Book review

Mouthwatering Vegan
by Miriam Sorrell
Appetite by Random House 2013, 304 pages, $29.95
ISBN 978-0-449-01565-0

If the idea of reducing the amount of animal products in your diet has you intrigued, Mouthwatering Vegan is the book for you. Bold and colourful with stunning photography, this cookbook draws readers in with the promise of easy, tasty, and planet-friendly recipes—and it delivers on all accounts.

For those who are new to the concept of going vegan, author Miriam Sorrell tells her own story of becoming vegan and explains the information readers need to ensure all of their nutritional needs are met by an animal-free diet. She also helps readers set up the perfect vegan pantry—a definite plus for the uninitiated.

From appetizers to desserts and everything in between, this book’s recipes are surprisingly easy to create, thanks to their interesting introductions and clear instructions. In many cases, Sorrell takes meat-laden favourites such as lasagna, burgers, and hot dogs and reinvents them to be vegan-approved, with surprising ease and delicious taste. Her recipe for “Best-ever Bolognese” is gastronomical perfection that would fool even the most insistent meat lovers.

Readers with a sweet tooth will adore the “Desserts, Cakes & Treats” section. With 22 recipes ranging from red velvet cake to nutty chocolate bars, there is literally something for nearly every taste. The “Chocoholics Cheesecake” is as decadent as any cheesecake found anywhere—and it’s cholesterol free!

While some recipes call for specialty ingredients such as vegan milk, cheese, and mayo—now easily found in the prepackaged sections of most supermarkets and all natural health grocers—Sorrell recognizes that many vegans are reluctant to include any prepackaged and processed foods in their diets. To accommodate this, the book also provides recipes for creating homemade versions of the required specialty ingredients.

Along with suggestions for using the occasional prepackaged item, Sorrell’s recipes occasionally call for the use of microwaves—something that is arguably bad for our health. Thankfully in her methods, she usually offers instructions for cooking in a conventional way for those who diligently avoid nuking their food.

If it’s time for you or someone you love to go vegan—or if you’re looking for a quality vegan cookbook—Mouthwatering Vegan is definitely the book for you.