7 Essential Vegan Cookbooks

from: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/5-essential-vegan-and-vegetarian-cookbooks.html

One of the major roadblocks I hear from folks considering going vegan or vegetarian is that they don’t know how to cook a meal without animal products. This makes total sense, if a meal to you is centered around the protein on your plate, and most of us grew up feeling like that was what a meal looked like.

I’m a firm believer that a good vegetarian or vegan cookbook is more than just a collection of recipes: it inspires you to put together a different sort of meal and re-teaches you how to cook. These are the veggie cookbooks that my kitchen would feel empty without:

1. Moosewood Cookbook Molly Katzen is the owner of the Moosewood restaurant in New York and one of my cooking heroes. The Moosewood Cookbook was one of the first vegetarian cookbooks I ever owned, and I really learned a lot about how to cook vegetarian food from this one. She has a very flexible recipe style that encourages you to experiment, substitute, and learn.

2. Veganomicon I almost think of Veganomicon as the Joy of Cooking for vegans. Isa Chandra Moskowitz is another one of my cooking heroes, and I’ve never made a recipe from this book that didn’t turn out deliciously. She features beautiful photos of the dishes and talks about food in a way that makes you excited to get cooking.

3. Vegan Lunchbox Whether you have kids or not, Vegan Lunchbox is a must for any vegan cooking library. Jennifer McCann wrote the book to chronicle her journey packing vegan lunches for her son, but these meals are a delight at any age. She focused on creating lunches that are not only tasty and nutritious but ones that would help her son fit in in a lunchroom full of more conventional brown bag lunches.

4. Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World Vegan food isn’t all about savory dishes, and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World is proof of that. This is another book from Isa Chandra Moskowitz, and it’s my go-to any time I need to whip up a treat for a special occasion. It features a wide range of recipes, from your basic chocolate and vanilla cupcakes to flavors like matcha green tea with almond and Boston cream pie.

5. Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook Giving up cheese is one of the hardest parts for many folks that go vegan, and this book is definitely a must have for cheese lovers. The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook is full of cheesy recipes with none of the animal cruelty of the dairy variety and none of the mystery ingredients found in some store-bought vegan cheeses.

I need to add my favorites of all which is 6) La Dolce Vegan and 7) Vegan A Gogo a cute little travel recipe book from Sarah Kramer. Almost every single recipe in these 2 books is delicious, quick to make and perfect for 2 people as opposed to having leftovers for weeks.

How To Feed A Vegetarian At Home

By Adrienne Szafranski | March 22, 2011 from:http://medford.patch.com/articles/yes-you-can-invite-a-vegetarian-to-the-barbecuel

L

Sometime, somewhere, someone you love will ask you to feed a vegetarian. Think outside the salad bowl.

There are many reasons someone you know may decide to become vegetarian: animal welfare, health, and environmentalism are just a few. But it's very likely one of your family's circle is or will become a vegetarian, and if you're doing the cooking, panic may ensue.

The key to feeding a vegetarian is understanding his or her brand of vegetarianism. Vegetarian is someone who doesn't eat meat (but may eat some animal proteins) Lacto-ovo vegetarians eat no animal flesh, but do eat dairy and eggs Pescetarians eat no land animals or birds, but do eat fish and shellfish. Ask about eggs and milk. Vegans eat nothing from animals or that exploits animals. This classification is more about lifestyle than diet. They don't wear leather, or eat gelatin or honey. They may also only eat organic foods.

People who are vegetarians because of their concern for animals may also eschew products similar to animal products, like vegetarian bacon or soy cheese.

As you tease out their vegetarianism, you'll likely discover the reasons for their choice. People love to discuss choices like this, and most vegetarians I've known discuss this without being judgemental. Exercise diplomacy and don't make jokes--we all want to be taken seriously.

Outside the Salad Bowl Please, please think outside the salad bowl. Every vegetarian has a story about a cookout or party where the only thing they could eat was salad. Most vegetarians are prepared to bring a dish, so feel free to ask them. If you're ready to step up to the challenge, though, your vegetarian will appreciate it.

Because other cultures have been traditionally vegetarian, look to them for veggie ideas. Japanese, Chinese, Thai, and Indian are go-to cuisines when entertaining. And there's always Google for more food ideas. You can find ideas and supplies at Whole Foods, a very vegetarian-friendly place, but don't overlook Foodmaster and Stop and Shop, especially the frozen food section.

