How Can Tony Hayward Live With Himself?

Like all animal lovers, I am heart broken over the suffering of these birds. It makes me feel a little better that many of the birds are being saved, but then sickened at the amount of birds that have died, are dying, and are suffering through this. What makes me sick is that this is a man-made disaster. It's one thing to have a hurricane or tornado, but we did this, and there is no end in site. The repercussions of this disaster are endless to our ecosystem, and it kills me whenever I see the footage of oil gushing into the Gulf.


What makes me furious is how Tony Hayward is handling this situation. BP says they want to be transparent, but they haven't been clear at all about what/how/when they are doing anything. This cap they used is not working perfectly, and as long as there is still oil flowing in the Gulf, I can't be optimistic.


Every time I see that ad run on TV with him saying, "We're going to make this right," I want to punch him. It's like BP thinks they are just going to PR themselves out of this mess. How do they not have any compassion? Are they not human? It scares me to think that what we are seeing is just the surface of this mess! What about the whole underwater ecosystem that we can't see?


What about the harmful chemicals that are being dispersed into the Gulf that are banned in other countries because these chemicals have been linked with human health problems including respiratory, nervous system, liver, kidney and blood disorders? Why won't they use an alternative? How does one even attempt to clean up such an environmental disaster as this one? What is going to happen when a hurricane hits?


I am encouraging everyone to do your part in saving these helpless birds by going to the International Bird Research Rescue Center and either donating, adopting a bird, becoming a member, or calling the number listed to find out what you can to do. You can also check out this site on the CNN website to find out all of the ways you can take action. 

Namaste,

Monica

Tofu Scramble (Yum)

You might be wondering where I have been since it's been awhile since I last blogged or updated my Facebook or Twitter page, or you might not be wondering at all. Well, I really have no good excuse except that I haven't been making anything interesting, or the things that I have made have been good enough for me, but not good enough to blog about. 

One thing that I have been meaning to make is a tofu scramble. When I went to St. Louis this last February my Aunt made an awesome tofu scramble for me and my vegetarian cousins (it runs in the family). I made one a long time ago and didn't dig it so much, but hers was so awesome that it inspired me to make it again. 

So, here is my recipe for a delicious tofu scramble:

1 block of extra firm tofu drained

1/2 red pepper cut into cubes

1/4 cup red onion chopped into cubes

3 leaves of kale chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 small handfulls of Chedder Daiya "Cheese" (optional)

red pepper flakes (optional)

sea salt

a splash of water

Optional Garnish:

A handful of cherry tomatos cut into 4ths

1/2 cup chopped avocado

some chopped up fresh basil

Putting it all together:

Pour about two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat, and wait about two minutes until it starts to get hot. Add the red pepper and onion and cook for about three minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions start to look opaque. Stir in the garlic, turmeric, a pinch of sea salt, the paprika, red pepper flakes, and the lemon juice. Start to crumble in the tofu, but don't smash it because you still want to have some large pieces. Mix everything together and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. If you notice that pieces start to stick to the pan, then you will want to add a splash of water. After cooking for about 10 minutes, stir in the kale. When the scramble is almost finished add in the Daiya cheese by sprinkling it in while stirring. Once you feel like everything is all mixed together you can turn off the heat, put on a plate, and garnish with the basil, avocado, and tomatoes!

Afterthoughts:

Whenever I cook I always put on an album that I've been meaning to listen to or one that I haven't been able to give my full attention. I decided to listen to Camera Obscura, which I first heard on All Songs Considered. Their newest album, My Maudlin Career was featured as one of the best albums of 2009. I really liked the track they played on that show, so I went ahead and picked up the album..... I thought, why not? I've actually been listening to this album all week and it's really grown on me. I like it because it's a bit poppy, but it also has a 50s sound to it. Tracyanne Campbell also has a fresh and sweet (like watermelon) voice where you can hear a hint of her accent which makes every song so delightful. I can't say that there is one song that I do not like, so it made a nice soundtrack to my morning. Now I just need to pick up some older albums. 

