On THE JOY OF VEGAN BAKING
THE JOY OF VEGAN BAKING, by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau of Compassionate Cooks, came just in time for me to begin choosing what I will cook for my unsuspecting non-vegan guests at Thanksgiving.
This book is perfect for people who have either just transitioned to veganism or would like to in that it is chock full of recipes that result in food that doesn’t taste radically different from what the average meat-eater is accustomed to. The photos are gorgeous, the writing is great and no matter how much you think you know about baking, I promise you’ll learn something.
This is not a "health food" book, although the recipes are cholesterol-free, lactose-free and healthier than the average non-vegan recipes. Instead, it’s a book that helps you understand how easy it is to bake without eggs and dairy.
My favorite part of the book is the section on milk, butter and egg substitutes, some of which do indeed make the recipes healthier (e.g., using ground flax seed and water rather than egg replacer, using almond milk rather than soy milk for those of us trying to minimize our intake of soy, or using date sugar rather than white sugar). There are loads of tips and "Food Lore," which are interesting trivia tidbits that provide a historical context for the food. Perhaps most helpful, however, are the "Troubleshooting" pages that list the most common problems and their likely origins. Finally, the Appendices will save you a lot of time because Colleen has already organized your pantry and utensils for you and tells you exactly what you will need (/need to buy), and she includes a glossary, lists of what to substitute if you don’t have the pan that’s called for, and most fascinating to me, a section on the difference between baking soda and baking powder (I always wondered about that).
I’ve made the corn bread, the pancakes, a couple of smoothies, almond milk and the chocolate mousse because I had the ingredients lying around, and I look forward to trying my hand at chocolate chip scones this week. Then off to the serious holiday stuff so I can bring something yummy to every party I attend–so that I have something to eat (and share) at every party I attend.
Congratulations, Colleen, on converting someone utterly uninterested in baking into someone excited to take on the challenge of going to other people’s homes during the holidays when you’re a vegan.
