I am so excited about today’s post. I got the wonderful chance to review Kathy Hester’s newest cookbook, The Easy Vegan Cookbook. Kathy runs the successful blog over at Healthy Slow Cooking. Let me tell you, the title of her newest cookbook delivers. This is not only filled with truly easy recipes, but the ones I have tried have been so fast to make and full of flavor.
One of the things I loved most about this cookbook is that soooo many of the recipes I wanted to make and that fit my style of eating. There are many books that I have flipped through and many of them contain ingredients that I never use or wouldn’t use, or just too much work. Just because these are easy, doesn’t mean they are boring or filled with bland salads.
Book cover photo done by the wonderfully talented Ann Oliverio from An Unrefined Vegan.
Kathy’s book is filled with 80 recipes with beautiful, bright photos for nearly every single recipe in the book. All photos were taken by Ann Oliverio and they make you want to make each dish. I love that the recipes have approachable ingredients and so far, the ones I’ve made I already had the ingredients. Nothing too complicated or weird, just simple ingredients I already use. The majority of the recipes are savory, with just a few desserts, so if you are looking for a lot of desserts, this is more geared towards lunches, dinners and sides.
Many amazing recipes are in this book like Maple Walnut Sausage Patties (pg. 35), Spicy Cream Corn (pg. 174), Carrot and Kale Falafel (pg. 115), Almost Effortless Lasagna (pg. ), Applesauce Spice Cake (pg. 188), and Mexican Kidney Bean Fried Rice (pg. 108) to name a few. Kathy also gives oil-free versions for practically every recipe in the book. Since we eat oil-free, I was excited to see I can easily convert them to my needs for most of the recipes.
I personally made the Broccoli with Spicy Garlic Sauce (pg. 132). This was SO fast to put together and so darn easy. My husband absolutely loved it and so did my daughter. I made this at night for dinner, so I didn’t get a picture of it, but imagine some fluffy rice with a delicious spicy garlic sauce over sautéed broccoli. So good.
I also made the Spicy Creamed Corn (pg. 174). Easy, simple, fast and so darn flavorful. I love anything with a good kick of heat!
I also made these Pecan Coconut Chocolate Chip Bars (pg. 183) during the day, so I got photos this time, haha. Kathy offers an oil-free version, so I subbed the oil for half and half of pumpkin and almond butter. Because of using less fat, I didn’t want them to turn out too cakey or dry, which happens with lower fat baked goods, so I undercooked them a few minutes. I removed them at 18 minutes and they were perfect. I loved the addition of the pecans, being my favorite nut and all!
I am excited that I am allowed to share this amazing recipe, Creole Okra Corn Soup with you all today, thank you Kathy! My husband is from Louisiana, so he especially liked this soup. It is a great, quick meal to throw together. It was ready in less than an hour. The only thing I did differently was season with salt while cooking the onions and then adding the broth. I also threw in a good pinch of celery seeds with the other spices, since that really reminds me of other Louisiana style food we’ve had. Excellent recipe and would go great with some bread too!
Reprinted with permission from The Easy Vegan Cookbook Copyright © 2015 by Kathy Hester. Published by Page St Publishing.
You can purchase The Easy Vegan Cookbook here!
Creole Okra Corn Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons 30 ml olive oil (*or sauté in water)
- 1/2 medium onion minced
- 1/2 medium green pepper minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups 710 ml vegetable broth (or water with 2 veggie bouillon cubes)
- 1 16 oz [454 g] bag frozen sliced okra (or equivalent weight of fresh okra)
- 2 cups 11 oz [328 g] fresh or frozen corn kernels
- 1 28 oz [794 g] can crushed tomatoes (fire-roasted or plain)
- 11/2 teaspoons 7 g smoked paprika (or plain paprika plus a few drops of liquid smoke)
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- STOVE-TOP METHOD Heat oil over medium heat and add the onion once it’s hot. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add green pepper and garlic, then sauté 3 minutes more. Stir in the broth, okra, corn, tomatoes and all spices except for the salt and pepper. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes over medium heat until the corn and okra are tender. Before serving, add salt and pepper to taste.