I like to listen to music because I can really concentrate on the flavors and outcome of the food. The worst thing that I can do is make a dish, then sit in front of the tv because the food ends up not being the total focus. Music is a good distraction while I am still able to enjoy my culinary masterpiece (okay... masterpiece might be a bit overboard). I was really happy with how my tofu scramble turned out, especially now that I have access to Daiya cheese (closest flavor and texture to real cheese from what I have found). From what I remember, it comes really close to the taste of a skillet. It would also be good with green onions or sauteed mushrooms, and some breakfast potatoes on the side. 

Enjoy!




Tofu
                

How to Shop Like a Vegan

Sheesh....... it's been over a month since I have blogged anything! What happened? I guess life just got busy and out of hand... sorry about that! Working on some new things, so you should see more throughout the month.
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Whenever I tell people I am vegan, they are all like, "Oh man, well then what the hell do you eat?" I get this reaction like the only things that I can possibly eat are lettuce, carrots, and celery. It's cool though.....I would have thought the same thing like six years ago. I know it's a totally different lifestyle, but there is a whole world of tasty food out there that is ignored since the processed food, fast food, and meat industries took over the world. There are also some that aren't so tasty, and some that are vegan, but not healthy. There are a lot of convenience vegan meat replacements like veggie burgers, soy sausages, "chicken" patties, and so on that are just as processed and not great for you, but good in a pinch, or at the occasional cookout. Those options also make great transition foods for people trying to change their diet... and are better from an ethical point of view at least. Most people tell me they could be vegan, but they just can't give up cheese... or something else, but the most common answer is cheese. If that's the case... give up everything but that. It's all about taking steps in the right direction.

So, over the past few weeks, I've been going through my pantry and paying attention to what I buy at the grocery store. I wanted to create a list of how I snack, keep a balanced diet, and what I keep stocked. If you are interested in trying out the vegan lifestyle... this should help you get started! 

Fresh fruits and vegetables: apples, grapes, strawberries, goji berries (frozen or dried), blueberries, raspberries, avocado, brussel sprouts, spinach, kale, chard, broccoli, eggplant, bananas, cucumbers, bell peppers, hot peppers, mushrooms, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, parsnips, onions, squash varieties, leeks, tomatoes (regular and canned). I don't keep these all at a time, but I generally circulate these fruits and veggies in my kitchen.

* Make sure you experiment with less popular or exotic fruits and veggies like starfruit, mango, coconut, papaya, broccoli rabe, beets, dandelion greens, daikon radish, kohlrabi, or rutabaga.

* Try different mushrooms: morels, shiitake, porcini, enoki

* Try using avocado as a spread for a bagel or toast instead of "cream cheese" or "butter"

* Make sure to keep a variety of greens on hand and eat them daily.  

Experiment with different milks to see what you like the best... I like soy milk, almond milk, and hemp milk. I just stopped buying soy milk because I wanted less soy in my diet. Soy is pretty much in everything you buy these days, and too much of anything can't be good for you. You might also like rice milk or other nut milks! You can also buy soy creamers for coffee or for recipes that call for heavy cream.

Vegetable stock is a must! You can use this for cooking instead of oil, you can use it in sauces, and it can be a base for any type of soup you desire.

Earth Balance or Smart Balance Organic Buttery Spread:  These are both vegan and made with vegetable oils and free of trans fat. I promise that you won't be able to tell the difference between butter and these spreads. I don't use them a lot, but they come in handy if you want to make a piccata or a brown butter sauce, or just simply to spread on a piece of toast. 

Condiments and oils:
*Soy Sauce, Tamari, Braggs Liquid Amino (I really only use braggs these days to cut out the sodium).
*Balsamic Vinegar
*Brown Rice Wine Vinegar
*Mirin
*Sesame Oil
*Chili Oil
*Canola Oil
*Olive Oil
*Sriracha (this is a must)
*Vegan Mayo (Follow Your Heart)
*Vegan Cream Cheese (Follow Your Heart)

*Follow Your Heart also makes a few vegan cheeses, but I don't really recommend them.

