Customer Reviews

High-Flavor, Low-Fat Vegetarian Cooking

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As a long-time vegan, I own 30+ vegetarian/vegan cookbooks. This is without a doubt my favorite. I have made about 30-40 of the recipes and each have turned out exceptionally. Most recipes are either vegan or easily adaptible. I constantly recommend this to my meat-eating friends to show them that ommiting flesh from a diet need not be boring

Many of these dishes are unequivocal winners--particularly the roasted vegetable terrine, big chocolate cake with sour cream frosting and the bread with onion and cumin. However, I've found a high percentage of things I would never make, either because they go well beyond my tolerance for spiciness (obviously, this wouldn't be a problem for some people) or because they involve too much fuss and elaboration. Still, I recommend this book over Raichlen's early High-Flavor, Low-Fat non-vegetarian book. Maybe I'll never make the various filo-dough concoctions or the dacquoise, but I love the "three c's cavatelli," and there are plenty of tastes yet to sample that sound appealing. Unlike the non-vegetarian book, with which I have had a few disappointments in the kitchen, everything from this volume that I've made has turned out deliciously. And the photography is simply beautiful. Mr. Raichlen, you request feedback but do not give your e-mail address! If you e-mail me, I will happily go into more detail about my experiences cooking from your books, and with suggestions about the types of dishes I would like to see.

I have been a vegetarian for more than 25 years, and this is my favorite cookbook of the dozens I have acquired. The recipes are varied and come out very well -- the Veggie Paella (pictured on the cover), made with the Mediterranean stock (recipe is also in the book), is out of this world! There are also wonderful recipes with quinoa and other grains and beans that aren't found in most cookbooks (try the quinoa tabouli or quinoa caviar for a treat!). I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys good meatless meals!

This is an excellent cookbook, vegetarian or otherwise. I have made several of the recipes and each has turned out very well. The directions are clear and precise. I particularly recommend the Lentil Soup - even my "this isn't healthy is it?" son and husband loved it!

This books and all of Deborah Madisons' cookbooks are the standards in our household. If you only purchase it for two recipes the Paella and the Lasagna, you will have added great dishes to your menus. Your friends will love them too. They have flavor, texture, are visually impressive and fun to plan a meal around.

This is one of my favorite vegetarian cookbooks, mainly because it is creative. I get tired of the same-old standard cook-the-tofu recipes, but this one has some unique combinations and great tastes. Some of the recipes are too time-consuming for me which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.

I bought this book 11 years ago, in the clearance bin at Barnes and Noble and I'm so glad I did! Back then, many of the ingredients weren't as commonplace as they are today. I have yet to find another Vegetarian cookbook that has so many sure-fire crowd-pleasers. I'm constantly searching for good recipes online now but honestly, every recipe I've made from this has been a big hit. A few years ago I tried buying it for a friend of mind but it was out of print. Buy one if you can find it!

I've only just begun to scratch the surface of this wonderful cookbook and I'm looking forward to going deeper. Even though I have a few dozen vegan and veg cookbooks already, I bought this used, on a whim, and didn't really know what to expect. But I've been pleasantly surprised with the book's overall quality and with the recipes I've tried. After I made the Chickpea Burgers the first time, my carnivore cheeseburger-loving husband begged me to make them again - right away! That particular recipe is a bit of a marvel, as you can stop half-way through the procedure and serve it as a VERY tasty stew, or proceed to puree it to make the burgers. The Electric Chili recipe is also excellent, as is the very delicious Caribbean Bouillabaisse. I don't even know if this book is actually in print anymore, but if you can get your hands on a copy, used or otherwise, you won't regret it.

This is an easy to read, well-illustrated cookbook, and the recipes are delicious. It would be worth it for the wonderful chocolate cake recipe alone! Can't go wrong with this one.

Some of these recipes have become family favorites. With only a few unusual ingredients, this cookbook is more about preparation, using heat in creative ways to bring out the flavor. The best greens recipe I have ever used.