Quick and Easy Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Food: 150 Down-Home Recipes Packed with Flavor, Not Calories (Quick and Easy (Experiment)) [Paperback]

Alicia C. Simpson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 15, 2012 | Series: Quick and Easy (Experiment)

At last, vegan food that packs a heaping helping of comfort without the extra calories!

Alicia C. Simpson, the master of vegan comfort food, is back again with food that’s crave-worthy and conscience-friendly: 150 satisfying, flavorful, all-new recipes to enjoy from breakfast to dinner and anytime in between. However you define “comfort food,” Alicia’s got you covered with down-home Southern standards, Tex-Mex fiesta favorites, backyard BBQ fare, ole-fashioned one-dish meals, riffs on classic takeout—and a few surprises destined to become new standbys:

Baked Hush Puppies • Hoppin’ John • Sweet Potato Salad • Meatball Soup • Carolina BBQ Sammich • Chik’n Pot Pie • Kung Pao Tofu • Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce • Butter Rum Pound Cake • Ooey Gooeys • Mexican Hot Cocoa • and more!

Every recipe includes detailed nutritional data on calories, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and more. Plus, suggested daily menus, ranging from 1,400 to 2,000 calories, make it easier than ever to start cooking food that’s good—in every sense of the word!

Editorial Reviews

Review

“This is an excellent cookbook, whether you are watching your calories or just need some old-fashioned comfort food without the guilt.”
—Tucson Citizen

"In Quick and Easy Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Food, Atlanta-based author Alicia Simpson offers dishes that decidedly don't sound like diet food, but each weighs in at around 350 salaries (or fewer) per serving. . . . Simpson's Southern roots come through in her recipes, especially evident in dishes such as Hoppin’ John, Fried Green Tomatoes, Spicy Kale Slaw, and Andouille Gumbo. Beyond the down-home favorites, Simpson explores deliciously new culinary territory. Her Lavender Pancakes sound like something out of a fantasy, her White Lasagna defies dieting, and her Butter Rum Pound Cake will soon become a necessary part of any Sunday brunch."
—VegNews

“Alicia’s enticing recipes are nutrient-rich, flavor-packed, and built from familiar, whole ingredients, and her delightful descriptions make you feel like she’s in the kitchen with you preparing delicious, sensible meals.”
—Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, best-selling author of Color Me Vegan, Vegan’s Daily Companion, and The 30-Day Vegan Challenge

“Alicia has really outdone herself with this book. Finally we can have decadent soul food without the calories or fat. Many of Alicia’s recipes are made without oil and using wholesome, fresh ingredients. I highly recommend this book!”
—Lindsay S. Nixon, author of The Happy Herbivore Cookbook and Everyday Happy Herbivore

“If you think that rich-tasting, luscious-flavored dishes can’t be part of a healthy, plant-based diet, Alicia Simpson is here to prove that it can be done. Combining old-fashioned comfort cooking with solid contemporary nutritional know-how, Alicia’s cozy classics will become delicious standards in your vegan repertoire.”
—Nava Atlas, author of Vegan Holiday Kitchen and Wild About Greens

“Forget having to drop the fun and flavor from your meals in order to make them figure-friendly, because Alicia’s Quick & Easy Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Food will have you dreaming of lower-calorie vegan Cheese Fries, Chorizo Breakfast Quesadillas, and Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream, and devouring them too!”
—Celine Steen, coauthor of Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites

“With Quick and Easy Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Food Alicia Simpson combines a sensible approach to a whole-foods vegan diet with delicious down-home recipes like Sweet Potato Soufflé, Breakfast Biscuit Sandwich, and Butter Rum Pound Cake. Healthy eating never tasted so good!”
—Robin Robertson, best-selling author of Quick-Fix Vegan, Vegan on the Cheap, and Vegan Fire & Spice

“This book is a must have for anyone (vegan or not!) who is looking to get rid of excess calories, and keep all of the fun and flavor in comfort food favorites.  Alicia shows us how to control portions while discussing the nutritional science from a vegan point of view in a book that is thoughtfully laid out and fun to read.”
—Joni Marie Newman, author of The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions

“From Baked Hush Puppies and Vegetable Noodle Soup to Chickpea Cacciatore and Lemongrass Soda, Alicia has some amazing recipes in store for you. Welcome to the new world of good-for-you comfort food!”
—Kathy Hester, author of The Vegan Slow Cooker

“Low-cal has never been more delicious, thanks to Alicia C. Simpson! Alicia has taken our favorite, down-home dishes, from breakfast to dessert, and given them a healthy makeover, with all of the flavor and satisfaction of the originals, and none of the guilt. Sign me up!”
—Julie Hasson, author of Vegan Diner

"If you’re vegan and looking for a great way to get or stay in shape and eat right while still enjoying great-tasting, familiar dishes, you’ll enjoy Alicia C. Simpson’s Quick and Easy Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Food."

