And so it begins.
The next round of cookbook editing is going down in my living room. This round is called the “first pass” and it marks the first time that I’ve done any editing on paper. It’s kinda nice to be off a computer screen for a bit, however spending half my life on a keyboard has not improved my penmanship one bit! Oh boy, I feel like I need to re-train my hand how to write…
It felt a bit like Christmas morning when this huge package arrived in the mail this week…for some reason, I felt so nervous to open it!
I love seeing the book in its actual size – a gorgeous 8×10” trim (I fought hard for this large trim size!) with 100 of my most-loved photographs and recipes.
Line by line, I’m going through the entire book with a fine tooth comb marking any last minute edits in red ink. Hopefully by page 300 I can still see straight! Maybe an IV of caffeine would help?
Thank you again for supporting me throughout this journey. I never thought I’d be here, that is for sure.
As many of you know, it’s also Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada. Big work assignments love to fall around holidays, don’t they? I had high hopes of sharing a couple Thanksgiving recipes for you this week, but I’m afraid they are not quite ready to share. I did a trial of this stew yesterday and was hoping to finalize the recipe this morning after a second trial, but I haven’t nailed the gravy broth yet. The first trial was too bland and the second one, well, let’s just say I overcompensated a bit. I guess you know what I’ll be eating for the next week. It will just have to wait a bit longer. In the meantime, I’ve put together a round-up of some of my favourite Thanksgiving recipes from my archives and from some of my favourite blogs! As always, no turkey is required to enjoy one helluva good holiday meal.
To my fellow Canadians, I wish you all a lovely Thanksgiving!
Appetizers:
Spiced Red Lentil, Kale, and Tomato Soup
Roasted Yellow Beet Salad with Warm Maple Mustard Dressing from Post Punk Kitchen
Holiday Salad with Cranberry Apple Orange Vinaigrette
Main Course:
Glazed Lentil Walnut Apple Loaf
Herb and “Cheese” Drop Biscuits
Butternut Squash, Brussels Sprout, and bread Stuffing with Apples via Gena Hamshaw on Food 52
Roasted Butternut Squash with Kale and Pecan Almond Parmesan
Roasted Fingerling Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Rosemary and Garlic
Cranberry Apricot and Pecan Wild Rice Pilaf
Quinoa and Red Lentil Cutlets from Fat Free Vegan
Itty Bitty Pumpkin Garlic Knots
Dessert:
Pumpkin Pie with Gluten-Free Pecan Crust
Appleberry Pie with Olive Oil Crust from Post Punk Kitchen
Pumpkin Gingerbread with Spiced Buttercream
Gift Ideas:
Homemade Pumpkin Butter From Scratch (or from a can)
Slow Cooker Naked Apple Butter
Smoothie
Creamy Butternut Date Smoothie for Two
Baked Doughnuts for Everyone Giveaway Winner!
Last but not least, the winner of the Baked Doughnuts for Everyone giveaway goes to #519 – Christine H. Her favourite doughnut flavour is “Double chocolate with sprinkles!”
Congrats Christine! I will shoot you an email to collect your info. Thanks again to Ashley for this generous giveaway. :)
For the record, growing up my favourite flavour of doughnut was always Maple Glazed or Sour Cream Glazed (from Tim Hortons, of course). I think I will have to recreate one some day…
Love your Spiced Red Lentil, Kale &Tomato Soup, make it all the time!
The book looks amazing Angela! Congrats on this wonderful project :) Can’t wait to see the final version!
So cool about the cookbook! And I love your Thanksgiving ideas–we’ve got another month to go but you have me thinking I should start planning NOW!
