When I received a review copy of my friend Michael Natkin’s new cook book Herbivoracious: A Flavor Revolution with 150 Vibrant and Original Vegetarian Recipes
Michael and I, with Michael holding the very first copy of his cookbook! Exciting!
Michael has been a vegetarian since he was 18. When his mother fell sick, he started cooking her macrobiotic meals at home. Since then, Michael has been a devoted vegetarian. And his passion for food is so evident in his uber successful blog, Herbivoracious (same name as the cookbook!).
The blog is an encyclopedia of information, filled with recipes and tips. How does polenta with pan roasted porcini, tomato confit and chevre sound to you?! My personal favorite Herbivoracious blog recipe is the chickpea, spinach and tomato soup – simple yet packed with flavor.
When I received Herbivoracious, the cookbook, I had great trouble deciding what recipe I should make for this post. The chickpea and olive tagine with ras el hanout ( a North African spice mix) sounded yummy. As did the blackbean soup with orange jalapeno salsa, 10 minute chickpea salad with feta and basil, grilled tofu and pepper tacos, red curry delicata squash, and..well..pretty much all the recipes in the book!
I finally decided to make the triple smoky mac and cheese. Because its cheesy, spicy and comforting – exactly what I needed on a cold, wet Portland evening. It’s the best mac and cheese I’ve had. It was easy to make, and tasted like it came from a high end restaurant. Meat lovers are sure to love this vegetarian mac and cheese. It has so many great smoky flavors going on, my husband thought it had bacon in it! Michael says you can either use smoked cheddar or smoked mozzarella in this recipe. The smoked cheese, plus smoked paprika and chipotle peppers make this mac and cheese wonderfully smoky.
Enjoy Michael’s recipe, and then make sure you enter the giveaway. The book will be out in May and the publisher, Harvard Common Press will send out a copy to one lucky winner as soon as Herbivoracious is published! You can also get your own copy on Amazon through this link Herbivoracious: A Flavor Revolution with 150 Vibrant and Original Vegetarian Recipes
Triple Smoky Mac and Cheese Recipe
A recipe from Herbivoracious Cookbook. Reproduced with permission.
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
1 pound elbow macaroni (Sala’s note: I used penne because thats what I had on hand)
6 tablespoons (3⁄4 stick) unsalted butter
1⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
Half an onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, minced, or
1⁄4 cup Frontera brand chipotle salsa
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
8 ounces smoked cheddar, grated, or substitute regular cheddar if you can’t find smoked cheddar
8 ounces mozzarella (substitute smoked mozzarella if you’re using regular cheddar), grated
Kosher salt
1⁄2 cups Homemade Bread Crumbs made with 2 cloves minced garlic added. Recipe in the book.
Method
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the macaroni according to package directions, draining when it is just becoming aldente. This will bake more in the oven, so don’t overcook it. Drain, transfer it to a bowl, and toss with 2 tablespoons of the butter.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. (Sala’s note: I baked the mac and cheese in a cast iron skillet instead of a baking dish)
3. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk pretty constantly for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Add the onion, smoked paprika, rosemary, chipotle, oregano, and nutmeg. Bring to a gentle simmer and keep cooking, whisking occasionally, until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.
4. Reduce the heat to low. Whisk in the grated cheeses, a handful at a time, stirring each addition of cheese until melted. It is important to do this gradually, to avoid graininess.
5. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning to your preference. It will probably need just a little salt, depending on the cheeses. Add more chipotle if you’d like it hotter. Remember that the sauce should be pretty intense, because it needs to flavor a full pound of pasta.
6. Stir the macaroni into the sauce. Pour the macaroni into the baking dish. Scatter the bread crumbs evenly over the top.
7. Bake until you can see bubbling around the sides and the bread crumbs are nicely browned, about 30 minutes. Let the dish rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
A Chance to Win Michael’s Herbivoracious Cookbook!
Be One of the First to Receive a Copy!
The awesome people at Harvard Common Press are giving away a copy of Herbivoracious to one lucky Veggie Belly reader!
To enter the contest, just leave a comment and tell me why you’d like to be the one to win this book.
Contest ends Wednesday, April 4th 2012. US & Canada shipping only.
One randomly picked lucky winner will receive a copy of this book when it is published in May!
THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED! The randomly picked winner is comment #7, Cat!
Michael is the reason I found your blog! I enjoy his enthusiasm and range of vegetarian delights, but the crux is that he keeps advertising that there are 150 NEW recipes in this cookbook. Man! THAT’S the reason I want the copy — so I’m “in the know”. Thanks for the contest!
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yummm mac and cheese! i’m trying to learn more vegetarian recipes and would LOVE to start my veggie cookbook collection!
