Book Reviews

EVEN VEGANS DIE

by Carol J. Adams, MDiv, Patti Breitman, and Virginia Messina, MPH, RD

Some vegan advocates can make it sound as if we vegans will live forever. After all, we're not supposed to get heart disease, cancer, or diabetes. But, as Benjamin Franklin said, "in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes." Yes, vegans die and they die of many of the same chronic diseases that plague nonvegans. While diet is important it's not the only factor that affects our risk for health problems. We don't always know why things go wrong. What we do know is that developing an illness is nothing to be ashamed of. It does not mean that you've done something wrong. In the same vein, vegans come in all shapes and sizes and have different health/illness experiences. Some vegans have been made to feel uncomfortable if they're not svelte or if they have a chronic illness. They may hear hurtful comments like "I didn't think vegans got breast cancer." The authors of Even Vegans Die recognized the importance of acknowledging that we all die, that vegans can get sick, and that disease shaming and body shaming are detrimental to the vegan community.

Even Vegans Die tackles difficult topics ranging from coping with chronic illness to death and dying in a sensitive, practical way. This small book is packed with advice and resources for making the vegan community more inclusive, for mindful care-giving, for mourning, and for preparing for your own death. I was especially interested in sections on making arrangements for companion animals, on choices about your remains, and on continuing to support causes that are meaningful to you even after your death.

This book will be a resource that I anticipate referring to frequently. It belongs on every vegan's bookshelf and will be useful to anyone, whether vegan or not, who is grappling with illness, death and dying. I commend these authors for generously sharing their wisdom and helping us all to remember that "our time on Earth will be more meaningful and more rewarding when we fully and consciously acknowledge that it is limited."

VEGANIZE IT!

By Robin Robertson

This cookbook offers a wide variety of recipes for vegans or anyone thinking of going vegan. One section provides recipes for dairy and egg alternative dishes including Smoky Queso Sauce, Spinach-Artichoke Dip, Chickpea Flour Omelets, and Cheesy Mushroom Scramble. This is followed by recipes for meat alternatives including Marinated Baked Tofu, Piccata Meatballs with Penne and Asparagus, Barbecued Seitan Ribs, Mushroom Bacon, Veganized Scrapple, and No-Meat Loaf.

A chapter on seafood alternatives includes dishes such as Vegan Fish and Chips with Tartar Sauce, Hearts of Palm and Artichoke Cakes, and Vegan Crab Louis. Robin also offers recipes focusing on vegetables such as Mushroom Stroganoff, Pulled Jackfruit BBQ Sandwiches, and Eggplant Paprikash.

Other chapters include Global Condiments, Sauces, and Dressings; Flour Power; and Sweets from Scratch. You will also find color photos throughout this book.

OCEAN GREENS

By Lisette Kreischer and Marcel Schuttelaar

This book will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about edible seaweed and sea vegetables. Included are 50 vegan recipes (including beautiful color photos) such as Sweet Wakame Dressing, Warm Dulse & Fava Bean Salad, Japanese Dashi & Nori Crisps, Sea Chowder & Shiitake Bacon, Cut the Crab Salad, Zucchini Spaghetti with Sea Pesto, Autumn Wild Rice Salad with Hijiki, Seaweed Socca Pizza, and Festive Chocolate Raspberry & Seaweed Cake. You'll also find numerous helpful tips.

NYC VEGAN

By Michael Suchman and Ethan Ciment

During my childhood I spent a lot of time in New York City and ate at many different restaurants. NYC Vegan serves up a wide variety of creative vegan recipes for dishes that you'll find in the Big Apple. If you enjoy dining in NYC, you'll love this book!

Let's start with breakfast. Try Tofu Benedict, Irish Soda Bread, and New York-Style Bagels. Move on to lunch, and prepare dishes including New-Fashioned Jewish Chick'n Soup, Manhattan Glam Chowder, Knishes, Falafel, and Street Cart Pretzels.

Supper items include Lasagna, Southern-Fried Seitan, General Tso's Chick'n, Brisket of Seitan, Classic NYC Pizza, and Pierogi. And of course, there's dessert recipes including Platform Churros, Caramel Corn, New York Cheesecake, Brooklyn Egg Cream, and Zeppole.

AQUAFABA

by Zsu Dever

This cookbook shows you how to prepare sweet and savory egg-free vegan recipes using aquafaba, the liquid from cooked beans. Enjoy dishes such as Classic Waffles, Fluffy Pancakes, Frittata, Chile Relleno Quiche, Swedish Meatballs, Levantine Kebabs, Portobello Schnitzel, Challah, Marshmallows, Sweet Whipped Topping, Lemon Meringue Pie, Pistachio and Cranberry Biscotti, Madeleines, Pound Cake, Meringue Cookies, Espresso Macarons, and much more.

Helpful tips are provided, as well as photos. You will also find a bonus chapter that offers recipes for all the chickpeas you might have leftover after using the bean liquid. Try Pulled Seitan Chickpea Roast or Curried Caribbean Coconut Chickpeas.

T.VEG

By Smriti Prasadam-Halls and illustrated by Katherina Manolessou

Often young veggie kids might feel like they're the only one that is vegan. T. Veg is a terrific book for vegetarian children ages 4-8.

Reginald is a T. Rex and is just as strong as all the rest. He is fast and roars loud, but when it comes to mealtime, he would rather dine on vegetables, beans, and other veggie food. One day, Reginald realizes he's different from the other T. Rex dinosaurs and decides to run away and see if he could fit in with herbivore dinosaurs.

Unfortunately, Reginald scares away the herbivore dinosaurs when he charges to greet them. But later on when a falling large rock threatens the safety of his old T. Rex clan, Reginald returns and shows them how strong a vegetarian Tyrannosaurs Rex actually can be. His former herd is very happy to see him return, after all he saved them from harm. They all celebrate with some delicious veggie cuisine.