Vegan Vittles: Down-Home Cooking for Everyone [Perfect Paperback]

Jo Stepaniak (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2007

In this expanded edition of the highly popular original, Jo Stepaniak has retained the book's imaginative concepts and down-home appeal, while broadening many sections to cover a vast wealth of alternatives for every animal-based food under the sun. From homemade veggie "meats" and uncheeses to scrumptious egg and dairy substitutes, Vegan Vittles fills the whole table, and does so simply, tastefully, and creatively. Written in conjunction with staff members of Farm Sanctuary, North America's oldest and largest farmed animal sanctuary and advocacy organization, Vegan Vittles provides valuable and timely information about modern "food animal" production, as well as constructive and effective actions that readers can take on behalf of these animals. The recipes are without pretense, ranging from hearty, home-style American, to ethnic and elegant. With over 100 exciting new recipes and clear, detailed instructions, Vegan Vittles is sure to inspire compassionate cooks of all ages, regardless of their comfort level in the kitchen.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jo Stepaniak, MSEd, is an author and educator who has been involved with vegetarian- and vegan-related issues for over four decades. Jo has been a frequent guest presenter, lecturer, and workshop leader throughout North America. She is the author and co-author of over sixteen books on vegan cuisine and philosophy.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 243 pages
• Publisher: Book Publishing Company (TN); 2nd edition (March 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570672008
• ISBN-13: 978-1570672002
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 8.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #216,226 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Have Vegan Cook Book!!, April 25, 2007

By 

Becky in Sacramento - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vegan Vittles: Down-Home Cooking for Everyone (Perfect Paperback)

If I were only allowed one cookbook in my kitchen, it would be Vegan Vittles (Second Helpings). Everything you need is in this one special book, from breakfast to dessert, and everything in between. And the greatest part of all, everything is 100% vegan and 100% delicious. Anyone familiar with the first edition of Vegan Vittles will be extremely happy with this new edition and should not wait any longer to buy it. For those of you not familiar with Jo Stepaniak's cookbooks, this is a perfect place to start. The book offers a wonderful introduction to the vegan diet and lifestyle, and explains the Farm Sanctuary, the inspiration for this book. Sprinkled throughout the pages are stories of rescued Farm animals and Ms. Stepaniak's "veganisms" - alternatives to popular sayings which normally contain harsh references to animals. For instance, instead of saying "Don't count your chickens before they are hatched", use "Don't count your bushels before they are reaped". The whole book is inviting and comforting, and I find I enjoy just "reading" it almost as much as the recipes themselves. And speaking of the recipes...

Here are a few of my favorites, although it is so hard to have only a few! Stick-to-Your-Ribs Chili (easy & delicious, bulgur adds a nice chewy texture), Hearty Cabbage Casserole (total comfort food), Southern Fried Tofu (Oh My Gosh, I could eat this every day, the breading mix is out of this world!), Chickpeas a la King (serve over the "Buttermilk" Biscuits for a real treat), Hot-and-Sour Pad Thai Noodles (better than anything I've ever had in a restaurant!), Potatoes Gruyere (how could something so rich and creamy be vegan?!?), Igor's Special (like a warm pasta salad, outstanding!), Mahvelous Millet Loaf (great for warm months, as it needs no oven cooking), Best-of-the-House Dressing (my new favorite salad dressing, tangy & rich). Well, I could go on and on, all of the dishes I've tried so far are spectacular! I must mention that Ms. Stepaniak also does a wonderful job with sauces, meat and dairy substitutions, breakfasts, and desserts. I can't wait until I can say "I've tried everything in the book"!

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better with Age, May 26, 2007

By 

Dustin G. Rhodes (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vegan Vittles: Down-Home Cooking for Everyone (Perfect Paperback)

Vegan Vittles is the first cookbook---a completely random selection---I purchased when I decided to go vegan. Turned out to be a perfect choice: the recipes are both delicious and familiar, and best of all, most are fast and easy too; the perfect choice for someone who likes great food but doesn't really like to cook.

