Read an Excerpt
IN THE BEGINNING, THERE WAS THE MICROWAVE
You may be wondering why we didn't just make a vegan cookbook that requires a, you know, stove. Well, we know you're busy. After spending hours on end cramming Shakespeare into your head, we're positive that the last thing you want to do is stand in front of a hot stove stirring sauce or waiting for a pot of water to boil. And c'mon-a microwave is so much more accessible than a stove. Microwave in the student union or your dorm room? Check. Stovetop? Not so much.
Microwaved vegan food. Yum! Okay, we're not totally naive here-we know this probably conjures up an image of a bowl of nuked, wilted kale or some other oh-so-healthy (but possibly gag-inducing) green food. However, at PETA we're all about breaking stereotypes, so we've created a cookbook dedicated to vegan food that doesn't require a stove and tastes delicious.
College is supposed to be the time in your life when you're really figuring out how to fend for yourself. You're already trying to figure out physics and how to get out of going to your 8:00 a.m. class, so who has time to learn how to flambé or frappé? Did you know you can actually make pasta without a pot or pancakes without a pan? Well, believe it, buddy. We can teach you all you need to know to make simple, effortless meals. You'll have plenty of time later on in life to make friends with your stove.
We're betting you've been there-nuking package after package of ramen. Opening the freezer with your fingers crossed, hoping there's a frozen burrito lurking behind the ice tray. Or gagging down some pizza, trying your hardest not to dwell on the fact that mold makes interesting shapes in a week-anything to put off actually spending time and effort cooking a meal.
That's where we come in.
Why didn't we make a cookbook that's just like every other one out there? Because we love being the black sheep, the lone wolf, the creep in the back corner. Okay, maybe not that last one, but you get the idea. We dare to be different, and we bet you are itchin' to do the same.
HEADS UP
So we know you are old enough and smart enough to know how to work a microwave safely, but we still worry! Please humor us and keep the following in mind when using a microwave:
•Take extreme caution when removing containers of hot food and boiling water from the microwave to avoid spills and burns. Burns don't feel so hot. (Get it?)
•Although most plastic containers are microwave safe, please double-check before putting one in the microwave. When in doubt, use a container that is clearly marked "Microwave Safe" or "Microwavable."
•Of course, no metal objects in the microwave! You know you don't want to be that guy-the person in your dorm or apartment who catches the only working microwave on fire.
Also, FYI, all of these recipes were tested in seven-hundred-watt microwaves and heated on the HIGH setting unless otherwise mentioned in the recipe. Cooking times may vary depending on altitude and microwave.
OK, that should cover all of the boring, lecture-y stuff. On to the fun part!
SHOW US YOUR FOOD!
We know you're gonna take, like, fifteen Instagram shots of your Pancake in a Mug to get the perfect pic to impress all your friends-no filter necessary. We want to see your pics! Follow peta2 on all the sites below and tag us in your food pics from this cookbook along with #PETAsVeganCollegeCookbook.
Instagram and Snapchat: @officialpeta2
Facebook and Twitter: @peta2
