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Simply Julia: 110 Easy Recipes for Healthy Comfort Food
Beloved New York Times bestselling cookbook author Julia Turshen returns with her first collection of recipes featuring a healthier take on the simple, satisfying comfort food for which she’s known.
Julia Turshen has always been cooking. As a kid, she skipped the Easy-Bake Oven and went straight to the real thing. Throughout her life, cooking has remained a constant, and as fans of her popular books know, Julia’s approach to food is about so much more than putting dinner on the table—it is about love, community, connection, and nourishment of the body and soul.Ìý In Simply Julia , readers will find 110 foolproof recipes for more nutritious takes on the simple, comforting meals Julia cooks most often. With practical chapters such as weeknight go-tos, make-ahead mains, vegan one-pot meals, chicken recipes, easy baked goods, and more, Simply Julia provides endlessly satisfying options comprised of accessible and affordable ingredients. Think dishes like Stewed Chicken with Sour Cream + Chive Dumplings, Hasselback Carrots with Smoked Paprika, and Lemon Ricotta Cupcakes—the kind of flavorful yet unfussy food everyone wants to make at home. In addition to her tried-and-true recipes, readers will find Julia’s signature elements—her “Seven Listsâ€� (Seven Things I Learned From Being a Private Chef that Make Home Cooking Easier; Seven Ways to Use Leftover Buttermilk; Seven Ways to Use Leftover Egg Whites or Egg Yolks), menu suggestions, and helpful adaptations for dietary needs, along with personal essays and photos and gorgeous food photography.Ìý Like Melissa Clark’s Dinner or Ina Garten’s Modern Comfort Food, Simply Julia is sure to become an instant classic, the kind of cookbook that will inspire home cooks to create great meals for years to come.
Julia Turshen has always been cooking. As a kid, she skipped the Easy-Bake Oven and went straight to the real thing. Throughout her life, cooking has remained a constant, and as fans of her popular books know, Julia’s approach to food is about so much more than putting dinner on the table—it is about love, community, connection, and nourishment of the body and soul.Ìý In Simply Julia , readers will find 110 foolproof recipes for more nutritious takes on the simple, comforting meals Julia cooks most often. With practical chapters such as weeknight go-tos, make-ahead mains, vegan one-pot meals, chicken recipes, easy baked goods, and more, Simply Julia provides endlessly satisfying options comprised of accessible and affordable ingredients. Think dishes like Stewed Chicken with Sour Cream + Chive Dumplings, Hasselback Carrots with Smoked Paprika, and Lemon Ricotta Cupcakes—the kind of flavorful yet unfussy food everyone wants to make at home. In addition to her tried-and-true recipes, readers will find Julia’s signature elements—her “Seven Listsâ€� (Seven Things I Learned From Being a Private Chef that Make Home Cooking Easier; Seven Ways to Use Leftover Buttermilk; Seven Ways to Use Leftover Egg Whites or Egg Yolks), menu suggestions, and helpful adaptations for dietary needs, along with personal essays and photos and gorgeous food photography.Ìý Like Melissa Clark’s Dinner or Ina Garten’s Modern Comfort Food, Simply Julia is sure to become an instant classic, the kind of cookbook that will inspire home cooks to create great meals for years to come.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published March 2, 2021
308 people are currently reading
3204 people want to read
About the author
Julia Turshen
21Ìýbooks108ÌýfollowersJulia Turshen is the bestselling author of Now & Again, a Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ Choice Awards 2018 semi-finalist (vote for her here), as well as Feed the Resistance, named the Best Cookbook of 2017 by Eater, and Small Victories, named one of the Best Cookbooks of 2016 by the New York Times and NPR.
Epicurious has called her one of the 100 Greatest Home Cooks of All Time. She is the founder of ), an inclusive digital directory of women and non-binary individuals in food. Julia lives in the Hudson Valley with her wife and pets.
Epicurious has called her one of the 100 Greatest Home Cooks of All Time. She is the founder of ), an inclusive digital directory of women and non-binary individuals in food. Julia lives in the Hudson Valley with her wife and pets.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 109 reviews
February 28, 2023
I love reading cookbooks. Like actually reading through each anecdote, all the ingredients, every step of every recipe. I discovered Julia Turshen last year from someone I follow on Instagram. I tabbed up this cookbook like mad. I've owned it for about a year and have made several dishes from it. I'll be going through and making more, I like to cook my way through each cookbook (based on my tabs, not every single recipe) and I will try to remember to keep updating this review!
Update 2/21/23: I have lowered my rating to 4 stars. I don't like that there are no total times on recipes, you have to read through and add it all up. Makes it harder. Lack of photos as well. And I'm nearing the end of what I was interested in cooking and it's about a quarter of the recipes. Also portions are large. Serves 4 is more like serves 6! We are only 2!
I've made:
Stewed Chicken with Sour Cream & Chive Dumplings. Delicious. A good Sunday meal.
Jody's French Lentil & Kale Stew I added spicy Italian sausage to this. Not my favorite but not bad.
Kitchen Sink Frittata. Not my favorite but not bad.
Sesame Rice Bowls with Tofu, Quickles, & Peanut Sauce SO GOOD!! And easy (for me). A definite repeat.
Sizzle Burgers over Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Matchstick Carrot Salad. I used ground turkey. Very good. A definite repeat.
Arayes with Yogurt Sauce. Didn't buy lean ground beef so this was greasy and sogged up the pita. Also didn't grill it, went with the cast iron skillet option and that didn't cook the meat before the pita darkened so I put them in the oven and that made the pita soggy. Next time I will make the meat beforehand and drain it, then fill the pita and broil them. Taste was good!!
Ratatouille & Ricotta Pasta Bake. I halved most everything because we're only 2 people. Low on the eggplant, low on the cherry tomatoes as we don't really like both too much (cooked tomatoes blech) but I did not halve the ricotta so this was nice and cheesy and creamy! Yum! But I probably won't make it again anytime soon.