Mind Your Manners: Etiquette And finally, some vegetarian etiquette. We already discussed behaving like a grown-up and keeping your clever vegetarian jokes to yourself, but here are a couple more ideas. Your vegetarian will give you the Gold-Star-Martha-Stewart-Thumbs-Up Host Award if you grill the veggie kabobs or veggie burgers first, on a clean grill, before the meat products go on. The vegetarian will also appreciate separate serving utensils for meat and vegetarian dishes.

Avocado Pesto Pasta

Got this recipe from Meatout Mondays...happy Monday!

This amazing dish is easy to make and has simple ingredients. The avocados create a deliciously rich and creamy sauce. While its fat content appears to be high, the source is from healthy monounsaturated fats, which are actually beneficial for cholesterol levels. For added nutrition, use whole wheat pasta and toss in steamed broccoli, asparagus, or spinach.

Ingredients:
1 lb. dried linguini 1 bunch basil leaves (about 2½ ounces) ½ cup pine nuts 2 ripe avocados, pitted & peeled 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice (about ½ of a lemon) 3 cloves garlic ½ cup olive oil salt (to taste) freshly ground black pepper (to taste) ¼ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (optional)

Directions: In a large pot, bring water to a boil; add pasta and cook to package directions. While pasta cooks, in a food processor, blend basil, pine nuts, avocados, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Drain pasta; in a large serving bowl, toss pesto with hot, freshly cooked pasta and garnish each serving with a basil leaf; for an extra touch of color and flavor, top pasta with sun dried tomatoes. Check out this and more outstanding recipes at http://www.ChefChloe.com

Meatout Is This Weekend

There has never been a better time to go vegan if only for one day a week. All over the world people are turning on to vegetarianism and veganism. I found a post about meatout on Vegansaurus' awesome vegan blog:
http://vegansaurus.com/post/3949293683/its-time-to-do-stuff-shut-down-fur-sto...

" What are you doing this weekend for Meatout? You are supposed to host a meat-free event and get the people excited about vegan food! DO IT! OR go to an event someone else is hosting like this one in San Francisco:
What: Vegan Feed-in, leafleting, and signs at the March & Rally to Stop the Wars
Saturday, March 19th; 12pm (noon). Where: UN Plaza
RSVP: Contact FARM’s new West Coast Coordinator, Alex Felsinger;
831-601-9082, alexf@farmusa.org

Vegan Shamrock Shake

Check out the Vegan St.Patrick's Day recipes on VegWeb... An awesome collection here: http://vegweb.com/holiday/

Recipe submitted by Charlsey, 11/08/09

Vegan Shamrock Shake

Ingredients
1 cup non-dairy vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup nondairy milk
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
4 to 5 drops green food coloring (optional, but I had too!)

Directions: Add all ingredients to food processor or blender. Blend on HIGH until smooth. Pour into glass and enjoy the creamy mintyness.

Source of recipe: I used to love these as a kid around St Patrick's Day, This might not be exact but perfect for me...
Makes: 1 serving, Prep time: 5 minutes

Meatout on March 20, 2011

"Feeling sluggish, catching frequent colds, or considering shedding a few pounds?

Unhappy about animal manure being dumped in your water supplies? Or just troubled by the suffering inflicted on innocent, sentient animals in factory farms and slaughterhouses?

What is Meatout?

On (or around) March 20, thousands of caring people in all 50 U.S. states and two dozen other countries get active to host educational events for Meatout- the world's largest grassroots diet education campaign. Activists distribute free food, educate their communities, and ask their friends, families, and neighbors to "kick the meat habit” and explore a wholesome, compassionate diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

New to plant-based eating?

Visit http://LiveVegan.org, where you can find delicious recipes, learn all the “why’s” and “how’s” to transitioning toward a vegan lifestyle, and receive our Meatout Mondays e-newsletter.

Meatout TV Ad

Eat For Life, Go Veg!

What To Feed A Vegetarian Baby

I found this question and answer segment on Babies Love Organic's website here: http://www.babiespreferorganic.com/help-me-with-new-vegetarian-baby-foods/

I have learned that preparing ahead of time is the best! Our daughter is almost 3 months old, so of course she will not be eating solids yet. However, when she does start, I want to be prepared.

We have chosen to go vegetarian again and she will be as well. Does anyone know of any good recipes sites for homemade vegetarian baby food? We will never buy store bought and it must be 100% Organic. Any ideas or tips or sites?

Thanks Oh and, FYI: I am not looking for others to force meat upon our family. My entire family has been raised Vegetarian and our Pediatrician has said this was fine, there are alternatives. Thank you for your input, but it will not be necessary. If my daughter gets sick…we will know, and she surely will never be removed from our home.

