Further back than I’d like to count, I was contacted by BenBella Books about reviewing a cookbook. It was one that I unfortunately couldn’t do, but I was also offered the opportunity to review The China Study Cookbook: Over 120 Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipes.
I’ve been trying to eat healthier, so I thought this was a great opportunity! I’m also a fan of The China Study, so this worked well for me. The China Study Cookbook author, Leanne Campbell, is the daughter of T. Colin Campbell, co-author of The China Study. This cookbook is representative of how the Campbell family eats at home, and is in line with the type of plant-based eating The China Study encourages.
A couple of notes about the recipes in general. This is a no-added oils book. I make no judgment over what is better: no added oils (not fat; avocado, seeds and nuts are found in this book) or low-oil. Personally, I like oil, but I think it’s good to be able to cook without it sometimes, too. This is low salt, and veggies are in abundance. If you’re looking for decadent recipes, this isn’t the book for you. If you’re looking for some healthy recipes, you should certainly check this out!
Drawbacks: no nutritional analysis of the recipes are provided. My assumption is that this is because eating the way that this book encourages doesn’t really lend itself to overeating and gets you all the nutrition you need. While I appreciate this as a philosophy, there are recipes that call for sugar and other things that you should only eat in moderation- and some of us need help understanding what moderation truly is. However, you can easily get your own nutrient analysis by entering all the ingredients into something like Calorie Count’s recipe analyzer.
Beyond that, it’s a great cookbook! I know that I will be using it to continue making some healthy recipes!
A few of the things I’ve been making…
Blackberry Lemon Tea Cakes
I’m a huge fan of Game of Thrones. While Sansa Stark isn’t my favorite character, her love of lemon cakes as a bit of a plot point did inspire this recipe as one of my choices. These were nice- lightly sweet. They were a bit dry for my taste, but a friend of mine loved them! I should have taken a picture of the look on her face when she tried one. Blackberries are a bit expensive, and I think I’d rather eat them raw than in something like this. I would make them again with blueberries, though raspberries would also be a nice choice.
Fettuccine with Broccoli and Cashew Sauce
This recipe was a hands down winner.
It was a cashew-based Alfredo-type sauce, which always makes for a good dish. It had nice flavor, and though higher in calories than some of the other recipes in the book, it was very filling. I’ve made it since with a bit less broccoli (I don’t like broccoli when it’s left over, and this makes enough for leftovers for sure), but it’s fabulous. Serve with a salad on the side!
Basil Pepper Corn
Another winner.
This was a simple recipe with very few ingredients, but a definite winner. Also reheats well or can be eaten cold!
Cilantro Green Beens
I love it when I can pick up all the items for a recipe from the farmer’s market.
This was a great recipe as well, and even if you don’t like cilantro, it demonstrates a great way to cook green beans that you can use with your own creation. I happen to love cilantro, though.
If you’re looking to expand your library with a healthy cookbook, this one makes a great choice!
Disclaimer #1: This book was provided to me for review by BenBella Books. My views are my own, and I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.
Disclaimer #2: Links in this post to Amazon.com are affiliate links. This means that I earn a small commission if you buy something through one of these links. It’s really small. Like, I-spend-more-on-this-blog-than-I-earn small.
