Book Reviews
Happy, Healthy, Vegan Kids - With Vegan and Gluten-Free Recipes
By Tracie DeMotte, Tierra Carlson, and Tasha Carlson
Here's a new children's book, suitable for kids ages 4 to 8, that promotes the vegan message well. It includes photos showing various animals and has several vegan recipes throughout the book. Kids will especially love Tic Toc, Taco Salad and Chic, Chic, Chocolate Cake. There's also a page on factory farming and pollution.
Happy, Healthy, Vegan Kids (ISBN 978-1-4415-0782-2) is published by the Xlibris Corporation. Order this book online at http://astore.amazon.com/httpwwwvrgorg-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=4. Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
Treasure Hunt with the Munch Crunch Bunch
By Jan Wolterman, Melinda Hemmelgarn, MS, RD, and J.W. Wolterman
This slick, full-color story/activity book is perfect for young children and is published in English and Spanish. The story/board game inside will teach kids how to make healthy food choices. Emphasis is placed on fresh, organic produce, including a wide range of fruits and vegetables. Some story characters are Brainy Broccoli and Bandana Banana.
Treasure Hunt with the Munch Crunch Bunch (ISBN 0-9789542-0-3) is published by Kid Well Enterprise. This book retails for $11.95 and can be purchased online at http://astore.amazon.com/httpwwwvrgorg-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=3. Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
Love Soup
By Anna Thomas
Love Soup is a new book from Anna Thomas, author of The Vegetarian Epicure. This latest volume offers up 160 soup recipes, most of which are vegan. For the most part, the soup chapters are arranged seasonally. Fall soups include Fennel and Onion Soup and Chard and Yam Soup, while you may wish to try winter options such as Spicy Butternut Ginger Soup and Tomatillo, Squash, and Mustard Greens Soup. During spring months, sample Fresh Fava Bean and Sweet Pea Soup, and have some Corn and Pepper Soup or Kale Tomato Soup during the hot summer.
Other chapters in this cookbook include Cold Soups, Holiday Soups, A Few Good Breads, Hummus and Company, Salads for Summer and Winter, and A Few Easy Sweets. Unfortunately, the desserts are not as vegan-friendly as the rest of the book.
Love Soup (ISBN 0-978-0-393-06479-7) is published by W.W. Norton & Company and retails for $22.95. Order it online at http://astore.amazon.com/httpwwwvrgorg-20?node=1&page=2. Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
Vegan Brunch
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Isa Chandra Moskowitz has done it again! Her latest book, Vegan Brunch, serves up creative dishes that you and your family or friends won't want to miss.
The first section of recipes consists of savory dishes, such as tofu omelets with a wide variety of filling choices, like grilled marinated asparagus, tempeh bacon and caramelized onions, and guacamole and potatoes. Other savory dishes include tofu scrambles, frittatas, quiche, and pierogi. The next group of recipes features sweets, including pumpkin pancakes, gingerbread waffles, French toast, and crêpes.
The author offers up tasty side dishes, such as roasted potatoes, hash browns, home fries, grits, and fried plantains, as well as three different types of vegan sausages.
The bread section includes a wide variety of muffins, coffee cake, cinnamon rolls, scones, and biscuits. These are followed by various toppings-including whole berry sauces and Smoked Almond Gravy-as well as a few beverages, such as Pink Grapefruit Mimosas and Mango Lassi.
Call up your neighbors and friends, and invite them over for a brunch today!
Vegan Brunch (ISBN 978-0-7382-1272-2) is published by Da Capo Press. Order online at http://astore.amazon.com/httpwwwvrgorg-20?_encoding= UTF8&node=1. Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
The Best of Vegan Cooking
By Priscilla Feral
The Best of Vegan Cooking is a collaborative effort that includes original recipes as well as dishes produced by various authors and chefs. Among these wonderful recipes, you will find Miso Tempeh Nori Soup, Himalayan Red Rice Salad with Cranberries, Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Quinoa-Stuffed Acorn Squash With Cherries, Fennel and Onion Risotto, Wheat-Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins, Chocolate Marbled Pound Cake, and Mango Tango Flan.
The book has some beautiful color photographs. Nutritional analyses are not provided; however, generally, the recipes are not high in fat.
The Best of Vegan Cooking (ISBN 0-9769159-2-8) is published by Friends of Animals and retails for $19.95. Order this book online at www.friendsofanimals.org, or purchase it in a bookstore. Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
Ani's Raw Food Desserts
By Ani Phyo
Finally, there's a book devoted to raw desserts! I have often felt that, when people tell me they have enjoyed dining on raw foods, they were probably thinking about the raw dessert they had recently consumed. If you want to prepare some of these options at home, this book is meant for you.
Under Frozen Treats, you'll learn how to prepare Key Lime Kream Bars (made from cashews, lime juice, agave syrup, coconut oil, and filtered water) and Mango Sorbet (a lower-fat treat). The chapter on Cakes and Tartlets includes Raspberry Ganache Fudge Cake (containing walnuts, cacao or carob powder, and Medjool dates) and Lemon Pudding Filled Coconut Cupcakes.
Readers won't want to miss the section on Chocolate and Fudge, which includes Mayan Crunch Truffle Balls and Chocolate-Cashew Butter Fudge. Then, there's the Peach and Pistachio Cobbler, Pecan Pie Cookies, Cherry Brownie Hearts, and so much more.
Ani's Raw Food Desserts features numerous beautiful color photos of the recipes. Nutritional analyses are not included, and many of the recipes are not lowfat. If you're allergic to nuts, you might want to pass on this book. But others can enjoy scrumptious desserts without ever having to turn on the oven or stove.
Ani's Raw Food Desserts (ISBN 978-0-7382-1306-4) is published by Da Capo Press Lifelong Books. The book retails for $17.95. Purchase it at http://astore.amazon.com/httpwwwvrgorg-20?node=6&page=2. Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
The Submlime Restaurant Cookbook
By Nanci Alexander
So many readers have told VRG that they love dining at Sublime Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Now, everyone can sample the establishment's cuisine at home, thanks to this cookbook.
Enjoy Chilled Cucumber Coconut Soup, Watercress Salad, several sushi and pizza recipes, Pad Thai, Sublime Loaf, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and yummy desserts, such as Georgia Peach Crisp, S'mores Brownies, and Baked Apple Napoleon.
The Sublime Restaurant Cookbook (ISBN 978-1-57067-227-9) is published by Book Publishing Company. The book retails for $19.95. Purchase it at http://astore.amazon.com/httpwwwvrgorg-20?node=1&page=2. Reviewed by Debra Wasserman.
Vegetarian Cooking for Mommies
By Laura Theodore
Vegetarian Cooking for Mommies is a collection of basic recipes, most of which are quick and easy. The majority of the 60 recipes are vegan; the new edition will contain only vegan dishes. Recipes include Broccoli with Lemon Sauce, Nutritious Nachos, Raspberry Tofu Pudding, and Tofu 'Eggless' Salad. Menu ideas for Thanksgiving and New Year's also are included. New cooks will appreciate the detailed information on vegetarian foods and cooking techniques.
Vegetarian Cooking for Mommies (ISBN 978-0-557-01991-5) is published by Lulu.com. It has 96 pages and retails for $12.95 in paperback or $7.95 as a download from www.mommiesline.com. Reviewed by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD.
