If you’re thinking about making the switch to a vegan diet or just embracing some meat-free options, vegan cookbooks are a great resource. However, there are only so many beautiful hardback tomes talking about falafel that you need.
If you want to enjoy some veggie-forward food and not get bored, embracing some of the more adventurous sides of veganism can help to keep your interest alive. Here are five of our favourite niche vegan cookbooks.
Raw. Vegan. Not Gross.
Laura Miller turned vegan overnight after reading a book about the lifestyle. She has since gone on to host a cooking show on Tastemade and release a cookbook. Raw. Vegan. Not Gross is an excellent introduction to the world of mostly raw food. You won’t need a dehydrator to get started, but the further you get into the book, the more you might be tempted to invest in one. The zucchini (courgette) noodles and nori snack sticks are some of our favourite recipes. Parents beware! You WILL want to try making some of the delicious lunchbox treats that she has developed, especially if you have bento boxes and a creative streak.
Image credit – Laura Miller
Modern Tiffin
A recent addition to the vegan cookbook landscape, Modern Tiffin is written by Chef Priyanka. It explores that traditional Indian custom of making fresh, tasty food that can be transported in tiffin boxes, for lunch. The recipes will delight anyone with Indian heritage and those without equally, as will the emotive peek into why Tiffins are so important to the writer. You’ll dive in for the Indian home fries with peanuts and stay for the cardamom sweet tea spritzer!
Image credit – Priyanka Naik
Dirty Vegan
Matt Pritchard rose to fame as a member of the welsh equivalent of Jackass. Since then, he has become an endurance athlete, TV presenter and vegan cookbook writer. The great thing about Dirty Vegan is its no-holds-barred approach to fun, tasty and unapologetically ‘proper’ food. You won’t need any special equipment here, just a willingness to get stuck in. He features everything from energy balls for fellow fitness fanatics to jackfruit and bean chilli. We can personally recommend the paella, which is zinged up with a squeeze of fresh lime and a cold beer to the side.
Image credit – Matt Pritchard
Meat Is For Pussies
John Joseph is the ex-frontman for a hardcore group and a fully-fledged, LOUD vegan. If bad language and empassioned data explanation don’t thrill you, this is not the cookbook to start with. You might want to avoid his YouTube channel too. Technically, it’s not a cookbook but a guide for going vegan and reclaiming your real self, while eating for fuel. The first few chapters look at why regular eating styles are redundant and from there, a host of excellent recipes follow. Aimed squarely at the kind of people who think vegans are weak, Jospeh pulls no punches. You definitely would not want to be on the receiving end of one though. The morning smoothies made with soaked brazil nuts and maca powder are a go-to for us.
Image credit – John Joseph
Veganomicon
Written by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero from Post-Punk Kitchen, this is less niche and more essential. The ultimate collection of vegan recipes for beginners to adventurous home chefs alike, it is filled with helpful tips as well. It’s one of those books you put on your list for ages and then when you finally buy it, you wonder why it took you so long. It doesn’t hurt that it looks stylish on the shelf either. If you’ve ever wondered what to do with bok choy, this is definitely the book you need.
Image credit – Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero
As for vegan food becomes available around the world, it’s easy to forget that nothing compares to cooking your own. It’s more sustainable, especially if you practice zero waste shopping, plus you can enjoy the process and connect with your veganism on a different level. So, step away from the prepared burgers and ready meals and try something niche.
