Book Review: VEGAN PLANET

Robin Robertson’s Vegan Planet has long been a staple in our house. No matter what kind of food we feel like, I am sure to find a recipe in that colossal, comprehensive cookbook. In the mood for Chinese? Try the To-Fu Yung. Indian? Make Robin's Checkpeas Vindaloo. There are vegan versions of food from just about everywhere, such as Italy, France, Greece, Thailand, and Africa--and plenty of U.S. favorites like California Chili made with olives and avocados. And how about Tempeh and Red Bean Jambalaya with Chipotle Chiles? Robin also offers a section of Vegan Basics with recipes for meat substitutes like Seitan, Marinated Tofu, and Tempeh Bacon Bits. One of my favorite features is the amazing variety of delicious dressings and sauces sure to add zest to any meal. She includes everything from an Easy Vegan Hollandaise and Bechamel to Bourbon-Spiked Barbecue Sause and Ginger Lime-Dipping Sauce. 

So, when I received a copy of the new revised Vegan Planet, I immediately checked to make sure my favorite recipes from the first edition were included . . . and yep, they were--including the Tomato-Basil Lasagna Spirals that have gotten me through many a potluck (and believe me no one misses the meat or dairy). And phew, there were the Barley-Stuffed Cabbage Rolls that I make whenever I’m missing my mom’s German cooking. But the good news is that Robin has added 50 NEW recipes to the book, with dishes like Picatta-Style Cauliflower Steak, Paella-Stuffed Peppers, Pulled Portobello Barbecue, and Tiramisu Cheesecake. Robin has also updated the information and recipes from the original book to make them even healthier and more environmentally-friendly. Whether you are a long-time vegan needing fresh ideas or a new vegan wondering where to start, this cookbook is sure to satisfy. Check out some sample recipes here.

BOOK REVIEW: One-Dish Vegan

I absolutely love meals that can be served out of one bowl and have all of the important nutrients right in that dish, so Robin Robertson’s new cookbook, One-Dish Vegan was right up my alley. The book contains over 150 hearty soups, salads, and entrees that really are complete meals. As is usual with Roberson’s recipes, they are drawn from cultures all over the world. You’ll find everything from Senegalese-Inspired Red Lentil Soup to Louisiana Red Beans and Rice to Turkish-Style Stuffed Eggplant with Walnut Sauce. And for chili lovers, she has a whole chapter devoted just to chili with selections like Tequila Sundown Chili, Devil’s Food Chili and Orange-Scented Chipotle Chili.

We tried the Cauliflower Comfort Casserole made with layers of butternut squash, potatoes, cauliflower,  greens, and walnuts covered in a white bean sauce and it was absolutely delicious (though you might want to allow extra time because I needed to bake this quite a bit longer than the recipe indicated). We also loved the Lentil and Butternut Soup as well with its complex array of spicy, sweet, and savory flavors. My daughters have asked for the Fettuccini with Creamy Cannellini Tomato Sauce next and it is simple enough that I think they will be able to prepare it themselves.

All of the recipes in the book have clear, easy-to-follow instructions. Although many of the recipes are fast and easy to make, there are more complex dishes too that will take more than one bowl or pot to prepare them—but I think you’ll find those worth the effort. I just love that these recipes are so healthy and made with whole food ingredients and there is enough variety to suit pretty much any taste. This is a great book to use during the busy holiday season ahead, and would make a wonderful gift as well.  

Book Review: WILD ABOUT GREENS by Nava Atlas

Dark leafy greens are probably the number one best food you can eat . . . and most of us need to eat more of them. But if you’ve run out of interesting and tasty ways to serve them, despair no more, Nava Atlas has “125 delectable vegan recipes for kale, collards, arugula, bok choy, and other leafy veggies everyone loves” in her newest cookbook, Wild About Greens.

Now I thought I had quite the repertoire for cooking greens as it is a specialty of mine, but I still found plenty of new and delicious ways to serve greens to my family. My kids especially loved the White Bean and Greens Burgers (pictured above) and the Sweet Potato and Corn Stew with Hardy Greens. The Leek and Potato Soup with Watercress was a particular favorite of mine. A particularly great thing about this book, like all of Nava’s books actually, is that she is the master of quick and easy meals. This cookbook is really handy for weekday dinners. I was able to whip up the Rosemary Potatoes and Collard Greens with Vegan Sausage (white and sweet potatoes are precooked in the microwave) and the Greens with Polenta Wedges (using a tube of precooked polenta) in less than 30 minutes. And they were as delicious as if they’d taken hours.

For those who prefer raw foods, there are plenty of juices, smoothies, and salads to choose from. I had a little block when it came to trying the massaged kale salads. I just couldn’t imagine that it would taste good. But Nava hasn’t steered me wrong yet, so I went for it. Nava gives several methods, but I opted for her favorite, the “olive oil on the palms” method, and it worked beautifully. In less then a minute, the raw kale was soft and green and just like it had been wilted with heat. (Before and after photos to the right.)

