BY VANESSA CANOStaff Writer

There is one thing that I do that I am always guilty about in my column; I leave out the vegetarians. Occasionally I’ll throw in a comment about salad and hope that will appease you guys, but I know it doesn’t. As a former vegetarian, I know how hard it is to go out to dinner. The options for restaurants that serve satisfactory vegetarian meals are quite few. If you’re a vegan, then your options are even slimmer. I stopped being a vegetarian a couple of years ago out of frustration and health reasons; I simply didn’t do it right. There are many bonuses to being a vegetarian, namely you stand to make a healthier planet and a healthier you. However, you have to know how to eat correctly or face the potential for some serious damage to your health. Salad is not going to do it. So, as a shout-out to all the herbivores out there, I decided to go out and review a vegan cookbook. As Gandhi stated, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” I respect you veggie-heads for your discipline and your dedication to the environment, and here is a suggested cookbook that honors the fine art of vegan cuisine.

I don’t know how many of my readers have eaten vegan, but sometimes it is the blandest thing in the world. However, Vegan World Fusion by a Kauai restaurant group called Blossoming Lotus, is full of interesting and flavorful recipes. With a forward from everyone’s favorite ape researcher, Jane Gooddall, Vegan World Fusion includes not only directions on how to prepare excellent meals, sauces, desserts, and smoothies but also advice on how to live a healthy and balanced life (to be honest that Gandhi comment isn’t out of my head, it’s printed on one of the pages of the cookbook). Within the book are included resources on veganism, animal rights, human rights, organic farming, and environmental groups. To the editors and chefs of this book, veganism is not just about healthy eating but about creating balance in a world where people too often take more than they give. However, to be a vegan one must be prepared-the practice of vegan food preparation is very conscientious. Luckily, for us newbies Vegan World Fusion gives very careful instructions with a whole chapter dedicated to food preparation which also includes the proper way to create living food dishes, food that has not been heated over 116 degrees, thus retaining the full mineral and flavor content of the ingredients. This book is the perfect tool for anybody thinking about becoming a vegan. I can create its recipes pretty well, and that says a lot considering that my usual cooking specialty is burning things.

Among the dishes and drinks I found especially appetizing and interesting was “Rahim’s Rasta Pasta Primavera” that includes one of my favorite ingredients: hemp seeds, along with tons of yummy, fresh vegetables and herbs. There are also several wonderful and easy recipes for desserts, like “The Bliss of Krishna Tropical Rice Pudding” which is sweetened with coconut milk and only takes a few minutes to make. Generally, the recipes take a bit of time to create but the outcome is deliciously worth it.

Vegan World Fusion by Blossoming Lotus is a creative manual with which one can learn how to prepare and enjoy healthy and tasty vegan cuisine. You can find it in most bookstores. For more information on the cookbook and on Blossoming Lotus, visit their website at www.blossominglotus.com.