Sesame, Soy, Spice - by Remy Morimoto Park (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

The social media star, recipe developer, and health blogger behind Veggiekins shares delicious vegan and gluten-free meals, influenced by her pan-Asian background and her personal journey to wellness.

Growing up in an international family, Remy Morimoto Park ate food from her parents' Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese cultures; other family members' French and Brazilian origins; and close friends' Thai homes. When she began struggling with an eating disorder and problems with addiction, she turned to a vegan and gluten-free lifestyle and found herself drifting away from her family meals and childhood comfort foods, locking on to the cucumber sticks, grilled chicken salads, and bean burgers that dominate the popular diet and vegan spaces. But Remy's rejection of meat dishes, and frustration in finding vegan meals while eating out at Asian restaurants, put a stress on potential ways to connect with family members and her heritage.

Turning her old comfort foods into inspiration for new dishes, she was able to strengthen her relationship with food, a crucial part in her recovery from addiction and disordered eating. It also gave her opportunities to explore traditional vegan diets in her cultures, including Korean temple food, Japanese Buddhist cuisine, and Taiwanese faux meats, and she found that the compassionate lifestyle that is a part of veganism was a pillar in her recovery.

In this beautiful, inspirational book, Remy offers elegant, easy-to-make plant-based takes on international and Asian-ish dishes such as:

Smoky Maple Tempeh BaconGreen Garden Soba Noodle SaladTaiwanese Five Spice Brussel SproutsSpicy Peanut RamenThai Basil TempehJapanese Kare, with Popcorn TofuPesto Pão de Queijo/Brazilian Cheezy BreadMiso Caramel Crème BruléeSesame Bark Chocolate

From breakfast to dessert and every meal in between, Sesame, Soy, Spice provides standout vegan and gluten-free recipes alongside thoughtful reflections on family, culture, and wellness. As Remy says, the recipes in this book are love letters to her family members, to the countries she's lived in, and to her teenage self--the one who thought she had to reject the food of her culture to live authentically for herself.

Review Quotes

"Remy transports you into an effervescent world of plant-based goodness with her debut cookbook, Sesame Soy Spice. The recipes are simultaneously show-stopping and simple, and with each turning page you're taken through a journey of delicious nourishing food and family roots. This is not one to miss!" -- Carleigh Bodrug, New York Times bestselling author of PlantYou

"This book doesn't just provide a glimpse of the three building blocks to the author's cuisine--it gives readers an intimate look into how food can connect us to our past, our future, and most important, each other." -- Joanne Lee Molinaro, New York Times bestselling author of The Korean Vegan

"Remy is a culinary visionary, and her recipes are as delicious as they are beautiful! Her gorgeous new cookbook weaves together mouthwatering vegan, gluten-free recipes and heartwarming family stories that make you feel as though you are cooking alongside her. With Remy's expert guidance, you'll discover craveable new dishes with seriously impressive flavor--from Korean BBQ-Loaded Nachos to Miso Caramel Crème Brûlée! This cookbook is a true masterpiece." -- Chloe Coscarelli, author of Chloe Flavor

"Remy sees food how I want to see food: nourishing, deeply connected to her past and present, and built for community. Each recipe in this book feels distinctly like her, and leaves me craving vegetables (hello, crunchy togarashi asparagus and beetroot flax crackers!) like I never have before." -- Justine Doiron, creator of Justine Snacks

"A wide-ranging and clearly written foray into the world of Asian-influenced vegan cuisine. An excellent addition for readers interested in plant-based meals." -- Library Journal (starred review)

"Comforting, 'Asianish' recipes guaranteed to indulge your inner child no matter what your background. . . . Whether your recess breaks were spent munching on cheesy Goldfish crackers, you indulged in bubble tea after school, or you slurped Korean-style porridge to nurse a cold, it's time to turn back the clock and embrace nostalgia while satisfying your refined adult tastes. Time travel not required." -- VegNews

"As aesthetically pleasing as her Instagram grid. . . . the recipes all happen to be vegan and gluten-free, but they're far from fussy and are guaranteed to teach you some new techniques that make vegetables shine." -- The Quality Edit