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Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African-American Cuisine
The mere mention of soul food brings thoughts of greasy fare and clogged arteries. Bryant Terry offers recipes that leave out heavy salt and refined sugar, “bad” fats, and unhealthy cooking techniques, and leave in the down-home flavor. Vegan Soul Kitchen recipes use fresh, whole, high-quality, healthy ingredients and cooking methods with a focus on local, seasonal, sustainably raised food. Terry’s new recipes have been conceived through the prism of the African Diaspora—cutting, pasting, reworking, and remixing African, Caribbean, African-American, Native American, and European staples, cooking techniques, and distinctive dishes to create something familiar, comforting, and deliciously unique. Reinterpreting popular dishes from African and Caribbean countries as well as his favorite childhood dishes, Terry reinvents African-American and Southern cuisine—capitalizing on the complex flavors of the tradition, without the animal products. Includes recipes Double Mustard Greens & Roasted Yam Soup; Cajun-Creole-Spiced Tempeh Pieces with Creamy Grits; Caramelized Grapefruit, Avocado, and Watercress Salad with Grapefruit Vinaigrette; and Sweet Cornmeal-Coconut Butter Drop Biscuits.
223 pages, Paperback
First published March 2, 2009
201 people are currently reading
6193 people want to read
About the author
Bryant Terry
14 books270 followersbryant terry is a multidisciplinary artist, chef, publisher, and author. His studio practice bridges cooking, sculpture, sound, video, and social practice to explore resilience, cultural memory, and liberation. From 2015 to 2022, he served as the inaugural Chef-in-Residence at San Francisco’s Museum of the African Diaspora, curating dynamic programming connecting food, health, farming, art, and activism.
His art and ideas have been featured at leading institutions including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, The Underground Museum, The Birmingham Museum of Art, Worth Ryder Art Gallery, and The Hammer Museum at UCLA.
As founder and editor-in-chief of 4 Color Books (an imprint of Ten Speed Press/Penguin Random House), he collaborates with visionary creatives of color to produce visually stunning nonfiction books. Notable 4 Color titles include The Scarr’s Pizza Cookbook by Scarr Pimentel, My Cambodia by Nite Yun with Tien Nguyen, The Black Yearbook by Adraint Khadafhi Bereal, and The Memory of Taste by Tu David Phu and Soleil Ho. Forthcoming works include cookbooks by Carla Hall, Nasim Lahbichi, Rashad Frazier, and Amethyst Ganaway.
terry’s achievements in the publishing world include authoring five highly acclaimed cookbooks, editing and curating an anthology, Black Food, and serving as the editor of The Best American Food and Travel Writing 2025. His work has earned him prestigious honors, including a James Beard Award, an NAACP Image Award, and an Art of Eating Prize. His book Black Food received widespread praise and was hailed as the most critically acclaimed American cookbook of 2021.
terry is the recipient of numerous grants and residencies, including those from the Headlands Center for the Arts (Graduate Fellowship), Open Society Foundations (Community Fellowship), the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (Food and Society Fellowship), UC Berkeley’s Black Studies Collaboratory (Artist Fellowship), and the East Bay Fund for Artists.
terry completed an MFA in Art Practice at UC Berkeley in 2025. He holds an MA in History from NYU and received his culinary training at the Natural Gourmet Institute. He presents frequently around the country as a keynote speaker at community events, conferences, and colleges.
His art and ideas have been featured at leading institutions including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Harvard Graduate School of Design, Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, The Underground Museum, The Birmingham Museum of Art, Worth Ryder Art Gallery, and The Hammer Museum at UCLA.
As founder and editor-in-chief of 4 Color Books (an imprint of Ten Speed Press/Penguin Random House), he collaborates with visionary creatives of color to produce visually stunning nonfiction books. Notable 4 Color titles include The Scarr’s Pizza Cookbook by Scarr Pimentel, My Cambodia by Nite Yun with Tien Nguyen, The Black Yearbook by Adraint Khadafhi Bereal, and The Memory of Taste by Tu David Phu and Soleil Ho. Forthcoming works include cookbooks by Carla Hall, Nasim Lahbichi, Rashad Frazier, and Amethyst Ganaway.
terry’s achievements in the publishing world include authoring five highly acclaimed cookbooks, editing and curating an anthology, Black Food, and serving as the editor of The Best American Food and Travel Writing 2025. His work has earned him prestigious honors, including a James Beard Award, an NAACP Image Award, and an Art of Eating Prize. His book Black Food received widespread praise and was hailed as the most critically acclaimed American cookbook of 2021.
terry is the recipient of numerous grants and residencies, including those from the Headlands Center for the Arts (Graduate Fellowship), Open Society Foundations (Community Fellowship), the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (Food and Society Fellowship), UC Berkeley’s Black Studies Collaboratory (Artist Fellowship), and the East Bay Fund for Artists.
terry completed an MFA in Art Practice at UC Berkeley in 2025. He holds an MA in History from NYU and received his culinary training at the Natural Gourmet Institute. He presents frequently around the country as a keynote speaker at community events, conferences, and colleges.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 123 reviews
September 15, 2018
This has 150 recipes of vegan, healthy, African-American soul food (there are recipes with clear ties to Africa), and I was quite glad to realise that even the picky me found very many recipes here I'd want to try. Each recipe has its own music, sometimes also book, art, and/or film. At the beginning are the essential gear, throughout are information squares. The photos are put into one section a little after the middle. At the end are listed books he likes, and metric conversions.
