The virtues of veganism
I realize that meat eaters from Texas may not see the sense in this book title: “Vegan for Fun.” However, eating vegan can be a very good experience. There is a period of education and adjustment as you learn to marry dishes you love with foods you may not have tried.
Author Attila Hildmann changed his diet after his father died of a heart attack. Seeing his father die young, Attila knew that his father’s lifestyle played a part in his death. At first, Hildmann adopted a vegetarian diet, but his cholesterol was still too high. He shaved off cheese and all other dairy, lost 77 pounds, lowered his cholesterol and increased his energy and overall health.
This book can aid the reader in that process. Eating a plantbased diet is not a promise of weight loss, but most see an increase in energy and a general feeling of well-being. The author urges everyone to try eating a vegan diet for one day a week to start.
Recipes such as the Spaghetti with Tofu Bolognese will make it easier than it sounds. The rich red Bolognese sauce sits atop the perfectly cooked spaghetti.
Other recipes and ideas include hearty burgers and sandwiches, curry, chili, smoothies and desserts. Hildmann also includes exercise and diet tips, facts about veganism and some motivation from his own story.
Every recipe has a color photograph of the finished dish. The book feels like it is full of energy; Hildmann’s passion for life and food jump off the page. Instructions: Mash the tofu with a fork. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic cloves.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the tofu for about 5 minutes, stirring and breaking up often. Add the onions and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes while stirring.
Deglaze with the red wine and cook for 4 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.
Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions.
Add the tomato purée, agave syrup and oregano to the spaghetti sauce. Allow to simmer for 3 minutes.
Finely chop the basil leaves and fold into the sauce.
Drain the spaghetti and place on plates, top with the bolognese. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet.
Grind ²/ 3 of the pine nuts together with the nutritional yeast flakes and a bit of salt to a powder either in food processor of blender.
Sprinkle over the pasta and garnish with the remaining pine nuts.