Epic Vegan

by Dustin Harder

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Epic Vegan is a cookbook full of hearty and satisfyingly tasty classic plant based recipes with an American slant by Dustin Harder. Released 9th July 2019 from Quarto on their Fair Winds Press imprint, it's 192 pages and available in hardcover and ebook formats.

As the author says in the introduction, plant based dishes have an undeserved reputation for being bland and boring. People who love bacon, Philly cheese-steaks, pizza, fried chicken, and BBQ burgers tend to think that vegan cuisine has nothing to tempt them. This book has recipes for all of the above and more.

The book is laid out logically. Staples and recipes for ingredients are followed by categories like beads, appetizers/snacks, handheld food (burgers, sandwiches, etc), pizza, pasta, soups/bowls, drinks, desserts, etc.

Some of the ingredients could prove difficult to source unless the reader has access to vegetarian specific ingredients or specialty suppliers. The rest of the ingredients should be buy-able at any well stocked large grocery.

There's a lot of humor and whimsy in the instructions and recipe names: the pastabilities are endless, cheesus take the wheel, etc. I found it amusing; serious foodies might take exception (lighten up, it's supposed to be fun).

I really feel that moving toward a plant based diet will solve a lot of problems for our resource management as well as provide positive health benefits for all of us. I do think that there is room for a cookbook based on 'cheater' recipes which attempt to replicate meat heavy dishes. I've only tried a handful of the included recipes but we found them tasty and anything but bland. The cover photo is a good indication of the style of recipes included in this cookbook.

Many (but not all) of the dishes are photographed and the photography is lush, clear, and beautifully appealing. I must say, however, that many of these recipes require quite a bit of prep-time. They are mostly 'cooking on the weekend' type recipes and not so much 'I worked all day, the dog threw up in the lounge, and my toddler is naked and running around with her undies on her head for the 34th time today' type recipes. I feel better for having said that (no judging here).

This is the go-to book for veg*ns who want to convince their omnivorous friends and family that plant based meals are not boring and bland.

Five stars, very well done. The flower petal unicorn french bread pizza is -really- beautiful (but all my friends took the petals off before they ate the pizza, cowards).

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.