Carrot & Chickpea Korma. Who needs meat? Who needs dairy? This was delicious!! I added frozen peas and ACCIDENTALLY added chili pepper paste (TWO TABLESPOONS) instead of tomato paste! 🤣 It was hot! But very tasty! Amore pastes all look identical and I bought the chili pepper paste instead of the tomato paste.
Turkey Shepherd's Pie. Yum! Loved the potato/cauliflower mash mix. Definite repeat.
Creamy Roasted Tomato & Orzo Soup. Yummy! I love a good tomato soup and the added orzo was perfect. Made grilled cheese as well. Definite repeat.
Roger's Jambalaya. Delicious! Excluded the shrimp and only used one green pepper. Very good! Needs pita for sopping up juices. Definite repeat.
Italian Sausage, Farro, & Tomato Stew. Tasty. Used quinoa instead of farro. Worked well! Also used crushed tomatoes instead of diced and spicy sausage. Definite repeat but less kale.
Zucchini, Green Olive, & Feta Fritters with Palm Springs Pearl Couscous & Citrus Salad. Delicious! Will definitely make again. Maybe not together every time but they did complement each other.
Asparagus & Snap Peas with Peanuts & Basil. I did make the zucchini fritters again and made this with it. This little cold salad was so good!! Will definitely make as a side again.
Breakfast Nachos. Made for supper. The only thing that makes these "breakfast" is the scrambled eggs on top and you can do that for any meal anyway! A lot of nachos but super tasty. Definite repeat.
Sweet & Salty Sesame Peanuts. Hubs loved these! A yummy snack.
Coconut Marble Loaf. Soooo good!! Hubs wants this as his birthday cake! lol.
Spinach & Artichoke Dip Chicken Bake with Buffalo Brussels Sprouts. Threw this over white rice. Liked that vs noodles and kept separate for leftovers so the sauce didn't get absorbed. Probably won't make again anytime soon but the Brussels sprouts were delicious.
Sticky Chicken. Served over white rice and steamed broccoli with leftover gorgonzola cheese (from the Buffalo Brussels Sprouts). Yummy! Definite repeat.
Spinach & Potato Bites. This did not turn out like it probably should have. Flat, kind of tough, very weird. I was disappointed. Also, no picture so I don't know what they're actually supposed to look like. They tasted fine with ketchup, sriracha, or Ranch dressing but presentation was meh.
Card Night Ginger Cookies. Broke out the KitchenAid mixer for this one and I'm glad I did. The mix had me a little worried but never judge it by what it looks like in the middle of the process! These cookies came out good but maybe a little too much molasses. I'll have to see if I need to substitute something else if I halve the molasses next time.
Khao Man Gai. Not a favorite. It was fine. I did use brown rice instead of white and that was a mistake because I have no experience with brown rice, where I have perfected white rice, so the brown rice took forever and was still wet 50 minutes later. But that's on me. The chicken was was fine but the sauce was really good. Probably won't make again.
Update 2/21/23: I have lowered my rating to 4 stars. I don't like that there are no total times on recipes, you have to read through and add it all up. Makes it harder. Lack of photos as well. And I'm nearing the end of what I was interested in cooking and it's about a quarter of the recipes. Also portions are large. Serves 4 is more like serves 6! We are only 2!
I've made:
Stewed Chicken with Sour Cream & Chive Dumplings. Delicious. A good Sunday meal.
Jody's French Lentil & Kale Stew I added spicy Italian sausage to this. Not my favorite but not bad.
Kitchen Sink Frittata. Not my favorite but not bad.
Sesame Rice Bowls with Tofu, Quickles, & Peanut Sauce SO GOOD!! And easy (for me). A definite repeat.
Sizzle Burgers over Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Matchstick Carrot Salad. I used ground turkey. Very good. A definite repeat.
Arayes with Yogurt Sauce. Didn't buy lean ground beef so this was greasy and sogged up the pita. Also didn't grill it, went with the cast iron skillet option and that didn't cook the meat before the pita darkened so I put them in the oven and that made the pita soggy. Next time I will make the meat beforehand and drain it, then fill the pita and broil them. Taste was good!!
Ratatouille & Ricotta Pasta Bake. I halved most everything because we're only 2 people. Low on the eggplant, low on the cherry tomatoes as we don't really like both too much (cooked tomatoes blech) but I did not halve the ricotta so this was nice and cheesy and creamy! Yum! But I probably won't make it again anytime soon.
Carrot & Chickpea Korma. Who needs meat? Who needs dairy? This was delicious!! I added frozen peas and ACCIDENTALLY added chili pepper paste (TWO TABLESPOONS) instead of tomato paste! 🤣 It was hot! But very tasty! Amore pastes all look identical and I bought the chili pepper paste instead of the tomato paste.
Turkey Shepherd's Pie. Yum! Loved the potato/cauliflower mash mix. Definite repeat.
Creamy Roasted Tomato & Orzo Soup. Yummy! I love a good tomato soup and the added orzo was perfect. Made grilled cheese as well. Definite repeat.
Roger's Jambalaya. Delicious! Excluded the shrimp and only used one green pepper. Very good! Needs pita for sopping up juices. Definite repeat.
Italian Sausage, Farro, & Tomato Stew. Tasty. Used quinoa instead of farro. Worked well! Also used crushed tomatoes instead of diced and spicy sausage. Definite repeat but less kale.
Zucchini, Green Olive, & Feta Fritters with Palm Springs Pearl Couscous & Citrus Salad. Delicious! Will definitely make again. Maybe not together every time but they did complement each other.
Asparagus & Snap Peas with Peanuts & Basil. I did make the zucchini fritters again and made this with it. This little cold salad was so good!! Will definitely make as a side again.
Breakfast Nachos. Made for supper. The only thing that makes these "breakfast" is the scrambled eggs on top and you can do that for any meal anyway! A lot of nachos but super tasty. Definite repeat.
Sweet & Salty Sesame Peanuts. Hubs loved these! A yummy snack.
Coconut Marble Loaf. Soooo good!! Hubs wants this as his birthday cake! lol.
