Customer Reviews

THE NUT GOURMET: Delicious Plant-based Recipes Valuable Nutritional Information

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Zel Allen's cookbook is such a departure from much of the bland, unimaginative fare which passes for most meatless cooking. Nut meat is only the starting place, the centerpiece in some of the recipes and only one of many diverse ingredients in others.

Allen is clearly a cook who understands comfort food, and these recipes are complex, flavorful, imaginative, and satisfying. She offers creative substitutes for traditional staples such as "Artichoke Party Dip" and "Pecan Pie," and her "Almond Nut Loaf" will make you forget your longing for mom's meatloaf. Sure, maybe your mom never made Wasabi Pistachio Vegetable Aspic, but you'll wish she did.

Other standouts include "Butternut Corn Cashew Soup" and "Mango Macadamia Nut Soup," and her "New Moon Silk Dressing" is incredibly rich and flavorful. This is by no means just a cookbook for vegetarians (though all of the recipes are in fact vegan) and the meat eaters in your life will probably not even notice that these are vegetarian dishes--they're that good!

There are lots of great, useable, delicious recipes in this book. One of the things that sets this book apart is the originality of the recipes. There are loads of recipes that you won't find anywhere else, such as pates made of pea and pistachio that are truly terrific. Doesn't matter if you are vegan, vegetarian or omnivorous--you'll find these well-written recipes easy to follow and sure to please.

Every recipe I've made has been a huge success. For active vegans, or anyone looking for offbeat ways to boost protein and nutrients in their daily intake, this book is idea. It's also great for vegetarians and vegans who don't want to depend overly on soy. Healthy, easy, and inventive, these recipes add a great dimension to the daily diet!

Even if you don't love nuts (I do!), you're sure to enjoy this cookbook. Both recipes I've tried--Butternut Corn Cashew Soup and Gourmet Garden Loaf--were terrific and there are tons of other creative recipes for everything from appetizers to desserts. There are also helpful tips on buying, storing, and even cracking nuts, as well as nutrition information.

Nuts come in an incredible variety and are to be found as integral elements of every ethnic cuisine on the planet this side of the Eskimos. "The Nut Gourmet: Nourishing Nuts For Every Occasion" by Zel Allen is an amazing compilation of recipes that incorporate nuts in appetizers, breakfast dishes, soups, salads, main dishes, grains and legumes, sauces, sandwiches, vegetable dishes, relishes and condiments, spreads and dips, smoothies and beverages, desserts and confections. Beginning with a roster of great advice for the novice kitchen cook about the health benefits of nuts, buying and storing nuts, tips and tricks with their use, nut measurement equivalents, and 'The Nutcracker's Toolbox', "The Nut Gourmet" goes on to feature simply wonderful recipes that range from Pistachio Pea Pate; Poppy Seed Dressing; Sesame Nut Patties; and African Peanut Soup; to Raisin Walnut Bread; Cheezy Tofu Spread with Pine Nuts; Nutty No-Bake Pie Crust; and Very Berry Parfait with Macadamia Nuts. Enhanced for the novice with the color photography illustrations and the inclusion of a glossary, a resources list, and nutrition tables for nuts, "The Nut Gourmet" is an ideal and enthusiastically recommended specialty addition to personal and community library cookbook collections.

I love this vegan cookbook! It has good information about nuts and lots of yummy recipes! I hadn't used pistachios before finding the cookbook, but now I'm hooked! I use this frequently when I have guests coming for dinner and they love it everytime. I highly recommend this book!

I'm glad I own The Nut Gourmet Cookbook. Each recipe I've tried so far is ingenious but easy, delicious and healthy. It's also a great reference book. I never knew nuts were so versatile.

This is a delightful book, full of delicious recipes for every occasion. The book makes nuts come alive on your plate and in your palate! And it's written by someone with years of experience teaching people about great nutrition. It's a book for everyone.