Cookbook Review: Jazzy Vegetarian

I've long been a fan of Laura Theodore, aka the Jazzy Vegetarian. Her PBS show was among the earliest vegan cooking shows, and I love her smooth, jazzy voice. You can tell she's a jazz singer! I also love that her recipes are all simple and whole food, plant-based. You know when you make a Jazzy Vegetarian recipe that it's going to be healthy.

Laura recently released the revised and updated 10th anniversary version of her classic Jazzy Vegetarian cookbook, and I was sent a copy to review. The book is full-color with gorgeous photos of almost every dish. She includes sample menus for brunch, a picnic, a 30-minute dinner, a meatloaf supper, and more.

I picked a couple of quick and easy dishes to try, starting with this Celery, Carrot, and Tofu Soup. I don't love the cold weather we've been having, but I do love soup. So I'm making the best of winter with delicious, warming meals.

This simple soup was loaded with potatoes, carrots, and a ton of celery. I loved the cubed tofu in it! Perfect with sourdough bread or a vegan grilled cheese. This cookbook has a lot of great soup recipes that I'll be turning to to keep me warm this season. Next up, I want to try the Carrot and Orzo Soup.

Next up, I made the Penne with Garbanzo Beans and Broccoli Rabe. Except I couldn't find broccoli rabe. So I subbed in some broccolini (which I like better anyway).

I had this the night before a long run, and it was so good. So often, I turn to spaghetti with red sauce before my long runs, but that gets old. It was nice to enjoy a pasta without a red sauce. This dish has an olive oil base with garlic, chickpeas, and lots of broccoli. Also great with sourdough bread. The cookbook has a whole chapter devoted to pasta, so this will certainly help me plan more diverse pre-run meals.