Practically vegan More than 100 easy, delicious vegan dinners on a budget

Nisha Melvani

Book - 2022

"A certified dietitian and nutritionist, Melvani offers a non-militant approach for those wanting to eat less meat but also solid, tested recipes for those who are already vegan. Plant-based cooking will no longer feel intimidating with limited, easy-to-find ingredients that you will use in the kitchen over and over again. Inspired by the flavors she was introduced to while growing up in Jamaica, England, and Canada, Melvani shares over 100 delicious recipes, including Creamy One-Pot Cheesy Broccoli Pasta Soup, Cauliflower Sweet Potato Curry, Sesame Noodle Veggie Stir-Fry, Mushroom Bourguignon, and more, all accompanied by her own beautiful photography and a foreword by bestselling author Jonathan Safran Foer who urged Melvani to write... this cookbook after feeding his family her recipes. With easy-to-follow directions and handy sidebars offering substitutions and culinary tips and tricks, Practically Vegan will be the helping hand you need to prepare a vegan dinner for yourself or your family with confidence"--

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Subjects
Genres
Recipes
Cookbooks
Published
New York : Rodale 2022.
Language
English
Main Author
Nisha Melvani (author)
Other Authors
Dana Gallagher (photographer)
Edition
First edition
Item Description
Includes index.
Physical Description
272 pages : color illustrations ; 24 cm
ISBN
9780593233405
  • Foreword: HELP IS ON THE WAY
  • Introduction: The Cook Behind the Book
  • Pantry Staples
  • Kitchen Essentials
  • Techniques & Tips
  • Chapter 1. Pasta
  • Lentil Bolognese
  • Tofu Bolognese
  • Sneaky Veggie Pasta
  • Creamy One-Pot Cheesy Broccoli Pasta Soup
  • One-Pot Nut-Free Creamy Spaghetti
  • Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus Pasta
  • Mushroom Tahini Pasta
  • Tomato Zucchini Pasta
  • Fire-Roasted Rigatoni alla Vodka
  • Creamy Corn Pasta
  • Eggplant Parmesan Meatballs
  • Chickpeas & Broccoli in Béchamel Sauce
  • Miso Sweet Potato Pasta with Sage
  • Mushroom Stroganoff
  • Pasta Alfredo with Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
  • Chapter 2. Beans & Chili
  • Sweet Potato Baked Beans
  • Smashed Pinto Beans with Tahini
  • Coconut Kidney Beans
  • Tahini Black Beans
  • Taco Pinto Beans in Creamy Tomato Sauce
  • BBQ Chickpeas
  • Spicy Black Bean Chili
  • Creamy Lentil & Corn Chili
  • Fire-Roasted Tempeh Chili
  • Mushroom Chili
  • Potato Bean Chili
  • Peanut Pinto Chili
  • Chapter 3. Curry
  • Red Lentil Go-To Curry
  • Thai Veggie Curry with Tofu
  • Simple Chickpea Masala
  • Butternut Squash Tahini Curry
  • Black Lentil Coconut Masala
  • Cauliflower-Sweet Potato Curry
  • Creamy Dal
  • Tofu Curry
  • Creamy Thai Red Curry
  • Chapter 4. Burgers & Patties
  • Stuff It, Wrap It, Top It
  • Smoky Lentil Burgers
  • "I Can't Believe It's Tofu" Burgers
  • Black Bean Corn Burgers
  • Irresistible Tempeh Sliders
  • Artichoke Pinto Burgers
