Mouthwatering Vegan : Over 130 Irresistible Recipes for Everyone

I collect vegan cookbooks and read them as most people read a novel, so I know what is out there. I spend a LOT of time in my kitchen trying new vegan recipes and new techniques. I judge a cookbook by making three recipes…if they are good, then I try more and keep the book seeing how the writer thinks and uses their plant based foods and tools. If they are uninteresting, the books gets taken to the second hand shop. If they are wonderful, then they are my “go to” cookbooks that I rely on time and time again. So many cookbooks are just a rehashing of the same old same old thing. Miriam Sorrell is a true artist! She has managed to include many fresh new ideas and creations so delicious as to make one’s head spin! Just reading the Table of Contents made my mouth water…..so it is true to it’s title. The pictures are tempting, and the directions are easy to follow. These recipes make me look like a master in my own kitchen….all by following the directions of a true Master. Doesn’t get any better than this. This “go to” cookbook will fast make you look like a pro…people won’t believe that Vegan dishes can taste so good! Get this book!!

I ordered a copy of Mouthwatering Vegan after trying out a few of Miriam Sorrell’s recipes from her blog. In the past few months I’ve tried many of the recipes in the book and I’ve never had a flop. Sorrell proves that, without the shadow of a doubt, it is possible to cook delicious food without using animal products. My omnivore friends love everything that I’ve cooked them from the book, and many have asked me for the recipes of particular dishes. Sorrell’s strength lies in her combining of herbs and spices to create strong, sometimes unusual and always delicious flavours, and her having tested her recipes very carefully, so that you can make a recipe you’ve never tried before knowing that it will be wonderful. I also love her creative take on omnivore favourites such as Chilli Con Carne, Moussaka, Festive Roll, etc. If you have a question, she always answers it on her blog or Facebook page. I have had such success with these recipes that one omnivore friend who owns a wine bar asked me for the recipe of my pot pie adaptation of Sorrell’s Festive Roll (I adapted it to accommodate a gluten intolerant guest), to be tested by her chef for use as a vegan option in the wine bar! Other friends have asked if they can bring family members along for a meal at my house, “so that they can also experience fabulous vegan food”. The value of this book lies in its providing a collection of mouthwatering and easy-to-prepare meals – that they’re vegan is almost an aside. But of course, it’s not. By showing that we can have a wide range of delicious and nutritious foods without harming animals, in her own way Sorrell changes the world for the better. I salute her for that.

Part of the challenge of becoming a vegan is the sense of ‘giving up’ many of the foods you not only grew up with but also enjoy A LOT! You think that becoming vegetarian, you still get the relish in omelets, grilled cheese sandwiches, a fried egg, bleu cheese dressing, or just a plain ole hunk of yummy cheese (brie, cheddar, mozzarella on your pizza and parmesan for your spaghetti, a glass of chocolate milk, egg custard). When you make that leap to completely plant-based, it’s like…ok, now what can I eat? Well, I’m here to tell you that Miriam Sorrell’s Mouthwatering Vegan is a godsend. There’s really NOTHING you can’t have. And she’s giving you the way to do it!! I rated it a 5 star for the recipes, the pictures and the wonderful descriptions of the way to put everything together. My only less than positive (and Ms Sorrell and I did ‘chat’ about it) is that we like to know the nutritional values as we count calories and watch our sodium/sugar intake. That is missing as they are in many vegan cookbooks. But, don’t let that stop you from relishing in the wonderful recipes that make being vegan a joy and not a challenge.

My favorite vegan book! Every recipe I’ve tried so far is incredible. My carnivore family loves when I cook from this one.