NAKED FOOD BOOK CLUB REVIEW
Book Title: Vegan Under Pressure
Author: Jill Nussinow, MS, RDN
Publisher / Release Date: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, January 12, 2016
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The NEW AUTHENTIC KIND AND ENLIGHTENED DIET (NAKED) celebrates books and cookbooks that embody a philosophy of sustainable health and healing, self-sufficiency and self-care, wisdom, awareness, and consciousness for humans and planet alike.
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WHAT IS NEW:
Pressure cookers like the Instant Potâ are all the rage right now. If you’re one of the many people who received (or purchased) one for holidays, you may be eager for great cookbooks to maximize use of this handy gadget, and Vegan Under Pressure is one of the best books we’ve found. Electric pressure cookers are actually multi-cookers, as most models also steam, sauté, and even make healthful plant-based yogurt! Having a machine that does all this can be quite intimidating (not to mention the innate fear of the old-style pressure cookers that were always in danger of “blowing up”). Nussinow does a great job of demystifying the use of pressure cookers as well as allaying fears of any accidental culinary eruptions.
WHAT IS AUTHENTIC:
Nussinow thoroughly explains how pressure cookers work and the differences between the different types. If you haven’t yet purchased a pressure cooker, Nussinow helps you choose the type that’s right for you: this is one of the few books we’ve seen that includes directions and adjustments for those who are cooking with the more traditional stovetop pressure cooker.
WHAT IS KIND:
One great advantage of a pressure cooker is that you can cook your own beans, rice, and grains from scratch in a fraction of the time (and a fraction of the cost!) Vegan Under Pressure is a very thorough and complete resource, as Nussinow includes charts for cooking 22 types of grains, 20 kinds of rice, and 25 varieties of beans (even including cooking times for both pre-soaked and un-soaked). The recipes are whole food, plant-based and contain no refined sugar. And although some recipes may mention a touch of oil for sautéing, the oil is always listed as “optional” and Nussinow explains that any of the recipes may be made without oil and includes a section on sautéing with water or even dry-sautéing.
WHAT IS ENLIGHTENED:
Multi-cookers like the Instant Potâ aren’t just for soups and stews, and Vegan Under Pressure will really put your cooker through its paces. Nussinow includes recipes for making your own seitan (both “chicken” and “beefy” styles), soy yogurt, cornbread, and even non-dairy cheesecakes.
IS THIS BOOK FOR YOU?
If you are looking for one book with a wide variety of vegan, whole food, plant-based recipes that are full of flavor geared especially for electric or stovetop pressure cookers, this book is for you.
STAR RATING? (1 to 5): 5
IS IT NAKED FOOD CLUB RECOMMENDED? Yes
The Author
