Lexi Did It!

I officially completed my Isa Does It cookbook challenge on Christmas, 2025! That means I explored 91 new recipes last year. It was a joy! 

Here’s a quick overview of the last recipes I had to make. I was really not looking forward to Lentil-quinoa stew with lots of kale, because those are all things I don’t like in a soup! However, it does have good flavor and those I shared it with at Christmas really enjoyed it. So it’s more of a personal flavor preference than the recipe not being good, because of course it’s good, it’s Isa! 

Recipe	Would I make it again?	Substitutions	Does it freeze?
Acorn squash risotto with cranberries	Maybe	None	Yes
Belgian beer and seitan stew	Maybe	None	Yes
Sweet potato gnocchi with seared brussels sprouts and tarragon cream	No	Tarragon	No
Sesame tofu	Yes	None	Yes
Sweet potato and red curry soup	No	None	Yes
Red lentil thai chili	Maybe	None	Yes
Lentil-quinoa stew with lots of kale	No	None	Yes

Pictured: Gnocchi (fun and easy to make, just don't love brussels,) Quinoa stew, Seitan stew.

New favorite recipes! 

In addition to my 10 existing favorite recipes (ones I loved before I started this challenge), I now have a big list of new favorite recipes that I’m sharing below, arranged by category. The honorable mention is because I rarely crave curry, but if/when I do, the down home curry recipe will be what I go to. 

Mains

• Everyday pad thai

• Mango fried rice

• Cozy hummus bowl

• Sunflower mac

• Edamame hummus and tofu wraps

• Curried peanut sauce bowl with tofu and kale

• My thai overnight scramble

• Scrambled chickpeas

Soups

• Babushka Borscht

• Harira with eggplant and chickpeas 

• Cheddary broccoli soup

• Mushroom hot pot

Desserts 

• Orange chocolate chip bundt cake

• Peanut butter chocolate chip bars

Honorable mentions 

• Down-home curry with tofu and broccoli

What's next?

I'm considering starting another cookbook challenge, but I'm not 100% sure yet. I love Isa's holiday cookbook, but most of those recipes are made for parties, so they make A LOT. That said, I'm thinking it could be a fun way to continue doing themed dinners and everyone could take a recipe from that holiday.

Looking back on doing this project regularly (with a lot in the first half of the year) it was a really fun activity to do during a challenging period of unemployment. I find so much joy in cooking and sharing food with people, and I also sometimes get decision fatigue, so actually having the constraint of just choosing recipes from this one book (for the most part) was really nice.

I don't know that I'll ever rise to food blogger status, but I appreciate everyone who came along for this ride. I know a few folks who were inspired to try out their Isa recipes or get the cookbook for the first time. Thanks for being there in culinary spirit!