Best vegetarian & vegan cookbooks according to redditors
We found 345 Reddit comments discussing the best vegetarian & vegan cookbooks. We ranked the 143 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 345 Reddit comments discussing the best vegetarian & vegan cookbooks. We ranked the 143 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Last year I shared the five course dinner I made, but I decided to up the ante this year.
The seven courses and their sources:
(1) Warm roasted beets with wild arugula, balsamic maple pecans and orange vinaigrette
[Vegan Secret Supper]
(2) Fennel portobello soup with smoke-infused olive oil, cashew gruyere grilled cheese croutons, radicchio marmalade and beer-battered pearl onions
[Soup, olive oil, & marmalade: Vegan Secret Supper. Cheese: Artisan Vegan Cheese. Croutons and onions: Dirt Candy]
(3) Roasted cauliflower tossed in black vinegar with kimchi cream
[Vedge]
(4) Crisped turnips with falafel crumbs and creamy sesame
[Vedge]
(5) Butternut squash and almond gnocchi, sautéed in sage garlic butter, tossed in butternut squash sauce and topped with fried sage leaves
[Gnocchi: Vegan Secret Supper; Butter and sauce: original recipe]
(6) Hearts of palm cakes with curried lentils
[Vedge]
(7) Six-layer chocolate hazelnut cake, with chocolate hazelnut butter, ganache, and hazelnut chocolate chip brownie crumble coconut milk ice cream
[Cake, brownie, hazelnut butter and ganache: Vegan Chocolate. Ice cream: Vegan Secret Supper, modified]
That’s ridiculous. I had an amazing vegan pregnancy and had not problems at all. It’s perfectly safe to be v eggar while pregnant, especially because we regularly avoid most of the foods that can be extremely dangerous for pregnant women.
Here are two resources I used while in pregnant.
https://www.amazon.com/Everything-Vegan-Pregnancy-Book-Lifestyle/dp/144052551X/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?keywords=vegan+pregnancy&qid=1569798429&s=gateway&sprefix=vegan+preg&sr=8-6
https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Pregnancy-Survival-Sayward-Rebhal/dp/0980144035/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=vegan+pregnancy&qid=1569798525&s=gateway&sprefix=vegan+preg&sr=8-3
But doing a quick amazon search shows a lot more. Eat a varied diet, don’t overload on vegan junk food and you’ll be fine.
For starters: If husband's goal is getting the kids to become vegan, then forcing them to becoming vegan is the absolute wrong way to do it. I didn't like being forced to eat meat as a kid, so I can't imagine your kids are too pleased with this forced diet either. It's one thing to raise your children to eat what you eat--but if you radically change that mid-stream, that's pretty unfair to them. Also, vegan diets can be perfectly healthy for kids, but only if kids will actually eat the right variety of food. Kids who aren't, probably won't be getting the nutrition they need. Again, I'm a reverse case of this--had an iron deficiency as a kid, but I don't as an adult, and I think it's mostly because I eat a better diet as a vegetarian than as a kid who avoided meat in a meat-centric diet. Your kids may run into issues if they're avoiding key parts of a good vegan diet.
Anyway, on to the actual food advice:
Here's the book I recommended as the vegan starter cookbook: https://www.amazon.com/000-Vegan-Recipes/dp/0470085029 is the first vegan cookbook that my husband started out with. I'd absolutely recommend it as a place to start! Aside from the three main proteins that most Americans aren't too familiar eating (tofu, tempeh, and seitan) there aren't many unfamiliar ingredients. And there are TONS of recipes in the book without any of those three--it's got 1000, after all. There are tons of rice and noodle based recipes that non-vegan wouldn't bat an eye at.
This blog (http://ohsheglows.com) has some pretty great stuff, and she also has a cookbook out that we use pretty often. Our favorite cookbook at the moment is https://www.amazon.com/Isa-Does-Amazingly-Delicious-Recipes/dp/0316221902 Both of these will get you into some more off-beat ingredients, though nothing too crazy. (The latter, for example, uses cashew creme--basically, cashews and water in a blender--in a number of recipes.)
Some foods are really easy to switch to vegan; some are not. Butter and milk are two relatively easy ones, unless you're a butter or milk lover. If you're just someone who bakes/cooks with butter (and not someone who relishes butter on bread), then it's easy to swap for vegan versions. Similarly, if milk is mostly for cereal or for eating with cookies (and not something you enjoy in and of itself), it's easy to switch to soy/almond/rice/etc. I'd suggest having both in the house for a while, and cutting down to just the vegan one as people adjust. And experiment with different milks--I prefer almond to soy, but maybe your kids would prefer soy to almond.
I'm not big on vegan yogurt yet, but others may not really mind the switch. What I'm going to recommend is that you stay FAR away from vegan cheese. There is no faster way, in my mind, to turn someone off to veganism than to give them vegan cheese. It is absolutely impossible to substitute cheese the way you can butter, milk, even ice cream. (And I used to LOVE dairy ice cream. Like, I was majorly snobby about ice cream. But I am perfectly happy with cashew-nut or coconut-based alternatives. Definitely recommend those over the soy based ones--the higher fat content makes a difference.)
Anyway, back to cheese--if your husband wants to get the fake cheese, that's fine, but it will send your kids screaming from the dinner table. The worst way to go vegan is to try to replicate standard favorites with non-animal products (i.e. pizza, mac n cheese, cheeseburgers). Meat and cheese replacements are okay for someone who's been vegan, but they are terrible tools for conversion. ;)
It sounds like you're into stir-fries--have you experimented with curries at all? They don't have to be spicy if that's a concern for you or for the kiddos. Chilis can also be a good meal that appeals to the (formerly)-omnivorous, and you can change up the ingredients so they don't get too boring. Sweet potato and black bean one week, tempeh and kidney beans the next. Frozen veggie burgers are "for emergencies only" vegan food, but homemade ones can be fantastic. (They don't stay together super well without eggs, but the look doesn't affect the taste. If the kids don't like food that "breaks," stick the patties in wraps instead of buns.) Lately, I'm really into using soaked walnuts in taco bowls (not the tortilla kind, more like rice and beans and salsa and guac)--basically you soak roughly chopped walnuts for a while, drain them, and toss with chili powder and cumin. No one's crazy enough to think it tastes like chicken, but it tastes good.
