Book Review

The Everyday Vegan
by Dreena Burton
Review by Shayla Roberts

Let me start by saying that The Everyday Vegan, by Dreena Burton, is one of the most beautifully laid out cookbooks I have ever encountered. It has much more information than you might expect in a cookbook, split into comprehensive and easy to use chapters. In the front part of the book, you will find inspirational stories, guides for using and finding the basic ingredients and doing things like choosing the best vegetables, roasting garlic, and planning your menu. There is also a short but informative nutrition section, which addresses any concerns you might have pertaining to iron, B12, and calcium, as well as health benefits we enjoy as vegans, and a full page of references.

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Coming to the recipe section, I found a recipe listing for each recipe in each section, making finding the right one a breeze. There are all your basic sections such as appetizers, soups, main courses, sides, and sweets, and each recipe is easy to read with a larger font and lots of spacing. As an added bonus I found tips and tricks in each margin for each recipe, covering, among other things, substitutions, add-ins, and cross-references to companion recipes. There is also a nutritional analysis for each recipe, per serving.

If asked to give one statement about the recipes in The Everyday Vegan, I would have to say, "It's more about quality than quantity." It's true, there aren't as many recipes in this book as in others I own, but they are all the best of the best. My very favorite is the Mediterranean Tortilla Pizza. It is one of the best things I have ever had the pleasure of tasting. Over the course of the last month, my husband and I have eaten at least twenty of them. I substituted the flour tortillas with sprouted grain tortillas, which made for a more substantial crust, and I have also experimented with toppings. It is so quick and easy it's sure to become a staple. The Next-Day Rice (or Other Grain) Patties are another favorite. Whole grains take so long to cook, so it always seemed more convenient to cook large batches. However, I was never quite sure what to do with the excess. This recipe makes a tasty vegetable and grain patty for eating topped with gravy, or on a sandwich. You can also play around with which veggies you add, to obtain a different taste or texture. I like to add mushrooms and top with mushroom gravy. A few of the other recipes I've tried and loved are the Lentil Veggie Wraps, the "Grate" Potato Bake, and the Thick 'n' Juicy Pesto Portabellas. As for desserts, the Ooey-Gooey Caramel Chip Bars, and the Mango Ice "Cream" were both big hits, and the EVAN-illa Rice Pudding is my son's new favorite breakfast.

Let it be known that I own many vegan cookbooks, and Dreena Burton's The Everyday Vegan is by far one of the very best. I highly recommend this book for other "everyday vegans" who are looking for easy recipes in harmony with their healthy lifestyle.

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