*Experiment with high quality oils like: truffle, flax, avocado, hemp, or coconut (I actually use coconut oil in my hair every morning and my cat goes crazy over it. I let him lick the cap.... he seriously loves it.)

*I like to mix together braggs, mirin, sesame oil, and chili oil for a quick stirfry or sauce to top off some veggies, tofu and soba noodles.

Sweetness: Agave Nectar or Brown Rice Syrup can be used instead of honey or sugar. Any type of Dark Chocolate is usually vegan... but you have to check to be sure. Usually, it has to be 70% chocolate to be vegan. I love to buy vegan chocolate chips and mix them in my vegan ice cream. My friend just told me she likes to top her vegan ice cream with yogi cereal... which sounds awesome too. Oh, and Newman's Own makes some Vegan Oreos: regular and mint. I never buy them because I will eat all of them at once!!

Canned tomato sauce. I actually still use ragu, but classico is just as good and has less sugar. Try many different varieties... just make sure that there is not any dairy and opt for the ones that have only recognizable ingrediants and are low in sugar and sodium. 

Beans: Keep a variety a beans on hand: black, kidney, aduki, red, etc. I love chick peas... I can eat them right out of the can. There are also a wide variety of lentils as well. There are so many different types of beans... try a different one each time. 

Pasta: just get your favorite, and make sure it's whole wheat. Some pastas are hard to find whole wheat, so I'll let that slide. I always have soba noodles, udon noodles, and rice noodles on hand. Soba are my favorite....they are great with a stir fry or in a miso soup.

Whole Grains: Brown rice, yellow rice, jasmine, basmati, couscous, farro, barley, quinoa, etc. Make sure you buy and eat whole grains. Quinoa is also high in calcium and protein. 

Seasonings: Fresh garlic, ginger, basil, cilantro, parsley, etc. Most of these have medicinal qualities, so eat them often. Garlic is the best when it's not cooked, so throw it in at the end, or on a salad uncooked. But, nothing beats toasted garlic in olive oil as a sauce with red pepper flakes.... yummmmm... so simple too!

*Also keep dried seasonings on hand  like red pepper flakes, garlic powder, onion powder, minced onion, wasabi powder, Italian seasoning, oregano, etc. 

*Curry... buy red, green, and yellow curry pastes.... cook with them often!

Proteins: Tofu (extra firm, silken for smoothies), Sunshine Burgers, gardein, tempeh, seitan. I haven't had much luck with seitan or tempeh... but i'm working on it! I do love tofu though, but make sure you drain it first! 

Whole grain cereals: I usually use Yogi brands. For whatever you decide on, make sure you check the sugar content. I've never been an oatmeal kind of girl... but that's also a good option for breakfast... topped with fruit.

Canned veggies: Hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, fire roasted tomatoes, olives, coconut milk, corn, etc. 

Egg replacement powder: Ener-G Egg Replacer. I have this in my pantry and I have used it once over the last two years. It worked well, and I didn't notice the difference... i just realized I don't cook much with anything that has needed eggs,  so I haven't needed it. 

Transition/Convenience food: Veggie burgers, Boca Crumbles, soy hot dogs, sausage patties, etc. 

Flours: All you really need is All Purpose Unbleached Flour. But, why not try whole wheat flour, spelt flour, chickpea flour, or brown rice flour. I haven't experimented much with these, but I intend to. If you have, let me know what you made and how it worked out for you! 

Bread: Anything whole wheat and with as little ingrediants as possible. There is no reason that you should be buying bread with sugar, high fructose corn syrup, food coloring, dextrose, etc. Go to Whole Foods or Trader Joe's to get your bread. Oh, how I wish we had a Trader Joe's here in Florida.

