Hopefully by now, you’ve likely carted in and cooked a few bountiful vegetable harvests from your garden. If you’ve tired of crisp salads and grown weary of your tired veggie standbys, it may be time to invest in a few vegetable or vegetarian cookbooks. The following vegetable-centric cookbooks are great for vegetarians, vegans, meat eaters, and cooks. Seriously! There's something for everyone!  

A vegetable for the main event

The Fresh & Green Table is a perfect resource for vegetarians seeking a new recipe, or meat lovers who want to branch out and embrace “Meatless Mondays.” Susie Middleton, the book’s author, is a market gardener. Middleton’s recipe instructions are very detailed, but worth following.

A tried and true vegetable cookbook

The Victory Garden Cookbook (Marian Morash) was born from the television classic of the same name. First published in 1982, the lauded vegetable cookbook is a staple for cooks and at-home gardeners. The cookbook effectively communicates the joy of harvesting and then cooking grown-at-home produce.

Cook up what’s in season

Sunset Edible Garden Cookbook is perfect for the year-round gardener. The book presents crop-specific recipes and is highly informational (each fruit and vegetable gets its own cultivation page.)

For the adventurous vegetarian

Herbivoracious, a uniquely eclectic vegetarian cookbook, boasts tasty, tantalizing, and original vegetarian recipes. Michael Natkin, the book’s author, presents inspired flavors from around the world.

For more vegetarian, vegan, sustainable, etc. cookbooks, check out The New York Times’ list of cookbooks. Another great reference: Mother Earth News’ expansive list of healthy cookbooks, located at the magazine's online store.

Resources:

http://www.npr.org/2012/05/14/152694515/plant-eaters-paradise-2012s-best-summer-cookbooks

http://www.amazon.com/Victory-Garden-Cookbook-Marian-Morash/dp/039470780X

Images: Jeff Attaway