Review: Eat to Love by Mikaela Reuben
Eat to Love by Mikaela Reuben
Toronto: Appetite by Random House, 2025
Healthy food and recipes that satisfied and were fun to make, I reviewed this cookbook for The British Columbia Review. This article was originally published on The BC Review on August 19, 2025.
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Although I enjoy an indulgent treat as much as anyone, my usual fare is plant-forward high-nutrition food that satisfies my body’s needs and, hopefully, brings fantastic flavour. I’m always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to marry healthy food and great taste. Chef Mikaela Reuben’s debut cookbook Eat to Love is vegetarian-friendly while including some fish, eggs, and dairy; prioritizes nutrition without sacrificing gustatory pleasure; and has the added bonus of being beautifully photographed.
Vancouver-based Reuben came by her love of food and cooking from an early age, and it was a family affair. She writes, “I come from a family who expressed their love through food. My paternal grandparents were concentration camp survivors; they knew and felt starvation. Mealtimes became very important to them; feeding their family was the ultimate show of love…” When she was 17, her father had a heart attack, which sparked his journey to healthy eating and lifestyle change, a huge inspiration to her. Years later, wanting to pursue nutrition and cooking as a career, she found a mentor, quit her physiotherapy master’s program, and went for it.
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Vancouver-based cookbook author Mikaela Reuben has cooked “in the private homes of actors, athletes, and supermodels, creating health and nutrition plans and cooking up a storm.” Photo Robyn Penn |
She’s become a certified holistic nutritionist, sports nutritionist, and raw food chef, forging a career cooking for “clients all over the world, in the private homes of actors, athletes, and supermodels, creating health and nutrition plans and cooking up a storm.” Her goals for the cookbook spoke to me: get the nutrition right, and don’t forget that it should taste great. It’s how she cooks for clients, family and herself: “It’s not fancy, gourmet cooking; it’s a style rooted in my work as a plant-forward nutritional chef at the intersection of where health meets flavor.” [sic]
I appreciate her sensible approach to food and cooking. She advises working with ingredients we have on hand even if we’re making some substitutions, and not getting overly attached to the outcome, encouraging readers to use her recipes as a framework for flexible cooking. Because she’s a travelling chef, she tends to prepare food and then use leftovers in creative ways: “The sauce from Sunday dinner becomes a dressing for lunch on Monday. Roasted vegetable leftovers turn into a frittata.” I do this! It’s a little bit of kitchen magic, and very satisfying.
On a practical level, Reuben provides useful information upfront. I was intrigued by her “Building Blocks for Healthy Eating,” because it gave me insight into her culinary philosophy. The list was a good review and jibed with my overall view of cooking. Choosing whole foods, and eating for nutritional density are sensible, and principles like “Find Local Foods,” and “Focus on Fiber!” were an excellent reminder. She also includes a section on “Flavor Makers [sic],” foods that she uses as “the primary colors [sic] I would use to start a painting, layering and building from my palette as I go,” to create amazing tastes and textures.
I appreciate her sensible approach to food and cooking. She advises working with ingredients we have on hand even if we’re making some substitutions, and not getting overly attached to the outcome, encouraging readers to use her recipes as a framework for flexible cooking. Because she’s a travelling chef, she tends to prepare food and then use leftovers in creative ways: “The sauce from Sunday dinner becomes a dressing for lunch on Monday. Roasted vegetable leftovers turn into a frittata.” I do this! It’s a little bit of kitchen magic, and very satisfying.
On a practical level, Reuben provides useful information upfront. I was intrigued by her “Building Blocks for Healthy Eating,” because it gave me insight into her culinary philosophy. The list was a good review and jibed with my overall view of cooking. Choosing whole foods, and eating for nutritional density are sensible, and principles like “Find Local Foods,” and “Focus on Fiber!” were an excellent reminder. She also includes a section on “Flavor Makers [sic],” foods that she uses as “the primary colors [sic] I would use to start a painting, layering and building from my palette as I go,” to create amazing tastes and textures.
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| “The book’s arresting photography tells a story of food and friendship,” writes reviewer Trish Bowering. Here Shiitake Ginger Mung Bean Noodles are displayed. Photo Robyn Penn |
The book’s arresting photography tells a story of food and friendship. It was shot over a summer primarily by Robyn Penn, a friend and photographer, along with a couple of other friends who assisted. The pictures showcase the West Coast of British Columbia, including Galiano Island, Saltspring Island, Squamish, Hornby Island and Jordan River, all stunning locations that add a natural beauty to the book. And, of course, highlight the food.
The recipes are arranged into five categories: Start the Day; Staples; Sauces & Spreads; Soups, Salads & Sides; Large Plates; and Sweets. There are over 100 recipes and so many of them looked inviting. The emphasis is on plant-based eating, and it’s clear that Reuben is focused on versatility: there are many sides, add-ons and sauces that can be used in combination with other recipes, or on their own for snacks.
I chose four recipes to cook from Eat to Love to test out the book.
