The Creme de la Vegan Creme of Cookbook Recipes

Guest Bloggin’ Vegan Blond Bombshell Marisa Miller-Wolfson of Kind Green Planet gives us her list of the ultimate must-try veg recipes and cookbooks. Carnivores, don’t be afraid to try something new. Your taste buds (and families health) can thank us later.

I heard once that the average family only has eleven meals in their repertoire. Really? Only eleven? But when you first start to transition to a more plant-based lifestyle, eleven can seem like a lot. Where do you even start? What cookbooks are the best? Within the cookbooks, what recipes are the best? If you’re going to put in all the time, effort, and money, you wanna know that it’ll be worth it in the end. Obviously, taste is a matter of, well, taste, but some recipes I’ve found to be tried and true in taste tests with vegans and omnivores alike. The following recipes I’ve either tested out myself or my friends have raved about:

You cannot go to a vegan potluck without someone bringing a dish from this comprehensive must-have cookbook by vegan cookbook icons Isa Chandra Moscowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Vegonomicon is not only truly beautiful (coffee table book lovely!), it’s a fantastic Hostess Gift. Favorites include: Spicy Tempeh and Broccoli Rabe with Rotelle, Seitan Piccata with Olives and Green Beans, Chickpea Cutlets, Hot Sauce Glazed Tempeh, Basil Cilantro Pesto, and Chewy Chocolate-Raspberry Cookies.

Vegan Vengeance was Isa Chandra Moscowitz’s first cookbook. It has sold more than 50,000 copies, which for a vegan cookbook ‘aint bad! You can see pictures of dishes that fans have posted online. Favorite recipes include Apple Pie Crumb Cake Muffins, Strawberry Shortcake, and Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Pancakes.

I put a cupcake carrier on my wedding registry just so that I could I bring Moscowitz and Romero’s cupcakes en masse to parties and picnics. Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World spawned a cute New York times article about Moscowitz. Favorites include Chocolate Mint Cupcakes, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes, and Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes with Old-Fashioned Velvet Icing.

We just got given the Candle Cafe Cookbook by some of my husband’s animal law students, and I’m kicking myself for not having gotten it sooner. I’ve only tried the Ginger-Miso Stir-Fry and the Spicy Soba Noodle Stir-fry, but they’re amazing. Not surprising from the owners of my all-time favorite restaurant, Candle 79!

If you went vegan in the past ten years, you will own a copy of at least one cookbook by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer. My favorite remains their first, How It All Vegan. My friends never seem to get sick of me bringing Oi-vey! Mock Chopped Liver to every party I ever attend (or at least they never tell me so!) My standard dinner party dish, the Classic Spinach Lasagna, is always a hit.

You Won’t Believe It’s Vegan! is a staple in our house. I don’t know what I’d do during CSA harvest season without the Dark Green Salad and the Roasted Tomato, Basil and Corn Salad. The Eggless Tofu Salad and the Love Bowl fill my belly with love and yumminess. The Sun-Dried Tomato Pate Leaf Wraps make a tasty, healthy snack.

I’m quickly running out of room here, so I’ll just mention a few more favorites: Almond Ginger Pate from Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen; Smoky South American Seitan Stew with Coconut-Infused Quinoa from Grub (not all recipes are vegan); Kale and Kraut Sandwiches from Vegan Vittles; Lentil Soup from The Moosewood Cookbook (not all recipes are vegan); Buffalo Tofu “Chicken” Wings from The Vegan Soulfood Guide To the Galaxy; and Chocolate Chip Cookies from Vive le Vegan!: Simple, Delectable Recipes for the Everyday Vegan Family. Want a bigger list of cookbooks? Dang, you are ambitious! Check out a big list of recipes and cookbooks here. You can’t expand your repertoire unless you try new recipes! Consider it an investment in your health. You can get great deals on eco-friendlier used versions at regular online retailers or borrow copies from your local library for free. Another option is visiting the cookbook author’s websites for online recipes.

Have your own favorite cookbook recipes or vegan/ healthy cooking site? Don’t keep them to yourself–lettuce know! Leave a comment below.

Marisa Miller Wolfson is the Outreach Director for Kind Green Planet, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching people about healthy, humane, eco-friendly living. She’s currently in post-production for her documentary about veganism and is co-drafting a city council resolution to lower NYC’s global warming “foodprint.” She also loves coaching people on plant-based living through Vegan at Heart, a free email mentoring program for treehuggers, animal lovers, and health nuts who consider themselves vegans at heart but not necessarily in practice.