For the record, we are not a vegan family, and only the females are vegetarian in our family.  They boys eat organic meat.  I have been a vegan, but my pregnant body demanded more, so dairy reentered my diet ten years ago.  Even though we are not strict vegans, we incorporate many vegan recipes and meals into our daily life.

Vicki’s Vegan Kitchen: Eating With Sanity, Compassion & Taste is full of delicious recipes and instructions. These nutritionally balanced meals sometimes try to imitate meat dishes, like “Vegan ‘Chopped Liver'”, whereas others simply stand alone in taste and uniqueness, like “Cucumber-Wakame Salad”.

Veteran cookbook author Chelf (Cooking with the Right Side of the Brain) expands the vegan culinary universe in this collection of 375 meat-, egg- and dairy-free dishes for those with dietary restrictions. Yes, there are smoothies, Tabouli, and Hummus, but Chelf helps readers expand their diets with vegan versions of pizza, lasagna, and even Cheez Whiz in this accessible and imaginative guide. Chelf’s creative concoctions enable vegans to enjoy French Toast, béchamel sauce, pie, and a mock beef stew that finds its umami in seitan, tahini, and liquid aminos. A guide to vegan-friendly sources for key ingredients, and foods to avoid or seek out ensures larders will be stocked with healthy staples. Helpful step-by-step instructions for baking bread and making noodles, and tips on sprucing up soups and smoothies inspire confidence and enable cooks to expand their culinary repertoire. Though special ingredients are often required for many of her dishes, Chelf does an admirable job of keeping things as simple as possible. This is a terrific guide for vegans tired of settling for a salad.

There are plenty of recipes in this cookbook that would be a wonderful addition to any meal.  Whether your family is 100% vegan or you have a vegan guest, everyone will love these dishes.

Here is a recipe from  Vicki’s Vegan Kitchen: Eating With Sanity, Compassion & Taste I have yet to try, but sounds yummy!

Vegan Cinnamon-Raisin Muffins

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons flaxseeds
• 1 1/3 cup rice bran
• 1 cup barely flour
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup raisins
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat ove to 350 degrees F.  Generously oil and flour a standard 12-cup muffin tin and lightly sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the flaxseeds.
2. Place the rice bran, barely flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and raisins in a large bowl, and mix well.
3. Add 1/2 cup of the flaxseeds to a blender along with the water and vinegar.  Blend until smooth.  Add to the flour mixture and stir quickly until just mixed.
4. Spoon equal amounts of batter into the prepared muffin cups.  (I use a 1/4-cup measuring cup with a handle to ladle the batter.)
5. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
6. Remove the muffins from the tin an serve.

Disclosure: I was sent free samples of these products to review. No prior assurances were given as to whether the review be positive or negative.