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I’ve really been wanting to switch to an all veg diet
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I would like I copy of this new book for new recipe ideas! As a brand new vegetarian, I’m still looking for those tried and true recipes to make on week nights as well as meal ideas for special events!
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i have been trying to cook with out meat, I am always looking for new recipes, I just made the quionia and grilled veggies it was wonderful and my husband love it, it was easy. the new cook book would be wonderful to have. kim
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I’d liek to win this book for my dad. He was my inspiration to become vegetarian, and he continues to inspire me—in the kitchen and elsewhere!
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The mac ‘n cheese looks amazing. I would love to win a copy of this book as I am vegetarian, and am always on the lookout for new recipes.
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I am a vegetarian with a vegetarian husband and kids who eat veggies and meat with equal enthusiam.
This book would be perfect to add more variety to our meals.
Thank you for the giveaway!
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My fiance and I are always looking for great vegetarian/vegan recipes, plus Herbavoracious is one of my favorites sites to go to for inspiration!
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That looks amazing, I would love the opportunity to try and to enjoy your recipes!!! thanks for the post.
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i’d love to win this bc i’m in need of good cookbooks
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I would love a copy of your recipes. I love them all.
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I was a vegetarian throughout my 20s – but since I was in my 20s, I might go for days without meeting up with any protein or fresh vegetables. After I married a carnivore, I slowly and reluctantly started eating meat again out of convenience. But I’m now trying to get back to my vegetarian roots, this time in a healthy way. I love your website
, but I want all the tools and (and tasty options for aforementioned carnivorous husband) I can get!
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Looking gorgeous Sala and lovely flavor combo in the mac and cheese. I SO would love to win this book. Even though we eat veg almost every day I always seams to run out of ideas. This book will be super helpful for me.
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I love your blog and I would love a copy of the cookbook.
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Having recently turned vegetarian, I find I hard to persistently trawl the internet for ideas to boost and inspire my kitchen enthusiasm, trawl, print. I have had trouble finding tasty or bulky textured vegetables that fill in for my old love of eating chicken. I like to keep it simple , fresh and delish.
The food i have seen and tried from Veggie Belly and now Micheal’s web has been so helpful in aiding my bid to stay away from processed foods and meat now, thank you for your good work. And why would i want the book, simply so i can peruse through and not get several ingrediants on my laptop and stop endlessly printing
.
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I m a vegetarian and it would be a gr8 opportunity to learn various veg recipes all over the world..I wish I win..:)
just love ur simple recipes n fotographs sala
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One can never have too many cook books…smoky ideas are always welcome….Hoping and waiting on a free one.
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Just learning to be vegetarian. Being Diabetic, I just had a stroke. This would be a good place to start for myself and my family.
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I love Michael’s website and would love to have a copy of the book! I just made his recipe for crispy yuba rolls and they came out great!
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I’ve been following herbivoracious for a long while and would love to have a copy of his cookbook. Besides the wonderful food, the photos are really fantastic!
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Would love to add more vegetarian recipes to our family menus. So would love to win this cookbook.
Thanks
Suparna
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This cookbook sounds so amazing.
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I’ve been enjoying Michael’s blog for a long time– and it’s always so exciting to have a favorite blogger publish! I’d get so much use and enjoyment out of his new book, as I do for those few carefully selected veggie-only cookbooks I have. As a gal who’s been a vegetarian for 19 years, it’s always nice to find a new voice, a new style and approach to cooking without meat. Herbivoracious’ voice really stays fresh.
Looking forward to the rest of your trip update from Israel– especially with any recipes!
Thanks, keep up the great work.
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your food photography is gorgeous and my mouth is watering – as I look at your photos of the mac n cheese. can’t wait to try the recipe and others from the book!
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i love both your site and Michael’s. It would be great to have to book to satisfy my vegetarian palate and please the omnivores in my home as well.
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Ooh this book looks delicious! Would love to win it and convert my meat loving family into eating the veggies that I love
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Delicious!! Both the mac n cheese and the book. Who would not want to own a copy!!
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I’d love this book because I’m vegetarian but the rest of my family is not. I always love showing them how delicious vegetarianism can be so this book would definitely help!
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I’d love to explore new ingredients and looking forward to try some tasty vegetarian dishes.
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Triple smoky mac & Cheese!! Waiting to see what other yummy veggie dishes this book has…
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I absolutely love your blog. I eat a pretty strict vegetarian diet but I’d love to win Michael’s book for my parents. I’m encouraging them to eat more vegetarian meals (for health reasons!) and Herbivoracious has the perfect recipes to temp any omnivore. I think they’d love it!
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I’m slowly expanding my selection of vegetarian/meatless recipes, and this book seems like it would be full of lovely additions!
