The Simple Bites Kitchen: Nourishing Whole Food Recipes for Every Day by Aimée Wimbush-Bourque beautifully shares the popular blogger's love of whole foods along with heart-warming kitchen stories and recipes that are nutritious, fairly simple to make, and utterly delicious.

Aimée knows the challenges that come with feeding a family and tackles them head on by providing lunchbox inspiration, supper solutions and healthy snack options. Information on the author's first title, Brown Eggs & Jam Jars, can be found here.

Measurements here are given in volume and weight and the book is organized by categories:

  • Nourishing Breakfasts (Honey whole wheat bagels, Spelt date scones);
  • Wholesome Lunches and Snacks (Sauerkraut and Swiss grilled cheese sandwiches, Roasted sweet potato, pesto and bacon wrap);
  • Homegrown Vegetarian (Vietnamese summer rolls, Spaghetti with beet rosé sauce);
  • Fresh-Air Gatherings (Tequila-lime barbecue chicken, Herbed potato salad with bay leaf and lemon);
  • Everyday Suppers (Every-season risotto, Roast beef with Yorkshire pudding);
  • Simple Bites Staples (Lighter ricotta, Fig, rosemary and pistachio crisps); and
  • Preserves Pantry (Spiced pear jam with bourbon, Cranberry compote with port and pepper).


Aimée's recipes never disappoint, her flavor combinations inspire, and her generous spirit and love of food is contagious. Special thanks to the publisher for sharing the Slow Cooker Root Vegetable Cider Stew recipe which will be sure to warm up cold evenings. Penguin Random House Canada is also providing three copies of this title in our contest open to US and Canada members at the end of this post.

 



Slow Cooker Root Vegetable Cider Stew

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serves 4 to 6 ∙ requires time for prep

A resolution to cook more from my pantry inspired this autumn stew. It combines many ingredients I keep on hand, such as canned chickpeas, tomato sauce, onions and spices, along with root vegetables, into a comforting vegetarian stew. Cubes of turnip and parsnip simmer slowly in a sauce spiced with garam masala and turn into buttery bites that hold their shape nicely. Golden raisins plump up to become almost as big as the creamy chickpeas. Nearly a pint of fresh-pressed apple cider adds both acidity and sweetness to the dish, and a sprinkling of pistachios completes the stew.

Serve it up as is or with a wedge of crusty bread, and add a dollop of yogurt for good measure. It's even better on the second day, after the flavours have had an opportunity to mingle.

 

2 medium turnips (about 1/2 pound/225g)
2 large parsnips
2 teaspoons (10 mL) Golden Ghee (page 223) or unsalted butter, divided
1 medium sweet onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (5 mL) garam masala
1 teaspoon (5 mL) sea salt, divided
1 can (19 ounces/540 mL) chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1½ cups (375 mL) fresh-pressed apple cider (unfiltered raw apple juice)
1 cup (250 mL) tomato sauce
½ cup (125 mL) golden raisins
Chopped pistachios, for garnish
Full-fat plain organic yogurt, for topping (optional)

1. Peel the turnip and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes. Peel the parsnips and cut them slightly larger. In a medium saucepan, melt 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of the Golden Ghee over medium heat. Slide in the onion, then stir and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Sprinkle in the garlic and garam masala and cook for an additional minute.

2. Push the onions to the side of the pan and melt the remaining 1 teaspoon (5 mL) Golden Ghee. Tumble in the turnips and parsnips and stir to coat with the ghee. Toss in a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

3. Transfer the vegetables to a slow cooker. Add the chickpeas, cider, tomato sauce, raisins and remaining salt. Stir well. Cover with the lid and cook on low for 5 hours. Slow cookers vary, so check the stew after about 4 hours. The stew is ready when the turnip is tender but not mushy. Serve with a sprinkling of chopped pistachios and a spoonful of yogurt if you wish.*

 

The publisher is offering three copies of this book to EYB Members in the US and Canada. One of the entry options is to answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post.

Which recipe in the index would you try first?

Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won't be counted. For more information on this process, please see our step-by-step help post. Be sure to check your spam filters to receive our email notifications. Prizes can take up to 6 weeks to arrive from the publishers. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends at midnight on January 13th, 2017.

 

Excerpted from The Simple Bites Kitchen: Nourishing Whole Food Recipes for Every Day by Aimée Wimbush-Bourque. Copyright © 2017 by Aimée Wimbush-Bourque. Photos copyright © Tim and Angela Chin. Published byPenguin, an imprint of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.