Sue Quinn

Stay or Go?
I'm in the throes of deciding which of my many cookbooks stay or go. It's a monumental task! To do that I will assess features of each cookbook, read each recipe, and then try a few of the most appealing recipes I've been meaning to get around to. I'm designing my weekly menu as I write this.

So, stay or go? To be determined.

Cookbook's raison d'etre
Author recounts that "super foods" is often a vague description, usually referring to foods high in nutrients per calorie. She states show more that definition often lacks some nutrients as well as phytochemicals. She then devised her own top list of 52--including leafy green vegetables, fruits and berries, seeds and nuts, beans and legumes and two fish. Each recipe lists in bold those "super food" ingredients.

Details
===Dietary types
No dietary specialization, other than including, of course, "super foods." Recipes can include oil, soy, gluten, milk, cheese, and eggs. No animal flesh other than fish.
===Contents
64 (not 65 as stated on the cover) recipes listed in standard chapters beginning with Breakfast, Soups and Salads, etc.
===Specialty items
Most ingredients not hard to find in most Western cities, no recommendations for substitutions. One recipe required an ice cream maker.
===Photos
Every recipe has a photo of prepared dish. Photos are simple and pleasing.
===Nutritional Values
Not included. Instead highlights a list of the super nutrients of each dish.
===Recipe layout
Recipe lists number of servings and total time to prepare-cook. Includes a photo of each recipe's raw ingredients in their measured state. Text of the ingredients are below the photo, listed one after another, in rows, and then centered--not a good "glance-able" text format. The ink is black and background is white, thank Heaven! The text size is slightly small.
===Index
Listed by major ingredients but I found some ingredients used that were not included by specific name (eg. "pinto beans" not listed, however recipe is listed under "beans"). Also includes dish types, like Soups, etc.
===Chattiness
None. Defines the cookbook goal without preaching and then includes the list of featured nutrients and their role in health, including citing sources. No preambles to recipes. End of recipe will sometimes include a--usually obvious--"serve with" recommendation.

Recipes especially appealing to me
p.46 Super Slaw. Rutabaga and turnip slaw with tahini and yogurt dressing.
p.54 Sunshine Soup, a warm soup made with bell pepper (red, yellow, or orange) and tomatoes.
p.58 Creamy Comfort Soup, a pureed soup with cauliflower and pinto beans.
p.68 Spicy Stir-Fried Greens, bok choy with cilantro, Thai chili, ginger, mirin, and sesame oil.
p.70 Green Mash, steamed potatoes mashed with chopped sautéed kale and collard greens.
p.72 Nutty Grilled Lettuce, romaine grilled, served with dressing, boiled eggs, and hazelnuts.
p.80 Mediterranean Vegetable Bowl, simmered eggplant, bell peppers, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, raisins.
p.84 Supercharged Carrots, roasted carrots with a food processor dressing that includes the carrot tops, served with black sesame seeds.
p.94 Glowing Green Pesto Pasta, fusilli pasta with kale and peanut based pesto.
p.106 Kale and Bean Hash, skillet dish of kale, great northern beans, hazelnuts, sunflower seeds, and parmesan cheese.
p.118 Cheesy Vegetable Pie, baked stuffed puff pastry with kale, potatoes, turnips, and cheddar cheese.
p.126 Supercharged Muffins, wheat flour muffins with spinach, red bell peppers, feta, and chia, flax and sunflower seeds.
p.132 Berry Burst Tart, baked apples, cranberries, pecans in a puff pastry tart.
p.144 Sticky Energy Bars, pecans, peanuts, dried fruits, coconut oil, honey, almond butter, sesame seeds.

Overall
Pre-recipe testing, this appears to be a no-nonsense cookbook with plants as stars of the recipe. Appetizing photos are clean, the kind I like best, without fussy staging--just the food, please. There were a few recipes that required more non-vegan items than seems feasible to substitute, but by far most of the recipes seem doable as is, or simply without, or with a few standard vegan alternatives.

The "personality" of the book is seen mostly through the beautifully clean approach of the photos and the emphasis on mostly whole food ingredients. (No author jibber-jabber.)

Looks good; I like it. Now time to try some of those recipes this week! Will update. show less

I LOVE THIS BOOK. Sue Quinn provides recipes for some very nutritious yet delicious meals that are easy to make. I even enjoyed shopping for the ingredients in this book, knowing I was doing something great for my family. Some of my favorite recipes include the Super Salad, Super Muesli, and Vegetarian Vegetable Bowl. In addition to recipes, this book provides great information on the potential health benefits of the “super foods” highlighted in the book.

I received this absolutely fabulous book to review from Netgalley and boy am i pleased i did.The illustrations of both raw and cooked ingredients is a great idea so that even the non cook can be sure they have bought the correct ingredients and know what they look like.
The recipes are mouth-wateringly delicious looking and to know they help with ones health and wellbeing can only be good in my eyes

I received this absolutely fabulous book to review from Netgalley and boy am i pleased i did.The illustrations of both raw and cooked ingredients is a great idea so that even the non cook can be sure they have bought the correct ingredients and know what they look like.
The recipes are mouth-wateringly delicious looking and to know they help with ones health and wellbeing can only be good in my eyes