Spinach & Artichoke Dip Chicken Bake with Buffalo Brussels Sprouts. Threw this over white rice. Liked that vs noodles and kept separate for leftovers so the sauce didn't get absorbed. Probably won't make again anytime soon but the Brussels sprouts were delicious.
Sticky Chicken. Served over white rice and steamed broccoli with leftover gorgonzola cheese (from the Buffalo Brussels Sprouts). Yummy! Definite repeat.
Spinach & Potato Bites. This did not turn out like it probably should have. Flat, kind of tough, very weird. I was disappointed. Also, no picture so I don't know what they're actually supposed to look like. They tasted fine with ketchup, sriracha, or Ranch dressing but presentation was meh.
Card Night Ginger Cookies. Broke out the KitchenAid mixer for this one and I'm glad I did. The mix had me a little worried but never judge it by what it looks like in the middle of the process! These cookies came out good but maybe a little too much molasses. I'll have to see if I need to substitute something else if I halve the molasses next time.
Khao Man Gai. Not a favorite. It was fine. I did use brown rice instead of white and that was a mistake because I have no experience with brown rice, where I have perfected white rice, so the brown rice took forever and was still wet 50 minutes later. But that's on me. The chicken was was fine but the sauce was really good. Probably won't make again.
July 20, 2022
3.5 rounded down
I really liked the format of this cookbook, and how warm and personal it felt. I loved that it focused on nourishing foods without a lot of healthism and diet culture rhetoric, which is something I'm always wary of when the word "healthy" is in the title. The book doesn't lie flat, which is frustrating for me in a cookbook, and there were a good amount of recipes without photos, which I didn't love. Good, bad, or neither, recipe photos do play a big role in whether or not I NEED to make a recipe right this moment, or if it languishes forever on my "make someday" list. Most of the recipes are pretty simple/straightforward, which I can appreciate, though some almost seem *too* simple. And while I definitely bookmarked a number of recipes, many either didn't personally sound good to me, or I've already got a brilliant recipe for something similar and wasn't in the market for a new twist. Solid cookbook, but not a must-own.
I've Made:
Matchstick Carrot Salad - super quick, easy, and zero heat. This is going into my regular rotation for when I need a quick veggie side.
Everything Bagel Hand Pies - I didn't love these. The dough was a bit too thick, the eggs overcooked.
Creamy Feta & Scallion Dressing - Easy and tasty!
June's Corn Salad - used this recipe more as a loose guideline based on what I had in my fridge, so though it's not the exact recipe I made, it turned out super tasty and was a great, super quick side, and perfect for summer as it's delightful cold.
I really liked the format of this cookbook, and how warm and personal it felt. I loved that it focused on nourishing foods without a lot of healthism and diet culture rhetoric, which is something I'm always wary of when the word "healthy" is in the title. The book doesn't lie flat, which is frustrating for me in a cookbook, and there were a good amount of recipes without photos, which I didn't love. Good, bad, or neither, recipe photos do play a big role in whether or not I NEED to make a recipe right this moment, or if it languishes forever on my "make someday" list. Most of the recipes are pretty simple/straightforward, which I can appreciate, though some almost seem *too* simple. And while I definitely bookmarked a number of recipes, many either didn't personally sound good to me, or I've already got a brilliant recipe for something similar and wasn't in the market for a new twist. Solid cookbook, but not a must-own.
I've Made:
Matchstick Carrot Salad - super quick, easy, and zero heat. This is going into my regular rotation for when I need a quick veggie side.
Everything Bagel Hand Pies - I didn't love these. The dough was a bit too thick, the eggs overcooked.
Creamy Feta & Scallion Dressing - Easy and tasty!
June's Corn Salad - used this recipe more as a loose guideline based on what I had in my fridge, so though it's not the exact recipe I made, it turned out super tasty and was a great, super quick side, and perfect for summer as it's delightful cold.
April 21, 2021
Based on the quality of the essays and the writing, I’d give this a 5. It was a joy to read, which isn’t always true in cookbooks. I like the organization of the recipes as well as the variety, but from the recipe perspective, I knocked it down a star.
UPDATE: I am keeping this a 4 out of 5 because some of the recipes are a little lackluster, which I think is from the simplicity approach. I’d love suggestions for how to add complexity when I want it or maybe a chart in the back for additions. That being said, I need to say that some of the recipes in this book are wildly delicious, and they offer dishes I’d never consider. Those vegetarian muffulettas? Whoa! Delicious! The green spaghetti? YES PLEASE. The sauce for the low and slow greek chicken? BOMB (and the chicken was so succulent and wonderful, but EASY to cook, but the skin was of course rubbery after all that time, so I’d toss it.)
UPDATE: I am keeping this a 4 out of 5 because some of the recipes are a little lackluster, which I think is from the simplicity approach. I’d love suggestions for how to add complexity when I want it or maybe a chart in the back for additions. That being said, I need to say that some of the recipes in this book are wildly delicious, and they offer dishes I’d never consider. Those vegetarian muffulettas? Whoa! Delicious! The green spaghetti? YES PLEASE. The sauce for the low and slow greek chicken? BOMB (and the chicken was so succulent and wonderful, but EASY to cook, but the skin was of course rubbery after all that time, so I’d toss it.)
August 31, 2021
A great resource for indifferent cooks like me. (I prefer baking.) Most recipes have few steps and few ingredients. Tone is gentle and encouraging. So far I've tried the green spaghetti, which was excellent. It needed a lot of seasoning, but she warns about that, and I have plenty of spices to add. I've got the ingredients for one of the turkey meatball recipes but haven't made it yet. I see the baking recipes often use whole wheat flour, which makes me happy that I just bought a five-pound bag.
UPDATE: Tex-Mex meatballs went great (again, they needed a lot more seasoning than the recipe calls for). I'll probably try the crumb cake next.
UPDATE TO UPDATE: Buffalo brussels sprouts were excellent and did not need any extra seasoning. That Gorgonzola packs a wallop.
