Customer Reviews

Table for Two: Meat- and Dairy- Free Recipes for Two

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Table for Two has been a main source of meals for me. Yes, I live alone, with two cats. I don't have a lot of time, space, or money to cook. Enter Table for Two. Possibly Jo's most lifesaving book for vegans strapped for time and space such as I.
There are a lot of vegan cookbooks out there not suitable for new vegans. This is not one of them. Actually, all of Jo's books are suitable for new vegans! It is chock full of information to ease the pain of leaning to cook such as "Basic Cooking Terms", "Cupboard Staples", and even "Kid-Pleasing Recipes". I have to disagree with the latter...they tickle me pink and I'm no kid!
To start, the book has a great "Lay-Flat Binding" cover. Very convenient in the kitchen. It has recipes for every occasion, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I love starting my Sunday's with "Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes". Oh my! So delicious and still manage to stay in the realm of healthy eating! Another favorite for me and my workmates is Peanut Butter & Jelly Muffins. Those always go over well :-) Preparing dinner? Try a side of "Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Salad" or "Warm Dutch Potato Salad". There is a killer recipe for "Thousand Island Dressing" as well. Low on fat, high on taste! "Pan-Handle Chili" is a bi-weekly recipe for me. This recipe even freezes well for those who are actually a Table for One :) Another favorite is "Old World Cabbage Soup". It is JUST like I remember it from the Polish and Jewish restaurants my grandparents took me too as a child. The tomatoey base of this hearty soup really brings me back. Some vegans feel that they will never have another grilled cheese as long as they live. Not so. "Toasted or Grilled Cheeze Sandwiches" are delicious and they actually melt! Imagine! Cheezy goodness with a pickle spear on the side. Remember those days? Anyone can make a bean burrito but be honest...If you are like me it's usually a can of pre-mushed beans plopped into a tortilla. The "Bean Burritos" on page 101 will keep you wanting more...hearty and authentic.
There is an extensive variation to stir-fries with "Stir-Fries Tonight!" "Aunt Rose's Marinara Sauce" is so delicious and simple...you'll never pop the top off another jar of pre-made sauce again. There is an entire section on my favorite...potatoes! and grains and pasta. "Stuffed Sweet Potatoes", "Aunt Shayna's Potato Cakes" (yum yummy!), "Cheezy Macaroni" and "Brown Rice Croquettes" to name a few. Are you ready for dessert? "Schoolyard Oatmeal Cookies", better than mom used to make! A favorite of mine and my non-vegetarian boyfriend is "Maple Banana Custard" topped off with some "Carob Fudge Sauce". Decadent and you'd think a little naughty...but again, this is vegan cooking and the dessert is low fat.
This nowhere near completes the extensive span in this book, but I hope it gives you (vegan and non-vegan, young and old) a better idea of Table For Two. It is a staple in my house and a staple to my health. Enjoy!

I haven't had this cookbook for a year yet and it is already falling apart from overuse. I like all of Joanne's cookbooks, but this one definitely gets the most use. The Mexican Black Bean Salad is a favorite on hot days, as is the Maple Banana Custard. I really enjoy the Pierogies in a Pot on cool nights. The Saucy Franks and Beans and the Cabbage and Pasta Bake are both big favorites of my husband. The best part is that the recipes are sized for two, so no leftovers. Also, none of the recipes have been complicated or time-consuming to prepare, which is great for a busy couple.

This cookbook is great because it has all the things you would want in a little cookbook. That being:

1) Easy veggie-based recipes with ingredients easy to find or that you already have, for the most part. Seitan and nutritional yeast aside, you can find everything else easily.
2) Calorie and nutritional information breakdown
3) Plenty of tips for each recipe
4) A blurb on each recipe that gives good information and gives you the "feel" of the recipe and it's use.
5) Small quantities. Seriously, how many people need to make 6 servings of everything!?!?!
6) Esp. good for getting kids to eat healty. This book is really all about that.

This book can save you money because you don't need to buy too many ingredients that you don't end up using, and the author suggests ways to use the rest of what you have in another recipe.

This cookbook is made by a person who eats the things she writes about. I also like that she has a slightly Polish/Russian slant in some of the dishes. I have another book, 1001 Low-fat Vegetarian Recipes, and practically everything in there has some "southwestern" bent. That can get annoying. There are plenty of types of vegetarian dishes in every culture, and it's nice to see a recipe, for instance, that quickly gets you close to the taste of pierogis (if not the shape), without all the fuss.

I'm not actually vegan, but I really like and tend to use cookbooks that don't rely on meat in every freakin' entree, and which use vegetable protein.

This book is also good for just simple brainstorming on using what you've got. A basic staple book to refer to when you you don't think you have anything to eat. It's not anywhere near gourmet in style, but will at least jar your brain to think vegan about your food choices.

I have had this cookbook for years. It has served my wife and I well, and now that we have two young sons, it continues to serve us well. The recipes make just the right amount, but it is so easy to double recipes to good effect.

My wife, who is not vegan, often asks me to make the French Toast, and my sons really like the Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes. I really like the Corn & Potato Chowder, being from the midwest, but one of our favorite comfort foods is the recipe for Baked Macaroni & Vegetable Casseroles. We always double the recipe so that we have leftovers, and we add the "chicken" seitan I make from the Homemade Seitan recipe. The Lentil, Mushroom & Macaroni Stew is also excellent.

I don't care for the tempeh recipes, so I just substitute something else. The only recipe that I can remember not liking was the Breaded Seitan Nuggets.

My copy has a "Special Lay-Flat Binding" which I think is really smart design. It ensures that I'm always pulling this cookbook down off the shelf and using it, because it's so practical. I liked this book so much I bought the same author's "Vegan Vittles."

Another wonderful cookbook by Joanne Stepaniak. This was our first vegan cookbook. Every single recipe we have prepared out of this book has been easy and delicious. The recipes in this book generally are setup to make two servings, thus the name, but doubling and tripling them works fine too. Great gravies, biscuits, muffins, cookies, entrees, yummm. Plus tons of useful information for beginning and veteran vegan cooks. Everything you need in a cookbook in a small concise package.

I purchased this book shortly after my wedding, and it has not spent more than two days on the shelf sense then. It is full of wonderful advice and delicious recipes. You won't be sorry you bought it.

I have many of Jo's books, but use this one the most lately, now that it's just the 2 of us at home. The recipes are simple, use ingredients I always have on hand, but most of all, are *very* tasty and delicious. I bought a second copy and gave it to my son to take to college with him, that's how great these recipes are!

I recommend this for any vegan single or couple.

The thing I like best about this book is not the great recipes, but the tons of other information that is very helpful for beginner cooks. Stepaniak explains commonly used cooking terms like "saute," "simmer," etc., for those who may not really know what they mean. She also has many different tips for food preparation and storage, measuring ingredients, etc. Very useful cookbook.

I wouldn't say this is the most exciting cookbook I own, but we really seem to use it a lot. It really is very handy if you are cooking for two or one. A word of advice though; if you're cooking for two people and one has a big appetite like my boyfriend, you may find you need to make a little extra.

This was one of the first Vegan cookbooks I purchased and have used, and continue to use regularly. I bought this book while transitioning to veganism, and found it to be indispensable. I think I've made almost every recipe in the book, all with great results. The recipes are tasty, not to complicated and full of comforting and familiar foods. It also introduced me to some unique Vegan ingredients - which I now use in many recipes. I especially like the index that allows you to search by ingredients. In addition, in following the recipes (and portion sizes), I was able to loose over 180lbs! Just another added benefit of a healthy cooking that Joanne makes so accessible.