The Love and Lemons Cookbook: An Apple-to-Zucchini Celebration of Impromptu Cooking

Austin-based blogger Donofrio, whose Love and Lemons blog won the 2014 Best Cooking Blog award from Saveur, shows home cooks how to create veggie-centric dishes inspired by what’s fresh at the market. Donforio’s goal is to help cooks enjoy increased creative control in the kitchen and master the art of making do with whatever is on hand. There are more than 100 creative twists on starters, salads, pizzas, wraps, along with recipes for sweets. Dishes are quick, light, and fresh: an eggy avocado breakfast taco, a tangy vegetable ceviche, an oven- roasted cauliflower and pear pizza, and leeks and chickpeas in a minted basil-lemon sauce atop pasta. There are some new twists on familiar foods, such as fully loaded crispy sweet potato nachos and spicy carrot ribbon tacos with honey lime yogurt sauce; for dessert, apple crisp kissed with cardamom. Recipes are organized by major ingredient, and vegan or gluten-free dishes are labeled. There are easy-to-use charts for basics and variations of pesto, smoothies, salsa, and guacamole. Also featured are sections on pantry basics, how to use greens, and prepare artichokes. The cookbook’s clean graphic design and colorful photos provide delicious imagery. Celebrating spontaneity in cooking with plant-based inspiration, this imaginative recipe collection will please cooks who take their cue from ingredients as much as from recipes. (Apr.)