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

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64 Comments

Roman Noir says:

June 4, 2013 at 9:03 pm

I love vegan cookbooks because I don’t want to cook or bake with eggs or milk. I’m looking for great tasty vegan recipes that aren’t too expensive but are creative and healthy! and I love gluten free recipes! i’m not big on tofu or soy or too many nuts!

Anonymous says:

June 4, 2013 at 1:42 pm

What attracks me initialy in cookbooks are the photos and the healthy ingredients of the recipe… and the ones I used most are ones with easy recipes.

Didie (e.c…..@aliceadsl.fr)

Christina says:

June 4, 2013 at 10:45 am

Recipes with grains and greens draw me like a magnet; also any recipe with lots of herbs and spices.

EMC says:

June 4, 2013 at 1:50 am

I’m a big fan of creative dishes that focus on whole foods, with minimal use of processed items or questionable items (i.e. xanthan gum, mock meats, etc.) Nice pics are a bonus too. 🙂

Abbie Tumbleson says:

June 3, 2013 at 7:46 pm

My cherished cookbooks have plenty of bookmarks and post-it notes in them. A lot of them are honestly from when I first was interested in the vegan diet and lifestyle 10 years ago and others are full of creative healthy recipes, great photographs and meals that vary in difficulty from easy to hard.

Emily B. says:

June 3, 2013 at 7:15 pm

I’m usually drawn to cookbooks with a lot of nice, glossy pictures inside, and I try to go for ones with a wide variety- not just desserts or main dishes

Caitlin says:

June 3, 2013 at 5:12 pm

i REALLY want to try this cookbook! i think what attracts me to a cookbook is one with lots of vegetable heavy recipes, ones without mockmeats, lots of gluten-free options, and ones with recipes both dayv and i will enjoy 😉

Sharanya says:

June 3, 2013 at 4:42 pm

I love love cookbooks. I can just read it over and over.i love when the pictures follows the recipes

Erin says:

June 3, 2013 at 1:56 pm

I love photos and spiral-bound (or easy to stay open bindings). I also look for cookbooks with ingredients I have around or are easy to find in a normal grocery store.

Heather says:

June 3, 2013 at 1:28 pm

I am attracted to cookbooks that have a binding that allows them to stay open easily while I’m cooking. I pay close attention to design, such as typography and illustrations. I like cookbooks that have a lot of sidebars and a more magazine-style layout. (Cookbooks published by Workman Press are a good example of cookbooks I find appealing, design-wise.) And I always turn to the index to get a sense of which ingredients are used often. If they’re ingredients I like having in my diet, I am far more likely to purchase the book.