Customer Reviews

The Garden of Vegan: How It All Vegan Again!

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I pre-ordered this book a while back, and was very happy to finally receive it. In essence, "The Garden of Vegan" picks up where "How it all Vegan" left off. There are lots more fun recipes for appetizers, stir fries, "main entrees" and desserts. Every dish I've tried so far has turned out great; in fact my meat loving husband has enjoyed them all too.
So far I've made:
"Carmelized onion and fennel mashed potatoes" - this was excellent.
"Portobello mushroom bake" - fantastic.
"Coconut spiced vegetables" -a really good stir fry.
"Brownie cookies" - yum.
"Amazing chocolate pudding" - amazing, as the title says.
There's also lots of good tips in the back about how to make different spice combinations, such as Garam Masala, etc. There's also different ideas about how to host fun parties.
All in all, if you enjoy cooking vegan/vegetarian and want recipes that are interesting and not too time consuming, this is a great book.

I am a new vegan and I was having a hard time with the cookbooks that called for all sorts of ingredients I had never heard of with all sorts of difficult recipes. I wasn't good at cooking food before I became vegan, and it seemed like all the vegan cookbooks were for advanced cooks. Not this book. These are all great recipes with easy ingredients and simple directions. I especially love the recipes where they note that they can be frozen and reheated later. I have such a hard time cooking good healthy food while working and going to school, but this book is full of recipes that let you do that especially if you can freeze them and eat them later! Plus, the authors seem to have great laid back personalities. Not too "ooh-la-la" -- very down to earth. These recipes are great for anyone who is looking to eat more healthily. Downside of the book is that there aren't pictures of the food and sometimes I can't quite tell what it is that the recipe is for (like Jessie's Cuban Sensation-- very nice title, but what is it?). This is their second cookbook so I would recommend their first one for more basic stuff and then this one to expand your range of foods to make. They also have great ideas for parties, and a special section for college students trying to be vegan in a dorm.

I bought this cookbook hoping it would be as excellent as How It All Vegan, my absolute hands down favorite cookbook. It does have many of the same features as the first book, easy to find ingredients, simple preparation instructions, and of course delicious recipes. However, it also has many more specialized recipes which are of less general interest. For instance, one chapter of the book is devoted to microwave cookery. I realize this may be of interest to some, but for me I see no reason to agonize over how to make muffins in the microwave when I can just pop them in the oven. It is still a great cookbook with many great recipes, but overall fewer interesting new ideas than its predecessor.

Note: The reviewer complaing about a lack of index perhaps has an old edition as mine has an index which is easy to use.

"How It All Vegan" was my favorite cookbook from when I first became a vegetarian. All the recipes were tasty, easy, healthy, and they ALWAYS worked. So, I ordered "The Garden of Vegan" sight unseen. I was not disappointed. Where the first book consisted of the authors' own tried and true recipes, the second book consists of recipes sent to the authors by their legions of fans. I've fixed these recipes for non-vegetarian friends and relatives who didn't even notice that there was no meat, dairy or eggs in the dishes. They didn't miss a thing because the food was soooo good. The Garden of Vegan even has a section on throwing vegan parties, and the ideas go way beyond food. Both books are highly recommended. These two ladies are a hoot!

My absolute favorite cookbooks are by Tanya Barnard & Sarah Kramer, authors of "How it All Vegan!" and "The Garden of Vegan." Even if you aren't vegan, nearly every one of the recipes I've tried have been very yummy, pleasing many of my non-vegan friends and family!
New to these books? Try my favorites- I've made each of the following recipes more than 3 times, and they're a hit each time :)

from "How it all Vegan":
'anything goes' fruit muffins, p 49 (great when I have fruit that is about to go bad... just add it to a batch of muffins!)
Perfect Pesto, p. 80
Fragrant Garlic Parsley Pasta p. 106 (gggggggreat!)
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies, p. 137 (I've made this recipe 10+ times. My friends and family LOVE this recipe- they can't even tell the cookies are vegan; they are so rich and delicious. I use a little more than the recommended chocolate chps- I use a little over 1 1/2 cups choc chips. Throw in some cocoa powder for extra flavor (1 tbsp)- and I often add pecans or walnuts!)
Flax Eggs, p.157 (Ok, so this is just an egg-substitute recipe, real simple... but it has been the best egg-replacer I've used in baking- and it's very cheap!)
Out of this whole book, the only recipe that turned out awful for me was Big Ben's Lentil Burgers, p. 110. I don't know what I did, they just falled apart... probably could have used some Flax Eggs....

