Vegan World Fusion Cuisine : Over 200 award-winning recipes, Dr. Jane Goodall Foreword, Third Edition [Hardcover]

Mark Reinfeld (Author), Bo Rinaldi (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 18, 2005

Vegan World Fusion Cuisine is a celebration of over 200 international gourmet vegan and live food cuisine recipes. In a simple and easy to follow format, it introduces the ingredients and techniques that allow you to awaken the creative chef within, gently guiding you towards a lighter, more healthful diet. So much more than a cookbook, this Wisdom Work for the 21st century from the Chefs of The Blossoming Lotus Restaurant on Kauai, HI, is designed as a manual for nonviolent living, with a comprehensive resource guide that lists over 50 groups and organizations working for peace and a sustainable future. A moving foreword by Dr. Jane Goodall and an endorsement by John Robbins highlights its aim to inspire peace, unity and understanding among individuals, cultures and all who care about our planet. With stunning food photography and breathtaking sacred site images from around the world, as well as countless wisdom sayings, our book is sure to be a cherished keepsake and reminder of the beauty and hope that life on our planet has to offer

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There is much here that will ...help you discover the sense of well-being...that results from a vegetarian diet." --Dr Jane Goodall, DBE, Founder Jane Goodall Institute, UN Messenger of Peace-from the foreword

"Here we have beautifully presented recipes that are delicious, fun, easy to prepare and healthy." --John Robbins, Founder EarthSave International

"I heartily recommend Vegan World Fusion Cuisine for anyone seeking a healthier, inspired and more peaceful life." --Deepak Chopra, Author, Peace is the Way

From the Publisher

Vegan World Fusion Cuisine, the cookbook from the chefs of the Blossoming Lotus Restaurants, has won several major national awards including: Gourmand Award for "Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the USA", Martha Stewart Omnimedia Nautilus Award for "Best Book by a Small Press", "Best New Cookbook" by VegNews Magazine, "Cookbook of the Year" by PETA and a USA BookNews Award for "Best Veggie Book".

The Blossoming Lotus is the winner of Honolulu Advertiser's 2006 'Ilima Award for "Best Restaurant on Kaua'i' and is named the "Best place to eat" on Kaua'i in Frommer's Hawaii Guidebook.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Thousand Petals Publishing; 3 edition (November 18, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0975283723
• ISBN-13: 978-0975283721
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (96 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #488,423 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mark Reinfeld is the winner of Vegan.com's 2011 Recipe of the Year award. He is the coauthor of The 30-Minute Vegan, The 30-Minute Vegan's Taste of the East, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Eating Raw, Vegan Fusion World Cuisine and the upcoming 30 Minute Vegan's Taste of Europe.

Mark has been preparing inspired gourmet vegan and live food cuisine for over 20 years. He currently offers vegan culinary workshops, trainings and retreats around the world. An online version of his trainings, Cooking Healthy Lessons, is available on www.veganfusion.com. He is the founding chef of Blossoming Lotus restaurant, winner of Honolulu Advertiser's 'Ilima Award for 'Best Kaua'i Restaurant'. He is the recipient of the 2006 Platinum Carrot Award for living foods - a national award given by the Aspen Center for Integral Health to America's 'top trailblazing and innovative healthy gourmet chefs'. His first book, Vegan Fusion World Cuisine has won 9 international awards including 'Cookbook of the Year', 'Best New Cookbook' and a Gourmand Award for 'Best Vegetarian Cookbook in the USA'.

Mark received his initial culinary training from his grandfather Ben Bimstein, a renowned chef and ice carver in New York City. Mark developed his love for World culture and cuisine during travel journeys through Europe, Asia, South America, and the Middle East. To further his knowledge of the healing properties of food, he received a Masters Degree in Holistic Nutrition.

For more information, please visit www.veganfusion.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

59 of 60 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Stone Left Unturned, September 12, 2005

By 

Susan M. Andresen (Howard County, Maryland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vegan World Fusion Cuisine: Over 200 Award-Winning Recipes, Second Edition (Hardcover)

This is one of the most thorough and user-friendly cookbooks I have used. Every possible angle has been thought out and addressed. The recipes generally utilize ingredients that I already have in stock. When a question arose regarding an ingredient, it was easily answered with the glossary.