—VegKitchen.com

About the Author

Alicia C. Simpson has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove. She is the creator of the popular Vegan Guinea Pig Blog, a contributing writer for the award-winning Vegans of Color blog, and has been featured in the documentary I’m Vegan. Alicia lives in Atlanta.

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: The Experiment (May 15, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1615190422
• ISBN-13: 978-1615190423
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.7 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,082 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #99 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Quick & Easy

More About the Author

Alicia C. Simpson has been cooking since she was tall enough to reach the stove. She is the author of Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food. Quick and Easy Vegan Celebrations and Quick and Easy LOW-CAL Vegan Comfort Food. Alicia is also the creator of the popular blogs Vegan Guinea Pig and The Lady and Seitan. Alicia lives in Atlanta.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

46 of 48 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Delicious Comfort Food! May 10, 2012

By Tara

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Ok, so I did a nice little trial of this cookbook today! This morning I made the Naked Tofu Scramble and loved it! I added some nutritional yeast and fresh garlic because I add those 2 ingredients to just about everything but it was great without it, too. THEN, I whipped up a batch of Savory Seitan which was easy to make and smelled glorious while cooking.
I used that to make the Cheesesteak and Fries that are on the cover. This was really, really, awesome!!! The cheese sauce is amazing and the baked fries were scored rave reviews. I
spooned the cheese sauce over my fries, thus I
also made the 'Cheese Fries'. My husband
and brother really enjoyed this meal and I was
over the moon about it. Alicia Simpson is very,
very talented. There are recipes in this
cookbook that you won't find in other vegan
cookbooks. (i.e. Chili cheese Fries and a recipe
for HOMEMADE vegan hot dogs!!) This is not
a diet book, although I suppose you could use
it as such if you follow serving sizes and count
calories. These recipes are not low-fat and I
love that about it. Alicia's philosophy is to enjoy
real food MINDFULLY in an effort to achieve
or maintain ideal weight. Many recipes require
'other' recipes from the book because Alicia
believes in making delicious, homemade
sauces and faux-meats as opposed to buying
them. This may be a turn off for some people but I love it. The savory seitan was so cheap and easy to make that I will never buy it again. One small note is that sometimes I need to add
more salt to recipes than Alicia calls for but
I'm not subtracting a star for salt-- that is a
very personal choice that is added to taste. I
am delighted by this book and lool forward to
making more from it. The only downside is that
the food is so good that it may be difficult
sticking to recommended serving sizes!
Update: Still cooking and enjoying!!! I made the Hoppin John, Ballpark Hotdogs, and the Meatball Soup. Oh, the Meatball Soup was a huge hit with my omnivore husband. This book is fun to cook with. Everything I've made I feel compelled to make again, especially the soup and the Cheesesteaks. Oh and I've made the Naked Tofu Scramble several times already. I wish that the Ballpark Hotdogs came out more moist. I may have overcooked them so I will tweak that recipe next time. They are still 100 times better than those wiggly tofu dogs sold everywhere. I recommend this book for those who enjoyed 'Appetite for Reduction.' That book is great but this one is scoring even higher marks with my tastebuds.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Accurate, delicious recipes. Easy to follow directions. April 28, 2012

By Emmer

Format:Paperback

I picked up this book at my local bookstore and just started using it this weekend. It has multiple sections (breakfast, basics, breads, snacks, salads, soups, main dishes, desserts, drinks, and sauces) with many recipes included. My favorite features include the estimated nutrition information and the basics section is good for people who aren't familiar with vegan cooking (like me) and clearly goes over how to cook with tofu and seitan. I've cooked a few recipes so far with success and I'm looking forward to using this book for years to come. I recommend this book to all consumers, vegan, vegetarian, conventional, health-conscious, and all the rest.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The only low-cal book I'd ever buy July 22, 2012

By M.

Format:Paperback

The thing I like best about this cookbook is the everything on moderation approach. This book is not about cutting out certain foods from your diet. It also dosn't tell you fat is the devil. Instead the author explains that a little fat in your diet is good for you and why. The recipes are easy to prepare and mostly made with whole foods. But there's also a little sugar or all-purpose flour here and there. The additional information and advice is science based and there's no scaremongering about how fat or certain foods (wheat or soy) will lead to certain diseases or other baloney which I have seen in some other books on vegan weight loss. I would like to recommend this book and it's no-nonsense approach to everyone who has to/wants to lose a couple of pounds while not stressing over it too much.
My favourite recipes from this book: Lavender Pancakes, Fluffy Flaxseed Waffles with Agave Cream, Chili Dogs, Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce, and Chickpea Cacciatore.