The recipes section starts with the author's own top 6 recipes, and there is also one neat section that helps you use the whole watermelon, fruits, rind and all. Now I will list some of the recipes that caught my eye:
I'm planning on reading the other two cookbooks I got from the same author, and this first one encouraged me a lot to choose reading this way. You definitely are left with heartwarming feels after merely reading the recipes - the eating will no doubt give you more great vibes.
The recipes section starts with the author's own top 6 recipes, and there is also one neat section that helps you use the whole watermelon, fruits, rind and all. Now I will list some of the recipes that caught my eye:
I'm planning on reading the other two cookbooks I got from the same author, and this first one encouraged me a lot to choose reading this way. You definitely are left with heartwarming feels after merely reading the recipes - the eating will no doubt give you more great vibes.
May 3, 2009
VSK isn't just a 'cookbook'. In his preface, Terry lets the reader know that it's about reclaiming the healthy roots of African American soul food. It's reminding brown and black folk, kind of what we already know in terms of 'eating better' and 'eating from the land'; reminding us that this philosophy of healthy good eating isn't "new"; that it existed before the big shift in the USA to highly processed foods that have infiltrated and become an 'every day' staple in many communities of color/low income communities.
Just picture a book that is about rejuvenating the soul through some hella good tasting food, not based on fake or mock meats, but rather fresh tasty delights.
And imagine a book that, when you open the pages and begin reading, is inspired by USA soul culture and music. Terry literally has a soulful 'soundtrack' to this book. With his recipes, he will advise you what song will vibe the best while cooking and eating his recipes.
I firmly believe that, unlike many recent alternative cook books that have come out, Terry's book is literally about a food justice that centers on the physical and emotional needs of many folk-- particularly the black and brown communities in the USA who are at the highest risk for nutritional-related diseases-- yet is still accessible and useful for ANYONE who just wants some good food. He doesn't preach or proselytize. He comes from a place of love and non-judgment. He has witnessed our brown and black communities suffering, simply because of how we eat and what we are unable to have access to (usually due to race and class issues). This is a man who simply wants us to know that yes, you can have your corn bread, collard greens, and yams AND decrease your chances for diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, obesity, etc- and it tastes fantastic!
To support Terry's book is to support a part of the the alternative food movement in the USA that is generally ignored by the status quo. Basically, within the mainstream, it is assumed that everyone is middle class and has the transportation, financial, and educational means to access healthier and tastier foods. The mainstream food movement generally doesn't have to think about these social justice issues...
Terry thinks about it. Terry's heart is entrenched in making his soul food philosophy available to, and a reality for, those that the middle class alternative food movement doesn't necessarily speak to. Mr. Terry will certainly break open new ground with this book.
Just picture a book that is about rejuvenating the soul through some hella good tasting food, not based on fake or mock meats, but rather fresh tasty delights.
And imagine a book that, when you open the pages and begin reading, is inspired by USA soul culture and music. Terry literally has a soulful 'soundtrack' to this book. With his recipes, he will advise you what song will vibe the best while cooking and eating his recipes.
I firmly believe that, unlike many recent alternative cook books that have come out, Terry's book is literally about a food justice that centers on the physical and emotional needs of many folk-- particularly the black and brown communities in the USA who are at the highest risk for nutritional-related diseases-- yet is still accessible and useful for ANYONE who just wants some good food. He doesn't preach or proselytize. He comes from a place of love and non-judgment. He has witnessed our brown and black communities suffering, simply because of how we eat and what we are unable to have access to (usually due to race and class issues). This is a man who simply wants us to know that yes, you can have your corn bread, collard greens, and yams AND decrease your chances for diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, obesity, etc- and it tastes fantastic!
To support Terry's book is to support a part of the the alternative food movement in the USA that is generally ignored by the status quo. Basically, within the mainstream, it is assumed that everyone is middle class and has the transportation, financial, and educational means to access healthier and tastier foods. The mainstream food movement generally doesn't have to think about these social justice issues...
Terry thinks about it. Terry's heart is entrenched in making his soul food philosophy available to, and a reality for, those that the middle class alternative food movement doesn't necessarily speak to. Mr. Terry will certainly break open new ground with this book.
February 19, 2010
This is a wonderfully done vegan cookbook, and I love that it’s for vegan soul food. I’ve eaten very little soul food because most of it is very heavily animal meat based, and even when I was an omnivore I usually wasn’t a heavy meat eater. (There is a local vegan soul food restaurant but I haven’t gotten to it yet; it’s across the bay and I don’t get to that area often.)
This book is so creative, and very enjoyable to read. The book starts with a “thankful” blessing song, music included! Each recipe has an accompanying suggested song, and most recipes have either a biographical note about the author or a note about how the recipe got created. The whole book is refreshingly different from any other cookbook that I’ve read.
