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If your thoughts are turning to leafy green salads and fresh vegetables from the garden, you’ll want to flip through the latest crop of plant-forward cookbooks for delicious ideas inspired by cuisines around the globe.
According to the Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Department of Nutrition, “plant-forward” refers to “a style of cooking and eating that emphasizes and celebrates, but is not limited to, plant-based foods–including fruits and vegetables; whole grains; beans and other legumes (pulses) and soy foods; nuts and seeds; plant oils; and herbs and spices–and that reflects evidence-based principles of health and sustainability.”
Many of us are trying to eat less meat these days, but may not want to cut it out altogether. What these cookbook authors have in common is a lack of judgment. They are inclusive. If you want to add chicken or fish to a dish, fine. And if you don’t, that’s fine, too. They let you know how you can make it work either way. Another unifier? Each has a gift for good cooking, and they know how to put their best vegetables forward.
Love & Lemons Simple Feel Good Food
By Jeanine Donofrio (Avery)
Creator of the popular Love & Lemons blog and bestselling author of the Love & Lemons cookbooks, in this, her latest, Donofrio offers 125 “plant-focused” meals with seasonal recipes for the home cook that range from super-easy “at the ready” to a bit more challenging, intended to be prepared “in advance.” This bright and breezy book will have you hankering for dishes such as Farro Stuffed Zucchini, Chickpea Cacio e Pepe, Coconut Slaw with Spicy Peanuts and more. Plus, Donofrio includes a list of kitchen basics for a well-stocked pantry, recipes for basics like homemade broths and salad dressings and a how-to guide on cooking grains perfectly.
Vegetarian Salad for Dinner
By Jeanne Kelley (Rizzoli)
Although predominantly plant-based, Jeanne Kelley, LA-based author of Vegetarian Salad for Dinner, espouses the value of being a “flexitarian.” “When I travel, I taste the local specialty, even if it’s meaty,” she says. “If I am invited over for your grandma’s Bolognese, I’ll bring a nice bottle of wine to enjoy with it, and as a native Angeleno, I indulge in occasional visits to the taco truck or taqueria… I believe that my being flexitarian helps me create recipes that are satisfying to vegetarians and omnivores alike.”
The salads–and photography, by The Ingalls–are absolutely gorgeous, from the light Chinese “No” Chicken Salad to the hearty Falafel-ette, with eggplant, cabbage, labneh and falafel. Kelley is very good at making the point that a salad–including raw or cooked versions–can be deeply satisfying as an entire meal.
There are salads with seeds, grains, pasta, pulses, bread, some are roasted or toasted, with a balance of flavors and fresh, nutrient-dense ingredients. Kelley also offers a chapter on how to prepare toppings, sauces and spreads such as Harissa, Piri-piri Sauce, Cashew Cream, Romanesco Sauce, along with Ancho-spiced Pecans and Rustic Croutons, and global specialties such as dukka and sumac–great for sprinkling on top of a delicious salad.
Eating from Our Roots
By Maya Feller (Rodale)
Maya Feller, a registered dietician and nutritionist whose roots hail back to Trinidad and Tobago, is well-traveled, and set out to present an inclusive and diverse way to think about healthy eating. “With this book, I want to be a part of the movement that is celebrating heritage and traditional foods from cultures around the world,” she says, with dishes such as Kao Dtom Koong, a Thai rice porridge that is enjoyed for breakfast and Granny’s Callaloo and Harira, a Moroccan-inspired vegetable stew made with cauliflower, couscous and chickpeas.
The book includes handy tips on how to substitute plant-based alternatives for meat, for example, swapping seitan or jackfruit for white fish or texturized vegetable protein (TVP), lentils, crumbled tofu, black beans for ground beef, although there is a separate chapter on Meat. There are suggestions for delicious, healthy herbs and spices that are a bit off the beaten path: kombu, dashi, berbere, vadouvan and more. Feller’s far-ranging recipes are uncomplicated and transportive; they bring so much joy and flavor to the kitchen!
A surprising and utterly captivating cookbook
Rizzoli
Salad Seasons
By Sheila Prakash (Rizzoli)
By her own admission, author Sheila Prakash has an “unconventional” take on salads. “To me, a salad isn’t strictly lettuce-centric. It doesn’t even need to be served in a bowl or on a plate, either,” says Prakash. “My definition is a dish that’s produce-first, with a dressing that ties all the components together, and layers of flavor and texture that make for fun and interesting forkfuls.” For example, the Grilled Broccolini and Haloumi Salad, a mix of char and salty cheese that balance each other out on the fork in unexpected ways. Or the Marinated Fennel Salad with Crispy Fried Capers, a tart, lemony mix of crisp, crunchy textures and sublimely astringent tastes, a bright blend that wakes up the palate. The recipes in Salad Seasons are interesting, unexpected and a bit off–in a good way.
The Plant Love Kitchen: An Easy Guide to
Plant-Forward Eating
By Marisa Moore (National Geographic)
In the intro to this book, author Marisa Moore lays it out plainly: “I hope this book will motivate you to explore a few new plant foods and relieve any pressure you’ve felt to go fully vegan or vegetarian.” No judgment, and no pressure.
Moore is an award-winning registered dietician nutritionist who was born in the Carolinas and now lives in Atlanta, where she managed the employee worksite nutrition program at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Raised on traditional southern cooking, Moore says, she never really liked meat, even though it was always on the plate. She went through periods as a vegan and vegetarian and now has added chicken and fish back into her diet.
In The Plant Love Kitchen, readers will find over 75 tasty recipes for all levels, including Watermelon Salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette, Peanut Stew, Pesto White Bean Veggie Wraps, along with meal plans and cooking techniques that intensify flavor, and nutritional info that is accessible and easy to share.
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