{"id":9513,"date":"2026-10-28T18:01:29","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T18:01:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=9513"},"modified":"2026-10-28T18:01:29","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T18:01:29","slug":"the-book-im-cooking-simply-plants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silvybrand.com\/?p=9513","title":{"rendered":"The Book I’m Cooking: Simply Plants"},"content":{"rendered":"


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\"Simply<\/p>\n

Every month, I\u2019ll take you inside a new cookbook<\/a> and share a recipe, a conversation with the author, and plenty of photos. This month we\u2019re diving into Simply Plants: Feel-Good Vegan Recipes to Nourish the Body and Soul<\/a> by Sadia Badiei.<\/p>\n

\"Simply<\/p>\n

Sadia Badiei<\/a> is the registered dietitian and recipe developer behind the plant-based cooking website Pick Up Limes<\/a>. And now she\u2019s the author of her debut cookbook, Simply Plants<\/a>. I was vegetarian for decades before I started eating meat (I\u2019m a traitor, I\u2019m sorry!), and Sadia\u2019s work is still such a huge source of inspiration for me.<\/p>\n

\"Simply<\/p>\n

I\u2019m happy to report that Simply Plants<\/a> is everything I hoped it would be. There are more than 100 recipes covering every craving, from breakfast through dessert, with Banana Chocolate Chunk Pancakes, Spicy Pulled Mushroom Tacos, Sesame Udon Noodles with Five-Spice Tofu Crumble, Creamy Green Macaroni, and a No-Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Tart. There\u2019s also a divine Simple Vegan \u201cButter Chicken\u201d that\u2019s my current hyper-fixation.<\/p>\n

Sadia and I caught up over Zoom the other day (we showed up wearing matching shirts like kindred spirits!), and I loved hearing about her approach to finding joy in the kitchen. Here\u2019s a little bit of our conversation.<\/p>\n

\"Simply<\/p>\n

Casey: You\u2019ve built this incredible community through Pick Up Limes<\/a> and for years, people \u2014 including me! \u2014 asked when you\u2019d publish a cookbook. What finally made you think, Okay, now I\u2019m ready<\/em>?<\/strong>
Sadia:<\/strong> When I started Pick Up Limes<\/a> in 2017, I was just having fun developing recipes and coming up with YouTube videos. When Jenn, our now-editor, sent me an email in 2019 asking if I\u2019d be interested in writing a cookbook, I had massive imposter syndrome. I thought, You\u2019ve got the wrong person.<\/em> I\u2019d only been developing recipes for two years. I asked Jenn if she could follow up the next year, and she did. She followed up every single year until three years ago, when I finally said yes. By then, I\u2019d grown this incredible team and gotten better at recipe development. I\u2019d also started setting aside recipes that were popular, or things our teammates would make again and again for their families and friends. I had a library of recipes. Looking back, I\u2019m really glad I initially said no. I waited until I knew I could create something I\u2019d feel proud of.<\/p>\n

One of my favorite surprises in the book is that you didn\u2019t always love cooking! You grew up surrounded by the beautiful food of your Afghan and Iranian family, but you were more interested in instant noodles.<\/strong>
I\u2019ll start with a life lesson. When I was 17, I was freaking out about a high school calculus test. I called my sister, who\u2019s an engineer and 10 years older than I am. I was crying and saying, \u2018I hate math!\u2019 And she said, \u2018Sadia, you don\u2019t like things that you\u2019re not good at, and you\u2019re not good at this yet.\u2019<\/p>\n

For me, cooking was similar. It wasn\u2019t until I studied dietetics and took a mandatory cooking class that it clicked. We\u2019d learn the theory of caramelization or the Maillard reaction, then we\u2019d cook things in different ways and come together to talk about the tastes and textures, what was working and what wasn\u2019t. That was the first time I thought, Oh, I\u2019m starting to get it.<\/em><\/p>\n

So, how do you help someone who sees cooking as a chore discover that same sense of curiosity and pleasure?<\/strong>
Start with something simple. If you\u2019re flipping through a cookbook, surely you\u2019ll find one recipe that looks really good. Choose something easy so you have a high chance of success. And then you make it, and at the end you\u2019re like, What? I did that? How cool!<\/em> <\/p>\n

\"Simply<\/p>\n

Your motto is \u2018Nourish the cells and the soul,\u2019 and I think the second half of that is especially beautiful. I\u2019m curious if your understanding of nourishment has changed since you started Pick Up Limes<\/a>.<\/strong>
The biggest change actually came just before I started Pick Up Limes<\/a>, and perhaps it\u2019s the reason I started it. When I studied nutrition, I went from not caring about what I ate at all \u2014\u00a0I just wanted it to taste good \u2014 to becoming hyper-focused on nutrition, overly so. And I don\u2019t want that to be the case for anyone else at their table. That\u2019s the idea behind \u2018Nourish the cells and the soul.\u2019 Nourishing the cells is my dietitian cap, but there\u2019s this whole nourish-the-soul component that\u2019s so important, too. Sitting down at the table should be a joy.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