The kids weren’t so wild about it . . . but I thought it was fabulous, especially in the Kale Salad with Dried Fruits and Nuts. There are still so many recipes I want to try, like the Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens and Pad See Ew.

Wild About Greens is more than just recipes too. There is a thorough introduction with detailed information about the greens featured in the book, as well as buying and preparation tips. And the insert with full-color photographs of some of the recipes is sure to make your mouth water. This will definitely be residing on my kitchen counter for a long time. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking to add more greens into their diet. 

Book Review: Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide

Have a vegan friend who’s pregnant . . . or trying to be? Vegan Pregnancy Survival Guide by Sayward Rebhal would be a perfect little gift. This little book is packed with tips and advice for a successful vegan pregnancy. Written in a friendly style, it’s like having a little cheering section when the questions about where you’ll get your protein or if you’ll raise your child vegan get to be too much. The book gives sources for important nutrients, and suggestions for dealing with common discomforts like morning sickness and heartburn—it even lists which antacids are vegan. While this is not a comprehensive manual by any means, it is the perfect companion to one of those big books, which don’t usually include much in the way of vegan alternatives. It’s a fun, uplifting book that you can read in one sitting.

Book Review: Vegan Holiday Kitchen

Sometimes it's hard to come up with vegan specialities for holidays that kids and non-vegan family and friends will like, but Nava Atlas's new cookbook Vegan Holiday Kitchen is the answer to that dilemma. With recipes for Christian, Jewish, and nonreligious holidays and special occasions, the whole year is covered. And best of all, you don't have to spend your whole holiday cooking. These recipes are easy to make--but impressive enough to serve for company.

I received this book just in time for Thanksgiving and it's now after New Year's and I still haven't put it up on the shelf. I made the Walnut-Apple Stuffing, Agave and Mustard-Glazed Green Beans, and Cranberry Applesauce on Thanksgiving (my kids LOVED them!). On Christmas, I served the Hearty Lentil and Mushroom Shepherd's Pie (amazing!), Challah bread, and Red Wine-Roasted Brussels Sprouts. And though this is a holiday cookbook, I've made several other recipes on just regular old days. The recipes are easy to follow and so delicious--and very family friendly. I made dinner (from this book) for my friend and her kids, and she went right home that night and ordered it. That's how good the food is!

The recipes are organized by holiday which is a nice way to find a good recipe for that special occasion, but makes it just a bit tricky when you want to make a certain dish and forget what holiday it was categorized under (and the index is not terribly user-friendly).

All in all, this is a beautiful hardcover book with lots of beautiful pictures, and, most importantly, great recipes that your family and friends will enjoy. It is fast becoming one of my favorite cookbooks.

BOOK REVIEW: Vegan World Feast

Review: World Vegan Feast by Bryanna Clark Groggan

World Vegan Feast is exactly that . . . virtually a vegan foodie trip around the world with recipes like Sizzling Saigon Crepes (vietnamese moong dal pancakes stuffed with tofu and vegetables), Indonesian Green Curry on Roasted Sweet Potatoes, and Rose-Scented Baklava. This is my first Bryanna Clark Grogan cookbook, but I can see why she has such a following. Using her cookbook is like taking a cooking class. I've never read a cookbook with such detailed instructions--she really, really wants the reader to be successful making her recipes. I was skeptical about the no-knead bread but it came out wonderfully--I'll never knead again! My family also loved the Lentil and Rapini Stew with Spicy Vegan Sausauge (though it needed quite a bit more water than the recipe specified). The "index to countries" makes it easy when you want a recipe from a particular region, and Grogan also includes recipes for basics like "chicken" broth powder and worcestershire sauce.

Nava Atlas's Red Wine Roasted Brussels Sprouts

As we count down the days until Christmas, I'm planning my holiday dinner--so I naturally turned to Nava Atlas's new cookbook: Vegan Holiday Kitchen--especially since her recipes were such a hit on Thanksgiving.

I had found some beautiful little brussels sprouts at one of my favorite local growers: Rutiz Farms last weekend so I thought I'd preview Nava's Red Wine-Roasted Brussels Sprouts. To make it more of a meal, I added some cauliflower and tofu and served it with baked butternut squash and applesauce. All I can say is WOW! The outsides of the sprouts were crispy and sweet, the insides just melted in our mouths. They were so good . . . and it wasn't just me, the kids loved them too. These will definitely be on our Christmas dinner menu!

BOOK REVIEW: Quick-fix Vegan

Quick-Fix Vegan
by Robin Robertson

Review by Cathe Olson

I’m sure you’ll be as excited as I was to find out that Robin Robertson has a new cookbook out. Roberson’s books have long been a staple at my house, but with her new book, Quick-Fix Vegan, I think she’s outdone herself.

