A Couple Cooks Pretty Simple Cooking: 100 Delicious Vegetarian Recipes to Make You Fall in Love with Real Food

by Sonja Overhiser, Alex Overhiser

Overview

Popular husband-and-wife bloggers and podcasters (acouplecooks.com) offer 100 recipes with an emphasis on whole foods and getting into the kitchen together.

Pretty Simple Cooking was named one of the best vegetarian cookbooks by Epicurious and best healthy cookbooks of 2018 by Mind Body Green.

A love story at its finest, Alex and Sonja Overhiser first fell for each other--and then the kitchen. In a matter of months, the writer-photographer duo went from eating fast and frozen food to regularly cooking vegetarian meals from scratch. Together, the two unraveled a "pretty simple" approach to home cooking that kicks the diet in favor of long-term lifestyle changes. While cooking isn't always easy or quick, it can be pretty simple by finding love in the process.

A Couple Cooks | Pretty Simple Cooking is an irresistible combination of spirited writing, nourishing recipes with a Mediterranean flair, and vibrant photography. Dubbed a "vegetarian cookbook for non-vegetarians", it's a beautiful book that's food for thought, at the same time providing real food recipes for eating around the table. The book features:

• 100 vegetarian recipes, with 75 vegan and 90 gluten-free options
• A full-color photograph for every recipe
• Recipes arranged from quickest to more time-consuming
• 10 life lessons for a sustainably healthy approach to cooking, artfully illustrated with a custom watercolor

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738219707
Publisher:	Hachette Books
Publication date:	02/06/2018
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Sonja Overhiser is a writer, recipe developer, podcast host, and healthy and sustainable food advocate. Along with her husband Alex, she created the A Couple Cooks website, a collection of whole foods recipes and inspiration for healthy and sustainable eating. She is co-host of the A Couple Cooks podcast, which features conversations in food with personalities from local farmers to celebrity chefs. She loves a good cup of coffee, a morning trip to the farmer's market, eating pizza in Italy, and she has a hidden talent of salsa dancing.

Alex Overhiser is food photographer, recipe developer, podcast host and web designer behind A Couple Cooks. Alex's food photography is nationally known and has been featured in the Huffington Post, People.com, Food52, Buzzfeed, The Kitchn, and Indianapolis Monthly. In addition to A Couple Cooks, Alex maintains freelance gigs in food photography and web design. He loves a good cup of coffee, hiking, and his smartwatch.

Sonja and Alex are married and live in Indianapolis.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Pretty Simple Cooking 4

