The China Study: Quick & Easy Cookbook – Recipe & Review

As  having read The China Study about 5 years ago now (oh my, time flies!) I was pretty excited to see what their latest cookbook had to offer.  In late May of this year The China Study: Quick & Easy Cookbook popped up on bookstore shelves everywhere…and well here I am to let you know if it is “cookbook collection worthy”…

This is definitely a book worth keeping handy in the kitchen for anyone new to plant based eating – with easy, simple and delicious recipes that use common household ingredients! Not ones you have never heard of or don’t have!

The book is pretty simple in design, images etc. personally I like to see a photo of the recipe I want to make (I know this won’t always be the case) so I look at it as a creative challenge on my behalf to use my imagination and create that image 🙂

There is no section specifically focusing on nutrition however the book does include tips, meal plans, pantry list, and then ends with a measurements guide, dietary symbols, nutritional value, and an index. 

The main concept of the book is  

Cook Once, Eat All Week

As I mentioned previously this makes it great for people just transitioning to a plant based lifestyle, or for any busy person! They provide a list of recipes and meal plan to prepare you for whole week. So this is a great opportunity to choose a “Prep day” and prepare all the meals they suggest and you are set!

Don’t fret… they organize the 3 weeks worth of meal plans in a way so that you won’t get bored or tired of meals… obviously you will eat your salads fresh! 😛

It was a beautiful night outside and I wanted to have dinner on the patio… and what better option than Portobello Mushroom Burgers to eat on a gorgeous summer night?

However, I chose to get a little creative with this recipe… I excluded the bun and made the dish full on gluten-free and all veggies! And well what do you know… it turned out just the way I imagined I wanted it to 😉

This is a great recipe to impress company – simple and very few ingredients that create a beautiful dish. 

Print Recipe

Portobello Mushroom Burgers - Gluten-Free

Simple and few ingredients that creates a delicious and crowd-pleasing dish!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 2 Large Portobello Mushroom Caps
• 3 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Aminos
• 1 clove fresh garlic minced
• 2 Tsp Dried Basil
• 1 Tsp Dried Oregano
• 1/2 Tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1 Large Tomato sliced
• 1 Avocado sliced
• 1 Cup Pea Shoots sprouts
• 1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard

Instructions

• Slice the mushroom stems off (option to save for dressing) Slice about 1/2" of the mushroom top off (as if slicing a bun).
• Combine the balsamic, soy sauce or tamari, garlic, basil, oregano and pepper in a small bowl and mix well.
• Place the mushroom caps on a cookie sheet with foil and a little coconut oil (to prevent sticking).
• With a large spoon pour the marinade over each mushroom cap and let sit for about 10 mins.
• Preheat the oven to 425*F.
• Bake the mushrooms for about 10 mins. Check and see if they are done - otherwise flip them and bake another 10 mins. ** I used a conventional oven and only cooked them 10 mins one side and they were all done **
• Place the bottom of the mushroom cap on a plate - add your choice of toppings and top with the top portion of the baked mushroom cap.

Notes

Serve topped with any of your favorite burger toppings ie, onion, ketchup, lettuce etc.
Optional dressing with the mushroom stems - I used the few mushroom stems threw it in the vitamix with some tofu, water, nutritional yeast, Braggs liquid aminos, yellow mustard and blended it to create a thick creamy sauce. Can use it on the burger and a fresh side salad.
I used garlic flakes rather than fresh garlic, only because I didn't feel like having a strong garlic flavor to it.

Adapted from The China Study Quick & Easy Cookbook

Dedicated to your health & well-being, 

Nikki