In the summer, I'd barely eat real meals if I wasn't living with my husband, who for some reason thinks that it's appropriate to have an actual dinner even when it's 90 degrees. What a weirdo ;) If your kids eat tofu and mixed veggies, it sounds like they're good eaters, so pump them full of fresh fruits and veggies while you can! A big salad along with corn on the cob can be a great summer meal. Pasta salads work well in summer also--just check the dressing's ingredients if using store-bought. (And, usually they're not vegan, so you're better off just using oil and vinegar + seasoning).
Where I can see having a harder time is when school starts. We bring leftovers to work, which isn't really possible for your kids unless they like their leftovers cold. I've noticed that bento-box style lunches seem all the rage (or is that so 2016?)...if you pack them some carrot sticks or pepper slices orbroccoli crowns, maybe with some hummus dip, a fruit or two, some nuts, some Triscuits--that seems like a perfectly fine lunch to me. Vegan sandwiches--at least, the kind you'd pack in a lunchbox--are harder to do, aside from peanut butter, but a hummus-lettuce-tomato slice-sprouts sandwich would work.
Skinny Bitch or perhaps a textbook.
A diet journal.
Add a note: "This isn't the gift you want, but it's the gift you need."
That's an awesome decision to look into going vegan! It's so much easier than you'd think once you start. This veganuary website is loaded with tips and info to get folks started. Plus the FAQ on the side bar might answer some basic questions.
If you're up for more motivation Earthlings is a very powerful movie which will likely cement your resolve to step out of an unnecessary system. Also Forks over Knives and Vegucated are on netflix which are much less graphic and provide lots of info.
I also like to recommend books to help people learn more about the ethics of animal consumption. Eating Animals is a great read from an investigative angle from a renowned novelist and Eat Like You Care is a short and very powerful case for the ethical necessity of not consuming animals.
Regarding your health, so long as you eat a varied diet and occasionally add a B12 supplement you health will not suffer and very possibly improve!
You're making an awesome decision and you will be amazed at how easy it gets after just a few weeks!
Definitely check out AvantgardeVegan's cookbook!
Can get the book here and it looks like its on sale!
When you decide to go vegan you put yourself in a position that is against the mainstream and you will almost certainly be asked to defend that position at some point.
At that point I think it's important to have your facts straight and your arguments as solid as possible, be aware of the logical fallacies that will be used against you, and have answers prepared.
I think the majority of people here were persuaded by someone else's good argument. So maybe "we want to have solid arguments" would have been a better way to word it. The end result of these solid arguments would be changing public opinion and having more people go vegan.
I recommend the book Eat Like You Care, which covers many of the "But... where do you get your protein?" type questions that will come up:
https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Like-You-Care-Examination-ebook/dp/B00DLTN43C
Edit: totally changed my answer after thinking about it for 5 minutes. My bad. :)
That’s a great one. I have all of Ruby Roth’s books. This is a good one - kids could do many of the recipes either alone or with your help: Plant-Powered Families: Over 100 Kid-Tested, Whole-Foods Vegan Recipes https://www.amazon.com/dp/1941631045/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_GcZ2CbTXEJC8X
Most of the cheese recipes by Skye Michael Conroy are outstanding.
https://thegentlechef.com/category/cheeses/
https://www.amazon.com/Non-Dairy-Evolution-Cookbook-Modernist-Plant-Based/dp/1499590423
check out The Non-Dairy Evolution Cookbook by Chef Skye Michael Conroy. He has a newer cookbook, too, called Cook & Let Live, which might have newer, updated recipes. His mozzarella is the best I've found so far. It takes a few tries to get right (or at least it did for me) and a few special ingredients (Kappa Carageenan and vegan lactic acid powder) as well as homemade soy or almond milk. It's worth it, though. It won't grate, melt, or stretch exactly like dairy mozzarella, but it is damn close and the taste is perfect. I made vegan pizzas with it for my wedding, and the pizzas were gone in an hour. Omnivores told me it was the best pizza they'd ever had.
My wife has this and has worn it out https://www.amazon.com/Vegetarian-Cooking-Everyone-Deborah-Madison/dp/0767900146/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1541270743&sr=1-4&keywords=deborah+madison+cookbooks and there is an updated version https://www.amazon.com/New-Vegetarian-Cooking-Everyone/dp/1607745534/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1541270743&sr=1-1&keywords=deborah+madison+cookbooks
She goes vegetarian occasionally and this is her favorite cookbook for vegetarian dishes.
Is it this one?
The How Not to Die Cookbook
Vegan 100
Both books are gorgeous & gift-worthy
Re: SO
I have found that our loved ones are often fighting themselves, not us, when it comes to something as central to identity as veganism. (After all, if you do something three times a day 365 days a year, that's going to start correlating very heavily to who you are!) So sometimes, our loved ones are not really interested in engaging with the facts to be found in outside reality. If they were, I'm sure your SO would have found out himself that not only do vegans regularly get equivalent protein to nonvegans, but also a plant-based diet is almost uniformly agreed among registered dietitians to be the most nutrient-rich diet of all. Nonvegans who impose their view on their loved vegan ones may do so because they feel threatened by change. Their loved vegan ones are turning their backs to what society says it right, what will happen next - will she turn her back on me? Not only that, their own meat-eating habits are suddenly slid under the microscope of their consciousness.
It sounds like you are doing a great job with your SO so far: you are using an approach of compassion. Please continue to do so, for he will be in great discomfort and fear for the next month. He is already feeling strong discomfort with his own diet whenever he criticizes yours, and every time you mention your switch to veganism he feels his own terror at the knowledge of an alternative diet, one that involves so much less suffering for the world.
The fact that your SO reacts so strongly to your decision is actually quite promising. He would not be "so convinced" if he did not feel the need to first convince himself. After all, once he gives in and agrees that veganism is for the best, he will have to change his own behavior accordingly to align with veganism! And the one thing people are scared of the most is change!
The only way to pierce his bubble is to walk the talk. Do not waste valuable time in argument, if he starts talking about veganism with the clear angle of wanting to argue, you can simply say calmly "I don't want to discuss this further" and repeat as necessary. Should he resort to petty emotional manipulation, the question has shifted away from veganism altogether - veganism is now just a platform for a power play between the two of you. If this happens, you can say this as soon as you notice it, and direct the dialogue instead to how his words are making you feel: I feel unworthy and unloved because of your tone, I feel untrusted when you say that, etc. No SO wants to make you feel these things!
Your best argument will be your body. I wish you the best of luck in your vegan journey. Be patient, be joyful, and your efforts will pay off manifold. If you maintain complete or near-complete veganism this month, then your very presence will be a stronger argument than any words can make. Your own renewed health, your rejuvenated looks, your vitality in movement, will help open your SO's eyes to the truth.
