Vegan al Fresco Cookbook – Fresh Recipes for Vegans

Vegan al Fresco is perfect for anyone looking for fresh ideas for outdoor entertaining. This recipe collection includes starters, entrees, snacks, desserts, and condiments that will please your meat-free and meat-loving guests.

It’s that time of year. The weather is warmer, skies clearer, and flowers are blooming. Warmer weather calls for outdoor entertaining, with or without firing up the grill. There’s just something about a picnic or meal outdoors any time of day that makes me smile. Before removing meat from my plate, it was easy to throw together a meal for the picnic or grill. The usual suspects made the menu – burgers, chicken, dogs, or brats served with all the fixings, slaw or potato salad, melon or fruit salad, baked beans, and something sweet to end the meal. Since going meat-free, the grilling menu hasn’t changed much; I just swapped the meat out for vegetarian burgers, dogs, and brats and threw veggie kabobs and fruit on the grill. But I’m running out of ideas and need inspiration for options that shake things up a bit. Vegan al Fresco fits the bill.

Vegan al Fresco, the new cookbook from Carla A. Kelly, is perfect for anyone looking for fresh ideas for outdoor entertaining. She includes recipes for starters, entrees, snacks, deserts, and condiments that will work year round. Some of the salad dressings alone make this one a good read. If Carla’s name seems familiar, she’s the blogger behind The Year of the Vegan and author of Quick and Easy Slow Cooker and Quick and Easy Vegan Bake Sale. She decided to take on a book on outdoor entertaining after realizing there wasn’t a vegan specific book on the theme. Carla draws inspiration from her travels, imagination, and the ingredients before her. Whether you’re familiar with her previous work or not, her recipes will inspire you.

Nicknamed the Queen of Condiments, Carla proves it with recipes such as Cilantro Barbecue Sauce (page 74), Cucumber and Kiwifruit Salsa (page 77), and GuaccaRaita (page 59). Her chapter on Salad Dressings brings me back a few times a week. Both mayonnaise recipes were well-received by my family and made great bases for her 1000 Island Dressing (page 112) and my copycat version of a burger joint’s Special Sauce. The Garlicky Miso Dressing (page 121) is my favorite and I now have the recipe memorized because I made it so often. It was fantastic on a standard Japanese steakhouse salad for Asian night and was a dream when drizzled over steamed broccoli and dark greens.

Want burgers or brats? There are five burger recipes and two sausage recipes (one gluten-free) that are perfect for making ahead and are perfect for reheating on the grill. If brunch is your thing, Carla has a chapter devoted to Brunch and Baking that includes crackers, biscuits, rolls, and muffins. The Loaded Banana Bread (page 201) is dangerously yummy and the Triple Chocolate Waffles (page 195) make a decadent selection for brunch or breakfast for dinner night. I have some of those babies in the freezer now for quick reheating. I’m waiting for optimal tomatoes before I make the Tomato and Onion Tarts (page 40) and also have the Cider Battered Tofu (page 49) in mind for my next Fish(less) Friday dinner. And speaking of fishy flavors, Carla’s Tuna Salad-Inspired Sandwich Filing (page 94) reminded me of my old deli favorite. It works on bread, with crackers, or on top of a salad.

Vegan al Fresco is scheduled to hit store shelves on June 15. Pick it up for new party menu ideas, inspiration, or just to spice up your daily meals. No matter the time of day or party theme, Carla A. Kelly has recipes that fit. I’m glad I received an advance copy to play with and look forward to sharing the dishes with more family and friends this summer. Enter today for your chance to win a copy.

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Disclaimer: Sherrie T has personally reviewed the product listed above. Sherrie has not received any monetary compensation for her review. Sherrie did receive a free product to try out so she could evaluate and use it for her review. Her thoughts & opinions in this review are unbiased & honest and your opinions may differ. Two Classy Chics is not responsible for delivery of any giveaway items won from this blog. We are not responsible for injury or mis-use of any products won from the Two Classy Chics Blog. Please read our Terms of Service & Disclaimer Policy before entering our giveaways. This giveaway is not affiliated with Facebook or Google+ in any way. Thanks!