The Little Vegan Cookbook

The little vegan cookbook has 500 of the best recipes ever is perfect for traveling, if you are the type of person who likes to cook on vacation. Its soft cover pages fits beautifully in any cooks hands no matter how skilled or unskilled they may be. Cooking methods include stove top, oven and pressure cooking. I know that people take their instant pot with them. Tuck this little book inside the IP and your good to go.

Recipe creators include: Gerrie Lynn Adams, JL Fields, Allyson Kramer, Joni Marie Newman, Tamasin Noyes, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, Joshua Ploeg, Megan Roosevelt, RD, LD, Matt Ruscigno, MPH, RD, Celine Steen.

The only thing I don’t like about this book is that their name is not beside or underneath the recipe title. I like to know who wrote what- so I can look them up and see other books they wrote, or see what they’re about if I don’t “know” them. Thru some research, I found awesome people and blogs. I even had a “I didn’t know *that* was their blog moment. I know I’m contradicting myself when I say this, but- one of the things I did like about the book is- I didn’t know who’s recipe I was making. It let me look through the book without judgement, without thinking- oh lets see what so and so wrote- it let me explore the unknown and even though I like to be in the know, it’s nice to have a little book of delicious mystery. Don’t worry, I know how to google- so I can find all the info 😉 Another thing I liked was they included pictures. The print is on the smaller side, but that doesn’t bother me.

One of the first recipes I made was the  Nacho Potato Skins. It’s easy, satisfying and total comfort food. Hot potatoes, fresh salsa, your fave nacho sauce…. You don’t need to choose between stuffed potatoes or nacho’s. If you want the crunch, then scoop out the filling with some nacho chips. You’re welcome. I like to be an enabler sometimes 😉

NACHO POTATO SKINS (co-authored by Celine Steen and Tamasin Noyes)

Potato skins, the epitome of bar finger food, get a vegan remake that doesn’t miss a beat in flavor. Save the insides of the potatoes to make Potato Puffs. (See page 37.)

6 medium russet potatoes (each about 5 ounces, or 140 g) 1 can (15 ounces, or 425 g) black beans, drained and rinsed ½ cup (90 g) chopped tomato ¼ cup (40 g) minced red onion 2 tablespoons (18 g) minced poblano pepper 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lime juice 2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro ½ teaspoon ground cumin Salt, to taste Black pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil 1 tablespoon (15 ml) canned chipotle pepper in adobo, with sauce Your favorite Nacho Sauce 1 medium avocado, pitted, peeled, and diced, optional

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6). Pierce the potatoes a couple of times so they can release steam. Bake the potatoes for 45 minutes, or 1 hour if larger, or until tender. Let cool, slice in half, and scoop the insides from the potatoes, leaving about ¼ inch (6 mm) from the skin intact. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the beans, tomato, onion, pepper, juice, cilantro, and cumin. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 475°F (240°C, or gas mark 9). In a mortar and pestle, combine the oil and chipotle and pound until combined. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Using a fork, pierce the inside of the potato skins a few times. Brush the oil on the insides of the potatoes, and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, or until starting to crisp. For extra crispness, broil the potato skins for a few minutes after baking. Fill each potato with a heaping tablespoon (28 g) of filling, dividing the filling evenly among the potatoes. Top each potato with Nacho Saucy Dip and a few pieces of avocado, if using.

Yield: 12 potato skins

CONTEST CLOSED! Congratulations  to Carole V and Lynn F 🙂

Quarto/ Fair Winds Press sent me a copy of the Little Vegan Cookbook, and will send out a copy to the person who wins our giveaway. So click *HERE* to enter. I was given permission to use the picture of the nacho potato skins and the recipe from Quarto.

If you have this book already, tell us your favorite recipe so far.