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| Reviewer Trish Bowering goes for the sesame flax cracker recipe off the top: “They keep well in the fridge, are sturdy enough to hold toppings and taste wonderful.” Photo Trish Bowering |
Sesame Flax Crackers
I’ve never had much interest in making crackers. It seems fussy, and I can’t help but assume store-bought crackers would be better than my own. This recipe changed my mind. I blended seeds, spices, water and a touch of olive oil, and the mixture came together in a snap (it helps to have a spice grinder). Rolling it out thinly was surprisingly easy, and the house smelled delicious as the crackers baked in a slow oven. They keep well in the fridge, are sturdy enough to hold toppings and taste wonderful. My husband and I couldn’t stop eating them. Fortunately, Reuben assures us that, “They are great for your digestion, help regulate blood-sugar levels, and are high in Vitamin E.” Consider me a homemade cracker convert.
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Lemon Lentil Soup
In contrast to crackers, I’ve made a lot of lentil soups in my day, so it’s an excellent way to gauge a chef’s approach to a common staple. Reuben has put her own spin on this soup. “In this version, I have added delicate leeks, brightened with lemon and parsley,” she writes. This was another low-effort affair, sautéing leeks in olive oil, then adding vegetables, lentils and spices. I finished it with lemon juice and zest. The soup was warming and hearty yet refined; the leeks and lemon elevated it. If you have a bit of lemon juice left over, by all means dump it in because the lemon notes were subtle. I served this for dinner with the Sesame Flax Crackers for a perfect, light meal.
I’ve never had much interest in making crackers. It seems fussy, and I can’t help but assume store-bought crackers would be better than my own. This recipe changed my mind. I blended seeds, spices, water and a touch of olive oil, and the mixture came together in a snap (it helps to have a spice grinder). Rolling it out thinly was surprisingly easy, and the house smelled delicious as the crackers baked in a slow oven. They keep well in the fridge, are sturdy enough to hold toppings and taste wonderful. My husband and I couldn’t stop eating them. Fortunately, Reuben assures us that, “They are great for your digestion, help regulate blood-sugar levels, and are high in Vitamin E.” Consider me a homemade cracker convert.
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| With a little of the aforementioned sesame flax crackers complimenting it, next up is the lemon lentil soup. “This was another low-effort affair, sautéing leeks in olive oil, then adding vegetables, lentils and spices.” Photo Trish Bowering |
Lemon Lentil Soup
In contrast to crackers, I’ve made a lot of lentil soups in my day, so it’s an excellent way to gauge a chef’s approach to a common staple. Reuben has put her own spin on this soup. “In this version, I have added delicate leeks, brightened with lemon and parsley,” she writes. This was another low-effort affair, sautéing leeks in olive oil, then adding vegetables, lentils and spices. I finished it with lemon juice and zest. The soup was warming and hearty yet refined; the leeks and lemon elevated it. If you have a bit of lemon juice left over, by all means dump it in because the lemon notes were subtle. I served this for dinner with the Sesame Flax Crackers for a perfect, light meal.
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| Be warned: “there’s a lot of butter.” But to counter that, reviewer Trish Bowering writes, “white fish is a great source of omega-3s.” Photo Trish Bowering |
Chard-Wrapped Miso Fish with Acorn Squash
If you’re looking for an easy dinner meal that packs a wow-factor, this is the recipe for you. I splurged on beautiful cod fillets for this. The dish has healthy elements: “White fish is a great source of omega-3s, the chard adds color, fiber, and antioxidants, while the onion, ginger and garlic give both a spicy kick and immune-supporting properties,” Reuben assures. But be warned, there’s a lot of butter. A lot. After sautéing heaps of leeks in butter, I added ginger, garlic, miso and lemon. The fish is topped with the leek-miso mixture, wrapped in chard leaves and baked. It’s very tasty, and very rich. It felt like fine dining. However, the chard leaf wrap was challenging to cut through, so the dish was slightly inelegant to eat, and the presentation wasn’t as refined as I’d hoped.
The Acorn Squash I served with the fish is a whole recipe on its own, and it was super simple and very amazing. It’s just roasted acorn squash coated in grated ginger topped with a simple mixture of lemon and fish sauce with a sprinkling of cilantro. Seriously addictive squash.
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| “A vegan, cashew based, raw frozen cheesecake.” Well, there’s a first for everything. Photo Trish Bowering |
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Raw Blackberry Cashew Cheesecake
I’d never made anything like this before: a vegan, cashew based, raw frozen cheesecake. The date-nut crust came together with a bit of effort in my food processor, and my high-power blender made short work of the cashew-based filling. The magic is in dividing the cashew base into two parts: one left as is for the creamy top, and the other pureed again with berries. The recipe calls for blackberries, but Reuben advises flexibility: “Play around with local seasonal fruit or whatever you have on hand.” I had blueberries in the freezer, and they worked perfectly. It’s a frozen dessert, and the berries give the middle layer gorgeous colour, and an icier consistency than the top. I felt truly accomplished because my cake looked every bit as wonderful as the picture. I don’t think this tastes much like cheesecake, but I loved it and ate a piece every evening until it was gone.
*
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Preparing the lemon lentil soup. It appears to be full of flavour. Photo Trish Bowering |
Spending time with this book and making a few of the recipes was very rewarding. Focusing on nutrition without sacrificing flavour, Mikaela Reuben’s Eat to Love is an excellent resource for any new or experienced cook who’s looking to explore plant-forward, healthy eating. I enjoyed reading Reuben’s story; it gives context to her passion for the work. It’s a beautifully photographed book, and the recipes are straightforward and achievable, with delicious results. Eat to Love would be a great addition to any home cook’s shelf.
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