  • Potato Tofu Patties
  • Chickpea Quinoa Patties
  • Cheesy Broccoli Fritters
  • Chickpea Fritters
  • Sweet Potato Falafel with Yogurt Drizzle Sauce
  • Cheesy Tofu Scramble Bagels
  • Tempeh Sweet Potato Hash Tortillas
  • Chickpea "Tuna" Salad Wraps
  • Tofu Beef Tacos
  • Chapter 5. Asian Fake-Out
  • Tofu Veggie Fried Rice
  • Tempeh Bacon Fried Rice
  • Sesame Noodle Veggie Stir-Fry
  • Sweet & Spicy Cauliflower Wings
  • Chickpea Bell Pepper Stir-Fry
  • Miso Eggplant Steaks with Spicy Peanut Noodles
  • Sticky Sesame Tofu
  • Tofu Lettuce Wraps
  • Teriyaki Pulled Jackfruit Sandwich
  • Ginger Sesame Soy Curls
  • Chickpea Eggplant Stir-Fry in Peanut Sauce
  • Chapter 6. Comfort Food
  • Tofu & Sweet Peas in Béchamel Sauce
  • Crispy Cauliflower Steaks with Pimiento Sauce
  • Braised Jackfruit Stew
  • London Broil Tempeh with Smashed Potatoes
  • Chickpea Cashew Loaf with Ketchup
  • Chickpea & Sun-Dried Tomato Coconut Stew
  • Inverted Ratatouille
  • Chickpea Nuggets with Crispy Oven Fries
  • Sloppy Joes
  • Cauliflower, Lentil & Mushroom Stew
  • Mushroom Bourguignon
  • Chapter 7. Sides
  • Salads & Veggie Sides
  • Cabbage Slaw
  • Mediterranean-Inspired Salad
  • Kale Caesar Salad with Chickpeas
  • Asian-Inspired Crunchy Salad with Sesame Ginger Dressing
  • Roasted Broccoli or Cauliflower Bites
  • Sheet Pan Veggies with Tahini Dijon Dressing
  • Garlicky Kale
  • Sautéed Asparagus with Garlic "Facon"
  • Creamy Miso Cauliflower
  • Coconut-Battered Cauliflower Steaks
  • Roasted Carrots in Garlic-Chili Oil with Crunchy Pepitas
  • Maple Soy Green Beans
  • Brussels Alfredo with Toasted Bread Crumbs
  • Protein Sides
  • Easy Cheesy Nooch-Crusted Tofu
  • Crispy Baked Tofu Cubes
  • Cornflake-Crusted Tofu
  • Crispy Tofu Cutlets
  • Soy Curls
  • Tempeh Nuggets
  • Tempeh Bacon
  • Chickpea Croutons
  • Potato Sides & Starchy Sides
  • Tangy Potato Salad
  • Perfectly Crisp Roasted Baby Potatoes
  • Smashed Potatoes
  • Crispy Top Potato Rounds
  • Deliciously Dressed Roasted Potatoes
  • Roasted Sweet Potato Chunks
  • Baked Sweet Potato
  • Coconut-Infused Sweet Potato Rounds
  • Garlicky Rice
  • Coconut Quinoa
  • Lemony Cauliflower Rice
  • Spicy Peanut Miso Noodles
  • Cheesy Savory Pancakes
  • Sesame Garlic Ramen Noodles
  • Pita Chips
  • Cornbread Mug Cake
  • Chapter 8. Dips, Dressings & Sauces
  • Sour Cream
  • Light & Fluffy Hummus
  • Easy Guacamole
  • Cashew Cream
  • Aioli
  • Tzatziki
  • Yogurt Drizzle Sauce
  • "Tangy, Sweet & a Little Bit Cheesy" Dressing for Salads or Roasted Veggies
  • Multipurpose Dressing or Dip
  • Sesame Ginger Salad Dressing
  • Vegan Caesar Salad Dressing
  • Ranch Dressing
  • Maple Dijon Dressing
  • Tahini Dijon Dressing
  • Sweet & Spicy Dipping Sauce
  • Basic Stir-Fry Sauce
  • Hoisin Stir-Fry Sauce
  • Sesame Stir-Fry Sauce
  • Peanut Sauce
  • Sweet & Spicy Gingery Stir-Fry Sauce
  • Teriyaki Sauce
  • Ketchup
  • BBQ Sauce
  • Acknowledgments
  • Index
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

