Super Natural Every Day: Well-Loved Recipes from My Nat… (2024)

Being honest, this book is a little floofy for my taste. Heidi Swanson hails from California, and she might be just a snootch out of touch with what life is like for the rest of us who reside in the other 49 states in the union. She mentions that she likes to snack on “nut butters” and makes note that she lives within walking distance of five farmer’s markets. Cue barfing noises, amiright?

But if you ignore the narrative flourishes and focus on the recipes, Heidi Swanson knows what’s up when it comes to vegetarian cooking. She’s the reason there’s tempeh in my fridge and mung beans in my pantry. That sh*t is happening later this week, and I fully expect it to be delicious. She’s a legit cook even if everything about her sensibility drives me crazy.

More book recommendations by me at www.readingwithhippos.com

Given how many food bloggers have raved about this book and given my appreciation for Heidi Swanson's own food blog, I really thought I'd like this book. To my surprise, I really did not. Many of the recipes struck me as slightly odd and I had serious doubts about whether they'd actually be tasty to a palette that isn't limited to a "natural foods kitchen." And also, so. much. dairy! As someone who can't tolerate dairy I thought it likely that this book would include a decent sampling of vegan recipes (in my experience, "natural foods kitchen" people -- and especially the vegetarians -- eat at least some portion vegan) but no, pretty much everything depended on butter and/or cream for flavor. That's fine, I know that plenty of people are perfectly happy eating dairy, but it just surprised me. I'd say there are maybe five recipes in this book that I'd actually be interested in trying, and only the baked oatmeal really stands out (and I can already find plenty of alterations of Heidi's version on the internet). 2.5 stars.

Plain (non-slick) paper, lots of photographs (close ups of the prepared food), blurb is above the title (which is a large bold font), the ingredients is in a small plain font, but the instructions are in a bold font, which makes them easily read.

Contents include: Introduction; 7 sections of recipes; Sources; acknowledgements; and Index.

Breakfast: Muesli; Granola; Oatmeal; Spinach strata; Fruit salad; Sun toast; lemon zested bulgur; Baked oatmeal; and Crepes

Lunch: Open faced egg sandwich; Summer squash soup; Mostly not potato salad; Whole grain rice salad; Mixed melon bowl; Ravioli salad; Panzanella (w/ soy); Mixed green salad; White beans & cabbage; Chanterelle tacos; and Orzo salad

Snacks: Avocados & mustard seeds; Hard cooked eggs w/ dukkah; Turnip chips; White bean spread; Honeyed manouri; Spinach chop; and Little quinoa patties

Dinner: Farro soup; Harissa ravioli; Pan fried mung beans w/ tempeh (soy); Summer linguine; Stuffed tomatoes; Mushroom saute; Green lentil soup; Cauliflower soup; Black sesame otsu; and Miso curry delicata

Drinks: Tinto de verano (red wine); Cucumber cooler; Iced white tea; Shandy; rose geranium prosecco; Mixed citrus juice; and Sparkling panakam

Treats: Muscovado sunflower kernels; Watermelon salad; Membrillo cake; Sweet panazella; Macaroon tart; Honey & rosewater tapioca; and Tutti Frutti crumble

Accompaniments: Whole grain mustard; Dipping sauce; Blackberry maple compote: asimple pot of beans; Wild rice; Toasted nuts & seeds; Poached eggs; Butter(s); Creme fraiche; Roasted strawberries; and Oven roasted cherry tomatoes

I like this book, I like the recipes except those w/ soy (but I can change that).... Some of the recipes are easier to make than others...... I'd be more than happy to eat these, if there was someone to cook them for me!

I must own this.

If I had one criticism, it might be that the language is too informal, too conversational, too internet-casual--but that's not to say it's badly written. It's my own problem that the author happens to use, once in a while, everyday-isms that bug me. The photographs are gorgeous, almost every single recipe is tempting, and it's well-organized and easy to read. The Introduction breaks down her kitchen, her pantry, and her culinary habits. There's a simple section on Accompaniments. And her Source section is helpful too. I could try every recipe in this book. It and her site, http://www.101cookbooks.com, really inspire me to cook and create, healthily and beautifully. I guess, what more could a cookbook author want?

I'm in love.
This book and I we are going to run away together and live a mad, impetuous life of inspired book designed, creative culinary culture, and just soul-satisfying food everything.

