Interview with Angela from Oh She Glows and Cookbook Giveaway

From Oh She Glows Every Day. Copyright © 2016, Glo Bakery Corporation. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin.

Once Angela’s second cookbook was ready to be released, I hurried to contact her to ask if she would agree to an interview and giveaway of her cookbook. And she did! Even more, she not only offered me a free copy of the cookbook, but also offered a free copy for the winner of the giveaway. Thank you, Angela!

The “Oh She Glows Every Day” has more than 100 plant-based recipes. All the recipes are dairy free and most of them are gluten free. Because my son is gluten and dairy sensitive, it’s important for me to find and make recipes that are free of these two allergens. Each recipe is accompanied by tips to make it allergy-friendly whenever possible.

All of Angela’s recipes I tried so far were loved by all my family members (4 year old, 7 year old, husband, myself, and my parents). I consider that most of the recipes are also kid-friendly.

Here are some of the recipes that we tried and LOVED: Peanut Butter Lover’s Chocolate Tart, Ultimate Green Taco Wraps, Mac and Pees, Loaded Sweet Potatoes, Banana Bread Muffin Tops, Tropical Overnight Oats.

How can we not love Angela’s recipes when they look so good and each one I made so far is not only healthy, but extremely delicious?

Sweet potato, Chickpea, Spinach, and Coconut Curry From Oh She Glows Every Day. Copyright © 2016, Glo Bakery Corporation. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin.

Angela was kind to allow me to share one recipe with all of you and I chose these delicious macaroons.

Chocolate-Dipped Vanilla Bean Macaroons

From Oh She Glows Every Day. Copyright © 2016, Glo Bakery Corporation. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin.

Recipe reprinted from Oh She Glows Every Day by arrangement with Avery, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2016, Glo Bakery Corporation

VEGAN, GLUTEN-FREE, SOY-FREE OPTION, GRAIN-FREE, FREEZER-FRIENDLY

MAKES 13 LARGE MACAROONS

PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES

BAKE TIME: 25 TO 30 MINUTES

FREEZE TIME: 20 MINUTES

This is what I like to call macaroon perfection!

It’s the go-to quick-and-easy dessert that I pop in the oven before company comes over. Not only does everyone go nuts over the macaroons, but they fill the house with a delicious vanilla, cinnamon, and almond scent as they bake. The macaroons have achieved vault status in our household. My secret is slow baking the macaroons at a very low oven temperature to ensure that the delicate coconut and almonds don’t burn before the interior is baked. Drizzle them in melted dark chocolate for the ultimate treat. Be sure to use melted coconut butter and not coconut oil in this recipe. The coconut butter is necessary for proper binding, and coconut oil will not work in this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 mL) raw almonds, ground into a fine meal (see page 290)

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon (2.5 mL) fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (125 mL) pure maple syrup

1/4 cup (2 ounces/60 g) Homemade Coconut Butter or store-bought, melted

1 teaspoon (5 mL) pure vanilla extract

1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped, or 1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) pure vanilla bean powder

3 1/2 ounces (100 g) non-dairy dark chocolate

1 teaspoon (5 mL) virgin coconut oil

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 275°F (140°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Line a large plate with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the almond meal, shredded coconut, salt, cinnamon, maple syrup, melted coconut butter, vanilla extract, and vanilla bean seeds until thoroughly combined. The dough will be thick and sticky.
3. With a 2-tablespoon (30 mL) retractable cookie scoop, scoop a ball of dough and pack it in so the top is flat. Release the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough, setting the macaroons about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the pan and bake for 10 to 15 minutes more, until the macaroons are a bit golden around the edges. Watch them closely during the last 5 to 10 minutes.
5. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
6. In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate and coconut oil together over low-medium heat, stirring frequently until smooth. (Alternatively, melt them together in a small pot over low heat, stirring frequently.) Turn off the heat.
7. Dip the flat base of each cooled macaroon into the chocolate and twirl the macaroon until the base is coated in chocolate. As you dip them, place each macaroon onto the parchment paper-lined plate, upside down, so the chocolate coating is facing upward. Freeze the macaroons for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the chocolate has hardened.
8. Flip each macaroon chocolate-side down and drizzle the remaining chocolate on top (reheat the chocolate until liquid, if necessary). Freeze for 5 to 10 minutes, until the chocolate drizzle is firm.
9. Store leftover macaroons in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also wrap the macaroons in foil, place them in an airtight container or freezer-safe zip-top bag, and freeze for up to 1 month.

Make it soy-free: Use a soy-free non-dairy chocolate, such as Enjoy Life brand.

Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula – Oh She Glows Every Day. Copyright © 2016, Glo Bakery Corporation. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin.

Now here’s Angela and her thoughts on her second cookbook “Oh She Glows Every Day”.

1. Angela, congratulations on your second cookbook! How does it feel to be finished creating the recipes, writing them, and finally seeing the cookbook in stores?

Thank you! It’s both thrilling to finally see the finished product on the bookshelves, and also, if I’m being honest, a little terrifying too. I find releasing a creative project into the world is always intimidating, but I think that’s normal when you’ve worked so hard on something for so long. So far the response has been amazing though, and I couldn’t be more grateful to all my supporters.

