Book excerpt: In this enlightening cookbook, chef Jennifer Brule brings southern-style food together with plant-based approaches to eating. Her down-to-earth style and 105 recipes will immediately appeal to vegetarians, vegans, and meat-eaters alike. These dishes are also a boon for those who simply love southern food and want to learn more about options for flexitarian eating. Brule deliciously demystifies meat substitutes and flavors up familiar vegetables. Imagine vegetarian barbecue: Brule's recipe for spicing, saucing, and oven-roasting jackfruit offers a robustly tasty alternative to pulled pork. Tofu is the perfect base for crispy Southern Fried Buttermilk Nuggets, and cauliflower beautifully fills in for shrimp in a Cajun-inspired etouffee. Brule also highlights just how many traditional southern dishes are in fact vegetarian, and they're gathered together for you in this gorgeously illustrated book. Beloved foods like tomato pie, pimento cheese, grits casserole, and more will encourage you to skip the meat without a second thought. With step-by-step instructions and notes on how to easily find new ingredients, The New Vegetarian South gathers a feast for everyone.