Peas Love & Carrots: Newest Cookbook Obsession

I don’t often dive fully into a cookbook the way I have with Peas Love & Carrots by Danielle Renov. My friend Robyn sent to it me because she knew I’d love it, which put a smile on my face for days before I even started going through the recipes. So really this is a cooking AND a friendship story. Anything that can inspire such joy during this unseasonably freezing (even for Minnesota) October in the middle of this 2020 pandemic and two weeks before a tense election is worth noting. Thank you, Robyn!

Let me say first that Peas Love & Carrots is a kosher cookbook, meaning any recipe with meat will not have dairy ingredients included. Danielle has a small section in the book of dairy recipes (ones that use milk, butter, cream, etc.), but 90% of the recipes are dairy-free so this would work great for anyone avoiding dairy for non-religious reasons.

And now this is probably obvious, but . . . you don’t have to be Jewish or keep a kosher kitchen to appreciate a kosher cookbook. Danielle’s recipes have influence from her mother’s French Moroccan background, her father’s Eastern European and American background, and her past decade-plus living in Israel. I’ve used a lot of recipes and cookbooks in my day, and there’s something about Danielle’s that make me excited to experiment. I find myself eager to get into the kitchen and make a mess.

I ended up taking the book on our family road trip last week and reading it word for word like a memoir. I flagged everything I wanted to make and got to work as soon as we returned. Below is what I’ve made so far with my top five favorites starred*.

  • Creamy Greeny Dressing
  • Shuk Salad*
  • Burnt Cauliflower and Herb Salad*
  • Artichoke and Arugula Salad
  • Spiced Nuts for a salad topping
  • All Purpose Poultry Marinade
  • Shabbos Chicken
  • Sriracha Lime Drumsticks*
  • Hamburger Roll
  • Meme’s Crack String Beans
  • Moroccan Stewed Chickpeas*
  • Artichoke Chicken
  • No Cream Cream of Broccoli Soup*
  • Slow Roasted Deckle (Edited 1/7/21 to say I’ve made this at least four times. It’s by far my family’s favorite brisket.)

That’s A LOT of cooking in a week and a half, and I have many recipes left I’m excited to try. I won’t keep up this pace, but it’s been warm and fun in my kitchen while I’ve been in this frenzy. I’m grateful to Robyn’s gift and Danielle’s recipe-writing flair! Danielle has a website with recipe links, but I’ve only used the book so far. I also love her instagram stories, which Robyn introduced me to as well.

Let me know if you’re a Danielle Renov fan or if you end up getting the book and trying her recipes. 

See all cooking posts here. Current very short book reviews here. Friendship advice here.

*I normally send all book links to bookshop.org, but Danielle’s book isn’t available there or even at Barnes and Noble right now. Amazon seems to be the place. This makes a great gift, as you can see!


 

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Nina Badzin hosts the podcast Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. She's been writing about friendship since 2014, co-leads the writing groups at ModernWell in Minneapolis, and reviews 30+ books a year on her website.

2 Responses

  1. Love, love, love this! As you already know, I’m a BIG Danielle fan and can’t get enough of her IG Stories. I made her ‘Better Than Shake-n-Bake’ chicken tonight for Shabbat dinner and it’s going on the repeat list. Time to order the cookbook and #cookthebook! 🥕

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Hi, I'm Nina

HI, I’M NINA BADZIN. I’m a writer fascinated by the dynamics of friendship, and I’ve been answering anonymous advice questions on the topic since 2014. I now also answer them on my podcast, Dear Nina! I’m a creative writing instructor at ModernWell in Minneapolis, a freelance writer and editor, and an avid reader who reviews 50 books a year. Welcome to my site! 

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Hi, I'm Nina

DEAR NINA: Conversations About Friendship is a podcast and newsletter about the ups and downs of adult friendship. I’m the host, Nina Badzin, a Minneapolis-based writer who accepted a position as a friendship advice columnist in 2014 and never stopped. DEAR NINA, the podcast, started in 2021, and has been referenced in The Wall Street JournalThe Washington PostTime Magazine, The GuardianThe Chicago TribuneThe Minneapolis Star Tribune, and elsewhere

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