Customer Reviews

Nonna's Italian Kitchen: Delicious Home-Style Vegan Cuisine (Healthy World Cuisine)

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

What a wonder this cookbook is! I don't hesitate to say this is by far the most wonderful vegan cookbook I have ever bought; it is simply packed with recipes (and variations), and don't be scared off by the lack of photos, every recipe is simply so mouthwatering! Bryanna Clark Grogan provides delicious alternatives to dairy-, egg- and meatproducts, and there is simply everything you'd need in this book: bread recipes, antipasti, soups, pasta dishes, vegetable dishes, meat-style dishes, desserts (great ice-creams!), you name it. I find myself reading the book again and again, thinking how will I ever have time enough to try out them all ... it is an essential to any vegan kitchen!

A passionate home cook that has been honing her cooking skills for the last 25 years, concentrating on Italian cooking for the last 10 years, writes this review. My favorite cookbooks are "The Professional Chef" by the Culinary Institute and "Culinary Artistry". With more than 500 cookbooks in my collection I am usually disappointed in my recent cookbook acquisitions. I am also very tough on Italian cookbooks in particular.

My husband and decided to try a vegan lifestyle about 3 months ago to reduce cholesterol. However, having to give up many of our favorite Italian foods was extremely difficult. Thankfully, as I was beginning to consider adding dairy back to our menu I found this book. It is a much better Italian cookbook than I expected it to be.

The book is outlined as follows:

1. Italian Cuisine
2. Ingredients and Equipment for Italian Cooking
3. Basic Recipes and Techniques
4. Sauces
5. Appetizers, Vegetable Side Dishes
6. Making Fresh Pasta

First Courses (Primi Piatti)
7. Pasta in Sauce
8. Stuffed Pasta: Dumplings, Crepes, and Baked, Layered and Molded Pasta Dishes
9. Pasta in Broth and Soups
10. Cornmeal and Rice Dishes

Second Courses (Secondi Piatti)
11. Baked Dishes: Omelets, Savory Cakes, Tarts, Gratins, and other Vegetable Casseroles
12. Vegetable and Bean Entrees and Stews
13. Meat Free Entrees
14. Bread, Rolls, Pizza, Hearth Breads and Stuffed Breads
15. Sweets

Some of the basic recipes that the author includes are: Tofu Ricotta, Tofu Mascarpone, Tofu Ricotta Salata, Almond Ricotta, Soy Free Almond Ricotta Salata, Cashew Mascarpone, Tofu version of Heavy Cream, Vegetarian Burger, Vegetarian Hot Italian Sausage, Vegetarian Sweet Fennel Sausage, Seitan (Beef, Veal, Chicken, Pork, Burger, Hot Italian Sausage versions). She also includes a number of different variations for Polpetti (meatballs).

Many of the recipes included in this book are time consuming. However, this is no different than standard Italian homemade items. I don't recommend this book to people that have limited time or limited experience with Italian cooking.

Bottom line, this is a much better cookbook than I expected it to be. Can I tell it isn't meat and/or dairy? Absolutely I can tell the difference. The author's variations are satisfactory substitutes if the alternative is the unpleasant health effects that come with the regular consumption of high fat animal products. I would recommend this cookbook to anyone that loves Italian food and wants to cut back on his or her consumption of saturated fat.

I've been vegan for about 4 years now, and I've been cooking all of my meals for 2 or 3. I've spent over $100 on a shelf full of vegan cookbooks. This one is the best I own. It's the only cookbook I have that has recipes that make food that's outright better than anything I ate before I went vegan! Ever since I started making my own vegan pizzas, I absolutely stopped missing the greasy things that I'd been getting delivered, and the pasta recipes here are the best I've ever had.

The only problem with this book is that the recipes can take a while to prepare. If you're not a big fan of cooking, this probably isn't the book for you. But if you're glad to spend an hour in the kitchen making a meal and want to have some great vegan food, this book is a must!

This was a great addition to my collection of vegetarian recipe books. Not only does it list authentic vegan Italian recipes of all kinds, it explains every ingredient and gives background on Italian food and veganism in general, without dwelling on things we already know as informed vegetarians! It would make a good gift for anyone who loves to cook, vegetarian or not.

I must admit that I haven't tried out all the recipes in this book so far. But the vegan tiramisu is so outstanding, that even if it was the only tasty recipe, this book would be worth it!!! My non vegan friends can't believe it is made without dairy and request me to make it for birthdays and other celebrations. When I became vegan I thought I would never be able to eat tiramisu again, but thanks to Bryanna I can enjoy my favourite dessert again! I can`t wait to try the nondairy cheese fillings!

This book is not only a must for vegan kitchens but for everyone who likes Italian food. The recipes make very authentic tasting vegan versions of popular dishes. My vegan friends are enjoying this food too, always the best sign.

I am Italian, I love cooking and I love eating, and I am also a vegetarian tending to vegan, and that's why I got this book.

This book contains many favorites of Italian cooking, in vegan version. So where meat is called for in the original dish it's replaced by seitan or similar vegan meat substitute; same with cheese and other animal products.

It's very useful if you are vegan but not everyone in your family is, as you can cook the same dish in two version, like I often make hunter's chicken for my husband and a hunter's seitan (or other meat substitute) for my daughter and myself.

The reason why I gave it 4 stars and not 5 is that the book is not always precise in its descriptions of original dishes and many of the Italian names are mispelled, sometimes badly; from these two aspects it looks like the Mrs. Clark-Grogan didn't do an accurate research, but instead relayed on her relatives to give her the correct information. But overall, the book is a great buy, and I wouls suggest it to any vegan and to anyone who wants to eat good but also healthy.

As an Italian who grew up in a meat eating household, I was looking for tasty Italian meals that are not meat centered. This book is excellent and the recipes I have made are very flavorful. My meat eating husband likes everything I have made from this book. I am not actually a vegan, but limit my dairy and have had great results with this book. Also, I love the multiple details and explantations she give about Italian history and food.
One note though, many of the recipes are involved so if you don't like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, this may not be the book for you. Also, I am not into meat analogs, so I have avoided this chapter. But, other than that I think this cookbook is excellent for anyone looking to prepare healthy veg. Italian meals!

I was looking for another vegan cookbook to add to my collection and chose this b/c of my Italian heritage. Everything looks wonderful and tasty but also very time-consuming. As a mother, I don't have enough time to make my own pasta. Also, several recipes call for other recipes in the ingredients so you are really making 3 or 4 different things and then mixing them into one dish. Not an easy thing to do, but obviously real Italian food is never quick to prepare. All in all, it's good but I'd look for a less time-consuming one next time.

Bryanna has created the absolute best cookbook ever! My friend originally bought this and when she told me I should get it, I remarked "why would I need an Italian cookbook, I know how to cook vegan Italian!" I was then treated to several meals at my friend's apt. where she used Nonna's Italian Kitchen and was I wowed!!! I couldn't believe how delicious these recipes are and how satisfying - much better than anything I've ever had as a non-vegan! Now every year for my birhday, my friend knows what I want for my birthday meal from her- the lasagna al forno Bolognese on page 113 - to die for (or to live for really!). Buy this book - all my non-vegan friends love the dishes and can't believe it's not dairy!