Barnes & NobleSimply Julia: 110 Easy Recipes for Healthy Comfort Food by Julia Turshen

Practical, Delicious, Inspiring!

This cookbook has been such a comfort (pun intended) in terms of finding interesting but uncomplicated dishes to cook. Julia’s writing is friendly and accessible, and her recipes are yummy. The big bonus is that she uses a lot of ingredients I have in my pantry and fridge, so I’m not stuck shopping for obscure or tough-to-find items, but she uses them in new-to-me combinations or cooks them using new-to-me methods. So far, I’ve enjoyed Arayes with Yogurt Sauce, Mustardy Cracker Crumb Fish, Roger’s Jambalaya, French Onion Meatloaf (easily the best turkey meatloaf recipe I’ve ever eaten), Low-and-Slow Baked Greek Chicken & Potatoes, and Palm Springs Pearl Couscous & Citrus Salad. On the sweet end of the spectrum, I’ve made the Sled Dog Muffins, Roasted Banana & Sour Cream Waffles, and Blueberry Crumble. She’s really reasonable and encouraging about swaps and replacements, she calls for ground turkey a lot (which I appreciate), and her suggestions for side dish pairings and sauces are so smart. I am learning a lot from Julia. As a side note, I really like her additional essays and notes on topics like “Why I Love to Volunteer” and “On the Worthiness of Our Bodies”—Julia is clearly an all-around good person who gives back to her community in ways big and small, and I admire her. This is my first cookbook by Julia Turshen, but certainly not my last.