Chloe Coscarelli–the vegan chef who’s first claim to fame was winning Food Network’s Cupcake Wars with her innovative and stunning vegan sweets– stuns with her new book “Chloe’s Kitchen”. It’s a great addition to the growing number of vegan cookbooks hitting the shelves, and the book is just about as adorable as the author herself.
Back when I first went vegan, there were few vegan cookbooks available at all. You would be extremely lucky if you could find one at your local bookstore — even the big chain stores seemed to only carry a few vegetarian books that may or may not have included a tiny section for vegans. I was psyched to have any book that talked in great depth about vegan cooking and plant based recipes, but the books that were available were much more recipe and information oriented (a great thing for a cookbook to be) than some of the omnivorous volumes that sat next to them on the shelves. You know, the books that were lined with glossy, beautiful photos and full of culinary daydreams from the moment you open the cover. These were the types of cookbooks I was always most drawn to… full of gourmet treasures that not only made me want to become a cook, but also a food stylist. These books made me swoon, and most of all, they inspired me. However — as I mentioned — none of them focused on vegan food.
Well, flash forward 16 years, and what do we have here: exactly the type of book I always hoped for! As a teenage girl, I would have fallen head over heels with this book. Even in my thirties I find it quite charming, and I believe that this is the exact type of book that will encourage people to think twice about a plant based diet (in a good way).
The book is glamorously laid out with sleek, shiny pages of vegan goodies that will make even the most skeptical omnivore look at vegan food in a whole new light. What I love best about the book, is the creativity and fun approach to recipes. It’s definitely my kind of style and packed with creativity in flavor combinations and ingredients I haven’t seen in many other books. What I love most about collecting cookbooks is the inspiration I get from over-the-top-delicious dishes, and this book is chock-full of them! With recipes like Coconut Mashed Yams with Currants, Mandarin Peanut-Crunch Salad with Crispy Croutons, and Falafel Sliders with Avocado Hummus, there is no reason to believe that vegan eating has to be bland or boring!
If you’re in the market for a book that will stand up proudly next to books by Giada De Laurentiis and Ina Garten, get Chloe’s Kitchen. You’re bound to be entertained!
*Simon and Schuster kindly sent me a copy of this book to review*
