American Comfort Food That is Dairy, Meat and Egg-Free!

In her new cookbook, American Vegan Kitchen, author and blogger Tamasin Noyes offers a new spin on traditional American Comfort Food - everything is vegan! From Reubens to Onion Rings, Tamasin offers recipes that are familiar, but unique!

From coast to coast and cover to cover, American Vegan Kitchen by Tamasin Noyes helps you serve up great homestyle vegan recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts.  CommitmentNow.com spoke with Tami.

CommitmentNow.com:  American Vegan Kitchen is a cookbook of American comfort food – but all the recipes are dairy, meat and egg–free.  How did you come up with such an original idea?

Tamasin Noyes:  People seem to be more tempted to try new things that still have a touch of the familiar to them and I’ve always loved comfort food. Even when we’ve had the chance to travel, eating in local cafes and diners that offered a home-style vegan dish instantly made us feel at home. What could be better than having the comforts of home (delicious food!), coupled with a whole new experience?  In discussing the concept with my publisher, Vegan Heritage Press, I decided to write a cookbook that that includes many American favorites and would be approachable by vegans and meat-eaters alike.

CommitmentNow.com:  You’ve adapted many familiar meat or dairy–based meals and turned them around.  Dishes such as ‘Southern Fried Seitan,” “Almost–Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches,” and “Apple Sausage Breakfast Quesadillas” are just a few of your creative adaptations.  What is lost and what is gained and by vegan-izing these recipes?

Tami:  So much is gained! It makes a big difference if you can enjoy fantastic dishes while knowing that what you’re eating isn’t costing another animal its life. When you reduce your intake of animals (particularly red meat), you also use the planet’s resources more efficiently. Great food cuts across all boundaries, no matter if you’re a committed vegan or eat vegan occasionally, as long as the food tastes good, you keep coming back to it. In my opinion, all that’s lost is some of the heavy baggage that eating meat carries with it.

CommitmentNow.com:  There are tons of recipes in your book!  How long did it take you to write American Vegan Kitchen?

Tami:  From start to finish, I had about 6 months to write it. Luckily, I had about 4 notebooks of recipes that I’d been tinkering with for the past 5 years or so. Many of the recipes are from them, so they were automatically ready for recipe testers to take a crack at them. Others were developed specifically for the book. One of the things that I love about the book is that some of the recipes have different parts. It makes the book really adaptable, and combined with a cook’s own creativity, the options multiply.  

CommitmentNow.com:  What are some of the staples of a vegan kitchen?

Tami:  As vegans, we always get asked “where do you get your protein?”, so let’s start there. Besides canned beans, I always have tofu in the fridge, and tempeh and seitan in the freezer. For me personally, the next most important things are herbs, spices and the elements to create a sauce, sauce as broth, tamari, wine. Combine those things with some fresh vegetables, and you’ve got the makings of a fantastic meal.

CommitmentNow.com:  What are some of your favorite recipes from American Vegan Kitchen?

Tami:  I have a lot of favorites, so it really depends on the day!  But one that seems to be constantly up there for me would be the All-American Incrediburgers. Given that I like big flavors, I love the Garlicky Ribz, too. For breakfast, I make the Summer Waffles year-round because they’re great on Sundays, then I can toast the leftovers throughout the week. The recipes that are adapted from dishes my mom made, such as the Apricot Cream Cheese Cookies and the Crispy Bottom Peanut Butter Pie, really hit a soft spot for me.

CommitmentNow.com:  Where can we learn more about you and your recipes?

Tami:  Thanks for asking! My vegan cooking blog is at www.veganappetite.com. I update it regularly with recipes and other fun stuff, including my book signing schedule. I also have a Facebook page up under my name. The publisher, Vegan Heritage Press, has a website at www.veganheritagepress.com.

For Ohio native and author, Tamasin Noyes, developing recipes for American Vegan Kitchen came naturally. She has worked as a committed cookbook tester for many well-known vegan cookbook authors and has cooked in several restaurants. She grew up helping her mom in the kitchen and has loved comfort food since she was a kid. Tami also enjoys discovering vegan food options when traveling whether it's in a small town cafe, a local diner, or a metropolitan bistro.

"I love cooking because of the creativity in taking basic vegan ingredients and transforming them into delicious new dishes," she says. "Improvising and creating recipes in the kitchen is a way to put yourself out there and discover common ground with others. I especially like the practicality of cooking (we all have to eat), as well as the art of it. To me, vegan cooking is the most nurturing thing we can do for our planet and those we love, and I've dreamed of creating comfort food for vegans for a long time."

To purchase American Vegan Kitchen, click here.