Julie Hasson

Crazy Sexy Kitchen Review and Giveaway

By

This has really been the year for great vegan cookbooks. It’s so much fun to see all of the amazingly talented chefs sharing their own style of vegan cuisine. Every chef and author brings something different to the table. Their own flair. And let me just say that Crazy, Sexy Kitchen is right there with the best of them.

The book is written by the very talented duo, Kris Carr and chef Chad Sarno, along with an extra serving of guest chefs. Kris’s excitement and love of fresh, flavorful, healthy food really shines through, and makes you want to dance right into the kitchen. Combine that with Chef Chad Sarno’s delicious recipes, and you’ve got a great cookbook that you will reach for over and over again.

This was a book that I was really excited to review. At first glance, I was really taken in with all of the beautiful photographs. I think there may be a photo for almost all of the recipes in the book, or at least pretty close. Then I started marking the different recipes that I wanted to try. Dishes like Black Bean and Roasted Sweet Potato Burger, Coconut and Red Lentil Soup, Chickpea Crepe with Mushrooms and artichokes, Truffled Edamame Dumplings with Shallot Broth, Hearts-Of-Palm-Style Crab Cakes with Remoulade, Sage Polenta with Nana’s Marinara, Walnut Falafel, Chickpea and Root Veggie Tagine, Beetroot Ravioli with Cashew Cream Cheese, Wild Mushroom Croquettes with Horseradish Cream, and Indian Chickpea Blinis with Cashew Coconut Chutney. Unfortunately I’ve only had a chance to try a handful of them so far, but everything was really delicious and were recipes that I would not only make again, but serve to company too.

There seems to be a nice mix of recipes in the book, from the more complicated or special occasion recipes, to everyday smoothies, fresh juices, lots of simple salads, vinaigrettes and dressings, raw dishes, roasted vegetables, scrambles, grains, beans and greens, homemade cheeses (like Truffled Parmesan and Cashew Pine Nut Ricotta), cashew based aioli and sauces to snacks and munchies like Rockin’ Rosemary Popcorn to Curried Cashews and Kale Chips. There’s even a small dessert chapter too, although with 150 recipes, the emphasis in this book is more on fresh vegetables and fruit than chocolate cake. Oh, and the book is very gluten-free friendly too.

I made the Crazy Sexy Bean Chili the other night for dinner, and it was outstanding. All of the spices were beautifully balanced, and it was filled with both black and kidney beans, tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes (I used sweet potatoes) and kale. It was not only delicious and flavorful and filling, but super-healthy too. Lucky for you the publisher is letting me share the recipe with you. The only change that I made to the recipe was omitting the maple syrup, since the sweet potato added a lot of it’s own sweetness to the chili.

There are a handful of recipes in the book do call for a fair amount of oil (along with many that don’t), or are maybe richer than I might ordinarily make for a weeknight meal. But the nice thing is that you can easily adjust the oil in some of those recipes (like the Chickpea Crepe), and they still come out great. Plus, every now and then, I like to indulge in a dish that’s rich and flavorful.

So if you’re looking for fresh, flavorful and healthy food, this book is for you. I know that I already have Post It Notes marking recipes to make this weekend, and the Lentil and Chard Ragout is on the menu for tomorrow night. And, lucky for you, the very generous publisher of this book (Hay House), is letting me give away two cookbooks to my readers (Canadian and U.S. only). So, hurry up and leave a comment below, along with a way for me to reach you. Oh, and just for fun, tell me what your favorite vegetable is too. Good luck!

Disclaimer: I was provided with a review copy of this book by Hay House, and they are sponsoring the giveaway. My opinions, as always, are completely my own.

Crazy Sexy Bean Chili
Serves 8

This chili has a spicy kick. For less heat, remove seeds from the jalapeño and feel free to use only half the chile.

1 1/2 Tbsp cumin seeds
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 white onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño chile, finely diced
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 1/2 cups ground seitan, crumbled tempeh, or finely diced mushrooms
1 zucchini, diced
1/2 cup diced potato
2 15-oz. cans of black beans, rinsed
2 15-oz. cans of kidney beans, rinsed
1 14-oz. can of crushed tomatoes, such as San Marzano
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish (optional)
1 cup kale, chopped
Diced avocado, for garnish, optional

1. Toast cumin seeds in dry soup pot over medium heat for 2 minutes or until aromatic.

2. Add oil, onion, garlic, and jalapeño. Stir until onion is golden and translucent. Add chili powder, seitan, zucchini, and potato, and stir well. Sauté 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Add black beans, kidney beans, tomatoes, 2 cups water, maple syrup, sea salt, and cilantro. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and cook 20 to 25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

3. Remove from heat; stir in kale. Garnish with diced avocado and sprigs of fresh cilantro, if using.

Recipe and photo courtesy Crazy Sexy Kitchen by Kris Carr with Chad Sarno (Hay House)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. Beth

    Cool, I didn’t know there was a crazy sexy cookbook! My favorite veg is asparagus…. I just wish it wasn’t so expensive!

  7. Lori

    I just saw this book in the store yesterday and thought it looked terrific! I am a huge fan of the cauliflower :).

  8. Helen

    Kris Carr continues to inspire – what a role model. Wonderful cookbook. My new favorite veg is brussel sprouts as they are awesome sauteed with walnuts and lemon…mmmm

  9. Cadry

    Kris’ enthusiasm for life is contagious! I’ve been eager to check out her newest work, and from everything you describe, it sounds as good as I knew it would be.

