Quinoa and Black Eyed Peas with Cashew Queso. Nut Butter Universe Review !

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I usually shy away from reviewing a cookbook because I easily get put off by each recipe calling for processed stuff, fake meats and too much tofu:). I almost never have those things at home, and I wont buy them just to try out a recipe. I hardly ever have vegan butter at home these days too.

When Dianne Wenz(aka Veggie Girl), from Vegan Heritage Press asked me if I’d review Robin Robertson’s Nut Butter Universe, I thought I should give it a try because of the amazing reviews by fellow bloggers!
Robin Robertson needs no introduction really. Her culinary experience spans over 25 years and she is an award winning vegan cookbook author of some amazing and diverse cookbooks.

If I went shopping for a cookbook, most likely I will pick up one with a lot of detailed large and beautiful pictures. But then I already have a few of those and I haven’t cooked as much from them as much as I did from this book.:) There are limited pictures in the book. The recipes though are simple, creative, cover many cuisines, and still very intuitive that you can imagine how the final product will look and taste. And also so many vegetable based options, very whole-foods friendly and easily editable to taste.

I tried the Roasted Tahini Cauliflower first because, a- it calls for cauliflower, b- it is roasted, c- theres Sriracha and Za’atar in the sauce. yum! Of course, I added more Sriracha than called for 😉

In my small kitchen, some times the things move round during re-organization and can never be found. Such was the case when I decided to make muffins. I couldn’t find my regular muffin pan, so I made these mini ones instead. And I tell ya, these mini muffins are much funner than the large ones. Hubbs isnt a fan of too much sweet, but he loved these minis. I used Spelt flour instead of all purpose and almond-walnut butter instead of pecan butter and made a smaller batch and they came out delicious. These made a perfect breakfast!

The other great part about the book is the Soy-free and Gluten-free Index. You can pick out the recipes per your diet preference very easily.

I had been postponing trying a queso and when I saw it in the book I decided to make some. Quinoa with Black eyed peas and some Cashew Queso sauce. Because I have cooked Black eyed peas easily in the kitchen 🙂

Quinoa and Black Beans/Black eyed Peas with Cashew Queso Sauce

Hearty quinoa and black beans are topped with a zesty queso sauce in this satisfying dish. Serve with a salad, or sautéed or roasted green vegetable, or add some cooked vegetables such as broccoli florets, on top of the quinoa mixture. When ready to serve, top with the sauce. You might want to make a double batch of the flavorful sauce to use as a dip for chips or to top roasted vegetables.

Gluten-free, Soy-free, Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup quinoa, well rinsed

2 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water

2 cups cooked or 1 (16-ounce) can  black beans, rinsed and drained (I used cooked Black Eyed Peas)

3 scallions, minced

2 tablespoons sliced pickled jalapeños

(14.5-ounce) can petite diced  tomatoes, well drained

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

2/3 cup raw cashews, soaked 3 hours or overnight 

3/4 cup hot vegetable broth

 Salt

 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast 

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 

1/2 teaspoon onion powder 

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 

1/4 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard 

1/4 teaspoon black pepper 

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Combine the quinoa and broth in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add salt to taste, cover, and cook for 25 minutes. Stir in the beans and scallions, and cook until the quinoa is tender, about 5 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Stir in the jalapeños, tomatoes, and cilantro and remove from the heat. Set aside covered to keep warm.

While the quinoa is cooking, make the sauce. Drain the cashews and transfer to a high-speed blender or food processor. Add the hot broth and process until smooth and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and process until very smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed.

To serve, divide the quinoa mixture among shallow bowls and top each serving with some of the sauce.

For more recipes, pictures and review posts.

Check out The Summer Berry Cheesecake, Romesco sauce, Nutty Buddy Burgers and more at Somer’s review.
The Fantasy Brownies and Black Bottom Peanut Butter Freezer pie at Kristy’s review.
And more at Nut Butter Universe Blog Tour.

More cauliflower pictured below.

Mini Muffins.

What attracts you to a cookbook initially and what makes the cookbook the most used, splattered, post-it-ed one? Leave me a comment

For a chance to win a Copy of the book, Please enter the Giveaway below. This contest is open to entrants in the USA only. You must also follow this blog by email or RSS feed to qualify. You can follow the blog by email here.

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64 Comments

I love GFV cookbooks these days, ones with pictures, simple recipes without too many steps. Tho I’ve cooked veg , now veegan most of my life I love having cookbooks for inspiration and creativity

I grab all sorts of cookbooks; so whatever the library has! Recipes that have clear instructions and no gross preservatives in the ingredients have me coming back. scg00387 at yahoo dot com

I am more likely to grab a cookbook with instructions and ingredients that are simple! Too many complicated steps or processed/hard-to-find ingredients can be intimidating for a newbie vegan wannabe chef 🙂

Yum! Love cauliflower and this looks wonderful……and the quinoa too! I subscribe through email and thanks for the chance to win this awesome cookbook! 🙂

I am having Cauliflower tonight so this makes it easy 🙂 I subscribe at work christy@liquidimageco.com I think I need to add my other email too as I do not want to miss a single thing, I am learning so much,also helps that my room mate owns the Savory and Spice Shop in Santa Rosa, CA ***** Christy

what attracts me to a cookbook is the authors philosophy: simple food, delicious food, whole and unprocessed ingredients. pictures attract too but not on their own.

what keeps me using it is recipes that are not a lot of work that turn out beautifully, and that are inspirational where i would not come up with the ideas on my own.

i subscribe via Feedly! I am entering the contest on behalf of my vegan sister who lives in the USA, I live in Canada, we can share the book 🙂

Subject first, results second!

Stunning photography is always a huge draw for me but I also tend to like cookbooks that focus on healthy, whole, everyday ingredients. Nutritional information is always a bonus and a nice balance of desserts to other types of dishes. The ones I use most focus on recipes that are free of refined sugar, faux meats and cheeses, oil and other ingredients that should only be eaten in moderation. This recipe looks great and hope to try it soon. Love your blog, by the way!I am an email subscriber and would love a chance to win! 🙂

The reviews I’ve read for this cookbook really make me want it. All those recipes sound delicious, that cauliflower especially looks to die for!
To answer your q: I’m initially attracted to cookbooks by appearances- a cookbook has got to be good to look at and user-friendly- i.e. not too much or too small text, recipes organized sensibly in chapters, pictures!
And to make it a most-used book it needs to have interesting, healthy recipes and both those I can make fairly quickly and those for more special occasions when I have more time to put into a meal.
I sound pretty demanding!