In this excellent debut, Cooking for Peanuts blogger Melvani skillfully proves that "inexpensive, simple, and practical" vegan recipes can be "sophisticated in their own right." She opens with a detailed list of plant-based cooking staples (among them frozen veggies, tofu, and herbs and spices, "the backbone for so many dishes"); provides thorough information on how to prepare them (to remove the bitterness out of tempeh, she simmers it); and at the outset of each chapter, serves up snackable bits of knowledge (pasta, for example, is "enriched with B vitamins and iron and contains a reasonable amount of protein"). Enticing recipes derive from a variety of cultures--running the gamut from lentil bolognese and spicy black bean chili to Thai veggie curry with tofu and miso eggplant steaks with spicy peanut noodles. To save time and effort for home cooks, Melvani shares plenty of delicious one-pot recipes--such as a chickpea and sun-dried tomato coconut stew that's ready in 20 minutes--and her amiable instructions offer modifications and swaps based on one's motivation, or lack thereof (while she recommends removing the skins of her chickpea "croutons" for a crispier result, she writes, "you can skip it. Just know it's a game-changer"). Veggie-heads and the vegan-curious alike will find this guide to plant-based eating irresistible. Agent: Alison Fargis, Stonesong. (Mar.)

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review

Melvani declares that "every recipe should be inexpensive, simple and practical," in this first cookbook, where she highlights a variety of vegan recipes and shares her favorite pantry staples. For Melvani, "practical" vegan cooking means always having tofu and tempeh on hand and relying on nuts and seeds for additional protein. Recipes are organized by type and feature pasta dishes, burgers, comfort food. Sides and snacks are also considered, with Melvani taking advantage of chickpeas in various ways. She also lists her favorite kitchen essentials, including a blender and a food processor, for straightforward vegan cooking. Melvani's accessible handbook has a wealth of meal ideas and should be an important addition to vegan collections (especially given the growth of this topic), since it focuses on ease-of-use in a friendly, approachable style. VERDICT A handy guide for quick and easy vegan meals.--Barbara Kundanis