Nut Butters: There are all kinds, so try them... almond is my fav. 

Ice Cream: There are many varieties of vegan ice cream. I think the best one is called So Delicious. They have many varieties and even sell a soy free one that uses coconut milk. It really is soooooo delicious.

Nuts and Seeds: Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, almonds, walnuts, flax, cashews, pine nuts. I usually have these all of the time, but there are so many types of nuts and seeds.... try them all!

*Walnuts are high in omega 3s so those are a must. Also, seeds and nuts have lots of protein, fiber, and good fats. They keep you filled up throughout the day so you aren't more willing to eat larger portions later on. 

*Top your cereal off with a good variety of nuts, seeds, and fruit. I always use strawberries, blueberries, hemp seeds, either pumpkin or sunflower, and walnuts.

*If you buy flax... make sure you grid them up... they do not digest right when they are whole.

Lemons and Limes for squeezing into sauces, topping off a salad, or in your water.

Snacks Ideas: Hummus, Triscuits (most are vegan), Baba Ghanoush, chips and salsa, pretzels, fruit, terra chips, various dips, apples with almond butter, grapes, oranges, olives, etc.

Frozen Food: Make sure you check out the frozen section for quick vegan goodies like Rising Moon Butternut Squash Ravioli, or Amy's Frozen Dinners, etc.

Baking Needs: Baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, cocoa powder, organic unbleached sugar, confectioners sugar, non-hydrogenated shortening.

Sea Vegetables: Agar Agar... this is a seaweed powder that works just like jello. Mix it with your favorite fruit juice in hot water and then chill in the fridge for jello. It also expands in your stomach so it aids in weight loss. Nori: When this is toasted you can crumble it over a vegan paella or jambalaya to give the hint of seafood. There are many other types of seaweed so check one out at a time and let me know what you make! 

Supplements: B12 - if you aren't eating a super food like Spirulina or something fortified with B12, make sure you take a supplement with food. This is the only vitamin that is tough to get when you are a vegan. I have found that some drinks such as Naked Green Machine and certain cereals by Kashi have B12 in them.

Phew... that was a lot food and ingrediants! Don't go out and buy this stuff all at once... experiment with these things one at a time. It took me about a year to finally get into a routine of things that work for me on a daily basis, and things that I have on occasion, and things that I just keep stocked because I use them every so often. I am constantly trying new things... for example... I just cooked lentils for the first time this past month, I have mung beans at home that I will try eventually, and I plan on cooking farro tonight. So, keep checking back for recipes!

Remember, it's best to buy organic and local whenever possible. Read the labels on products to make sure you are buying whole grains, vegan, and healthy ingrediants (sometimes companies change their ingrediants... so check every once in awhile). Choose whole foods over processed whenever possible. If you go over this list and eat a balanced diet.. you will not have to worry about protein, fiber, calcium, and other important nutrients... don't let anyone give you trouble about that! Good luck!

Have anything to add to the list? I'd love to hear about it.... fill me in!

Red Curry & Wild Rice Soup

I have lived in Florida for most of my life and I don't remember it ever being this cold. I recall it snowed flurries when I first moved here with my family, but I still don't remember it being this freezing. I went to my nephews third birthday party this weekend, and it was rainy and chilly out. Luckily it was at an inside venue, but I remember last year it was outside at sunny! 

It was a Sunday, and it had been a freezing week, and all I wanted was some warm comforting soup to end the weekend. I was looking through my fridge and I had some red curry paste, tons of veggies, coconut milk, and I knew that whatever I was making was going to involve red curry. I ended up making a soup with wild rice, a red curry broth, and veggies. It was so soothing and relaxing and is exactly what I needed to put me to sleep before the start of the work week. This recipe was inspired by a recipe I made a few months ago from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson.

