Booksmart Vegan

New York: Harmony Books, 2018. 223pp. Hello my Booksmart friends! It’s been a minute due to increased demands of real life away from the kitchen. But no matter how busy we get, we gotta eat! And so I must insist that you obtain for yourselves a copy of Sweet Potato Soul forthwith.  This slim paperback is bursting with flavor, creativity, and positivity. As its name implies, it is heavily focused on sweet potatoes, which in addition to being healthy are…

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It seems like vegans are often left out of the various weight-loss crazes du jour, which is obviously no fair, so I was pleased to pick up this substantial paperback, Vegan Intermittent Fasting. Before launching in, I think it’s worth taking a moment here to engage with the “plant-based” v. “vegan” issue for those of you who are newer to this. Although people debate this all time, the consensus is (and Booksmart’s position is) veganism is not a diet. Veganism…

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Little Pine is the second restaurant launched by Moby, arguably the OG celebrity vegan. For some reason, I passed over this book of recipes from the eatery several times before I picked it up. I’m glad I finally did. It’s an attractive, nicely sized hardcover with clear, readable print and enticing photos. The book is broken down into seven chapters: Little Pine Staples, Brunch, Soups and Salads, Small Plates and Sides, Hearty Mains and Large Plates, Desserts and Drinks. This…

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New York: Rodale, 2014, 2021. 212pp. Bad Manners: The Official Cookbook doesn’t feature a named author, but it is spinoff the blog and related podcast of the same name. (Check out both at badmanners.com). The, uh, unique approach of this book is to season the recipes it offers with a generous sprinkling of four letter words and general attitude. It so happens I season my everyday life similarly, so I find it hilarious most of the time. But, if you…

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Salem, MA: Page Street Publishing, 2020. 160pp. Vegan Buddha Bowls by Cara Carlin Cifelli is a slim paperback volume you will definitely want to add to your collection for meals that are fresh and straightforward but also include many creative twists. Like any cookbook, not every recipe is a winner, but the ones that are will make you want to keep it around, and the ones that aren’t don’t break the bank with money and time, so you won’t be…

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New York: Ten Speed Press, 2020. 249pp. There are a lot of things to like about Bryant Terry’s Vegetable Kingdom. The first is how much the author’s personality comes through. I find that cookbooks can often give you a sense of a person in a way many other things can’t. And my conclusion about Bryant Terry is, man, I love this guy! I adore how he vibes with his kids about cooking and food — his daughter suggested the unorthodox…

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New York: William Morrow, 2021. 274 pp. Here’s how you know your kid loves you: Tabitha Brown gives a lecture at her college, she goes and not only gets a signed copy of Tabitha Brown’s new book, Feeding the Soul (because it’s my business): Finding Our Way to Joy, Love, and Freedom, she gets a (weird, socially-distanced) selfie with her, and tells you that Tabitha Brown said to say “hi.” To YOU! By which I mean, to ME!! Thus, I…

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Canada: Appetite by Random House, 2017. 222pp. First, my apologies for not having more photos in this review. I just failed to take them. And the ones I did take aren’t that great. Goals. But I don’t want my recalcitrance to keep you from considering this nifty volume! Fuss-Free Vegan, like the cover photo, just has a nice disposition. The graphics are fun and easy to read. The photos are realistic and not over-styled. It’s a large paperback, stays open…

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Indianapolis: Penguin Random House, 2018 (245pp) This colorful hardcover jumped out at me as it promised not only plant-based food, but Ayurvedic food, about which I knew very little. Eating AND learning. Bonus! The first quarter of this colorful hardcover is an explanation of the Ayurvedic philosophy with a modern twist developed by the author after considerable study. I found the enthusiasm with which she shares the principles of the Ayurvedic approach to health and food to be quite engaging….

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New York: Avery (2018), 288 pp. Booksmarters, I am so excited to tell you about this gem of a cookbook. I first stumbled upon it at the public library – which is, by the way, a great way to “check out” a new cookbook and see if you like it before you buy. (See what I did there? I’m here all week). After I returned it, I found that I kept thinking about it and ordered one for myself. This…

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