Cookbook Club: Evergreen Kitchen

Veg-forward sweet and savory recipes for everyone.

As Bri says, there is a lot of bland food out there (vegetarian and otherwise), and she is on a mission to teach you how to make the food you love. No, she isn’t trying to turn anyone vegetarian, but good food is good food. And you don’t have to be a vegetarian to enjoy vegetables, especially when done well. 

Stick to Bri’s pillars for boosting flavor, and you can’t miss. She’s talking about salt, acid, umami, spice, and fat. Think beyond table salt and a squeeze of lemon and lean into the realms of quick pickled vegetables, miso paste, avocados, freshly grated ginger, and sambal oelek. And don’t forget to layer the texture by adding a creamy or crunch factor. 

In her book, Evergreen Kitchen, Bri helps relieve mealtime stress and answers the question of “what’s for dinner?” Her veg-forward dishes range from light and fresh Crispy Rice Salad with Smashed Cucumbers and hearty Braised Vegetables with Parmesan Croutons, to comforting bowls of creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Toasted Hazelnuts and Jammy Raspberry Streusel Bars for something sweet.

Bri Beaudoin photo by Anguel Dimov

---

Tessa Huff: Why did you decide to write this book?

Bri Beaudoin: I'm vegetarian but most of my friends and family aren't. One of my favorite things to do is cook and enjoy a meal with them, so I love to create delicious dishes that everyone at the table will love. I'll get this out of the way first: I'm not here to try to convince anyone to be a vegetarian. Instead, I just hope to share vegetable-forward recipes that are reliable and delicious—whether you want to eat meatless once a month or every night of the week!

After years of publishing recipes to my blog (evergreenkitchen.ca) and doing freelance recipe development, it seemed like a fun project to write a hardcover book of completely new recipes. Everyone's always telling us how they need inspiration for dinnertime, so the concept of this book is 110+ vegetarian dinner recipes (plus a sprinkling of dessert). I wrote the book with non-vegetarian home cooks in mind. If you're vegetarian, you'll love it too! But I really wanted this book to be for everyone. In fact, most of the readers of my blog aren't actually vegetarian or vegan—more just veggie-curious.

TH: Which recipe should readers try first? Or which has become a stand-out recipe with readers so far?

BB: Some of the recipes that people seem to make right away are the Spicy Sesame Almond Noodles, Cheesy Chipotle Quinoa Bake, Mushroom Stroganoff, and Spicy Miso Ramen. Haha that's four, not one...but it's tough for me to use!

TH: Can you name a must-have ingredient or signature flavor that you use in your recipes often? Or do you think there is special quality about your recipes or writing that readers can identify as being uniquely yours?

BB: I often add a small splash of tamari (or soy sauce) to recipes, including ones you might not expect—like, pasta sauce. It's a great source of umami and adds nice depth-of-flavor, especially when you're cooking without meat. I'm also a big fan of fresh thyme. I think it's an underrated herb that goes well in so many dishes—and lasts a fairly long time in the fridge (compared to other fresh herbs). In the cookbook, there's a detailed pantry section that goes through some simple, but impactful, ingredients to add flavor in everyday cooking.

TH: What keeps you inspired and creative in the kitchen?

BB: Well, I love to eat, so there's always a long list of ideas I want to try out in the kitchen! I find sources of inspiration everywhere—including what's in season at the farmer's markets or possibly a dish I've tried at a restaurant. But, I get most of my inspiration just walking through the aisles at the grocery store. It's fun to see what ingredients catch my eye that day, and go from there. Thankfully, my extended family loves to eat too, so they're always swinging by to pick-up early recipe tests and share their feedback.

TH: What were you listening to or reading at the time of writing this book?

BB: This might be the most boring answer, but it's the truth: nothing! When I'm developing recipes in the kitchen, I have an internal dialogue going in my head the whole time I'm cooking. I'll be going through how I would describe a certain step, tips/tricks I could share, and possible substitutes to try. Or, making notes on things I want to test in subsequent rounds. So, I usually don't listen to music until the recipe development phase is over. (As I write this out, I realize I sound a bit crazy, but it's the truth!).

TH: Walk into a reader’s home and where can you find your book? Displayed on a coffee table, next to the bed for late-night studying, or splattered with batter in the kitchen? What is the main takeaway you want readers to get from your book?

BB: I love when readers post photos on social and I see the book in their kitchen. I'm even happier when I see lots of earmarked pages—bonus points if they're dirty from cooking! My hope in writing the Evergreen Kitchen cookbook was for it to be a helpful dinner resource for home cooks. It makes me extra happy to see it well used.

TH: What is one important key to success for home bakers wanting to try new recipes?

BB: Get a kitchen scale! I talk about this in the cookbook, but baking can be a science. Your best bet for success is to make sure you're using the right quantities of ingredients. A scale makes this possible. And, not only that, but you'll find that a scale is quicker, easier, and makes less dirty dishes than using measuring cups.

photo by Anguel Dimov

---

Whipped Yogurt Cream with Berries

While we typically discuss baking here on Bake Club, I am so excited to share this gorgeous book with you all. Like me, Bri writes and cooks from beautiful Vancouver. The seasonal produce of the region are highlighted in many of her dishes, both sweet and savory. I’ve cooked several recipes already, including the Veggie Pad Thai and Cheesy Chipotle Quinoa Bake.

For summer, I lean heavy on seasonal fruit for dessert inspiration. Bri’s Whipped Yogurt Cream with Berries does just that. Fresh strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries are macerated with sugar, lemon and vanilla to bring out their sweet juices. Combined with tangy whipped cream, this is all I really want to eat in the summer heat.

The Ingredients:

4 cups (about 1¼ lb/567g) mixed fresh berries
1½ cup (100g) granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon lemon zest, more for garnish
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped, divided
1 cup (230g) whipping (35%) cream
½ cup (120g) plain full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
½ cup (35g) crushed gingersnap cookies (optional)

The Method:

• Macerate the berries: In a medium bowl, combine the berries, ¼ cup of the sugar, lemon zest, and half of the vanilla seeds. Gently stir to combine. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to soften.

• Whip the cream: In a separate medium bowl, combine the cream, yogurt, the remaining ¼ cup sugar, and the remaining half of the vanilla seeds. Using a handheld mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the mixture until it holds medium-stiff peaks. (When the beaters are lifted, the tip of the peak should curl over just slightly but otherwise hold its shape.)

• Assemble: Divide the whipped yogurt cream and the berries and their juices among 6 bowls. Garnish with crushed gingersnaps (if using) and lemon zest. Serve immediately.