I have purchased countless vegan cookbooks over the past eight years, and several of them are excellent. However, Vegan Vittles, over and over again, is the one I come back to, especially during the holidays; Vegan Vittles is full of crowd-pleasing recipes that satisfy and wow the omnivorous crowd. But a majority of these recipes are for every day food: hearty breakfasts, delicious sandwiches (Jo includes a section, even, on how to make your own mock meats---a money-saving adventure, to be sure), entrees, desserts. And the "uncheese" section is not to be missed. If you are one of those vegans who has yet to get over dairy cheese, you will be pleasantly surprised by the taste and texture of these homemade cheese dishes. Truly, they are excellent.

Vegan Vittles Part II is an excellent second edition, with all of the familiar favorites and plenty of new recipes that will quickly become favorites. Jo Stepaniak really gets it when it comes to the perfectly composed recipe; my complaint with many other cookbooks is that I find I make lots of alterations. With Vegan Vittles, one can mindlessly follow the recipe. The results are always stellar.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Vegan Answer to Home-Style Cooking, September 20, 2007

By 

Alisa Marie Fleming "GoDairyFree.org" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vegan Vittles: Down-Home Cooking for Everyone (Perfect Paperback)

Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from Vegan Vittles. As a dairy-free consumer who is just dabbling in the vegan lifestyle, I was certain that the Uncheese Cookbook would be my favorite from among her collection. To my great surprise, Vegan Vittles has emerged as one of my favorite cookbooks. There are several things that don't quite flow with me in this book, much more so than most other cookbooks I have read. Yet, the overall usefulness far outweighs any disconnect that I feel towards it.

While I have already tested a few of the recipes (Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies, Macaroni and Cheez, Carrot Butter) I can't even begin to tell you the recipes I am eager to trial. Just a few on my list include: Muffins that Taste Like Donuts, No-knead Whole Wheat Herb Bread, Hot & Sour Pad Thai (no fish sauce?), Cheez Please Soup, Chickpea Oat Burgers, Spicy Peanut Sauce, Aunt Bunny's Carrot Cake, etc., etc., etc.

The recipes are all so simple, using easy to find whole foods (think spices, veggies, fruits, and whole grains, not white flour and sugar). The most exotic ingredients that I spotted were quinoa and miso, both of which can now be found at Trader Joe's and in most major grocers. I think the fact that I could make so many of the recipes without having to make a special trip to the grocery store, was a real draw.

As for the disconnects - Certain portions of the intro get a bit wordy, and I found my eyes wandering off on many occasions. While full of useful information that I couldn't get enough of (do you know how hard it is to find a list of GMO foods to avoid? And what about that wonderful explanation of egg alternatives?), many sections tended to drag on with less pertinent details. Also, I was perplexed by the veganization of quotes throughout the book. Finally, the recipes weren't always spot-on. I found the author's taste buds to be more sensitive than mine, as I require a bit more flavor injected into my meals. Also, I often had to adjust the moisture content.

So if the recipes didn't always work perfectly, why did I like it so much? Simply put, Vegan Vittles really is a fantastic primer for all of those basic comfort food recipes that I often miss. As someone who is typically less than experimental in the kitchen, I have had a lot of fun "tinkering" with the recipes. The very idea that I can successfully customize almost every recipe, has made this a cookbook that I actually use (of which, there are few). Trust me, I am not a fabulous cook, but all of Jo's recipes are so simple that they remove any fears I have in the kitchen.

To note, Jo tends to reuse some of her recipes across cookbooks. While each one contains a ton of unique recipes, there are always a few crossover recipes, another pet peeve of mine. Yet, I found that Vegan Vittles contained the perfect collection of her recipes; a nicely sized section on cheese alternatives, and a good array of baked goods, full meals, snacks, and desserts. If I could only pick one Jo Stepaniak cookbook, this would be the one. Though we have our differences, Vegan Vittles will stay front and center in my cookbook collection!