UPDATE: Tex-Mex meatballs went great (again, they needed a lot more seasoning than the recipe calls for). I'll probably try the crumb cake next.
UPDATE TO UPDATE: Buffalo brussels sprouts were excellent and did not need any extra seasoning. That Gorgonzola packs a wallop.
March 3, 2021
It’s strange to comment too much on a cookbook without having cooked anything yet. But I did read every essay & recipe. The book has stellar writing (essay and descriptions) but the recipes are a mixed bag. Some sound great and some not so much. May have to update once I cook from it!
February 3, 2022
I have tried several recipes from this book, and I look forward to trying them all.
This is the cookbook I have been waiting for. Healthy, delicious, uncomplicated recipes that are interesting and fun. Plus, great tips for stocking your pantry and how to use leftover ingredients, and best of all, mini-essays about food and life that are just lovely.
The perfect gift for the food-lover/aspiring cook in your life.
This is the cookbook I have been waiting for. Healthy, delicious, uncomplicated recipes that are interesting and fun. Plus, great tips for stocking your pantry and how to use leftover ingredients, and best of all, mini-essays about food and life that are just lovely.
The perfect gift for the food-lover/aspiring cook in your life.
June 27, 2021
This is an extraordinary cookbook. The recipes are easy and nourishing, but the book is so much more - you can feel Julia's heart throughout.
"..."healthy" means something different for each of us. If there were one way to eat that worked for everyone's bodies, that felt easy and fun, we would have a whole lot less to talk about (and many companies would no longer benefit financially from us feeling bad about ourselves and our bodies). From a logistic standpoint, all the recipes in this book are inspired by the low-carb-high-quality life that my wife, Grace - who lives with type 1 diabetes - and I share at home..." - from the Introduction
From a three-page section (p. 78) called "Thoughts on the Worthiness of our Bodies:
"For as long as I've loved food, I've also been as conflicted about consuming it. A few years ago, it really hit me how much time and energy I had spent feeling bad about myself, especially about my body. And that made me feel really sad. So I decided to start untangling the knot...I tackled hard stuff in therapy, I changed who I followed on social media to learn more about people who had broken free from diet culture ...I. listened to podcasts about intuitive eating and shame and vulnerability, and I started to speak more openly to my closest friends about their relationships to their bodies."
The result of her hard work is this bountiful, loving book, with delicious recipes like Tex-Mex turkey meatballs (with crumbled tortilla chips and salsa instead of the usual breadcrumbs and milk), Mustardy Cracker Crumb Fish (with a crumbled Ritz cracker topping), Kale and Mushroom Pot Pie, desserts, soups, vegan recipes, and much more.
"..."healthy" means something different for each of us. If there were one way to eat that worked for everyone's bodies, that felt easy and fun, we would have a whole lot less to talk about (and many companies would no longer benefit financially from us feeling bad about ourselves and our bodies). From a logistic standpoint, all the recipes in this book are inspired by the low-carb-high-quality life that my wife, Grace - who lives with type 1 diabetes - and I share at home..." - from the Introduction
From a three-page section (p. 78) called "Thoughts on the Worthiness of our Bodies:
"For as long as I've loved food, I've also been as conflicted about consuming it. A few years ago, it really hit me how much time and energy I had spent feeling bad about myself, especially about my body. And that made me feel really sad. So I decided to start untangling the knot...I tackled hard stuff in therapy, I changed who I followed on social media to learn more about people who had broken free from diet culture ...I. listened to podcasts about intuitive eating and shame and vulnerability, and I started to speak more openly to my closest friends about their relationships to their bodies."
The result of her hard work is this bountiful, loving book, with delicious recipes like Tex-Mex turkey meatballs (with crumbled tortilla chips and salsa instead of the usual breadcrumbs and milk), Mustardy Cracker Crumb Fish (with a crumbled Ritz cracker topping), Kale and Mushroom Pot Pie, desserts, soups, vegan recipes, and much more.
June 29, 2021
My Food 52 cookbook group is really enjoying this cookbook this month, and the reason is that everything in it is easy to put together and comes out tasting like something that is greater than the sum of it's parts. The writer is no nonsense and no fuss, but this is not the approach to home cooking for me right now, when both my spouse and I as well as our kid who lives with us have all been cooking well--so we aren't really so much about wowing people with little effort. I will return to this when I need things to taste good, be new to me, and have no time. THat is it's strength.
cookbooks
April 10, 2021This is one of those cookbooks worth reading like a book. I really enjoyed the personal essays and the intros to the recipes. Also, the recipes look great and I can’t wait to try some.
March 1, 2022
mf really got me crying over a cookbook
June 8, 2021
One of my favorite cookbooks I've had the pleasure of reading. The recipes sound simple and delicious, ranging from dishes that could easily become staples in my kitchen to ones that I could cook for a cozy dinner party. But this is much more than a cookbook. Full of personal essays on anxiety, eating, the word "healthy", and accepting our bodies, Turshen's book feels like you're having a warm conversation with her in her home kitchen. (Also, leave it to the queer cookbook author to seamlessly reference "The L Word" in a cake recipe!)
skimmed
June 28, 2021I could have used more photos, like if I was going to actually make something.
Read
January 26, 2022Yes, cookbooks count. Love this one and just ordered a copy since I’ve checked it out from the library three times.
October 18, 2021
Any cookbook written by Julia Turshen is going to find a favorite spot in my kitchen, and this one may be my favorite yet. Exactly as Julia promises, this book is filled with healthy comfort food, with simple, straightforward technique. I have so many flags sticking out of the book for things I want to make, and so far everything I've made has not only been excellent, but we'll definitely make again. The orange yogurt cake alone is worth the price of the book.
December 20, 2021
I've renewed and renewed and renewed this cookbook from my local library, stringing together two whole months of Julia's guidance in the kitchen—but I've hit the renewal limit and my time is up in a few days. It's time to write this review.
Style: The vibe here is warmth. Maybe it's that every recipe's title is written in Julia's own penmanship, but this cookbook feels like a collection passed along from a good friend. Every recipe has a meaningful story, which I love, and a handful of standalone stories are scattered among the pages for good measure. After two months with this cookbook, I swear Julia and I are friends. But I think any reader would have that impression.