Red Curry Wild Rice Soup

2 tablespoons sesame oil
4 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 large yellow onion chopped
1/2 large red pepper chopped
8 pieces of baby corn - halved lengthwise, then cut in half widthwise
1 and 1/2 teaspoon red curry paste
1/2 cup wild rice
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 heaping cup of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 and 1/2 tablespoon braggs liquid amino (or soy sauce)
1 can coconut milk (14oz)
1/2 cup water
1 cup cauliflower
5 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro
2 tablespoons basil
Lime Juice
1 teaspoon sugar
Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
black pepper to taste

Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a soup pot to medium heat. When it starts to sizzle, add the garlic, yellow onion, red pepper, and baby corn. Add the red curry paste and stir together and saute for about 4 minutes until the onion gets soft. Make sure the curry is evenly distributed.

Next, add the wild rice, the vegetable broth, mushrooms, and bring to a boil, then simmer and cook according to the wild rice package. I cooked mine for about 20 minutes, but you will know when the rice becomes soft when the rice starts to open and split.

When the rice is done, add the cauliflower, the green onions, coconut milk, braggs liquid amino, sugar, a generous squeeze of lime juice, water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Taste and add some black pepper if needed.

Ladle into a bowl and garnish with some basil and cilantro, and red pepper flakes (if you are using them for extra spice) , and you are ready to eat!

Afterthoughts:
I can't express how nice it was to eat this soup on a cold day. One thing that i learned is that you will want to experiment with different curry pastes because some are hotter than others. The one I used said medium spice, but it really was mild. If you prefer to give it a little kick.. add the red pepper flakes, or even some cayenne pepper. I most always use braggs liquid amino instead of soy sauce because it's less in sodium, but feel free to use soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu if that is what you prefer. You can also use whatever grain you have in the cabinets. I used wild rice, but how about quinoa, soba, or orzo? You can even add Gardein, tofu, or edamame. Those would work too. If you are looking for a warm, comforting, and soothing soup... this is the one for you! Please let me know what you think!

Gardein "Chicken" Piccata with Wilted Spinach and Roasted Potatoes and Onions

Okay, so I know this looks like real chicken, but it's actually a protein source called Gardein. Gardein is a play on the words, garden and protein. It contains no animal products and is made from whole grains and plant based proteins, and then it's slow-cooked to give it a meaty bite. It comes in many varieties. You can probably find it at your local grocery store and definitely at whole foods. This product is great for people trying to cut down their meat intake or for more variety in a vegan or vegetarian diet. 

When I used to eat meat, one of my favorite dishes was a Chicken Piccata recipe from Everyday Italian by Giada De Lourentis. The Conscious Cook also has a Chicken Piccata recipe which was contributed by chef Scot Jones specifically using the Gardein Chicken. The recipes were pretty much the same, but I used a little influence from both of them for the one below. I ended up making roasted potatoes and onions, and wilted spinach which turned out to be an excellent addition. I am so excited to share this dish with you since it was one of my favorites from the past. I hope you enjoy!

Note: The Roasted Potatoes and Onions and wilted spinach recipes are below

Ingrediants
3 Gardein Chick'n Scallopini breasts
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 to 2 cups of all purpose unbleached flour
6 tablespoons of Earth Balance (or any non-hydrogenated vegan butter)
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (or more if you desire)
1/2 teaspoon shallot
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Take the Gardein breasts out of the packet and season on both sides with some salt and pepper. I just sprinkle a little of each on both sides and kind of pat the Gardein to make sure it sticks.

Next, you want to coat the Gardein with flour, but Instead of dredging the Gardein, I grab some of the flour with my hands and coat on the breasts, and then shake off excess. Then, turn then over and do the same on the other side. That way, I am not wasting a bunch of flour. I really don't go crazy with the flour... I just use enough to coat each side of the Gardein.

In a large saute pan, over medium high heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the earth balance with 3 tablespoons of the oil. When the butter is melted and it starts to sizzle, then add 3 breasts and cook for 3 minutes, until browned on the bottom. Then, flip over and cook for another 3 minutes to brown on the other side. Remove the breasts to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium low, and add the lemon juice, stock, wine, capers, garlic, and shallot. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor.