If what I say sounds interesting, then may I suggest the ultimate primer on handling a meat-eating society and the conversations that can arise within them, [Living Among Meat Eaters] (http://www.amazon.com/Living-Among-Meat-Eaters-Vegetarians/dp/1590561163).
Re: Fullness
Bread is good. Fullness might relate to emotional memories of "fullness". Do you have good childhood memories of a relative preparing meat or cheese based dishes? You might then have the same memories about toasty bread with butter. That's easy to accomplish with SmartBalance.
On that note, heat really changes your perception of a meal. If you bring in an equal number of hot dishes, and try eating these frozen meals right after reheating, you'll get a feeling of fullness a cold meal (eg: tossed salad) cannot replicate.
Dried fruit is good. Dried mango and persimmon are high in carbs. Dried whole persimmon in particular is delicious when chilled.
Hope that helps and please do not hesitate if you have any further questions about veganism. I do not claim to be an expert but I can provide advice and tips to the best of my ability. Most of all, lots of love and happiness as you sail the path of compassion!
I spend a lot of time cooking, looking for new recipes and buying expensive ingredients that i use once just b/c i like cooking. So you may not want to be like me but I use the cookbook app to save and sort through recipes. For recipes i mainly look at the links below
frommybowl.com
https://www.budgetbytes.com/category/recipes/vegetarian/vegan/
veganricha.com
minimalistbaker.com
thetastyk.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCF-ACPYNN0oXD4ihS5mbbmw
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdkRT_G7eqNTytm52zMw40g
I have a few books to
https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-100-Incredible-Recipes-Avant-Garde/dp/1787131246/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=vegan+100&qid=1571153212&sr=8-3
Viva Vegan is a great cookbook. I grew up in Southern California and had Mexican food ALL THE TIME. The pozole recipes are awesome. We make burritos all the time with rice and beans and whatever veggies I have sauteed. You can do this!
Someone already wrote that book. The abusive tone gets really grating about five pages in.
Sorry it's not free but this is one that I've heard good things about.
Plant-Powered Families: Over 100 Kid-Tested, Whole-Foods Vegan Recipes by Dreena Burton.
It’s been years since I owned this book, but there’s a good one in here
They use a combo of tofu, miso, and nutritional yeast to make the “cheese” sauce. Nut cheese sauces are very good too, particularly cashew.
/u/PT2423 said "Plants", which isn't that helpful even if I agree. A whole-food, plant-based diet will do wonders for your health. As you're looking for meals/and or snacks, I will recommend books to get you going:
I recommend Bittman's book, as well as Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone by Deborah Madison, and Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson.
I'd recommend the Non-Dairy-Evolution-Cookbook. That book has tons of vegan cheese recipes. I have been very impressed by what I have tried. I have tried a lot of recipes found online and I prefer his the best. https://smile.amazon.com/Non-Dairy-Evolution-Cookbook-Modernist-Plant-Based/dp/1499590423/ref=sr_1_2?crid=4NKQ6PMQQ3SG&keywords=the+non-dairy+evolution+cookbook&qid=1566477241&s=gateway&sprefix=the+non-dairy%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-2
Do you like Hummus? Can find it at most grocery stores these days. Cut up some carrots, celery, and/or broccoli to dip in it. This is the recipe I used if you want to try to make it yourself.
I found most things in Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone to be pretty easy to make. There are a couple cheap used copies on Amazon but it's worth checking your local library first to see if you like it.
Honestly, once you start reading you'll see that that most sources nearly already recommend a vegan diet whether they realize it or not. There's a high emphasis on whole foods and getting plenty of fiber.
Since you are new to veganism, I would recommend this book: The Everything Vegan Pregnancy. I only skimmed it because I've been vegan for a few years and a lot of the information was redundant to me, but it should be helpful if you're currently transitioning.
Make sure to get you B-12, iron, folate, and vegan omega DHA-EPA. For prenatals I alternated between Vitamin Code and Dr. Furhman. There are quite a few vegan omegas. I didn't take folic acid, but I made sure to track that I was getting my folate naturally through cron-o-meter. Make sure to keep track of your food iron intake. My levels were great pre-pregnancy, but I became mildly anemic by my third trimester (this is common for all pregnant women, not just vegan ones). When you're eating iron-rich food make sure it's with vitamin c and avoid caffeine for at least an hour for best absorption. In hindsight I would have kept better track of this.
Diet wise, just try to eat a lot of whole foods. I generally started my day with some super easy oatmeal or a smoothie. I ate tons of dark leafy greens, beans, veggies, and fresh fruit. They recommend that pregnant women get at least 60-70 grams of protein, so consider purchasing some vegan yogurt and drink plant milks if you find you're not hitting your requirements from other food alone. I'll usually have some silk soy yogurts on hand when I haven't been paying too much attention to my intake.
Not vegan, but I enjoy this vegan low-FODMAP cookbook all the same: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HOUIXU2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Yeah ofc. Most of the stuff I make is super fast and easy. Get a lot of good use out of my rice cooker, wok, skillet, and large pot. If you are looking for recipes, check out the china study cookbook
For pasta I often sautee some zucchini+mushrooms, maybe vegan sausage for a bit in olive oil. Once that's halfway done, start cooking the pasta. Drain it and put it back in the pot, along with tomato sauce, the veggies, and some raw spinach (it will wilt in the pot) and mix it all together. Add nutritional yeast, red+black pepper, salt.
Also there's like a million easy variations on rice and beans, probably my fav is caribbean rice and beans cooked in coconut milk. I don't really follow the recipe that closely, I typically lightly sautee onion, garlic, and chopped habeneros or something then add 2 cans of beans (drained) and 2 cups of rice (w/ ricecooker cup, not actual cup) and coconut milk and water, then whatever spices. Often smoked paprika, cinnamon, whatever. On the side with that, I like doing greens (esp collard greens) sauteed in coconut oil with a ton of chopped walnuts and cinnamon or something.
Finally this is the best chili, trader joes has spicy vegan chorizo. So good
A dietitian would be your best bet. I am on a listserv of vegan dietitians and would be happy to see if there is anyone in your area. If you'd like, just shoot me a PM with your city and I'll ask around!
Edit: I found you a book on vegan pregnancy by a very well known and trustworthy vegan RD. I that may be a good place to start!
Maybe try some wfpb cookbooks meant for families: https://www.amazon.com/Plant-Powered-Families-Kid-Tested-Whole-Foods-Recipes/dp/1941631045
Also, you if they like smoothies you can sneak veggies into those.