I'm both in awe and depressed when I read it. I can't eat many of the ingredients featured but ... this book causes my heart to sing, nonetheless.
OMGG. sooo veddy good.

I am an avid follower of Heidi and adore her simple and natural recipes that so subtly introduce me to new ingredients and creative ways of preparing them. Her cooking is right along my nutrition alley and although I am not a vegetarian, I love veggies much more and can easily forget about meat. After having tried many of her recipes from her website, I decided to give this book a try. By now, I have prepared about 80% of the dishes in the book, most all of the lunch and dinner recipes. The quinoa patties stand out, and so does the summer squash soup, the cauliflower soup (which is the best one I have made to date), eggplant with tempeh is great and so is the weeknight curry. I prepare most of them as described, but sometimes may modify a bit. Egg salad, for example, has to have a touch of mustard for me. I searched like crazy for Delicata Squash, and even during squash season, I was unable to find it. Some recipes are a little too simple and lack spark, such as the dandelion greens with chick peas. It would be good if Heidi could make suggestions on how to combine her dishes to make them more complete. I did not try much from the breakfast section since I during that time of day I am usually at work. The oatmeal is delicious, however. And many of her recipes are also very carb-intensive which does not always fit my meal plan, especially the breakfast selection where I prefer a protein shake with fresh fruit. I also still want to try some desert recipes but I just don’t find much time for baking anymore. Today I had good intentions, but Whole Foods did not have plums, so I could not make the buttermilk plum cake, but made the Chocolate cake currently on her website, which turned out great. So, truly, over the last year, my take-to-work lunches were inspired by Heidi and many times my co-workers eyed over my shoulder wondering what it is that I am eating. My pantry is now well-stocked with coconut milk, maple syrup, quinoa of all colors, soba noodles, and green lentils, all of them wonderful wholesome and healthy foods. I am amazed how a few red pepper flakes in olive oil can add so much flavor, or cumin seeds toasted and added to butter. Heidi has truly perfected her cooking and her recipes make me feel great.

The cauliflower soup in this is one of my all time favorite dinners.

The What's Cooking discussion group had a very mixed reaction to this book. The average of our rating was 2.5 stars. We had two participants that thought it did not warrant any stars, and one participant who thought it should have 4.5 stars.

This cookbook is difficult for some people to connect with not simply because it is a vegetarian cookbook, but because it is difficult for people with allergies (soy, nut, and dairy) to find recipes that they are able to eat and enjoy.

We sampled the following recipes...

- Millet Muffins
- Shandy
- Chanterelle Tacos
- White Bean Dip with Pita Chips
- Ginger Cookies
- Eggs with Dukkah Spice
- Cauliflower Soup
- Quinoa Patties
- Pomegranate Glazed Eggplant with Tempeh
- Stuffed Dates

The White Bean Dip and Shandy were the most liked recipes. All the other dishes had mixed reviews...each recipe had those who loved it and those who didn't like it at all.

We thought that the layout, font and photos were very good in this book. We really like when recipes are contained on one page or on facing pages.

We wished that Swanson provided more hints/notes/substitution suggestions. One participant would have liked to know what size onion to cut up for the Quinoa Patties. Another sought help from her local grocer during her search for Asian Eggplant (same as regular eggplant - just more tubular) and Pomegranate Molasses (just cook down pomegranate juice).

We think that your enjoyment of this cookbook will all depend on your level of healthy eating/vegetarianism and of food allergies.

In keeping with my newest kick of growing my own food and eating more plants, I picked up this book because it seemed as if it would support my efforts and, well, I liked the cover. It's beautiful. Calming, even.

I read a few reviews before I dug in, where I learned the author could sometimes be "preachy" but the information was good. NPR said the book contained recipes for "every day" (as promised) but that were certainly not "everyday." I leafed through the Introduction, reading about where the author shopped, what she keeps in her pantry, tools she considers critical, and then, a few helpful guidelines. The recipes are easy enough to prepare, and, while healthy, are not so out-of-the ordinary - in a good way; I'm not likely to eat unfamiliar foods every day. First up for me will be the granola with orange zest and the wild rice casserole with mushrooms and Gruyere cheese. Photos accompanying the recipes are beautiful, by the way. Finally, the list of sources at the book's end is very useful.

