Hello all!

I am going to rejoining the Vegetarian crowd after being one back in 1996-2000. My cooking skills are rusty but I am eager to get cracking!

So I am seeking veggie inspiration from you all!

What is your favorite cookbook? What makes it your favorite? Certain recipes? Beautiful photos?

Thank you for sharing your finds!

American Wholefoods Cuisine by Nikki Goldbeck & David Goldbeck. I have used it for 20 years and it is the best. Why? No pictures at all, but the recipes are basic, down to earth, don't use a lot of exotic ingredients and fit a typical American diet - in other words - it is an easy "transition to vegetarianism" cookbook.
Others that I love: Moosewood, Diet for a Small Planet, More with Less (I modify a lot of the recipes to make them vegetarian), & The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook.

Vegetariana by Nava Atlas is my all time favorite. I have both a new and old version. The recipes are really good and it's just fun to read. I like her other books too, bit this one is the most fun.

I also love the Passionate Vegetarian, though I wish it had been published in two volumes. It's just too darn big to read in bed and sometimes I like scanning recipes for future inspiration. Horn of the Moon is an oldie but goodie that I'm trying to keep from falling apart.

The Horizon's cookbook, from the chef of the Horizon's vegetarian restaurant in Philly. Mmmmmmmmmm!!!

Here's their site: http://www.horizonsphiladelphia.com/

Though, it looks like you can only get it AT the restaurant.

Another favorite:
Vegetarian Burgers by Bharti Kirchner

I will look in the kitchen soon and give you more faves.

Cyndee, I bought their cookbook from Amazon! It is fantastic

I also love the Cafe Flora cookbook, also from a restaurant www.cafeflora.com (cookbook on amazon)

I just got my hands on Vegan with a Vengeance and their new book Veganomicon and I'm loving both of them so far!

Yes VWAV and V'con are both great! I also like one called (I think) "Every Day Vegan" by Deena Burton. I also just bought a whole bunch of vegan cookbooks, since I am leaning more towards vegan over time.

Gotta check out Cafe Flora!

Dangerous thread I'm a cookbook junkie. I've had to limit myself to one 3 shelf bookcase of cookbooks. Of course with MasterCook and the internet I'm able to expand beyond that without taking up more space in the house

I've added the Horizon's cookbook to my christmas wish list.

Vegan with a Vengeance and Veganomicon, both are so so good

"Vegan Planet" is great too!

http://www.nelsonsbooks.com/catalog/...roducts_id/975

The New Moosewood Cookbook!!!!!
Vegetarian but not Vegan.

Wow, thank you all for sharing your favorites! That's wonderful! I can't wait to try out some new recipes!

My Amazon wish list is growing by the day, hehehe!

I got back into cooking today; and craftiness too! For a friend's birthday, I made a batch of Orange Marmalade Muffins and then called upon my inner Wrapping Queen. Dang, now it's too pretty to give away! I will have to take a photo and share this with you all. I am such a dork, I know!



Also on the agenda today was making the tofu "cheese" sauce and winter tomato sauce for tomorrow's spinach lasagna. Mmmm! Only downside was I went a bit nuts at the grocery store and spent serious $$$. Next time I am reining myself in! "Vegetarian on a budget" needs to be my mantra... I'm betting as I get better at this from scratch stuff, it will get easier to get tasty & healthy results on the cheap.

All recipes today courtesy of May All Be Fed: Diet for a New World by John Robbins

Maybe I should start a photo thread of especially good-looking recipe results, ha!

Thanks again for opening your virtual libraries!

Today I made something inspired by both Veganomicon and Vegan Planet. I bought adzuki beans and Veganomicon has a recipe for a acorn squash and adzuki bean soup. DH doesn't care much for soup. Vegan Planet has a recipe for adzuki bean saute and winter squash but they are assuming you are using cooked beans already.

So I decided to cook my adzuki beans with delicata squash and spices. I then added mushrooms at the end. It tastes pretty good I think adzuki beans may be one of my new favorites.

I'm not sure I even know what adzuki beans are, I'll have to check 'em out. I love beans but tend to stick with just a few different kinds, mostly chickpeas, black, kidney or navy.

Vegan with a Vengeance is by far my most used cookbook, I also like my 1,001 Low-Fat Vegetarian Recipesbook. I rely heavily on the internet and food blogs for inspiration and recipes. Be sure to check out the recipe sticky threads.

I second the idea of a veggie food porn thread here.

Hmmm.... Now if I could get Johnny Depp to wear just an apron and hold my spinach lasagna while I take a pic... Ye Gods, what I am saying!? Hold the LASAGNA?

I'll do my best! You all might just have to settle for a good-looking pan of lasagna. I know... sigh...

Then again, that lasagna is sounding pretty tasty! We'll see how it comes out. I might make it a star later tonight