Sections: Five Lists (This is the first of two sections of lists and includes things like Five Things That Are Always in My Refrigerator and Five Things I Count on for Good Kitchen Vibes.); Eleven Weeknight Go-tos; Eleven Make-ahead Mains; Eleven Vegan One-pot Meals for Everyone; Eleven Chicken Recipes; Eleven Great Soups + Stews; Eleven Go-to Sides; Eleven Salad Dressings, Easy Sauces + Relishes; Eleven Favorite Breakfasts; Ten Noshes + a Drink; Eleven Memorable Sweets; Seven Lists (This second section of "lists" includes things like Seven Meaningful Conversation Starters [So thoughtful!] and Seven Ways to Use Leftover Egg Whites or Egg Yolks [So useful!].); Menu Suggestions; Lists of Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy/Egg-free + Gluten-free Recipes
Recipes with photos: By my estimate, 66 percent of the 110 recipes in this cookbook have photos of the finished product. Plenty more have contextual photos that add a visual to the recipe's story.
Do the pages lay flat? This is a feature I care about. When I set the cookbook on my kitchen counter and open to the page of my chosen recipe, does the book stay open to that page without assistance? Here, the answer is no. Not even close.
Pros: These recipes feel simple, wholesome, and well-loved. Julia has plenty of recipe development experience, having collaborated with cookbook authors like Mario Batali and Gwenyth Paltrow over the years, so you're in good hands with her guidance.
Cons: I prefer every recipe have a photo of the finished product. That's not the case here, but we'll all get by. And perhaps intentional, these recipes don't include estimates for how long it takes to make them, which I usually find helpful.
No, thank you: Walnut "sausage" patties (It's not that I wouldn't make them again; it's that I found them too salty. Besides that very solvable problem, they were perfection—with a crave-worthy crispy texture and layers of flavorful depth from sage, maple syrup, caramelized onion, and smoked paprika.)
More, please: Llubav's green spaghetti (Big bunches of kale, spinach, and basil disappeared into a silky green sauce that was every bit delicious as it was nourishing.); fancy weeknight salmon salad (roasted salmon and mushrooms with arugula, pickled shallots, avocado, toasted almonds, and a soy-tahini dressing—yum); Rascal House stuffed cabbage (a weekend project with some delightful surprise ingredients); carrot and chickpea korma (simple and soul-warming); stewed chickpeas with peppers and zucchini (an easy Meatless Monday dish to slot into the regular rotation); breakfast nachos (I didn't know I needed these in my life, but I absolutely do, and they've become the special breakfast we make when guests are visiting.); sweet potato hash browns (Brilliant!)
Style: The vibe here is warmth. Maybe it's that every recipe's title is written in Julia's own penmanship, but this cookbook feels like a collection passed along from a good friend. Every recipe has a meaningful story, which I love, and a handful of standalone stories are scattered among the pages for good measure. After two months with this cookbook, I swear Julia and I are friends. But I think any reader would have that impression.
Sections: Five Lists (This is the first of two sections of lists and includes things like Five Things That Are Always in My Refrigerator and Five Things I Count on for Good Kitchen Vibes.); Eleven Weeknight Go-tos; Eleven Make-ahead Mains; Eleven Vegan One-pot Meals for Everyone; Eleven Chicken Recipes; Eleven Great Soups + Stews; Eleven Go-to Sides; Eleven Salad Dressings, Easy Sauces + Relishes; Eleven Favorite Breakfasts; Ten Noshes + a Drink; Eleven Memorable Sweets; Seven Lists (This second section of "lists" includes things like Seven Meaningful Conversation Starters [So thoughtful!] and Seven Ways to Use Leftover Egg Whites or Egg Yolks [So useful!].); Menu Suggestions; Lists of Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy/Egg-free + Gluten-free Recipes
Recipes with photos: By my estimate, 66 percent of the 110 recipes in this cookbook have photos of the finished product. Plenty more have contextual photos that add a visual to the recipe's story.
Do the pages lay flat? This is a feature I care about. When I set the cookbook on my kitchen counter and open to the page of my chosen recipe, does the book stay open to that page without assistance? Here, the answer is no. Not even close.
Pros: These recipes feel simple, wholesome, and well-loved. Julia has plenty of recipe development experience, having collaborated with cookbook authors like Mario Batali and Gwenyth Paltrow over the years, so you're in good hands with her guidance.
Cons: I prefer every recipe have a photo of the finished product. That's not the case here, but we'll all get by. And perhaps intentional, these recipes don't include estimates for how long it takes to make them, which I usually find helpful.
No, thank you: Walnut "sausage" patties (It's not that I wouldn't make them again; it's that I found them too salty. Besides that very solvable problem, they were perfection—with a crave-worthy crispy texture and layers of flavorful depth from sage, maple syrup, caramelized onion, and smoked paprika.)
More, please: Llubav's green spaghetti (Big bunches of kale, spinach, and basil disappeared into a silky green sauce that was every bit delicious as it was nourishing.); fancy weeknight salmon salad (roasted salmon and mushrooms with arugula, pickled shallots, avocado, toasted almonds, and a soy-tahini dressing—yum); Rascal House stuffed cabbage (a weekend project with some delightful surprise ingredients); carrot and chickpea korma (simple and soul-warming); stewed chickpeas with peppers and zucchini (an easy Meatless Monday dish to slot into the regular rotation); breakfast nachos (I didn't know I needed these in my life, but I absolutely do, and they've become the special breakfast we make when guests are visiting.); sweet potato hash browns (Brilliant!)
September 19, 2021
I love Julia’s recipes and writing style and appreciated her intent to really share herself deeply in this cookbook—but it was too much for me, personally. Too much dairy and grains for me to cook a lot of the recipes (as someone who tries to avoid these things) and too much intimate sharing about things I don’t relate to or agree with. (I feel like I can be personal in my response since she was so personal in her writing—sometimes it felt like reading diary entries instead of a cookbook, to be honest.) She’s like that family member that you deeply love but find having a harder and harder time connecting with because your paths continue to diverge as you each mature.