According to the book cover, Quick-Fix Vegan contains 150 “healthy, homestyle meals” that can be prepared in “30 minutes or less.” Unlike other “quick” cookbooks that rely heavily on jarred sauces and prepared foods, the recipes in this book are made largely from whole, unprocessed foods . . . foods I have on hand and feel good about serving my family.

The chapter of Starters and Snacks includes Moroccan Pumpkin Hummus, Super Nachos, and Easy Artichoke Puffs. I made the vegetable fritters—a mixture of shredded onions, potatoes and vegetables, held together with flour and nondairy milk—for my family and they were a huge hit. In fact, I’ve made them several times since, varying the vegetables, herbs, and flours with excellent results. The leftovers, if there are any, go great in the kids’ lunchboxes. It was a bit challenging to get the fritters all cooked in under 30 minutes, but getting several skillets cooking at once does decrease the cooking time (though adds to the cleanup time). (See more on the fritters here!)

I’m a big soup fan—especially this time of year—and Robertson includes some great ones. We loved the Creamy Greens Soup made with kale and coconut milk; and the Cream of Mushroom Soup was sublime. I haven’t had a chance to try any of the Speedy Sandwiches or Snappy Salads, but am looking forward to making the Sloppy Portobellos, Seitan and Slaw Wraps, Freeburgers, and Burmese Ginger Salad.

The selection of Stovetop Suppers and Pasta Express dinners include a variety of veganized international favorites like Tofu “Scampi” with Spinach, Jerk Seitan and Vegetable Skillet, Korean Hot Pot, and Skillet Lasagne. I made the Tofu Skillet Scramble and it was super quick and easy, and very flavorful. The book also includes recipes for condiments, gravies and chutneys, and desserts like Pear Turnovers, which I am dying to try, and Molasses Ginger Cookies with blueberries.

Every recipe I tried worked well. The instructions were clear and simple. The ingredients are ones I had on hand or could find easily. Some of the recipes do take longer than 30 minutes to prepare. For example, the baking time for the Portobellos Stuffed with Chickpeas and Chard is 25 minutes. But you still need to prep the ingredients and cook the chard for 7 minutes. So read over the recipes carefully if you really are pressed for time just to be sure.

My recommendation? This is one of the best cookbooks I’ve found in a long time. The meals are great for families—nothing too outlandish, but nothing boring either. It is definitely the first one I’ll turn to in the busy months to come.

Vegan Holiday Heaven

I don't care if Santa comes or not this year . . . I've already gotten my presents. Two of my favorite cookbook authors came out with new books and I just couldn't ask for anything more.

About a month ago, I got Robin Robertson's new cookbook Quick-fix Vegan. I've been having such a great time trying out her delicious recipes (full review coming soon) and then 2 days before Thanksgiving, I got Nava Atlas's new cookbook Vegan Holiday Kitchen. I already had my Thanksgiving dinner planned and all my ingredients stocked, but as soon as I started paging through Nava's book . . . I knew I had to try them. So after a hurried trip to the store on Thanksgiving eve (which I do not recommend!), I was ready for the alterations.

The main dish was to be Robin Robertson's Seitan En Croute which is basically seitan and stuffing wrapped in puff pastry. I used the Slow Cooker Seitan I made the week before and substituted Nava's Walnut-Apple Stuffing (there was a lot left over so I cooked the rest of the stuffing on the side). My husband and I loved the Seitan En Croute, but my daughters were bigger fans of the stuffing plain.

I stuck to my original plan of Roasted Root Vegetables from the Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook, because I know it's always a sure hit--but instead of the roasted green beans I had planned, I made the Agave and Mustard Glazed Green Beans from Vegan Holiday Kitchen, which my daughters absolutely loved.

And finally, rather than the regular apple sauce requested by my apple sauce obsessed daughter, I made Nava's Cranberry-Apple Sauce (though I used double the apples and half the cranberries because I wasn't sure how it would go over)--and believe it or not, both of my daughters declared it their favorite dish of our Thanksgiving dinner. In fact, the next day as my younger daughter finished off the last bits, she told me she liked it better than regular applesauce. Lucky me--I still have half a bag of cranberries left so I'll get right on another batch!

The best thing is it's not even December yet so I'll have plenty of occasions to treat my family and friends to more of the wonderful dishes from both of this great cookbooks.

Bon appetit!

Vegan Crunk

The Vegan Crunk likes Lick It! Creamy Dreamy Vegan Ice Creams Your Mouth Will Love. Check out her blog post about her experience making vegan Rocky Road Ice Cream.

Book Review: Farmer Jane

Women increasingly own their own farms and businesses, are active in their communities and government—and as shown in the book Farmer Jane—are strong advocates for sustainable food. This inspiring book profiles female farmers, chefs, activists, and educators working to change the way we eat and farm.

