Fresh and Fast Vegan
By: Sheri Wetherell
Published: June 15, 2011

I'm an omnivore - plain and simple. I love meat. I adore bacon. But, I also love vegan cuisine. Cooking interesting and delicious vegan dishes (especially when you're not a vegan) can be a challenge for many. Even some of my vegan friends admit that many vegan cookbooks are filled with complicated recipes.
I recently got my hands on a copy of Fresh and Fast Vegan by Amanda Grant, a leading food editor in the United Kingdom, and was immediately enticed (I also have her wonderful Organic Baby Foods book). If you already use a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, grains, and spices in your cooking you won't find any of these recipes to be a stretch - they're all simple and easy-to-prepare. Best of all, there are no crazy expensive or hard-to-find ingredients! Grant pairs each recipe with tips, reminders, possible variations, and nutritional information, and even provides a section of possible menu combinations for special occasions. In fact, it's packed with over 140 recipes! Bottom line, vegan or not you'll enjoy Grant's healthy and fresh new book.
Some of my favorite recipes (and there are many!) are:
Spicy Gazpacho Soup With Paprika Croutons
Rich Mushrooms on Toast With Truffle Oil 
Creamy Carrot and Ginger Soup With Curly Toasts
Papaya and Cilantro Salsa on Coconut Rice
Roasted Potatoes and Parsnips With Chestnuts and Sage
Avocado Butter With Tomato Relish in Focaccia
Caramelized Fennel and Shallot Risotto
Mediterranean Potatoes With Olives, Herbs and Tomatoes