By no means an exhaustive list, these are books I have found particularly helpful. Those marked with an asterisk are, to some extent, the bibles of vegetarian cooking, the classic resources that have shaped vegetarian cuisine in North America. I hope you will find this a helpful guide as you further explore the road to vegetarian cooking.
GENERAL VEGETARIAN – INFORMATION:
The following provide a wealth of helpful information about cooking and eating vegetarian meals, the staple ingredients of a vegetarian kitchen, and about the issues supporting the choice of a vegetarian diet: personal health, nutrition, animal rights, and global food distribution. Some of these books also contain recipes.
Atlas, Nava. The Wholefood Catalog. New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1988
*Lappé, Frances Moore. Diet For A Small Planet (10th Anniversary Edition). New York: Ballantine Books, 1971
Kilham, Christopher S. The Bread & Circus Whole Food Bible. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing, 1991
Robbins, John. Diet for a New America. Walpole, NH: Stillpoint Publishing, 1987
*Robertson, Laurel et al. The New Laurel’s Kitchen. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1986
Yntema, Sharon. Vegetarian Children. Ithaca, NY: McBooks Press, 1987
GENERAL VEGETARIAN – RECIPES:
These books, a small sampler of what’s available, will provide you with a lifetime’s worth of delicious recipes for cooking meatless meals. There is an ever-growing body of vegetarian cookbooks as more people come to cook and eat healthier food. Be sure to check your local natural foods store, bookstores and public library for these and other publications.
Blacker, Maryanne, ed. Australian Women’s Weekly Home Library: Vegetarian Cooking. Sydney: Australian Consolidated Press, 1990
Brown, Edward Espe. Tassajara Bread Book. Boston: Shambhala Publications, 1970
Brown, Edward Espe. Tassajara Cooking. Berkeley, CA: Shambhala Publications, 1973
Katzen, Mollie. The Enchanted Broccoli Forest. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1982
*Katzen, Mollie. Moosewood Cookbook. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1977
Katzen, Mollie. Still Life with Menu. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1988
Lukin, Anne. The Big Carrot Vegetarian Cookbook. Toronto: Second Story Press, 1989
Moosewood Collective. New Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 1987
Shulman, Martha Rose. Gourmet Vegetarian Feasts. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 1990
*Thomas, Anna. The Vegetarian Epicure. New York: Vintage Books, 1972
INTERNATIONAL CUISINES:
Most cultures have some vegetarian dishes as part of their cuisine; many cultures around the world have lived as vegetarians for centuries. The following selection of cookbooks will introduce you to the basics of several ethnic or national cuisines. While some of these cookbooks contain meat recipes, they also abound with recipes for beans, grains, and vegetables. And they are helpful in uncovering the predominant flavours, spicings, and kitchen secrets of other cuisines; it will be up to you to adapt that information for your own vegetarian cooking.
Atlas, Nava. American Harvest (Regional Recipes for the Vegetarian Kitchen). New York: Fawcett Columbine, 1987
Chaitow, Alkmini. Greek Vegetarian Cooking. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press, 1984
East West Journal, ed. Whole World Cookbook (International Macrobiotic Cuisine). Wayne, NJ: Avery Publishing Group, Inc., 1984
Hazan, Marcella. The Classic Italian Cookbook. New York: Ballantine Books, 1973
Jaffreys, Madhur. Far Eastern Cookery. New York: Harper & Row, 1989
*Jaffreys, Madhur. World-of-the-East Vegetarian Cooking. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1981
Karoff, Barbara. South American Cooking (Foods & Feasts from the New World). Berkeley, CA: Aris Books, 1989
Levy, Faye. Fresh From France, Vegetable Creations. New York: E.P. Dutton, 1987
Moosewood Collective. Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant. New York: Simon and Schuster Fireside, 1990
Ortiz, Elizabeth Lambert. The Complete Book of Mexican Cooking. New York: Ballantine Books, 1967
Wells, Troth. The New Internationalist Food Book. Toronto: Second Story Press, 1990
SPECIALTY BOOKS(macrobiotics, cooking with tofu, allergies, diets, etc.):
Bates, Dorothy. The Tempeh Cookbook. Summertown, TN: The Book Publishing Co., 1989
Colbin, Annemarie. The Natural Gourmet. New York: Ballantine Books, 1989
Greenberg, Ron and Nori, Angela. Freedom From Allergy Cookbook. Vancouver: Blue Poppy Press, 1988
Hartung, Shirley. Cookies Naturally. Kitchener, ON: Cookies Naturally, 1989
Klape, Michael, M.D. Vegan Nutrition: Pure and Simple. Umatilla, FL: Gentle World, Inc., 1987
Kushi, Michio. The Macrobiotic Way. Wayne, NJ: Avery Publishing, 1985
Shurtleff, William and Aoyagi, Akiko. The Book of Tofu. New York: Ballantine Books, 1975
MISCELLANEOUS:
Button, John. How To Be Green. London: Random Century Ltd., 1989
Earth Works Group. The Recyclers Handbook. Berkeley, CA: Earth Works Press, 1990
Lindsay, Anne. The Lighthearted Cookbook. Toronto: Key Porter Books, 1988
Lindsay, Anne. Smart Cooking. Toronto: Macmillan of Canada, 1986
Miles, Karen. Herb & Spice Handbook. Norway, IA: Frontier Cooperative Herbs, 1987
Pollution Probe Foundation. The Canadian Green Consumer Guide. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart, 1989
Seiden, Dr. Howard S. Getting to the Heart of Cholesterol. Toronto: Grosvenor House Press, Inc., 1989