„Green Love“

By:
Lea Green

8.9 / 10

Who wrote it?

Lea Green, who is actually a trained filmmaker and TV journalist, runs the award-winning vegan food blog Veggies.de. Since 2019, she has also been publishing the vegan magazine "Vegan en vogue," which comes out twice a year.

And what is it about?

Lea aims to make vegan nutrition accessible to a wide audience with her recipe creations, consciously using common ingredients that are easy to find and simple to cook. Instead of relying on exotic products, her delicious and healthy recipes surprise with new combinations, flavors, and textures using familiar foods and ingredients.

How does it look?

The hardcover book is sized between A4 and A5 and has an appropriate thickness. It feels comfortable in hand. The title and back cover are designed with Lea's self-styled and photographed food photos, providing a preview of the equally successful food photos inside. Each recipe is accompanied by an appetizingly styled, often colorful photo. The recipe pages are well-organized: ingredients on the left, preparation steps on the right. Additional information, such as preparation time or gluten-free modifications, is also provided.

What can I expect?

The book contains approximately 108 recipes, with a few falling into the category of mini-recipes. They are categorized into chapters such as "Your Start to the Day," "Quick 'n' Easy," "Spreads, Pastes, and Dips," "Bowls 'n' Superfood," "Everyday Happiness," "Soups," "Salads and Raw Food," and "Sweets 'n' Treats."

Between the recipe chapters, there are small tips from Lea, sometimes including additional recipes. There is a brief introduction at the beginning and a small author portrait at the end. The focus is clearly on the recipes.

Can I do it?

As mentioned, Lea's recipes are designed to be easily successful, and I would confirm that. However, not all recipes are super quick or low effort, but the provided preparation times generally help. Occasionally, I stumbled upon a recipe that took longer than expected, which is not unusual but can be a bit frustrating ("Nice-and-Neat-Balls in Masala-Cremesauce" -I’m looking at you!)

What do I need?

In addition to vegan staples, which may seem exotic to some but are usually available in well-stocked supermarkets, there are only a few ingredients labeled "available in the Asian store." The required kitchen equipment, such as a blender or immersion blender (Lea's "Schneidstab"), is mentioned in the subheading of the recipes, which is practical, although not consistently maintained. The kitchen gadgets are not too exotic, making them suitable for the average cook.

Substitutes?

Here and there, some plant-based yogurt, plant-based milk, or tofu, but never vegan cheese, mock meat, etc. Cheese sauce is made from scratch. According to my definition, substitute products practically play no role here.

Who needs it?

Those who appreciate healthy, delicious, foolproof dishes without highly processed substitute products, but with a colorful mix of vegetables, seeds, legumes, sometimes seasonal or with an Asian influence, refined, creative, and, did I mention, tasty? If that resonates with you, you'll enjoy this book and its recipes.

Oh, and does it taste good?

I think that came across, right? While some recipes may not have fully convinced me, others have genuinely impressed me (see, as always, my recipe tips for cooking directly in the next section).

You can find recipe reviews for all tested recipes on Instagram under the hashtag #VCRgreenlove.

Recipe Tips to Get Started:

Pesto Potato Salad with Beans and Radishes
Avocado Potato Mash with Tempeh (find the recipe here)
Raspberry Chia Lemonade

Conclusion

Now, I've already given my small praise a few paragraphs above, but hey, I don't mind repeating it: Healthy recipes that (mostly) tasted very good to me, easy to make, even if not every recipe can be a "quick 'n' easy" one. The book's appearance is also appealing, and Lea's food photography and styling can stand up to anyone. Additionally, it caters to those against substitute products, making the book a must-have for every (vegan) household.