This ain't your average vegan cookbook! Now that eating (and cooking) a plant-based diet is fairly common, home cooks are no longer limited to a selection of books offering yet another spin on a veggie burger. Not only are vegetables front and center in the recipes, they are not simply underwhelming meat substitutes. Author and Chef Bryant Terry's newest cookbook elevates the dishes even further with expertly composed dishes bursting with flavor. These restaurant-quality meals rival anything, meat or otherwise, on a menu at even the most heralded of establishments. While this is definitely not a cookbook for beginners, none of the techniques are too complex. However, they definitely with allow more accomplished cooks to flex their culinary muscles in the kitchen. This was a really fun book to work through and definitely one that has earned a permanent place in our collection. Here are the dishes we chose:• Smashed Peas & Creamy Cauliflower - Although the recipe calls for fresh, shelled peas, they simply aren't available during the Winter months here in Chicago. We chose a quality, frozen variety and they worked out just fine. The Charred-Lemon Thyme oil was a revelation. While simple to make, it really amplified this dish. We began with some quality Portuguese olive oil, which is heated in a skillet until it just begins to smoke. This is poured over charred lemon halves and thyme and left to cool. You'll end up with leftover oil - which is certainly not a bad thing. While our cauliflower didn't obtain as creamy a texture as we would have liked, this was more a result of our inferior food processor than the recipe itself. This would be great on toasts as well.• Caramelized Leek and Seared Mushroom Toast - We really enjoyed this one! We began by composing the Mustard-Pine Nut spread using a quality whole-grain mustard. The bread was baked fresh - using our go-to recipe from Michael Ruhlman's book, 'From Scratch'. We found a great selection of mushrooms from our local Asian grocer and we were off to the races. This dish was earthy with just the right amount of sharpness from the mustard and leeks and a subtle sweetness from the agave. The thyme and tarragon added a pleasant herbaceous note. We enjoyed this with the Smashed Peas & Creamy Cauliflower (above) for a perfect dinner.• Panko-Crusted Cauliflower and Coconut Curry - Yes, another cauliflower dish from the book. No apologies. We love cauliflower and it's readily available at the moment. We love the technique of roasting thick cauliflower "steaks" in the oven - simply prepared with olive oil, salt and pepper. Let's talk about this coconut curry. We both agree we could drink an entire bowl of this. In fact, this will enter our rotation of regular dishes. Not only is it the perfect companion for vegan dishes like this, but also fish or chicken. The flavors are bold and complex - featuring mustard seeds, garlic, ginger, Garam Masala, turmeric, cinnamon and coconut milk, among others. Allowing the curry to simmer for 20+ minutes ensures it will thicken and become more focused. The cauliflower, topped with a panko, parsley and olive oil mixture, has a firm, meaty texture that would please both vegans and carnivores alike. We also really enjoyed the thinly sliced garlic "chips" - a result of poaching them in oil. This technique produces a deep mellow flavor.• Spinach Salad with Blackened Chickpeas - Big fans of chickpeas (or, garbanzo beans) here. We had never employed the technique of baking them in the oven. The results were perfect. The chickpeas are then tossed in a Blackened Seasoning mixture containing a variety of spices (cumin, coriander, garlic & onion powder, paprika) - which is then ground to a fine powder using a mortar and pestle. After a failed attempt to get the fenugreek seeds to grind up (these things are harder than diamonds!), we omitted them entirely. Our teeth were thankful. The spinach leaves receive a quick massage of lemon juice and salt before assembly. The charred yellow bell pepper added a pleasant sweetness as well as visual interest to the dish. A little lemon zest brightens everything up. Oh yeah, the dressing (consisting of blended silken tofu, garlic, shallot, parsley, dill and spices) added a pleasant bite to the whole affair. This was enjoyed with a simple olive oil poached fish.• Shaved Asparagus Salad - We love asparagus when it's at peak freshness. When it's not, we take a break from eating it - as the thick stalks resembling a baby's arm aren't very enjoyable. That said, this would be the perfect solution for those fat, wood-y pieces. The slightly bitter flavor of walnuts take center stage here - a result of the walnut oil and "dust" created by finely grating toasted walnuts on a microplane. The dressing has a pleasant citrus note from the lemon, a pleasing sharpness from the shallot and garlic, with just a touch of sweetness from the sugar. A garnish of dill sprigs finishes things off. This is a great light lunch or side accompaniment for a main entree. Be mindful to serve this dish immediately after dressing - as the lemon juice / salt mixture will begin to wilt the asparagus if allowed to sit too long (ask us how we know).