Jay Weinstein - The Everything Easy Vegetarian Cookbook: Includes Mushroom Bruschetta, Curried New Potato Salad, Pumpkin-Ale Soup, Zucchini Ragout, Berry-Streusel Tart...and Hundreds More! (Everything)

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PUBLISHER Karen Cooper

MANAGING EDITOR, EVERYTHING SERIES Lisa Laing

COPY CHIEF Casey Ebert

ASSISTANT PRODUCTION EDITOR Alex Guarco

ACQUISITIONS EDITOR Lisa Laing

SENIOR DEVELOPMENT EDITOR Brett Palana-Shanahan

EVERYTHING SERIES COVER DESIGNER Erin Alexander

Visit the entire Everything series at www.everything.com

Avon, Massachusetts

WITH MORE THAN 8 million vegetarians in the United States and even more of the population describing themselves as vegetarian-inclined, the necessity for meat-free cookbooks is on the rise. However, simply leaving the meat out of dishes is no longer enough for some conscientious consumers. Veganism, defined as avoiding all animal products, including dairy, eggs, honey, and meat, is also gaining in popularity. Even those who are not vegetarian or vegan may eat vegetarian one or two days per week. These people do so because of the health benefits provided by eating more nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, instead of cholesterol- and fat-heavy meats and cheese. Many households must now accommodate meat eaters, vegetarians, and vegans alike. All of todays diet options mean the home cook needs to be flexible, and recipes must be adaptable.

Gone are the days when being a vegetarian or vegan meant the most exciting thing you ate was brown rice and plain tofu. These days, meat-free recipes are anything but boring because cooks arent afraid to load them with flavor that comes from an array of herbs, spices, exotic ingredients, and more common ingredients that are now used in new and interesting ways. Vegetarian and vegan diets no longer make you think of everything you cant eat and instead open the door to all of the delicious foods you may have once ignored. The availability of mouthwatering meat-free recipes, the abundance of prepared vegetarian items in national grocery store chains and at restaurants, and the wealth of information about the health and environmental benefits of a humane diet mean that this way of eating is on the rise. Luckily, this book will arm you with 300 easy and delicious vegetarian recipes.

The EverythingEasy Vegetarian Cookbook features recipes for everyday meals and every appetite. Browse through each chapter and you will see recipes from Asia, India, Africa, Europe, and from just about every part of North America. Whether youre vegan, vegetarian, or a meat eater, these global recipes offer something for everyone. Even better, they can easily be altered to please a variety of taste buds. So, give vegetarian cooking a try, but remember to experiment, eat, and enjoy!

Note: Some recipes contain a VN symbol to indicate that the recipe is vegan. Veganism takes vegetarianism to the next level. The vegan recipes have no animal products at allincluding dairy, honey, and ingredients derived from animal byproducts (such as gelatin).

For anyone who has tuned into the national dialogues about the environment or about eating for good health, the term vegetarian must certainly be familiar. Even so, precisely what it means causes plenty of confusion. Some vegetarians continue to eat chicken; others include seafood. Still others exempt all meat and dairy products from their kitchen. So just what is a vegetarian?

Vegetarians may come from any walk of life, from any educational background, from any culture, and from any age group. So the word vegetarian really describes a diverse group of people.

A vegetarian is usually defined as one who does not consume animal flesh, including fish and other seafood. Most people who refer to themselves as vegetarians do eat eggs and dairy products, and may still wear animal products such as fur, leather, and wool. Those who take their stance against cruelty to animals a step further and avoid all animal products, including meat, eggs, dairy, and honey, are called vegans. In many cases, this lifestyle choice does not apply only to food but is also reflected in their choice of clothing, makeup, and household products. In most cases, vegans try to live a 100 percent cruelty-free lifestyle.

Vegetarianism and veganism are rapidly gaining in popularity across the United States, but the reason for going meat-free varies greatly from person to person. For some, the decision is reached after watching graphic footage of how animals are housed and then slaughtered on modern factory farms and in slaughterhouses. Some people realize that they can no longer contribute to the routine cruelty theyve witnessed. The decision may be based on the many health benefits of choosing a meat-free diet or the desire to try to undo the environmental harm caused by the meat industry. For others, the decision may be based on religion, upbringing, or other personal factors.

Eating plants as food is basic to all vegetarians, but over time people have devised many different vegetarian categories to suit their various beliefs and lifestyles. For beginners, the distinctions may seem bewildering. Here is a brief overview of some of the most common categories: