Everything we have made from this cookbook has been delicious. Now, how often can you say that about a cookbook? Mind you, we haven’t made everything in it, but I can safely say that if we’ve had this much luck with the recipes we have tried, then the rest are probably pretty good too.
The Plantiful Table – Vegan Cookbook
Written by Andrea Duclos from the lifestyle and cooking blog, ohdeardrea, this book provides recipes both kids and grown-ups will like, although I’d have to say the recipes are targeted towards older children rather than younger (i.e. very picky) toddlers. All plant-based and vegan, the book focuses on flavour, and uses a lot Latin American cooking influences the author grew up eating with her Columbian mother and Cuban mother-in-law. This is something I really appreciate, as oftentimes parents will shy away from using spices or “strong tastes” with their children, opting instead for blander meals. In my opinion, it’s important to start kids young with different tastes and spicier foods, which will only help kids expand their culinary horizons as they grow and try new things. So, if you’re looking for a cookbook that doesn’t shy away from spice and variety of tastes, this is the cookbook for you. However, if you’re really not a fan of Latin American cooking, you probably won’t like this book as it includes a whole chapter on “Latin American Favourites” and includes Latin American staples, such as arepas, in various recipes including breakfast.
Another thing I really love about this book is it’s chapter dedicated to “Things on Toast” — my partner always makes fun of me when someone asks me what my favourite food is; he always says, “Her favourite food is TOAST…hahaha”. It’s true, I love toast and peanut butter, toast and avocado, toast and cinnamon, French toast…the list goes on and on. It’s not very sophisticated, but there are lots of HEALTHY things you can make with toast, and sometimes, when you have a hungry toddler on your hands, toast is a sure winner. So, this cookbook gives you lots of ideas of things you can make with toast when you’re out of ideas on what to feed your hungry child.
Vegan Toast Ideas
Our favourite recipes we’ve made from this book are: paella, biscuits (plain, but good with jam, and fun to make with your toddler), empanadas (very time consuming, but you can make a big batch and freeze), hearty green pesto pasta (as seen here), and chickpea patties. The author even includes a recipe for homemade dog food, which is so cute and a nice addition — dogs are part of the family too, after all!
I would definitely recommend this book — again the recipes are yummy, the author includes good tips and tricks for planning your meals and eating well, and she doesn’t include too many “weird” or obscure ingredients that you wouldn’t likely have in your home (although the paella recipe does call for saffron, dubbed the “most expensive spice in the world!”, so I would leave out the saffron unless you’re cooking for a very special occasion).
