Roxy Reviews: Everyday Vegan by Jeani-Rose Atchison

The first part of this book starts out with health and nutrition issues, and also why a whole-foods vegan diet promotes health--even for children. In fact, a healthy organic diet is especially important for children, the author points out, because the rising problems of violence in children and teens can be linked to poor nutrition.

The book goes on to point out important facts about fats, protein and carbohydrates in a healthy diet. The author writes that fats from whole food sources like nuts, seeds and avocado are health-promoting when eaten as part of a balanced diet. This may not seem too ground-breaking to a lot of us health-conscious vegans, but it is important information for readers who categorize all fats as "bad." Protein is also addressed. It is a common misconception that it is very difficult to obtain enough protein from a vegan diet. This is a myth that was started long ago, as the author points out, based on dietary needs of dogs. Still to this day, people are literally scared into believing that a healthy diet should include meat at every meal. This is simply not true.

On to the recipe section, there have been some hits and misses in my experience cooking from this book. First, in the Appetizers, Dips and Spreads section, I tried the Cheddar, Sunflower and Olive Spread awhile back. I was not thrilled with the results. The flavors did not go well together and not much of it got eaten. I would definitely not make this again. However, the Carrot Butter sounds great as a spread on a sandwich or on toast.

In the Soups section, the Gingered Butternut Squash Soup was a delicious combination of sweet and savory. Curried Cauliflower and Carrot Soup was also good.

As for the Salads, I have not tried any of them yet, but the South American Jicama and Orange Salad sounds fantastic. If you enjoy using sea veggies, there are several salad recipes utilizing this ingredient.

On to the Breads, I attempted the Pumpkin-Apricot Bread with near-disasterous results. It was more like pumpkin pie filling than bread! All three Squash-Corn Muffins, Zucchini Muffins and Wheat-Free Muffins are fantastic. A note about the Wheat-Free Muffins: the recipe makes enough to feed an army! Make sure you have at least 2 (12 cup) muffin pans for this one!

The Side Dish section contains many international dishes like Spanish Rice (although I found this dish to be rather bland, and unless you have about 8 people over for dinner, you may want to scale this one down), Thai Vegetables, and Ratatouille.

When browsing the Entrees Section, there is a yummy-looking recipe for vegan Rubens, as well as "The Ultimate Sandwich with Creamy Mozzarella" Yes, she even includes a recipe for homemade mozzarella. Asian Spring Rolls are included, as well as several loaf recipes. The Spinach Fritters leave a whole lot to be desired--they were incredebly bland and didn't cook through. Baked Polenta with Shiitake Ragout sounds fantastic, as does the Chestnut, Apple and Cornbread Stuffed Squash. The Savory Stuffed Portobellos are a favorite in my house.

Finally, in the Desserts and Drinks Section, you will find recipes for Cherry Whip (which seems to be a vegan ice-cream?), Sesame Crunchies (a healthy energy snack), and Sprouted Wheat Suprises (which I made and liked at first, but felt ill about 15 minutes after eating them). There is a carrot cake recipe which is simply fruit-sweetened, but there is no instruction on baking. A raw cake, I assume?

Overall, this book contains useful health information and many good recipes. However, I have found that the instructions for cooking are very vague and minimal. Also, it would be helpful to know how many servings each recipe uses (as in the case of the wheat-free muffins, I unexpectedly ended up with 24-36 muffins and only had one 6-cup muffin pan!) In addition, I found that the recipes were all over the place. Fig, Orange and Pine Nut Relish sounds rather gourmet and exciting, while Cashew Nut Casserole isn't even a casserole--it's simmered on the stove in a pot.

3/5 stars