2. The cookbook is entitled “Oh She Glows Every Day”. How and why did you choose this title?

My publisher proposed the title The Oh She Glows Every Day Cookbook, and I suggested that we make it a bit snappier by simply calling it Oh She Glows Every Day. So the title was a team effort! I signed on to write this second book when my daughter was just a few months old, and life as a new mama was a huge inspiration; I found myself looking to simplify meals and save time in the kitchen (without compromising taste and nutrition) more and more. I set out to create a collection of convenient and accessible plant-based recipes that would be great for each day of the year, including more elaborate recipes for special occasions. In the cookbook, you’ll find a mix of quick and easy recipes, and also ones that take more time (for weekends or special occasions), but are well worth the effort.

High Rise Pumpkin Cupcakes From Oh She Glows Every Day. Copyright © 2016, Glo Bakery Corporation. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin.

3. Please describe the cookbook to us. What are some of the things would you like us to know about it?

Oh She Glows Every Day features over 100 of my favourite go-to plant-based recipes that are delicious, accessible, and wholesome. I provide my best tips and tricks for how to save time in the kitchen, how to make recipes your kids will love, and how to stock a plant-based pantry. I’ve also placed a greater focus than ever on providing recipes that are allergy-friendly (for example, there are a lot of nut-free recipes or options in this book).

4. This is your second cookbook. Was the creative process different this time around?

This second time around, I did a lot of recipe creation “after hours”; I started the book when my daughter was only 3 months old, and there were many long nights of working it after she went to bed. In part, this was because I had such a ravenous appetite while breastfeeding that I found myself dreaming of recipes 24/7! Some of my favorite recipes in Oh She Glows Every Day were dreamed up during middle-of-the-night nursing sessions. But the creative process itself was actually very similar to that of my first cookbook. I’d think of an idea, test it multiple times, then send it on to my recipe testers for their invaluable feedback. Revise. Repeat. Edit. Edit. Edit. 🙂

Creamy Thai Carrot Sweet Potato Soup From Oh She Glows Every Day. Copyright © 2016, Glo Bakery Corporation. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin.

5. What are some of your favourite kid-friendly recipes that we can find in the cookbook?

We had a group of kids testing each of the recipes in this book, and it’s packed with kid-friendly options. Some of the recipes that are the most popular with kids are the following: Mac and Peas, 9-Spice Avocado Hummus Toast, Green-Orange Creamsicle Smoothie, Strawberry Oat Crumble Bars, Banana Bread Muffin Tops, Crispy Smashed Potatoes, Roasted Garlic Basil Pesto Potatoes with Arugula, Chili Cheese Nachos, Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta, and many more.

6. I have a corny question. Do you have a cooking or baking idol? If you do, could you please share with us why?

I have quite a few, but Meghan Telpner is one of my fave “local” cooking idols. She runs a blog, cooking classes, a nutrition school, and has 2 cookbooks out. I know, right?! I love Meghan because she’s spunky, fun, and creates approachable plant-based recipes and tips for healthy living.

7. Your daughter Adriana is growing up and you are expecting your second child. Congratulations! You must have been very busy this year! Could you share with us any tips that kept you sane while creating the cookbook?

You’re assuming I was sane during the creation of the book? heh. Maybe at times!? To be honest, it was a crazy couple of years and I probably could’ve done a better job at carving out downtime. But I also love to be busy so it kind of works with my personality. I am looking forward to taking a break from cookbook creation this next year, though. I’m a firm believer that the creative process needs time to rejuvenate and replenish, and I look forward to changing things up.

Sun-dried Crackers Tomato and Garlic Super-Seed From Oh She Glows Every Day. Copyright © 2016, Glo Bakery Corporation. Reprinted by permission of Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Photography credit: Ashley McLaughlin.

8. And one last question. Most kids start preferring a few foods that they would eat any time. What are your daughter’s favourite foods or meals that she could eat all day long?

Oh man, PASTA for sure! She is a pasta monster. I’ve found a way to make a pasta dish super healthy and it’s become my go-to: I use spelt pasta, and then mix in marinara sauce, hummus, hemp hearts, frozen peas, lentils, and seasonings. She loves it, and I love knowing it packs in quite a bit of nutrition. Her other favourite food is bananas. I’m surprised she hasn’t turned into a monkey yet!

Thank you so much Angela for sharing your cookbook and thoughts with us. We appreciate you and all the hard work you do every day!

And now, giveaway details!

This giveaway is open to readers residing in Canada and the USA. Skill testing question required. No purchase necessary.

There are the 4 ways to enter this giveaway for Angela’s “Oh She Glows Every Day” cookbook.

You can receive up to 4 entries:

1. Subscribe to the Orgali newsletter by email. You can see the link to subscribe (green rectangle) on the right side on this page.
2. Like my Facebook page Orgali Holistic Nutrition.
3. Leave a comment below telling us how Angela’s cookbook will help you.
4. Share this giveaway on your Facebook page and let me know you did this in the comments section.

The giveaway begins on Friday, September 16th and closes on Friday, September 30th, at 8 pm Mountain Time.

A winner will be chosen using a random number generator and announced on the blog on Saturday, October 1st. The odds of winning depend on the number of entries received.

I will contact the winner by email. The winner will have forty-eight hours to respond. If no response is received within forty-eight hours, another winner will be chosen.

The winner is Amber Y. Congratulations Amber!