Since today is Hug a Vegetarian Day, I thought I’d share some books that celebrate vegetarian and vegan lifestyles. I was vegan for eleven years before I started having severe health issues that caused me to start consuming animal products again (which I’m still upset about0. The first five books on this list are books that meant a lot to me during that time (and even now, if I’m being honest), and the last five are cookbooks that contain amazing vegetarian and vegan recipes.
Books
- Animal Liberation by Peter Singer
Amazon | Goodreads
This is generally considered the most important book in the animal rights movement. Peter Singer is a philosopher who analyzes our eating habits and argues that veganism is the logical choice for our diets from both an ethical and environmental standpoint. - Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer
Amazon | Goodreads
The author of Everything is Illuminated and Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close takes an investigative look at the state of factory farming in this important book. Foer writes about the choices we make on our plate, traditions surrounding food, and more. - Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat by Hal Herzog
Amazon | Goodreads
Hal Herzog is a social scientist, and in this book, he examines our relationships to animals – why we keep some as pets and why we eat others. - Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina
Amazon | Goodreads
Making sure that you stay healthy on a vegan diet is so important (something I, unfortunately, learned the hard way), and Becoming Vegan is a comprehensive guide to help you do that. - The Bloodless Revolution: Radical Vegetarians and the Discovery of India by Tristram Stuart
Amazon | Goodreads | Amazon Kindle (psst… on sale for $3.99!)
When I was vegan, one of the most common things I heard from people was that I should eat meat because humans have always done so. This book helps to prove otherwise, examining vegetarians throughout history.
Cookbooks
- Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero
Amazon | Goodreads
Isa Chandra Moskowitz is the queen of vegan food. I own all of her cookbooks, and this is my absolute favorite. It’s the first cookbook I pull off my shelf when I’m not sure what I want to eat. Many of the recipes are wonderful for vegans or omnivores. - Isa Does It by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Amazon | Goodreads
No, I don’t care that I’m copping out and using two of her books here. She’s just that amazing. Wonderful recipes and full-page photographs; it’s perfect. Also, check out her other books, Appetite for Reduction and Vegan with a Vengence. - The Homemade Vegan Pantry by Miyoko Schinner
Amazon | Goodreads
This is a comprehensive guide to making vegan versions of all of your favorite pantry staples. It’s absolutely necessary for a vegan or vegetarian kitchen, containing recipes for everything from eggless mayo to a vegan fish sauce. - Vegan Richa’s Indian Kitchen by Richa Hingle
Amazon | Goodreads
I’ve been reading Richa Hingle’s blog Vegan Richa forever. I love Indian food, and so many recipes are already vegan or vegetarian. - Thug Kitchen
Amazon | Goodreads
The first cookbook from the website of the same name, this is a wonderful, no-nonsense guide to vegan cooking. It’s fun to flip through, and all of the recipes I’ve made from this cookbook have turned out great.
For the first decade that I was vegan, I felt amazing. I honestly miss it, and as I was making this list it makes me yearn for that time. I’ve added most of these books back to my TBR list. Despite not being vegan now, I still prefer to eat vegan meals. Writing this post was the push I needed to start investigating that lifestyle again.
Anything I left out that you want to add? If so, share in the comments below!
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Read Yourself Happy 