Mary McCartney recently released a new cookbook called FOOD: Vegetarian Home Cooking and I was lucky enough to receive a copy for review.

As you know, I’m not a vegetarian. However, I do embrace feeding my family a Meatless Monday main at least once, if not twice, a week.

I loved flipping through this cookbook and seeing family photos and reading stories from Mary’s childhood where famous mother Linda McCartney taught her to prepare flavorful vegetarian food.

This cookbook offers solid recipes that are simple to make and that use wholesome ingredients you can find in any store.

There are familiar favorites like Fruit and Nut Granola, Corn Fritters and Cheesy Quiche.

Then, there are some inspired recipes like a Sage and Onion “Roast” that I can’t wait to serve my family for a Sunday supper.

One gold nugget I learned from this cookbook was the existence of light spelt flour. I have spelt flour in my pantry, but did not know that if you purchase light spelt flour, you can substitute it for all purpose flour. I foresee many afternoons experimenting with light spelt flour!

Here’s your very own sneak peek of FOOD: Vegetarian Home Cooking featuring Linda’s Lemon Drizzle Cake. Lemon desserts are my absolute favorite, and if you’ve read The Greenbacks Gal for any period of time, you know I love my afternoon tea!

LINDA’S LEMON DRIZZLE CAKE

“This is a loaf cake that my mum liked to make and it remains a firm favorite of mine. The lemon syrup poured over the freshly baked cake seeps down into the sponge and adds a special moisture to the taste. Perfect to have with a cup of tea in the afternoon.”

INGREDIENTS

・ flour for dusting the pan

・ 1 stick butter, softened, plus more for greasing the pan

・ ¾ cup superfine sugar

・ 2 large, free-range eggs, beaten

・ finely grated zest and juice of 3 lemons

・ 1 ½ cups all-purpose or light spelt flour

・ 2 teaspoons baking powder

・ ¼ cup milk

・ ½  cup confectioner’s sugar, sifted

INSTRUCTIONS

・ Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch non-stick loaf pan.

・ In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon (or use an electric mixer). Gradually beat in the eggs and mix until light and fluffy. Stir in the lemon zest, flour, and baking powder, and mix well. Add 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice and mix well again. Then beat in the milk.

・ Pour the cake batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes.

・ In the meantime, mix the remaining lemon juice and the confectioner’s sugar together in a small bowl to make a glaze.

・ When it’s ready, take the cake out of the oven and cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Then turn it out onto a plate. Pierce the top of the cake all over with a thin skewer. Spoon the lemon glaze carefully and evenly over the cake until all of it is absorbed. Ready to eat.

Recipe reprinted with permission from Sterling Publishers. I was given a copy of FOOD: Vegetarian Home Cooking for review. All opinions are my own.

What are you going to do with all those hard boiled eggs you decorated for Easter? I have a delicious Egg Sandwich with Creamy Herbal Dressing recipe I think you will like that will help get some of those eggs off your hands!

Stacked with vegetables, this sandwich is not only delicious but nutritious. I’ve been trying to approach every meal with the question: How many fruits and/or vegetables can I fit into this meal? This sandwich is one where you can stack the vegetables as high as you please.

The success of this sandwich is partially dependent on your bread. My King Soopers sells bread from a local bakery: La Baguette. I love their hearty breads when making a sandwich the star of the plate.

When buying your bread, check to make sure the first ingredient is whole wheat. If your bread says “multigrain” it often times is not whole grain.

While I’m calling this a recipe, it is definitely more of a suggestion. Vary the vegetables as you please and substitute whatever fresh herbs you have on hand in the dressing.

If you have any leftover dressing, it will keep for two weeks if chilled in the refrigerator.