Jazzy Vegetarian: Lively Vegan Cuisine That’s Easy and Delicious
Alisa Fleming ~ I like the style of Jazzy Vegetarian, which has a simple, laid-back flow. The author, Laura Theodore, incorporates her whimsical approach as a jazz singer to create an inviting cookbook that is unintimidating to say the least. Though I love the simplicity of her recipes as someone who has been cooking and baking dairy-free for a while, I think this is a fabulous cookbook for beginners and newbies to vegan cuisine. Laura includes a full range of recipes (breakfast, appetizers, entrees, desserts, etc.), and for the most part they use everyday foods and have relatively short ingredient lists.
To note, the author does use some basic specialty products in some of the recipes, such as vegan cheese alternative, vegan mayo, and dairy-free margarine. All are pretty easy to find these days, but that said, I stuck to the recipes that didn't use alternatives, and found that there were still many, many options. You can see my version of her Sun-Dried Tomato and Broccoli Penne (which we loved) in the Pasta Recipes Section here on Go Dairy Free.
Here is a sampling of some of the other recipes that I found inviting:
- Ginger & Maple Iced Tea
- Chocolate Ganache Pudding
- Mashed Carrots and Potatoes with Rosemary
- Caramelized Balsamic Artichokes
- Perfect Party Portobellos
- Quick Lasagna Rolls
- Arugula & Walnut Pesto Pasta
- Nori Lunch Rolls
- Savory Sweet Potato Soup
- Bountiful Breakfast Bread
- Luscious Little Carrot Muffins
- Breakfast Rice with Sweet Spices
Other notes:
- This is a hardback cookbook with pictures for most of the recipes, but what I liked best were the "how to" photos, demonstrating techniques.
- This is a cookbook first and foremost. There is a brief introduction that includes ingredient information and some basics on a plant-based diet, followed by a good selection of menu suggestions using the recipes, but then she jumps right into the recipes.
- Even though the title states "Vegetarian" this is an all-vegan and dairy-free cookbook that I think of as a good resource for anyone seeking simple dairy-free and lactose-free recipes
To Purchase: Jazzy Vegetarian: Lively Vegan Cuisine That's Easy and Delicious is available on Amazon
This is a third party review by Alisa Fleming, founder of GoDairyFree.org and author of the best-selling book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living. Alisa is also a freelance writer for several publications and a recipe creator for the natural food industry with an emphasis on dairy-free living and other special diets.
