My postman came through the door (of my shop) with the amazon package i hadn't been been expecting until next week. I couldn't hold back my cheesy geeky grin (I bet they get that a lot when handing over parcels- I should ask James about that, he's doing some post delivery work at the moment!)
Since my eating style has kind of evolved into this 70-80% vegan deal, I wanted to get some inspiration. Plus I had an amazon voucher for trading in a bunch of university textbooks, so it was essentially free....
First on my list was 'The Happy Herbivore Abroad' by Lyndsay Nixon, which my Christmas 'elf4health' Diana is recommending and hosting a giveaway for right now on her blog. The simple and accessible recipes inspired by cuisines from her world travels are supplemented with photos and stories of the recipe's origins and the people she's met plus extra cookery tips. They are all vegan and despite most recipes being low-fat which is less my style, adding fats like avocado or a sprinkling of seeds is doable to complete the meal. Oh, and her little logo of an elephant carrying a leaf is just too cute!
After some browsing on amazon, I came across 'Veganomicon' by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. It sounds like, and it probably is, the HOLY GRAIL of animal-free cooking! Over 250 recipes, with some incredible chapters on preparing everyday staples. And their writing style is just so readable! There are few photos, which will mean that when I try to recreate a recipe I will be doing so blindly...but that's ok, it will allow me to get creative, and all the more room for recipes! The recipes are more complex than Lyndsay's book, but I think a culinary challenge to push me will be good. Plus, there is a recipe and serving ideas for homemade seitan, which is a rediculously high protein soy-free food made from wheat gluten that I foresee becoming a staple in my diet. While gluten is a trouble for some, I don't think it upsets me. I find soya milk, soy isolate powders and fermented soy products sometimes can, especially if had frequently or in large amounts, so seitan would be a better option.
I can't wait to share my favourites from these books with you! Also, as I never strictly follow a recipe, I look forward to making these my own!
What are your favourite cookery books, meatless or otherwise? Oh, and have you ever had seitan?
I'm going back to reading now!
Hannah xx
Amazing post, but do you know what causes hiccups?
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