Plant Powered Families by Dreena Burton

Dreena Burton’s 5th plant-based cookbook, Plant-Powered Families (Published by Ben Bella Books), focuses on kid friendly vegan recipes. Her whole food approach to typical family fare is inspiring. I found myself tearing through a stack of post-it notes marking down the recipes I look forward to trying. Plant-Powered Families is a  great read for all, from those of us raising our very own ‘weegans’ to omnivore parents who are just looking for ideas to freshen up their meal plans and pack more veggies into their lives.

Burton’s honest, refreshing, and at time humorous tone keeps the book light and playful. This relaxed approach helps this soon-to-be-classic feel like sage meal preparation advice instead of preachy lifestyle commandments. Veganism, like any strict diet, comes with its own legions of supporters and critics. Burton recognizes this point of contention and chooses to state her own beliefs plainly and proudly while churning out over 100 whole-food, kid-approved recipes and tons of mouth-watering full colour photos that will make you excited to create healthy meals regardless of your stance.

My favourite part of Plant-Powered Families is the ancillary chapters on picky eaters, lunch box solutions, and building your plant-based pantry. Even though she is a cookbook author first and foremost, it is in these ‘extra’ chapters that Burton shines as a cook, hostess, and mother. You can see that her lived experience has truly informed and enriched her craft, and through this lens you begin to notice the nuance and attention to detail in this collection of recipes as a whole. Plant-Powered Families is a truly great resource for any parent who is curious about a plant-based diet for their family.