In spring and summer, there's nothing better than enjoying a meal outdoors with friends and family; today, al fresco dining has never been more popular, given the rise in popularity of gourmet takeout and prepared picnic baskets. For those who eschew all animal products, though, outdoor vegan meals usually consist of mundane veggie sandwiches and a fruit salad. But no more! Carla Kelly is an accomplished vegan cook and baker with two previous cookbooks under her belt; she also loves to prepare delicious, casually elegant vegan meals for backyard barbecues, picnics in the park, or parties at the beach. Vegan al Fresco is loaded with beautiful appetizers such as Peanut Potato Salad and Tomato and Olive Tarts, inventive sandwiches including Pita Po'Boys, and amazing grilled dishes like Sweet Chipotle Tempeh with Berries and Cedar Planked Rosemary and Lemon Tofu. Finish off your meal with Strawberry and Basil Scones, Maple and Walnut Cheesecake, or some crazy good vegan ice creams. The book includes prep and cooking times for each recipe, as well as advice on portability, food safety issues, and menu suggestions for special occasions. Full-color throughout, Vegan al Fresco offers delectable and sophisticated ways for vegans to enjoy the great outdoors. Carla Kelly, a vegan for almost ten years, has cooked at hotels around the world. She is the author of two previous cookbooks, Quick and Easy Bake Sale and Quick and Easy Vegan Slow Cooking, and operates the food website The Year of the Vegan (veganyear.blogspot.ca).

Once the lonely, unattractive kin of sexier, more popular produce, root vegetables (along with tubers and rhizomes) finally get the love and attention they deserve in this inventive and far-reaching vegan cookbook. Instead of heavy stews and soups—the most common uses for root vegetables, in which they play mild-mannered backup to meat-centric ingredients—author Carla Kelly lets roots, tubers, and rhizomes shine on their own in recipes that include lighter versions of those traditional stews and soups as well as juices, salads, desserts, and ethnically inspired entrees such as potato, sauerkraut, and dill pierogies and sweet potato and pinto bean enchiladas. The book includes a great collection of raw bites and sides, as well as information on the wide variety of root vegetables available, including what to do with those mysterious specimens in the market such as kohlrabi, cassava, celeriac, and Jerusalem artichokes. There's also imaginative recipes that find new ways to use the more familiar parsnips, turnips, beets, and potatoes. Be the cool cook on the block and jump on the root vegetable bandwagon before the rest of the neighborhood does with help from Carla's amazing cookbook. Full-color throughout. Carla Kelly is a vegan blogger (Year of the Vegan) and home cook. She is the author of three previous books, the most recent of which was Vegan al Fresco.

An Inspired Collection of Time-Honored Mexican Recipes Follow along with Jocelyn Ramirez as she transforms the traditional dishes she grew up making alongside her Abuela into wonderfully flavorful plant-based meals everyone will love. With only a few simple and affordable substitutions, you can capture all the spicy, earthy, savory deliciousness of authentic Mexican cooking, and help friends, family and even the die-hard meat-eaters enjoy a new side of Latin cuisine. Amaze your taste buds with healthier versions of kitchen staples like Queso Fresco (Fresh Cheese), Chile de Árbol y Tomatillo (Árbol Chiles with Tomatillo) and Tortillas Hechas a Mano (Handmade Tortillas). Then make hearty, filling mains that carnivores and vegans alike will come back to again and again, such as Tacos de Yaca Carnitas (Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos), Sopa de Tortilla con Crema (Tortilla Soup with Cream) and Mole Verde con Champiñones (Mushrooms in Green Mole). With these 60 recipes you’ll be cooking the foods you love with better-for-you ingredients.

In this book you will find quick and colorful plant-based appetizers that are nutrition-conscious and suitable for everyday use at home, while also easily scalable for entertaining a larger crowd. From classic fresh flavored dips, sauces, and spreads, to delicious small bites, light cold soups, and summery salads with freshly prepared dressings, the recipe selection is varied, and there’s something to suit every taste. Most of the appetizers take between 5 and 15 minutes (or less) to prepare and can be and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. They will come in handy when you don’t have the time, or the patience required in preparation of more elaborate dishes. The best part is that there is little, or no cooking required, and the recipes are perfect for a laid-back al fresco meal in the backyard to share with friends and family in the warm weather.