But about the recipes: the ones I could try were good, as always. This is why I trust Julia, even when it seems weird to do so. It’s not her fault that I was hoping her recipes would continue in the healthy-but-delicious direction they took when Grace was diagnosed with diabetes. It’s really not! And yet I was still hoping for more of that, because I also have health issues that need to be addressed by diet. That’s not Julia’s fault either!
This cookbook is exactly what it promises, simply Julia, nothing else. Therein lies the rub. The more personalized you get, the fewer masses you’re able to connect with and I just got edged out a bit in this one.
But about the recipes: the ones I could try were good, as always. This is why I trust Julia, even when it seems weird to do so. It’s not her fault that I was hoping her recipes would continue in the healthy-but-delicious direction they took when Grace was diagnosed with diabetes. It’s really not! And yet I was still hoping for more of that, because I also have health issues that need to be addressed by diet. That’s not Julia’s fault either!
This cookbook is exactly what it promises, simply Julia, nothing else. Therein lies the rub. The more personalized you get, the fewer masses you’re able to connect with and I just got edged out a bit in this one.
March 24, 2021
This is a placeholder rating until I actually cook a few dishes from the book. But first impressions are pretty wonderful.
In my ongoing quest to be more kind and loving to my body, I picked up this cookbook because I heard Turshen on the Bad on Paper podcast and a couple of things stood out to me: 1) she sounds like a delightful human, 2) her book and the way she defines "healthy food" in it seem exactly in line with the direction I want to be in, and 3) the recipes sound bomb.
The stories are fun and personal, but what really intrigues me is how flexible the recipes seem to be and how attuned to that Turshen is. She is a self-professed home cook and even in her introduction, she makes a point to say (I'm paraphrasing) if you can use one dish instead of two, I'm going to have you use one dish. As somebody whose cooking skills come from using meal kits over quarantine and slowly getting more confident in the kitchen because of that, this cookbook seems like the next natural step in my food journey. I honestly can't wait to cook from it, which is not true of all cookbooks I buy.
In my ongoing quest to be more kind and loving to my body, I picked up this cookbook because I heard Turshen on the Bad on Paper podcast and a couple of things stood out to me: 1) she sounds like a delightful human, 2) her book and the way she defines "healthy food" in it seem exactly in line with the direction I want to be in, and 3) the recipes sound bomb.
The stories are fun and personal, but what really intrigues me is how flexible the recipes seem to be and how attuned to that Turshen is. She is a self-professed home cook and even in her introduction, she makes a point to say (I'm paraphrasing) if you can use one dish instead of two, I'm going to have you use one dish. As somebody whose cooking skills come from using meal kits over quarantine and slowly getting more confident in the kitchen because of that, this cookbook seems like the next natural step in my food journey. I honestly can't wait to cook from it, which is not true of all cookbooks I buy.
May 22, 2021
The writing in this book is phenomenal and is such a good reminder that we should be using food to nourish us and keep us healthy as we age.
The three recipes I tried were all under seasoned (a bean stew with only salt, pepper and a half teaspoon of oregano?!). After tasting, I was able to add spices to give them flavor, so I will continue trying other recipes in the book that looked appealing and just plan to season accordingly. I really like that the recipes are accessible, with simple and easily sourced ingredients.
The three recipes I tried were all under seasoned (a bean stew with only salt, pepper and a half teaspoon of oregano?!). After tasting, I was able to add spices to give them flavor, so I will continue trying other recipes in the book that looked appealing and just plan to season accordingly. I really like that the recipes are accessible, with simple and easily sourced ingredients.
March 5, 2021
Warm. Fun. Practical. Encouraging. Personal. There are lots of words to describe this cookbook, and also I suspect its author. This is my first cookbook by Turshen, and it was a delight. Instead of feeling inferior, I felt empowered and encouraged; I especially loved the personal interludes Turshen includes about anxiety, body positivity, friendship, volunteering . . . Lovely, lovely book.
April 12, 2021
This is my third Julia Turshen cookbook and I think it’s my favorite, even though I love the other two. I’m a long time fan of Julia‘s and her thoughtfulness and vulnerability around the word “healthy� in this book means a lot to me. I love the approach of this book, the recipes and stories inside, and that she made it during the pandemic. I can’t wait to gift this book to all of my friends for their birthdays.
April 10, 2021
I love the message of this cookbook, embracing food as comforting and good for every body. I truly appreciate the author’s essays sprinkled throughout the nook and all of her suggested modifications. When I can eventually get into a mental space to cook again, this will be the cookbook I reach for! 5 stars
June 9, 2022
This book is pure comfort. Julia Turshen knows how to write an engaging, warm, and approachable cookbook with recipes you actually want to try. While not every recipe in this book has been a hit or even healthy (as the title would suggest), they've all been very easy, and I've felt good making them for my family. I always feel like I'm cooking from the soul when I cook her food. As a result, this has become my most utilized cookbook and the cookbook I turn to again and again. Below is my recipe breakdown.
Loved:
-Pork Tenderloin Picatta: Amazing flavor for how simple this is. On repeat in my house.
-Roger's Jambalaya: Delicious and makes a ton of food. On repeat in my house.
-French Onion Meatloaf: My favorite meatloaf ever and my most-repeated dish from this book.
-Eighth Avenue Ropa Vieja: Is it authentic? Prob not but it's wonderful.
-Carrot and Chickpea Korma: This was somehow better than any korma I've had from an Indian restaurant, and I'm not even vegan.
-Khao Man Gai: Clean, simple, and so comforting.
-Smoked Trout Chowder: Incredible flavor and so easy. On repeat in my house.
-June's Corn Salad: A go-to in the summer for me. On repeat in my house.
-Palm Springs Pearl Couscous and Citrus Salad: I never thought a couscous salad would wow me, but this was so damn good! On repeat in my house.