I always bring sloppy joes (jonis) from here - everyone loves them https://www.amazon.ca/Hearty-Vegan-Meals-Monster-Appetites/dp/1592334555
Here's another option. Not familiar with the other book, but this one is very focused on the modernist techniques for making cheeses. The mozzarella recipe is exceptional.
The Everything Vegan Pregnancy Book -for any vegans who are looking to start a family. It has health info, discusses polite ways to reassure people who don't understand and are concerned for your health (family, doctors, etc) and has a big recipe section.
I feel the exact same way and have also been vegan for about two months.
Everyone around me brings it up and they look at me as if I've completely lost it, or that I'm just plain naive.
I started reading this book, 'Vegan Freak' though. It's not a health nut, nerdy science or hippy kinda book - it's a proper down to earth guide for new vegans on how to deal with being ostracised by friends and family. Including what to say and how to deal with it. I'm only a couple of chapters in so far but it's a damn good book. I recommend it.
I'm planning on going to my first vegan meeting next month. I'm nervous because admittedly my own opinion of vegans I don't know is that they're likely to be New Age freaks and radicals on another level. I'd like to be proven wrong though and end up meeting some people that are willing to have some awesome discussions on mutual ground.
En el mismo documental Food Choices hablan del libro "The China Study" que contiene en detalle toda la información científica al respecto (aún no lo termino de leer, pero es muy interesante):
https://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Comprehensive-Nutrition-Implications/dp/1932100660
También existe un acompañamiento a ese libro con recetas, este no lo he leído todavía, me he puesto a cocinar recetas que encuentro en internet:
https://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Cookbook-Plant-Based-Recipes/dp/1937856755
Sólo comencé a no comprar nada animal y arreglármelas con lo que tengo en el refrigerador. Llevo como 2 meses siguiendo esta dieta (casi 2 años sin comer carne) y no he consultado con ningún nutricionista. Al final uno termina comiendo mejor que antes, evitando todas las tentaciones (McDonald's, Castaño, etc.). Para la vitamina B12 compro una leche de almendras que venden en el Lider/Jumbo que la contiene.
I'm currently reading through this and it is pretty good so far. It might be worth reading yourself in showing you how best to react to your mom.
https://www.amazon.com/Living-among-Meat-Eaters-Vegetarians/dp/1590561163
In general, ethics is a very complex territory so it's natural to have a hard time. I highly recommend the book Eat Like You Care which covers this matter surgically. I find this video very enlightening if you want something faster.
I hope those can be helpful, good luck!
Learn one vegan recipe per week and in 14 weeks you'll be able to eat a different vegan lunch and dinner every day! Breakfast is very easy to make vegan so don't really got to learn any new recipes for that. This is an easy 14 week transition plan. (You can adjust the time to suit your schedule)
If you're like me without much time (or motivation) to cook, do the following:
(I think there are other recipe websites where you can also control the search for time.)
Also do research about nutrition. There are certain nutrients which are harder to get as a vegan - just like there are other nutrients that omnivores have a harder time getting. But if you know the right foods to eat you'll be ok. But you need to do research. Try these resources:
http://www.veganhealth.org
http://veg.ca/go-veg/vegetarian-nutrition/
http://www.theveganrd.com/
http://allsentientsfeelpain.blogspot.ca/2009/12/appendix-1-nutrition-vegan-meals-with.html
You'll need a B12 supplement. Take either a liquid drop/spray or a sublingual pill - they absorb better. Although we only need 6 mcg B12 per day, it's absorbed very inefficiently in supplements, so with supplements we need 250 mcg once per day or 2500 mcg once per week (doesn't add up due to inefficiency of absorption at higher doses).
I also take a Deva brand multivitamin - they have one geared especially for vegans. And I eat 2 tbsp of ground flax meal per day for my omega-3. (Whole flax seeds aren't digested well.) I mix flax meal into soup, stew, burritos, smoothies, cereal, oatmeal, salad dressing fruit salad - almost anything.
The website http://www.iherb.com/ sells vitamin supplements at a discount and on orders over $20 there's no sales tax and if you're in the US no shipping cost.
And by the way, I'm half Mexican! :) so here's a suggestion specific to being a vegan Hispanic...
Next time you cook for your family, wow them with a vegan recipe from this book: "Viva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers" by Terry Hope Romero
http://www.amazon.com/Viva-Vegan-Authentic-Fabulous-Recipes/dp/0738212733/
Or maybe you can find a vegan cookbook specific to your country, search amazon.com !
1000 Vegan Recipes
Just do 3 new things every grocery trip.
Muesli bars: try Clif bars instead, they have a billion flavors too. More from PETA
Tiny teddies: Not sure, I'll look next time I'm at the store.
Cheese: Just cut it out. Whole foods has some up and coming nut cheeses though like Kite Hill's. Also look this book has some great stuff, and they just announced a product line for this summer.
Crackers: There's a billion crackers and many of them are vegan. My mom loves these and they go good with a dollop of toffutti cream cheese.
Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:
Amazon Smile Link: this book
|Country|Link|Charity Links|
|:-----------|:------------|:------------|
|USA|smile.amazon.com|EFF|
|UK|www.amazon.co.uk|Macmillan|
|Spain|www.amazon.es||
|Mexico|www.amazon.com.mx||
|France|www.amazon.fr||
|Germany|www.amazon.de||
|Japan|www.amazon.co.jp||
|Canada|www.amazon.ca||
|Australia|www.amazon.com.au||
|Italy|www.amazon.it||
|India|www.amazon.in||
To help add charity links, please have a look at this thread.
This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting). The thread for feature requests can be found here.
First off, good for you! It takes a lot of balls to decide to work towards a positive change in yourself.
I am by no means an expert. However, I'm relatively new to the fitness game as well, so here are some general daily tips/tricks I've picked up and thoroughly benefit from. [I noticed that this post is all about me, and I apologize, but it's honestly the only real fitness knowledge I have :/ ]
GOAL: - Be comfortable w/ my body/shape by the end of the year. Afterwards, maintain. (~130lbs, size 7-9 jeans, somewhat toned)
WHY?: - Be healthy - Look better - Feel better - Create healthy habits
HOW? Daily activities to achieve my goal:
I hope this helps... Like I mentioned I'm not an expert in any way, but this is just what I've found works for me in my recent outreach for better living.
