Everyday Vegan: Veganomicon

It’s been almost 2 years since Twitter made me Vegan.  Most summers, I choose a cookbook or two and make the recipes that appeal to me because summer is when a teacher has the time to test and tweak recipes.  Two summers ago in the Barnes and Noble in Plano, TX, I found my vegan bible, Veganomicon and rediscovered an old vegetarian favorite, The Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Cookbook, one in a series I’ve loved every since I bought The Enchanted Broccoli Forest in college that I still use.

The cover of Veganomicon is kind of crusty (always a good sign with a cookbook) and it’s littered with page flags marking my favorites.  As Rachel Ray would say, these are many of my “go to” recipes, and I’ve decided to share 2 of them on the blog.

First up, Pasta e Fagioli.  I LOVE canellini beans and make a number of variations of this recipe.  You can leave out the pasta and flavor with fresh sage from the garden for a really quick summer meal.  Below is a picture of the classic Veganomicon version with diced tomatoes, tubetti basil, thyme, rosemary, white wine, and canellini beans:

Next from Veganomicon, Leek and Bean Cassoulet with navy beans, carrots, celery, potatoes, and leeks (again – I love leeks) which the recipe pairs with biscuits but I generally just use toasted rosemary italian bread.  This is even better the next day for lunch:

Finally, a really healthy and easy dish from Moosewood, Squash and Kale Risotto.  Don’t be afraid of risotto; it’s just takes a little love and attention, but it’s well worth the effort.   I’ve recently become a big fan of kale, and the mix of the tart kale with the creamy squash is a perfect pairing!

So grab a copy of either – or both! – of these cookbooks and try a few vegan recipes!  My library has the entire Moosewood series so don’t think you have to go spend a lot of money to make a few healthy compassionate meals.  Let me know what you try, how it comes out, and any vegan cookbooks you’ve come to love!  After all, summer is almost upon us … and anyone who comments on the blog is entered into the random drawing for the scarf made by me!