February 9, 2019

Interview: Vegetable Cakes with Ysanne Spevack + Giveaway

Vegetable Cakes by Ysanne Spevack

Today I’m sharing a great interview with the amazing Ysanne Spevack the author of Vegetable Cakes: The Most Fun Way to Five a Day! Scrumptious Sweets Where Veggie is the Star. If there was ever a more inventive way to bake with vegetables I have never, ever seen it. Between the stunning photography and playful, unique recipes I was blown out of the water. Ysanne is incredibly talented and has had a fascinating career in the food world so far. I am so glad to share this interview with you, I highly recommend picking it up if you are looking for a new, fun way to enjoy vegetables!

TNC) Beyond the shadow of a doubt, this is the most unique baking book I’ve ever seen. What first inspired you to dive deep into the world of inventive vegetable baking?

YS) Thank you! My friend Joanna Lorenz suggested we explore this extraordinary idea, and I was inspired to run with it! I am so grateful to her for her suggestion, as the concept of baking sweet cakes with vegetables as the star has sparked so many ideas and enjoyable conversations. I’m very proud of our book, and feel so lucky that I was given the inspiration for this wonderful cookbook, and turned the concept around in my own creativity. Many an evening was spent developing ideas in my head, and then taking these ideas and playing with them in the kitchen. One recipe I tested every night for a month until it was perfect – that recipe is Radish Pavlova. Also, I am grateful to the photographer, Nicki Dowey, for her beautiful photography.

Vegetable Cakes by Ysanne Spevack

TNC) Did you specify how much of each vegetable you would use in the recipes? Because your recipes don’t just include a sprinkle, they are very vegetable inclusive.

YS)Absolutely – the 46 recipes are all tried and tested, and include specific quantities for every ingredient. The veggies are the star in each and every recipe – take a look at my website for three free recipes from the book!

http://tastecolors.com/vegetablecakes/

TNC) What would you consider one of your most unique recipes and how did you arrive at it?

YS) Probably the first one on my website, Radish Pavlova. It’s a pavlova made without eggs, which is pretty innovative when you consider the main ingredient in pavlova is usually egg whites! The radishes are marinated in rose water, so their peppery bite is presented with a beautiful floral note. The texture is the most important feature of the radishes, bringing a wonderful crispness to the crunchy meringuge base, alongside a creamy coconut topping.

Vegetable Cakes by Ysanne Spevack

TNC) These recipes don’t squarely fall into any one category of health/vegan/dessert? How do you recommend approaching them when incorporating them into a balanced diet.

YS) This is a baking and dessert cookbook, pure and simple. It’s a modern book, so there’s a lot less refined sugar than more traditional cookbooks, but at its heart, this is a baking book with recipe for cakes, cookies, cheesecakes and pies. People who enjoy Carrot Cake, Pumpkin Pie and Zuchinni Bread will probably enjoy these recipes, it really is a cookbook with mainstream appeal. That said, a lot of vegetarians have picked up on my book, probably because plant-based cuisine is on trend right now.

TNC) What’s next for you? This work is so inspired – we’d love to see more!

YS) Thank you so much! I am in the early stages of writing a non-fiction book based on my recent breast cancer journey. It’s not a cookbook, and isn’t a memoir, but will be a guide for others who are navigating this disease. For this reason, Vegetable Cakes will probably be my last cookbook for a while, although probably not the last one ever, as I’ve been writing cookbooks for so long now. My first cookbook was published by the same publisher, as Vegetable Cakes – Lorenz Books – in 2001, so I’ve been writing cookbooks for nearly 18 years now. It’s nice to be taking a little break from writing recipes for a moment, and reflecting on another aspect of health in a more detailed way for now. But if you’re curious about my cookbooks, there are a lot to discover, so please enjoy the treasure trove while I’m writing my next book, as I’ll no doubt return to writing recipes sometime in the next year or two!

