There comes a time in every blogger’s life when she connects so deeply with a cookbook that she feels, while making the food described in it, that she and the author are inextricably linked. Food recipes can connect us across geography and time, and in the case of Mayim’s Vegan Table: More than 100 Great-Tasting and Healthy Recipes from My Family to Yours, I felt super connected to the author, wherever she is, being a fabulous neuroscience PhD, television star, and all-around gorgeous vegan genius. Every recipe she included in here seemed as though aimed at me to love it, though I’m sure that’s how most feel. Brussels sprouts chips? Kugel? Taco salad? I also miss making a lot of my favorite Jewish foods like Matzo Ball soup, challah, sufganiyot, rugelach, kugel, and more. This cookbook is totally a resource for those of us who love vegan food that tastes like a Bubbie made it!
The beginning of the book includes some helpful tips on vegan food prep, some basics and some in-depth tutorials like meal planning for picky kid eaters and sections on the science and environmental arguments behind a healthful vegan diet. To be honest, a lot of that stuff didn’t appeal as much to me (I just wanted to make the delish recipes!), but I think for new and/or aspiring vegans, it’d be a big help! I’m glad she took the time to share her values and appeal to parents who may need more help to get junior to eat her broccoli.
I’ve made several of Mayim’s recipes, and here are some of my favorites so far:
Quinoa with Herbs and Veggies
Vegan challah! I actually used Mayim’s Turtle Bread recipe and just substituted gluten-free flour.
Taco Salad! Mmm
Brussels sprouts chips: easy to make (if time consuming) and oh-so-good! I added nutritional yeast.
These recipes for the photos above are each very easy to make, designed for busy parents and/or those who love delicious food but don’t have time to create crazy-elaborate dishes. I highly recommend picking up a copy, and not only because Mayim is so cool! Here’s a link to another great review of Mayim’s Vegan Table by my friend Jenny Bradley on Vegansaurus.
Buy Mayim’s Vegan Table online and at bookstores nationwide.
I’m so excited to read your review, I’ve been just dying to know what you thought of the book! Those Brussels sprouts chips, RIGHT??!! So good! I’m glad that you liked it as much I did! 🙂 It’s a good one!
yes!! Thanks Jenny!!
For vegan-style “faux-chicken-stock,” for faux-chicken soup, I use light miso mixed w/enough water to make it taste just right. The trick is to first simmer the water with celery – you can use the leaves, or the tops & bottoms that you cut off when eating the stalk – and a dash of ground fenugreek, then strain. (Let water cool to just under boiling. Don’t use boiling water w/miso, or it kills the good stuff in it.) Quick vegan soup: use that miso & celery & fenugreek “stock,” and separetly rehydrate some dried veggie soup mix in a very little boiling water, then add those to the stock. Garnish w/parsley & sprin onions if you have them. *For a richer “faux-chicken” stock, I add a dash of tamari to the light miso “stock.” I LOVE THIS new vegan cook book, by the way!