We are a wonderful Christian family who can provide more for our children than most people can. We also help other families and do missionary work. The Lord is with us as He is with you. God bless. Thank you for those with kind answers.

I feel the individuals who say that we must eat meat to live are usually (not always) the unhealthy and misinformed people whom we read their obituaries in the mornings. It is a lifestyle choice and one we feel comfortable with. Thank you again.

Check out the replies to this question and add your own if you wish here:
http://www.babiespreferorganic.com/help-me-with-new-vegetarian-baby-foods/

Faux Tuna Salad

Got this delish recipe from Kris Carr's blog who got it here:
http://soundlyvegan.com/2011/03/07/faux-tuna-salad/

Faux Tuna Salad

- 2 cups garbanzo beans - ¼ cup celery, small dice - ¼ cup red bell pepper, small dice - ¼ cup apple, small dice - ¼ cup dill pickle, small dice - ¼ cup fresh dill, minced - ¼ – ⅓ cup plain non-dairy yogurt or Vegenaise (The amount depends upon how wet you like your salad.) freshly-cracked black pepper - sea salt

Using a potato masher, mash the garbanzo beans in a large bowl. You could use a food processor for this, just be careful not to over-process the beans. You do not want a purée, but rather a coarse mash with texture. Add the remaining ingredients to the mashed beans, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Easy Chocolate Walnut Fudge

Seriously people, you need to check out Veg Web's chocolate special entitled Cooking With WebMistress Laura. Here is one of the recipes on her post for fudge..,yum, my favorite.

http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/211087/159e8e3ef0/1493001999/0d59dd011e/

Sometimes you need chocolate and you need it yesterday. Well, it's not always that easy! If you want something delicious, you must wait. It's okay, you won't have to wait too long, and the payoff is worth it! In just over an hour, you'll have a pan of rich, creamy fudge. I love this stuff so much that I can only make it on holidays or else I'll turn into a big block of fudge. It looks like I'm in luck because National Potato Chip Day is coming up this weekend. What goes better with potato chips than fudge? Don't answer that, let's just go with it!

What You Need: 1 cup vegan chocolate chips 8 ounces vegan cream cheese 4 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 1 cup walnuts, chopped

What You Do: 1. Over a double broiler, melt chocolate chips and set aside. In a food processor, place the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract, and blend until smooth. Add the chocolate and blend to combine. Stir in walnuts. 2. Line an 8-inch square pan with wax paper and press the mixture evenly into it.

Refrigerate for at least an hour, if you can bear it. Cut into squares and try not to eat the entire pan in one sitting!

Low Calorie Chocolate Brownies

Check this out black beans make these yummy gooey brownies low calorie and healthy-ish! Be sure to check out Veg Web fir more scrumptious vegan chocolate recipes.

Recipe submitted by Nadiana, 09/24/08

"Blackies" (Black Bean Brownies)

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
equivalent of 3 eggs (I used 3/4 cup applesauce + 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used canola)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup vegan sugar
1 teaspoon instant coffee or mint extract, to taste, optional
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips, optional, but highly recommended
cayenne pepper, to taste, optional (don't use if using mint, but otherwise highly recommended)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 8x8" pan.

2. Blend everything together in your blender, and then pour into prepared pan.

3. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top is dry and the edges pull away from the side of the pan.

These are extremely gooey; keep this in mind!! You can't taste the beans at all, and I practically ate the whole pan myself, they were so good. Try them; you'll be glad you did!

Serves: 8-16, Preparation time: 40 minutes
'
Photo by Dal veg

Meatless Monday Goes Global

Today is Monday so why not join the millions around the world that are going meatless one day a week? People are banding together to cut meat for personal health and the health of the planet.

Visit http://www.MeatlessMondays.ca
where you’ll find everything you’ll need to know to make meatless meals part of a sustainable, healthy lifestyle.

Going meatfree one day each week is a powerful way for each of us to reduce our ecological footprint and reconnect with foods that are nutritious, delicious and cruelty-free.

Taking part in Meatless Mondays is as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Get started – Sign up today to take your veggie vows! At meatlessmondays.ca, you’ll find great recipes, inspiring videos and helpful tips for your Monday adventures. You’ll also have the opportunity to sign up for our Meatless Monthly enewsletter to receive recipes and other tips for marvelous meatless meals.

2. Invite your friends – Send a personalized email or share us on Facebook and Twitter. Invite a friend out for a Lundi Lunch at one of Toronto’s many fabulous vegetarian restaurants or plan a Meatfree Potluck at your school or workplace.

3. Get cooking – Check out all the great resources meatlesstoronto.com has to offer: recipes, cooking videos, nutrition tips and much more. All brought to you by your friends at the Toronto Vegetarian Association.