The Enter to Win a Copy of Vegetable Cakes:

  1. Leave a comment of a vegetable you’d like to try in dessert!
  2. Contest runs from 2/9/19 at 8:30pm to 2/20/19 at 7:00am. Continental US entries only please. Contest winner will be notified via email and have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen.
December 7, 2018

Snickerdoodle Cream Bundt Cake

Snickerdoodle Cream Bundt Cake

(Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Hood Cream. The opinions and photographs are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make The Naptime Chef possible.)

Snickerdoodle cookies are an all-time holiday favorite in our house. The only trouble is that they are eaten up so quickly and they aren’t great for feeding a crowd. When it comes to having guests over I really prefer something slightly more festive, which is where this Snickerdoodle Cream Bundt Cake comes into play.

The beauty of this cake is that it is incredibly easy to make and serves a crowd. It also tastes just like a snickerdoodle cookie! Honestly, I adore it for many reasons, but my guests really love the creamy texture and cinnamon-sugar flavor. They always ask for the recipe!

Snickerdoodle Cream Bundt Cake

Like any classic Bundt cake this one is fairly simple to make. When I make the batter I always use Hood Cream. It blends beautifully and has a lovely, rich flavor. Hood Cream is a high-quality ingredient I can trust to provide the creamy and thick texture you look for in a snickerdoodle cookie. It really takes this recipe to the next level and your guests will love it!

A rich creamy flavor and thick texture is one of the hallmarks of the Snickerdoodle cookie, and the Hood Cream really delivers on that when I bake it.

November 28, 2018

10 Faves: Gifts for Moms 2018

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Moms 2018

Allbirds wool loungers, incredibly comfortable all-wool shoes to wear around the house.

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Moms 2018

The softest, most luxurious faux fur poncho for the walk to school.

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Moms 2018

Lovely cookies that are almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Moms 2018

The book she’s been dying to read, or another notable one she’s been eyeing.

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Moms 2018

A chic tassel that will give her purse an instant upgrade.

Cookbook Gift Guide 2018 by The Naptime Chef

One of the most inspiring baking books of the season, she’ll be whipping up cakes in no time!

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Moms 2018

A ultimate blend for a long, relaxing tub soak.

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Moms 2018

Amazing face oil that makes skin positively glow. Every drop is pure luxury!

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Moms 2018

A lovely waterbottle for toting around in her purse.

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Moms 2018

The most gorgeous scented candle that smells like the Maine woods in deep summer.

 

November 27, 2018

10 Faves: Gifts for Best Friends 2018

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Friends 2018

A truly amazing product that leaves you with the softest feet EVER!

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Friends 2018

The newest book from one of her favorite mystery authors.

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Friends 2018

A super fun traveling jewelry box for all of her adventures!

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Friends 2018

Big Block French Kitchen Soap for all of her pot scrubbing needs and that even makes the kitchen sink look chic.

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Friends 2018

Gorgeous hand-painted notepads for writing lots of notes about important things.

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Friends 2018

A fabulous cookbook all about feeding friends and loved ones with yummy, easy recipes.

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Friends 2018

The world’s coziest fleece for everyday hanging out and running errands.

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Friends 2018

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Friends 2018

An awesome card deck she can use every day for alignment, love, and growth.

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Friends 2018

Hands down the coolest French bag company – the possibilities are endless!

The Naptime Chef Gift Guide for Friends 2018

The most gorgeous table linens, because she always entertains in style.

November 26, 2018

10 Faves: Gifts for Kids 2018

Give 5 Year Olds:

Naptime Chef Gifts for Kids 2018 The BEST cozy sweatshirt for winter.

Naptime Chef Gifts for Kids 2018Timelines of Everything, because curious kindergarteners want to know!

Naptime Chef Gifts for Kids 2018

Yummy candy to remind them of summer.

Naptime Chef Gifts for Kids 2018

Construction and demolition all in one game, need I say more?

Naptime Chef Gifts for Kids 2018

Emoji punching balloons for hours of fun.

