V Cuisine: The Art of New Vegan Cooking :: Food and Nutrition :: Diets

> Food and Nutrition > Diets > vegetarian and vegan

V Cuisine: The Art of New Vegan Cooking
by author HÃ©lÃ¨ne Meurer

Whitecap Books, 224 pages, $29.95 softcover
isbn 978-155285-903-2

Angeline Linardis speaks of art in her book’s subtitle and emphasizes the artistic, sensual aspects of healthy food throughout V Cuisine. The candid revelation that her meals are planned by building on a complementary colour palette of ingredients is most telling.

It appears an equally strong artistic hand designed the book’s layout. Pages are meticulously set out with angular blocks of vibrant colour. Tilted paragraphs of tiny blue type on a brown background (or yellow on orange) might make for luminous eye appeal on a book designer’s backlit computer monitor, but they become challenging eye exercises in practical application on the page. More youthful readers will no doubt appreciate the fresh approach to design, but this not-yet-senior reviewer was sent searching for stronger spectacles and improved lighting in order to read many of the author’s interesting introductory comments.

Rest assured, the recipes themselves, printed dark-on-white, are easy to follow, and very much worth preparing. This new vegan cooking is so fresh and natural that we forget no animal products are used here. Linardis’ recipes have substance without demanding much from cooks. The author learned through personal experience that a vegan diet can please all family members while offering healthy, effortless weight control. Her experience teaching cooking classes has provided valuable feedback from those who were once wary of trying the vegan diet and lifestyle. This is not a book for the converted. Linardis writes, “It isn’t just for vegans and vegetarians, it’s for people seeking fresh flavours, vibrant colours, new textures, and tons of fun,”–and I agree. The author is thorough with instructions and suggestions, and keeps her minimal commentary relevant. Nutritional info and shopping tips are also minimal, and there is no preaching.

Instead there are recipes here to please everyone. Bold Broiled Eggplant is a reminder of how easy and scrumptious this gorgeous vegetable can be. Superior Spring Rolls are a baked, guilt-free alternative to the usual fried variety–fun to make and eat. Her Carboholic Fantasy is an uncommon combination of carbs to satisfy the hungriest comfort food appetite. With engaging sections that include Sexy Salads, Courageous Curries, and Life of the Party Fare, it is easy to find novel meatless meals to enhance every lifestyle. V Cuisine is the author’s first book, but I’m sure we’ll see more from Linardis.

HÃ©lÃ¨ne Meurer is a writer and reviewer in Victoria, BC, whose hunger for new books is never satisfied.

Source: alive #310, August 2008

Food and Cancer Connection
When I was a child one in eight people developed cancer. Today it approaches one in thre.

My Answer to Cancer-Get Lost!
I'm not the kind of person who likes to talk about himself. So, when I was asked to write an article about my experience with cancer, I felt quite uneasy, as I'm afraid that people will try to copy what I have done as though it were a magic recipe.

Good Food Costs Less!

History of the Human Diet
Are humans, by nature, meat eaters? From the anthropological dig to theuniversity classroom to the front-page news, this is a very.

Cooking with Confidence
Cooking always involves compromise. The high temperatures used in the process destroy enzymes and vitamins. Cooking also prompts chemical changes in food that produce harmful substances.

Eating Out ... Naturally
Many of us are cooking at home in the way Mother Nature intende.

Vegetable Proteins
Not long ago the nutritional thought of the day was that only animal sources of protein were valuable. Today vegetable sources of protein are not only recognized as valuable, they are recommended as essential to good health.

The Road Less Travelled
For many, the vegetarian diet is one of the cornerstones of natural healt.

A Miller's Tale
My phone conversation with Gabrielle Miller, star of the immensely popular and amusing Corner Gas and the upcoming"dramedy Robson Arms, begins with a discussion of her shows.

Forever Young
All of us want to have longer and healthier lives, and while some of us are dealt a better hand than others in life's genetic lottery, there are many ways we can maximize the potential we are born with.

The Healthy Vegan
I meet Karen at our favorite coffee shop. On the counter I find a large metal jug of soy milk. Jackpot! I pour a decadent amount into my organic decaffeinated coffee. I don't drink milk or consume any dairy. Neither do I eat meat; I am a vegan..