Approximate cooking/preparation times are given for all dishes. Menu suggestions are very helpful. The variety of recipes is impressive. Most are for "normal" food, not far-out, bizarre dishes that people would be hesitant to try.

The book itself is beautiful. Lushly illustrated with photos both of the foods and of peoples and places from around the world, each recipe is enhanced with quotes from various sources, which are 'slipped in' in a very palatable manner. There are many resources included for a variety of services, agencies, and organizations, relevant to vegans and lifestyle conscious people in general.

A section on "preparation basics" covers cooking methods and equipment. A "soaking and sprouting" chart, as well as a chart covering the how and how much of cooking grains, are very helpful.

Raw food recipes are included, in addition to complete menus and meal suggestions. Contributors to the cookbook and The Blossoming Lotus restaurant are nicely acknowleged.

This cookbook combines the best features of my favorite cookbooks into one. It makes for enjoyable reading in addition to being a handy reference. I consider it to be a gift to the vegan cook, or any cook.

106 of 113 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Vegan World is Possible - A mantra to live by, October 13, 2005

By 

Sarah - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Vegan World Fusion Cuisine: Over 200 Award-Winning Recipes, Second Edition (Hardcover)

The Blossoming Lotus is a vegan restaurant based in Kauai, Hawaii, with another restaurant in Portland. Their cookbook is both beautiful as well as delicious: full of photographs of sacred sites and original artwork, the layout is simple and uncluttered. There are also numerous inspirational quotations that accompany the gorgeous photographs.

The book is arranged into:
*appetizers, snacks, and spreads
*soups
*dressings and sauces
*salads and sides
*wraps and sandwiches
*breads, pizzas, and pasta
*tempeh, tofu, and seitan
*casseroles, grains and beans
*desserts
*breakfast, juice and smoothies

There is also an introduction to veganism, a vegan natural food preparation guide, a food glossary, and a resource guide. In addition, most recipes offer several variations and there is a "quick and easy" guide that suggests additional meals, snacks, and treats.

The recipes boast clever names, many making use of alliteration (Bahkti's Broccoli Bisque, Super Shakti's Spanikopita). Many are heavily influenced by Asian cuisine (Thai, Japanese, Indian, etc.). This may pose a problem if you don't have access to a natural food store; some of the more exotic ingredients include ulu (breadfruit), black rice, spelt tortillas, and umeboshi (Japanese plum paste). If you are lucky enough to live near a Whole Foods Market, you should have no problem in tracking down less common ingredients. Ingredients and instructions are clearly and simply presented. The majority of ingredients can be found at your local farmers market or in your garden.

Roughly half of the recipes are "live," or raw vegan. These are clearly marked by a lotus. Although I do not normally adhere to a raw vegan diet, I appreciated having choices for raw vegan appetizers, main courses, and desserts.

(One final thought: If you are allergic to soy, you may have to experiment with small substitutions, as nearly every recipe calls for soy in some form, be it shoyu, soy milk, tofu, or tempeh.)

63 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful to Look at ---Delicious to Eat, January 27, 2005

By 

rizabiz "rizabiz" (Westhampton Beach, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vegan World Fusion Cuisine: The Cookbook and Wisdom Work from the Chefs of the Blossoming Lotus Restaurant With a Special Foreword by Dr. Jane Goodall (Hardcover)

I loved the Blossoming Lotus in Kauai. In fact, we had our best vegetarian meal ever---rated a perfect 10. (The enchilada cassarole and the red curry plate). We bought the book while there and it is just a beautiful book to remember our trip, with pictures of Kauai and interesting information about food, etc.

The good news is that the recipes are not too difficult and the food tastes great. I in fact made the enchillada cassarole with some improvisation and it tasted fantastic. I did find it to be a little more ingredient intensive then some other veggie cookbooks but certainly nothing so difficult that the dish would be ruined. I've been learning about a few combinations too along with different ways to use tofu and tahini.

I wish I had a Blossoming Lotus in my town but instead I'll have to rely on my own renditions as often as I can!