"Clean Soups" by Rebecca Katz | Cookbook Review

Clean Soups by Rebecca Katz

Publishing Date: September 6, 2016
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Pages: 160
Links: Goodreads | Indigo | Book Depository | Amazon | Kobo

Rebecca Katz grew up watching in wonder as her mother and grandmother conjured up delicious soups. While working at the Commonweal Retreat Center in Bolinas, California, she realized just how healing nutritious soups could be; people who previously were barely able to eat would return again and again for a taste of her soup.

The recipes within this book can be made for a variety of purposes. If you want to start incorporating soup into your regular diet because of its nutrient-rich, easily-digestible properties, this is your book. On the other hand, you might be interested in trying a brief soup cleanse because of its detoxifying effects on the organs; in that case, this is also your book.

I love that at the beginning of the recipes, there's background information and a short history of the dish, including where it originated from, as well as what it's been said to treat and heal. I love that as you're cooking up a delicious meal, you can learn a bit of history so that you're knowledgeable on what exactly you're eating. Another thing I really appreciate about this book is the fact that it has such useful "Cook's Notes" - if you're ever in doubt about anything, your questions are usually answered within these notes.

My one criticism of the book is that there's too much back and forth for me. For many of the recipes, they require you to also make a recipe (usually some type of stock or garnish) from elsewhere in the book. Generally, I'm not a fan of making multiple things for one dish - when I'm making a recipe, I usually want to be making one recipe, not multiple. That said, none of the recipes I tried were particularly difficult.

Clockwise from left: Simplest Chicken Pho (p.108); 
Greek Cucumber Yogurt Soup (p.52); Mulligatawny (p.95)

Now, let's get into what I made!

The first thing I made from this cookbook is something I don't have much experience with: Pho. I'd tried Pho exactly one time before I made this and I knew I liked it, so I thought it'd be a good idea to try and find myself a good recipe for this tasty Vietnamese soup. And let me tell you, the Simplest Chicken Pho recipe (p.108) is so. freaking. flavourful. I don't have much to compare it to, but I'd definitely say this is the best Pho I've had. I made it for a get-together and everyone flocked to it and complimented me for it, so it's not just me who liked it - I highly recommend this one!

For that same get-together, I made Mulligatawny (p.95), which is an Indian soup. It didn't get as much love because everyone wanted Pho, but those who tried this liked it. I thought it was really tasty and if you're in the mood for Indian food but you're maybe not feeling the best, hey, soup is great for that kind of a day, so Mulligatawny's got you covered.

The Greek Cucumber Yogurt Soup (p.52) & Avocado and Cucumber Salsa (p.132) is a cold soup that reminds me of Tzatziki sauce, which I'm obsessed with. Out of the soups I made, this was definitely the easiest because you stick all the ingredients in a blender and simply whirl away.

Clean Soups is all about the healing power of soup. The recipes are super healthy, nutritious, and let's not forget - absolutely delicious.

*I received a NetGalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.