Book Review: "The Homemade Vegan Pantry"

This post is totally off topic, but cooking and baking are two of my other favorite activities.

I recently purchased a copy of The Homemade Vegan Pantry by Miyoko Schinner, published in 2015 by Ten Speed Press. It's the subtitle of this book, "the art of making your own staples", that convinced me I needed to add this cookbook to my collection.  Have you read the ingredient list on the commercial staples in your kitchen?  Oy! 

I love the idea that I can make my own staples. I'm not vegan, but my diet is primarily plant based and I read labels trying to choose items that have real ingredients. And I think it's a lark to experiment in the kitchen!  Sot this book is right up my alley!

The Homemade Vegan Pantry has so many great recipes and I've only just scratched the surface.  Making soy milk is easy!  All you need are soybeans, water, a soup pot and a tight mesh "milk bag".  The recipe in the book is delicious.  I don't even add the optional vanilla or sweetener.  I use it in chai tea, coffee and for baking.

The by-product of making soy milk is okara, the remnants of the soybeans.  It still has protein, fiber and other nutrients and can be used in many ways.  One of my favorite is the "San Francisco fab cakes with capers" recipe in the book.  Fab cakes are a vegan alternative to crab cakes. They are yummy! 

The "classic pancake and biscuit mix" makes awesome diner style pancakes--thick, fluffy and especially delicious with blueberries added to the batter.  I can't wait to try the two cake and baking mixes.

The mushroom stock is excellent.  I love mushroom risotto but don't loke using bullion cubes to make mushroom flavored broth.  This stock was perfect when I used it to make risotto. After the stock is done, there's a recipe to make mushroom pate from the vegetables cooked for the stock. Another excellent item!

But if there were only one recipe you ever made from this book, it's worth owning your own copy!  "Not-tella chocolate hazelnut spread" is totally amazing!!  With 2 cups of hazelnuts and 60% or higher dark chocolate as 2 of its 5 ingredients, it's a treat packed with nutrition and anti-oxidants.  On a graham cracker, it's the best!!   Get the book and make some for yourself!! 

Here are photos of several items I've made from the book.  Left to right:  soy milk, fab cakes, not-tella chocolate hazelnut spread.