Wondering what Meatless Mondays are all about? Find out why people from all over Canada are getting behind Meatless Mondays.

About Meatless Mondays Canada
Meatless Mondays Canada is a national campaign coordinated by the Earthsave Canada, Lundi sans Viande and the Toronto Vegetarian Association, supported by passionate individuals from coast to coast to coast. As individuals across Canada join Meatless Mondays, we hope to make Canada a world leader in providing healthy, sustainable, cruelty-free food to its citizens.
Find out more here: http://www.meatlessmonday.com/

Delicious Weight Loss Recipes and Strategies

http://blog.peertrainer.com/recipes/

Mediterranean Gourmet Power Bowl Recipe

This is just a sample of what the PeerTrainer group has to offer. They focus on new recipe ideas. New and creative ways that people can actually implement many of the ideas they present about eating for health and weight loss. " Our big objective is to find easy ways of eating a lot of high nutrient food, in a way that we find "crowds" out the other stuff, so that it becomes less of a big deal."

Mediterranean cuisine is one of my favorites. It feels so fresh and clean and tastes like spring. I created this after spotting a great advertisement by Udi's for their sundried tomato artichoke pizza. If you're looking to increase the vegetables in way that tastes great, reduce the wheat, have a "perfect protein", and leave feeling clean and full of energy, this is for you!

One thing we are working hard on doing is identifying foods that can be used in small amounts to deliver a big taste. Goat cheese is one of those foods. It is also a food that is a staple of "gourmet" cuisine. Of course we are here to help give you recipes to lose weight and get more energy. But if we also teach you some great "gourmet" skills, that will be an added benefit! Luckily my mother in law is one of the world's best cooks, and she has taught me over the years how to make healthy food dishes that not only taste great, but that impress your friends. Who among us does not want to make something for friends or guests and have them say "what is this, I HAVE to get this recipe." That is a pretty tall order, but that is our new goal with our recipes! Seems like fun at least.

Mediterranean Gourmet Power Bowl

1 can of fresh artichoke hearts 15 sun dried tomatoes (quartered) 1 pound of quinoa 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves chopped garlic (if you'd like to get fancy and have an extra 25 minutes, 8 cloves of roasted garlic, slice off the top and roast at 400 for 25 min. Or buy pre roasted)) 1/2 cup of basil leaves Few shakes of crushed red pepper Salt to taste Optional: 1 ounce of crumbled goat cheese Optional: Finely chop spinach, Kale, Bok Choy in the Cuisinart, and add it to help reach your 1/2 pound green goal for the day. Maybe you don't want to do this for company or friends. But it fits in very easily.

Prepare quinoa according to pkg. It's usually 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water. I highly recommend preparing in the rice cooker. If you don't have a rice cooker just bring the water to a boil, add the quinoa, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15-17 minutes until it is fluffy. While quinoa is cooking, place artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, chopped spinach/kale, olive oil, garlic, few shakes of red pepper flakes in mixing bowl. When quinoa is finished, add to bowl. Then add a pinch of salt and goat cheese! It is DELICIOUS!

If you want to eat healthy and lose weight, sign up for peer trainer's motivating emails. Your waistline will thank you. http://peertrainer.com

My Review of Chef Brooke's In Fort Myers

Went for lunch at Chef Brooke's Natural Cafe for lunch yesterday. Everything here is organic and fresh although not completely vegan. My flexitarian husband had the special of the day: Rainbow chicken with rice, beans and salad. He truly enjoyed it, thought it tasted great, was the perfect heat and felt great and energized after eating it.

My special of the day was a walnut and millet patty with salad. It was so good and fresh and I especially enjoyed the 3 types of sprouts in my salad. Oh yes, I started off my meal with a shot of wheatgrass. It was my first time ingesting wheatgrass that one of the employees at Brooke's juiced right in front of us. So healthy and pure. As my husband said, it's like drinking the lawn.

We ate outside at the tables since we had our puppy with us but there was a nice eating area inside with juice bar. They also had a variety of vegan and organic products for sale. Chef Brooke herself took our order and was very sweet. She made us feel very welcome. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone who cares about their health, vegetarian or not.

Oven Baked Potato Wedges

From: http://www.fox59.com/lifestyle/food/sns-food-recipes-potatoes-baked-fries,0,7...

