• Hi there, my name is Heidi Swanson. 101 Cookbooks is my recipe journal. It's where I write about the recipes that intersect my life, travels, and everyday interests. Often the recipes are from my cookbook collection, sometimes not - they might come from a friend, or I might write about a recipe I created myself. I focus primarily on natural, whole foods and ingredients - vegetarian recipes that are good for you and for the planet. Welcome!

I hope all of you have a great holiday weekend. I thought it might be helpful to dust off a few Fourth of July-friendly recipes from the archives and highlight them here. I did my best to keep the list relatively short and sweet - just favorites.

Fourth of July Roasted Tomato Salsa - A deliciously vibrant, earthy, and slightly smoky-tasting salsa recipe. Different from salsa fresca, the deep, caramelized flavors of the roasted tomatoes and onions alongside the smokiness of the chipotles make for a richly beautiful and balanced salsa.

Lime & Peanut Coleslaw - This feather-light, mayo-free, coleslaw recipe uses toasted peanuts, cherry tomatoes, and lime vinaigrette and is perfect alongside fajitas, or whatever you have coming off the grill.

My Favorite Grilled Kabob Recipe (with muhammara) - A kabob recipe featuring grilled mushrooms, lemons, tofu red onions and a delicious red...

Continue reading Fourth of July Recipes ...

My mom's friends hosted a shower for my sister months ago - not long after she had Jack. Many of them have known my mom longer than Heather and I have been alive, so it seemed fitting to share the new addition to the family with them. I have to tell you, one of the things you immediately notice when these ladies congregate is how tiny they are - a tribe of feisty five-footers. And they are organized. Like a small colony of bees - on the day of the shower everyone had an important job to do. I snuck into the kitchen just before lunch was served and saw a huge green salad. Next to it were three deliciously rustic savory pies. As one was being cut and plated, I started asking questions. As it turns out, I was looking a noodle-free lasagna baked in a pie crust...

Continue reading Lasagna Tart and recipe...

The other night I found myself standing in front of a 6-foot by 4-foot display of summer squash. Standing, staring, thinking about what I might need for the week. An older gentleman came up beside me carrying a handful of lemon cucumbers. They were beautiful. The size of baseballs, pale with vibrant yellow marks. With a twinkle in his eye, he started telling me how much he'd enjoyed the cucumbers he'd purchased the previous week. Well, two lemon cucumbers came home with me that evening. I eventually made a simple tofu salad with them. I marinated the cucumbers and some chopped dill in lemon juice and olive oil, then tossed that mixture with tofu, pine nuts, and avocado. Not my idea at all - the inspiration came when I posted a note on Twitter: Two lemon cucumbers - seeking inspiration. Any ideas?

Continue reading Lemon Cucumber Tofu Salad and recipe...