Click here to read my review of Farmer Jane: Women Changing the Way We Eat.

Book Review: American Vegan Kitchen

If you like comfort food, you'll love the new cookbook American Vegan Kitchen by Tammy Noyes who writes the Vegan Appetite blog.. Check out my review at VegFamily.com.

Book Review: Bean Appetit

Bean Appétit is packed with creative ways to make healthy foods not only delicious but fun. The dishes are so bright, colorful, and creative, they’re more like art than meals. Like the “High Note Nibbles” sandwiches, for example, that look like a piano keyboard. Or the “Bug Bites”—dragonfly-shaped pitas sandwiches made with fruit, turkey, and a pickle. The almost florescent-purple “Starry Night Bites” are made from berries and sticky rice and adorned with cheese stars. But my favorite was “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” which looks like the character from the book by Eric Carle. Chicken-and-vegetable-stuffed spring rolls form the body with a big tomato as a head and pretzel sticks as legs. It’s so cute and sounds really tasty. There are many more fun creations for parents and children to make together—with lots that don’t even require any cooking.

The recipes and language in Bean Appétit are appropriate for the preschool crowd. Directions to “Shake your hips and get ready to mix:” or “Roll around on the floor while chanting ‘Go bananas’ will be fun for young children, but may turn off older kids. Interspersed between the recipes are silly conversation starters, such as “Who do you know has the silliest singing voice?” or “Would you rather share your sleeping bag with a bat or a bear?” There are games like “Flash Dance” (a flashlight dancing game) and food related trivia like “Table Manners from Other Countries.” The book is bright and appealing with whimsical illustrations and colorful photographs. This would be great for parents of preschoolers and preschool or kindergarten teachers.

Book Reviews: Children's Books

Check out the December issue of VegFamily Magazine for reviews of some children's books that promote vegetarianism, kindness to animals and healthful eating. My pick is Monsters Don't Eat Broccoli!

Book Review: Vegan Lunch Box Around the World

For even more lunch box ideas, check out my book review of Vegan Lunch Box Around the World.

Vegan Soapbox Review

Vegan Soapbox -- great ezine if you haven't check it out -- just ran a review of Lick It! Creamy Dreamy Vegan Ice Creams Your Mouth Will Love. They're running a giveaway too so be sure to check it out.

Book Review: That's Why We Don't Eat Animals

Check out my review of the great new picture book -- yup, that's right picture book -- That's Why We Don't Eat Animals.

VegFamily -- August Issue

The August issue of VegFamily Magazine is just out -- there are some great articles:

Check out the article about tasty and healthy summer drinks--with recipes for treats you can make yourself like slushies and shakes. I also liked the comparision of different types of V8 drinks in the Vegan Cooking Tips section. Also book reviews of Isa Chandra Moskovitz's new book Vegan Brunch and 101 Foods That Can Save Your Life by David Grotto, RD, LDN.

It's another great issue.

amazon review

Now I don't mind an honest review of my book -- even if it's negative. I don't expect that my books will be for everyone and that's okay. But I do mind when someone posts a scathing review based on a couple of random pages they saw thru the 'search this book' feature on amazon.com.  Someone posted that my book is full of unhealthy coconut milk recipe and that how could she eat ice cream every day if it had so much fat in it . . . . well -- first of all, I never expected that someone would eat ice cream every day. Full fat, low fat or no fat, that's a lot of sweets to be eating. Second, though the book does have a lot of recipes that use coconut milk in them -- that's what makes them so rich and creamy -- it also has lots of recipe for low fat ice creams, frozen yogurts, and sorbets as well as healthy fruit sauces and toppings. In addition, coconut milk is a healthy plant-based fat (we do need good fats in our diet), and even so my recipes are lower in fat than most dairy ice creams.

So  . . . if you have a copy of Lick It!, please post an honest review based on having actually seen the book.

Book Review: Secret Recipes for the Modern Wife

I'm a huge fan of Nava Atlas' cookbooks--they're full of healthy vegetarian recipes that my family loves. Her newest book--though it is full of recipes--is nothing like her other books. Secret Recipes for the Modern Wife is a hilarious look at marriage, motherhood, and even divorce through recipes, ads and hideous fifties-style food pictures.

Check out the "Gender Role Casserole", "Completely Fried Wife", "Psychotherapy Pie"--or the dish I partake of almost daily: "Way Too Much On Your Plate." There's a recipe for every mood and a laugh (and sometimes a cry) on every page.

This book is just too much fun--and a great way to realize that we all go through ups and downs in marriage and motherhood but hopefully we'll still end up enjoying "A Fairly Satisfactory Family Stew" with "Happily-Ever-After Ambrosia" for dessert.