- SLOW COOKER METHOD Heat oil over medium heat in a sauté pan and add the onion once it’s hot. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the sautéed onions and everything else except the salt and black pepper to your 4-quart (4-L) slow cooker and cook on low for 7 to 10 hours. Before serving, add salt and pepper to taste.
CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.
I’m very excited that Kathy is generous in offering a cookbook to one lucky winner. Giveaway open to all US and Canada residents only. Please enter the giveaway below.
You must be a subscriber to my blog to qualify for the giveaway. All entries will be verified. Giveaway will be notified via email.
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This would be my first vegan cookbook! I’m transitioning from vegetarian to vegan now; it can be a daunting prospect, but this cookbook (and your site) makes vegan cooking look really doable. 🙂
Hi. My name is Rusty and I’m obsessed with vegan cookbooks! This is not my first one but I use all mine over and over. I pick one and cook all meals from it for a week and then pick another. Thanks for the chance.
I’m always interested in cookbooks/sites that offer oil-free and soy-free recipes.
This looks like a great vegan cookbook to start with!
I have a small collection of vegan cookbooks…I don’t think you can have too many!
Love how easy this recipe looks! The cookbook looks like just what I need.
Would love to win this cookbook!
I collect cookbooks, and read them cover to cover. I’ve been vegan about 3 1/2 years and have acquired quite a few vegan cookbooks including Kathy’s “The Great Vegan Bean Book” (which I love). This new book sounds like it will be as good or even better!
This will be one of many vegan and non vegan cookbooks that make up my wonderful collection!
Everything looks amazing. Kathy is so good at what she does. Thanks for the great review, Brandi.
Love Kathy’s book and the photography from Ann, Brandi! I reviewed her cookbook a couple of weeks ago. So cool and fun to see you review her book, too… I really enjoy the recipes so approachable and easy to make with everyday ingredients. I’ve never tried okra before, time to change! 😉
Beautiful blog! And beautiful cookbook! I already have three or four vegan cookbooks and look forward to expanding my collection! Especially for EASY meals! So many of them are full of diet plans that involve a lot of time cooking. That’s something I don’t have much of so EASY is the direction I need to go!! Thank you! 🙂
So sweet of you to say that, thank you!
Always looking for new tasty vegan recipes!
Looking for yummy healthful meals for my family. This cookbook looks good.
I love Kathy’s cooks! My favorite (of course) is her OATrageous Oatmeals!
I have other Kathy Hester books, she is a great author and cook!
This book looks wonderful. It would be my first ever Vegan book.
I’m always worried that cookbooks won’t really fit the way I like to eat, but this one sounds awesome! I’ve seen a few other recipes from Kathy’s book around the web, and been pleasantly surprised by them too. Everything you mentioned (and showed pictures of) making sounded fantastic, and the sound of applesauce spice cake definitely caught my attention 🙂 I love that she gives some oil-free options too!
I’m totally serious Natalie, I have several vegan cookbooks now and I’ve already used hers the most! SO many of the others I have, have ingredients I honestly don’t use or there are TOO many that I have to go buy. This book is so simple and it’s common, everyday ingredients and veggies. And no offense, but I loved that it wasn’t full of tofu recipes, just regular food we eat…soups, pastas, dips, etc.
Love corn soup! This one looks delicious. I love Kathy’s recipes!
This will be my first vegan cookbook!
I’ve begun a collection of cookbooks but a lot of them have complicated recipes. To have one go-to easy one would be great! Thanks!
How FUN to see you review Kathy’s book, Brandi!! I agree – this book is filled w/ recipes that fit so well into how Kel and I are eating.
Yes, it really is “the easy vegan cookbook”! I love how simple and quick the meals are and that I have most of the ingredients already.
And you did a beautiful job on the photography girl!
I have started collecting several vegan cookbooks. This one looks like it will have lots of recipes that my picky eaters will appreciate and hopefully not too may odd ingredients.
Can’t wait to try it.
The giveaway doesn’t appear to have opened yet?
Hi Jan, it just started at 8:00 about a minute ago! 🙂 You can enter now!