Gifts for 10 years +:

Naptime Chef Gift Guides

A super cool portable speaker that pulses with their music and is totally waterproof.

Naptime Chef Gift Guide 2018

A belgian waffler maker for making Saturday morning waffles.

Naptime Chef Gift Guides

A Rockets of Awesome box full of fun clothes she’ll wear over and over.

Naptime Chef Gift Guides

An Ozo Bot, the coolest robot she play with for fun while honing her coding skills.

Naptime Chef Gift Guides

Greenglass House, a riveting mystery full of ghosts, magic, and more!

November 15, 2018

5 Easy Tips for Relieving Holiday Stress

(Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Mirum, and all the opinions expressed and photographs are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that make The Naptime Chef possible.)

Halloween is ovah and it’s time for the real holiday season to kick into high gear! For most of us busy parents that very sentence strikes mild panic into our hearts. Are we really read for hosting relatives/decorating/wrapping/socializing and the like? How on Earth will be handle it all? Don’t get me wrong, I love and adore the holiday season, but it is definitely not the most laid-back time of the year.

So! Today I’m here with five easy ways to relieve holiday stress. These are some easy peasy quick-fixes that will help the next two months go off without a hitch. Promise!

5 Tips for Beating Holiday Stress | The Naptime Chef

1. Plan Menus NOW: I know menu planning is not necessarily everyone’s favorite topic. However, planning menus for Thanksgiving, cocktail parties, Christmas Dinner, kids parties and more makes such a difference. Can you envision the difference between “oh, I’m making potatoes and cocktail nuts for Thanksgiving!” and opening your cupboard and fridge for the ingredients…versus running to the store the day before, sharpening your elbows and hoping for the best while you sweat it out in the crowds?! Advance planning helps you get ingredients in the cupboard, the right cookbooks pulled from your shelf, and all the worrying out the way. Ahh, now doesn’t that feel better?

5 Tips for Beating Holiday Stress | The Naptime Chef

2. Pick three simple recipes for breakfast and lunch and put them in rotation. Planning the big celebratory meals is fun, but planning breakfast and lunch can be an afterthought. Yes, leftovers are always an option, but what about the kids? And your great Aunt who just came to town? Many mouths to feed! Pick three recipes everyone likes, buy the ingredients, and get them in heavy rotation. Soups, hearty salads, and paninis are popular choices in our house!

October 27, 2018

The 2018 Cookbook Gift Guide

Here is an ongoing list of our Cookbook Gift Guide for 2018!

Cookbook Gift Guide 2018 by The Naptime Chef

Fantastical Cakes by Gesine Bullock-Prado, ideal for the the aspiring cake baker.

High Alpine Cuisine

High Alpine Cuisine by Marla Meredith. Perfect for those who love mountain food!The Ultimate Kids' Cookbook

The Ultimate Kids’ Cookbook by Tiffany Dahle. A great family cookbook, especially for young kids!The 30 Minute Mediterranean Diet

The 30-Minute Mediterranean Diet Cookbook by Deanna Segrave-Daly and Serena Ball. The best collection of healthy, delicious recipes we’ve ever seen!

Keto Soups & Stews

Keto Soups & Stews by Carolyn Ketchum. A collection of tasty soups any eater would love, but are great for those on a keto eating plan.

Cooking with Scraps

Cooking with Scraps by Lindsay-Jean Hard. A fascinating book full of enticing recipes that can be made with food scraps!

Pie Squared

Pie Squared: Irresistibly Easy Sweet & Savory Slab Pies by Cathy Barrow. A charming collection of sweet and savory square pies that are perfect for the whole family.

Everyday Dorie

Everyday Dorie: The Way I Cook by Dorie Greenspan. Dorie’s lovely collection of recipes from around her home table.

Israeli Soul

Israeli Soul: Easy, Essential, Delicious by Michael Solomonov & Steven Cook. An amazing collection of Israeli-inspired recipes anyone can make.