Serials and Scenarios ~ The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions Reviewed...

The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions: Veganize It! Foolproof Methods for Transforming Any Dish into a Delicious New Vegan Favorite

Celine Steen , Joni Marie Newman

Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Fair Winds Press (December 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1592334415


Description:

Veganize Any Recipe with Confidence!

The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions is your secret weapon to turning any recipe imaginable into a deliciously “veganized” success—no guesswork or hard labor involved. And no more kitchen failures or recipe flops either. Simply look up whatever non-vegan ingredient you want to sub out, and expert author team Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman will explain exactly what substitution is best to use and how to make it without compromising taste or flavor, so you’ll create dishes that are not only better than the “real” thing, but healthier, too.

With more than 200 recipes and substitutions that show the swaps in action, you’ll find step-by-step instructions for replacing everything from butter and bacon to gelatin and gouda. You’ll also find healthy substitutions for replacing things like gluten, sugar, and fat, so you can fine-tune any recipe to your dietary needs.

Stunning photography and easy-to-follow charts appear in every chapter, making it a cinch to dip in and out whenever you need a quick reference or recipe.

If you’ve always wanted to turn your aunt’s famous mac and cheese into a veganized taste sensation, or your grandma’s buttermilk pie into a rousing, “reinvented” success, The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions is the solution you’ve been looking for!

My Thoughts:

This is a terrific resource for a person who is exploring plant-based or Vegan cooking or a more seasoned cook who is looking to cut back on buying the processed Vegan friendly items. This is also a good resource for someone who's looking to transition out of meat and dairy products and wants to trade out traditional pantry/refrigerator items with plant-based substitutions.

I'll admit I purchased this complete guide because of the darling illustrations along with the implied promise that I could figure out this whole new way of cooking without animal products. And I have not been disappointed with my decision. I like the compact size of the book, as well.

Once I received my copy of The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions I glanced through it but didn't embrace it as a go-to cookbook. It was more of a resource for me. But after having it awhile I've begun to cook out of it and mark more recipes I'd like to make.

The book is broken down differently than a standard cookbook. Instead of appetizer, main, sides, salads, desserts type of format, the divisions are topical.

Section One has loads of recipes and is called "Let the Cows Some Home! Foolproof Substitutions for Dairy". It is further broken down by a milk sub and cheese sub chapter. Included are recipes for making nut cheeses, dairy free sour cream, milks and even chocolate bars. Each section has a chart that explains what an item does for a recipe and the items that you can use to replace it. (Most have more than one substitution and quite a few have a gluten free or soy free version that will work.)

There are a total of six sections: substitutions for Dairy, Eggs, Meat, Animal Products, one that encompasses Gluten, Soy, Sugar and Fat substitutions and finally a complete chart of subs. Note: the sugar and fat substitutions are not fat and sugar free, i.e. the authors use of agave or maple syrup or brown rice syrup instead of standard sugar.

Some of the recipes are quick and easy, and some rely on processed Vegan friendly foods. Example Cookie Cookies (cookies made with crushed sandwich cookies...hence the name, I'd guess) . Recipes will call for purchased patties and or meat subs. But there are recipes for make your own seitan, boiled and baked versions. And they include recipes on making your own "bacon" bits, hot dogs, "pepperoni" subs and even baby back ribs and fish sticks.

Several recipes are stack recipes, ones that call for another recipe to be made prior to making the end result. For example the Savory Artichoke Pie includes the  Roasted Squash Lentil Spread.

Recipe measurements are in weight and volume which is nice. And some of the unique recipes they provide include unusual items like Vegan marzipan, graham cracker crust, "ham", make your own gluten free baking mix, cheese fondue and a non-fermented dairy free yogurt. 

Ingredients like miso, nutritional yeast, agar flakes, vital wheat gluten and TVP are maybe unfamiliar to brand new Vegans but can be found on-line or in health food stores or sections.

I personally have prepared the Baked Seitan Cutlets and the Speculoos Cookies and can recommend both as worth the price of the book and of the shelf space.

Serials and Scenarios ~ 350 Best Vegan Recipes and Giveaway ~ Reviewed

NOTE: SEE BELOW FOR AN OPPORTUNITY TO WIN A COPY OF 350 BEST VEGAN RECIPES

350 Best Vegan Recipes
Deb Roussou
Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Robert Rose (March 8, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0778802949


Description:

Delicious, innovative and easy-to-prepare recipes for everyone in search of meal-planning options to fit the vegan lifestyle.

