Customer Reviews

Venturesome Vegetarian Cooking: Bold Flavors for Meat- and Dairy-Free Meals

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was fortunate enough to be able to take a gander at an advanced copy of the book, and I have to say the book is one of the best vegetarian books out there today.

The foods are exciting, bold, and unlike many vegetarian cook books out there, it doesn't try to be different for the sake of being different. Many veg cook books seem as if they are simply trying to make dishes that include as many odd combinations as humanly possible to cover up the fact they don't have meat. One example is a pesto and carrot pasta bake that I saw in one cook book. This book has many old favorites that are updated and modified to not include meat or dairy, and in ways that you won't miss them at all.

Hopefully this book is the first of many that we'll see from these authors.

This book is great for those who want to get some variety and experiment with new flavors. The Asian-inspired dishes, the breaded eggplant with sweet tomato sauce, all really wowed me and made me want to try more. There are photos, which is nice, too, so you can check out what some of the recipes will look like in their finished form.

I have tried many recipes and loved them all! My favorites are Italian Spinach, Baked Sweet Potato Wedges and Frozen Fudge Pops. I am not a vegetarian or lactose-intolerant. I was looking for some interesting meals and side dishes to feed my family of four and this hit the spot. My two-year-old daughter shovels veggies in her mouth like they are candy!!!
The book is very attractive with colorful highlights of the time necessary for each recipe and other helpful hints!!! I'll be cooking from this book forever!

Most recipes that I've tried from this cookbook have been excellent, my favorites being the Thai Leek and Sweet Potato Soup (it is fantastic) and the Fruit Coffee Cake. The directions are clear and many recipes use unusual flavor combinations that work well. Also, they don't rely on any meat substitutes of excessive use of tofu/tempeh, which I like. I'd recommend this as a good addition to a vegetarian cookbook collection.

I have many vegan cook books, but this is one of the top 5 books I always cook with, doesn't take alot of ingredients, the pictures are beautiful. However to make it an even better book it would have been nice to have had some better desserts.

This book rocks! Some of the most delicious, healthy and fun vege recipes I have tried in a while. Mostly pretty easy, but a few challenges make it fun as well. Check it out, I bought an extra to give to some lucky friend.

This is a great cookbook. The recipes are not difficult and truly are healthy AND delicious. I am vegan and it is one of my favorite veg cookbooks (and I have many!). It really utilizes whole healthful foods and does not rely on dairy and soy products to make great vegetarian meals. This is a great cookbook for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores looking for better recipies. Some favorite recipes of mine are the chocolate pudding and the eggplant parmesan.

I hate cooking. This is a problem, since I'm a vegan and not a millionaire. Since I have to cook, I tend to gravitate toward recipes that are tasty. In addition, these recipes also have to be simple to make (i.e., not require two hours and two pages of instructions).
When I first saw this book in the store, I figured it was just another ovo-lacto book filled with recipes that had a lot of cheese, milk and eggs. However, as I looked through it, I realized that 99.9% of the recipes are suitable for vegans. The only recipes that weren't vegan involved the usage of honey. Because of the way honey is used in the recipes, it looked as though it'd be easy to substitute agave nectar.
The recipes that I've tried are fairly easy to make. However, there are recipes that do require some effort. But if you want to skip them or save them for a rainy day, they're there. For example, there is a vegan chocolate cake that was created by the chefs at Cook's Illustrated. They were challenged to create a tasty, vegan, chocolate cake. Even though it involves baking, I might actually try it one day.
In addition, the book minimizes the use of fake meats. Instead, it stays focused on more natural ingredients. While I personally enjoy the usage of seitan and other fakes, there are other vegans/ovo-lacto vegetarians who appreciate a choice in the matter.
The book is divided into appetizers, breads, salads, soups/stews, vegetables, pasta, grains/legumes, sauces/dressings/marinades, desserts and breakfasts. Even if you cook only a fraction of the recipes offered, you'll have plenty of great dishes to eat.

This cook book is terrific. Great new ideas, beautiful pictures and easy recipes. Healthy and flavorful. I couldn't ask for anything more.

haven't read the whole thing but from what I did read, there are great recipes. I'm happy I bought this book and am sure you will be too :)