The Vegan Family Cookbook offers recipes for all the family, with tried-and-true recipes. Unfortunately (like many of the best cookbooks) the cover is not very inspiring. But don’t let fool you, as this is a very well-written book with recipes that work.
Note foods to avoid giving to young children (not just nuts, but also nut butters, salty foods and choking hazard foods like peas, celery, carrot sticks, fruit pips, hot dogs etc). Learn first aid for choking incidents. Before cooking, read food safety for people & pets (many human foods are unsafe around animal friends).
If you’re of a certain age, your mum likely used to do ‘leftovers on Monday, pasta on Tuesday, a roast on Sunday etc). Anna thinks good food for the family should actually be like that, to offer routine, affordability and no food waste. She suggests to do what their house does:
- Mondays are Pasta
- Tuesdsays are Bowls
- Wednesdays are One-Pot Meals
- Thursdays are Stir-fries
- Fridays & Weekends are unplanned (could be eating leftovers, going out for a meal, ordering a takeout, planning a new meal from a recipe book, inviting family and friends over etc).
Then make a list of your family’s favourite foods. For instance, if your children (and husband) love pizza, then make it! Don’t feed them mungbean salad or a stir-fry if they prefer spaghetti bolognese. But you can make a lovely homemade healthy vegan pizza, with salad on the side. Small wins! Ask everyone what their dream foods are. If it’s burger and chips – then make veggie-burgers with all the sides and sauces, and serve with home-baked fries. You get the idea.
Recipes include:
- Homemade banana waffles
- Fried no-egg sandwich
- White bean puree
- Mac & cheesy with broccoli
- Sesame soba noodles with kale
- Lighter kale pesto pasta
- Crispy sweet & sticky tofu
about the author
Anna Pippus is self-appointed kitchen manager in her home. She holds degrees in law and psychology and has worked as a farmed animal advocacy lawyer in Toronto and Vancouver.
