Check out my progress on The Ellie Project
Last week, I discovered a Barnes & Noble gift certificate leftover from graduation. I had used it earlier this summer to buy myself a copy of Emma (a totally worthwhile purchase) but had neglected to spend the remaining balance. It’s been several months since I last indulged my cookbook addiction, so I decided to splurge and buy two volumes that I’ve been eyeing for quite some time—Ellie Krieger’s The Food You Crave and So Easy.
When the books arrived last week, I set about perusing their pages—I have a habit of reading cookbooks as other people read novels, page-by-page, noting proportions and ingredients along the way. I had intended on flagging recipes to try in the future, but I wasn’t even half-way through the first book before I realized that it would be far simpler to make note of recipes I didn’t want to try. Indeed, nearly all of Ellie’s recipes satisfied the criteria for Broccoli Hut approval: 1) creative, 2) delicious, 3) healthful, and 4) fresh food-centric.
Given my enthusiasm for these recipes, it got me thinking: What if I challenged myself to make every recipe in these two books? Consider it as a more health-focused version of Julie and Julia. The idea has its benefits and drawbacks—tasty food, but perhaps restrictive of my own creativity.
So what do you think? Yay or Nay on “The Ellie Project?” Any and all input is encouraged.
If you were to complete a similar challenge, which cookbook would you choose?
Aside from ogling over Ellie’s recipes, I did make a few of my own dishes today.
The big bowl of Butterfingers staring at me in the kitchen inspired breakfast this morning. Chocolate and peanut butter just make everything better.
For lunch, I got creative and concocted a new hummus flavor: Lime-Coconut Hummus, featuring coconut butter, of course. Recipe to come!
In class, I enjoyed the Bar of the Week: Clif’s Crunch Granola Bar. This bar was deliciously sweet despite having a pretty reasonable sugar count (11g). The volume eater in me also loves the fact that I get to eat TWO bars.
Once I returned home from work and class, I was famished. I ended up marinating some tofu in balsamic vinegar and roasting a crap-ton of veggies.
Alright, I am off to finish the day’s to-do list!
Filed under: Meals
Caroline Yoder, dietitian-to-be and all-around foodie.
Oh goodness, Caroline, I looove your Halloween costume!! (Just catching up on old posts)
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Too darn cute
The hummus sounds terrific as well, Miss Hummus Queen 2010.
Love those crunch bars. They are good in greek yogurt
Dana xo
Roasted brussel sprouts = win
I have one of her books, but I am not sure which one. The recipes are fantastic!
Great idea! Yay all the way about the Ellie project!! Can’t wait..!
I think the Ellie project sounds like a fun idea! And then I would get to preview all of the recipes with you.
I’m totally one of those people that eats the same thing for like 3 days straight, so I’d probably never be able to go through a whole cookbook! I think it’s cool though!
I had a similar bowl of festive oatbran this morning- pumpkin, chocolate, almond. Let’s just say it was SO incredibly yummy!
And anything with coconut just makes everything better– love that you included it in our hummus!
I felt the same way when I flipped through her cookbook. But what about the non-veg ones?
the project sounds very interesting…I think you should do it! For me, I would do Nigella’s cookbook…or Mark Bittmans’ How To Cook Everything!
you know i love PROJECTS! do it
maybe start with one volume because i do get itching to move on after a while. cooking through books really has helped me to branch out, learn more techniques, and make things i might not have jumped on but often end up really liking!
I did a similar challenge with clean eating but I ended up quitting it
Now I try to do the same with the macrobiotic book and I’m just 1/5 way through. It’s fun though 
Don’t you love when you find a gift cert you forgot about? Shopping time!
Good choices on the cookbooks – I have both of them. If you don’t think you’ll feel restricted, you should give the Ellie project a go.
If I were to try it, I would pick a Rachel Ray book but each recipe attempt would be a healthy adaptation of her original. Like a low fat take of what she served while looking to preserve all the flavor of the dish – which she’s great at.
Funny you came up with that idea, because when I first got her cookbook “The Food You Crave” my initial response was to want to make all the recipes in the book!
I also have both cookbooks and I would definitely pick the Food You Crave, it has many more delicious recipes, in my opinion.
I made many of the recipes in that book, and some became favorite of ours. I love the Ratatouille tart from that book, and the fried rice with edamame and tofu is also delicious! The pumpkin muffins are good, and the apple ones too. Actually there wasn’t any recipe I made from that cookbook we did not like, it was always good.
Enjoy Ellie’s cookbooks Caroline, they are full of delicious and nutritious recipe, just the way we like!
Ana
I’ve never tried an Ellie Kieger recipe. I will definitely be checking it out!
If I were to do a similar challenge, I would use Peter Reinhart’s The Bread Baker’s Apprentice book. Lots of yummy yummy breads.
I think you should definitely do the Ellie Project! That would be fun.
I say “yay” to the project!
How funny that you posted about trying all the recipes in a cookbook. I was thinking the same thing on Sunday, when I was thumbing through a couple of mine!
I’d love to try everything in 1000 Vegan Recipes. Should only take a few years!
yes do it!!
i go with yay! im starting to do the same thing with the veganomnicon cookbook i got- can’t wait to broaden my horizons
I say go for it – no reason to feel creatively stiffled. I would imagine it would actually foster creativity, as you would try things you normally wouldn’t, and may come up with your adaptations as you go along.
If I were to pick a book to cook through, it would probably be Mark Bittman’s “Food Matters Cookbook” or “Clean Food” by Terry Walters, because they are two books I’ve picked up and never touched, even though they look awesome. I might also consider the Rebar cookbook, from one awesome restaurant in Victoria. Yum!