These tempting vegan options include a wide and varied range of tantalizing meal ideas -- from amazing appetizers and salads to hearty soups, incredibly satisfying main courses and decadent desserts. This outstanding cookbook contains so much more than just incredible vegan offerings (that are also guaranteed to appeal to non-vegans and non-vegetarians) -- it also includes comprehensive and useful information on everything from stocking a vegan pantry to helpful kitchen tools and equipment.

And what really sets this book apart from other vegan cookbooks is the "Vegan from Scratch" chapter which provides information on making everything from Vegan Bouillon to Soy Cream Cheese and Smokey Maple Tofu Bacon Slices. These recipes really bring a wholly authentic vegan lifestyle into the home kitchen!


My Review

If you are new to Vegan eating, investigating it, or are trying to add delicious meatless meals to your life, this packed-with-recipes cookbook is a great resource to have on hand.

I'd love to tell you that I cook from my brain and pure creativity and never need cookbooks to get the juices flowing, but that would be a lie. Not saying I can't get on a roll and go all out. But when I'm tired, or bored, or just can't muster creative, I like me a good cookbook.

I also would love to tell you that I love internet recipes. Honestly, with a few strokes of a few keys one can really find a whole lot of what they need on the web. But, I hate cooking from recipes on my computer. There is something about a book that I can write down tweaks or suggestions for next time in the margins. I even like an occasional splatter mark in my cookbooks. (Not to be confused with spatter for those like me, who love police fiction. I do not want spatter in my cookbooks, thankyouverymuch.)

I have made a handful of recipes from 350 Best Vegan Recipes. Each of them was delicious.

My first recipe was Serrano and Roasted Pepper Cornbread. Yum. I had some leftover Spanish rice that needed a little something to make it star in another meal. With a handful of seitan bits and the cornbread layered over the top and baked with the cornbread instructions, yum, this bad boy is a keeper.

Next up was Almond Bear Claw Muffins served to breakfast guests.  Absolutely delicious. I used almond butter instead of the paste that is called for and the recipe worked well. And won raves. 

Another muffin recipe was equally delicious. Raspberry Streusel Muffins.

The Cremini and Kalamata Olivada -- YUM.

I don't think I can tell you what i still want to make from this cookbook. It would probably take less time and space to tell you what doesn't appeal to me.

Recipes on my radar include:

Trendy and creative sounding Horseradish Mustard and Panko-Encrusted Tofu and Northwest Passage Cedar-Planked Tofu. Down home fun comfort food... County Fair Corn Chip Pie. With recipes like these book covers most aspects of Vegan entertaining.

Raw and just veggie lovers will find a section that contains recipes like: Cauliflower and Zucchini Slaw, Hearts of Palm and Mushroom Salad with Lemon Parsley Vinaigrette, Grilled Artichokes with Jalapeno Mignonette Sauce, Sauteed Slivered Brussels Sprouts Over Wild Rice Cakes and Lemon Cucumber Tabbouleh. All together now, "Yum." 

The dessert section offers up a Cranberry Walnut Cake with Caramel Sauce, Jade Green Tea Pound Cake and Figgy Pudding with Brandy Hard Sauce.

A dozen or so pages contain cocktail recipes, too.

I also appreciated the resources. Like the salad dressing recipes, spice blends and basic Vegan recipe versions to replace expensive Vegan processed items. You can use this resource to make your own dairy free versions of mayonnaise, ricotta, smear, sour cream, tempehacon bits, caramel and divine chocolate sauces, vegetable broth and seitan.

Not every recipe in the book is unique, there are several basics or standard items you'll find in nearly every Vegan focused cookbook.  The recipes I tried are delicious and easy to follow.  If you are looking for why to go Vegan, or what one is, that information in not in here. However there are some resources for new Vegans like a very simple pantry list, useful kitchen tools, vocabulary, and suggested menu/party list. Most recipes can be made with commonly found-in-Vegan-household ingredients. If you are looking for some tasty Vegan recipes and like the idea that you can buy a book with 350 recipes instead of 175, then you might want to look a little bit closer at adding it to your bookshelf. It's a keeper and I will continue to cook from it.

And one of the recipes on my must try list is one I have permission to share with you.
Excerpted from 350 Best Vegan Recipes by Deb Roussou © 2012 Robert Rose Inc.  Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

Sauteed Slivered Brussels Sprouts Over Wild Rice Cakes (page 132)

Heightened flavors and a vibrant presentation make this dish a real star. It is doubtful there will be any leftover, but if so, chill the shredded Brussels sprouts, dress with balsamic vinaigrette and serve as a memorable side dish.