On one of the pages the author leaves room for the reader to write down one of their family recipes and its story. Very cool, I thought.
I love the straight talking and folksy style of the instructions and stories.
I really appreciate how this author makes sure there is no waste, a theme throughout the book. Many of the recipes show how to use all parts of various foods, how to use leftovers, etc.
The author completed the Chef’s Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in NYC and has a M.A. in American History and a B.A. in English. In the book it says: “For the last eight years he has worked to build a more just and sustainable food system and has used cooking as a tool to illuminate the intersections between poverty, structural racism, and food insecurity.” Oh, I’m so glad I bought this book (one of only two I’ve purchased recently) because I love supporting this guy. Web sites to check out are www.bryant-terry.com and www.eatgrub.com.
Six other contributors, and information about them, are listed in the back of the book: Don Bryant, Myra Kornfeld, Keba Konte, Michael Otieno Molina, Sara Remington, and Brittany Moira Powell.
I think that the photos in the book are terrific, but there were too few for my taste; I wish each dish had its own photo. The overall layout of the book is very good. There is an index of recipes & ingredients. There’s a more interesting/eclectic than usual “list of books I like” in the back of the book.
I know a few people who rave about this book. I really enjoyed it. I love this book’s uniqueness; the included content is so cool. The “real food” is really appealing. But, for me, most cookbook recipes contain too much salt and this one did too. Many also have more oil than I like to use, for taste, not just health. Compared to traditional soul food though I think most of these dishes might be lower in fat. (And, of course, we can adapt recipes to our own tastes.)
There were more than 20 recipes I most want to try. They’re not really representative of what’s in the book because I don’t like coconut, vinegar, or tempeh, and those foods are included in quite a few of the recipes, especially the coconut.
But, I absolutely want to try many of the stocks, and (oh yum!-the best recipe I’ve ever seen for) mixed-mushroom gravy, the cumin-cayenne mashed potatoes with caramelized onions, the Cajun-creole spice blend, the quinoa-quinoa corn bread and the garlicky cornbread croutons, the little potato and sweet potato pancakes, the baked sweet potato fries with ginger-peanut dipping sauce, the garlicky baby lima bean spread, the roasted red potatoes with parsley-pine nut pesto, the rosemary-roasted tofu cubes, creole hopping John, the savory triple-corn grits, roasted root vegetables with roasted garlic-lime dipping sauce, chilled and grilled okra, corn, and heirloom tomato salad, chilled citrus-broccoli salad, sautéed jalapeño corn, the creamy potato soup with rosemary oil and crispy rosemary, the peach salsa, the Soul on Ice pops (with watermelon juice), and the citrus collards with raisins redux. I got hungry reading this cookbook!
Edited to add: Oh, this is my 1,000th review written for Goodreads!
This book is so creative, and very enjoyable to read. The book starts with a “thankful” blessing song, music included! Each recipe has an accompanying suggested song, and most recipes have either a biographical note about the author or a note about how the recipe got created. The whole book is refreshingly different from any other cookbook that I’ve read.
On one of the pages the author leaves room for the reader to write down one of their family recipes and its story. Very cool, I thought.
I love the straight talking and folksy style of the instructions and stories.
I really appreciate how this author makes sure there is no waste, a theme throughout the book. Many of the recipes show how to use all parts of various foods, how to use leftovers, etc.
The author completed the Chef’s Training Program at the Natural Gourmet Institute for Health and Culinary Arts in NYC and has a M.A. in American History and a B.A. in English. In the book it says: “For the last eight years he has worked to build a more just and sustainable food system and has used cooking as a tool to illuminate the intersections between poverty, structural racism, and food insecurity.” Oh, I’m so glad I bought this book (one of only two I’ve purchased recently) because I love supporting this guy. Web sites to check out are www.bryant-terry.com and www.eatgrub.com.
Six other contributors, and information about them, are listed in the back of the book: Don Bryant, Myra Kornfeld, Keba Konte, Michael Otieno Molina, Sara Remington, and Brittany Moira Powell.
I think that the photos in the book are terrific, but there were too few for my taste; I wish each dish had its own photo. The overall layout of the book is very good. There is an index of recipes & ingredients. There’s a more interesting/eclectic than usual “list of books I like” in the back of the book.
I know a few people who rave about this book. I really enjoyed it. I love this book’s uniqueness; the included content is so cool. The “real food” is really appealing. But, for me, most cookbook recipes contain too much salt and this one did too. Many also have more oil than I like to use, for taste, not just health. Compared to traditional soul food though I think most of these dishes might be lower in fat. (And, of course, we can adapt recipes to our own tastes.)
There were more than 20 recipes I most want to try. They’re not really representative of what’s in the book because I don’t like coconut, vinegar, or tempeh, and those foods are included in quite a few of the recipes, especially the coconut.