From "The Garden of Vegan": I haven't tried quite as many recipes in this book, but from what I have... really good!
Sesame Ginger Dressing, p. 99 (awesome!!!)
All-Purpose Spice Nuts, p. 111 (good for parties)
Zoe's Grandma's Roasted New Potatoes, p. 113
Chickpeas & Swiss Chard, p. 117 (one summer I was growing lots of swiss chard at my parents' house and didn't know what to do with it... this recipe is sooooooo good! Yes, garnish it with flax oil and Bragg's, as recommended.)
Green Goddess Bowl, p. 153
Anne's molasses Cookies, p. 187 (so simple and so good.)

I can't recommend these books enuf- when I was *new* to cooking, i found them very user-friendly and with helpful references in the front and back of each book, I learned about all the different kinds of flour and beans, and a million things to do with baking soda, and ideas for bath and body treats, and party theme ideas... If I could live off of just two cookbooks, these are all I'd need. The authors are just too cute, to boot! What a pleasure to use these cookbooks!

I will keep this short and sweet:
If you are vegan and really enjoy cooking (or don't, for that matter), this book is perfect for you. With the exception of a few recipes, all of the ingredients can be easily found in regular grocery stores. The vast array of desserts is enough to make anyone buy the book! :)
I recommend this book to everyone, whether vegan or just looking for yummy, guilt-free food! Preparation is so easy, and experiencing new food - or old food with a new twist - is always fun!

I am an avid vegan cookbook collector and this is my favorite one of all! It has a ton of recipes, and they all come out tasting incredibly delicious despite being so easy to make. I can usually flip through this for a few minutes and realize that I can make several of the recipes with whatever I happen to have on hand -- no special shopping trips required. The book is worth buying for the "You-Must-Make-This-Dressing" alone. It's fantastic! Other faves are the Portobello Mushroom Bake (my meat-eating family loved it) and the Sensational Sundried Tomato and Chickpea Soup. Heaven in a bowl. If you're looking for cheap, easy and delicious recipes that will wow your family and friends AND which you can whip up on a weeknight when you're pressed for time, this is the cookbook for you. If you're trying to decide between this book and Vegan with a Vengeance, I recommend starting with this one.

Although I am not a vegan, this book is my second savior to cooking for me and my vegan boyfriend. All the recipies look delicious and are not threatening with complicated ingredients. There are no pictures of the recipies (which I usually find a staple to any good cookbook), but I have to say I don't miss them. Designed like a kooky 50's style cookbook, the recipies give me the confidence that I can cook them without the pictures. This book also includes microwave cooking recipies; a nice twist for people with no oven (such as travelers or college students). The authors continue to give helpful hints for a more healthy lifestyle, such as "45 things to do w/baking soda", first aid, and "whoops" cooking tips if something goes crazy in the kitchen. This book also includes fun entertaining ideas for parties and crafts. Congratulations to the authors for a great follow up. I look forward to the third.

i honestly do live by this book, and its prequel, "how it all vegan". almost everything i cook has come from these books, or is an altered version of something from one of the books. they're fun, they're hip, they're health- and animal-conscious. sarah and tanya are two of the most compassionate, vibrant vegans you'll ever find anywhere. this book even contains tips for the starving college kid living in a dorm room!

Good things about this cookbook:

* Cheap, easy, fast recipes

* Contains quite a few recipes that I return to

Bad things:

* Many repeats from How it All Vegan!

* The index is not terribly user-friendly

* Many recipes are bland or just plain odd. I use them as starting points, and add my own ingredients from there

Overall, I use this and How it All Vegan! enough to keep them around, especially as I fill them up with my comments and additions. I have four vegan cookbooks, and I use the two by Kramer and Barnard about 1/4 of the time.