No meat substitute. Just vegetables.

Scott Walker

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I’m looking for suggestions for a vegan cookbook that doesn’t have meat substitutes like tofu or others. I love veggies. I don’t need meat substitutes. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
I suppose you could call tofu a "meat substitute". But it isn't nearly as processed as things like the patties, sticks, and cutlets they sell in the frozen food aisle. Just look at the ingredients: soymilk and salt. And it really is a superfood. Almost 50% protein. And you can do so many things with it. baked, fried, steamed, grilled.
I hadn't grown up around tofu and didn't ever try to cook it till I started trying to be a vegan. and there was a bit of a learning curve.
Anyway, most of the vegan cookbooks will have tofu recipes. and I wouldn't avoid them because of that.

Also, I stopped buying cookbooks before I was vegan. I do have some e-book vegan cookbooks, but I almost never open them. I sometimes like cooking with one of the YouTubers who have cooking channels. but for the most part, now I just use the Internet. There are so many recipes online. Once I find one I like I bookmark it on my tablet and prop it up on top of the microwave.

before I give you my recommendations, I would suggest head over to the library or bookstore and peruse what's on the shelf. Some will appeal to you more than others.


These are some of my favorite authors
Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Chloe Coscarelli
Colleen Patrick Goudreau
They each have recipes online too.

 
Thanks Lou. I’ll check them out. I don’t know if tofu is considered a meat substitute but all I’m saying is I’d like to find recipes that don’t include patties or any processed foods. Just looking for a place for recipes that are all veggie, fruit, peppers, herbs, etc. Thanks for your suggestions.
 
Thanks Lou. I’ll check them out. I don’t know if tofu is considered a meat substitute but all I’m saying is I’d like to find recipes that don’t include patties or any processed foods. Just looking for a place for recipes that are all veggie, fruit, peppers, herbs, etc. Thanks for your suggestions.
I hope by "veggies" you are also including beans, lentils, legumes and grains. Otherwise you may find yourself rather under nourished. Or is this just to add more vegetable variety to your diet?
 
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Tofu is soybeans, water and coagulant. I don't consider it much of a processed food, as it retains most of what was in the soybean as it is pressed, and the pressed out moisture can be used as soy milk.

If you're just looking for veggies and fruits, you could try some raw vegan cookbooks - but I'd be very cautious here as many raw-foodists leave out what I believe are important staples like legumes, whole grains and potatoes. Veggies and fruits are great in terms of some nutrients, anti-oxidants, flavonoids and other things but many also tend to be low on calories and low in certain minerals like zinc. Legumes and whole grains need to be sprouted and/or cooked to be eaten, so they are often off the raw foodist's plate, unless they are into sprouting.

I would aim your search for whole food cookbooks. They are likely to include legumes, whole grains, nuts/seeds in addition to fruits and vegetables, and short on isolated oils, mock meats and other industry created stuff.
 
You can try The Complete Vegan. It's a wholefoods plant based diet book.
 
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echoing Sapphire here - PLEASE do include beans, legumes etc

My favourite recipe book is the "google machine" - I often just put in the items that I wish to eat and see what vegan recipe pops up.

eg vegan potatoes, broccoli, pinto beans, bell peppers, mushrooms

Lots of very interesting options popped up.

Dr Greger has a great How Not to Die cookbook.
The Esselstyns have a number of good cookbooks, Engine 2, Plant Strong, etc.

Emma JC
 
Oh! Emma JC and Nickelodeon reminded me.

I've taken out of the library
The Forks Over Knives Cookbook
the How Not To Die Cookbook
and the Live To Eat Cookbook

If memory serves there are several versions of each of these. And I don't think they are 100% vegan cookbooks. but it's pretty easy to skip any recipes that include chicken. I don't remember if I had any clear preference but I do remember keeping the Forks Over the Knives cookbook all last summer and copying a recipe or two out.

these are all cookbooks based on a version of the WFPB diet. so you won't find (m)any recipes that include highly processed foods.

I believe all these books have some of their recipes online. Or like I said, head over to the library or bookstore and peruse the selections.

But like Emma, I'm a big fan of just googling recipe names. Like "Vegan Cuban Black Beans" or "Vegan Split Pea Soup"

We also have some threads you might want to check out.
Of course, check out the What I ate for dinner/breakfast/lunch threads. Not only are they full of good ideas but sometimes links to recipes. They are probably our busiest threads.

We also have over 150 threads (recipes) in our Recipes section.

And I started a thread that needs more attention on YouTube recipes
 
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Don't know about you lot, but I just discovered a bacon substitute that's BETTER than the real thing, and with some refinement, I am of no doubt that omnivores will agree if they taste it.

Bacon smokers will soon wish they could make a product like this !
 
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