    My favorite vegetable depends on the day, but for right now I’ll say artichokes.

  10. Sandra Dixon

    This book sounds great.
    Depends on the season, what my favourite veg is.
    Right now it is beets
    In the fall it is always vine ripened garden tomatoes

  13. Brandie

    Hey thanks Julie! Sounds pretty good – I want to try the ricotta you mentioned! Favorite vegetable… oh man. I love so many! Ahh…. Probably tomatoes. I usually eat 2 a day, lunch and dinner… I HATE being out of tomatoes! 🙂

  15. Michelle

    Wow, that chili looks exciting, and I haven’t been excited by chili lately and was wondering when I was gonna get with the program!

    Right now, for winter, my favorite vegetable is a Brussels sprout! My second favorite is collard greens! My third favorite is butternut squash!

  16. charj

    I’ve never tried anything from Kris Carr but everything I’ve tried from Chef Chad Sarno has been fantastic. Currently my favorite vegetable is russet potatoes.

  20. Marcy

    I love most vegies, but am super enjoying butternut squash these days. If you ask me about salad vegies, it has to be garden fresh arugula.

  21. Mac McCloskey

    We adore a briefly microwaved crispy, mild head of Romanesco with organic New Balance, salt and pepper. We’d also love to add this cookbook to our kitchen bookshelf – somewhere among yours!

  22. Lizzie

    Good timing! Just yesterday I was thinking that I don’t have a good go-to chili recipe! This one is getting bookmarked. 🙂
    As for favorite vegetable…I’ll go with broccoli for today. 🙂

  23. Erin

    That looks great! Hard to choose a favorite veggie, but for the moment I’ll say it’s artichokes, I’ve been adding them to everything. 🙂

  26. Sara

    I need this book in my life! It’s hard to pick just one veggie, but right now I am loving butternut squash. Although, isn’t that considered a fruit?

  27. Heather

    I read Sara’s copy of Crazy Sexy Diet and really enjoy it. This one looks great too. I have to admit there aren’t any veggies that aren’t my favorite… Love them all!

  29. Nora

    It’s hard to mention just one favorite veggie, but I’ll choose
    Corn. I love it’s sweetness, a
    nd texture as well as it’s ability to go sweet or savory.

  30. Erin

    I can’t possibly choose between the cruciferous veggies! Kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower…I love them all!

  32. Jon

    I love Dinosaur Kale. This cookbook would be a wonderful addition to my shelf, right next to The Vegan Diner.

  35. Josiane

    All of the recipes you’ve mentioned sound amazing, and I’m sure there are many more I’d want to try! Thanks for saying that the book is gluten-free-friendly, that’s very good to know. Also, your version of the chili, with sweet potatoes, sounds terrific; I’m going to go that way too when I give the recipe a try.
    My favorite vegetable? There are so many veggies I adore that my favorite is always subject to change, but for the past few months I’ve been completely obsessed with bok choy!

  36. Amy

    I have heard so many lovely things about this cookbook! My favorite vegetable is kale. There are so many ways to enjoy kale and I love them all!!

  38. Hanner

    My latest favorite veggie is Blue Hubbard squash, partly because of the fun of dropping it on a sidewalk to open the dang thing, and partly because of the not-stringy, dense, sweet, pumpkin-y innards! Red Kuri is good, but I have to try Blue Hakkido (sp?) next.
    Thanks for the chance to win! Hope you can use the email address from this form for contact info.

  39. Val

    This cookbook looks really tasty and I will definitely have to try that chili recipe! My favorite vegetable at the moment is collard greens.

  42. Livvie

    Oho my favourite vegetable? It used to be broccoli, but Brussels Sprouts (I know, weird, right?!) is really getting up there ! 🙂

    Is Squash a veggie? Because then Butternut squash hands down!

  44. Beth

    Broccoli is my favorite veggie — especially roasted broccoli! This cookbook sounds great — I’d love to win a copy. 🙂

  46. moonsword

    holy beanorama…that looks so superyumful! Thank you for sharing the recipe! It’s ridiculously difficult to pick a favorite veggie. I don’t know how I’d live without edamame and lima beans and chickpeas or mushrooms or carrots or even parsnips. But right now this very minute I’m munching on fresh crispy fennel and it’s sweetly delicious so it’s my favorite of the day! 🙂

  47. Jessica C.

    My favorite vegetable right now is Butternut Squash. Thanks for the giveaway – this cookbook sounds great!

  49. Laurel

    I like Kittee’s comment plus her answer. Jicama or maybe sweet potato or avocado? I know – freshly grown radishes!

  53. Jill Russell

    SO hard to pick a favorite veggie! This sounds strange, but I LOVE onions! I like to finely mince them sprinkle on just about everything..enchiladas, chili,salads, soups. I love them caramelized. I love them raw in a tomato-basal salad, roasted..you name it:)

  55. Psuke

    My favorite vegetable? What a cruel question…kale? broccoli? kohlrabi? I only know it’s not zucchini.

    The cookbook looks fantastic, and I’d love to have it on my shelf!

  56. melissa allen

    this book looks fantastic! i loved crazy sexy diet, kris carr is so inspirational! my favorite veggie is kale. and brussels sprouts. and mushrooms (do fungi count?!). i heart veggies!

  57. MollyG

    My favorite vegetable? Right now I’ll go with the sweet potato. Partially because it is so versitile and delicious, and partially because I have a West African peanut and yam (sweet potato, in my case) soup on the menu for tonight.