Can we all sit down and have dinner together? For years, Anna Thomas’s fans have cooked from her trailblazing vegetarian cookbooks. Now, Anna turns her thoughts to that larger question. We are eating differently: your daughter is a vegan, or you are but your in-laws don’t think it’s dinner without meat, or you’re hosting Thanksgiving for a mixed group… In this timely and useful new book, Anna offers her solutions for reuniting our divided tables. “My idea is simple,” says Anna. “Start with the food everyone eats, design a meal or a dish around that, then expand and elaborate with just the right amounts of the right cheeses, meats, or fish for your omnivores. Everyone feels welcome, and we eat the same meal—but in variations.” Anna shows us how to cook for today’s table, with over 150 recipes for all tastes, and menus for every occasion. For a casual evening with friends, Farro with Lentils and Lavender served with Ratatouille from the Charcoal Grill makes a beautiful vegan supper—and also pairs wonderfully with garlic-and-herb rubbed lamb chops for the omnivores. Anna’s crowd-pleasing Easy Fish Soup begins as a robust vegetable soup, with seafood added five minutes before serving—an ideal two-way dish. A vegetarian Lemon Risotto with Sautéed Fresh Fava Beans is perfect on its own, and can easily take on tender shrimp. For dessert, have vegan Pumpkin Gingerbread and add vanilla ice cream, or serve a delectable Dark Chocolate Almond Bark studded with ginger and dried cherries. Anna’s festive “Thanksgiving for Everyone” menu centers on a sumptuous Polenta Torta with Roasted Squash and onion marmalade, surrounded by an array of seasonal vegetables—all pairing equally well with roast turkey for the traditionalists. “Taco Night at Home” allows everyone to design their perfect meal, mixing and matching from a spread of Spicy Black Beans, Poblano Peppers with Portobello Mushrooms, Carnitas, and Guajillo Chile Salsa. Anna’s exuberant Mediterranean mezze menu is a relaxed summer party, featuring vegan Roasted Eggplant and Poblano Chile Spread with flatbread, Tabbouleh with Chickpeas and Preserved Lemon, Charred Zucchini with Lemon and Mint, and Baked Lamb Kibbeh Wedges for the omnivores. With dishes inspired by the vibrant produce of farmers’ markets, Anna shares her love of cooking and of hospitality. Vegan Vegetarian Omnivore shows us how to navigate a world of change, and bring all our friends and family together at one big, generous table.

We all look forward to spring and summer, when the sun returns, the blooms bud, and we feel the urge to reacquaint ourselves with the great outdoors. But camping and hiking trips, whether day treks or week-long journeys, beg an age-old question: what to bring along to eat? Chef in Your Backpack proves that camping and hiking meals don't always have to be about stale sandwiches and bagged veggies. With a little ingenuity and know-how, and a bit of advance planning, you can be dining in high style around the campfire. Nicole Bassett is an outdoors enthusiast who has been developing and preparing outdoor meal recipes for years. She believes in the notion that a great yet easy-to-make meal is not only more satisfying, but is more nutritious and energizing for your hikes and treks. She also offers great tips for keeping your food safe from spoilage and not-so-friendly creatures, as well as nifty ideas like using film canisters to store spices, and using your camping mug as a measuring cup. Nicole offers a wide-range of meal ideas, from power breakfasts to soul-nurturing dinners, all of which can either be prepared in its entirety outdoors, or with a little preparation at home before you go

From international dishes such as a pinto bean and pumpkin casserole from South America to everyday favorites with a delicious twist, these all-vegetarian meals will tempt even hardened carnivores. Chef, author, and committed vegetarian Rose Elliot, who has 40 books to her credit, brings her vast experience to these new and exciting recipes, solving daily cooking conundrums for non-meat eaters. There’s something for every occasion, whether it’s an after-work meal to make in less than 30 minutes, leisurely barbecue, al fresco celebration, or festive holiday dinner. Dieters will even find a host of delectable recipes for staying slim and healthy. Goat Cheese and Cranberry Parcels; Grilled Polenta with Roasted Tomatoes; Sage, Onion, and Apple Sausages; and White Chocolate Ice Cream with Summer Berry Sauce: they’re all mouthwatering.