I have cookbooks I pore over for hours to deepen my knowledge of a particular cuisine or hone a challenging technique.
Others I simply want to flip through and cook from immediately.
I place “Seriously, So Good: Simple Recipes for a Balanced Life” (Simon Element, $35) into that second category. The recipes lean heavily into the sunny, easy-to-love flavors of southern California, with readily accessible ingredients and techniques I’m confident I can pull off.
Author Carissa Stanton discloses upfront that she never went to culinary school. Rather, she learned how to cook from “anyone who would teach me — family, friends, and people whose cooking made me come back for seconds.”
After earning her degree in kinesiology with an emphasis on fitness, health and nutrition from San Diego State University, she struggled to find a job in her chosen field. Instead, she worked in real estate and waited tables to pay the bills, and fulfilled her creative desires by hosting weekly Girls’ Night dinner parties. When friends asked for her recipes, she posted them on Instagram. Before long, her social media following exploded.
Stanton named her page “Brocc Your Body” after Justin Timberlake’s hit, “Rock Your Body,” alluding to her passions for good food and exercise. Blogging about cooking, dating and coping with life’s challenges is now her full-time job.
Stanton’s self-assessment as “a super-relaxed hostess with quite a few successful dinner parties under my belt” explains her appeal. Rather than push a particular diet, she strives to remove anxiety around food by emphasizing healthy choices, while allowing for splurges.
Turmeric Ginger Grain Bowls — seasoned roasted vegetables and chickpeas arranged alongside quinoa and avocado and swathed in lemony tahini sauce — left me feeling energized and well-satiated. Pistachio Pesto Salmon and Crispy Mushroom Tacos also have my attention. Either of those should leave room for a Flourless Espresso Brownie or Blackberry Mexican Mule.
If you’re looking for balance between nourishment and decadence, you’ve come to the right place.
Susan Puckett is a cookbook author and former food editor of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Follow her at susanpuckett.com.
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