Really the best advice I can give you is trial and error... I spent a lot of time figuring out what I like/don't like when it comes to fitness. No program is perfect, so you're doing the right thing just trying to make better decisions! It really is true that one good choice leads to another... Also, don't be unhappy about your weight. See it as a roadblock that you MUST conquer. Your happiness is much more important than your size, so make these good decisions for you, and only you.
These are my motivational 'sticky notes' on my desk top. Seeing reminders all over the place keeps me in check :P:
someday everything will make perfect sense. so for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, & keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason.
Don't let the day make you, you make the day. Go for whatever you want because its not going to come to you
[edit]
here are some helpful websites I've found recently:
Peas and Thank You is great and has good pictures of every dish. Also Viva Vegan!.
Deborah Madison vegetarian cooking for everyone
Here's some amazon links for some that I own:
The last two are particularly gourmet, but interesting reads if you want to attempt some mind-blowing meals. I wouldn't list them as beginner though.
The original entitled " The China Study Cookbook" is the one I always use. The variations are also good, but I've had most success with the original. I feel they used their best recipes for the original book.
https://www.amazon.com/China-Study-Cookbook-Plant-Based-Recipes/dp/1937856755/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1473179374&sr=1-1&keywords=china+study+cookbook
I'm vegan, too, and although I don't follow a low FODMAP diet now, I'm looking into it. I found this helpful looking cookbook while I was researching the diet and I thought I'd pass it along to you: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HOUIXU2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1#nav-subnav
That's the link to buy it on Amazon. It's called "Low-Fodmap and Vegan: What to Eat When You Can't Eat Anything."
As a vegetarian for about 6 years now, I can report no problems with vitamin deficiencies. I was a bit worried at first coming from a meat and potatoes childhood. I did get tested about a year after for vitamins B6, B12 and Iron (it requires a simple blood test) and all was normal.
Like other posters have mentioned, it's important to eat a variety of vegetables and legumes to stay healthy. I like to think of it as eating a lot of colors (bell pepper, eggplant, spinach).
As a vegetarian in a social meal setting, I have found it helps keep the critics at bay by filling your plate. Don't allow it to be assumed that you're missing out on something, that your meal is incomplete without meat. But at the same time, the critic has never been something I've ever responded to with hostility. I usually just smile and tell people if they ask, "I don't care what you eat, you can make your own choices but for me, I'm vegetarian for the following reasons (environmental, animal rights, health etc.) ." If you want a nice resource to back up what you say I would recommend the book Food Revolution
Finally, I have purchased this for every vegetarian and vegan I know. The nutritional chart used to be 5 dollars...ha ha ha. Anyway, it's a handy reference.
Good luck!
That's cool. If you don't have this vegetarian cook book then you need to get it right away. I use it all the time.
I do not have kids, but many folks in my WFPB Facebook group that do, recommend Plant-Powered Families. I have heard great reviews!
​
https://www.amazon.com/Plant-Powered-Families-Kid-Tested-Whole-Foods-Recipes/dp/1941631045
>Cancer freaks me out!
Me too!!
If you have become afflicted with Achalasia, the research states you have a much higher occurrence for cancers in the esophagus and intestines. Surgery or not!!!
I do a few things to help mitigate the risks of cancer... Here they are with links to research -- consult your doc before you jump into any of these and also do your research!!!!!!:
​
John Robbins, son of Baskin-Robbins' co-founder Irv Robbins, advocates a vegan diet and has been writing popular plant-based nutrition books since the 1980s. It's safe to say John is the black sheep of the family and does not approve of the family business, much less the Heath bar shake.
John Robbins wrote the foreward to The China Study and authored:
Hey there! Glad you made the switch :)
In an ironic twist of events, my love of cheese led me to veganism. I loved it so much that I decided I was going to learn how to make it from scratch as a birthday present to myself in October of 2015. I threw myself into learning everything I could about cheese production which in turn led me down a rabbit hole filled with awful, eye-opening information about the dairy industry. I was totally shocked. It had just never crossed my mind that all dairy comes from pregnant cows. The thought of inseminating an animal for the sole purpose of inducing lactation and then treating the baby as a by-product was just sickening to me. Went vegan overnight and haven't looked back. Best decision I've ever made!
Here are two vegan cookbooks I can't recommend highly enough:
Miyoko Schinner's The Homemade Vegan Pantry: The Art of Making Your Own Staples and Artisan Vegan Cheese
Here are some must-have apps:
Leaping Bunny: guide to finding cruelty-free products.
Happy Cow: guide to finding vegan friendly restaurants.
Helpful tips:
Before going out to eat, always check their online menu so you won't feel so pressured to find vegan stuff while the waiter stares at you.
Open a Pinterest account. Great place to collect recipes and vegan cooking hacks like this dairy-free conversion chart, guide to non-dairy milks & how to cook with them, What your food cravings really mean...for vegans and this Cheat sheet for egg substitutions.
My pinner name is Uma Vida Boa if you want to dig through what I've amassed.
Have fun!
I haven't bought it yet but I love this guy's youtube channel. He has a couple books out https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-100-Incredible-Recipes-Avant-Garde/dp/1787131246?SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-iphone-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=1787131246
it's kind of a controversial book, but 'skinny bitch' was enough to make me go vegan (for 9 months) within a week of reading it (i had only gone vegetarian a month prior). it draws people in because it sounds like a weight loss book (which it does touch on), but it gives a lot of eye-opening information about the meat/dairy industries. it is a bit vulgar, but if you don't mind that here's a link; http://www.amazon.com/Skinny-Bitch-Rory-Freedman/dp/0762424931
I strongly recommend picking up a copy of Thrive Fitness. It's full of plant-based recipes specifically designed for athletes. I read it years ago and remember thinking that the recipes were far too calorie dense for someone in my position (mild exercise), which might be right up your alley! The writer is a triathlete.
Speak with her and tell her that what she said was insensitive. Regardless if what she said were true it had absolutely NO PLACE in the context of what you were asking her. Document what she said and if she says it again then document it again. If she does it frequently then go to your boss, report her and show him the documented incidents.
Theres absolutely no need to get all passive aggressive about this. Be intelligent, stand up for yourself and feel good about yourself.
Also, I'm a vegetarian and have been looking for good alternatives. Heres a good cookbook
http://www.amazon.com/Vegetarian-Cooking-Everyone-Deborah-Madison/dp/0767900146
I would also highly suggest you learn to cook asian food. granted, a lot of the soups are meat based but REAL asian food (not necessarily restaurant food) is usually really healthy, balanced and beef, chicken and pork can easily be substituted with fish or tofu.
good luck and sorry for your boyfriend. make sure to feed him A LOT of meat when he recovers from his treatment. he's going to need it for his strength.