But, I absolutely want to try many of the stocks, and (oh yum!-the best recipe I’ve ever seen for) mixed-mushroom gravy, the cumin-cayenne mashed potatoes with caramelized onions, the Cajun-creole spice blend, the quinoa-quinoa corn bread and the garlicky cornbread croutons, the little potato and sweet potato pancakes, the baked sweet potato fries with ginger-peanut dipping sauce, the garlicky baby lima bean spread, the roasted red potatoes with parsley-pine nut pesto, the rosemary-roasted tofu cubes, creole hopping John, the savory triple-corn grits, roasted root vegetables with roasted garlic-lime dipping sauce, chilled and grilled okra, corn, and heirloom tomato salad, chilled citrus-broccoli salad, sautéed jalapeño corn, the creamy potato soup with rosemary oil and crispy rosemary, the peach salsa, the Soul on Ice pops (with watermelon juice), and the citrus collards with raisins redux. I got hungry reading this cookbook!
Edited to add: Oh, this is my 1,000th review written for Goodreads!
March 1, 2010
I was really excited to get this book from the library. Vegan food is a definite interest of mine, and seeing what someone else worked out to 'veganize' soul food sounded tasty.
The book does have recipes, some of which are good, but it was overshadowed by the story. Every recipe has a recommended song and movie. The author was striving so hard for a level of cool that I just don't have. I'm interested in food. Nothing else, but good food. All the rest of the stories, recommended music, movies, etc for every recipe was trying far to hard to be cool. It seemed just a little pretentious.
I did find a couple of the recipes to be good. That's what's important in a cookbook, right? The roasted plantain with roasted garlic-lime dipping sauce was a real hit in our house.
In all, though, I had a hard time getting past the trappings of extremely-cool to get to the actual recipes. I could have used less cool, and more discussion on the actual food, and better directions on the recipes. If I wasn't already a cook, some of the recipes would have had insufficient information to work with.
The book does have recipes, some of which are good, but it was overshadowed by the story. Every recipe has a recommended song and movie. The author was striving so hard for a level of cool that I just don't have. I'm interested in food. Nothing else, but good food. All the rest of the stories, recommended music, movies, etc for every recipe was trying far to hard to be cool. It seemed just a little pretentious.
I did find a couple of the recipes to be good. That's what's important in a cookbook, right? The roasted plantain with roasted garlic-lime dipping sauce was a real hit in our house.
In all, though, I had a hard time getting past the trappings of extremely-cool to get to the actual recipes. I could have used less cool, and more discussion on the actual food, and better directions on the recipes. If I wasn't already a cook, some of the recipes would have had insufficient information to work with.
May 27, 2013
Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, healthy, and Creative African-American Cuisine is the second cookbook I read cover to cover (both by Bryant Terry). Completely intriguing, Terry's recipes are new and exciting...he mixes combinations I never would have dreamed of and I really really like it. The recipes are very refreshing, just perfect for these upcoming summer days and nights. I'm excited to get start experimenting with the recipes.
November 27, 2022
terry repositions soul food – oft demonized in the popular (white) imagination as greasy, cheap, heavily processed, and unhealthy – as a cuisine rooted in plant-forward dishes that lend themselves well to his vegan remixing and reimagining. (note that he is not the first chef/scholar to pick apart soul food slander, but he does seem to be one of the first writing from a vegan perspective.) even though this cookbook is from the late aughts (pre the mainstreaming of vegan food, at least in my midwestern mind), the ingredients seemed regional-grocery-store accessible and not too different from what i usually buy to cook/bake vegan food in 2022. i had the pleasure of testing out a few of terry's recipes for thanksgiving: coconut oil pie crust, which was surprisingly flaky; quinoa cornbread, which i think needed more oil to be moist instead of crumbly; and cumin-cayenne mashed potatoes with caramelized onions, which might have stolen the side dish show. will revisit and recommend!
February 16, 2016
Our What's Cooking group was small this month (a snowstorm and Valentine's Day were intense competition!), so we weren't able to sample as many recipes from this book.
We had a mix of reviews...1/3 of us thought it was only worth 2 stars, 1/3 thought 3 stars and 1/3 thought 4 stars.
We thought the layout of the recipes was good (no page turning!), and we liked the suggested soundtrack to accompany the recipes. We would have liked more photographs (and closer to their corresponding recipes), and we were unfamiliar with some of the ingredients. Grocery budgets get challenged when you need to spend $ on an ingredient (or 2 or 3) that you only need 1 tablespoon of in a recipe...especially when you don't know if you'll ever want to make that recipe again.
We sampled the following recipes...
- Little Banana-Maple Pecan Cornbread Muffins*
- Broccoli Salad
- BBQ Beans
- Chocolate Pecan Pie*1
- Brussels Sprouts
- Lavender Lemonade
- Sauteed Jalapeno Corn
- Corn with Ginger and Coconut Milk
With the exception of the BBQ Beans (which everyone liked), we were mixed on how strongly we liked the recipes. No one disliked anything that we tasted, but some of us thought the food was just okay.
Following a vegan diet is challenging...especially when cooking for people with allergies to nuts and soybeans. While we weren't blown away by this cookbook, we thought Terry provided us with potential side dishes for our meat entrees.