The Ten Lessons 8

Breakfast & Brunch 13

California Toast with Roasted Almond Butter and Berries 14

Soft Scrambled Eggs with Goat Cheese 17

30-Second Herb and Cheddar Omelet 18

Toasted Oatmeal 21

Cherry Almond Breakfast Cereal (Muesli) 22

Balsamic Blueberry Breakfast Parfait 25

Strawberry Lime Chia Jam 26

Cornbread Pancakes with Strawberry Jam 29

Whole Wheat Weekend Waffles 30

Huevos Rancheros 33

Spinach Artichoke Frittata 34

Two-Potato Hash with Romesco 37

Starters & Snacks 41

Creamy Artichoke Hummus 42

Irresistible Tomato Almond Dip 45

Garlic Herb White Bean Dip 46

Roasted Poblano Salsa 49

Peach Salsa Fresca 50

Goat Cheese and Thyme Honey Crostini 53

Layered Mediterranean Hummus Platter 54

World-Traveler Cheese Board 57

Homemade Tortilla Chips 58

Baked Pita Crisps 61

Baked Goat Cheese with Tomato Sauce 62

Famous Loaded Sweet Potato Rounds 65

Crispy Cumin Chickpeas 66

Rosemary Olives with Lemon Zest 69

Crunchy Dill and Curry Cauliflower Quick Pickles 70

Salads 75

Crisp Green Salad with Apple and Honey Mustard Vinaigrette 77

Carrot Ribbon Salad with Cumin Lime Vinaigrette 78

Classic Greek Salad 81

Red Pepper Tabbouleh 82

Fennel, Pomegranate, and Arugula Salad 85

Mixed Greens with Peaches and Balsamic Maple Vinaigrette 86

Kale Caesar Salad with Paprika Croutons 89

Tangy Cucumber and Onion Salad 90

Side Veg 95

Broccoli with Feta 96

Lemon and Pepper Green Beans 98

Toasted Sesame Edamame 101

Simple Refried Pinto Beans 102

Crispy Brussels Sprouts with Pecorino 105

Grilled Corn with Smoky Paprika Cream 106

Delicata Squash Fries with Awesome Sauce 109

Spiced Sweet Potato Wedges with Chive Cream 110

Crispy Baked Restaurant-Style Fries with Honey Mustard 113

Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower 114

Baked 119

Corn Muffins with Green Onions 120

Homemade Whole Wheat Naan 122

Multigrain Sandwich Loaf 124

Crusty Multigrain Artisan Bread 126

From Scratch 131

DIY Dried Beans 132

Perfect Grains: Quinoa, Brown Rice, Bulgur, Farro, and Freekah 134

Crème Fraîche 139

Super Sauces 140

Creamy Cashew Sauce 142

Mains Simplest Fare 147

Chickpea Shawarma Flatbread 148

Smashed White Bean Salad Sandwiches 151

The Ultimate Egg Sandwich 152

Rainbow Soba Noodle Bowls 154

Quick Fix Pinto Bean Tacos 156

Big Mexican Salad with Creamy Cilantro Dressing 158

Kale and Goat Cheese Rigatoni 160

Santorini Bowls 163

Tuscan White Bean and Fennel Soup 164

Smoky Red Lentil Stew 167

Mains Everyday Favorites 171

Artichoke Lentil Stew with Salsa Verde 172

Chipotle Black Bean Tortilla Soup 175

Creamy Cauliflower Cashew Curry with Pickled Onions 176

Darn Good Vegan Chili 179

Creamy Vegan Potato Chowder 180

Eggplant Parmesan Casserole 183

Loaded Sweet Potato Wedges with Black Beans 184

Burrito Bowl with Cumin Lime Crema 187

Red Lentil Coconut Curry with Cilantro Chutney 188

Roasted Cauliflower and Black Bean Tacos with Chipotle Aïoli 190

Grilled Portobello Fajitas 192

Veggie Supreme Paella 194

Moroccan Sweet Potato Stew with Quinoa 196

White Cheddar Leek and Greens Millet Bake 198

Turmeric Rice Bowls with Lemon Tahini Drizzle 200

Mains Special Occasions 205

Roasted Acorn Squash with Brown Rice Sausage and Kale 206

Ricotta Gnocchi alla Vodka 208

Vegetarian Lentil Gyros 210

Falafel Burgers with Yogurt Dill Sauce 212

Giant Portobello Burgers with Caramelized Onions 214

Red and Green Enchiladas 216

The Best Veggie Lasagna 218

Classic Vegetarian Nut Loaf 220

Pizza Dough 222

Pizza Margherita with Pecorino and Egg 226

Pizza with Heirloom Tomatoes and Goat Cheese 229

Pizza with Sweet Potatoes and Smoked Garlic 230

Sweets 235

Fresh Berries with Mint and Vanilla Whipped Cream 236

Affogato al Caffè 239

Sparkling Amethyst Granita 240

Raw Brownie Truffles with Pistachio Dust 243

Bliss Bites 244

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Skillet Cookie 247

Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake with Macerated Raspberries 248

Apple Cherry Cardamom Crumble 251

Vanilla-Orange Strawberry Shortcakes 252

Chocolate Mousse with Toasted Meringue 254

Creamy Chai Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream 256

Metric Conversions 259

Acknowledgments 260

Index 262

About the Authors 268

Editorial Reviews

04/15/2018
Married recipe developers Sonja and Alex Overhiser share approachable, scratch-made meals that have helped them maintain a routine of regularly cooking and eating at home. In chapters for breakfasts, salads, sides, mains, and more, recipes are ordered by complexity, starting with the quickest. Many of the recipes—including loaded Mediterranean hummus platter, grilled corn with smoky paprika cream, the best veggie lasagna, and giant Portobelo burgers—are suitable for entertaining and special occasions. VERDICT If you're trying to eat a healthy vegetarian or flexitarian diet but can't imagine giving up indulgences such as pizza, pasta, cheese boards, and dessert, this cookbook is a great starting point.

Library Journal

"These days, 'simple' cooking often means 'fast! easy!' or '10 minutes or less!' Pretty Simple Cooking instead says that simple cooking should be about thoughtfulness and love for food, the process of cooking it, and the people around you. This book is for anyone who feels intimidated to step into the kitchen, because Sonja and Alex have such encouraging lessons about life, love, and food. It's also for food lovers of any level looking for creative recipes to up their veggie game."—Jeanine Donofrio, loveandlemons.com, author of The Love and Lemons Cookbook

"Alex and Sonja Overhiser nailed the modern conundrum about cooking real, nurturing food: you have to fall in love. Their Ten Lessons, sprinkled between accessible, mouth-watering recipes, are the perfect guide to inspiring just that—a deep love of home cooking."—Sarah Copeland, edibleliving.com, author of Feast

