Vegan Holiday Cooking
Kristina’s Bookshelf
Christmas holidays are filled with delicious foods like cheeses, roast beasts, grilled fishes, and desserts rich with butter. In short, typically not a lot of vegan fare. Three new books are stuffed full of delightful, creative vegan dishes to keep you covered for both big festive meals and casual at-home cooking.
Vegan Christmas:
Over 70 Amazing Recipes for the Festive Season
By Gaz Oakley
(Quadrille Publishing, 2018)
The “Jamie Oliver of vegan food” has assembled a delightful 175-page volume filled with photos and recipes to cook through the Christmas season. The book outlines menus and planning and serves up recipes for all occasions. Make a memorable breakfast with snowflake-shaped Sweet Potato Waffles and Tofu Benedict. For an elaborate Christmas Wellington dinner with all the trimmings, try “Turkey” Roast and Festive Nut Roast Wreath served with Hasselback Potatoes and Fluffy Yorkshire Puddings. Finish a feast with dairy-free desserts like Chocolate Orange Raw Cheesecake and Creme Brûlée Tarts. There are vegan versions of Smoked Chili, Rosemary Dough-Ball Fondue, Mini Quiches, Mince Pies, Pavlova, the traditional Christmas Pudding with Custard, and a “cheese” board. Ideas for Boxing Day leftovers include Bubble & Squeak and Christmas Curry.
15 Minute Vegan Comfort Food:
Simple and Satisfying Vegan Recipes
By Katy Beskow
(Quadrille Publishing, 2018)
Here are 100 recipes suitable for weeknight cooking. Highlights include a deeply rich and satisfying chocolate chili, a red bean goulash with borlotti beans and smoky paprika, and a boozy chestnut mushroom bourguignon. Among the desserts: marmalade and nutmeg rice pudding, a chocolate mug cake with melt-y Turkish Delight at the center, and biscuit-baked clementines with amaretto liqueur.
Smith & Deli-Cious:
Food from Our Deli (That Happens to be Vegan)
By Shannon Martinez and Mo Wyse
(Hardie Grant Books, 2018)
Deli chefs Martinez and Wyse share the tried-and-true recipes for some of their most popular dishes you don’t typically think of as vegan, such as a carbonara sauce that uses “bacon” made from rice paper; feta cheese made from tofu; and larb made from the usual herbs, spices, and pickles and soaked, textured vegetable protein or minced vegetables. Also find Spicy Piquillo Pepper & Chickpea soup; Chocolate, Mandarin, & Cherry Self-Saucing Pudding; and many other delicious dishes.
Edible East Bay’s book editor Kristina Sepetys is eager to share her ideas and book recommendations with our readers.