Angela, I am so happy for you–I can already tell from the photo that the book is going to be STUNNING!! Congratulations!! (And I can’t wait to get my hands on it!!). I have to admit, the editing process was my least favorite part. . .but it’s worth it. And what an accomplishment. YAYYY! Such a great Thanksgiving present for you (and all of us!!). Hope you have a wonderful holiday!! Ricki xo
This is great! We’ve been looking for some thanksgiving dinner ideas, and it’s a good excuse to finally make that glazed lentil walnut apple loaf since there will be three vegans at my boyfriend’s family thanksgiving (us and his sister). I also can’t wait for the cookbook!
To go slightly off topic, I was wondering what sort of foundation you use. I thought I recalled you mentioning sensitive skin before, and I’ve found my skin having a bit of a reaction to the stuff I get, so I just wanted to know if you’ve found some that seems gentler on sensitive skin. I almost never wear it, but I’d like to feel like I can.
Hey Sarah, I don’t really have a go-to foundation yet, but I’ve been using Bare Minerals or Everyday Minerals (I have a mix of the two brands). They work pretty good, but I still think it’s too drying for my dry skin (esp in the winter). I haven’t been able to find a good liquid foundation that is free of the chemical junk and has a nice consistency and tone.
Large format is the way to go, so much easier to use and enjoy. Congrats and happy thanksgiving!
The cookbook is going to be so beautiful — thanks for the sneak peak, Angela and good luck sprinting to the finish line!
Happy Thanksgiving!
I am so excited for you cookbook! Will all the recipes be new or are some the same as whats on your site? :) Happy Thanksgiving!
Will your book be available in the UK? Would love to buy a copy. Have tried several of your recipes and loved every one if them. So tasty! Keep up the good work!
Hooray for the cookbook’s first pass! That baby is on my Amazon wish list for Christmas and my birthday (for pre-order, obviously), and I can’t wait to get my grubby little paws on it. It sounds like it’s going to be amazing, and I know that everyone who reads your blog is incredibly excited for and proud of you. :)
That said, have a lovely Thanksgiving!
You are just amazing……I can not wait for your cook book!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with many fond family memories.
Take good care,
Mary-Anne just outside of Ottawa …..enjoying a Canadian Thanksgiving for sure!!!)
What a gorgeous cookbook! I can’t wait to see it in person…
Oh wow, that editing sounds like a lot of work. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving despite all that work!
I would be all for a vegan version of the Timmies sour cream glazed. A former Canadian in the states, I miss that place!
Oh my goodness… your cookbook will be just Amazing.
I have been reading your blog from a long time now; to see where it all started and to see where you are now is remarkable. All I can say is: I am so very, very happy for you. The amount of energy and focus you dedicate to each and every project, no matter how small, is inspiring to witness. I hope to be able to look back on my life one day and feel a similar sense of accomplishment :o)
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
I am so excited about your book! I have no vegan cookbooks yet (I know…) and I think it’s great that yours will be the first (maybe I’m unconsciously waiting for yours to come out). I am also happy to see some of my favourite recipes in your list. The roasted fingerling potatoes with brussel sprouts became a staple again ever since I spotted the first sprout in the stores. I tell everybody to put those beauties in the oven asap. The spiced red lentil has also become a staple, I made a big pot only yesterday (and had leftovers for lunch today :) ). That broth…
Good luck on the editing, the sneak preview looks great but I know how tough editing can be.
Hi Angela! I can’t wait for your cookbook, I’ve never tried a recipe of yours that I don’t like! They’re always a hit! What is on the plate with the mashed potatoes in the one picture?
So many recipes!
So much pumpkin and so little time, I just don’t get sick of it.
Wow, there’s just nothing like a large size, beautifully presented cookbook, not that there’s anything wrong with the cookbooks of old with tiny font and lists and small black illustrations, but photos bring the food to life. Glad you fought for that large size! The moment it is for sale internationally, you can bet one will be shipping to New Zealand and I’ll be tied to the house waiting for the delivery van.
I have your glazed lentil walnut and apple loaf baking in the oven as we speak. It tastes delicious and I just love the glaze, that was yummy enough on its own! Can’t wait to see your recipe book. Have pre-ordered on Amazon.