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That cookbook looks gorgeous! I am always looking to expand my collection of vegetarian cookbooks, especially ones that have creative, fresh and healthy recipes!
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That mac and cheese looks amazing.
I’d love the be the winner of that book because I’m a young culinary student, and I absolutely love surprising friends and family with delicious meat-free meals! Most don’t believe vegetarian/vegan meals can taste as good as they do. Also, my grandmother has just been told she has a gluten allergy, and it would be nice to make her some hearty gluten free meals that she can actually enjoy.
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My family is vegetarian & I’m always on a lookout to make it more interesting & bring forth various cuisines,tastes so on for them…The Herbivoracious sounds perfect to help me in my endeavour!
BTW love the new take on mac n cheese..I alredy know my son is surely going to love it.
Thanks for a lovely blog!
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My family would enjoy this book, we are always looking for new recipes. Thanks!
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This cookbook sounds wonderful! I just stumbled across this site and can wait to try several recipes!
Just working on eating better!
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I am always looking for new veggie recipes. I’d love to win this cookbook
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Love mac and cheese. This one looks great. I hope I win the cookbook and get to try some of the other recipes.
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Obviously, I’m interested in the book that has amazingly easy recipes like this one. But I also wanted to comment on your straight hair
I’m South Indian, live in Portland and many folks tell me that I look like you…based on your profile picture. Now that I’ve seen you with your hair straightened, I’m tempted to try straightening mine too. I actually grow it longer, and with the almost-corkscrew curls, it is longer than shoulder length. Your photo is now an inspiration to actually try cutting my hair shorter.
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I would love to win this book for several reasons. My fiance and I eat very healthy. We go to local co-ops, farmers markets, and are in the process of buying a house where I can grow my own organic garden. We love trying new foods and have been trying new tofu and veggie patty recipes in addition to my collection of recipes chock full of whole grains and veggies. We are also very frugal. We make our own yogurt, applesauce, stocks and broths, among many other homemade goodies. I would absolutely love having this cookbook to experiment with all the delicious recipes I’m sure are waiting inside! Thank you for considering us for the cookbook giveaway
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I just stumbled upon your blog and find it quite delightful. I am new to cooking as a vegetarian and actually to eating as a vegetarian also. My doctor recently told me I can not eat meat any more. I have reoccuring kidney stones and just had a full work-up at the doctor. I was informed that I am excreting too much protein and as a result, no meat. I have been looking for new recipes as to how to cook without meat. It has been very hard for me to even think of how to cook without meat; I came from a very Finnish background which consits of pretty much meat and potatoes. Your blog has been a great resource for me on meals that even I can cook. It makes it easy to try the vegetarian meals when they all look so yummy! Needless to say, a cookbook would be an amzing help!
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Newbie Pescetarian here! This cookbook looks like it could really help me transition to a more vegan diet.
Thanks for offering!
Chelsea
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Hi there…it would be nice to be able to get a recipe book on vegetarian foods. My daughter who is 12 decided she wants to be a vegetarian…well sometimes its hard to make something for her and her siblings..to where everybody is going to be happy. I believe this book will help me out . Thanks!
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Wow. If there are more recipes in the book like that smoky mac & cheese, I would love a copy! I’ve been vegetarian for over 20 years and I’m always looking for recipes that the rest of my (carnivorous) family will enjoy.
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Michael’s website changed my life. My 10-year-old son decided to become a vegetarian after seeing what happens in a meat packing plant on Oprah. He lived on chicken strips. I decided to become a vegetarian in support of him. It’s been over a year now, and thanks to Michael’s site, I have been able to feed my family exciting and delicious vegetarian fare that goes well beyond pasta and salads! Veggiebelly has helped us, too! Thanks to you both.
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I’d love to win a copy of this book to make more delicious meals for my friends and family.
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I love Michael Natkin’s blog and I would love to win his cookbook!
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I am an omnivore, but have been experimenting more with cooking and I have been making mostly vegetarian meals! Do not get me wrong, I love eating meat, but I find those recipes seem to be the same thing over and over. I have begun to watch more of what I eat and move toward a more plant based diet. This book sounds amazing to help with my new diet and my new hobby of cooking!!
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I am new to the vegetarian cooking and meal planning. This book will get me started on the right path.
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oh good. Is t possible to give the brand name.
I checked tilmook ,in their site they said their cheddar cheese uses animal rennant. Thats why i was concerned.
thanks,
S
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Sala @ Veggie Belly Reply:
April 2nd, 2012 at 12:45 pm
It was Whole Foods cheese that they cut and wrap. The ingredients will say ‘vegetable rennet’. Go to the cheese section of Whole Foods and ask them for vegetarian cheddar, they will definitely have something
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Congrats! You are the randomly picked winner of the giveaway! Please email me your address veggiebelly at gmail
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