People that follow me on Facebook or Twitter know that I am a hardcore vegetable advocate. I don’t eat a 100% vegetarian diet, but I would rather eat roasted Brussels sprouts any day than a hamburger. Here are some of my favorite vegetarian/vegan cookbooks that you can check out if you want to include more delicious veggies in your diet…and you do…trust me!
Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz: *THE* end-all-be-all vegan sourcebook for simple, everyday foods. Veganomicon has been cited as one of the best vegan cookbooks by Goodreads readers, and I agree. There are many simple recipes in here that don’t require crazy ingredients. If you want to round out your cookbook shelf, this book would be my top recommendation.
The PDQ Vegetarian Cookbook by Donna Klein: Want to run to the pantry and whip up a great veggie meal? With PDQ, you can definitely do it! Klein makes it easy to make simple meals with ingredients that are already in your kitchen. The format is easy to follow, and the food is really good.
How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman: This book is HUGE but full of anything vegetarian that you could ever dream of. The chapters are very in-depth with many variations-on-a-theme type recipes. I learned how to make roasted Brussels sprouts from Mr. Bittman…he is one of my heroes!
Appetite For Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz: Most vegetarians or veggie enthusiasts are leaner than our Standard American Dieter counterparts. Moskowitz helps everyone out by compiling some skinny vegan dishes for us in one of her latest cookbooks. Along with Moskowitz’s humor, the book is a fun read and the recipes are delish.
The Vegetable Dishes I Can’t Live Without by Molly Katzen: This lovely book, illustrated by Katzen, is a delightful book to read. Her recipes are simple, and the vegetables’ characteristics aren’t lost in any of the dishes. If you have read any of the Moosewood cookbooks, and were put off by difficult recipes, this is much more pared down.
Peas and Thank You by Sarah Matheny: One of my new favorites! Matheny has two adorable kids and showcases family-friendly vegan meals in this fun cookbook. Try the roasted rosemary-lemon chickpeas…you will not be sorry, but you may eat the whole batch. (Not that I did that or anything…)
Simple Food for the Good Life by Helen Nearing: Next to Thoreau, Scott and Helen Nearing were “extreme” examples for the back-to-the-land movement. If you dislike cooking, and want super easy “recipes” to fill your belly, this is a quirky book for you. Try “horse chow” for breakfast: toss together oats and whatever else you have, then eat! Nearing also includes quotations from early cookbooks, complete with medieval spelling, to show how far we’ve come in the culinary world.
Check out some of these books, and eat your vegetables!
~~Michelle