Unique Healthy Vegan Recipes

How It All Vegan is one of the first vegan books I ever read. I’ve been vegetarian for several years and vegan on and off. At the time that I read it, I don’t think I was a “practicing” vegan but still loved it. This book would appeal to anyone who is looking to eat and live healthier.

The co-authors are Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard. From their cover photo, you can tell they’re quirky and fun like the recipes themselves. One clue to their kookiness is the recipe for Fart Burgers with the description: "The best part about being a vegan kid is the vegan farts!" Sarah credits veganism with helping her control her Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Tanya became vegetarian in 1990 for animal rights reasons and became vegan as a natural progression. The two authors state they met through crappy boyfriends who were friends with each other. They dumped the boyfriends and Tanya and Sarah became best friends. The two had written small recipe collections which they gave to friends and family. In 1999 however, Sarah bought a computer and Tanya suggested they put all the recipes together and try to sell it online. It took off from there.

The recipes cover every area including beverages, breakfasts, salads, sauces, entrees, sides, breads, and desserts. There are so many delicious treats to choose from. The Sesame Noodle Salad is a terrific dish. I had been looking for a recipe to use the buckwheat noodles I had purchased at a discount grocery. I prepared this dish without the radishes and it was a big hit. Many times I’ve left out an item or two from the recipes and they still turn out great.

I love making soups and stew because I can throw the ingredients together and go. There are several recipes to choose from including a very yummy Mulligatawny Soup and a really good Rustic Tomato Lentil Soup. The recipes aren’t too involved or difficult and don’t have exotic ingredients. When I received a large amount of swiss chard from my parents’ garden, the Chickpeas & Swiss Chard recipe came in handy.