Vegan Mediterranean Cookbook

Tess Challis

September 24, 2019

Rockridge Press

Blurb:

Mediterranean meets vegan: The ultimate vegiterranean cookbook.

Learn how to mix vegan eating into the bold flavors and healthy lifestyle of the Mediterranean diet―called “vegiterranean.” This vegiterranean cookbook bridges the gap between the two and shows you how to create wholesome, flavorful, satisfying Mediterranean dishes that are free of both animal products and artificial ingredients.

The Mediterranean diet is one of the most-studied diets of all time, and is known to boost energy, lower cholesterol, strengthen your immunity, and help you maintain a healthy weight. Coupled with the nutritional and environmental benefits of plant-based meals, a complete vegiterranean cookbook will help you discover fresh and natural recipes that lift your health and your spirit.

Discover a whole new world of eating with a vegiterranean cookbook that offers:

• Basics and beyond―Learn the main tenants of the Mediterranean diet so you can continue mixing up masterpieces on your own.
• Know before you go―Recipes include prep time, number of servings, and are labeled for gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
• More than food―This vegiterranean cookbook also offers guides and tips for a holistically healthy Mediterranean lifestyle, including exercise, attitude, and community.

Vegan recipes with Mediterranean flair―healthy meets tasty.

Tess Challis’ Vegan Mediterranean Cookbook takes a look at the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet when combined with a vegan diet and shows you how to bring the two together for healthy eating.

The first few chapters inform the reader about the diet and lifestyle of the Mediterranean and may be the most useful of the book, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the area or the diet.

I wasn’t impressed by Challis’ inclusion of one of those pricey blenders (Vitamix et al) as being a kitchen necessity. It isn’t. For recipes like soups for which the blender is used, an immersion blender works much better since you don’t have to transfer the contents of your pan, not to mention the significant cost-savings of, say, around $300!). 😉

The recipes, on the other hand, remind me of those in a recent cookbook I reviewed Fast & Easy Vegan Cookbook (read my review here) and I fully expected to read: “Fast and Easy Vegan Mediterranean” on the cover but no. The reason why I make that comparison is that Mediterranean cooking uses so many herbs and spices, which gives the cuisine depth of flavor. I suppose if you’re wanting to create quick recipes you could leave them out, which this cookbook seems to do. To be fair, the recipes use one or two herbs/spices, just not what I’m used to or would include in my own cooking.

In several recipes, Ful Medames, a rich fava bean stew, for instance, I expected to see cumin. Cumin and legumes almost go hand-in-hand. I’ve never seen a Ful Medames recipe without it, yet here one is. Parsley is the only herb/spice used. I suspect if I hadn’t just read two cookbooks that make complete use of herbs and spices to enhance simple dishes (especially Ottolenghi’s Plenty (vegetarian, not vegan but you could make substitutions or removals), I might have liked the recipes in Vegan Mediterranean Cookbook more.

There are a handful of recipes I’ll try. And I do like the idea of using cashews to add creaminess to recipes–that I will definitely be trying.

I would recommend Vegan Mediterranean Cookbook if you are a new cook and/or new vegan. The recipes would be an excellent jump-start for simple Mediterranean cooking.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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rating:

3 out of 5 butterflies

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