Cookbook review: The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen

Thank goodness going "green" is finally trendy, and no longer shunned as uncool and stupid. Because of this, more and more people are jumping on the eco-friendly bandwagon. Among the popular changes, an increasing number of people is cutting down on their consumption of of red meat and dairy in an effort to contribute to halting or at least slowing down pollution from cattle farming.

But that doesn't mean that your meals have to be made of canned beans and boiled veggies, does it? Or endless packaged veggie burgers. Personally, I think nothing beats a meal made from fresh, juicy produce and rich, fruity olive oil. This may come from me growing up in Italy, in sunny Sardinia, where fresh produce and delicious olive oil abound.

That's why I love The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen. The Mediterranean diet focuses mostly on fresh produce, seasoning herbs, cold-pressed oils and grains, and this book captures the its vegan beauty. Unlike most vegan books, that contain recipes using vegan meat substitutes and processed soy products, this one features recipes form the Mediterranean that are vegan in their original version. You will find soups, salads, pasta dishes, grains, beans and legumes, side dishes and desserts, all focusing on antioxidant-rich fruits and veggies, olive oil and fiber-rich grains and legumes.

You will never feel like eating healthy is a huge effort when you eat dishes from this book - and when you prepare them for dinner parties you will gather great reviews from vegetarians and omnivores alike, the latter never feeling like you are "forcing your health-freak stuff" on them, because the recipes are so flavorful and simply fabulous.

Afterall, who could criticize anyone who tempts them with appetizers like Wild Mushrooms Spread with Croutons and Bruschetta with Tomatoes, Black Olives and Marinated Artichokes during the before-dinner mingling, then serves colorful, delicious dishes like Farfalle with Sauteed Radicchio, Fennel and Toasted Walnuts and Provençal Tian of Chickpeas, Eggplants, Tomatoes and Olives; and then, just when they thought it coulnd't get any better, their hostess ends the meal perfectly with a Plum Tart in Phyllo and a Greek Currant Cake?

And that's not all: in this book you will also find delicious soups, creative salads and tons of side dishes that you can use also as part of your non-vegan meals. But please, don't let the long names fool you: most of the recipes in this book are easy to prepare and don't require hours in the kitchen, nor fancy ingredients - proof that simple ingredients can still be at the base of a fantastic meal.

Go on, get your copy. You won't feel guilty - after all, it's practically a health book *wink*

Chunky salad with balsamic vinegar dressing

This is our favorite salad for cookouts and picnics. It's easy to make, holds better than salads featuring greens and it tastes fresh, slightly sweet and a little tangy.

Ingredients
- 6 medium vine-ripened tomatoes
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 medium-large red onion
- extra-virgin olive oil
- Balsamic vinegar (must be good quality - we like Ponti)

Preparation
- Slice the tomatoes by cutting them in half and then slicing them sideways into 1/3-inch-wide slices. Transfer to a large glass bowl.
- Peel cucumber. Chop them by cutting them in half length-ways, then in half again and then cutting across into 1/2 inch-thick chunks. Add to bowl.
- Peel red onion. Cut in half, then in quarters, and slice thin. Add to bowl
- In a small bowl, mix 4 Tbsp olive oil and 8 Tbsp vinegar, mix and add to the salad. Stir to coat, cover and refrigerate. If the dressing doesn't seem enough, mix a little more, making sure to use twice as much balsamic vinegar as oil.
- Serve with crusty bread and grilled meat or fish (this goes winderful with grilled salmon!).

The Unlikely Veggie Quiche

I know by now you think I use the "unlikely" thing way too much, but truth is, this recipes got the "unlikely" label from my mom. My mom is young, hip, and fabulous (hi Mom!), but our cooking kind of veers in different directions.
When we get together, often one of us will be cooking while the other eyes the food suspiciously and expresses her reservations on the recipe.
In this case, my mom's reservations were that:
1. you can't make a quiche without eggs
2. she doesn't like broccoli, so she is unlikely to eat anything containing broccoli
3. mushrooms and broccoli don't go together
4. there's no way it's filling enough unless it contains meat or at least lots of cheese

In the end of course she liked the quiche and also how pretty it turned out!

Note: you might be skeptical like my mom, but despite being vegan this quiche is surprisingly filling, thanks to the potatoes and to the high fiber content of the crust and broccoli.

Ingredients:
- extra-virgin olive oil
- 5 cloves of garlic, minced
- sea salt or celtic salt
- black pepper
- 4 oz button mushrooms, sliced
- 8 oz frozen broccoli (I like the 365 Organic from Whole Foods), lightly steamed
- a pinch of dried thyme
- 3-4 medium potatoes, cooked and peeled
- good quality, MSG-free vegetable broth
- 1 whole wheat or gluten-free pastry shell (again, I like the Whole Foods brand)
- 1/2 stick Earth Balance non-dairy buttery spread

Preparation:
- Warm to oven as recommended on the package of the pastry shell.
- Leave a pastry shell on the counter, ready to be filled.
- In a stainless-steel pan, warm 2 Tbsp of the olive oil.
- Add 2 cloves of garlic to the pan, sautée briefly until golden, then add the mushrooms, steer to combine and lower the heat. After about 1 minute, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper and let them cook, stirring occasionally and adding a Tbsp or two of broth, until they have softened and darkened in color. Transfer to the pastry shell, making sure they are evenly spread on the bottom.
- Using the same pot, warm up 2 more Tbsp of oil and sautée the remaining garlic until golden.
- Add the broccoli, lower the flame, stir gently to coat, then turn off the heat and keep stirring until the oil and garlic has been absorbed by the veggies.
- Transfer the broccoli to the pastry shell, again making sure they are evenly spread.
- In the same pot/pan, warm up 1/2 cup of broth, then turn off the heat. Mash the potatoes and transfer to the pan, stirring gently to combine. Add more broth if needed, until the potatoes are of a nice creamy consistency. Cut up the non-dairy buttery stick and add to the potatoes, stirring until it melts (you might need to place the pan over low heat for a couple of minutes).
- Season the mashed potatoes with salt, black pepper and plenty of ground nutmeg, and then transfer to the pastry shell, taking care to cover the veggies completely.
- Place in the oven for the recommended cooking time (usually about 35-45 min.)
- Optional: before taking the quiche out of the oven, place it then under the broiler for a couple of minutes, to brown the potatoes slightly.

Et voilà! Your quiche is ready! It will serve 4-6 and it's lovely accompanied by a nice salad with a balsamic dressing.