*We thought that the yummy flavor of the Maple Coated Pecans was lost in this recipe. Eat the Maple Pecans on their own. Use plain pecans in the recipe.
*1 The coconut flavor in the crust is overpowering, and the baker had trouble with rolling it out. She resorted to piecing it into the pie dish.
We had a mix of reviews...1/3 of us thought it was only worth 2 stars, 1/3 thought 3 stars and 1/3 thought 4 stars.
We thought the layout of the recipes was good (no page turning!), and we liked the suggested soundtrack to accompany the recipes. We would have liked more photographs (and closer to their corresponding recipes), and we were unfamiliar with some of the ingredients. Grocery budgets get challenged when you need to spend $ on an ingredient (or 2 or 3) that you only need 1 tablespoon of in a recipe...especially when you don't know if you'll ever want to make that recipe again.
We sampled the following recipes...
- Little Banana-Maple Pecan Cornbread Muffins*
- Broccoli Salad
- BBQ Beans
- Chocolate Pecan Pie*1
- Brussels Sprouts
- Lavender Lemonade
- Sauteed Jalapeno Corn
- Corn with Ginger and Coconut Milk
With the exception of the BBQ Beans (which everyone liked), we were mixed on how strongly we liked the recipes. No one disliked anything that we tasted, but some of us thought the food was just okay.
Following a vegan diet is challenging...especially when cooking for people with allergies to nuts and soybeans. While we weren't blown away by this cookbook, we thought Terry provided us with potential side dishes for our meat entrees.
*We thought that the yummy flavor of the Maple Coated Pecans was lost in this recipe. Eat the Maple Pecans on their own. Use plain pecans in the recipe.
*1 The coconut flavor in the crust is overpowering, and the baker had trouble with rolling it out. She resorted to piecing it into the pie dish.
July 21, 2015
I almost wanted to weep after stumbling across this book.
I am an African American vegan, I was born and raised on soul food- sweet potatoes, collard greens with bacon fat, macaroni and cheese, pork chops smothered in savory gravy. Although we only indulged in these rich staples several times a year such as at Christmas and Thanksgiving, they were very much a part of my childhood and my ethnic identity.
After going vegan, I often felt left out. While my parents chowed down on pan fried pork-chops with rice and gravy, I meekly ate my bland tofu (I didn't know how to properly press and fry tofu), attempting to stick fast with my cruelty-free diet.
And alas! Vegan substitutes for all my meat-laden, artery clogging favorites!
Many of the recipes included in this book are staples that utilize ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Some of them offer new and exciting spins on good old standbyes, such as Cumin-Cayenne Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions, Candied Sweet Potato Discs and Apple Slices, and Mixed Mushroom Gravy.
I highly recommend this book for Black vegans who want to omit eggs, dairy, and other meat by products from their diet while keeping the soul. Please purchase this book over 'Thug Kitchen'
I am an African American vegan, I was born and raised on soul food- sweet potatoes, collard greens with bacon fat, macaroni and cheese, pork chops smothered in savory gravy. Although we only indulged in these rich staples several times a year such as at Christmas and Thanksgiving, they were very much a part of my childhood and my ethnic identity.
After going vegan, I often felt left out. While my parents chowed down on pan fried pork-chops with rice and gravy, I meekly ate my bland tofu (I didn't know how to properly press and fry tofu), attempting to stick fast with my cruelty-free diet.
And alas! Vegan substitutes for all my meat-laden, artery clogging favorites!
Many of the recipes included in this book are staples that utilize ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. Some of them offer new and exciting spins on good old standbyes, such as Cumin-Cayenne Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions, Candied Sweet Potato Discs and Apple Slices, and Mixed Mushroom Gravy.
I highly recommend this book for Black vegans who want to omit eggs, dairy, and other meat by products from their diet while keeping the soul. Please purchase this book over 'Thug Kitchen'
May 10, 2009
Don't be turned off by vegan cookbooks just because you don't follow a strict vegan diet! If you enjoy cooking with and eating fresh, simple, healthy things, check this book out. I particularly like this one because it emphasizes ingredients that are naturally vegan rather than cram the thing full of pseudo-meats.
I realize not everyone reads cookbooks for fun (as I do), but this one actually has enough supplemental content in it to keep you entertained while you read the actual recipes. In fact, Terry has music, film and literary recommendations to go with each recipe. Lots of tips of the cap to African American pop culture figures like Melvin van Peebles round out this cultural and culinary tour of vegan soul cooking.
So far I've made the Wild Style salad (Wild Rice, bell peppers (4 colors), golden raisins and a simple vinaigrette...fantastic!), Beet salad and next up on my to-make list are the black eyed pea fritters! yes!!
I realize not everyone reads cookbooks for fun (as I do), but this one actually has enough supplemental content in it to keep you entertained while you read the actual recipes. In fact, Terry has music, film and literary recommendations to go with each recipe. Lots of tips of the cap to African American pop culture figures like Melvin van Peebles round out this cultural and culinary tour of vegan soul cooking.
