This summer, after writing a philosophy exam on the ethics of meat production, I emerged from the Sports Hall with a jarring realisation that — morally speaking — I should probably become a vegan. While I haven’t yet entirely succeeded, due to a severe attachment to cheese, I have widened my cooking repertoire and gained a greater appreciation for plant-based food. At the moment, there are great chefs and writers exploring how interesting and accessible vegetarian food is: Ottolenghi, Anna Jones, and even the Hairy Bikers.

A book with immediate impact is Thug Kitchen (by Matt Holloway and Michelle Davis). This is a rare find — a cookbook that actually made me laugh out loud. The strapline that graces its front cover ‘eat like you give a fuck’ is an attention grabber — this, combined with an introductory letter of praise from Jamie Oliver, made me pretty excited to start reading. What I loved about the book was that they addressed the problem that many vegans and vegetarians encounter, the ‘aura of elitism surrounding eating well.’ They try and make eating well accessible and affordable and make veganism less intimidating. After a forcefully instructive introduction, we get to their simple and punchy recipes. These recipes are for things I want to eat — fajitas, noodles, pad thai, ravioli, all good things that don’t feel as though you are making a compromise in order to achieve a fully vegan meal. The language makes you sit up straight and pay attention.

Next up comes the vegan YouTube duo, Henry Firth and Ian Theasby who are known for their simple, student-friendly videos.  This theme is key in their new, immensely popular book, Bosh! in which their goal is simply to get people to eat more plants. By the time of its release in May 2018, Bosh! outranked most new meat-based  cookbooks on the market. Known as the ‘vegan Jamie Olivers’ for their relaxed and creative approach to cooking, this book is full of simple, unpretentious vegan recipes — no peculiar ingredients that even the Asian Market won’t provide– just tasty, proper food that happens to be plant-based. With recipes for things like hoisin pancakes, popcorn falafels, and mac and greens, it’s not surprising everyone loves these guys. I love the celebratory feel of the book. There is a whole section on ‘showpieces’ which they urge you to make when you have time to spend feeding your friends and family. Filled with lots of great photos and a particularly good section on hummus and dips, this book is easy to use and is definitely a must for anyone who lacks kitchen confidence.

Also worthy of a spot in this Vegan Cookery hall of fame are Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Romero, old hands in the vegan world, who have re-released their definitive Veganomicon with new and updated recipes. This glorious book is the scripture that all people who have any interest in vegetables should read. It’s so explanatory and it revels in the joy of spending time over small things. This is mindfulness in cooking. Moskowitz and Romero are enthusiastic and welcoming, taking you completely back to basics. Things like how to roast brussel sprouts or how to char roast peppers over a hob — which are easy to get slightly wrong. Indulge yourself and follow their advice, find pleasure in taking time with these recipes. Focusing all your attention on roasting a squash? A beautiful thing, I say…

All of this helpful instruction on looking after every type of vegetable, grain, and bean comes before you’ve even got to the the main recipes. When  you do, there is a celebration of all vegan food: eating tempeh and tofu isn’t a chore here, it’s an opportunity to have a great time. This great doorstop of a book is filled with hearty, tempting recipes like porcini wild rice soup and cauliflower and mushroom pie with black olive crust. But don’t fear — there isn’t too much of the soy cheese and nutritional yeast that takes me a bit out of my comfort zone; they just make the most of what’s easily available, and when they do have specialty ingredients, like daikon (in their panko stuffed mushrooms), they offer you suggestions for alternatives. There is no prissiness here; as they say, ‘vegan cooking does not exclude the good times.’ After feasting through these three books I can happily confirm this to be true.

​Thug Kitchen (pub. Sphere) Book Depository, €15

Bosh! (pub. William Morrow Cookbooks) Book Depository, €17

Veganomicon (pub. Da Capo Lifelong Books) Book Depository, €24