I sauntered out to the author's blog, and found that helpful too. How did I not know about 101 Cookbooks before now?

I found the book delightful, worthwhile, and useful. If this is preaching, then preach on, Heidi Swanson.

I could live on a diet of Heidi Swanson recipes for the rest of my life and die a contented, well-nourashed, happy person!!! My two editors at Random House sent me this gem of a cookbook for the holidays and I am crazy in love with it! The recipes are easy to follow, quick, convenient, and absolutely delicious! My New Year's resolution was to eat less meat, and nourish this old bod with some good fresh-from-the-earth foods and this book is the vehicle to keeping that promise! So far, I've dropped three pounds without trying, (squee!) and I'm loooooooving each new culinary adventure! I've NEVER eaten so well or loved my meals so much...from the pomegranate-glazed eggplant, the wild rice salad, the yellow split peas and greens and my favorite go-to recipe - the white beans and cabbage...have mercy! Best. Cookbook. EVER!

This is the recipe book from Heidi Swanson, of the very popular food blog 101cookbooks.com. It's a site I have visited often. The photography is spectacular, and I have tried some of the recipes from the website. They were original and lovely. I expected my experience of this book to be similar. But the recipes were really drab. I tried the Wild Rice Casserole, I am still trying to figure out what to do with the remains of it. I want to throw it away, but my partner doesn't want to be wasteful. The Black sesame Otsu was an alright snack but my partner thought it bland. And I tried the Miso-Delicata Squash. The flavors just didn't come together well enough for me in that dish.

So disappointed. The recipes were really bland, and what I thought would be the most exciting recipes turned out to be at best 'meh'.

This cookbook is an all-natural gem! The recipes are downright delicious! I have made several dishes from this cookbook and haven't felt like I've had to travel round the world to gather all the ingredients, although some are more difficult to locate than others. The millet muffins were enlightening and I'm now a big fan of the boiled eggs with dukkah. Who knew you could make boiled eggs interesting?

I know this cookbook and I have many years to go together. None of the recipes have disappointed me yet. Way better than that 90s Casseroles compilation I picked up at a yard sale last summer. And that's saying something. I'm a Hoosier and casseroles are serious business. They are the bread and butter (pickles) to our Midwestern creed. ;)

Every time you finish one of Heidi's meals you feel rejuvenated. No regrets here! Healthy, clean, and wholesome eating. Enjoy ya'll!

If you purchased a big sack of spelt in a fit of wholesome intentions and find it still sitting in your pantry 6 months later, this book (along with “Ancient Grains”) is for you! It’s chock full of delicious, uncomplicated recipes that leave you feeling genuinely nourished, without spending all day toiling with obscure ingredients. Really, anything that can get me to look forward to bulgur as much as pasta is genius – and this does it.

So many of these recipes have become die-hard favourites that I make again and again. Sure, there are a lot of hard-to-get ingredients and one or two dishes I didn't really care for (especially remember a nasty chick-pea soup with egg yolks and yoghurt..brrr...)

Over all this is a book that's been increadibly inspiring and has recipes that actually turn out well. Plus the photos are gorgeous.

I just bought it last night at her booksigning here in Portland.

This book was just as useful of a resource as her blog. I love her recipes and how nicely they go together. I must own this for the kitchen cookbook shelf.

heidi swanson is bomb.

I've followed 101 Cookbooks for years, and while I rarely actually make any of Swanson's recipes, I love her sensibilities. I love her ideas in the kitchen, her commitment to vegetables, and her photography and writing. Her musings on dinner are delightful (and sound a lot like my own life, husband managing the compost bin and all):

"I'm a believer that dinner is what you make of it, and it always has the potential to be something special. It's the time of day when the people in your life can come together to share and reflect on the day--to enjoy a meal together, however simple or complex.

Dinner around here ranges from the simplest preparations to elaborate weekend undertakings, and everything in between. Sometimes making dinner is a solo endeavor, and other times a team effort. There are countless nights I find myself in the kitchen, Wayne to the right of me; I'm chopping, he's rinsing. I'm measuring lentils. He's crushing garlic. I pop the cork on a bottle of cider. He's making sure the compost bin is under control." (126)

In my top 5 cookbooks!

