The Native Foods Restaurant Cookbook

BOOK DESCRIPTION:

When people ask Tanya Petrovna, "Are you a strict vegetarian?" she replies, "No, I'm a fun vegetarian!" As head chef of the popular Native Foods chain of restaurants in Southern California, Tanya treats her customers to a vegan cuisine that is so tasty, satisfying, and hearty that it draws praise from nonvegetarians and vegetarians alike. Tanya is known for creating delicious and satisfying meat substitutes from soy and wheat products such as tofu, tempeh, and seitan. And with signature dishes like her dairy-free cheesecake made from cashew nuts, she proves that healthy, animal-friendly eating can be indulgent and fun. Now, with this book, Tanya's best recipes can be made at home, including: "Fun Mung Curry," "Seitan Olé Mole,"
and "Rockin' Moroccan Skewers." Plus, there are plenty of outrageous desserts such as "Elephant Chocolate Cake with Cinnamon Peanut Butter Topping," "Sam's Vegan Cheesecake," and "Chocolate French Silk Lingerie Pie."

The Native Foods Restaurant Cookbook also features instructions on basic cooking methods, helpful definitions, nutritional information, and a simple kitchen pantry setup.

Book Details:

# Paperback: 256 pages
# Publisher: Shambhala (November 4, 2003)
# Language: English
# ISBN-13: 978-1590300763


PURCHASING:

*Shambhala

*Available at booksellers nationwide.


Success Through Play™ comments:

A few years ago, we had the great pleasure of eating at the Native Foods Restaurant in Westwood, while on a business trip in L.A. We were pleased with the menu choices and reasonable prices. It was a fairly chilly afternoon and we decided to order two Hot Bowls: The Rasta Pasta Primavera and the Mad Cowboy. While waiting for our meals, we enjoyed the lovely ambiance of the restaurant from the 2nd floor. Our meals arrived quickly and looked delicious! The Rasta Pasta Primavera features organic penne pasta, fresh steamed veggies, marinara, cubed seitan made from scratch and refreshing pesto. This was the first time that we had tasted seitan that was made from scratch and the texture and taste were out of this world. The Mad Cowboy dish was equally impressive with its bbq style tempeh, grilled veggies, baked potato all topped with an excellent ranch dressing. We savored each delectable bite and vowed to return when we were next in town. The Native Foods Restaurant currently has 5 locations and we are confident that they will continue to expand all over the county. The Native Foods Restaurant focuses on healthy and delicious vegetarian and vegan fare and we would highly recommend stopping by one of their locations when are in need of a nutritious and tasty meal.

We were really excited when we found out that the Native Foods Restaurant had published their own cookbook and couldn't wait to try out some recipes. Tanya Petrovna, head chef and founder of Native Foods, shares that family and friends had initially told her that she wouldn't be able to succeed in the restaurant business with an all vegetarian restaurant. She was told: "you will have to add chicken and fish or you will go out of business."

Tanya, the only daughter of European immigrants who had worked in the restaurant business was not phased. Her passion, drive and determination paid off and her outstanding delicious fare has won the hearts of non-vegetarians and vegetarians alike, proving once again that the desire for healthy, great tasting food is universal.

Part one of the book introduces readers includes a glossary of foods, kitchen utensils, and cooking terms, which equip the reader with all the basic knowledge necessary to prepare the recipes. Next up, is Beanery and Grains 101, complete with cooking instructions. The author then teachers us how to make seitan, tempeh, tofu and other meat alternatives from scratch, complete with pictures. This will allow you to create your own healthy meat substitutes without having buy it from the store!

Part two of the book features the recipes which have been influenced by many of the great food cultures of the world. Of particular note are the Eastern European dishes which traditionally are heavily meat based and have been "veganized."

We tested the following 3 recipes from this book, which were fast and easy to prepare:

Tofu Scrambler

This cholesterol free dish makes the perfect breakfast and which everyone will love.


Fun Mung Curry

This tasty curry is made with mung beans, yams and veggies and is rich and satisfying: the ideal comfort food.


Mr. Weld's Banana Cream Pie

This delicious dessert will round off any meal perfectly and is made with silken tofu which is a protein packed, cholesterol free alternative to dairy cream. This pie didn't last very long in our fridge but we will be making it throughout the summer months as a refreshing, potassium rich dessert.

When time allows us, we plan to explore the world of seitan making and hope to recreate the outstanding seitan that we ate at The Native Foods Restaurant.

To learn more about the Native Foods Restaurant, please visit: www.nativefoods.com

To view additional books from Shambhala, please visit: www.shambhala.com