150 Vegan Favorites

W
elcome to
150 Vegan Favorites
, a compilation of innovative and traditional vegan dishes culled from around the world. This grand world of vegan cuisine explores the adventurous possibilities of cooking with vegetables, grains, legumes, and fruits. From savory soups, crisp salads, and piquant dips to hearty one-pot dishes, pilafs, and pastas, here is gourmet vegan fare prepared with culinary flair.

In addition to pleasurable flavors and soothing aromas, plant-based vegan cookery offers a wealth of health benefits. In
150 Vegan Favorites
, there are myriad recipes loaded with nutritious foods such as dark leafy greens, winter squash, whole grains, beans, and seasonal fruits. These “power foods” provide antioxidants, phytochemicals, fiber, complex carbohydrates, and other vital nutrients that help prevent and fight chronic disease, bolster the immune system, provide energy, and enhance the overall quality of life. The vegan diet—a vegetarian regime that excludes all dairy and animal byproducts such as cheese, milk, and eggs—is also naturally low in fat and calories and cholesterol-free.

In the past the vegan diet has occasionally been labeled as too restrictive or austere. To the contrary, the new brand of vegan cookery is not limited to sprouts, nuts, and granola. Today’s vegan pantry overflows with wild rice, couscous, arborio rice, red lentils, chick-peas, potatoes, yams, and pastas galore. Seasonal vegetables such as winter squash, woodsy mushrooms, colorful leafy vegetables, and tropical fruits are in great demand, as are fresh herbs, spicy chilies, glorious garlic, and fragrant
spices. Of course, soy milk, rice milk, and tofu are stalwart (and versatile) staples. The culinary possibilities are endless.

The dishes in this book are sure to be a boon to the harried cook whose supper hour seems more like a rush hour. Many of the user-friendly recipes can be prepared in thirty minutes or less and are easy to follow. Most of the ingredients are readily available in well-stocked supermarkets and natural food stores—and won’t send you scurrying on a treasure hunt (or break your budget). The wide selection of recipes inspires inviting menu ideas for every season and occasion.

Whether you are a vegetarian, vegan, or just striving to decrease the meat and dairy products in your diet, you will enjoy this bountiful collection of high-spirited and adventurous recipes.
150 Vegan Favorites
offers vivid proof that meatless, dairy-free meals can be appealing, nourishing, and immensely gratifying. So fire up the stove and rally your appetite; these vibrant vegan recipes promise to satisfy with epicurean delight.

Happy cooking!