Vegan Lunch Box: Cookbook Review
Meatless, Egg- and Dairy-Free Recipes from Vegan Blog Award-Winner
Sep 20, 2008
Readers of the Vegan Lunch Box blog are already familiar with the works of art Jennifer McCann calls lunch. Having the best recipes in a portable, organized format makes cooking – and therefore eating – easier.
Vegan Lunch Box is Written for Kids…or Is It?
Vegan Lunch Box claims to be "130 Amazing, Animal-Free Lunches Kids and Grown-Ups Will Love!". It is a compilation of child-pleasing recipes that passed the test of Jennifer McCann's seven year-old son “Shmoo”; also known as James Henry. McCann is in tune with how the senses influence what children (and grown-ups) eat. She has adjusted the texture, look and taste of her recipes to appeal to young palates, but challenge them to try new things as well.
Sandwiches cut into flower shapes are not just for kids though. With a bit of added onion and garlic, there are some sophisticated tastes here as well – apparently Shmoo is very into Sushi.
Lunch Box recipes are versatile, good-tasting and healthy enough to make daily for parents and kids. However, some of the dishes (let alone full lunch boxes with drinks and snacks) take considerable time and effort to prepare. It may be easier to cook the recipes for dinner and pack leftovers for the whole family.
Read more about McCann's motivation for creating healthy, animal-free lunches for her family in her interview with Mary Luz Mejia.
Fancy Fun Food
Vegan Lunch Box is organized into two sections: “The Lunch Menus” and “The Recipes”.
Part One: The Lunch Menus
Part One makes meal planning easy with complete balanced lunch suggestions. Handily, they are divided by theme (from exotic adventures to special occasions and “ready and waiting”).
While fresh, natural foods are her focus, McCann acknowledges that it is not always possible (or desirable, from a child’s point-of-view) to have from-scratch foods. So she includes the occasional prepared vegan deli slice, hot dog and faux cream cheese. .
Read the first section carefully; there are nuggets of wisdom and quick easy recipes (like the appeal of lima beans and an easy trail mix creation) buried within the menus.
Part Two: The Recipes
Foodies will swoon at the glossy photos in the Recipes section. While not every recipe has a photo, it’s easy to see that McCann has a knack for turning food into art. Just look at the Sunflower Sandwich photo on page 120.
Both simple and gourmet recipes are found in the Vegan Lunch Box. Chapters include appetizers, snacks, salads, sauces, stews, sandwiches, beans and vegetables, baked goods and desserts. Use the index to find a specific recipe; they aren't always placed in the most intuitive category.
An allergen-free index lists recipes free from nuts, wheat, soy or gluten.
Read the recipes thoroughly before starting; the directions can be long-winded. It’s hard to pick out key words while the sauce is bubbling over and the kids are running for the door.
Nutrition
The lunches incorporate healthy portions of vegetables, fruits, grains and proteins. McCann is adept at sneaking in nutritional boosters like kale, flax seed and nutritional yeast. Sneaky Momma’s Tomato Sauce (page 109) dissolves kale and carrot into already nutritious low-sugar tomato sauce. And it is delicious.
To balance the healthiness and ensure little Shmoo is still cool among his new friends, there are also cream cheese spirals (68), mini pizzas (page 160) and a cornbread that can be transformed into vegan corn dogs (page 218).
Summary of Vegan Lunch Box
Vegan Lunch Box is a treasure trove of ideas – expect to be inspired by the care and effort Jennifer McCann puts into lunches! But even those with busy nights and early mornings will want to make time to create a mini-masterpiece once in a while – and Vegan Lunch Box will ensure no shortage of ideas.
Publishing Information
Vegan Lunch Box: 130 Amazing, Animal-Free Lunches Kids and Grown-Ups Will Love. Jennifer McCann. De Capo Press Lifelong Books. 2008.
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