February is Vegan Cuisine Month
Vegan Cuisine Month was started by the American Vegan Society to raise awareness about changing to a cruelty-free, plant-based diet.
Perhaps you're curious about veganism. Maybe you've heard that athletes like Venus and Serena Williams are vegan. Even big scary hockey player Zdeno Chára has switched to a primarily plant-based diet. He still eats salmon, eggs and other players (unconfirmed) but he credits his mostly vegan diet for a renewed sense of energy.
Are you reluctant to try a plant-based diet because you're worried about missing the foods you love. What do you do at a barbecue if you don't eat meat? How can you live without baked goods? What about ice cream? And cheese? Amazingly there are vegan options for your favourite foods and these cookbooks will help you get started.
Baked Goods
Vegans can have brownies and waffles? Count me in!:
Easy Vegan Baking: 80 Easy Vegan Recipes: Cookies, Cakes, Pizzas, Bread and More by Jérôme Eckmeier.
The Joy of Vegan Baking: More than 150 Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.
Naturally Sweet Vegan Treats: Plant-Based Delights Free from Refined and Artificial Sugars by Marisa Alvarson.
Sweet Eats for All: 250 Decadent Gluten-Free, Vegan Recipes: From Candy to Cookies, Puff Pastries to Petit Fours by Allyson Kramer.
Barbecue
Just because you've given up meat and dairy, doesn't mean you can't have BBQ. These books show you how:
Great Vegan BBQ without a Grill: Amazing Plant-Based Ribs, Burgers, Steaks, Kabobs and More Smokey Favorites by Linda and Alex Meyer
Grilling Vegan Style: 125 Fired-Up Recipes to Turn Every Bite into a Backyard BBQ by John Schlimm.
VBQ: the Ultimate Vegan Barbecue Cookbook: Over 80 Recipes, Seared, Skewered, and Smoking Hot by Nadine Horne.
Vegan al Fresco: Happy and Healthy Recipes for Picnics, Barbecues and Outdoor Dining by Carla Kelly.
Cheese
But how will I live without cheese? Vegan cheese is a thing that exists. Maybe switch to that?:
The Cheesy Vegan: More than 125 Plant-Based Recipes for Indulging in the World's Ultimate Comfort Food by John Schlimm.
This Cheese is Nuts! Delicious Vegan Cheese at Home by Julie Piatt.
Vegan Cheese: Simple, Delicious Plant-Based Recipes by Jules Aron.
Ice Cream
The Best Homemade Vegan Cheese and Ice Cream Recipes by Marie Laforêt.
N'ice Cream: 80+ Recipes for Healthy Homemade Vegan Ice Creams by Virki Mikkonen.
Vegan Ice Dream: Over 90 Sinfully Delicious Dairy-Free Delights by Jeff Rogers.
The Vegan Scoop: 150 Recipes for Dairy-Free Ice Cream that Tastes Better than the "Real" Thing by Wheeler del Torro.
If you'd like to experiment with veganism, great. These books may help ease the transition.
If vegan cooking isn't for you, that's also fine. Toronto Public Library has an extensive collection of cookbooks and staff can help you find one that's right for you.
Comments