Stocking the Kitchen Library - Review

Vegetarian Times, Sept, 1999 by Janet Charatan

Vegetarian cookbooks have come a long way since the days of tofu-nut loafs and dry veggie burgers. With so many people discovering the joy (and variety) of cooking with vegetables, soy, pasta and whole grains, there's an increasingly innovative mix of cookbooks available. Here are a few of the more inspiring new releases.

* SWEET AND NATURAL, Meredith McCarty (St. Martin's, 1999)

Noted California natural foods chef Meredith McCarty has created an amazing array of naturally sweet, dairy-free desserts. She offers up more than 120 imaginative recipes for pies, cobblers, cakes, cookies, sorbets and fresh fruit desserts. Vegans will appreciate the absence of milk, butter and eggs. And all health-conscious cooks will approve of the desserts' low calorie and fat content--and total lack of sugar. The secret is the author's use of fresh fruit purees and natural sweeteners in place of sugar and of whole-grain flours instead of the refined version. The results--like the delicious and guilt-free Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate-Pecan Bourbon Bundt Cake and Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies--are guaranteed to win over even the most decadent dessert lover.

* ULTIMATE VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK, Paul Gayler (DK Publishing, 1999)

This beautifully photographed cookbook is attractive enough for the coffee table--but do bring it into the kitchen. Paul Gayler, head chef of London's ultra-swank Lanesborough Hotel, has created a book of 140 sophisticated recipes that range from appetizers and pastas to stews, stirfries, curries and desserts. (Highlights include the Spinach, Basil and Pumpkin Rice Torte and the fantastic Chocolate and Chili Oil Tart.) There are plenty of healthy choices as well, such as the Grilled Vegetable Gazpacho (just 127 calories per serving) or Squash Stuffed with Tofu (221 calories). But watch out for the occasional high-fat splurge like the Tricolor Gnocchi with Pepper Sauce. One serving will cost you 848 calories and a whopping 67 grams of fat. (If you simply can't resist, try serving it in appetizer-size portions.) An added bonus: The front section covers basic techniques, such as chopping vegetables and making pastry dough, plus tips on choosing appropriate equipment.

* HEAVEN'S BANQUET, Miriam Kasin Hospodar (Dutton, 1999)

A basic tenet of Ayurveda, India's 3,000-year-old system of mind-body healing, is that there is a vital relationship between diet and the body's inner balance. Miriam Kasin Hospodar has spent more than 20 years traveling around the world, collecting recipes that reflect this. This book features more than 700 vegetarian recipes--including Hazelnut-Crusted Saffron Potato Cakes, West African Avocado Mousse and Broccoli Burritos with Golden Rice and Warm Corn Salsa. Hospodar also explains how eating the foods best suited to your mind-body type--or dosha--can promote well-being. A book that connects delicious food to a healthy body and mind: What's not to love?