Serves 4


       Preheat oven to 200°F (100°C)

       Blender


1 lb Brussels sprouts, bottoms and outer 500 g leaves trimmed

2 tbsp olive oil, divided 30 mL

2 onions, thinly sliced 2

3 cloves garlic, sliced 3

11⁄4 tsp salt, divided 6 mL

1⁄2 tsp Dijon mustard 2 mL

1⁄2 cup firm or extra-firm silken tofu 125 mL

2 cups cooked mixed wild and brown rice 500 mL

2 tbsp chopped chives 30 mL

1 tbsp chopped basil 15 mL

1 tbsp minced Italian flat-leaf parsley 15 mL

1⁄8 tsp freshly ground black pepper 0.5 mL

1⁄3 cup fresh bread crumbs 75 mL

Canola oil

2 tbsp pine nuts, lightly toasted 30 mL

1. Finely slice sprouts about 1⁄16-inch (2 mm) thick. Separate slices into shreds and set aside.

2. Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and let pan get hot. Add 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the olive oil and tip pan to coat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, 3⁄4 tsp (3 mL) of the salt and mustard and cook, stirring often, until onions are golden and caramelized, about 20 minutes.

3. In a blender, purée tofu until smooth. In a bowl, gently fold together puréed tofu and rice. Mix in chives, basil, parsley, black pepper and remaining 1⁄2 tsp (2 mL) of salt. Place bread crumbs in a shallow bowl and, using a tablespoon, drop rice mixture into bread crumbs, patting gently to form a cake. Press additional crumbs on top and use a small spatula to transfer cake to a plate lined with waxed paper. Repeat with remaining rice mixture.

4. Place another skillet over medium-high heat and let pan get hot. Add about 1⁄4 inch (0.5 cm) canola oil. When oil is hot, place 3 or 4 rice cakes in pan and cook until edges begin to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip cakes and cook until underside is browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels and keep warm in preheated oven. Repeat process with remaining rice mixture.

5. In pan with onions, heat remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) of olive oil over medium-high heat, pushing onions to one side of pan. Add Brussels sprouts and cook, stirring frequently, until shreds are bright green and just beginning to wilt, about 5 minutes.

6. Arrange 2 to 3 rice cakes on a plate and top each with a little pile of sprouts. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve.

Now would you like a free copy? The publisher is offering to send one of my readers (US or Canada) a copy. 

I'm leaving this random contest open through midnight on July 21st. 

Leave a comment. One chance. 

Follow my blog. One chance (you have to leave another comment telling me.)

Poke around the provided links and tell me, in a separate comment, which recipe you'd like to try.

Make sure I can get in touch with you. And wait til the reveal on July 22nd. 

Scraps and Snippets ~ Review of The Happy Herbivore Cookbook and a Silly Story...

Since I've got a stack of cookbooks to review and I announced it yesterday (gotta love the accountability). And, well, I found two more books at the library. I had to return the Happy Herbivore and, well, they enticed me.

But. For dinner last night, and for kicks, and next day lunches, and just because I made the following recipes from The Happy Herbivore.

Oatmeal Cookies

Fruity Oatmeal Bars

Chicken Style Seitan -- (which required these as well No-Chicken Broth Powder Poultry Seasoning Mix)

My assessment of the book.

Lindsay Nixon's Happy Herbivore cookbook opens with an explanation of why and what Vegan looks like, what to have on hand to prepare Vegan meals and tips and hints. Had I been just starting out as a Vegan I would have very much devoured this section, and the very end of the book that is simply two pages that give details on what and how to make substitutions in standard recipes. After almost a year of the Vegan learning curve, this is less important to me.

As for the recipes. The Fruity Oatmeal bars are exactly as she said they'd be. Cereal bar taste and texture just like a Nutri-Grain type bar. Very tasty. I'll definitely make these again. There was no added fat as promised in the secondary title of the book either. Same scenario on the Oatmeal Cookies. Good texture, a soft cookie that is chewy and flavorful. Again, no added fat. One step in the directions caused me pause and I did not follow it. She suggested placing part of the batter/dough on parchment paper and laying it carefully upside down over the jam layer. I chose the lazy way out and allowed a few holes for the jam to peek through after plopping and spreading.

