wedding instead of a cake! 

GIVEAWAY!

The publishers at Avery Press sent me my copy of the book to review, and are are allowing me to offer a giveaway to this beautiful book to one lucky reader in the USA. To enter, please leave me a comment and tell me which recipes sound good to you, or what you ate for lunch today, or just about anything will do! And please leave your email or make sure I can get a hold of you or I will just pick a different winner! Good luck!