Brassicas by Laura B. Russell

The angle: Kale! Cauliflower! Broccoli! Bok choy! It’s time for brassicas to have their moment of glory.

Recipes for right now: Kale and Sweet Potato Sauté, Creamy Cauliflower Gratin, Greek Shaved Cabbage and Fennel Salad, Broccoli and Pepper Jack Frittata, Broccoli Rabe with Romesco Sauce, Grilled Bok Choy with Miso Butter

Who would enjoy this book? Veggie-lovin’ folks, but also veggie-reluctant folks (I think this book might just convince you to love your greens)

• Who wrote it: Laura B. Russell

• Who published it: Ten Speed Press

• Number of recipes: 80

• Other highlights: Brassicas have suffered a lot of negative publicity over the years: cabbage is stinky, Brussels sprouts taste bitter, broccoli is only redeemed with sufficient ranch dressing. But no longer! This book takes the common and uncommon members of the brassica family and gives them each a little love.

Brassicas can be intimidating vegetables, so Laura starts each chapter with a little greet-and-meet time with each one. She talks about how to pick the best vegetables, chop them up, and cook them down, along with a little health info on the veggie.

The recipes are diverse and the pictures are mouthwatering — they definitely put the veggies in the best possible light, literally and figuratively! Laura also highlights the versatility of these vegetables, showing how many of them can be served raw, roasted, or quickly sautéed and how well they go with everything from a simple sprinkle of Parmesan to Asian five-spice blend. The recipes are mostly vegetarian with the occasional use of meat as an accent; she also includes vegan variations where applicable.

Find the book at your local library, independent bookstore, or Amazon: Brassicas by Laura B. Russell

• Visit the author’s website: Laura B. Russell

Apartment Therapy Media makes every effort to test and review products fairly and transparently. The views expressed in this review are the personal views of the reviewer and this particular product review was not sponsored or paid for in any way by the manufacturer or an agent working on their behalf. However, the manufacturer did give us the product for testing and review purposes.