I used the one from Viva Vegan.
While I'm sure the Hare Krishnas would appreciate it, the uber modern person in me suggests alternative methods:
I have this one. I like it.
The Higher Taste
I would check out some cookbooks written by/for Hare Krishnas for ideas. For religious reasons they eat a vegetarian diet free of onion, garlic and eggs and they've come up with some amazing ways to get around the flavor problem. A lot of the food draws heavily on indian spices, including asofetida. Kurma is one of the better known Hare Krishna cookbook writers. My mother is a Hare Krishna and this and this were our family's go-to cookbooks growing up.
We just got this book: Low Fodmap and Vegan: What to Eat When You Can't Eat Anything.
I've been cooking low fodmap and vegan for like 2 years now (low fodmap for partner, vegan for me) and I just found this. so far the recipes are AMAZING! There are a few with seitan that you won't be able to have as gf, but you can always sub quinoa, lentils, and, if the symptoms subside after being low fodmap for awhile, tofu or tempeh.
Totally do-able <3. Feel free to PM me for advice.
I've really enjoyed everything I've made from Viva Vegan, which is chock full of Latin food from Central to South America (so definitely different from a Mexican cookbook, and not Mexican food heavy in the slightest, so probably not a lot of overlap). It has more of a this is how my mom/abuelita/tia/o made it point of view than a this is how they made it ages ago because blah blah grow really well in this region kind of thing.
This one isn't vegetarian, but it's a great book anyway, and probably a good compliment to an actual Mexican food cookbook - Tex-Mex by Robb Walsh has history and historic recipes from Texas' chili queens, the original Ninfa's, and so many other huge Tex-Mex institutions in Texas that we, our parents, and grand parents grew up with. I'm vegan now, but frequently go back to this book when I want to make something at home that I could easily use seitan/jackfruit/Daiya/whatever in and could never get out at a restaurant.
How do you like Salud? I've been thinking about checking it out.
Soy yogurt is delicious, but my favorite milk is Rice : ) http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Planet-Irresistible-Recipes-Fantastic/dp/1558322116
This is the book I have, there are a lot of article in it also. And grow your own produce! I have always found that home grown food is better that anything, especially those jalepenos.
Good question to ask.
Thrive and Thrive Fitness have more on building muscle on a vegan diet.
More science behind not needing meat is in Eat To Live.
Body weight doesn't tell me my progress. Needing smaller belts does.
OP I'm here to help you out. You want real advice? You want to avoid the filthy hatred of the other opinions here?
Brendan Brazier. Look him up. Check out his bio.
He has a free site up called Thrive Foreword with a lot of very helpful videos.
He's released probably the best damn nutrition guide ever.
He's also released a Recipe book. and a Fitness Exercise book. I myself was not really impressed with the Fitness book, but the recipes are awesome.
All that said. This is intelligent, well rounded advice for Vegan athletes. Granted, his own techniques were developed for Ironman Triathlon (which is nothing to scoff at), so you'll get a full body strength as opposed to top heavy swole.
But, the advice and ideas in the book are fantastic anyways. It'll help you understand what health and diet really need. You'll just need to work in a better upper body workout on top of this.
I've heard this book is amazing and has lots of pictures (I like pictures in my cookbooks lol): https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-100-Incredible-Recipes-Avant-Garde/dp/1787131246
Cons: I've heard some of the recipes can be time consuming.
This is the one I use the most, but I think the ingredients are basic enough that you can find them in the UK:
https://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Everybody-Foolproof-Plant-Based-Between/dp/194035286X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1526408702&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=vegan+for+everybody+america%27s+test+kitchen
I found a seitan pepperoni recipe ages ago. I already make vegan cheese (I use this) and desperately, desperately want a pepperoni pizza. Of all the things to miss, that's the top for me. Second is a bacon butty. I really envy the vegans who say they don't miss meat, sadly that's not me. When lab grown meat is sold to the masses I'll be first in line!
Hey, I made them a little differently than the recipe in this book. I used almond butter instead of peanut butter, and I made my own chocolate chips but used agave and earth balance. Good luck!
https://www.amazon.com/Non-Dairy-Evolution-Cookbook-Modernist-Plant-Based/dp/1499590423
Here, change your life. <3
Make sure you learn how to fight your baby!
Link :D
The Non-Dairy Evolution Cookbook: A Modernist Culinary Approach to Plant-Based, Dairy Free Foods https://www.amazon.com/dp/1499590423/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_R8pLxbNHPQ4Y7 is a really good cookbook made by a modernist chef (think molecular gastronomy) that goes over making vegan alternatives to dairy ingredients that closely match the characteristics they need. The cheeses will even melt and stretch! The flavors don't match 100% but I am allergic to casein, so it's the best I got. They also have whipped cream, coffee creamers, butter, etc. for all dairy 1:1 ingredient subsitutions.
Not specifically about multivitamins, but I wanted to make you aware of a vegan pregnancy book that is highly regarded by several registered dietitians who focus on vegan nutrition. It's called the Everything Vegan Pregnancy Book by Reed Mangels, PhD, RD. (http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Vegan-Pregnancy-Book-pregnancy/dp/144052551X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1320080260&amp;sr=8-1)
Good luck!
Vegan a go-go is the best for super fast, easy recipes and Viva Vegan is THE BEST latin food book ever. I make so many of the dishes on a regular basis. If you're into mexican and latin food, I would highly suggest it; for the dip recipes alone...
http://www.amazon.com/Hearty-Vegan-Meals-Monster-Appetites/dp/1592334555
I know this is going to sound like a glib "ask a stupid question.." response, but, buy a vegan cookbook. I personally like Vegan Planet, but Veganomicon is also very popular.
Be sure you are aware of the differences in eating vegan vs. a "traditional diet" with regards to getting proper nutrition. This is where VeganHealth.org comes in very handy.
I <3 Daft Punk.
The reason I became a vegetarian has nothing to do with moral reasons, in fact I recently went on a fishing trip with my friend and ran around clubbing fish to death with a bat. I converted to vegetarianism because of its health benefits. It'll probably be hard to find good information online because most of the vegetarians making blogs and such are the moral ones who whine about eating things with faces, but I highly recommend getting a book or two on it. There's a lot of stuff im sure you'll be happy to find out in this book. Its what convinced me to make the change.
