Blissful basil: over 100 plant-powered recipes to unearth vibrancy, health, and happiness

321 Pages·2016·14.515 MB·English

by  Baker & Taylor Books (Firm)., Melillo, Ashley

PRAISE FOR BLISSFUL BASIL
“Ashley’s blog, Blissful Basil, won over both my heart and stomach, and now her cookbook has done
the same. As always, her recipes are filled with mouthwatering creativity and nourishing ingredients.
But above all, they’re infused with love and her firm belief in the power of wholesome, plant-based
foods to promote happiness and well-being. With its stunning photography and enticing collection of
recipes—ranging from online classics like the Spicy Cauliflower Rice, Roasted Sweet Potatoes + Avocado
Mash power bowl to the all-new Cosmically Fudgy Cacao-Tahini Brownies—the Blissful Basil cookbook
is bound to become a household staple for seasoned vegans, ‘new’ vegans, and non-vegans alike.”
—Angela Liddon, New York Times bestselling author of
The Oh She Glows Cookbook
“Ashley Melillo’s Blissful Basil has it all: sumptuous, creative recipes; bold and beautiful photography;
and plenty of user-friendly tips on how to easily transition into plant-centric cooking. What’s most
special about this collection, though, is the power of Ashley’s personal narrative of healing through
colorful, nourishing, and wholesome meals. These are the recipes that transformed Ashley’s life, and
her passion and gratitude shines through each and every bite.”
—Gena Hamshaw, author of Food52 Vegan and Choosing Raw
“This is way more than a cookbook. It’s a coming-of-age story . . . that happens to have really incredi-
ble recipes and beautiful food. Ashley is a true inspiration and her encouraging, nonjudgmental, and
nurturing wisdom makes you feel like anything is possible.”
—Jessica Murnane, author of One Part Plant and host of the One Part Podcast
“Ashley’s Blissful Basil cookbook is beyond beautiful! Ashley is one of my all-time favorite bloggers
and now authors because her recipes are always colorful, nourishing, and inspiring. I love that Ash-
ley’s cookbook contains loads of comfort food favorites like nachos and creamy soups, as well as
creative plant-based classics like morning smoothies and chia bowls, beet balls, dairy-free cheese, and
more. Along with her delicious recipes, she adds a beautiful piece of her soul to each project.”
—Kathy Patalsky, blogger at HealthyHappyLife.com and cookbook author
“Ashley’s photos are stunning and do an amazing job of showing off how gorgeous fresh plants are in
their natural form. She brings life to food in a delicious and wholesome way. I’m pretty sure my life will
be 200 percent improved once I make the Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls with Maple Glaze. This book
is full of practical information about ingredients, techniques, and new ways of thinking about how and
what we eat. It’s a must for anyone looking to get more thoughtful with what’s on their plate.”
—Emily von Euw, creator of the food blog This Rawsome Vegan Life
and bestselling author of Rawsome Vegan Baking

B L I S S F U L B A S I L
O V E R 1 0 0 P L A N T- P O W E R E D R E C I P E S T O
U N E A R T H V I B R A N C Y, H E A LT H & H A P P I N E S S
A S H L E Y M E L I L L O
BenBella Books, Inc.
Dallas, TX
Copyright © 2016 by Ashley Melillo
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permis-
sion except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
BenBella Books, Inc.
10440 N Central Expy Ste 800
Dallas, TX 75231
www.benbellabooks.com
Send feedback to [email protected]
Printed in the United States of America
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Melillo, Ashley.
Title: Blissful basil : over 100 plant-powered recipes to unearth vibrancy,
health, and happiness / Ashley Melillo.
Description: Dallas, TX : BenBella Books, Inc., [2016] | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016019973 (print) | LCCN 2016024549 (ebook) | ISBN
9781942952459 (paperback) | ISBN 9781942952466 (electronic)
Subjects: LCSH: Vegan cooking. | Cooking (Vegetables) | BISAC: COOKING /
Vegetarian & Vegan. | LCGFT: Cookbooks.
Classification: LCC TX837 .M516 2016 (print) | LCC TX837 (ebook) | DDC
641.5/636—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016019973
Editing by Maria Hart Logo artwork by Leslie Vega Design, LLC
Copyediting by Karen Levy Food photography by Ashley Melillo
Proofreading by Brittney Martinez and Laura Cherkas Lifestyle photography on back cover and pages 2, 8, and
Indexing by WordCo Indexing Services, Inc. 16 by Sprung Photo
Text design and composition by Aaron Edmiston Printed by Versa Press
Cover design by Sarah Dombrowsky
Distributed by Perseus Distribution
www.perseusdistribution.com
To place orders through Perseus Distribution:
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
Special discounts for bulk sales (minimum of 25 copies) are available.
Please contact Aida Herrera at [email protected].
This book is for everyone.
But naming every person would be quite the task,
so I’ll name just one…
DAN
Thank you for reminding me to be brave,
opening my heart to the adventures I was once afraid of,
and unconditionally sharing your optimistic warmth.
You are my love, my teacher, and my daily source of laughter.
Olive juice.

C O N T E N T S
INTRODUCTION | Rooted Habits 9
A BLISSFUL KITCHEN | Pantry Roots + Essential Equipment 17
Breakfast + Brunch 33
Smoothies + Juices 67
Snacks + Appetizers 89
Soups + Salads 125
Power Bowls 151
Sandwiches, Tacos + Pizza 173
Pasta + Noodles 203
Veggie-Centric Mains 221
Sophisticated Sweets + Simple Treats 245
Homemade Staples 289
WITH GRATITUDE, HUGS + HIGH FIVES 309
ABOUT THE AUTHOR 311
INDEX 312

I N T R O D U C T I O N
Rooted Habits
One humid summer evening in 2010, I started a food blog on a whim. I was in graduate
school at the time and figured it would be a fun hobby during a leisurely summer semester. Well, it’s
been six years since I shared that first post, and I think it’s safe to say that blogging turned out to be
much more than a steamy summer fling. It has been one of the most joyful, worthwhile, and trans-
formative endeavors of my life.
Over the years, Blissful Basil has been a place for me to share not only recipes, but also life
stories. And I’ve shared lots of them. Some of the stories have been happy, some have been sad, and
some have even been funny—like the time I lost a shoe during a job interview. But there’s a story I
haven’t shared, and it’s probably the most important one to tell because it’s shaped everything from
the way I think to the foods I eat. It wasn’t always peace, self-love, and kale salads up in here.
THE UNTOLD STORY
To build a sturdy, unshakable house, you must first build a sturdy, unshakable foundation. That
concrete foundation might not be the most glamorous or appealing part of the house, or the part
you want to show off at a dinner party, but without it, every other part would eventually crumble.
You could create a facade of beauty and strength by bracing the house’s roof with steel beams,
lining its walls with slabs of stone and its floors with polished marble, and filling its rooms with
high-tech gadgets, but it would always be weakened by the instability of the ground beneath it.
In my late teens and early twenties, I gave great care and attention tending to my facade. I
honestly and wholeheartedly believed I could guarantee my happiness by looking a certain way,
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