The Oh She Glows Cookbook

Okay, so who doesn't ADORE Angela Liddon and her blog Oh She Glows? That's right. No one. Because she's awesome. Angela went vegan several years ago while combatting an eating disorder. She overcame her cycle of self-starvation and binging and got super-healthy on a totally vegan, whole foods-based diet. And now, quite frankly, she really does radiate from the inside out.

She's been blogging (and sharing her recipes) for years, but now she's released The Oh She Glows Cookbook. It's one of those books (like Isa's Isa Does It) that I just cannot help but dog-ear almost every recipe. Maybe it's the full-color pictures luring me in or maybe it's the simple elegance of the recipes. Or both. But this book definitely has a hold on me.

There's a whole chapter on juices, smoothies, and teas. The breakfast chapter combines sweet and savory options. The entrees are hearty and wholesome, and, perhaps my favorite, is the chapter on power snacks. The desserts are both decadent and healthy at the same time!

Since I'm on a smoothie kick these days, I just had to try the Gym Rat Smoothie (almond milk, almond butter, chia seeds, oats, dates, cinnamon, and vanilla).

Most of my smoothies are thickened with frozen bananas, and that's all fine and good, but every smoothie tastes like banana. So this Gym Rat Smoothie was a welcome change. No bananas! Yet, thanks to the chia seeds and oats, it was just as thick, if not thicker, than my banana smoothies. Plus, it tasted like a snickerdoodle. One can never go wrong with snickerdoodles.

As some of y'all may have seen in my Seattle wrap-up posts, I had a TON of vegan food on my trip weekend before last. So when I returned home, I knew I needed a mini-detox. Enter the Eat Your Greens Detox Soup.

This hearty veggie soup was made with kale, nori, mushrooms, carrots, broccoli, garlic, ginger, and onion. It was sooooo nice to get a healthy dose of veggies after my Seattle splurge. I really feel like this soup, enjoyed with a slice of sprouted grain toast, set me back on the right track. Angela's publisher offered to let me publish the recipe for Eat Your Greens Detox Soup here, so I'm posting it at the end of this review.

Of course, you should probably just buy the book right now. You know you want it. There's a recipe for Life-Affirming Warm Nacho Dip for god's sake. And it's healthy because it's made with cashews, carrots, and even spinach! But it's vegan cheese! Just blows my mind.

Also, for those who don't own a juicer, Angela includes a few juice recipes that you don't need a juicer for!

Other recipes that I'm drooling over - Loaded Savory Oatmeal & Lentil Bowl (for breakfast!), Out-the-Door Chia Power Doughnuts (healthy doughnuts!), Summer Harvest Tortilla Soup, Cream of Tomato Soup with Roasted Italian Chickpea Croutons, Sweet Potato & Black Bean Enchiladas with Avocado-Cilantro Cream Sauce, 15-Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta (avocado pasta sauce!), and Broccoli & Cashew Cheese-Quinoa Burritos.

The Power Snacks chapter includes Angela's famous recipe for Classic Glo Bars (oat & seed granola bars), which took the internet by storm a few years ago. She even sold them for awhile through her online Glo Bakery.

And the dessert chapter is loaded with deceptively healthy treats like the Double-Layer Chocolate Fudge Cake (made with whole wheat pastry flour and chocolate-avocado frosting), Homemade Yolos (like Rolos!) with date-caramel sauce, and Crispy Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.

But I'll stop rambling on and on about how great this book is. Next time you're feeling icky 'cause you ate too much crap, make this soup. It's guaranteed to cure what ails ya.

Eat Your Greens Detox Soup
Calling all vegetables lovers! This soup is great if you want to cleanse and detoxify your body, especially before or after an indulgent holiday. It’s packed with detoxifying and immunity-boosting ingredients like broccoli, ginger, mushrooms, kale, nori, and garlic, and will get your healthy eating right back on track.

Serves 3
gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, sugar-free, grain-free
PREP TIME: 25 minutes • COOK TIME: 20 minutes

1 1⁄2 teaspoons (7 mL) coconut oil or olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups (750 mL) sliced cremini or white button mushrooms (about 8 ounces)
1 cup (250 mL) chopped carrots
2 cups (500 mL) chopped broccoli florets
Fine-grain sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1⁄2 to 3 teaspoons (7 to 15 mL) grated peeled fresh ginger
1⁄2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground turmeric
2 teaspoons (10 mL) ground cumin
1⁄8 teaspoon (0.5 mL) ground cinnamon
5 cups (1.25 L) vegetable broth
2 large nori seaweed sheets, cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) strips (optional)
2 cups (500 mL) torn kale leaves
Fresh lemon juice, for serving (optional)

1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.

2. Add the mushrooms, carrots, and broccoli and stir to combine. Season generously with salt and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes more.

3. Stir in the ginger, turmeric, cumin, and cinnamon and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant.

4. Add the broth and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 20 minutes.

5. Just before serving, stir in the nori (if using) and kale and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, if desired.

Reprinted by arrangement with AVERY, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © GLO BAKERY CORPORATION, 2014.