"To be clear, this is not a cookbook, it is a love story. Sonja and Alex have poured their hearts into crafting a simply beautiful and accessible menu of opportunities for us all to learn to love what we feed ourselves and our families. Their passion for simple and wholesome sings out from every page, with sparing, clear recipes and dazzling photos. I love this book and you will too!"—Gary Hirshberg, Chairman and Co-Founder, Stonyfield Farm

"Pretty Simple Cooking is the ultimate cookbook that everyone needs. Sonja and Alex have written a collection of delicious and approachable vegetarian recipes that are sure to delight. Their enthusiasm is infectious and we can't wait to start cooking these mouthwatering recipes right now."—Corky, Dana, Tracy, and Lori Pollan, authors of The Pollan Family Table

"So many people are wanting to clean up how they eat, but there is so much information and in so many places, it's overwhelming. Sonja and Alex break it down in this book! I am eager to cook these recipes and also pass this book along to friends and family who need great recipes for the day to day meals we seek inspiration for!"—Sara Forte, sproutedkitchen.com, author of Sprouted Kitchen

"I love this cookbook. It's filled with the colorful, delicious brain-healthy foods I prescribe to patients. Cook up some family happiness with them tonight!"—Drew Ramsey, MD, Nutritional Psychiatrist

"Sonja and Alex's recipes spin everyday ingredients into colorful exciting dishes that are satisfying and healthy. Pretty Simple Cooking is the type of book that I could open up on any day and find something delicious to make that I know is going to be special. These pages are going to be soup stained in no time!"—Molly Yeh, mynameisyeh.com, author of Molly on the Range

"Fresh produce shines in Pretty Simple Cooking, which offers a delectable range of beautiful and approachable vegetarian recipes. Sonja and Alex offer helpful guidance in the recipes and thoughtful lessons throughout. Whether you're looking for quick, healthy recipes or fresh inspiration, this book is for you. I can't wait to start cooking!"—Kathryne Taylor, cookieandkate.com, author of Love Real Food

"Packed with 100 multi-serving recipes sorted by cook time, interspersed with lessons for making healthier meals, this cookbook is a great resource for anyone looking to brush up their home cooking skills."
—Bon Appetit's Healthyish

"Incorporating life lessons into their recipes, the Overhisers will get you excited about any meal you're looking to embrace, no matter how quick or complex."—Epicurious, "The Best Vegetarian Cookbooks"

"Their blog was born when they were teaching themselves to cook, and now, many years later, their recipes still showcase that same true home-cook accessibility that makes a book become a kitchen staple. It's the little thoughtful touches that make this book a true winner, though: Chapters are organized from quickest to hardest recipes, and every single recipe has a photo."—MindBodyGreen ("The 10 Best Healthy Cookbooks of 2018")

"Approachable, scratch-made meals...Many of the recipes...are suitable for entertaining and special occasions...If you're trying to eat a healthy vegetarian or flexitarian diet but can't imagine giving up indulgences such as pizza, pasta, cheese boards, and dessert, this cookbook is a great starting point."—Library Journal

"The couple want us to focus on getting in the kitchen and back to basics. That is, with nourishing recipes using whole foods and fresh produce. It's delicious, uncomplicated, and totally approachable."—Brit + Co

"This book is for anyone who feels intimidated to step into the kitchen, because Sonja has such encouraging lessons about life, love, and food. It's also for food lovers of any level looking for creative recipes to up their veggie game."—Love & Lemons

"Offer[s] 100 recipes with an emphasis on easy prep, whole foods, and healthy dishes-and getting into the kitchen together."
—Eat Your Books

"Sonja and Alex Overhiser...make change seem possible and sustainable by learning to love cooking and vegetables."—W.E.L.L. Insiders

"Cover[s] the spectrum from breakfast with almond butter and balsamic blueberry parfait through starters, healthy snacks, salads, breads, entrées and desserts."—Milwaukee Shepherd-Express

"An amazing cookbook that will help you adopt a healthy and happy lifestyle. It must be part of your kitchen and life."
—Washington Bookreview

"Nourishing recipes with a Mediterranean flair, and presented with vibrant photography...Vegetarian, with plenty of vegan and gluten-free options...It's a beautiful coffee table book that's food for thought, at the same time providing real food recipes for eating around the table...Will prove to be fun to plan menus with, as well as an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library Vegetarian Cookbook collections."—Midwest Book Review

"This is a terrific book for the new chef, or the more seasoned one who wants to trim things right back to flavorful, plant-based basics."—January Magazine

"An irresistible combination of spirited writing, nourishing recipes with a Mediterranean flair, and vibrant photography...A beautiful book that's food for thought."
—City Book Review

From the Publisher