BOOK REVIEWS
THE ACCIDENTAL VEGAN
By Devra Gartenstein
Devra Gartenstein is not vegetarian; however, while running her catering business she received numerous requests for vegan dishes and learned how to adjust her recipes to meet this need.
Her new book, The Accidental Vegan, is filled with creative dishes. You can enjoy Thai Tomato Soup or Curried Peanut Butter Soup. If you're looking for delicious entrées, try Palak Tofu, Tamales with unique fillings, Sweet Potato Pot Pie, and an entire chapter devoted to cooking with seitan. Other unusual items include Curried Millet, Kim Chee, and Vietnamese Salad.
Please note that a few of her recipes contain honey, a non-vegan ingredient. However, vegan sweeteners such as rice syrup or maple syrup can easily be substituted. Also, no nutritional analyses are provided.
The Accidental Vegan (ISBN 1-58091-079-3) is published by The Crossing Press. The book is 223 pages and retails for $14.95. Look for this book in your local bookstore.
Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD FORAGER - THE GUIDE FOR THE WILD FOOD GOURMET
By Robert K. Henderson
According to Robert K. Henderson, many people assume that foraging — the art and practice of gathering food and medicine from the wild — necessitates walking through swamps and pushing back brambles in order to find a handful of nuts and berries. In his new book, The Neighborhood Forager, readers quickly learn that residential areas offer more botanical diversity, and therefore richer pickings, than the average forest or rural meadow. Every neighborhood has its share of plants with culinary and medicinal uses.
This guide is intended to be used in conjunction with one or more detailed field guides. It is organized into chapters according to plant type and arranged alphabetically by genus. Each entry includes cooking tips and some recipes are offered. Although this is not a vegetarian guide, you will find a lot of valuable information on this topic. Black and white photos of many plants are featured.
The Neighborhood Forager (ISBN 1-890132-35-7) is published by Chelsea Green Publishing Company. The book is 226 pages and retails for $24.95. Look for this book in your local bookstore.
Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
BECOMING VEGAN: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO ADOPTING A HEALTHY PLANT-BASED DIET
By Brenda Davis, RD, and Vesanto Melina, MS, RD
Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina, two vegetarian dietitians, have written an outstanding guide to vegan diets. Becoming Vegan begins with a look at the history of the vegan movement, goes on to thoroughly cover basic nutrition topics for vegans, provides a vegan food guide, addresses the needs of children and pregnant women, and discusses topics like overweight, eating disorders, and the vegan athlete. It ends with an excellent chapter on vegan diplomacy and vegan resources. Davis and Melina, who previously worked together on Becoming Vegetarian, have written a book that will appeal to those who want to know more about veganism.
This book is a credible resource on vegan diets. Many complex issues, including lipid metabolism and the stages of vitamin B12 deficiency, are clearly explained. The book features a number of tables, bulleted points, sidebars, and boxed bulletins to simplify information and to reinforce points made in the text. Case studies also give the reader very practical, useful help. While some of the information presented may be over the head of the beginning vegan with no nutrition background, the tables and summary points could be easily used by even a beginner to understand the more important issues.
Readers should note that this is not a cookbook and only a couple of recipes are given. However, the book is full of practical tips and ideas.
I highly recommend Becoming Vegan to vegans who want to learn more about vegan nutrition, health care professionals, and those interested in moving toward a more plant-based diet.
Becoming Vegan (ISBN 1-57067-103-6) is published by the Book Publishing Co.
Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
