Hi there,
This month’s Cooking Confidential review is oh she glows for dinner. This is an entirely plant-based, vegan cookbook. As such, it is a good follow-up to The Moosewood Cookbook. I chose the baked bean recipe because I make my own much-loved vegetarian baked beans. I wanted to see how my version’s flavors stacked against Angela Liddon.
I chose this recipe is straightforward and easy to follow, with simple ingredients that can be found at any grocery store. I appreciated that it didn’t require hard-to-find vegan substitutes or specialty items. The recipe also includes the option to make it in a slow cooker or on the stove, which is a nice touch for those who prefer one method over the other.
The resulting dish was rich, savory, and had a great balance of flavors. The combination of maple syrup, molasses, and apple cider vinegar added a depth of sweetness and tanginess that complemented the paprika’s smokiness and the beans’ earthiness. I also appreciated that the recipe included fresh greens, giving the dish more flavor and making it more of a main dish than a side.
Cookbook Image
My Baked Beans
Many of the ingredients in this recipe are very similar to my recipe. I add tang to my beans using horseradish, honey, and brown sugar instead of molasses and ketchup instead of tomato paste. I don’t care for the taste of liquid smoke, so that would not be an addition I would use. I would continue to use several varieties of beans. But, I would adopt using greens and dates the next time I make my recipe.
I would like to recommend this cookbook, but I found it very difficult to use. It is filled with lots of instructions and suggestions but does not have a smooth flow. I would not make room for this book on my cookbook shelf.
23 responses to “COOKBOOK CONFIDENTIAL COOKBOOK CLUB – Oh She Glows for Dinner written by Angela Liddon”
Thank you for this review! Beans are such an important staple, and adding greens is always a nice idea.
I really liked the idea of using greens and I made my next batch with greens. I think I added them to the pot too early because they came out slimy. The next time I will add the greens at the last minute.
That’s what I do. Basically, toss the greens in, cover the pot, and turn off the heat. A few moments later, everything is good! Swiss chard can take a little longer if you toss the stems in too, and the leaves hold up better.
Looks delicious! I like that it can be had with toast and a salad for a complete meal
Thanks so much for taking the time to read and yes, with toast and I think a salad, it would make a complete meal.
This sounds interesting; I applaud the addition of greens (never would have thought of that), but I know my taste buds would give me a side eye on the dates. That chewy, candy-like bite seems out of place here, but maybe it needs to be experienced. I’ll tell you what I REALLY want now…the recipe for baked beans with horseradish! Don’t tease us like that, Bernadette! 😂
LOL Terrie. I will share the recipe when I get around to barbecue season.
Looks like a great baked bean recipe. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
It is my pleasure Darlene.
A great and honest review. The maple, molasses and dates are an interesting addition – I’m not used to sweetness in my beans – other than that from onions and tomatoes. I’m not sure I’d enjoy the liquid smoke either. We use it (occasionally) on steak, but it can be quite overpowering.
Thanks for weighing in Jo. I do make my beans a bit sweet with a lot of tang. I think it is probably an East Coast US tradition to make it a tad sweet. I wonder if that is how they are made in the UK?
They’re not that sweet either here in Aus or in the UK… What we call Boston Baked Beans tend to be a tad sweeter and tangier, but again, not that sweet…
Liquid smoke is not something I use but the addition of greens sounds good…:)
Hi Carol, yes that ingredient came as real surprise especially in a vegan cookbook.
I’m sorry the book was disappointing, and appreciate your honest review! The beans with greens is an interesting concept!
Hi Jenna, yes the book is a bit too much for me. I incorporated the greens in my next batch of greens and it was well received.
Appreciate your review!!!! The maple baked beans sound very yummy!
Thanks Mary. Have a great day.
Hi, Bernadette – Thank you for trialing this recipe. Although I own this cookbook, I never made the baked beans before (and now don’t know why I haven’t). I will definitely give them a try (minus the liquid smoke and some of the extra sweetness).
Donna, it definitely is a good basic recipe and if you don’t mind sweet and liquid smoke, I am sure you will enjoy it.
I might just steal the horseradish idea and skip the dates. The Swiss chard would be a no for my other half…wonder if I should try it.
Bernie
I don’t like kale. So I usually switch to spinach in these type of recipes. Perhaps that would be a good substitute. The dates were not well received by the taste testers.
I don’t like the beans to be sweet, so I would likely not try the dates.