-Grace's Green Beans with Garlic and Tomato: This has become my favorite way to prepare green beans.
-Jalapeno Vinaigrette: Zippy, bright, and delicious.
-Coconut Marble Loaf: A bit more complicated than other recipes in this book, but worth the effort.
Liked:
-Sizzle Burgers
-Mustardy Cracker Crumb Fish
-Arayes with Yogurt Sauce
-Sheet Pan Lamb Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Eggplant: Meatballs ended up slightly overcooked but that eggplant is gold.
-Green Chile Braised Chicken Thighs with Pinto Beans
-Roasted Onion Soup
-Creamy Roasted Tomato and Orzo Soup
-Italian Sausage, Farro, and Tomato Stew
-Kitchen Sink Frittata
-Card Night Ginger Cookies
Disliked:
-Llubav's Green Spaghetti: Bland
-Sesame Rice Bowls with Tofu, Quickles, and Peanut Sauce: Didn't seem to come together and I didn't like the peanut sauce
-Doug's Tex Mex Turkey Meatballs: The corn chip and salsa flavor is too noticeable for me
-Roast Chicken with Onion Gravy: Gravy never came together for me
-Sweet and Spicy Mashed Potatoes: Too sweet
Hated:
-Shrimp and Kimchi Stew: I suspect this is highly dependent on the specific kimchi you use, as that's the main ingredient here. My stew ended up way too sour.
Loved:
-Pork Tenderloin Picatta: Amazing flavor for how simple this is. On repeat in my house.
-Roger's Jambalaya: Delicious and makes a ton of food. On repeat in my house.
-French Onion Meatloaf: My favorite meatloaf ever and my most-repeated dish from this book.
-Eighth Avenue Ropa Vieja: Is it authentic? Prob not but it's wonderful.
-Carrot and Chickpea Korma: This was somehow better than any korma I've had from an Indian restaurant, and I'm not even vegan.
-Khao Man Gai: Clean, simple, and so comforting.
-Smoked Trout Chowder: Incredible flavor and so easy. On repeat in my house.
-June's Corn Salad: A go-to in the summer for me. On repeat in my house.
-Palm Springs Pearl Couscous and Citrus Salad: I never thought a couscous salad would wow me, but this was so damn good! On repeat in my house.
-Grace's Green Beans with Garlic and Tomato: This has become my favorite way to prepare green beans.
-Jalapeno Vinaigrette: Zippy, bright, and delicious.
-Coconut Marble Loaf: A bit more complicated than other recipes in this book, but worth the effort.
Liked:
-Sizzle Burgers
-Mustardy Cracker Crumb Fish
-Arayes with Yogurt Sauce
-Sheet Pan Lamb Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Eggplant: Meatballs ended up slightly overcooked but that eggplant is gold.
-Green Chile Braised Chicken Thighs with Pinto Beans
-Roasted Onion Soup
-Creamy Roasted Tomato and Orzo Soup
-Italian Sausage, Farro, and Tomato Stew
-Kitchen Sink Frittata
-Card Night Ginger Cookies
Disliked:
-Llubav's Green Spaghetti: Bland
-Sesame Rice Bowls with Tofu, Quickles, and Peanut Sauce: Didn't seem to come together and I didn't like the peanut sauce
-Doug's Tex Mex Turkey Meatballs: The corn chip and salsa flavor is too noticeable for me
-Roast Chicken with Onion Gravy: Gravy never came together for me
-Sweet and Spicy Mashed Potatoes: Too sweet
Hated:
-Shrimp and Kimchi Stew: I suspect this is highly dependent on the specific kimchi you use, as that's the main ingredient here. My stew ended up way too sour.
February 26, 2022
I love this book. Not love in that giddy sense that I can be known to employ regularly, flinging alliterations and hyperboles. But in the daily way, a quiet way. With astonished awe. Everything I’ve made - and it’s been a lot - has fit effortlessly into our family routine and at our family table. But everything has also been new. New tastes. New combinations. This book is a steadfast collection of those recipes that my buddies will text me with - the back pocket kind. The kind that are ridiculously doable amidst the chaos and crisis of daily life, that produce a mellow, solid thrum of contentment at the family dinner table. And I say “contentment� because the food itself doesn’t necessarily stand out- there won’t be wild gushes or noted requests for repeats, but instead small, independent sighs of “wow, this is good� too subtle really to stir up a conversation, but meanwhile the conversation gets more interactive and warm�.like the people you love are sitting at a table for a dinner made with daily, humble, enduring love. No big splashes, but the best kind of context. The “noodles� she makes for her wife have allowed spaghetti nights and “Scarlett’s Chicken & Rice� to return to regular family rotation even with some family members foregoing carbs. I shared the borscht recipe with a friend looking for one, who replied the next day with a thank you “TOTAL KEEPER� text. I volunteered a suggestion to our local bookstore to stock it. It is, friends and strangers, a laid back, humble resource for the daily meals again and again and again, over and over. And, also, a TOTAL KEEPER.
February 2, 2025
I am a huge cookbook fan and was keen to peruse Turshen's Simply Julia: 110 Easy Recipes for Healthy Comfort Food. I found this book to be a great resource for new(ish) cooks with the usual sorts of advice (e.g., talk to and learn from other home cooks), lists (e.g., refrigerator staples, go-to spices, essential tools, food-related questions by which to get to know others). Equally important, I found examples of the very sort of comfort dinners we frequently pull together on a work night--esp. in fall and winter months--driven by whatever we have ready at hand. Those meals include such things as a variety of turkey meatball options, fishcakes, shepherd's pie, and similar comfort food fare, with the notable addition that a handful of Julia's recipes include a novel ingredient for those familiar dishes--such as adding gruyere to your meatloaf to reframe it as French Onion Meatloaf. The baking department also had a few new-to-me ideas that I look forward to exploring, most notably the lemon ricotta cupcakes and coconut marble loaf (the latter includes canned coconut milk, which I typically reserve for curries.
