The Lusty Vegan: A Cookbook and Relationship Manifesto for Vegans and Those Who Love Them

This is the book I wish I had when I first went vegan. Navigating relationships with omnivores was really tricky at first. I'm married now (to a man who enjoys steak and ice cream) and I have to admit I made a few mistakes when we first moved in together (like trying to convert him).Half of this book contains advice on anything you'd want to know about dating when one person is a vegan and the other can't live without cheese and bacon. Ayinde and Zoe go over first dates, how to tell the other person about your vegan lifestyle, sex, meeting the families, and even handling break ups. Both authors narrate their own stories of past relationships, telling us all the things that worked and the ones that didn't. (Can I just say I do not like Ayinde's taste in women?) It's a lot of fun to read, and even though I'm happily married, I still was able to take away some advice for myself, like how to deal with the families at the holidays.The other half is all delicious recipes that Ayinde Howell has created for everyone to enjoy. They are all vegan and all very, very delicious. My husband frequently asks me to make the "lobster" rolls and cajun tofu and dirty rice. Aiyinde's pancake recipe is now a staple in my house for Sunday morning breakfast. And I have yet to try a dessert that hasn't been absolutely amazing. If you are looking for healthy vegan food, this is not your cookbook. Lots of sugar and oil is used. If you are looking for lots and lots of flavor, you've found your winner. I also appreciate BTW that while this book does have some vegan staples like pancakes and chocolate covered strawberries, it also has some recipes that I don't often see, if ever, in other vegan cookbooks, such as the lobster rolls and jambalaya. (We seriously need a New Orleans vegan cookbook BTW. Vegan chefs take note.)The target audience is for twenty-somethings that are in the dating scene, but I think every vegan should have this cookbook for their collection and use it often. This book is indispensable to me.

The Lusty Vegan is like two books in one. On one hand, it's a dating/relationship advice book covering a multitude of topics, such as vegans dating non-vegans and how they can traverse the many challenges of dating an omnivore. The authors share their experiences of how being vegan affected some of their relationships in the past, and how their vegan-ism was perceived by the other party in the relationship. Hence, the "lusty" part. The writing is light and super witty and makes for a great read.If you aren't looking for relationship advice or if that sort of read just ain't your bag, baby, I'd STILL recommend that you get this book. I'm not even a vegan - I just generally love to eat healthy and try new foods that I don't usually cook - and the recipes are fantastic! I especially enjoyed the Korean Bibambap and the tips for what to do with tofu. From a food standpoint, the book is super educational. The authors discuss the pros and cons of various cooking oils, non-dairy milks, and proteins, allowing the reader to make his or her own decision. But dammit. They know what they're talking about, so you should listen to them.The recipes are super creative and unlike the normal fare you would cook at home on a regular basis, especially if you are of the meat-eating variety. I totally recommend this book - it'd make a great read for anyone looking to change up their eating habits or the perfect gift for your favorite frisky vegan friend or romantic potential!

i couldn't wait to get this book, as I have eaten Chef Ayinde's food when he was working in New York City. I have been a vegan for 15 years, have cookbooks from just about everyone in the genre and cook every day so I thought I was familiar with most of the vegan taste tricks. I was wrong. This is by far the most innovative and creative cookbook I have seen. Hearts of Palm in place of lobster?? A vegan and gluten free waffle/pancake recipe that will have your omnivore guests saying they've never tasted better... pancakes? Also, the recipes are clear and well-tested as written and work perfectly as written, which is more than I can say for many cookbooks I have. I also like how some very "Cheffy" kind of skills are used, but broken down clearly for a novice cook. While I think the topic of the book is entertaining and a fun read, the book is worth buying for the recipes alone.

Ayinde and Zoe have created a very funny, very relevant weaving of recipes and how vegans/non-vegans can still co-exist in happiness. As a non-vegan who eats vegan and vegetarian often, I'm looking forward to making these recipes. I've been drooling over Ayinde's food posts on FB for a long time now. There is a little of the preachy "vegans are better at (fill in the blank)" which I could have done without, but I think both authors have made a heartfelt attempt to explore the relationship issues that come up when vegans and non-vegans get their grooves on. I really enjoyed this read. Now onto cooking!

What drew me to this book was the exploration of food and relationships. I am both a vegan novice and a leper in the kitchen, but I found these recipes easy to follow and I can't wait to give them a try (once I fix my refrigerator). Beyond the food, the stories these two wonderful writers share are incredibly intimate and insightful. Love, lust, and longing are all universal experiences, should we be so fortunate to have them, and Ayinde and Zoe have found a way to engage, entertain and seduce. A great read.... looking forward to more from these two.

Great recipes and very well written. However, I didn't realize how relationship-heavy the focus of the book is. When I watched the author talk about his book on Wendy Williams show he spoke about the quality of the food, which I will say is excellent.

Great recipes