So far I've made the Wild Style salad (Wild Rice, bell peppers (4 colors), golden raisins and a simple vinaigrette...fantastic!), Beet salad and next up on my to-make list are the black eyed pea fritters! yes!!
May 28, 2011
I guess I'm just not into soul food. None of the recipes in this book sounded interesting so I didn't make any and took the book back to the library.
Nothing about the book made me feel passionate about anything in it. Knowing Terry used to be vegan and has since changed his eating habits bothered me, but it's his life and I wish him luck, but that information tainted everything for me, but it's nice that he was honest about the change in his lifestyle instead of trying to come off as something he isn't.
Maybe soul food just isn't my bag, baby, but nothing in here sounded good enough to make.
Nothing about the book made me feel passionate about anything in it. Knowing Terry used to be vegan and has since changed his eating habits bothered me, but it's his life and I wish him luck, but that information tainted everything for me, but it's nice that he was honest about the change in his lifestyle instead of trying to come off as something he isn't.
Maybe soul food just isn't my bag, baby, but nothing in here sounded good enough to make.
Read
May 16, 2014Ok, let me just say I am SUPER picky when it comes to cookbooks. This book is so refreshing in so many ways! Love how he has a song for each recipe! I also like little stories and history along the way. I am not a vegan nor do I have any desire to be one but I do eat healthy, tasty food. THis man is doing great things, coming up with good recipes and then educating and creating access to good food for everyone. What's not to like about all that?!
April 18, 2018
Very easy for me to look at a recipe in other vegan cookbooks I own and deviate (still true in this case...) so I didn't know what to expect when we received this for Christmas. However, this has been on my list for a while now! Post-cooking, talk about flavor + color + health, in season produce, and ALL the soul. The art references (music, movies, art, film) are genius. Takes everything to the next level. I mostly added toppings to said recipes (pickled red onions + jaleps to the BBQ Tempeh Sandwich, pine nuts to the Citrus Collards), rather than key ingredients. Everything feels clean + hearty + real. Aside from spending time with the recipes, I really admire Bryant as an eco-chef and food justice advocate. Amazing that he creates affordable, healthy meals and ALSO that these are meant for specific communities. Learned a lot from this book, still eating leftovers.
August 7, 2017
In a culture where the number who people cook or eat meals at home is on the decline - and awareness of the impact of what we eat on the environment is on the rise - there are a LOT of vegan cookbooks out there. A lot of them are very "entry level" -- many new vegans are also new cooks, having previously depended on prepared foods and eating out for their nutrition.
Bryant Terry's book helps those new vegans who crave a certain kind of delicious food that is reminiscent of what they ate as children, but with a twist. Most of the recipes are very simple -- it's just getting the ingredients together in the right proportion that seems like the most difficult task for most people. A "roasted turnips and shallots with turnip greens soup" - for example - would be an easy thing for any experienced cook to throw together. "Lavender lemonade" doesn't even seem to need a recipe.
As one of those more experienced cooks -- I make my own veggie stock (with scraps I save in bags in the freezer) - and put together meals with ingredients on hand or in season -- I find these kind of cookbooks to be inspirational: they have great photos, some of the flavor profiles spark ideas for me but rarely do I follow the recipes because they are pretty basic to me.
Don't be mistaken - I really like this book and would recommend it. It's got a ton of great information for the inexperienced home cook, including a small collection of recipes for pickles and relishes and instructions on canning.
Bryant Terry's book helps those new vegans who crave a certain kind of delicious food that is reminiscent of what they ate as children, but with a twist. Most of the recipes are very simple -- it's just getting the ingredients together in the right proportion that seems like the most difficult task for most people. A "roasted turnips and shallots with turnip greens soup" - for example - would be an easy thing for any experienced cook to throw together. "Lavender lemonade" doesn't even seem to need a recipe.
As one of those more experienced cooks -- I make my own veggie stock (with scraps I save in bags in the freezer) - and put together meals with ingredients on hand or in season -- I find these kind of cookbooks to be inspirational: they have great photos, some of the flavor profiles spark ideas for me but rarely do I follow the recipes because they are pretty basic to me.
Don't be mistaken - I really like this book and would recommend it. It's got a ton of great information for the inexperienced home cook, including a small collection of recipes for pickles and relishes and instructions on canning.
April 9, 2009
This is one of those cookbooks where every single recipe makes you drool. The author focuses on using the freshest, in-season ingredients and less on calorie counts and fat content, but being vegan soul food, in general the recipes are super-healthy. Also, as an interesting twist in a cookbook, the author provides you with a song playlist and movie suggestion with almost every recipe to extend your experience of "soul" beyond just the palate.