I love the No-Chicken Broth Powder. It makes quite a bit, a cup and a half or so. It will work in other recipes and will be a nice staple for my kitchen. The poultry seasoning was a mix of several spices, and again, will be an addition to my pantry. The Chicken-Style Seitan was chicken-like. Nice flavor, and decent texture. It's still Seitan and has that texture so it won't fool omnivores. It was a little time consuming so I'd make a double batch next time and try freezing it for the future or keep it on it's extra liquid/gravy in the fridge for a few days. The making was easy, but it required almost an hour to simmer and half hour to bake. Most homemade Seitan is involved, though, so this was not unexpected. There is a recipe on the web that I like slightly better that will be my go to "chicken" sub recipe but I believe I'll add the No-Chicken Broth Powder to it.

The other recipes I'd like to try are:

Blue Corn Chickpea Tacos

Mushroom Burgers

Torkey (Tofu Turkey)

Spicy Sausage

Frittata

Baked Shells and Cheese (which requires the Cheddar Cheesy Sauce)

Veggie, Bean, &Quinoa Croquettes

Baked Beans

Baked Onion Rings

Chili-Lime Corn Chips

Ranch Dip

Vegan Worcestershire Sauce

Mayo

Sour Cream

Nacho Cheese Sauce

Brown Rice Milk

Gravy (three different ones)

Cinnamon Buns

Maple Cornbread Biscuits

Gingerbread Mini-Loaves

Scones

Pumpkin Cheesecake

All of these recipes are not unique to The Happy Herbivore Cookbook. Many are on blogs. However, I'm at the point where I'm looking for the perfect go-to recipes to replace family favorites and/or for holiday baking and entertaining.

Depending on what you are looking for this could be THE cookbook for you. The recipes are basic and a chef's hat is not a required tool to use it in your kitchen. An experienced Vegan who has been playing around with recipes for a long time may not find as many keepers as a new Vegan would.

And after #3 tried to start the newest wave to change the world wide web with the antidote to planking...boxing...she got a wild hair to do some more Vegan baking. I believe she's catching the bug. Well, not really, she keeps begging for meat and whining for cheese. But she's catching the whole baking bug.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Coming Soon to a Review Corner Near You...

I mentioned I had ten cookbooks I was needing to review. You may have thought I was kidding. I was not. 

Cookbooks I'm currently cooking, or thinking about cooking, from and plan to review ASAP.  Really. And there are more I want to cook from, too. I'm developing a cookbook problem. I may need an intervention.

 Appetite for Reduction. Recently found it's way onto my shelves. Have barely cracked the cover. But. I want to dig in...literally and figuratively.

The Complete Guide Vegan Food Substitutions is one of the first Vegan cookbooks I bought. I love the pictures of the animals. Too cute. I've tried four recipes so far. They have not been my favorite of their types. But I think this little guy will be on my shelf forever. There are hints and tips and substitution ideas galore. Kind of like my Betty Crocker. She sits there idle 80% of the time. But when you need that one basic recipe, she's there, holding the secrets of home cooking, ya know?

 The Happy Herbivore. Another cookbook I borrowed from the library. I'm trying three recipes tomorrow. Poultry Seasoning Mix, No-Chicken Broth powder, and Chicken Style Seitan. The book has to go back. I'm undecided on the keeper status and whether or not I'll purchase it...but I'm going to give it the old college try.

Vegan on the Cheap...who doesn't love that? I shelled out some Christmas gift money to buy this bad boy.

One of my Christmas gifts, Spork Fed, is on my hit list. These sisters look so cute. And the food on the cover looks so tasty. I page through it when I'm tired and multitasking while watching a show. It's going to visit the work bench soon. Very soon.  

 Had a gift card and bought this bad boy with it. Quick Fix Vegan appeals to me on so many levels.

 Veganomicon. Another checked out at the library. Then went ahead and bought it. The Chickpea cutlet recipe is worth the price. It's on her website, but there is something about the cookbook. Oh. Biscotti? Made that, tasty. Two recipes that make it a keeper.

 Vegan Brunch. I checked it out from the library. How creative and different could brunch recipes be? I thought. But. Then I looked through it. Hmmmmm. Interesting and tasty ideas. Many must tries. So then I found it on sale. And it lives with me.

Another Fork in the Trail. Looked through it, marked forty or so recipes. Finally have a dehydrator. There is some serious work involved in these to make them for camping/backpacking/hiking...but I want to. Real bad.

Blissful Bites is a cookbook I received for review. I've made the BBQ sauce which was delicious. I'm not ready to go whole "hog" (excuse the non-Veg terminology).

Serials and Scenario's Donna Klein's Supermarket Vegan ~ Reviewed

Supermarket Vegan:225 Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Recipes for Real People in the Real World [Paperback]
Donna Klein
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Perigee Trade; Original edition (January 5, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399535616


Description:


An all-new collection of delicious, simple vegan dishes using easy- to-find, readily available ingredients-going vegan has never been easier.


