Simply Julia by Julia Turshen

Small Victories by Julia Turshen (2016) is a treasured cookbook in my kitchen. In it you’ll find the inspiration for my Kimchi Fried Rice, the Caesar Salad dressing go-to I make on the regular, and a brisket recipe that works absolute magic with tomatoes and prunes. And I think it was the first cookbook that helped me to realize that cooking at home can be simple, fun, and delicious. So I was very excited to learn Julia released a new cookbook.

Julia Turshen, home cook extraordinaire, released her new cookbook, Simply Julia, in early 2021. What a treasure! In it, Julia shares expertise on being a home cook who aims to make healthy, whole food meals that satisfy. Mingled with some very healthy thoughts on what it means to eat well, how cooking helps with her anxiety and stories from volunteering adventures, Julia shares 110 easy recipes that anyone can make.

I definitely recommend this book and know it will be a great kitchen companion for years to come. What am I most excited to make from this new cookbook? Let me tell you!

Skiitake and Pumpkin Biryani. We love Indian food and Biryani is near the top of my list when it comes to Indian dishes, but we don’t make it often. Julia’s recipe features classic biryani spices without the obscure ones. Julia’s biryani is straightforward and sounds super savory. Plus, pumpkin and mushrooms are packed with vitamins/minerals and are very filling when going vegan. Win, win! Might hold this one until the Fall but am super excited to try it.
Black Bean + Corn Tamale Pie. Shepherd’s pie is always a win in my book, like the flavor packed Curried Shepherd’s Pie recipe posted earlier this year. What I really love is the one-pan nature of the dish. Looking for similar recipes that vein, I have been meaning to try a tamale pie - which ostensibly is a shepherd’s pie but with Latin American ingredients and a cornmeal topping instead of potatoes - for a while now. When I saw this recipe in the middle of the “Eleven Vegan One-Pot Meals for Everyone” section, I knew this was the one to try. Healthy and simple, I think we’ll try this for a simple weeknight dinner very soon.
Easy Salsa Verde. Embedded in the “Eleven Salad Dressing, Easy Sauces + Relishes” section of Simply Julia, salsa verde springs off the page. Fresh, bright and green, this is another recipe I’ve been meaning to tackle for longer than I’d like to admit. While it doesn’t have any tomatillos, that makes this recipe feel even easier. Packed with super healthy parsley and cilantro, I’m sure this sauce will go well with salty tortilla chips, dolloped over chili, or served over roasted chicken/fish/steak. I expect it tastes like summer sunshine and cannot wait to get bunches of fresh herbs from the farmers market and tackle this easy recipe.
Carrot + Chickpea Korma. Did I say how much we love Indian food? I have yet to find a Korma recipe that I truly love so I’m super excited (and optimistic!) that this will be a winner. I’ve been looking for more vegetarian lunch options and this looks like a perfect make-ahead lunch option.
Fancy Weeknight Salmon Salad. We are always looking for new ways to eat salad. The hubs loves salad and while I begrudgingly eat it, I remember every time that I actually do enjoy salad. Still they can get a bit “old” even when we use the Salad Meal Plan to make sure we’re not getting bored with salad. This recipe looks fresh, crunchy and well balanced. It features pickled shallots, roasted salmon, avocado, and an easy dressing you make while the fish roasts. It can’t take more than 30 minutes and probably works well with leftover salmon as well!

SImply Julia features reasonable lists of useful recipes in categories that make sense to the home cook.

“As Georgine always said, I often feel like I get more than I give when I volunteer.”

— Julia Turshen, Simply Julia

Bonus! Coffee Crumb Cake for Georgine

Sprinkled throughout are very relatable stories about cooking at home and cooking for others. Near the end of her new book, Julia shares thoughts on volunteering and emphasizes the community connection it brings to our lives. I was immediately inspired to make the companion recipe, Coffee Crumb Cake for Georgine, to her story about volunteering at Angel Food East. And Julia generously allowed me to reprint a version here for Hearthsiders to enjoy. If you make this, I hope it inspires you to donate resources or time at a local food bank near you. For ideas on how to get plugged into food related chariteis, check out this post on sharing abundantly from the Thanks + Giving 2020 series.