The Superfun Times Vegan Holiday Cookbook

Starred review from February 1, 2017

The latest in a line of her vegan-focused cookbooks, blogger, restaurateur, and TV personality Moskowitz brings a chef's appreciation for taste-forward, crowd-pleasing dishes that prove veganism is not bland. Her use of ingredients to conjure familiar taste and textures results in vegan dishes suitable for celebrations, especially (as this book proclaims) holiday favorites. Beginning with New Year's and ending with Hanukkah and Christmas, these recipes demonstrate that many favorite, festive comfort dishes are meat- and dairy-free. Yes, soaked raw cashews substitute for cheese, liquid smoke for barbecue, and wheat gluten and tofu for protein, but many recipes are familiar grain and vegetable dishes complemented by this chef's unique touch; eggplant caponata bruschetta, for instance. Tips for preparation of ingredients and timing accompany many recipes, along with brief advice for planning a meal for a crowd. Ingredients make the difference in several of the best dishes--Meyer lemons for scones, stout for Irish stew--but most include staples from any vegan or vegetarian pantry and are appropriate for everyday as well as special occasions. VERDICT Readers of the author's other books (Vegan with a Vengeance) will want this, but all cooks looking for next-level flavor vegan dishes will enjoy as well.--Jeanette McVeigh, Univ. of the Sciences, Philadelphia

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 15, 2016
Moskowitz (Vegan with a Vengeance, 10th Anniversary Edition: Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock, 2015), the reigning high priestess of vegan cookery, is back at it again with this whimsical, comforting compendium of 250 animal-free recipes. Here's a book for everyone who thinks vegan cooking is boring, lacking flavor, or simply resulting in an endless stream of saladsthese are dishes vegans and vegetarians could serve when entertaining omnivore friends, and everyone would be delighted. The book is arranged by holiday, from New Year's Eve to the Fourth of July to Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, and Christmas. It features comfort-food classics like chipotle mac and cheese, matzoh ball soup, and olive oil smashed potatoes with mushroom gravy. There are holiday sweets such as rhubarb crumb cake and orange-pecan sticky buns. The best part: all of these recipes mix and match so well, you don't have to wait for a holiday to make any of these stellar dishes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)