Supergood was a case of bookish serendipity for me. Last year my son gained a new girlfriend who’s vegan. I didn’t really have any vegan recipes - plenty of vegetarian ones but they tended to include eggs and/or dairy. Earlier this year my mother was diagnosed with Coeliacs’s disease so adding a few gluten free recipes to my repertoire became necessary. Then I discovered one of my favourite cookbook authors was coming out with a new book - all plant based and mostly gluten free! Conveniently it released right at the very end of September and October is National Cookbook Month. Clearly I had to buy the book!
I’m pleased to report we’ve all enjoyed the recipes we’ve tried so far even though I haven’t yet had the opportunity to cook for my mother or my son’s partner. I’d say Supergood is ideal for those new to a plant based diet, but may be a little passé to those already steeped in veganism. Most of the ingredients are already familiar, and those that may not be are introduced and explained. I’d also say most of the recipes feel familiar - think sweet and sour (cauliflower rather than chicken), Thai curry (tofu, eggplant and pumpkin), burgers (jackfruit not pulled pork) and bolognaise (lentils not ground meat) so ideal for beginners, sceptics and feeding mixed groups. The author’s cooking methods are reliably straightforward, nothing complicated or cheffy, and the depth of flavour I associate with her recipes remains, even if the meat and animal products are a thing of the past. While we have no plans to switch entirely to a plant based diet my household will be happy to eat these dishes on a regular basis. And when I’m cooking for the extended family I have confidence I’ll be able to cater to everyone’s dietary needs.
My one complaint is the editing, especially discrepancies between the ingredients list and the instructions. Mostly it was easy for me to figure out. But novice cooks may find it harder.