PETA Celebrity Vegan Cookbook [Paperback]

Fun to look at and to read, easy to execute, relatively yummy and morally irresistible, this collection of vegan recipes from a wide array of notables adds up to a powerful argument against the Atkins low-carbohydrate diet, which encourages the heavy consumption of meat and animal products. In his brief introduction, James Cromwell, who played the laconic but lovable Farmer Hoggett in the 1995 hit movie Babe, describes how his time on the set surrounded by smart, friendly little pigs made it impossible for him to eat pork and indeed any meat ever again. Recipes are provided by a range of famous names, from Alicia Silverstone (who shares her recipe for "Steamy, Creamy Artichoke Dip") to Sir Paul McCartney ("All You Need Is Avocado Soup," etc.) to that surprisingly vegan cult TV figure William Shatner (and why wasn't his bean dip called "Bean Me Up Scotty!"?). Other celebs include Fiona Apple, Bob Barker, Jackie Chan and Bea Arthur. Some assertions here about the harmful effects of animal fat on the body have been challenged by recent research supporting Atkins's long-held contention that adding fat to our diet may actually help us slim down and get healthy. Still, there's little arguing with the compelling vision of living and eating in a way that doesn't harm other creatures. Even non-veggies will enjoy the wit and four-color photos lavished throughout this book.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

This collection serves up "Animal-Friendly Appetizers," "Benevolent Breakfasts," and other vegan recipes from Paul McCartney, Alec Baldwin, and lesser-known supporters of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Accompanying the recipes are black-and-white photographs of their contributors and brief quotes; sidebars on vegetarianism and PETA's philosophy are scattered throughout. There are certainly better vegetarian cookbooks available, including Robin Robertson's Vegan Planet (see above), and not every vegetarian is a fan of PETA's tactics, but the organization does have more than 700,000 members. Buy for demand.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Ingrid Newkirk is the president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. She is the author of Free the Animals: The Amazing True Story of the Animal Liberation Front and You Can Save the Animals: 251 Ways to Stop Thoughtless Cruelty. She lives in Norfolk, Virginia.