Sauteed Seitan with Mushrooms and Spinach * Herb-Scalloped Potatoes SUGGESTED SALAD: Bulgur, Arugula, and Cannellini Salad

SUGGESTED DESSERT: Heart-Shaped Apple Galettes

PICNIC MENU.

Apricot Baked BBQ Tofu * Prospect Park Potato Salad * Grilled Corn SUGGESTED DESSERT: Lower-Fat Banana Bread

SMASH YOUR TV DINNER MENU.

Mac Daddy * Roasted Zucchini * Roasted b.u.t.ternut Squash with Coriander Seeds SUGGESTED SOUP: Tomato-Rice Soup

SUGGESTED DESSERT: Pumpkin Crumb Cake with Pecan Streusel

MEXICAN, NOT MEXICAN"T MENU

Black Beans with Chipotle Adobo Sauce * Guacamole * Mexican Millet SUGGESTED SALAD: Jicama-Watercress-Avocado Salad with Spicy Citrus Vinaigrette SUGGESTED DESSERT: Banana-Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

ROMAN G.o.dDESS MENU.

Chickpeas Romesco * Saffron-Garlic Rice * Roasted Green Beans SUGGESTED SALAD: Caesar Salad with Roasted Garlic Croutons

SUGGESTED DESSERT: Biscotti and Espresso

RUSTIC G.o.dDESS MENU.

Tomato Couscous with Capers * Rustic White Beans with Mushrooms SUGGESTED SOUP: Broccoli-Potato Soup with Fresh Herbs

SUGGESTED DESSERT: Berry-Coconut Cris

Timing Is Everything!

SMARTY-PANTS cooks prepare as much as possible a day or two in advance and store it in airtight containers. Use the following guide to plan out your next major event and you"ll have plenty of procrastination time on your hands as a present to yourself.

UP TO TWO DAYS IN ADVANCE: Any soup, dip, most sauces, and baked goods such as cookies and pie crusts can be made up to two days in advance.

THE DAY OR NIGHT BEFORE: Homemade seitan, stuffings, or other grain dishes; marinated overnight tofu/tempeh; sandwich fillings; and any ca.s.serole can be a.s.sembled a day before and cooked the day of. Prepare and shape bean b.a.l.l.s, burgers, and patties, and keep tightly covered in the refrigerator. Bake and wrap any cakes, cupcakes, or m.u.f.fins.

TWO HOURS (AND COUNTING) BEFORE: A few hours before serving the big meal is the ideal time to wash and dry salad greens, and prepare the dressing and store it in the fridge. Cut any fresh fruit, and a.s.semble the appetizers. Also, bake or reheat the prea.s.sembled ca.s.seroles, wrap them tightly in foil, and keep them warm in the oven at 200F (or the "warm" setting) until mealtime. Pasta, however, should be boiled and served as close to serving time as possible. For things that need to be served right away, give yourself an extra half hour to relax before cooking them. It also allows you some additional time to get everything together and check that there"s no spinach between your teeth before your guests start rolling in.

Because your mother isn"t here, we might as well remind you that this is the time to set the table, arrange gla.s.sware and stuff for drinks, fold some napkins, set the stereo on some soft rock/black metal or whatever floats your boat, and maybe light a candle for ambiance. Take a shower if time permits. We spare nothing when it comes to being cla.s.sy.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

Terry and Isa would like to thank: Katie McHugh, our beautiful and patient editor at Perseus Matthew Lore, our publisher at Perseus who took a chance on us in the first place Christine Marra, our other editor at Perseus, for calling us every 5 minutes Pauline Neuwirth, our book designer superhero.

Marc Gerald, our super-agent at the Agency Group Julia Moskin at the NY times, who made us famous The Nerd NYC community Isa would like to thank: Justin Field, for building me shelves and keeping the cats at bay.

My mom, Marlene Stewart, for transitioning to veganism and loving tempeh.

Josh Hooten for finally admitting that I am the new face of veganism and he is a washed up old man who listens to Les Savy Five and wonders what might have been. And his beautiful wife Mich.e.l.le for publishing Herbivore Magazine.

Amy Sims, for being muh guh, (lylas!) The Post Punk Kitchen forum mods; Paula, Eppy, Angela, Katie and Brian, for deleting spam and threads about honey and dating omnis, thus freeing up my time to play scrabble and write cookbooks.

Erica Levine because I have to thank her in every book or else she headb.u.t.ts me (someone please help!) Mich.e.l.le Moskowitz-Brown for being my sister, even if she doesn"t name the new baby after me. Also, Max for being cute and Aaron Brown for having good genes. (There is still time to name the baby after me) Gorilla Coffee in Brooklyn, for having free wi-fi and keeping the soy milk out in a thermos. I spent many, many hours there doing most of the writing and editing for Veganomicon.

The Brooklyn Public Library at Grand Army Plaza for being a glorious place with air conditioning free wifi and, oh yes, so many books! Also, for being around the corner.

Terry would like to thank: John Stavropoulos, my wonderful husband. Who gives great hugs, isn"t afraid to tell me if he doesn"t like something and breaks for seitan.

My parents, Teresa and Nerio, who will make every recipe in this book (even if they don"t know this yet).

My sweetie mother-in-law Eleni for bringing me oregano from Greece that she picked herself from the side of a mountain in Sparta. Now that"s hardcore.

The Forest Hills crew for keeping me company in the kitchen and being awesome: Erica, Keren, Evelyn, Paula, Frank, Jim and Jason.

Drozdal for his evil insight (the t.i.tle of this tome you hold in your hands).

My boss Mark, my co-workers and my job for being understanding and really nice during my manic months spent making this book (yes, this was the reason I was furiously typing away in my cubicle-cave).

Our recipe testers guided our way throughout this cookbook. Not only did they tirelessly test our recipes, find our typos, help us clarify directions and hold our hands, they also let us know what foods they were craving and gave us endless ideas and inspiration. They let us know what they wanted in a cookbook, so while we would love to take full credit for being psychic culinary geniuses, we"ll pull back the curtain and give them big fat hugs. Thank you guys so much, we love you all!

Pictured: Amanda Sacco tested over 100 recipes. No sooner did we post something than Amanda had tested it. We think she might be a vegan robot. But aren"t all robots vegan?

Erica Johnson

Lisa Coulson

Raelene Coburn

Jayne Ott, Nadia and Brigit Wendt

Webly Bowles

Megan Duke

Julie Farson

Anna Hood

Abby Wohl

Andrea Zeh