For the first time in my cooking life, I'm finding it hard to cook good food for myself. The accumulation of sleep deprivation over the past 8 months means that now, when Hugo goes to bed and I've finally got a few minutes to myself in the evening, I collapse on the couch and wish someone would just bring me a cold beer and a bag of potato chips for dinner. After a few comatose moments, I'm usually able to drag myself into the kitchen to fix a cheese sandwich and a bowl of yogurt for dinner, but my vegetable consumption has been pathetic lately. It's not like there isn't anything in the house – I buy plenty of vegetables to experiment with for Hugo – it's just that I'm all out of beans at night, when it's time for me. And these dark winter days mean that I need more than just a bowl of steamed broccoli to make me feel good.
But the other day, the nice people at Clarkson Potter sent me a copy of the latest Martha Stewart Living cookbook, Meatless, and suddenly things are looking a lot brighter over here. First, there were roasted cubes of celery root and onion tossed with boiled lentils and dressed with nothing but lemon juice and olive oil. I would never have thought to combine celery root and lentils, but the combination was delicious. I prepped everything while Hugo was hanging out with me in the kitchen; then, when he'd gone down for his nap, all I had to do was toss it together before digging in. It was so full of flavor and so filling. This is my new favorite lunch, I proclaimed to myself. (The original recipe has you add parsley, but I used some za'atar, since I have an industrial quantity of it, and it was amazing.)
Then I got distracted by a soup that has you roast eggplant and chickpeas in one pan together (so easy!), before mashing them together with some broth and garlic and onion, finishing each bowl off with oregano and a dollop of yogurt. There was fried rice made with leftover brown rice (I finally cracked the perfect brown rice code in my rice cooker!) and shiitakes, and crisp little patties made out of mashed white beans that I ate with tomato sauce and basically, what I'm trying to tell you is this book is so full of inspiration and good food that I haven't really come up for air since.
Happily, Potter was kind enough to send a second copy along for a giveaway! So, for a chance to win a copy of Meatless, please leave a comment below and I'll pick a winner at random tomorrow. Good luck!
Update: Martha is the winner and has been emailed. Thank you all for participating – comments are now closed.
Lentils with Caramelized Celery Root
Adapted from Meatless
2 cups water
3/4 cup green or brown lentils
1-2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 celery root, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 onion, chopped
Lemon juice to taste
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Za'atar, to taste
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring the water and lentils to a boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer gently, partially covered, until lentils are just tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl.
2. Toss the celery root and onion with the 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt to taste and put in a roasting pan. Cook in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until caramelized.
3. Add the celery root and onion to the bowl with the lentils. Stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper, za'atar and remaining olive oil to taste. Serve.
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472 responses to “Tuesday Giveaway!”
Veggies cookbook is just what I need!
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Ooh pick me, pick me! I know it’s random, but hey fate, there’s a veggie lover in the corner over here. Luisa, thanks for sharing all your wonderful creations, ideas, and inspirations with the rest of us. 🙂
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This is exactly the inspiration I need! I’ve been moaning from the couch about how little vegetables we’ve manage to get in our mouths during the last few very stressful months, but moaning seems to be the extent of my action. This changes now!
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I recently won a copy of My Berlin Kitchen, so winning this book would just be kismet!
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That sounds wonderful. I would love to devour this book. Thanks for the giveaway!
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My (unvoiced) NYR was to eat more vegetables and grains. Haven’t been too successful yet. This sounds amazing!
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My winter could really use some meatlessness! All these heavy stews and joints of meat are weighing me down a bit.
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Martha knows her stuff. Or at least her kitchens do!
Awesome giveaway.
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There is an incredible celery root and lentil salad in Ottolenghi’s second book. Definitely a winning combination!
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This looks so simple and very good!
I am a vegeterian and would really enjoy this book 🙂
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This seems like just the book I’m needing at the moment!
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What a great looking cookbook. Sign me up!
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I need some inspiration for some meatless meals. I have been burned out on meat since the holidays and can only eat so many beets!
Thanks!
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I didn’t even know this cookbook existed! I would absolutely love a new vegetarian cookbook as my current rotation of meatless recipes is getting pretty tiresome.
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You’re amazing! And if this cookbook can give you all that with the little one in tow, I’m sold!
