Whether readers are following a gluten-free vegan lifestyle due to medical, health, or ethical reasons, they're likely to find O'Brien's follow-up to The Gluten-Free Vegan to be a helpful resource when the craving for comfort food hits. Organized by course and ilk (e.g. "Ethnic Favorites," "Family Classics"), O'Brien offers up recipes that range from the familiar (guacamole, hummus, falafel, etc.) to the inspired, such as a roasted beet risotto, toffee bars, and spinach and lentil enchiladas. The majority of her recipes are approachable enough—moderately skilled and patient cooks will be able to complete most dishes—but sourcing, particularly for dessert items, may be problematic for those without access to a well-stocked health food store. Though once they've stocked the larder, they'll be whipping up chocolate-dried cherry biscotti, mac and cheese, and apple pie in no time. While her recipes are indeed flavor-packed, O'Brien has a tendency to go overboard at times—"My Favorite Lasagna" calls for a whopping 25 ingredients, and a spinach pie calls for 15 ingredients, not counting the six needed to create her nutty piecrust—which may lead to frustration in either the grocery aisle or at home. Still, folks in search of inventive riffs (she's even included a kid-friendly chapter with "chicken" nuggets that uses tempeh instead of poultry) are sure to find a few new favorites here. Color photos. (Feb.)
