Tried, tested and true: This is my list of the best cookbooks to make your vegan collection complete.
Why a list of the best vegan cookbooks? I am utterly obsessed with cooking. Standing in my steaming hot kitchen for hours and falling asleep with a cookbook in hand are just a few of my recent habits.
I’ve been focused on improving my skills and really getting back to the basics. I have moments where I feel like the best cook ever and others where I flop on everything. Right now I’m somewhere in the middle and I want to try to teach myself new techniques so I can flourish rather than flop. I’ve also been teaching myself how to make absolutely everything from scratch – bread, butter, ketchup, tofu, ice cream – you name it!
When I get into these creation moods I have to turn to my favourite cookbooks for guidance and inspiration. These vegan chefs have set the stage for my adventures in this culinary adventure and I highly recommend picking up any of the books on this great list.
1. Fresh at home
My roommate got this book as a gift back in 2006 before I even considered the concept of vegan cuisine. Infact the book was never even marketed as vegan. Being vegan was generally less popular ten years ago. I was a busy and broke student at the time so I was skeptical about this book. I thought it would too complicated and expensive to buy the ingredients. Once I sampled a few of my roomie’s recipes, I was hooked! It didn’t even take half as much time as I would have expected and the recipes were divine. Exquisite salads, sandwiches, soups and bowls were all relatively easy to prepare and very fresh. I owe a lot to this book because it was my very first introduction to vegan food and it was the base for a lot of what I make now. I think this is an excellent book to get started with vegan cuisine or to have on hand for quick and tasty meals.
2. Oh she glows
Oh she certainly does glow! This cookbook is a fabulous journey through a variety of classic dishes that have been “veganized” as well as fabulous bowls, salads, desserts and more. The dishes that you find in Oh She Glows are really all the trend right now – incorporating very popular ingredients like avocado, cashews and coconut oil. Since the style of cooking is a la mode, it means you can easily find a lot of these ingredients. Author Alison Liddon is sort of the vegan blogging guru who really gives us a full scope of what you can do with vegan food, a great inspiration!
3. The Homemade Vegan Pantry
Dear heaven, I could build a shrine to Miyoko Schinner. The Homemade Vegan Pantry the most beautiful cookbooks with classic gorgeous photography and writing that exudes grace. This book breaks it down and to the basics of how to make everything from scratch. So far she has taught me to make tofu, almond milk, soy milk, meatballs, crab cakes and so much more. This may not be the best book for beginners but it is perfect for someone who wants to dig a little deeper and find out how everything is made. I am totally a DIY girl so I am pretty much glued to this book. Love love love.
4. Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen
Now we’re talking. I love Indian food and Vegan Richa’s spin on Indian is refreshing and fabulous. I adore her blog and her flavours are a huge inspiration for me. Indian is the perfect cuisine for vegans but it’s not always that easy to get started. A lot of popular vegan cookbooks shy away from Indian dishes and focus more on a western palate with some Mexican and Asian influences. Vegan Richa is different, she really nailed it. She takes classic Indian recipes and makes them quite simple and easy to prepare. She provides ingredients lists and also gives a range in terms of difficulty so that you can work your way up. I would say buy this book, bring it with you to an Indian grocer and get started. Big recommend for this one!
6. Vegan Soul Kitchen:
I love soul music and I love soul food. The word soul pretty much encapsulates the feeling that I hope to create every time I bite into some fresh food. The feeling of nourishing your body with healthy ingredients while nourishing your heart and soul with a brilliant and satisfying meal. What is more satisfying than slow-cooked hearty afro-influenced cuisine? This cookbook is Bryant Terry’s first and focuses on African American southern-style dishes. I love this book for the smoky, sweet and savoury flavours and the use of traditional southern ingredients like corn, black-eyed peas, chiles and greens. This is a great book to diversify your collection and brush up on your soul.