A selection of recipes:
Citrus Collards with Raisins Redux, pg 4
Cajun-Creole Spiced Tempeh Pieces with Creamy Grits, pg 10
Citrus Zest and Fresh Mint Tea, pg 27
Crispy Okra Strips with Roasted Garlic-Lime Dipping Sauce, pg 45
Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Ginger-Peanut Dipping Sauce, pg 51
Carrot-Cayenne Coleslaw, pg 63
Sweet Coconut-Ginger Creamed Corn, pg 108
Savory Triple Corn Grits, pg 134
Creole Hoppin' Jean, pg 140
Whole Grain Mustard and Cornmeal Crusted Seitan, pg 152
Quinoa-Quinoa Cornbread, pg 159
A selection of recipes:
Citrus Collards with Raisins Redux, pg 4
Cajun-Creole Spiced Tempeh Pieces with Creamy Grits, pg 10
Citrus Zest and Fresh Mint Tea, pg 27
Crispy Okra Strips with Roasted Garlic-Lime Dipping Sauce, pg 45
Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Ginger-Peanut Dipping Sauce, pg 51
Carrot-Cayenne Coleslaw, pg 63
Sweet Coconut-Ginger Creamed Corn, pg 108
Savory Triple Corn Grits, pg 134
Creole Hoppin' Jean, pg 140
Whole Grain Mustard and Cornmeal Crusted Seitan, pg 152
Quinoa-Quinoa Cornbread, pg 159
July 5, 2020
I can't say I really ate much soul food previous to this book so I can't compare these recipes to their more traditional ones, but I have enjoyed them so far.
Bryant's book covers everything starting with drinks all the way through the meal to desserts. I love that the first section is actually his own six personal favourite recipes. I plan on trying all of them! Some of the recipes I can't wait to try are 'Citrus Collards with Raisins Redux', 'Lavender Lemonade', and 'Fried Green Tomatoes' (cause I've never tried fried green tomatoes).
This cookbook also includes music and even movie selections to accompany the recipes. There's an original idea!
My favourites at this point are the 'Not-too-Dirty Rice' and the 'Creamy Celeriac Sauce', which I used on some grilled asparagus, it was delicious!
Bryant's book covers everything starting with drinks all the way through the meal to desserts. I love that the first section is actually his own six personal favourite recipes. I plan on trying all of them! Some of the recipes I can't wait to try are 'Citrus Collards with Raisins Redux', 'Lavender Lemonade', and 'Fried Green Tomatoes' (cause I've never tried fried green tomatoes).
This cookbook also includes music and even movie selections to accompany the recipes. There's an original idea!
My favourites at this point are the 'Not-too-Dirty Rice' and the 'Creamy Celeriac Sauce', which I used on some grilled asparagus, it was delicious!
August 20, 2010
I read this from cover to cover like it was a novel. I checked this out from the library because I have been interesting in checking it out for some time, and didn't know whether I should invest the money--but I sure will be purchasing a copy! I'm embarking on a change in the way I eat and this book will definitely be a great resource!
January 19, 2010
Best cookbook for vegan food. Absolutely the best tasting food you wouldn't even know it's vegan. Just tastes fantastic!
April 10, 2018
I reviewed his other books to find recipes for the new lifestyle for me. I figured VEGAN SOUL would work best for me, since I have SOUL and put everything in my cooking or baking when I do. I do not mind cooking from scratch, but notice vegan lifestyle, requires much more work!
I tried a simple drink: rosemary (had the herbs in fridge), lemon and lime drink; didn't taste too well but will finish since I am detoxing this week.
Never did watermelon, basil and sea salt together. Doesn't sound good to me, but may give it a try. I did like the one I tried from another book called the Burn that had a watermelon, mint, and think cayenne (pretty decent).
I do not want soy, temph, nor tofu...so will see what recipes are doable. I also noticed a quite a number of the recipes has apple cider vinegar which I do not find tasty per se; so I will pass on these as well. I only will try about no more than 10 out of the 50+ in the book. I hate there is no substitutes for organic cane sugar (since I am avoiding sugar), so will try maple syrup Grade B, or raw honey, but unsure if this will work for the "candid walnut" recipe that I would like to try that goes with the molasses vanilla ice cream one... I found more in this one than the Caribbean cookbook.
I tried a simple drink: rosemary (had the herbs in fridge), lemon and lime drink; didn't taste too well but will finish since I am detoxing this week.
Never did watermelon, basil and sea salt together. Doesn't sound good to me, but may give it a try. I did like the one I tried from another book called the Burn that had a watermelon, mint, and think cayenne (pretty decent).
I do not want soy, temph, nor tofu...so will see what recipes are doable. I also noticed a quite a number of the recipes has apple cider vinegar which I do not find tasty per se; so I will pass on these as well. I only will try about no more than 10 out of the 50+ in the book. I hate there is no substitutes for organic cane sugar (since I am avoiding sugar), so will try maple syrup Grade B, or raw honey, but unsure if this will work for the "candid walnut" recipe that I would like to try that goes with the molasses vanilla ice cream one... I found more in this one than the Caribbean cookbook.
January 6, 2022
This is, hands down, one of the best vegan cookbooks I have in my collection. The recipes are all useable and accessible, if you are willing to try. I read several reviews about complicated recipes and hard to find ingredients, I live in a small rural town and I have had very few issues finding ingredients called for. The cookbook is laid out a little differently as several recipes feed eachother. The point of most of Terry's cookbooks is to share the cultural heritage surrounding the cultivationa and preparation of the nourishment you put on your table.
