Book Review: Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry

While not vegan himself, author and “eco chef” Bryant Terry wanted to create a cookbook that dispelled the idea that African American and Southern cuisine means “meals organized around fatty meats with overcooked vegetables and fruits playing a minor supporting role” (Vegan Soul Kitchen, Introduction).

To do this, Terry wrote Vegan Soul Kitchen, which focuses on fresh, sustainable, and animal product-free foods, and he injects his own personal style into each recipe – even suggesting songs to listen to while preparing each dish.

This book has so many delicious-looking recipes that it’s hard to decide where to begin. How about a Double Watermelon-Strawberry Slushee on one of those hot summer days that we’ll (hopefully) be seeing soon? Maybe dinner tonight will be Black Eyed Pea Fritters with Hot Pepper Sauce and Carrot-Cayenne Coleslaw. Hosting company? Perhaps the Smothered Seitan Medallions in Mixed-Mushroom Gravy is the perfect thing to impress even the most confirmed meat-eater.

With so many vegan cookbooks hitting the shelves these days, it’s great to see one that focuses on creating cruelty-free soul food, which is a genre that seems to have been much overlooked – until now. Vegan Soul Kitchen is a worthy addition to any cookbook shelf, and is an inspiring recipe collection to help readers introduce new and inventive dishes to their cooking repertoires.