Review
VIV Magazine, July 2012 "... provides an arsenal of recipes to combat those who still think vegans live on twigs and seeds. Among the main dish recipes, you'll find spring vegetable pot pies, Northwest Passage cedar-planked tofu, roasted beet tacos, Korean BBQ and even county fair corn chip pie. And there are vegan dessert and drink recipes in the book as well. Handy tips and variations are peppered throughout as well, such as how to turn garlicky croutons into panzanella salad or advice for properly sealing artichoke ravioli -- and discerning when it's done cooking."
Huffington Post, May 2012 "What sets the book apart from other vegan cookbooks is the "Vegan from Scratch" chapter which provides information on making everything from Soy Cream Cheese, Smoky Maple Tofu Bacon Slices to homemade Soy Milk and Almond Milk. And she urges those who want to eat vegan to read labels of the products "because some of those on the market are not necessarily healthier."
Food & Nutrition Magazine - magazine of the world's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals - March 2012 "These tempting vegan options include a wide and varied range of tantalizing meal ideas -- from amazing appetizers and salads to hearty soups, incredibly satisfying main courses and decadent desserts. This outstanding cookbook contains so much more than just incredible vegan offerings (that are also guaranteed to appeal to non-vegans and non-vegetarians) -- ... These recipes really bring a wholly authentic vegan lifestyle into the home kitchen!"
Seattle Post Intellegence, June 2012 "If you are looking for vegan recipes because you want to add more to your diet, or if you are already vegan, I know you'll find the collection in 350 Best Vegan Recipes by Deb Roussou a pleasant addition. If you are planning to switch to being vegan, I truly suggest
350 Best Vegan Recipes to start with; they are simple to make and give a great array of transitional recipes. Recommended!" -
The Washington Times, June 2012 "Chesapeake bay cakes, a kind of vegan crab cake don't taste especially crab-like but are a veggie burger revelation. Hers are so much better than any commercial ones available, you'll eat them as snacks." The other recipe I tried was the one for Chocolate espresso cookies. Amazing yumminess without butter or eggs. "
From the Author
I think these reviews (and interview) say it best.
Montreal Gazette, June 2012
"... [an] excellent book.. "
This Dish is Veg, June 2012
"If I could only have one vegan cookbook, I've decided it would be Deb Roussou's 350 Best Vegan Recipes. It's a comprehensive source for all the basics, everyday fare, and special occasion delights a vegan cook could want. It's the first vegan cookbook I can rely on as I did my pre-vegan favorites, such as The Joy of Cooking or Southern Living Cookbook."
The Jerusalem Post, April 2012
"Deb Roussou, author of 350 Best Vegan Recipes, makes vegetable dishes that are simple to prepare and are suitable for Passover. Roussou also makes an easy Mediterranean casserole that requires no separate sauteing of the components. She layers salted eggplant slices, after patting them dry, in a baking pan with sliced red onion, mushrooms, green peppers and tomatoes, drizzles them with olive oil and sprinkles them with chopped fresh oregano, salt and pepper; she then bakes the casserole in a medium oven until the vegetables are tender. Roussou serves the casserole for lunch with a Greek salad but you could also bake it alongside a chicken for an easy-to-make holiday or Shabbat dinner."
Redding Record Searchlight, April 2012
"For those looking to go vegan, eat more vegetarian or looking for a selection of tasty healthy recipes, ...Deb Roussou has written just the book. ...She also included a chapter for vegan cocktails, including a nondairy version of Irish cream and a spicy cocktail called the Mexican Velvet Elvis featuring chocolate, chili powder and tequila."
Sacramento News & Review, May 2012
"...But are Deb Roussou's indeed the best? It's going to take a while to try them all, but it looks like a tasty process." ...And the Rustic Open-Faced Peach Pie looks drool-worthy enough to make Martha Stewart eat her heart out (such a non-vegan expression, isn't it?)."
Myrtle Beach Restaurant News, April 2012
"You don't have to be a vegan to appreciate the tasteful and healthy recipes in Deb Roussou's new cookbook, "350 Best Vegan Recipes. Several basic recipes can turn anyone into a gourmet vegan cook, with instructions for making creme fraiche, ricotta, vegetable broth and other recipe foundations..."
Excerpted from interview with Washington [DC] Times - June 2012
Ms. Roussou took the time to answer some questions.
1)What was the inspiration behind book?
Due to the lack of an active labor board in our town I was raised in my family's restaurant with a very strong work ethic. When I was asked by Robert Rose Publishing to write a "Best" book with 350 recipes my work ethic compelled me to write a book that really did have 350 great recipes with no fillers.
I think inspiration builds upon itself. As I got into writing the book I found it sometimes difficult and expensive to source vegan recipe ingredients and that lead me to develop the Vegan From Scratch chapter. I was determined to create a vegan Irish cream recipe and had a hard time finding vegan heavy cream, vegan dark chocolate sauce and vegan sweetened condensed milk so I decided to make my own.
My kitchen became my science lab and after much experimenting I ended up with recipes for kitchen staples sans fillers and preservatives. I loved the results so much--the chocolate sauce is to die for and the heavy cream gets thicker and thicker as it refrigerates--that I was inspired to create a whole chapter of Vegan From Scratch.
2) Why vegan?
My lovely grandmother, Sunny, believed you are what you eat and at a young age I was introduced to the teachings of early health gurus like Jethro Kloss and Dr. Bernard Jensen. I grew-up with a heightened awareness of healthy eating, living and environmental issues. In the early 70s this meant hiding wheat germ and spirulina in my children's smoothies.
The world has changed and it is essential that we each seek out information and take responsibility for what we put into our bodies. I do see an expanding awareness. I live in a small northern California town and even here doctors are recommending a vegan diet to their patients.
In my cooking classes I see more aging baby boomers looking to change their diets as a way to control or reverse diseases. I have just started teaching a vegan cooking class series, which would have been hard to fill a year ago.
3) How do friends that aren't vegetarians respond to the dishes?
I feel that good food is good food no matter what the label. Because flavor is so important to me I did not try to get cute and re-create dishes that would not benefit from the omission of a very small range of foods. Rather, I developed tons of dishes using a huge range of foods that can be enjoyed by everyone and the result is a cookbook filled with great recipes!
My friends know they can count on me to serve really tasty dishes so most were more than willing to be testers. Some crowd favorites are the Maple Bourbon Tempehacon, Almond Bear Claw Muffins, Greek Herbed Soy Feta in Olive Oil, Korean BBQ, Stuffed Sopapillas, Shallot Saffron Soup and of course the cocktails. The Mexican Velvet Elvis is delish!
I included Suggested Menus to help plan any occasion for all in attendance, even your non-vegan or vegetarian friends. Like I said in the introduction, 'From artisan breads to fresh summertime grills, this cookbook offers 350 great recipes to choose from and I feel certain you will find just the right ones. You can always start with the cocktails."
