Saturday, September 12, 2015

Cooking Down Memory Lane!

Today's Mofo prompt is to talk about your favorite cookbook. This is impossible to narrow it down to one! I figured I would show my very first vegan cookbook I bought.
Well used!
I remember being in Barnes and Noble, and I couldn't believe how many vegan cookbooks existed! I felt so overwhelmed, and I just remember choosing this book because at 500 recipes it seemed like a great value, and most of the time money and value heavily rule my decisions. I didn't even know where to begin with this thing! So many recipes!
Some of the bookmarks fell out! There were more!
Some of the pages have stains on them, and most of the pages are dog-eared. When I first went vegan, I owned no cookbooks, and I didn't even own a computer! I totally just made up recipes in my own little head. It just takes a sincere desire to make it as a vegan. Anyway, this cookbook is a classic, and will always have a warm place in my heart.
I can't and won't say it's my FAVORITE, but it is where two of my favorite dishes come from. Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowich and Terry Hope Romero. I learned how to make the most perfect Snobby Joe. I have made this recipe so many times now that I don't even have to look at the recipe. They are so amazing, and since I am just me, I always have tons of leftovers, and I enjoy turning the Joe mix into something new. In the winter, I usually make these every week. Not only delicious, but super inexpensive. Another favorite of mine are the Lemony Greek potatoes. Another recipe I don't need to look at anymore. I do cut down the amount of oil to about two tablespoons, but other than that I make them as is, and they are amazing! They are lemony, and garlicky and just one of my favorite ways to eat potatoes. And your house/apartment will smell so amazing! The funny thing is I don't own my own copy of Veganomicon. I checked it out from the library when I lived in Erie PA. Cool and encouraging fact: during the time I lived in Erie, the library actually had to get a new copy of this book. I remember the first time I checked it out, it was looking a little "loved". I didn't mind the dog ears and stains, it made me feel connected. Anyway, maybe a year and many borrows later. I noticed a brand spanking new copy!
Lemony potato goodness, with a tomato and Just Mayo sandwich.
I always find it encouraging to know that there are so many vegans, or vegan curious people.
I know both of these cookbooks are older, but to be totally honest the last cookbook I bought was years ago at a used bookstore. Most of the cookbooks I use are checked out from the library, or now that I'm back in Seattle any I buy will be from a used bookstore. Cookbooks are an expense/luxury that just isn't really in my budget. Hopefully someday! It's been fun going down memory lane, and while I was leafing through 500 Vegan Recipes I found several more recipes to mark that I want to try! I can't wait to learn about some more vegan cookbooks today!

7 comments:

  1. Yeah, I don't have many cookbooks either, but it's always fun to check out new ones! That's awesome that you have so many great memories from these two cookbooks! :D

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  2. It is fun. Libraries are my go to source for most cookbooks!

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  3. I've just joined my local library and was pleased to see a few vegan books in there. That's so cool that your library had to buy a second copy!

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  4. That's what I thought! It's nice to know other people are cooking vegan food, and spreading the message! I've even found cookbooks I had never heard of at the library!

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  5. Oh That's a goodie!!!!! Great pic!

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  6. I loved your cookbook choices too! I have got to get myhands on THe Vegan Zombie! I love those guys.

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