Book Report: 15 Minute Vegan + Bonus Recipe for Orange, Pomegranate, and Pistachio pilaf

I love when a new cookbook arrives in the mail but even more so when it is a surprise! This is 15 Minute Vegan by Katy Beskow, a cook, food writer and “cookery” tutor, who lives across the pond in Yorkshire and can be found at Little Miss Meat Free.

I love this little book! I read it from cover to cover, starting at the back, because that’s how I roll. I stopped at the peanut butter blondie “flapjacks” in the desserts section, made and baked them (in 15 minutes) as I finished my first read through of the rest of the book.

There is a lot to like about the book. The recipes are easy, fast and modern and the design is crisp, clean and easy on the eyes.

There are a bunch of recipes that have food combinations that I never thought of myself and some what I have come to think of as British ideas. Like, roasting a portobello mushroom stuffed with tomatoes. This recipe is in the breakfast section! It has become one of my new go to meals. Seriously, but not for brekkie.

The light bites section might be my favorite. It has some really great ideas including streetcorn chowder and satay noodles. I love a book that has recipes in it for which I have all of the ingredients on hand.

For the corn chowder, I used homemade vegetable stock that I store in the freezer, coconut milk, which I always have on hand because it is the base for my ice cream, and smoked paprika.

For the satay noodles, it’s all about the combo of peanut butter, tamari and lime which I have to say is quite sublime. I am sure I could have made the sauce a little thinner but I couldn’t wait to eat it! I tossed it with brown rice noodles, onions, carrots and broccoli.

Another recipe I love is the orange, pomegranate, and pistachio pilaf which I will be making when I can find pomegranates again. But I did get permission to reprint the recipe below so you can see how lovely this book really is. See below!

I have the pea and mint fritters and grilled lettuce with asparagus and peas on my “to make” list. And then there are mains like zucchini (courgettes!) with lemon and pine nuts pasta and harissa eggplant kebabs with cucumber red onion and mint relish which are two great recipes that I will be making when I harvest zukes and eggplant from my garden. There are also some great dessert ideas and of course essentials like lime and chive dressing.

If you are looking for a modern take on vegan cuisine that is easy, and I mean 15 minutes easy, check this book out!

orange, pomegranate, and pistachio pilaf

This three-step rice dish is perfect for sharing and can be served hot or cold, making it the perfect lunch or sharing dish. It has layers of flavor, color, and textures amongst the humble basmati rice.

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Orange, Pomegranate & Pistachio Pilaf

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 whole red onion finely chopped
• 250 grams extra-long-grain basmati rice
• 600 ml hot vegetable stock
• 2 tsp harissa paste
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 whole pomegranate
• 1 unwaxed orange
• 1 handful shelled pistachios
• 1 generous handful fresh flat-leave parsley
• 1 pinch sea salt

Instructions

1. In a large pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 2 minutes until softened but not browned.

2. Add in the rice and coat in the onion oil mixture. Pour in the vegetable stock and increase the heat to medium-high.
   

3. Spoon in the harissa, cumin, and turmeric and cook for 10 minutes until the stock has absorbed, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
   

4. In the meantime, halve the pomegranate and scoop out the seeds, reserving them in a bowl. Halve the orange and roughly chop the pistachios and parsley.
   

5. Remove the pilaf from the heat and stir through the pomegranate seeds, pistachios, and parsley. Squeeze over the orange juice. Season with sea salt.
   

Recipe excerpted with permission from 15 Minute Vegan by Katy Beskow, published by Quadrille July 2017, RRP $22.99 hardcover.