Vegan Baking Classics: Delicious, Easy-to-Make Traditional Favorites

mandy — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Kelly Rudnicki describes herself as a “busy mother of five young children,” the oldest of whom was “diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies to dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, and legumes.” Incorporating material from her blog, Rudnicki’s first book, The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book, began as Vegan Baking Classics. Although the title of the book situates it in vegan media culture, I found Rudnicki’s writing style, interests, and recipe descriptions more typical of parenting and food allergy books.

Rudnicki lacks the edgy, almost punk style of some of the best vegan cookbook authors, like Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero, or the Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard powerhouse duo. Moskowitz and Romero’s Post-Punk Kitchen public access television show and website define the ways in which veganism is a playful way to be an anarchist in the kitchen without hurting anyone. And Moskowitz’s *Vegan with a Vengeance includes an anecdote about feminist potlucks, heightening what I see as a unifying tenant of many cookbooks: a sense that food is part of a larger set of political concomitants.

That is not to disparage Rudnicki. Her desire to feed her son the doughnuts, muffins, cakes, and cookies she remembers from her childhood offers a powerful testament to her mothering. She expresses her own activist interests in the book when she suggests that she wants doctors to find a cure for the allergens that plague her son. Rudnicki is concerned about health, and she offers tips for lowering the fat in baked goods, such as replacing some of the oils with apple sauce.

The recipes in Vegan Baking Classics are just that—classics. They are comfort foods made in a form consumable for vegans, people with food allergies, and anyone who wants to eat a variety of pastries, cookies, cakes, pies, and other delicious sweet treats.

The notes that accompany the recipes tend to be repetitive and, therefore, a little boring. At times, they even make the end result sound unappealing. As someone who eats my fair share of energy bars, I found the description of Rudnicki's Cranberry-Chocolate Drop Cookies, which she says remind her of her “favorite nutrition bars,” a bit off-putting. I have sometimes wished my energy bars tasted more like cookies, but I rarely wish a cookie tasted more like an energy bar.

Overall, Vegan Baking Classics offers a range of delectable and fun recipes that can satisfy a wide range of people whose teeth tend toward the sweet kind. Following Rudnicki’s hints and tips makes baking without dairy, eggs, and common allergens accessible, and every recipe is worth trying… even if her writing isn't as fun to read as the best punk rock vegan cooks out there.

Written by: Emily Bowles, December 12th 2010

Eat Out, Eat Right: The Guide to Healthier Restaurant Eating

admin — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 01:12:00 +0000

By Hope S. Warshaw

Surrey Books

Hope Warshaw is on a mission; she wants to help health conscious diners navigate their way through the minefield that is dining out in the United States. As Warshaw points out in her book, more Americans eat out than ever before—an average of five meals a week—for a variety of sociological and economic reasons. Because we’re spending less time eating at home, we also have less control over the food we eat. Warshaw has just the ticket to help us to regain control over our grazing habits.

Each chapter is devoted to a type of food, ranging from breakfast food to ethnic foods—including Mexican, Italian, Japanese Thai and Indian—and ends with a suggested low calorie and moderate calorie menu. Reader-friendly sections in the book also feature “Red Flag” and “Green Flag” words to look for on a menu, which are based on their caloric value.

In addition, Eat Out, Eat Right provides detailed nutrition breakdowns of menu items for a variety of eateries ranging from well-known chains to fine dining. Warshaw offers practical and often simple strategies for the health conscious eater, such as ordering smaller portions and sharing entrees. Don’t be afraid to be assertive and ask for substitutions, or, at the very least, ask for salad dressing on the side, Warshaw advocates. She also includes suggestions for “special requests” in the book.

The author also offers such sage advice as “Be careful with vegetarian sandwiches. Some of them are drenched in fat from salad dressing or cheese,” and “Freshly prepared soups are best because they have less sodium than canned ones.” An unabashed Thai food lover, I learned a thing or two. Who knew that Pad Thai and coconut based curries could pack so many calories?

Whether it’s fast food, take out, fine dining, ethnic restaurants, pizza joints, or breakfast spots, this third edition of Eat Out, Eat Right should be read before you embark on your culinary adventures.

Written by: Gita Tewari, April 15th 2008