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

The Cook Behind the Book I tried to get out of writing this chapter. I told my editor, "They're here for the food. They don't want to know about me!" It turns out this chapter was non-negotiable. So, if you are here for just the food, that's totally cool. Skip ahead to Pantry Staples on page 15. That one you must read. I'm trying to resist using the cliché "I always loved to cook." But the thing is, I really did always love to cook, just like I loved to sew and play the piano--I sound like one of those eighteenth-century girls being primed for marriage. My story, however, is anything but romantic. I was born and raised on the island of Jamaica by two full-time working parents. So, in reality, they didn't really do much of the raising. It was Paulette, my awesome nanny, with whom I spent most of my time. She and I were very close, but she took no prisoners. If I was out of line, I was in big trouble. And I rarely toed the line. It was a challenge for her to manage me. I was a capricious kid, very naughty, always wanting to try something new. Which explains why piano and sewing were eventually replaced by new ventures deemed far more interesting at the time. But cooking, that I never really did quit. Some part of me couldn't relinquish the challenge of transforming something as mundane as white flour into a delicious, crispy pizza. My parents didn't cook. My mom ate because she had to. Her default foods were SPAM and "bun and cheese," a Jamaican specialty where the bun is a dried-fruit-spiced loaf, and the cheese is packaged as Tastee Cheese. I never saw my mom eat a fruit or vegetable, besides the occasional banana and the many sides of french fries. She recently had one foot of her colon removed because it was so damaged. I'm 100 percent sure it was 100 percent caused by her no-fiber diet, though she will never admit it. My grandma was the best cook I've ever known. She was constantly humming Bob Marley tunes while cooking. Her veggie dishes were so delicious that I could never understand how it was my mother did not like vegetables. My dad's dietary choices couldn't have been more different from my mother's. Not only did he embrace fruit and vegetables, but he even ate the skins of fruit that aren't designed to be eaten. Like banana peels. He still literally eats bananas without peeling them. I tried to explain that it's called the peel for a reason. My kids think this is the best party trick ever. Our home meals brought these two conflicting perspectives about food to the table. There were a lot of Chef Boyardee ravioli dinners, as well as from-scratch mutton curries. (My parents are both Indian, and so curries were a mainstay for dinner.) While it's not ideal to be raised on canned foods, having been exposed to these two extremes resulted in giving me a balanced perspective about how food can mean such different things to different people. My palate became even more diverse when I was sent off to British boarding school at age seven. It was the Oliver Twist kind of boarding school--one where you were made to pull your socks up and were beaten (albeit gently) for crimes you never committed. Boarding school meals always had meat. A lot of meat. Meat dishes previously unfamiliar to me: steak and kidney pie, shepherd's pie, cottage pie, liver, haggis, roast lamb, lamb chops, bangers and mash, pigs in a blanket, fish and chips. There were also lots of veggies but I wasn't such a fan, as they tended to be overcooked until they were mush. Think overboiled Brussels sprouts and green beans like someone forgot they were still on the stove. (Maybe this is why I became so motivated to make veggies irresistibly delicious.) The food was so bad that we even had a rhyme about it. Sung to the tune of "Frère Jacques," it went like this: School dinners, school dinners, Mushy peas, mushy peas, Soggy semolina, soggy semolina, Doctor quick, I feel sick, It's too late, dunnit on the plate! Oh, and if you really, really couldn't eat something, you had to bring in a note from your parents requesting that you be excused from eating that food. You were allowed to cancel two foods--and no more. I'm assuming everyone's canceled food was some sort of vegetable, given how disgustingly they were prepared. My choices were beets and Brussels sprouts. And then there was Montreal, where I went to college and enjoyed delicious French food. This didn't happen all too often given my limited budget as a student, but whenever I had extra money at the end of the month, I would use it to eat in some fancy French restaurant and then try to re-create those gastronomic delights in my dorm kitchen. After graduating from college and two very short careers (if you can even call them that), one as an investment banker on Wall Street and the other as a secondgrade teacher at a New York City private school, I found my way to Columbia University, where I completed a master's degree in nutrition, while I also gave birth to three kids in three and a half years. It was at this point that I became focused on raising healthy children who would love vegetables. But I wasn't confident in my cooking skills and wanted to get better at making creative food. And so, when my kids were old enough to brush their own teeth and wipe their own butts, I signed up for full-time culinary school at the Natural Gourmet Institute, where I spent six months cooking vegan and vegetarian recipes. Armed with the skills and knowledge I needed, I was now on a mission to make tempeh, the least palatable vegan protein in my opinion, utterly delicious. I am happy to say that my now teenagers are adventurous eaters who enjoy eating plants. I have, over time, learned how to make veggies, tofu, tempeh, beans, lentils--you name it--palatable to children and adults alike, without spending hours in the kitchen, and for cheap. It was from a want of sharing these ideas with others that I started my Instagram feed, cookingforpeanuts. The success of this feed made me realize how many people are interested in eating this way, and so, when my friend Jonathan Safran Foer suggested I write a cookbook, I went for it. I set out to create a cookbook filled with vegan dinners that everyone would enjoy with limited, easy-to-find ingredients. Every recipe should be inexpensive, simple, and practical. But they should also use quality ingredients and be sophisticated in their own right. After making these recipes over and over again, you will become culinary chemists, meaning you will feel confident experimenting with ingredients you have on hand to spontaneously create your own delicious recipes. Plant-based cooking will no longer feel intimidating. Quite the opposite. It will seem ridiculously easy. I assure you that this book is neither about trying to convince you to become vegan nor about ostracizing those of you who enjoy eating meat. It's really a guide for those who are trying to eat more plant-based meals and are looking for nonintimidating recipes that are flavorful with affordable, pantry-friendly ingredients that are used over and over again and not left to gather dust on your shelves. I hope you enjoy making these recipes as much as I enjoyed creating them. Good luck on your plant-based journey. Nisha Excerpted from Practically Vegan: More Than 100 Easy, Delicious Vegan Dinners on a Budget: a Cookbook by Nisha Melvani All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.