Good vegetarian / vegan cookbooks? Ones that don't require 20+ ingredients?

[Flaxbee]

I have a Moosewood Restaurant cookbook, but so many of the recipes have a lot of ingredients and are time-intensive.

I'm looking for a cookbook or two with good, relatively simple and easy to make recipes.

Any suggestions? Thanks :hi:

[MissB]

1. Simple vegan

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Housekeeping-Simple-Vegan-Dairy-Free/dp/1588168689

Ignore the fact that it's a good housekeeping cookbook, it's actually pretty good. The black bean soup is good, and takes about a half an hour. The red lentil/veggie soup takes 20 minutes, and both recipes have not-too-many and ordinary ingredients.

I love my moosewood cookbook, but I don't always have time to make complex recipes. Though I do make time for pita bread now and then. It's a long process, but one of my favorite recipes from that book (I have one of the versions that is handwritten).

[Flaxbee]

6. thanks, MissB, I'll check it out

there are so many on Amazon I got overwhelmed and wanted some help narrowing down my choices!

[LeftyMom]

2. 1000 Vegan Recipes, Vive Le Vegan, The Joy of Vegan Baking

http://www.amazon.com/000-Vegan-Recipes/dp/0470085029

http://www.amazon.com/Vive-Vegan-Delectable-Recipes-Everyday/dp/1551521695/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312435373&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Vegan-Baking-Compassionate-Traditional/dp/1592332803/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312435391&sr=1-1

Actually, you really can't go wrong with any cookbooks by those authors. A lot of people like http://www.amazon.com/Veganomicon-Ultimate-Isa-Chandra-Moskowitz/dp/156924264X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312435424&sr=1-1 I tend to find her recipes hit-or-miss and underspiced, but a lot of people do suggest that as a good basic vegan cookbook.

edit: If you want really easy stuff, this one's a keeper: http://www.amazon.com/Fresh-Vegetarian-Slow-Cooker-Recipes/dp/1558322566/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1312435544&sr=1-3

[Flaxbee]

7. hi, LeftyMom! I don't see you around here much anymore; nice to see you

how're things? How's your sweet little boy?

I'll go over all of those - I like spicy food, so I'd probably choose the Veganomicon one last :D

My husband still eats chicken, but he's willing to wean himself off of it; he's also not that fond of cheese, unless it's really good stuff, which you don't usually find in US grocery stores. He just wants really lean recipes, not bread / pasta heavy items.

[LeftyMom]

9. He's ten and almost bigger than me.

I'm still not sure when that happened. :) Try the Robin Robertson one, she did another cookbook focusing on spicy items, http://www.amazon.com/Vegan-Fire-Spice-Sultry-Recipes/dp/0980013100 so her food definitely doesn't tend toward blandness. A lot of vegan food bloggers I know are rather partial to her cookbooks.

[WillParkinson]

3. This is a must have for any kitchen...

Nothing is more discouraging than a cookbook with long, complex recipes calling for special tools and ingredients that most people cannot afford – so you won’t find that here! The Happy Herbivore Cookbook not only answers the question “What do vegans eat?” but also “Can I eat tasty food that’s healthy?” Each recipe is made with no added fats, using only whole, plant-based foods. Lindsay’s cooking philosophy is to make great food at home using the fewest number of ingredients and only ingredients that can easily be found at any store, on any budget – and can be made even in the coziest of kitchens. With an easy-to-follow format, step-by-step instructions, and helpful tips throughout the book, The Happy Herbivore Cookbook helps even the most novice cook find healthy cooking easy – and delicious! 310 pages. $19.95 per copy.

http://store.veganessentials.com/the-happy-herbivore-by-lindsay-s-nixon-p3279.aspx

We have the book and love it to death (mostly for the reason you list, there's not a bajillion ingredients that you need to find at some store in Timbuktu.)

[Flaxbee]

8. thanks, Will -- I can get more exotic ingredients when I go into

northern Virginia, but out in my rural part of the state (near Berryville) it is much easier if I can stick to recipes with very basic ingredients.

:hi:

[Chan790]

4. My go-to cookbook for recipes when I just want to whip-up something quick&easy is...

How It All Vegan, which is a cookbook written for people who are just recently becoming vegans, with an eye towards being full of easy recipes and not requiring a lot of technical kitchen skills. It's meant to be a cookbook that makes the transition to veganism easy. If you're an established vegan, some of the advice seems patronizing...but you'd be amazed that some people, even ethical dieters, have no idea where their food comes from. http://www.amazon.com/How-All-Vegan-Irresistible-Animal-Free/dp/1551520672/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1312459973&sr=8-1

There are also a few hundred veg*n cookbooks written targeted to college students living in college dorms and using the very-basic and time-constrained dorm kitchen. I own a few of those too but I rarely crack them anymore. They're full of <4-ingredient, <10-minute recipes with basic kitchen prep work...but the recipes tend to be the sort of unhealthy crap college kids eat and they generally start from things like canned goods, jarred pasta sauces, sauce mixes, etc. This seems to be the most popular one currently on the market: http://www.amazon.com/Students-Go-Vegan-Cookbook-Recipes/dp/0307336530/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1312460495&sr=8-2

[Flaxbee]

10. Sounds good - a transition cookbook

I'm fine with what I usually eat - lots of salads, soups, etc. - but I'd like some tasty recipes to help my husband transition to vegetarian / eventually vegan meals.

Thanks, Chan790

[livetohike]

5. You didn't say which Moosewood cookbook you have but

my old "Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home" is falling apart due to use. When I worked, I probably made every recipe from this book. Most of them can be prepared in less than 30 minutes.

http://www.amazon.com/Moosewood-Restaurant-Cooks-Home-Recipes/dp/0671679929

The other Moosewood cookbook that isn't too labor/ingredient intensive is Moosewood Restaurant: Simple Suppers.

http://www.amazon.com/Moosewood-Restaurant-Simple-Suppers-Weeknight/dp/0609609122

Collecting cookbooks is my hobby and these are the two that I use the most lately.

[Flaxbee]

11. I don't have the "Simple Suppers" Moosewood, that's for sure

I'm not at home right now, don't recall which one I have, but each recipe has easily 20 or more ingredients -- I've liked everything I've made, but I don't always want to spent over an hour in the kitchen every night. I'll check out their Simple Suppers book. Thanks!

[HopeHoops]

12. Molly Katzen's threee books (Moosewood, Broccoli Forest, Still Life) and "Laurel's Kitchen" are good

"Sundays at the Moosewood Restaurant" is a good book, but it does take a lot of ingredients. Remember the key point - SUBSTITUTE! If you have something similar, use that instead or just leave it out if it isn't a critical ingredient. We've been vegetarian since 89 and don't even use cookbooks anymore (other for baking - that's science). There's a learning curve, but eventually you just scan the fridge, scan the pantry, and you know what to do.

On Edit:

Molly Katzen's "Moosewood" book is not the same as "Sundays at the Moosewood Restaurant". The full titles of her books are "The Moosewood Cookbook", "The Enchanted Broccoli Forest", and "Still Life With Menu".

[GoCubsGo]

13. All of the Moosewood books I've read are good.

I like "Sundays at the Moosewood", as well as "Moosewood Cooks at Home" and their "Lowfat Favorites". Not Molly Katzen, but they're loaded with tasty recipes, nonetheless. In most cases, many of those long lists of ingredients contain a huge number of herbs and spices. People tend to keep those on hand anyway. I have found that if one leaves some of them out, it doesn't really hurt the dish all that much.