The book is well-illustrated, instructions are clear, and the step-by-step cooking instructions are concise and well-ordered. For my own purposes, I'd rate it a 3 1/2-star read and imagine a newer cook might well rate it higher for its readily accessible content and friendly vibe.
The book is well-illustrated, instructions are clear, and the step-by-step cooking instructions are concise and well-ordered. For my own purposes, I'd rate it a 3 1/2-star read and imagine a newer cook might well rate it higher for its readily accessible content and friendly vibe.
February 11, 2024
I wouldn’t usually post a cookbook here, because I usually just skim them for recipes I want to make, but as soon as I got this one and started skimming, I found I wanted to read it cover to cover - and I did! Every time I picked it up it was like a treat in the middle of my day, a soul-replenishing warm hug. Julia’s approach to cooking (and life) is similar to mine and yet still aspirational, and I eagerly read her intro, the interstitial essays, and anecdotal introductions to each recipe - as well as almost every recipe! Even if it was something I couldn’t see myself making (which didn’t apply to many), I could absorb techniques or combinations I wouldn’t have thought of. The way this cookbook is organized and the way Julia thinks and writes is, again, so integral to how I think about cooking: what can you prepare ahead, how you might riff/substitute, how best to store and reheat leftovers, ideas about what to do with extra buttermilk or egg whites, and so much more. I already have a short list, a long list, and then a longer list of all the recipes I can’t wait to try, and I’ve put Turshen’s other cookbooks on my wishlist.
March 5, 2021
I loved this book because it was a practical cookbook, but it was more personal than most cookbooks. Sometimes, I see healthy cookbooks that are more about diets or restricted eating. But his cookbook was all about practical homecooking.
Every recipe started with an essay where the author shared an incredibly personal story. The author unveiled herself over every dish. Food has so much to do with who we are and our experiences and memories. I love how the author included family photos and beautiful photography that make the book deeply personal, offering the perfect marriage between words and pictures. And so unique, it could almost be a memoir.
Even if you're not excited to cook, this cookbook helps you feel comfortable and calm and gives you that friendly feeling of someone being in your kitchen saying, "you've got this." This cookbook provides us with a spark to try some new recipes and routines.
To listen to my Interv with the author, go to my podcast at:
Every recipe started with an essay where the author shared an incredibly personal story. The author unveiled herself over every dish. Food has so much to do with who we are and our experiences and memories. I love how the author included family photos and beautiful photography that make the book deeply personal, offering the perfect marriage between words and pictures. And so unique, it could almost be a memoir.
Even if you're not excited to cook, this cookbook helps you feel comfortable and calm and gives you that friendly feeling of someone being in your kitchen saying, "you've got this." This cookbook provides us with a spark to try some new recipes and routines.
To listen to my Interv with the author, go to my podcast at:
December 27, 2021
This is a warm hug of a cookbook. I love her essays and attitude towards food and cooking. Her recipes are very clear and easy to follow, and the memoir parts of the book are great. It's worth reading for her lists alone. The book is divided into practical sections, like weeknight meals, chicken dinners, which aren't common but make a lot of sense. With the exception of the weeknight meals, most of these would take too long for me to make on a regular basis. The green spaghetti is good, as is the Mexican meatloaf, but I had to spice them up and add a little more salt.
I gave this three stars because while I loved the writing, a lot of the recipes weren't that appealing to me, or I already have versions of them that my family likes. And it's hard for me to completely embrace a healthy eating cookbook that doesn't include nutritional information. However, I think this book is worth checking out for the meal planning, organizational and food ideas. I really enjoy the way the author thinks about food.
I gave this three stars because while I loved the writing, a lot of the recipes weren't that appealing to me, or I already have versions of them that my family likes. And it's hard for me to completely embrace a healthy eating cookbook that doesn't include nutritional information. However, I think this book is worth checking out for the meal planning, organizational and food ideas. I really enjoy the way the author thinks about food.
July 27, 2023
Finally! A cookbook that showcases Turshen's top-notch recipe development skills without muddling them with a silly gimmick. I loved the recipes in both and , but thought the editorial framework of these books were superfluous. This one is different. These are simple, homey recipes contextualized by Turshen's practical and generous point of view. No gimmicks, just cooking chops. This is a delightful cookbook that I will be recommending to many.
June 2, 2021
I love to read cookbooks, and this one was especially interesting as Julia added a few essays about weight and the worthiness of our bodies, on cooking and anxiety, and a few other personal topics. Even her introductions to several of the recipes and sections contained thoughts and food memories that contributed to the theme of "comfort food." Although she has a following on social media and has written other cookbooks, this was the first of her writing that I've read.
I marked several recipes that I'd like to try, even though overall this isn't a cookbook I feel I need to own. I liked how she organized the book by topics including weeknight go-tos; make-ahead mains; vegan one-pot meals; salad dressings, easy sauces, and relishes; and memorable sweets. Lots of color photos provide inspiration, as well as menu suggestions to motivate. And several vegetarian, vegan, dairy- and gluten-free recipes allow cooks to find something for everyone.
I marked several recipes that I'd like to try, even though overall this isn't a cookbook I feel I need to own. I liked how she organized the book by topics including weeknight go-tos; make-ahead mains; vegan one-pot meals; salad dressings, easy sauces, and relishes; and memorable sweets. Lots of color photos provide inspiration, as well as menu suggestions to motivate. And several vegetarian, vegan, dairy- and gluten-free recipes allow cooks to find something for everyone.
September 18, 2021
I unfortunately forgot that I read another one of Julia Turshen’s cookbooks, Now and Again, and picked up Simply Julia after enjoying an interview with her on a podcast. After having read this cookbook and tried out four recipes, I can safely say that while Julia seems delightful as a person, her recipes are just not for me. As with Now and Again, I liked the stories about her life but found the food mediocre. I tried an appetizer with potatoes and spinach that was barely edible and banana waffles that were fine but which I will not make again. I did really love her more vegetable than rice fried rice and enjoyed a zucchini and chickpea stew, but this is a cookboook I’ll be returning to the library.
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