I personally like Daiya mozzarella shreds, but you may be better off making your own. There are some great recipes for vegan mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan. It seems people get amazing results from Miyoko's recipes: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BUV8CZI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=3H0F5ZMG8R561&amp;coliid=I32OQY1IJFAZEP
I usually just back away, but there's a whole chapter responding to this question in the book Mind If I Order the Cheeseburger?: And Other Questions People Ask Vegans. It's very thorough and well-written.
Sounds interesting. I will have to check it out.
http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Like-You-Care-Examination-ebook/dp/B00DLTN43C/
Mein Buchtipps:
- Vegan BBQ: https://www.medimops.de/anna-walz-vegan-bbq-das-vegane-grillbuch-broschiert-M03771645956.html?variant=UsedVeryGood&creative=&sitelink=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4NT_8LGU4wIVkuR3Ch1MRgTcEAQYAyABEgJjx_D_BwE
- Avantgarde Vegan 100: https://www.amazon.de/Vegan-100-incredible-recipes-avantgardevegan/dp/1787131246
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Beim Vegan BBQ sind geile Salate und Saucen drin. Beim Buch vom Avantgarde Vegan auch noch ziemlich geile Wurstrezepte, Rippchen, etc.
Skinny Bitch. As you can probably tell by the name, it's written in very "casual" language but from what I remember does a good job backing up points with studies/experts/first-hand accounts. Vegan 9 years now and this is one if the first books I read to help solidify my choice: https://www.amazon.com/Skinny-Bitch-No-Nonsense-Tough-Love-Fabulous/dp/0762424931.
Als Kochbuch kann ich das hier empfehlen (18€), Kochtipps siehe am Ende des Posts
https://www.amazon.de/Vegan-100-incredible-recipes-avantgardevegan/dp/1787131246
Der hat auch nen youtube Kanal, auf dem er auch viele Gerichte zubereitet.
Das Buch geht von ganz grundlegenden Dingen weiter bis zu den "großen" und durchaus komplexeren Gerichten, die er auch in Videos oft kocht. Klar kann man das nicht jeden Tag kochen, da dazu meistens die Zeit fehlt, aber die Rezepte sind mMn schon eine gute Inspiration.
Selber mache ich ca. einmal pro Woche ein Rezept aus dem Buch.
Da du meintest, Fleischersatz sei nicht so toll, würde ich speziell die Seitan-Würstchen oder das Seitan-Steak empfehlen (Gibt's beide glaube ich auch auf youtube). Die Rezepte verwenden eine große Menge an Gewürzen - was zwar aufwendig ist, aber am Schluss für richtig guten Geschmack sorgt.
Generell meine Tipps:
Du isst nicht gerne Tofu? Magst du Tofu einfach nicht, oder hast du es zu wenig gewürzt? Tofu ist halt komplett geschmacksneutral, d.h. du kannst es in so ziemlich jede Richtung würzen (Seidentofu macht sich auch gut als cremige Masse in Torten oder Gebäck), allerdings heißt das auch, dass das Tofu ohne (genug) Gewürz nach nix schmeckt.
Als Alternative zu Tofu würde ich auf jeden Fall noch Tempeh hervorheben. Das ist aus fermentiertem Soja hergestellt und eine wesentlich festere Masse als Tofu. Wie Tofu gibt's das sowohl roh (auch hier: Gewürze nicht vergessen) als auch eingelegt/vorgewürzt.
Keine Ahnung, ob es das in deiner Nähe gibt, aber von Tofurky gibt es "maple syrup BBQ" Tempeh schon vorgeschnitten in dünnen Scheiben, die sich ideal anbraten lassen und auf nem Sandwich gut machen.
Dann nicht zu vergessen - Seitan; Wird aus Weizengluten und Wasser (ca. 1:1 vermengt, 5-10min Kneten, dann entweder 20-30min im kochenden Wasser kochen oder dampfgaren, oder 30-60min in Alufolie backen, dann wie Fleisch weiterverwenden) hergestellt. Weizengluten bekommst du entweder vor Ort bei einer Mühle, oder du kaufst es online bzw. im Supermarkt (ich glaube, viele Edeka nehmen in letzter Zeit das Veganz-Seitangluten ins Angebot. Falls du in Berlin bist, kannst du dann natürlich direkt bei veganz einkaufen).
Was die Gewürze angeht: kauf dir Flüssigrauch (gibt's online oder in ganz speziellen Feinkost/Asia-Läden), damit kannst du jedes Gericht etwas rauchiger machen. Kommt bei mir inzwischen in jedes Mittagessen (wohldosiert natürlich).
Du meinst zwar, du wärst nicht so gut im asiatisch Kochen, aber vieles ist eigentlich recht simpel. Hier z.b. wie ich ein einfaches stir-fry mache:
Nimm dein Tofu/Seitan/Tempeh und schneide sie klein.
Such dir Gemüse aus. Momentan könnte das z.b. Kohl oder (besonders gesund) Broccoli sein, oder asiatisch angehaucht Bok Choy (könnte lokal auch anders heißen). Ich nehm dann gerne noch eine halbe Dose Kidneybohnen oder ähnliches dazu. Wenn du es gerne scharf hast, gerne auch noch ein paar Peperonis und Chilischoten. Schneide das Gemüse klein.
Nimm eine breite Pfanne (falls du einen Wok hast, umso besser) und mach diese heiß. Richtig heiß. Gib ein bisschen Öl mit hohem Rauchpunkt in die Pfanne (es gibt extra Wok-Öle, o.ä, achte vor allem darauf, nicht mit Olivenöl oder auf gar keinen Fall mit extra virgin Olivenöl zu braten).
Gib das Tofu/Seitan/Tempeh rein und brate es bei ständigem Mischen mit dem Küchenschieber oder Rütteln an der Pfanne.
Gib nach 2-3 minuten das Gemüse rein. Wenn du mehrere Gemüse nimmst, zuerst die grünen, harten Sachen (z.b. Brokkoli) und danach die weicheren Sachen (z.b. Tomaten, Zwiebel, etc.).
Stelle die Temperatur evtl. ein bisschen runter und würze das Ganze. Salz, Pfeffer, diverse Kräuter, etc. Jetzt kannst du auch einen Spritzer Flüssigrauch und/oder Sojasauce o.ä. reingeben.
Brate das Ganze noch ein paar Minuten an, et voilà, stir-fry fertig.
The batter for the “omelette” (but it was more of a pancake like texture) was from a recipe in this book I got as a gift. I do not have a recipe for the chili cause my partner is too good for following that shit but I followed the recipe for the omelette.
i recommend 'vegan freak', i read it when i went vegan 5 years ago and i've never looked back! all the info you'll ever need.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vegan-Freak-Tofu-Hound-Press/dp/1604860154
You need to come in armed, then. :D
This is a fantastic resource for slow cooker recipes. I know most are vegetarian, but they are easy to adjust to vegan with very minor alterations.
