Book Review Greens+Grains

Book Review Greens+Grains: Recipes for Deliciously Healthful Meals

by Molly Watson

Chronicle Books, 2014

124 pages

"Everyone may not be as greens-mad and grains-obsessed as I am, but once you get used to the range of flavors and textures they add to meals, it's tough to turn back," the author states.  I'm with you on that one Molly.  Lately I have been obsessed with Kale since I learned how to make Kale Chips...yum.  I also have been playing around with Swiss Chard.  So, to help me on my journey and learn how to add more greens to my diet, I delved into this recipe book that holds 45 delicious recipes on all things green or with grains.

You will learn about watercress, fava greens, dino kale and broccoli Raab.  She doesn't leave out the herbs either.  The tender leaves add a flavor punch, and she includes parsley, sorrel and mint plus more, in many of the recipes.  You will even find dandelion greens which she pairs with an acid food like tomatoes, vinegar or lemon to stem the bitterness. You'll learn which greens to blanch and how, cleaning and storing greens, and her favorite way to cook greens.  Exploring different varieties of grains is fun too.  Sometimes we all get in the habit of eating the same thing day after day.  It is exciting to try something new, like wheat berries, pearled barley or spelt.  She includes a section explaining what each grain is, it's nutritional value, and its flavor.  And she shares some handy cooking tips.

The recipes are varied, and the book includes attractive color illustrations.  There's something for any appetite.  From Wild Rice Salad with Kale, Pecans, and Blueberries, to Basic Greens and Grains Soup, to Polenta with Dandelion Relish and Soft-boiled Eggs to Buckwheat Galettes stuffed with Walnuts and Blue Cheese Topped with Arugula Salad (I'm trying this right away!).  If you want to expand your cooking in a simple, easy way, try the recipes in this book.  It stretches you in a good way and helps you to look at simple ingredients in a new light.

Molly Watson is an award-winning author and recipe developer.  From her biography we find, "...Her expertise lies in vegetarian cooking, vegan cooking, and plant-based diets. Through her work, she demonstrates how simple techniques and fresh ingredients can make cooking approachable and fun."  She holds a Ph.D. in Modern European History from Stanford University, and she has lived in France, where she learned firsthand the culinary strength of well-chosen ingredients prepared with care.