Main Street Vegan by Victoria Moran

When I went vegan a year and a half ago, I needed this book. Back then, my personal guidebook for making this radical change from 100% omnivore to 100% vegan was the “30-Day Vegan Challenge” by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. An excellent book if you’re willing to commit to a vegan diet, kick the vegan tires, and follow your progress over a month. Colleen’s book offers excellent support and a plethora of amazing vegan recipes. Victoria Moran’s “Main Street Vegan” takes this concept one, if not many, steps further.

Outlining what every person is asked and experiences once they have made the decision to go vegan, Moran goes so far as to allow the aspiring vegan to go into it at their own pace, letting them know they shouldn’t beat themselves up if they slip. Her writing style is readable, entertaining, and understandable as she takes you through every rung along the vegan ladder. Each chapter begins with an inspiring quote and ends with a recipe that all seem to fit right into the timeline of going vegan.

Reading this book 18 months after I became vegan actually proved to be more interesting than if I read it when I was just starting out. Having lived through so much of what she elaborates on, it’s fascinating to reflect back on those “early days” and smirk. I was the Reluctant Vegan for over a year, not wanting to commit or admit I was becoming vegan, this book addresses this and helps the reader understand more than just the diet aspect of veganism, it walks you through all the rest.

As The Chicago Tribune puts it, this “Vegan Cookbook Acts as Primer for the Newbie.” And the Miami New Times wrote, “Moran’s message started to seep in from that first chapter: to bring people over from the omnivorous world, they’ve got to be able to go at their own pace. Even knowing that eating a vegan diet will do an immense amount to save the planet’s precious resources and thwart the perpetration of heinous crimes against animals is often not enough to keep even the bleeding-est hearts on the vegan side of the field.”

Available through the Main Street Vegan website or at Amazon, “Main Street Vegan” is the one book any vegetarian or omnivore needs to feel confident enough to take that next step. If you’re already a vegan and living with loved ones who might need that extra push, this book would make an excellent gift for the upcoming holidays. I know of a few vegetarians who are going to unwrap this book this upcoming holiday season.