This split pea soup recipe made without the meat is amazing and filling as all get out. Total cost to make is around $5 for a ton of servings. You pair that with sandwiches (I'd suggest learning to make your own vegan bread - more cost effective), with some fried tofu as the bulk of the sandwich, and you've got an amazing meal.
This vegan chili is amazing and very filling. Cost ends up being around $8-$10 per crock pot full, but you get 8-10 filling servings and it is fantastic tasting.
If you can find a cheap copy of Vegan Planet, I highly suggest it - it was a great resource for me.
The Veganomicon is another great book, and the Post Punk Kitchen, who wrote the Veganomicon, offer a TON of great recipes on their site.
Get friendly with nutritional yeast - it will be your best 'cheese' element in dishes.
I'll try to keep remembering more tips. :D
> Do you guys have any sources of really high quality vegan meals by like high level chefs and shit.
Take your pick! What cuisines does she like to make? What do you like to eat? Choose something that fits both.
Gourmet Stuff (youtube channels, blogs, and/or cookbooks. Some are all three):
For direct recreations of dairy, meat, and condiments/sauces.
For recreations of eggs:
For a general cookbook: Veganomicon
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My list of substitutions, taken from another comment:
"
Another thing you can do is learn or find vegan substitutes to things, then you can look up recipes that are as complex or authentic as you want, and simply use the substitutions. For gourmet vegan cooking, some are:
"
I just got his new cookbook and it is excellent!
[Vegan 100: Over 100 Incredible Recipes from Avant-Garde Vegan] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/1787131246?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf)
There are a few books by vegan ironman triathlete Brendan Brazier that could help you... the first one that comes to mind is Thrive Fitness. I use products from his nutritional supplement line Vega but I don't have specific nutritional guidelines to follow. I am a female and I pole dance regularly, which is basically strength training. I use his pre-workout energizer and add creatine, and I have the protein powder with almond milk and more creatine after a workout.
You need to start thinking like a skinny bitch.
There are two books that helped my relationship with food. I think you might get more out of this one, but this one is cool too. You've just got to find a balance.
I suggest finding vegan support wherever you can. Check out Carol Adam's Living Among Meat Eaters: The Vegetarian's Survival Handbook. There are some good vegan podcasts like Midwest Vegan Radio, too.
If they are at all approachable, you could try to ask them to read something short or watch something to get them thinking. Present it as a way for them to understand why you've made the decision to be vegan, rather than an attempt to persuade them. I suggest a website that lists quick reasons to be vegan, the book Please Don't Eat the Animals, or the documentary Vegucated.
My wife is Vegan and I am not, however, ever since we started dating we have cooked exclusively Vegan at home. I have enjoyed the challenge of finding and making delicious meals that I, as a non-vegan, enjoy and even prefer to animal based fare.
The easiest hit we have had serving food to non-vegans is probably a Savory Leek Quiche recipe from the Vegetarian Times: http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipe/savory-leek-quiche/
We have also had some great reviews from the excellent, although fairly difficult, Millennium Restaurant Cookbooks (The Rhubarb and Tempeh Cannelloni was a huge success): http://www.millenniumrestaurant.com/restaurant/cookbook.html
As the non-vegan is residence I have most enjoyed a cookbook that my wife bought for me while she was visiting Texas: http://www.amazon.com/Hearty-Vegan-Meals-Monster-Appetites/dp/1592334555
My suggestion is to avoid recipes which try to mimic traditional meat dishes using meat substitutes. In general, meat substitutes are never going to be as good as meat and those recipes are wasting time trying to be meat like rather than focusing on what makes non-animal foods taste great. Look for dishes from cultures where meat consumption is rare to non-existent; they will have perfected flavor and balance without the use of animal products and will highlight a vegetable product as the star of the dish. As far as cookbooks go The Artful Vegan from Millennium does an excellent job of putting the vegetables first. Unfortunately the recipes in the Millennium cookbooks are often time consuming and relatively difficult which tends to confine them to weekend and dinner party cooking at our house.
I hope this helps.
Vegan Planet, Tofu Cookery and 500 Vegan Dishes.
That's really great! Skipping ahead to your end goal, becoming vegan is, quite literally, the best thing I've ever done for myself, and I know that will likely be true for you, as well!
I highly recommend reading the book Mind If I Order the Cheeseburger?. It was SO helpful to me in fully being able to express the reasons I'm vegan, which made me feel so much more confident when speaking to (well-intentioned but clueless) family and friends.
Living a vegan lifestyle is so much easier than I ever thought it would be, and it's really fun to develop recipes and try new things. I think you'll be really pleased with the amount of energy it gives you and the way your body feels when cutting out animal products. It makes a massive difference.
I'm really excited for you. You're making an excellent choice, and it will all be worth it! The initial awkwardness fades very quickly. They'll come around. Don't worry! Soon, it'll just be something "quirky" about you, and they'll still love you just as much. :)
Do you drive a Taxi in the Vancouver region? Some Hare Krishna fanatic was driving me around and gave me a book you mentioned, The Higher Taste (This one exactly). Good recipes in there actually! However, I did not appreciate his preaching, considering I was paying him for a service. Is it normal that you try and convert or suggest to people the ways of Hare Krishna whenever you see them?
I just made some vegan churros from the recipe in Viva Vegan. They were pretty amazing. It would be something unique and vegan.
Edit: Here's a pic.
Something like this?
Also, depending on where you live there might be a health food store or co-op. They might have books you can buy there or the employees might know of a local shop where you can find them.
I believe this is an instance where correlation does not imply causation. It is more likely that the reason American children are reaching sexual maturity at younger ages are because of the massive amount of growth hormones and the like that are injected into cows, chickens, etc.
milk
food additives mimicking estrogen
There are lots more articles. OR you could read the book Skinny Bitch which pretty clearly explains how a lot of chemicals that are not naturally occurring in foods affect the body.
Edit: fixing hyperlink
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DLTN43C/ref=s9_simh_gw_p351_d1_i3?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;pf_rd_s=center-2&amp;pf_rd_r=1ZRVNQNR6DRS6R7SD8JZ&amp;pf_rd_t=101&amp;pf_rd_p=1688200382&amp;pf_rd_i=507846
If you would, please buy this book. It explains with clarity why you either need to go vegan or you are treating animals as merely things