BOOK REVIEWS

This book offers main dishes that can be prepared ahead of time, heated up, and then brought to your table in one serving vessel. You will not find recipes for desserts, side dishes, or appetizers.

For lunch, nothing beats a hearty bowl of steaming hot soup. You'll see recipes including Wild Watercress Soup with Slivers of Seitan, Indonesian Noodle Soup with Tofu, and Senegalese-Inspired Red Lentil Soup. Looking for a hearty salad? Try Smoky Chickpea Salad with Mango and Avocado, Scattered Sushi Salad, or Cumin-Spiced Quinoa Salad with Jalapeño Pesto.

Some hearty entrées include Jamaican Jerk Tempeh and Vegetables, Bombay Beans with Chutney, Orange-Scented Chipotle Chili, and Thai Peanut Bowl with Tofu and Asparagus. Of course, you don't want to skip pasta dishes like Penne with Garlicky Escarole and White Beans, or Creamy Noodle Curry.

The last chapter's dishes need to be heated up in an oven. These include Southwestern Mac and Queso, Turkish-Style Stuffed Eggplant with Walnut Sauce, Butternut and Cremini Lasagna, and Chickpea Pot Pie.

Chef McCarthy has been cooking professionally since 1982. His latest book offers a wide range of international dishes.

Appetizers include Grilled Plantains with Mole Sauce, Pot Stickers, and Tempura Onion Rings. Soothing soups include Jamaican Coconut and Bean Soup, Pho Noodle Bowl, and Miso Soba Noodle Soup. Also, you can prepare these salads: Cilantro Lime Slaw, Falafel Salad, or Incan Quinoa Salad.

Side dishes add variety to a meal. Try Aloo Gobhi, Curry Almond Orzo, or Roasted Curry Cauliflower. For that main entrée, you can make Barbecue Ribz, Chili Rellenos, Cottage Pie, Jerk Tofu, Portobello Mushroom Wellington, Stromboli, Tamales, and much more.

Follow up your meal with a creative dessert, including Apple Strudel, Chai Tapioca Pudding, Mexican Wedding Cookies, or Southern Style Peach Pie.

If you're looking for some new breakfast ideas, you may want to cook Canadian Flipjacks, Crumpets, or Belgian Waffles. The book also includes recipes for dressings, beverages, breads, sauces, dips, and spreads.

Please note that nutritional analyses are not provided; however, you will find a glossary and other helpful tips.

Mérida is the founder of Vegan Secret Supper, a dining club that she currently runs in Brooklyn, NY and previously ran in Canada. This cookbook includes 150 creative recipes with suggestions on how to plate dishes. You'll also find color photos throughout.

You can start off with an appetizer such as Apple Smoked Tofu & Caramelized Onion Spring Rolls with Carrot Tamarind Chutney & Avocado Aioli. Next, you can serve soup including Carrot Ginger soup with Lemon Basil Cream, or Mushroom Consommé. A sample salad offering is Mustard Roasted Nugget Potatoes with Crispy Fennel & Smoky Portobellos.

Main dishes include Butternut Squash & Almond Gnocchi Sautéed with Sage Garlic Butter; Leek & Oyster Mushroom Risotto Cakes with Yellow Beet Reduction; and Coconut Fettucine Alfredo with Seared Brussels Sprouts & Cherry Tomatoes. You will also find recipes for breads and grains. And of course, you don't want to forget about dessert. Try Cashew Lemon Pudding Cake, Pumpkin Maple Cinnamon Buns, Sweet Potato Lime Crème Brûlée, or a mouthwatering selection of vegan ice cream.

Vegan parents are often looking for kid-friendly cookbooks with vegan recipes. Apples, Bean Dip, & Carrot Cake fits the bill. More than 25 kids in full-color photos show readers how to prepare vegan snacks and meals and how to safely use kitchen tools and equipment. The book is divided into four levels, with the first level geared towards very young children just learning how to cook. The remaining levels increase in difficulty as children are able to do more by themselves.

Level one encourages very young children to prepare Trail Mix, Fruit Juice Popsicles, Shake-It Dressing, and more. In level two, children can make Ambrosia Fruit Salad, Bean Dip, Guacamole, and other dishes. By level three, children are able to steam vegetables, make Pita Pizza, Sushi, Gingerbread Cookies, and other items. Finally, older children reaching level four will enjoy using a blender to make Hummus, Peach Banana Smoothies, and Banana Ice Cream.

Linda Long shoots the beautiful photos that appear on the cover of each issue of Vegetarian Journal. She's now completed another cookbook that features her gorgeous images of her own recipes and some contributed by chefs and cookbook writers.

Among the recipes you'll find in this book are Chocolate-Stuffed French Toast with Rice Krispies, Arugula Watermelon Salad, Fast Horseradish Soup, Mushroom Bread Stuffing, Dilip's Lime Jerk Seitan, Vegetable Napoleon with White Bean Ragù and Sautéed Broccoli, Crispy Tofu and Rotisserie-Style Tempeh, Thai Seitan Grill, Cashew Nut Roast with Parsley Stuffing and Gravy, Chef Adam's Chickpea Pesto, Pecan Pie, and Peanut Butter Cups.

The introduction includes all the basics readers need to know to follow a vegan diet. Nutritional analyses are not provided; however, most recipes appear not to be high fat. Helpful hints also appear throughout the book.

The color photos in this book will make you drop everything and start baking. You may even want to start in the morning with desserts for breakfast, including New York-Style Crumb Cake, Chocolate Babka, or New Orleans Beignets.

Chloe was the winner of Food Network's Cupcake Wars, and her desserts are often quite unique. Cookies and Bars featured include Blondies, Vermont Maple Cookies, and Baklava. Pies, Tarts, and Cobblers include Mocha Mud Pie, Raspberry Lemon Tart, and Peach Cobbler. Cupcake and cake recipes include Mixed Berry Shortcake, Spiced Applesauce Cake, Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake, Cinnamon Mocha Cupcakes, and Coffee Almond Crunch Cupcakes.

The 'Spoon Desserts' section includes recipes for Chocolate Hazelnut Gelato and Rum Raisin Rice Pudding. 'Drink Up!' includes Pumpkin Spice Latte and Chocolate Raspberry Shake. Finally, under 'Basics,' find recipes for interesting toppings, sauces, and crusts, including Coconut Whipped Cream, Fudge Frosting, Gluten-Free Pie Crust, and more.

No nutritional analyses are provided, and since this is a dessert book, don't expect all the recipes to be low fat.