This was recommended instore at the local Dymocks. I originally passed on it not knowing the author and, if I'm honest, not being keen on a vegetarian cookbook. By chance I stumbled upon Heidi's blog a few months later and was delighted in her gorgeous photography and friendly writing that I hunted the book down again and bought it.

I absolutely adore this book! The granola is a daily staple for 9mths of the year (switching to porridge in winter). The summer linguine is a revelation with so few ingredients but bags of flavour. I've been introduced to new ingredients like millet & tempeh and learned new ways of cooking grains, and what to pair it with. I'm no longer afraid of tofu (in fact low key obsessed these days) and I'm so happy to learn you really can add feta to everything. Please buy this book!

This is a great natural foods cookbook. The salads were very creative, and I liked that there were a lot of casseroles and easy to make or prep ahead items.

She lives in northern CA, and tends to forget that most of us won't be able to pop outside and grab a sprig of organic rose geranium when the urge hits. She's not that down to earth. But the recipes are sound (even some drinks!) and the photos are beautiful, though there isn't one for every recipe. This is great if you're looking to ease more natural food into your diet.

My husband is awaiting a transplant surgery. His health has put significant restrictions on what he can eat, and in solidarity, we are all on the diet with him. This cookbook has ready added some good recipes to our repertoire! As is with all cook books, it’s not a total home run (as there are a few recipes that are not “my cup of tea”)- however, overall I am thrilled with it! If anyone is going to an “all-real-food” eliminating processed foods diet, then you will find some things you really like!!

Like most cookbooks, I'm not going to cook EVERY recipe. That being said, this book comes darn close. I love that these are healthy meals that are easy enough to cook on a workday. My husband is OBSESSED with the baked oatmeal and requests it weekly.
Highly recommend for home cooks looking for healthy additions to their rotation.

I’ve officially circled back from where I started. Was reading this book and found a recipe that had been in my rotation for years. The pomegranate glazed tempeh with eggplant and sweet potatoes.

Has a bunch of great whole and clean foods in season. Would recommend.

Checked this out of MEL and will need to read it again for sure.
Lots of yummy recipes to try.

A "hippy-groovy" cookbook with a combination of solid recipes, and ones that need a bit of tweaking.

My go-to cookbook. Reliably easy and delicious!

Bland and boring....time consuming recipes.

A very nice cookbook with fairly easy dishes for many occasions. The emphasis is on fresh and natural which is great. recommended.

4.5 stars. I have a whole stack of Heidi's books form the library. This one was written at the very beginning of what has become a particular kind of cookbook that I find very appealing. I just re-read it; still awesome. Great healthy recipes, attractive photos.

This is a very good cookbook, even for me, despite it not being officially gluten free or vegan. It seems to be a healthy, plant-based vegetarian sort of diet. I know the author has written other cookbooks, but not having checked them out, I wasn't sure what to expect.
The book has a natural, cozy feel to, from first person notes within recipes ("I find that...") to photos of the author and what I presume are friends, family, and local scenery, instead of merely food photographs. I'll admit that I prefer photos of the recipes, but there was a nice mellow air to this cookbook that complimented the natural and incredibly tasty sounding recipes throughout.
I wouldn't buy this cookbook--after all, I try to cook vegan, and this book isn't--there's lots of butter, as well as cheese and eggs. It's also not gluten free; so many of the breakfast items and desserts, as well as any main dishes prepared with seitan, and some other recipes, are simply not safe for me. But many of the dairy items can easily be replaced, so that gave me a little more latitude when choosing recipes to try. The recipes aren't low fat or no refined fat added either, but for some of these dishes I'm willing to make an exception, and others I think I can substitute successfully.
I haven't tried any yet, but I copied down several to try. I'm especially intrigued by the Carnival Cookies, which are the only cookie recipe I've ever seen to call for popped popcorn as well as peanuts and chocolate chips and oats. But there are plenty of other creative, wholesome recipes throughout this book that are begging to be tried, including Mostly Not Potato Salad, Summer Squash Soup, Chickpeas and Dandelion Greens, White Beans and Cabbage, Turnip Chips, Tutti Fruity Crumble, and even a savory popcorn featuring mustard and chives, among other ingredients, as well as other recipes. I'm planning to check out Swanson's other cookbooks as well eventually, to see if they are just as full of wholesome, delicious, creative recipe ideas.