Moroccan Pilaf with Pomegranate, Walnuts, and Chickpeas

'Vegans Go Nuts - celebrate protein packed nuts and seeds with more than 100 delicious plant-based recipes’ shows the diversity of nuts and seeds.

ConclusionIn Vegans Go Nuts, Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman show the many ways in which nuts and seeds can be used. Unfortunately, the authors do not go into the major differences in the health values of the individual nuts. Also, despite the many nuts and seeds, additional oils are often used. However, by consciously using nuts with health benefits and making slight changes, you can prepare new and healthy vegan recipes with the help of the recipes listed.

General impressionIn Vegans Go Nuts - celebrate protein packed nuts and seeds with more than 100 delicious plant-based recipes, Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman have put together a large selection of nut and seed-based vegan recipes. The authors start by introducing a wide variety of nuts and seeds. They focus in particular on the differences in flavours and textures after processing the nuts and seeds and highlight the health benefits of the individual ingredients. However, this means that the disadvantages take a back seat. It would be desirable to compare the nuts in terms of their health value, in particular the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids, which should not exceed a ratio of 5:1. This would make it easier to select the appropriate nuts in the dishes - as the type of nut is often left to the reader's discretion. The authors emphasise that nuts and seeds are particularly beneficial in raw or dry roasted and unsalted form. The statement that all nuts are healthy, regardless of the type, is not entirely correct, especially in view of the very different ratios of essential fatty acids. You can find out more about this under the following link: Vegans often eat unhealthily.

The recipes are clearly presented and are labelled gluten-free, soy-free, oil-free and quick and easy. The additional tips (recipe notes) are a helpful addition. Unfortunately, only some of the recipes are illustrated. An additional indication of preparation times would be desirable with regard to planning. The use of many different nuts and seeds and the frequent use of wholegrains are successful from a health perspective. Unfortunately, despite the many nuts and seeds, added oils are still frequently used, but rarely a lot. Sweeteners of various kinds are also often present and, especially in desserts, in large quantities. It would be preferable to reduce these or switch to fruit sweeteners. Tinned food is also found in around one in ten dishes. A complete avoidance of processed products would also be preferable here. It is pleasing to see that many home-made ingredients such as nut butter, nut milk and similar are used, which are listed in the basics.

Vegans Go Nuts by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman is a vegan recipe book that demonstrates the versatility of nuts and seeds through its varied recipes.

By making slight changes and consciously using particularly healthy nuts, you can conjure up not only delicious but also healthy vegan dishes from many of the recipes listed. Vegans Go Nuts by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman is currently only available in English. You can buy it from Quarto Knows and Amazon.

About the authorsCeline Steen, who lives in California, switched to a vegan diet in 2005 for ethical reasons. She is the co-author of several cookery books and founder of the award-winning blog Have Cake, Will Travel.
Joni Marie Newman is the founder of justthefood.com and author of 10 cookery books. She is well known in the vegan community and is a frequent speaker at vegan conferences and other events.

Contents of the bookVegans Go Nuts is divided into 6 chapters:

• In the Kitchen with Nuts and Seeds
• Nuts and Seeds Basics
• Cheers to Nutritious Mornings
• Simple Nuts Make Mean Mains
• Substantial Soups, Sides, and Salads
• Ending Things on a Sweet Nut

In the kitchen with nuts and seeds: Here you will find a glossary of nuts and seeds, tips on storing them and a glossary of some more unusual ingredients.

Recipes

Nuts and Seeds Basics: The recipes range from simple roasted nuts to nut butters, nut milks, nut flours, spreads, dressings, dips and nut cheeses. Examples include the Almond-Milk Cream Cheese Spread and the Citrusy Cashew Baba Ghanoush.

Cheers to Nutritous Mornings:Here you will find sweet or savoury dishes in the form of muesli, pastries or savoury dishes, such as the Ginger or Lemon Tahini Scones, Banana Nut Bread Pancakes or the Protein-Packed Breakfast Scramble. You will need sweeteners for almost all the dishes, and tinned food is used for three of them.

Simple Nuts make Mean Mains: The dishes are based on quinoa, rice, chickpeas, noodles and tofu, among other things. Just under a third of the recipes require bread or tortillas, which are not part of the recipes. In 5 recipes, the authors use ready-made products (sauces and tinned food). Examples of the recipes listed are the Moroccan Pilaf with Pomegranate Walnuts, Pad Tahini and Walnut, Arugula and Grape Tacos.

Substantial Soups, Sides, and Salads: Dishes such as Potato Peanut Soup, Autumnal Chestnut and Carrot Bisque and Cauliflower Pecan Tabouleh can be served as a main course, side dish or starter.

Ending Things on a Sweet Nut: You will find toppings, ice cream, biscuits and small sweet treats here. Examples include the Baked Pears, Pistachio Macarons with Orange Ganache Filling and Nut Butter Magic Candy Ice Cream Topping. Almost all the recipes contain a fairly high proportion of sweeteners.

The cookbook Vegans Go Nuts - Nuts and Seeds with more than 100 delicious plant-based recipes concludes with a recipe index.

Book review by Dr med. vet. Inke Weissenborn