Return the breasts to the pan and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. They should be heated through and the sauce should start to thicken. Plate the breasts, and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of earth balance and 2 tablespoons of oil to the sauce and whisk until smooth. Pour the sauce over the breasts, and the roasted potatoes and spinach (or whatever else you are serving with this)... garnish with parsley... and serve immediately.

Roasted Potatoes and Onions
6 Red Potatoes
1 white onion
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 350
Quarter the potatoes, or cut into bite size pieces
Cut the onion into large chunky pieces
Coat in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper
Place potatoes and onions on baking sheet, and spread out so they are not on top of each other, and roast in oven for 35-40 minutes
When finished, put on plate with Gardein and pour some of the piccata sauce over the potatoes and onions.

Wilted Spinach


About 3 cups spinach
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper

Coat the skillet with olive oil, and set to medium heat. When you see the skillet begin to smoke, pour in the spinach. Season with some salt and pepper. Cook with a spoon stirring around the spinach for about 4 minutes until it starts to cook down. Take it off the heat after some leaves are wilted, but some are still full (it will still continue to cook down after taken off the heat). Plate this with the roasted potatoes and onions and Gardein, and pour some piccata sauce over the spinach for extra flavor.



Afterthoughts: 
I first heard about Gardein from my friend Karen. She mentioned she had heard about it in Oprah, and that the taste of this protein didn't taste much different from actual chicken. I hadn't heard about it at the time, but I am happy that I picked up the Conscious Cook and used this opportunity to cook with it because it really did taste just like chicken to me (from what I remember). I actually felt a little naughty eating it. It was that real!

It is great that this product is available because it's always helpful to have another protein source available, and it's wonderful to have a product that meat-eaters can switch to to protect their health and transition their diet to a more plant based one.

I ended up making this with the roasted onions and potatoes and wilted spinach, but this would also be great over angel hair pasta, quinoa, and steamed broccoli, or sauteed peppers. It could really go with anything! I really hope you try this recipe and product. I can't wait to hear about what you made!

Namaste*

Monica

Video: Michael Pollan on The Daily Show

Michael Pollan, author of Omnivours Dilemma and In Defense of Food, makes an appearance on The Daily Show on Jan 4, 2010 to discuss healthcare and promote his new book, Food Rules. He discusses the high cost of cheap food, meaning that you end up paying an enormous amount for healthcare when you develop illnesses later in life due to inexpensive processed food loaded with ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, trans fat, and msg.

Michael Pollan is also featured and interviewed in the movie, Food Inc. which takes you into the food and animal farming industry. I have yet to read his new book, Food Rules, but it is next on my list. In this new book, he discusses several rules to keep in mind such as: Do not eat cereals that change the color of your milk. 

Watch the video here:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Michael Pollan
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

The Conscious Cook by Chef Tal Ronnen

It's official... we are a few days into the 2010. I know this because I took my usual trip to the gym on Sunday morning, and had a very hard time finding a parking spot when usually I have no problem at all. That's okay though, I am not complaining. I am happy to see so many people off to a healthy start.

Speaking of the new year, I am going to add a new genre to The New Vegan Blog, and that will be cookbook reviews. I have gone through many cookbooks in my lifetime that have influenced my cooking over the years. These are not only vegan cookbooks, but cookbooks from when I started cooking that I still use this day to influence some of the flavors and sauces in my vegan recipes.

The first cookbook that I would like to tell you about is The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen. Since most people want to make healthy resolutions, I thought this would be a good one to start with since the recipes focus on transitioning from meat to meatless. Chef Tal Ronnen is a former steak lover, and these recipes are designed to show you that you can have meatless recipes that have the bite and flavor of meat, and that you aren't giving up anything when you take out animal products in your diet.

