Su, would you mind listing your top 3 or so vegan cookbooks. I would like to give it another try, but know that if I don't find some really good recipes that I will give in to cheese again.
In no particular order:
The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, author of The Joy of Vegan Baking (which is a must if you're on the potluck/bake sale circuit). This one is a good all-purpose compilation and it's simple, very tasty, whole foods. However, I absolutely loathe the way the book is organized: dinners for two, casual meals for four to six, etc.
Veganomicon is really the bible of vegan cooking. It's old reliable. However I usually find I have to season things more than this calls for - I think it's aimed at the middle American palate, not for gourmands.
This last one I'm throwing in because I (a) happen to enjoy raw food and (b) I use it a lot. So many great dishes, although some call for tools or ingredients you may not have around unless you're into it. But it's one of my favorites.
These days you can get any recipe you want on the interwebs. Here are some blogs/sites worth checking out:
Honestly my favorite cookbook of all time is Joy of Cooking. It lives on a stand on my counter and I use it several times a week. Because I am good in the kitchen sometimes it's easier for me to find the recipe for whatever I'm looking for and veganize it, versus hunting for something similar in another book or online.
http://www.thesweetbeet.com/ not even vegetarian, or really a recipe blog, but has an interesting perspective on where our food comes from. (the tagline is 'get in touch with your food')
http://www.lovelifeandlollipops.com/ more about vegan lifestyle than just vegan recipes, but does include recipes (other topics, trying to raise a vegan child, eco-conscious home, etc)
I also love Joy of Cooking, and get a lot of use from The New Basics Cookbook. It was written by the gals that did the Silver Palate cookbooks. Far from vegetarian, but nice to crack open when I'm winging something and need a direction. And, since hubby isn't vegetarian, he'll use it as a reference when he's cooking.
No photos though, only sketches.
But, truly, while I have a ton of cookbooks I usually just throw a bunch of stuff together and call it a meal. I've been a vegetarian the whole time I've been cooking, so it's not a problem. But, I don't get very creative with vegan dishes and want some insparation. Most of the vegan recipes call for things I don't keep in the house, so I know I need to expand my horizons. My only truly great vegan recipe is corn chowder.
-- Edited by greendiamond on Wednesday 19th of January 2011 09:41:33 AM