Chloe's Kitchen – fun vegan recipes

First, a confession: I am a die-hard meat lover so it takes a LOT to even convince me to look at a vegan book. I had heard so much about this book from friends, that I really wanted to take a peek and see if all the praise was deserved. Chloe’s Kitchen (Free Press) is really a fun book on how to cook simple recipes that just happen to be vegan.

Here, let me explain: I really like books that dont make a big fuss but show us how to take simple and easily available ingredients and put them together to create dishes that are good and good for you. Chloe’s Kitchen does that well. For instance, there is a superb recipe for a Mandarin Peanut Crunch salad that has a really well-done orange marmalade dressing. I really liked the Sweet and Sour meatball recipe that is prepared using tempeh, walnuts and lentils.. yum! And I am surprised that I liked the Cheesy Broccoli soup prepared with almond milk.

Good recipes + lovely photos = success (in my opinion!)

Curried Lentil, Squash, and Apple Stew

From Chloe’s Kitchen (Free Press). Recipe and photo used here with permission.

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 ½ teaspoons salt

½ cup dried lentils

2 ½ cups vegetable broth

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cups peeled butternut squash, cubed

1 large unpeeled apple, diced

5 ounces baby spinach

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat, and sauté onions and carrots until almost soft. Add garlic, ginger, curry, salt, and let cook a few more minutes until fragrant. Stir in lentils, broth, and tomato paste. Bring to boil, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes. Add squash, apples, cover, and simmer for another 25 minutes or until vegetables and lentils are tender. Uncover and stir in spinach until wilted. Add salt to taste and serve.