Helping Men Live Longer
The differences between the sexes go a lot deeper than what you see on the outside. To put it bluntly, men are engineered from birth to be much more susceptible-at any given age-to fatal disorders like heart attacks and, ultimately, to death at a younger age than their more shapely counterparts. So which is the real weaker sex, macho man?

A Healthy Switch

True Cost of a Burger
What do a research scientist from King's College London, a legal prosecutor from SaÃµ Paulo, a missionary from Bolivia, a Japanese university professor, and a physician from Toronto all have in common?

Nutrition Tips for Healthy Vegetarian Kids
Parents who eat vegetarian diets are often nutrition savvy, but there are different nutritional requirements for children and adults. Most importantly, children have higher metabolic rates and energy requirements.

Veggie 2000
Fifteen years ago, if you told someone you were vegetarian, they would feel sorry for you, think you were crazy or worry that you would be unhealthy. Now it's so popular that most restaurants have several vegetarian dishes on their menus.

Go Veggie
I am often asked, "Doesn't everything cause cancer? With all the latest news and research, most people clearly understand that lifestyle habits, genetics, chemicals, and stress factors all have links to cancer.

Veggie Way Saves the Day
David Suzuki's shows on TV were my first introduction to our human impact on the environment. At the end of each show I would feel despondent and overwhelmed about the future of life on the planet. What could one person do? Reduce, reuse, and recycle just didn't seem like enough.

Going Vegan
Switching to a vegetable-based diet has many health benefits. According to the Dietitians of Canada, vegans show lower rates of hypertension and adult-onset diabetes.

Slow Food
Are you looking for a simple way to slow down and enjoy the things that really matter? Begin by joining the international slow food movement.

Vegetarian Awakening Conference
In April 2006, I attended the First Annual Vegetarian Awakening Conference held at Grand Rapids Community College in Michigan. Presented in a forum devoted to looking at the future of vegetarianism, the depth and diversity of thinking about food was truly unique.

No-Meat NoÃ«l
It's a scene that plays out regularly November through December each year. Guests are coming for the holidays and it turns out that one or more is a vegetarian. You want to serve something appetizing, but you know little about vegetarian cooking.

Adverse Drug Reactions-Be Informed

Kefir and Yogurt for Lactose Intolerance

An Alternative Christmas

Children's vitamins

DBPs and birth defects

Game Plan for an Optimal Diet
It's now been 17 years since I adopted a plant-based diet. The rewards in performance and vitality have been a significant asset to my profession. However, the first few months of eating this way were not pleasant; even the transition over the first couple of years was less than smooth.

Be a Healthy Vegetarian
Not all vegetarian diets are created equal. When I first made the transition to a plant-based diet at the age of 15, I ran into several problems. As I learned more and began to understand the subtleties of a plant-based diet, I saw what mine lacked.

The Thrive Diet
In light of current environmental changes and the growing awareness of how animal-based diets impact the health of our planet, this new edition of The Thrive Diet is not only welcome, but it's also timely.

Stepping Stones to Vegetarianism
We all seem to love labels: vegetarian, strict vegetarian, vegan-and now, flexitarian. What do these terms mean, and how can you successfully transition from one lifestyle to the next? Here are some definitions and tips on eliminating foods based on animal products from your life.

Balancing Vegetarian Meals
Combining high-quality sources of food that deliver all three macronutrients necessary for life - amino acids, fatty acids, and simple carbohydrates - will greatly increase energy by conserving it through digestive ease.

Vegan Holiday Treats
No butter, milk, or eggs! Does a concoction without these ingredients qualify as dessert? It does if you're following a vegan diet.

Go Green and Lean
Numerous studies have shown that a vegetarian diet can reduce the risk of many chronic health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, and colon cancer. Mounting evidence has found this healthy way of eating can also help us slim down.

Healthy Cooking
Trying to eat healthy? The method you choose to cook your food has a tremendous impact on the nutritional value of your meal. Here's a quick reference guide to help you make the healthiest choices for cooking.

Talking Tough on Climate Change
Imagine a theatre full of university students compelled to their feet in a standing ovation following a speech from a septuagenarian. Then picture lineups of eager participants at two microphones-all of them hoping for a chance to speak a few words with this powerful orator and mentor.

Winter veggies
The humble winter vegetable is a new trendsetter, and it’s popping up all over the place in a whole new wardrobe. But today our homegrown bounty is fresh and tasty— not boiled limp like Mom used to do.