\"Simply<\/p>\n

Simple Vegan \u201cButter Chicken\u201d<\/strong>
Serves 4<\/p>\n

If there\u2019s one dish I always make when non-vegan friends come to visit, it\u2019s this. Flag it, bookmark it, come back to it \u2014 it\u2019s a crowd-pleaser. In fact, it\u2019s one of the most popular recipes on our entire site.<\/p>\n

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
14 ounces firm tofu, pressed, cut into 3\/4-inch cubes
1 1\/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
1 large onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 fresh red chile, seeded and minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 1\/2 tablespoons garam masala
1 1\/2 tablespoons ground coriander
1 1\/2 tablespoons ground cumin
1\/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 13.5-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
1\/4 cup tomato paste
1\/2 tablespoon agave syrup
1\/2 cup unsweetened soy or almond yogurt
Cooked rice, for serving<\/p>\n

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and 1\/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook for about 8 minutes, until golden on most sides.<\/p>\n

In a large saut\u00e9 pan, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, chile, and ginger and cook for 4 minutes, or until lightly golden.<\/p>\n

Stir in the garam masala, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Stirring constantly, toast the spices for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, tomato paste, and agave, and bring to a gentle simmer.<\/p>\n

Optionally, use an immersion blender to blend until partially smooth, leaving a bit of texture. (Alternatively, transfer about half of the mixture to a countertop blender and puree until smooth, then return it to the pot.)<\/p>\n

Stir in the yogurt, then add the fried tofu and let heat through. Serve with cooked rice and naan.<\/p>\n

Thank you, Sadia!<\/strong><\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Plus, four other cookbooks I\u2019m loving this month:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Simply<\/p>\n

Daily Dessert: Treats on Repeat<\/a> by Caroline Schiff<\/strong>
Why I love it: <\/strong>Caroline<\/a> believes dessert should be an everyday pleasure, and I could not agree more. There are single-serving desserts, snacking bakes, party showstoppers, and a chapter called Dessert for Breakfast (HELLO!). She makes it all feel so fun and unfussy.
What I\u2019m making: <\/strong>A Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie, Maple Gingersnap Cheesecake, Sour Cream Apple Pie Bars, and Strawberry Cream Cheese Babka
Who it\u2019s for:<\/strong> Anyone who can\u2019t end the day without a sweet treat.<\/p>\n

\"Simply<\/p>\n

Ukra\u00efne: Recipes and Stories from Kyiv to the Black Sea<\/a> by Anna Voloshyna<\/strong>
Why I love it:<\/strong> Anna<\/a>\u2019s book is an absolute treasure. She traveled across Ukraine, from the Carpathian Mountains to the Black Sea, collecting recipes and stories for this beautiful love letter to the country\u2019s food and culture. And the photography by Jason Perry is absolutely incredible.
What I\u2019m making:<\/strong> White Borshch, Carpathian Cheesecake with Dried Cherries, Chicken Kyiv, Semolina Carrot Bread
Who it\u2019s for: <\/strong>Anyone who reads cookbooks like novels.<\/p>\n

\"Simply<\/p>\n

Cha Chaan Teng: Comfort Food from Hong Kong\u2019s Iconic Diners<\/a> by Lucas Sin<\/strong>
Why I love it:<\/strong> Hong Kong\u2019s cha chaan teng are neighborhood diners where Chinese necessity and Western cooking meet in a big, global bear hug. Lucas<\/a> spent years learning behind the scenes, giving the food and the people who make it the attention and respect they deserve.
What I\u2019m making:<\/strong> Perfect Scrambled Egg Sandwich, Singapore Stir-Fried Vermicelli, Baked Spaghetti Bolognese, Pineapple Buns
Who it\u2019s for:<\/strong> Anyone who believes diner food is an art form.<\/p>\n

\"Simply<\/p>\n

Square Pie Guy: Detroit-Style Pizza at Home<\/a> by Marc Schechter and Gabi Moskowitz<\/strong>
Why I love it:<\/strong> I\u2019m a New Yorker, but I have a weak spot for Detroit-style pizza, especially those crispy, caramelized cheese edges. Marc<\/a>, founder of San Francisco\u2019s Square Pie Guys, makes it feel surprisingly doable at home, with recipes for doughs, sauces, and very creative pies.
What I\u2019m making:<\/strong> House Ranch, The Green Pie, Elote Pie, Garlic Cheesy Bread
Who it\u2019s for:<\/strong> Anyone whose love language is pizza.<\/p>\n

Casey Elsass<\/a> is a food writer, recipe developer, and cookbook author based in Brooklyn. He is the author of the bestselling cookbook What Can I Bring?: Recipes to Help You Live Your Guest Life<\/a> and has co-authored more than 30 cookbooks. His writing has appeared in publications including The New York Times, New York Magazine, Bon App\u00e9tit<\/em>, NPR, Food52, and, of course, Cup of Jo<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

P.S. A winter vegetarian\u2019s best friend<\/a>, and three chickpea recipes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

(Reprinted with permission from Simply Plants<\/em> by Sadia Badiei. Copyright \u00a9 2026 Pick Up Limes B.V. Published by Clarkson Potter, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Photographs copyright \u00a9 2026 Pick Up Limes B.V.)<\/p>\n

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