Vegan Soul Kitchen has been my most used cookbook of 2021, I have made so many things I have avoided since becoming Vegetarian. I have a deep love and new appreciation for the impact Soul Food has on our culinary diaspora and the idea that Terry has created a whole world of recipes that follow traditions, but are also vegan is a delight in a world of plain vegan meals filled with "bowls" and fake meats. All the meals are hearty, filling, and comforting. I especially recommend creating the garlic broth braised brussels sprouts and the hoppin John, you will not be disappointed.
Vegan Soul Kitchen has been my most used cookbook of 2021, I have made so many things I have avoided since becoming Vegetarian. I have a deep love and new appreciation for the impact Soul Food has on our culinary diaspora and the idea that Terry has created a whole world of recipes that follow traditions, but are also vegan is a delight in a world of plain vegan meals filled with "bowls" and fake meats. All the meals are hearty, filling, and comforting. I especially recommend creating the garlic broth braised brussels sprouts and the hoppin John, you will not be disappointed.
February 17, 2019
Many recipes look good in here,not sure how many will get made soon. Often these foods are not ones we eat a lot (not local) or aren't in season now.
Roasted plantain pieces w/roasted garlic-lime dipping sauce (like tostones)
Gumbo Z (spinach/mustard/kale/collards)
Jamaican veggie patties (corn/peas/potatoes/cabbage
Roasted root veg (overcooked, skipped sauce as per family wouldn't eat- so doesn't look good for plantains!)
Garlic broth-braised brussels sprouts
Uncle Don's Double Mustard greens and yam soup(garnet sweet potato)
Roasted plantain pieces w/roasted garlic-lime dipping sauce (like tostones)
Gumbo Z (spinach/mustard/kale/collards)
Jamaican veggie patties (corn/peas/potatoes/cabbage
Roasted root veg (overcooked, skipped sauce as per family wouldn't eat- so doesn't look good for plantains!)
Garlic broth-braised brussels sprouts
Uncle Don's Double Mustard greens and yam soup(garnet sweet potato)
October 20, 2020
A Whole Foods plant-based cookbook that doesn't go out of it's way to be self-righteous. It's clear that Bryant Terry is a gifted cook, cares about others and wants to share the wealth of health. I'm not sure why he isn't incredibly popular. Even the most carnivorous cooks can learn a lot from this book. We're blessed with an amazing food movement here in the Bay Area and Terry adds his much needed voice to the collective of legends that include Alice Waters, Samin Nosrat and socio-cultural food author Michael Pollen.
December 30, 2020
So far, so good.
I've only made one recipe (Hoppin' Jean) but it was quite good. I have a habit of making three or four recipes from the same cookbook each week-- new things that I haven't tried-- then moving to a different cookbook for the next week, so I've got two more lined up for now. If they're as good as the first, I will be thrilled.
Nice intro, good (looking) recipes, and a song suggestions for each meal. I really like that song bit. It has introduced me to some new (and old) music with which I wasn't yet familiar. Good stuff.
I look forward to using this book for years to come.
I've only made one recipe (Hoppin' Jean) but it was quite good. I have a habit of making three or four recipes from the same cookbook each week-- new things that I haven't tried-- then moving to a different cookbook for the next week, so I've got two more lined up for now. If they're as good as the first, I will be thrilled.
Nice intro, good (looking) recipes, and a song suggestions for each meal. I really like that song bit. It has introduced me to some new (and old) music with which I wasn't yet familiar. Good stuff.
I look forward to using this book for years to come.
November 28, 2018
I wanted to love this book. Love the concept. Love the music. Love the descriptions. But too many recipes are just...not much of a recipe. Like a trail mix that is just walnuts & raisins. And a sauce that it just vinegar & a sliced chili. I like simple, but when it's too simple I question why I have a cookbook about it.
September 6, 2023
If it’s possible to have food heroes Bryant Terry is one. Maybe it’s the excellent pairing of music with recipes, maybe it’s the great vegan recipes, maybe it’s just the representing and swimming upstream from meat culture. Whatever. Listen to what he’s talking about, eat what he’s putting on the table. Enjoy the music. Recommended.
December 16, 2017
I enjoyed the extras like what songs inspired the recipes, but felt the book needed pictures instead of backstory. I found the recipes interesting. They included easy ingredients, but mostly there were only a few that I wanted to try.
March 23, 2018
I really enjoyed the format of this cookbook. Terry really showed how soul food is about so much than just food. It encompasses community, music, and culture. I look forward to creating many of these recipes with my family and making more soulful memories together.
January 29, 2019
Love Terry's voice, his recipe/music pairings, and the heart and soul that so clearly went into each recipe. Many of the ingredients mentioned are unavailable to me in rural Alaska; however I appreciate that Terry encourages cooks to "freestyle" and "remix" the dishes to suit their needs.
July 27, 2017
beautiful book
August 2, 2017
This one isn't as interesting as his Afro-Vegan cookbook but it's good.
February 21, 2018
Some of the recipes in the book are good. I would have liked to see photos for every recipe and nutritional information as well.
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