What’s Cookin’?
In addition to potluck parties as a source of inspiration, here are some other favorites ways I’ve kept cruelty-free eating in my home healthy and interesting, without making things too complicated. Especially on a day-to-day basis, the key is keeping things simple. Even if you or your family members aren’t ready to give up the hamburgers, setting aside one night each week to be “veg night” can make a difference!
Each month, the mag arrives and I flip through the pages – if you’re still not convinced that a vegetarian/vegan dish can be scrumptious, just flip through the pages in this publication the next time you’re at the magazine rack.
Best feature: a chart in each issue gives a quick breakdown of the recipes by category (entrée, dessert, etc.): Vegetarian, Vegan, Low-Cal, Low Fat, Gluten-Free, and Under 30 Minutes. Needless to say, I really LOVE the “Under 30 Minutes” mark! With a highlighter in my hand, I usually choose a handful of recipes and make it a goal to try each one at some point in the month. If there’s a more time-consuming recipe that is too tempting to pass up, I save it for a weekend or special event.
Cookbooks
I love the idea of taking out a cookbook, picking a recipe, shopping, and then putting on some great music while I cook up a feast. I must confess this doesn’t happen as often as I would like. But when you’re starting out on a new eating path, or for special occasions, a good cookbook can take you places you never imagined!
- Easy Vegetarian (Ryland Peters and Small)
These recipes really are simple to follow and good pictures help you decide!
fave: roasted pumpkin, red onions, baby potatoes and fennel with chickpeas in tomato sauce - Field of Greens (Annie Somerville)
Greens Restaurant in San Francisco is a personal fave – if you have the chance, go Go GO!
fave: summer vegetables with red curry - Moosewood Restaurant Low-fat Favorites (The Moosewood Collective)
This low-fat edition makes it easy to spice things up in the kitchen without putting on the pounds.
fave: pasta with puttanesca sauce - The Angelica Home Kitchen (Leslie McEachern)
Organic, vegan recipes from one of my all-time fave restaurants. For me, any Angelica dish is a piece of home.
fave: everything! - Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook (Moskowitz and Romero)
I just added this book to my collection. Planning to try the spicy tempeh nori rolls recipe soon!
Reminder: It’s OK not to like every recipe. Though I’ve seldom been disappointed, there are some dishes that have turned out better than others. If you try a dish and you think to yourself, “Wow, that just wasn’t very good at all!” don’t give up the veg approach completely. And any time I’m trying out a new recipe, I always give myself the “out” to order some Thai takeout if things really go awry…
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