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that looks great! always looking for some new meat-free alternatives (i get sort of stuck on the same old staples).
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That looks so delicious! Never would have thought of celery root.
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Oh, I’m certainly looking for new ways to eat more vegetables. This book looks amazing!
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I’m so intrigued by that chickpea/eggplant soup! Lots of great inspiration in this post.
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Looks amazing! I’ve had my eye on this book for a while now! It looks great! BTW, I’m reading your book right now and I absolutely LOVE it!
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This might finally revive my intrest for lentils, have to give it a try!
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vegetarian cookbooks are usually disappointing – this one looks like an exception…
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Oh Luisa, I can s000o find myself in what you say – and I’m 15 years further on!
Hold in there, Hugo is delightful and you will find that, one day, you forgivehim all that sleep deprivation. That is, until he’s an adolescent hihi.
Vegetables (let alone time for myself) is the.great.goal. for these last 15 years.
I would love to win this book, for all the reasons above. And because my ‘life’s goal’ is looking after my children, and I don’t have the money to buy (such great) books.
Veronica
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Oh, this would be a lovely book to win! Thanks for the giveaway.
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I would love a copy! I do meatless much more than carnivore these days, it seems so much easier.
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Luisa, I hear your pain, it took me so long to figure out the need to DOUBLE everything I made so I could have some for later, but made a big difference! Hope you get to find your groove soon, it all has more impact than you first believe! xoxo
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The combination of lentils and roasted celery root sounds quite delicious!
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I would love to win this book. We are trying to be as “vegetarian” as possible with our meals.
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I’m in the same boat. By the time my daughter goes to bed, it’s all I can do to not eat only chips and salsa for dinner.
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I’ve been working 12-14 hours a day and have been too uninspired to cook. This might be just the kick in the rear that I need.
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This could easily become my favorite lunch! And may I just say that your blog has gotten me out of MY lack of food inspiration rut!
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yay! For easy vegetarian meals on cold and dark Midwestern nights! 🙂
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Oh please pick me! 🙂 My New Years Resolution was to go meatless one day a week and I am horrible at it. No one is really supporting me on this, so it is up to me to find some really good recipes!
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This looks like a great book, we’ve been trying to eat less meat (and I hear you on crashing when the baby goes to sleep)!
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Ooh, this looks INTERESTING! I am trying to do only one meaty entree per week, and I am running out of bean/mushroom options. 🙂
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Sounds like a great cookbook! I’m well beyond the child-feeding years, but often get home from work late – and tired. It’d be great to have a pot of something waiting to be warmed and consumed.
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I love vegetarian meals, and love cookbooks. Great combo for a great giveaway…even if it is Martha Stewart’s. 😛
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Sometimes I’m embarrassed to admit how much I like Martha. Her recipes always work! Thanks for sharing this one. It sounds excellent.
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Great call on needing more than broccoli to carry on through these dark months. Give me some eggplant, STAT!
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I just decided to go vegetarian after watching Vegucated and this cookbook would be perfect to explore new vegetarian recipes 🙂
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As a new mama (I have a 7 month old baby boy) I completely agree! Would love this book to whip up some good options on those beer-and-potato-chip kinds of nights!
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oh wow. I so relate to the lack of motivation at dinnertime. my own “child” (a book that I’m just about to finish) leaves me drained by the end of the day. would love some new dinnertime inspiration, especially of the meatless variety!
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We all know that feeling! Nothing like a good cookbook to inspire you to get back in the kitchen! 🙂
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Thanks for the opportunity! I am in a food rut and could use some inspiration.
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This is great! I’m vegetarian and always looking for more ideas.
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Sounds fantastic! Good vegetarian recipes are always nice to have.
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This book sounds like just what I need to get away from the myriad of chicken dishes I’ve been making.
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Hum…. I have no Martha Stewart books…perhaps I should go buy this one!
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Would love a new cookbook!
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I’m wondering which book to pick with the amazon gift card I got for Christmas… would you guys recommend the Kitchen Diaries by Nigel Slater or do you have other suggestions? I’m on the eat real food-band wagon, so the name of Heidi Swanson mentioned above might be a good choice too. And actually, ‘meatless’ might be an option as wel…
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