„Vegan Foodporn“

hardback | number of pages: 272 | publisher: Lotus publishing | language : English | publishing year: 2019 | ISBN-10: 1913088138 | ISBN-13: 978-1913088132

Who wrote it?

Bianca Zapatka, vegan influencer, food stylist, food blogger, bestseller author, food photographer, and recipe developer. Anyone who has ever searched for a vegan recipe online should have come across her eponymous food blog. Her books can be found in every well-stocked bookstore, and she is currently one of the most successful and productive vegan cookbook authors in Germany. In addition to “Vegan Foodporn”, 5 other cookbooks have already been published since 2019, and the next one is already in the starting blocks for 2023. Available in English are her books “Vegan Foodporn” and “Vegan & Easy”.

And what is it about?

In Bianca’s debut, the recipes are as varied as her food photos are colorful. There really is something from every place in the world and certainly for every taste. You’ll find recipes ranging from breakfast spreads to international main courses like empanadas, falafels, and Chinese pancakes with spring onions, to sweet treats like carrot cake and cinnamon rolls.

What does it look like?

Bianca’s food photography is probably best described with the phrase “a lot helps a lot”. This style isn’t for everyone, but it’s definitely her trademark and unique selling point. I think I would be able to filter her photos out of hundreds. In addition to being colorful and sometimes overloaded, the photos are always very appetizing and encourage you to try the recipes, which I certainly rate positively. Of course, Bianca’s recipes all come with photos, and the lists of ingredients and preparation instructions are always clear. For some recipes, there are even photo series to explain more complex preparation steps. The hardback book is approximately US letter-sized.

What can I expect?

The cover promises “100 easy and delicious recipes”, but I only counted 98. That’s cheeky, Bianca ;) The recipes are divided into the following chapters: “Basics”, “Breakfast”, “Main dishes”, “Finger food”, “Vegan classics”, “Light dishes”, “Cakes”, “Desserts”. In the introductory part, there is some information on the topics of replacing eggs and milk and a shopping list with vegan must-haves, which actually largely corresponds to my personal pantry. So I can only recommend it so that you can start cooking straight away for many recipes.

Can I do that?

The level of difficulty of the recipes is not specifically mentioned, but if there are illustrated step-by-step instructions, one can assume that it will be a bit more complicated. Thanks to said instructions, I’ve always managed well so far. For beginners, it might be useful to check out Bianca’s blog, as there are many of the recipes and video instructions there as well.

What do I need?

Of course, you don’t have to buy the already mentioned shopping list of vegan must-haves immediately, but it is always worth having at least the durable foods in stock. Many recipes do not require any special kitchen equipment, although pans, pots, and sharp knives should, of course, be available as standard. A blender/hand blender/food processor is used here and there, and for the cake section, of course, baking tins, etc. are needed.

Substitute products?

Plant-based alternatives to yogurt or milk, as well as vegan cheese alternatives, are used, and plant-based whipped cream and cream cheese are also used in the sweet chapters. I don’t think the use of vegan substitute products is inflationary, but anyone who is generally bothered by something like this will probably dislike it.

Who needs it?

This vegan cookbook has certainly not undeservedly achieved bestseller status. It is an exciting, varied, plant-based recipe collection that’s a great asset for any household. If you don’t have a problem getting recipes from the Internet and having your tablet or cell phone with you in the kitchen, you can find many of the recipes on Bianca’s blog and maybe save yourself the purchase. It should also be mentioned here as a tip that the more buyers there are for a cookbook, the more sellers there are ;-). A look at eBay Kleinanzeigen or similar can save money here and is, of course, also a good idea in terms of sustainability.

Oh yes, and does it taste good?

Bianca’s recipes are characterized by being very sure to succeed for anyone and a mass-market taste. That’s not meant half as badly as it sounds; almost everything tasted good or very good to me. In my opinion, cakes and tarts are her specialty, but the savory recipes are also appealing, and I will definitely keep testing as there are still some appealing ones.

You can find all the recipes tested and my recipe reviews on Instagram under the hashtag #VCRveganfoodporn.

Recipe tips to get cooking or baking:

• Lemon and poppyseed cake (find the recipe here)
• Fried sweet potato gnocchi (find the recipe on Bianca’s blog)
• Garlic mushroom and spinach pizza (find the recipe on Bianca’s blog)

Conclusion

A visually appealing vegan cookbook with international recipes, recipes for every occasion and every taste. Perfect for new vegans, omnivores interested in vegan food, of course, Bianca fans, and vegan cookbook collectors in general ;)