When Prospi and I were looking at the “Oh She Glows” cookbook trying to decide which recipe we want to share with you, after each page turning at least one of us said “Wow, this looks yummy!”. The book is full of recipes we absolutely want to try. I’m afraid my life is too short to try all the delicious culinary (plant-based) combinations, the world has to offer.
Finally, we decided for the “Chia-Power-Pudding-Snack”. I’ve heard and read a lot about chia-pudding, but never made it. As berries are not in season, I decided to make a wintery option instead of serving the chia-pudding with fresh fruit and granola as suggested in the book. This turned out totally delicious! You’ll find the recipe, if you scroll down. First, I’m going to answer you the most important questions regarding the cookbook.
Here is my review of Angela Liddon’s cookbook “Oh She Glows”.
Author: Angela Liddon
Editor: Penguin LCC US
Angela Liddon is a Canadian and runs one of the world’s best known vegan food blogs.
Who is Angela Liddon?
Angela Liddon was born in Canada. She lives in the Canadian state Ontario together with her husband and her little daughter. She is one of the world’s most famous vegan food bloggers. Her blog „Oh She Glows“ has millions of clicks every month and has been recognized with several awards. She started her blog in 2008 as a way to share her recovery from an eating disorder. This journey to health made her think a lot about what she defines as a happy life and she developed a new love for food and cooking. The name “Oh She Glows” refers to the fact that she glowed from the inside out again after several difficult years. The recipes on Angela Liddon’s blog are all vegan. Her popular cookbook that is named after the blog is a New York Times bestseller.
How are the recipes?
I particularly like the diversity of the recipes. The book is divieded in breakfast, beverages (smoothies, juices and teas), appetizers, salads, soups, mains, side dishes, power snacks, desserts and homemade staples. Each chapter contains very versatile creations that are inspired from cultures all over the world. Many dishes are derived from the Mexican cuisine. Numerous kinds of veggies, mushrooms, legumes, nuts and seeds are often used ingredients. The cookbook is entirely vegan. Apart from some exceptions, it is also wholesome. In the chapter dedicated to homemade staples, you can learn for example how to make vegetable stock and other basics. For Angela Liddon it is important that not only vegans, but also meat-eaters love her recipes. Therefore she only included in the book the creations that have met these criteria. Unlike in Attila Hildmann’s cookbook „Vegan to Go“, the focus isn’t on “veganized” classics, but more on dishes that can only be plant-based. I’m actually a person who extremely rarely follows a recipe when cooking. Nevertheless, I’ve tried some “Oh She Glows” recipes (from the blog and the cookbook) and every time I was absolutely convinced by the result.
What else can you find?
The book is very personal. In the introduction, Angela Liddon describes her way towards a healthy and plant-based diet. Furthermore, there are many pictures of her and her husband, to whom she devoted the book. In general, the „Oh She Glows“ cookbook has plenty of beautiful photographies. Each recipe is illustrated with a picture and contains a little personal comment. At the beginnning, you find a part where the most important ingredients, their nutritional values and their preparation are described. Angela Liddon also presents her favourite kitchen utensils.
What is particularly good?
The beautiful photos and the recipes that sound absolutely tasty make you want to start cooking right now. It’s again a cookbook that combines pleasure and sustainability in a great way. The recipes are very diverse. They were carefully developed with a lot of love. You really notice that only the recipes that were successfully tested several times found their place in the book. In my opinion, the choice of recipes is awesome. I guess you could live very well with this mix of recipes without ever getting bored. Compared to other cookbooks, this one is very personal so that you get to know the author and her life.
What could be better?
I think that the dessert chapter is a little too much dominated by cocoa and chocolate. And I’m saying this as an absolute cocoa lover! Even though the sweet recipes are all great, it would have been more in accordance with the versatility of the rest of the book, if more than only 4 of 11 ideas had been fruity and chocolate-free.
For whom is this book interesting?
In my opinion this book is perfect for everybody who likes to cook and to try out new things. The recipes are delicious and great to delight guests. All the people out there who still think that the plant-based cuisine is boring, should buy this book! 
And of course, this is also true for the people who just want to integrate more tasty and nutritious dishes into their life.
Recipe
The recipe I want to show from the „Oh She Glows“ cookbook is called “Chia-Power-Pudding-Snack“. Chia-pudding is very trendy these days. It is easy to prepare with chia seeds and any liquid you want. If you let this stand over night, the chia seeds absorb the liquid and you’ll have a pudding-like texture. Chia seeds are full of healthy omega-3-fats, minerals and proteins. In Angela Liddons recipe, the chia-pudding is served with fresh fruits. I decided to make a more seasonal wintery option by combining the chia-pudding with cinnamon apple sauce, roasted almonds as well as figs. This mixture was heaven! Prospi also liked the pure chia-pudding. The amount of the ingredients are considered for two persons, but I was surprised how much I ended up with. If you also think it is a lot, do it as we did and keep the rest of the chia-pudding in the fridge so to enjoy it the next day.
WINTERY CHIA-POWER-PUDDING
plant-based (vegan), soy-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, sugar-free
2 servings
Preparation time:
Level of difficulty: easy
Ingredients:
- 6 tbsp chia seeds
- 500 ml plant milk
- 1 tsp vanilla (the cookbook suggests vanilla extract, but I used pure vanille powder)
- 3-6 tsp maple syrup, agave syrup or honey
- homemade cinnamon apple sauce
- 20 almonds
- 3 dried figs
Directions:
In a middle size vessel, mix the chia seeds, the plant milk, the vanilla and the sweetener (maple syrup, agave syrup or honey). Place this mixture in the fridge and let it stand over night.
Prepare some homemade cinnamon apple sauce with this super easy recipe.
Cut the almonds and the figs into small pieces. Place them on an ovenproof dish and roast them in the oven at 180C/356 F. Then, layer the chia-pudding, the cinnamon apple sauce, the roasted almonds and the roasted figs in glasses.
At the left you see the fruity chia-pudding from the “Oh She Glows” cookbook and at the right my option for winter days.
Enjoy your pudding!
And here you can buy the book:
What is your opinion on chia-pudding?
Do you like it as a sweet snack that gives you energy on cold days?
Kind regards
Lisa
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