I fell in love this cookbook for many reasons. First, there is a captivating picture to go with every recipe, and each one of them makes my mouth water. It was difficult for me to pick out which recipe that I would make first because all of them looked so delicious and creative.

Second, the ingredients used are pretty normal and the recipes are not too labor intensive. I like to know that I will be purchasing herbs, spices, and grains that I am going to use often rather than a once a year. And, I don't mind a little bit of labor... I love the art of cooking, chopping vegetables, and mixing sauces. It's all very therapeutic to me. It gives me a chance to go into another world away from the stresses in life, and make something to blog about! But, all in all... these recipes are not too difficult.

The third reason I love this cookbook is because it's not just a cookbook, but it also tells many stories. The cookbook opens with, "Welcome, meat-eaters," and then he goes onto explain that he used to be a meat eater, but gave it up as a teenager, and he says, "I became obsessed with eating vegan food that was just as mouthwatering and delicious as anything I'd ever had as a meat-eater. This book is my chance to share these discoveries with you."

Throughout the book, he explains why vegan is the healthy choice, and even quotes Paul McCartney and Albert Einstein promoting the lifestyle. He goes onto break through the vegan myths, and mentions that going vegan even three days a week lets you in on the benefits. There is a page dedicated to each food group, and he highlights what his favorites are in each category.

He goes on to feature guest chefs that he has worked with who tell their stories of why they decided to adopt this lifestyle as well as share a few of their recipes. One story that I found fascinating was by Chef Chad Sarno of Saf, London's first full vegan restaurant and bar. Sarno actually begins by saying, "I was blessed with asthma-blessed in that it brought me to where I am today," and he goes onto explain that he didn't eat a lot of meat to begin with, but after he was told to cut out dairy from his diet, he never had another asthma attack again and was able to stop using all of his inhalers.

This cookbook also includes interviews with:

Don McKinkey, who brought quinoa to the United States from South America. "Quinoa is a grain that is really high in protein and iron and had sustained the Inca - a very poor people who barely ate any meat."

-Bob Goldberg, who is the cofounder of Follow Your Heart products and inventor of Veganaise (Vegan Mayonnaise).

-Yves Potvin, who created the first veggie hotdog, and is the founder of Gardein and Yves Veggie Cusine. You can find these imitation meat products in the frozen and refrigerated section of your grocery store.

-Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza, who are the owners of Candle Cafe and Candle 79. These are one if the first fine dining vegan places on New York's Upper East Side.

He uses all of the ingredients by each of these interviewees in some of his recipes, and it makes the dishes more fascinating since you learn about the history of these products and how they were influenced. You really do learn where your food is coming from, how it is made, and the love and compassion behind it through this cookbook.

Some of the recipes that you can expect to find in this cookbook are Artichoke and Oyster Mushroom Rockefeller, Gardein "Chicken" Piccata, Tomato Bisque, Tomato "Mozzarella" and Pesto Panini, Herbed Cashew Cheese Baguette with Tomato and Watercress, Paella with "sausage" Nori Dusted Oyster Mushrooms, and Wine Braised Artichoke Hearts, Agave-Lime Grilled Tofu with Asian Slaw and Mashed Sweet Potatoes, and Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cake with Berry Sorbet.

This book is perfect for beginners because it is not only a book filled with delightful recipes, but it's also a how-to guide. It is filled with stories and explanations of the food that you will be using which may be unfamiliar to you, and this helps to put your mind at ease. The recipes are all takes on contemporary dishes that are featured in everyday restaurants with common ingredients, so you don't have to worry about any strange or unexpected outcomes. Chef Tal Ronnen has traveled the world working with master chefs, and it shows with the variety of exotic flavors and cultural influences in these recipes.

Since I have purchased this book, I decided to try quinoa and fell in love with it, and it will become a staple in my diet. I also can't wait to tell you about the Gardein Chicken Piccata that I made from this cookbook in my next recipe blog. I will make the same promise that Chef Tal makes in his introduction, and that is... "I promise, you won't miss the meat."

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!