I Bought a Book: Appetite for Reduction

How times have changed. This time last year I was still not able to eat properly after spending a week in November with a serious stomach bug. It was all about calorie dense foods for me. Had to be, or I wouldn't have the energy to move. But this year things are different and my vegetable intake has dropped. I regret nothing, I had a couple of stressful months not conducive to cooking completely and virtuously from my veggie box.

So a perfect book to cook book to come out right now would be one that focused on meals full of veggies, lower in fat to be lighter on my stomach. Of course it would have to be guilt-free. I don't want any fat shaming with my food, the worlds got enough of that as it is. I just want the vegetables that make me feel better in tasty, friendly package. So how cool is it that Appetite For Reduction came out and that us Brits can order the American edition, right now from The Book Depository?

Let's deal with the serious stuff before we get on to the recipes I've tried. It's just cute, I want to embroider the illustrations on a big quilt to hang in my kitchen. The recipes are varied and inspiring. There is nutritional information that isn't full of crap about detox (see Get It Ripe) and isn't hard to understand.

Also it's full of damn tasty food. The odd weather ground Torquay to a halt, although we haven't really been effected. Walking out to the big supermarkets was out of the question and no were I town had black eyed peas. So I was wondering around the smaller of the two Tescos (yes, my shopping options are either Tesco or Tesco unless I want a long walk, another rant for another time) and they at least had one, yes just the one, head of broccoli and a can of chickpeas. Forthy-Clove Chickpeas And Broccoli it is! It was delicious even if finding the ingredients turned into a bit of an ordeal.

The next night I noticed something right up my street. Quinoa Puttanesca. I absolutely adore Puttanesca sauce and spent about a week eating it this summer. And to drape it on quinoa? A delightful change of pace. I served mine with some roasted crown prince squash and revelled in it.

Quick Edit: As a shameless teetotaler I omitted the wine from the Puttanesca sauce and added half the amount of water (I would have used broth but I had none defrosted) it still tasted fab.