Plant Academy: The Cookbook

Lauren Lovatt is a plant based chef, culinary educator and entrepreneur who founded Plant Academy cookery school in 2019, a school created to inspire passion through plants through inviting the leading minds in the industry to teach on their signature Plant 123 chef training program. As well as a passion for plants Lauren’s main focus is bringing the conversation of Mental Health to the table through her revolutionary book Mind Food, released in 2022 after many years of curating supper clubs, hosting events at festivals, such as Wilderness and Shambla, and leading retreats on this important concept. Having travelled the world cooking and teaching she previously consulted for HOY Paris, Paris’ first plant based hotel, and currently working with Alchemy Academy Bali Lauren is forever evolving her own food art and conscious impact on the food world. Sara Kiyo Popowa is a food photographer and recipe developer @shisiodelicious with over 106,000 followers. She is the popular author of Bento Power and The Opinionated Guide to Vegan London. Sara has been an integral part of Plant Academy since the beginning, first coming on board to teach masterclasses about her book Bento Power and photography and going on to open a joint venture with Lauren Lovatt ‘The Food Studio’ where they created the Plant Academy online courses and so much more. Sara’s passion for plants and incredible photography skills brought Plant Academy to life in a brand new way and all of the photos and animations for the courses, online and for this Plant Academy book, have been created by her over the last four years. She shares with Lovatt a devotion to the power of the visual and for communicating plant-based food in a mesmerizingly bold and aesthetic way. This book and all of Plant Academy would not be the same without her. Sophie Dunster is an illustator and the founder of sustainable fashion brand Gung Ho, and her mission is to educate and inspire change through design. Instagram: @gungho_studios Website: gunghostudios.co.uk

Foreword by Richard Buckley, author of Plants Taste Better and founder of Acorn and OAK restaurants in Bath



Introduction
Before You Begin
                                                               

Chapter 1: Stocks & Sauces

Introduction by Carolina Chinea, plant-based business coach, chef and co-creator of Plant Academy 

Essential Stocks & Sauces

Enhance: Light Stock

Enrich: Dark Stock      

Infuse: Smoked Dashi

Reduce: Glace

Flavour Balance

Dressings

                        Infused

                        Emulsified

                        Creamy



Sauces

                        Seed Pesto

                        Harissa Sauce

                        Romesco

          
Chapter 2: Nuts & Seeds       

Introduction

Techniques: Milks and Creams

            Plant Milk

            Plant Cream

            Crunch & Candy

            Nut & Seed Butters

Chilli, Rosemary & Molasses Seed Loaf

Cashew Béchamel Tart

Massaged Kale

Milk Chocolate Mousse


Chapter 3: Beans & Legumes            

Introduction

Techniques: Sprouting

            Cooking

            Baking, Binding & Thickening

            Fermenting

Tempeh

Bean-otto

Bean Cheesecake

Chickpea Chocolate Truffles

 

Chapter 4: Grains & Pseudo Grains  

Introduction

Techniques: Preparation

            Cook

            Puff

            Sprout

            Bloom

            Batter

Seasonal Poke Bowl

Buckwheat Flatbreads

Tamales

Lost Rice Bowl

Chapter 5: Plants       

Introduction

Techniques: Smoking

            Cold Smoking: Smoky Seaweed Carrots

            Hot Smoking: Grilled Mushrooms, ‘Mole’ Blanco

Marinade: BBQ Sauce, Smoked Tofu Candy

Nasi Campur

Adaptogen Adobo

Smoked Broccoli Arepa

Chapter 6: The World of Fermentation        

Introduction by Rachel de Thample, author, teacher and fermenter

Techniques: The Basics

            Lacto Fermentation

            SCOBY

            Wild Fermentation

            Preserving with Salt

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut Fritters

Kombucha

Kombucha-litas

Ginger & Turmeric Bugs

Preserved Oranges

Preserved Orange Hummus

Chapter 7: The Cheese Module        

Introduction

Techniques: Making a Cheese Base

Miso Cheese

Smoked Cheese

Macadamia Ash

Coconut Boursin

Cashew Raclette

Chapter 8: The Missing Ingredient               

Introduction by Arthur Potts Dawson, the original green chef, World Food Program Advocacy Chef for the UN and co-author of the Chefs’ Manifesto

Techniques: Sourcing Your Food

            Local

            Organic

            Biodynamic

            Foraged

 Apple and Walnut Salad

 Wild Rosti

 Really Good Roasted Roots

 Stove-top Flapjacks

Chapter 9: Understanding Adaptogens        

Introduction

Techniques: Adaptogens & Potent Plants

            Types of Adaptogens

            Potent Plants

            Medicinal Mushrooms

            CBD

Saffron Oats

CBD Salad

Adaptogen Spiked Chocolate

Hot Chocolate Tonic

Chapter 10: Gluten-Free Baking    

Introduction

Techniques: The Key Ingredients

            Butter 

            Flax ‘Egg’

            Gluten-free Flour Blends

Buckwheat Pumpernickel

Almond, Peanut & Cacao Cookie Sandwiches

Medicinal Mushroom Gataeux

Chapter 11: Raw Desserts                 

Introduction

Techniques: Sweet Creams and Caramels

            Creams

            Caramels

Raw Cheesecake

Fermented Ginger Cheesecake

Nut Butter Bars

Chapter 12: Plating 101                    

Elements of Plating

Radishes & Seed Butter

Courgette Cannelloni

Nut & Seed Soaking Times

About the Author & Contributors

Index

Acknowledgements

Recommended Reading

Plant Academy People