Before reading JL Fields‘ Vegan Pressure Cooking: Beans, Grains and One-Pot Meals in Minutes (Fair Winds Press, January 2015), to me, vegan pressure cooking meant I was rushing to finish preparing a meal before guests came over. Now that phrase conjures up images of a pot on the stove doing all the work while I am relaxing on the couch with a glass of wine, toasting JL for giving me time back. When I was little, my mother used to tell me stories about her mother using a pressure cooker and the dangers involved. Apparently quick cooking back then required risking exploding pots and food splattering everywhere. Well, times have changed and the risk of death by beans is almost nil. In 2013, before Vegan Mos began, I was lucky enough to get a private lesson on pressure cooking from none other than JL Fields (in fact, it was at this time that she planted the seed for Vegan Mos). I was thrilled when JL announced that she was writing a cookbook on vegan pressure cooking. And for full disclosure, we were recipes testers for this book (see page 171), so we already knew how truly amazing these recipes are. As soon as the book was published, I logged into Amazon and immediately placed my order. I could hardly control my excited when I saw Vegan pressure Cooking by JL Fields in my shopping cart.

In Vegan Pressure Cooking, JL walks you through everything you need to know about pressure cookers including different types (electric v. stove top), different sizes and the overall ins and outs of using a pressure cooker. Once you have your pressure cooker ready, JL opens up a world of great tasting recipes that are ready in minutes, not hours. Imagine having brown rice ready in 25 minutes rather than 50-60 minutes, beans cooked to perfection in only 7 minutes and fresh, homemade seitan cooked in 30 minutes. That is just a small taste of what you will experience with Vegan Pressure Cooking. This book has recipes to satisfy every palate and every meal. From easy breakfasts to scrumptious desserts, JL shows you how do it all in a pressure cooker, without any pressure. What’s even better is almost all, if not all, the ingredients you need for most of the recipes are likely in your kitchen already. However, if you don’t have them on hand, you will be able to get them in your local grocery store. None of the recipes require any special,exotic, or unusual ingredients. As a home cook herself, with precious little free-time, JL has created recipes that are accessible to everyone. No special skills, ingredients or tools required (aside from the pressure cooker).  In addition to the easy to follow recipes, Vegan Pressure Cooking has beautiful, mouth-watering photography by Kate Lewis. The photography helps transform this book into a work of art. You can spend as much time looking at the photographs as you can reading the recipes. What’s even better is that your food will come out looking just a good as Kate’s photographs.

Vegan Pressure Cooking is a must have for anyone who wants to have freshly made, delicious, flavor packed meals in a fraction of the time. In other words, EVERYONE. We all want to eat well without spending hours cooking. With Vegan Pressure Cooking, you gain back time without sacrificing flavor. JL’s enthusiasm and conversational tone will make you feel like she in right there with you in the kitchen, which is something everyone should experience. Even if you’ve never used a pressure cooker before, JL will have you mastering it in no time. In the event you have some kind of a problem with you pressure cooker, JL has most likely addressed in the book and explains clearly how to fix it.

Here is a sample recipe from Vegan Pressure Cooking reprinted with permission from JL Fields and Fair Winds Press. Photo credit: Kate Lewis. This recipe is a staple for us now. After you try it, it will be for you too.

Umami Anasazi Beans

Photo by Kate Lewis

Ingredients (Serves 4)

  • 1 cup (200 g) dried Anasazi beans, soaked for 12 hours or overnight
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra- virgin olive oil
  • 2 cups (320 g) half-moon slices onion
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1⁄2 cup (35 g) finely diced mushrooms
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon liquid smoke
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 cups (470 ml) vegan beef-style broth
  • 1⁄4 cup (60 ml) water
  • 2 teaspoons red miso
  • 1 teaspoon tamari (optional)

Instructions

Rinse and drain the soaked beans. 
In an uncovered pressure cooker, heat the olive oil on high. Add the onion and sugar and cook on high for 10 minutes. You don’t want to burn the onions, but you do want to caramelize them, so stirring frequently is essential, as is adding water (as necessary) to avoid sticking. After 10 minutes, the onions should be soft and brown. Add the beans, mushrooms, liquid smoke, paprika, broth, and water. Stir to combine.

Cover and bring to pressure. Cook at high pressure for 5 to 7 minutes. Allow for a natural release.

Remove the lid and stir in the miso. For a saltier flavor, add the tamari.

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Get a copy of Vegan Pressure Cooking (Fair Winds Press, January 2015) by JL Fields today. Correction, get a few and give them as gifts. You are not only giving people amazing recipes, you are gifting them with reclaimed time, and that is truly priceless.