Best Recipe Books for Making the Most of Your Veg

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he beginning of February marked a year since my first foray into vegetarianism. Feeding myself hasn’t been overly challenging, but avoiding meat when cooking for people who refuse to eat potatoes, tomatoes or beans has been a little harder. To two books I owe my undying gratitude: Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall’s River Cottage: Veg Everyday, and, more recently, Leith’s Vegetable Bible. They taught me to create things I never thought possible when armed with only dried lentils and a softening carrot, and for this I cannot thank them enough.

They taught me to create things I never thought possible when armed with only dried lentils and a softening carrot

First, the magnificent Veg Everyday. Crammed to the brim with glorious full-colour photographs, the book guides you through a selection of delicious plant-based offerings. It’s particularly good for lunch food, and the chapter on salads has yet to disappoint, since there isn’t a soggy tomato in sight. Aside from this, there is something oddly heart-warming about a book which places instructions for an elaborate mezze platter right next to a recipe for egg on toast. Best of all, the focus on fresh produce means it never asks for too many ingredients, and there are always plenty of ideas for using up anything you’ve bought. I don’t think there’s a single recipe in there that I’m not excited to try.

The focus on fresh produce means it never asks for too many ingredients, and there are always plenty of ideas for using up anything you’ve bought

If Veg Everyday is a book to impress, then Leith’s Vegetable Bible is explicitly one for leftovers. Picture the scene: it’s late, and you’re on the bus. Suddenly, you realise that you haven’t had a chance to go food shopping. Frantically, you cast your mind back to what was in the fridge this morning: an onion, a wilting bag of salad, some sprouting potatoes. The prospect of takeaway looms large in your imagination, but you know your student loan just can’t take that kind of a hit. This is what Leith’s is designed for. With a chapter for every kind of veg, it offers endless possibilities for meals where you thought none could exist. And it isn’t all soup and salad either – if you can manage not to be put off by the slightly ’80s vibe (roasted pepper terrine, anyone?), then Leith’s Vegetable Bible really does live up to its name.

With a chapter for every kind of veg, it offers endless possibilities for meals where you thought none could exist

So if you’re looking for something to keep you going after the end on Veganuary, or just fancy eating more fresh veg, then these two tomes, endlessly refreshing and exciting, are all you will ever need.

Image Credits: Priscilla Santana / Flickr