Almost all of us have wandered past a fast food restaurant or hot dog stand and felt an overwhelming desire for an order of fries. That smell of potatoes and oil can get to anyone once in a while. No fried foods, we may tell ourselves, followed by self-messages on the evils of high-cal, high-salt options. At the same time, we may want to run to the counter and start munching before reason takes over. The idea that almost anything is fine in moderation could be a rationalization when it comes to potatoes deep fried in oil. But, what to do? With the recipe here, you can save yourself from the french fry remorse you might suffer later on, and still get the fix you crave. "I recommend a two-handed technique: one hand on the bottle of oil and the other holding a measuring spoon," said American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Dawn Jackson Blatner. "It's important to measure oil because just 1 tablespoon has 120 calories. I also like oil mister containers that allow you to spray oil in a fine mist to control calories." Use the recipe to make baked wedge fries like the home-style ones some eateries serve up. Or create strips that have the crunch, taste and look that resemble those long, skinny ones most of us crave. Kay Stepkin is a vegetarian cooking instructor and former owner of a vegetarian restaurant/bakery. E-mail her at foods@tribune.com.

Oven-baked fries
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Note: You can use any type of potato. Don't peel the potatoes or many nutrients will be lost. Also by leaving the skin on, you'll get more crunch.

Ingredients: 2 pounds russet potatoes 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon each: garlic powder, onion flakes, sea salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Pinch red pepper flakes

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut each potato into eight long wedges; place in a large saucepan with salted water to cover. Heat over high heat to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; cook 5 minutes. Drain; place the wedges on a baking sheet. 2. Mix the oil and spices in a small bowl. Brush the oil mixture over the potatoes to evenly coat. Bake 10 minutes, turn wedges. Bake 10 minutes. Turn broiler on; broil until potatoes are crisp on top, about 5 minutes. Turn; broil until crisp, about 5 minutes

Nutrition information Per serving: 189 calories, 22% of calories from fat, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 33 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 215 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.

Falafel With Tahini

One of my favorite vegetarian sandwiches! Check it out and be sure to click the following link for many more delicious French style recipes.

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Falafel-with-Tahini

The seasoned chickpea mixture for this falafel should have a coarse texture. This will ensure a crisp shell and a moist interior. Source: Saveur Related Topics: Beans Bread Vegetables Fry Main Course Sandwich Middle Eastern Easy 19 Share Photo: Penny De Los Santos FOR THE SAUCE: 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped and mashed into a paste with a little salt 1 /2 cup tahini 1/4 cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice Kosher salt, to taste FOR THE FALAFEL: 1/2 lb. dried chickpeas 1 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 tsp. flour 3/4 tsp. ground coriander 3/4 tsp. ground cumin 3 cloves garlic, smashed 1 small onion, roughly chopped Cayenne pepper, to taste 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda mixed with 1 tbsp. water Kosher salt, to taste Canola oil, for frying Warm pita, for serving 1. Make the sauce: Place garlic paste in a small bowl and add the tahini, parsley, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup ice water. Whisk until sauce is creamy; season with salt. Set tahini sauce aside. 2. Make the falafel: In a medium bowl soak chickpeas in cold water overnight. Drain water and place chickpeas in a food processor with parsley, flour, coriander, cumin, garlic, onions, and cayenne. Pulse mixture until it is well combined yet still coarse in texture, about 80 pulses. Add baking soda mixture and season with salt and cayenne; pulse to combine. Chill in freezer for 20 minutes. Use a spoon to portion the mixture into 1-tbsp. balls. 3. Pour oil into a 6-qt. pot to a depth of 2"; heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reads 340˚. Working in batches, fry falafel balls, turning occasionally, until they float and turn golden brown, about 2 1/2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer falafel to a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Serve in a pita with the tahini sauce. SERVES 4 – 6 This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #124

The Organized Traveling Vegetarian

I thought I would share this morning on how I organized myself to eat well while traveling. As you all know, most convenient food sources on the road is junk. From McDonald's to Kentucky Fried Chicken to Arby's and Wendy's all offer... Pretty much Nothing for vegetarians wanting to eat healthful foods. The solution? Pack your own foods and spice it up with once a day visits to selected vegetarian and vegetarian friendly restaurants in the cities you visit.

Here is a list of what I packed in a large cooler bag to last me 3 days minus one meal a day at a vegetarian restaurant. One bag of mixed lettuce and a container to mix salad in. Bags of pre-cut veggies: celery, red and orange bell peppers, 5 mini cucumbers, tub of hummus, almonds, veggie hot dogs, veggie lunch meat, rice crackers, avocado and tomato uncut. Oh yes, herbal tea bags to brew at the motel at night, lemon for morning lemon water and a pint of pre- made green juice. So far so good and we will be getting to our destination tonight in southern Florida.