The author of The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen shows readers how to use readily-available ingredients to create healthy, delicious, simple, low-cost, and elegant family vegan meals, including:


More than 225 meat-free, egg-free, dairy-free recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, main courses, side dishes, beverages and desserts


No expensive and suspect meat, egg, or dairy "substitutes"

My Thoughts:

What you see is what you get in this cookbook. There isn’t a breakdown of why to go vegan or what vegan looks like. Instead the book gets right to the recipes. And the ingredients in the recipes should be in most grocery stores.

I think this Is going to be a great resource for someone who knows the whys of going vegan but doesn’t know where to start.

If you are looking for recipes to use your miso or make your own seitan you won’t find them here. But if you want to eat Vegan and love salads and veggies and don’t have a pantry full of unfamiliar ingredients you'll find some great recipes here. Also, if you have been a processed food Vegan who leans towards Oreos, Fritos, Soda but want to get more into veggies and make your own meals this would be a good transitioning cookbook. There is reliance on processed foods, but not as much as I expected. Most recipes use fresh produce as well. Of note, there are very few dessert recipes. Don't expect to find vegan cupcakes, cookies and oodles of treats. But the book doesn't promise that either.

I did find several recipes that sounded good. I did not make them as I borrowed the cookbook from my library and time was limited. However, I found several recipes I want to make so I'll be purchasing or borrowing this one again. Recipes like Maple Coleslaw, Hot and Sour Slaw, Tahini Brown Rice with Artichokes and Chickpeas, Salad Bar Vegetable Lo Mein, One Pot Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms and Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Cellophane Noodles with Scallions and Chow Sauce, Japanese-Style Soba Noodle and Red Cabbage Salad with Pumpkin Seeds and Tuscan-Style Chickpea and Spinach Salad with Artichokes and Sun-Dried Tomatoes are a few of the ones that grabbed the attention of my tastebuds.

Serials and Scenario's Brendan Brazier's Thrive Foods~ Reviewed

Thrive Foods
Brendan Brazier

From the Author
In the Thrive Foods, I introduce something called the Nutrient-to-Resource Ratio, which considers the amount of each natural resource that goes into food production in exchange for the amount of nutrients that food offers. Based on these findings, I then make suggestions as to what foods are most beneficial to personal health as well as environmental preservation. The goal is simple: get as high a level of health-boosting micronutrients from food, while expending the smallest amount of each natural resource to do so. (Essentially, it's a mathematical way of saying plant-based whole foods make a lot of sense). There are also 200 recipes, including a few from my favorite North American restaurants, as well as a few of my favorite chefs.

About the Author
Brendan Brazier is a former professional Ironman triathlete and the creator of VEGA, an award-winning whole food product line. Recognized as one of the world's foremost authorities on plant-based nutrition, Brazier is a guest lecturer at Cornell University.

My Thoughts:

I haven’t checked out Brendan Brazier’s previous two books, but, since my public library had Thrive Foods, I did indeed check this one out.

Brazier’s why to go plant-based is very compellingly presented. He has done some serious homework. The first 100 or so pages of Thrive Foods is focused on the realities of nutrition and why the Standard American Diet is not a recipe for health. Brazier then tackles what animal products contribute to (or actually take from) the environment. He offers solutions. I.E. go plant-based, and he offers the how to do that. Finally, in an attempt to “boil down” foods to the most nutrient rich/best overall choice he’s come up with a formula. Now. I’ll be honest. Though I was intrigued with this formula and the end result, my inner math-phobe rebelled a bit and I went into my high school math class induced happy place. But, since I've matured and survived radiation math I pulled myself back out and decided I needed to learn what he was patiently teaching. It's fascinating and horrifying. His top Thrive food choices added a positive spin after the bad news, so I ended up feeling hopeful that one person, one choice at a time, does make a difference. I was also thrilled to see that many of his go-to power foods are ones we already incorporate into our lives. He introduced me to several more.

Finally, Brazier offers loads of recipes, some his own that are tried and true. Others from chefs and restaurants he respects. Most of them sounded delicious. Brazier makes his own sports drinks and bars. And his athletic abilities prove that his diet is indeed part of making him the machine that he is. Since my time with the book was short-lived I didn't actually make any. However, these are the recipes I want to try. His Lemon-Lime Sports Drink, Kombucha Mojito, Candied Grapefruit Salad, Cream of Asparagus Soup, Energy Bars and Gels, Roasted Garlic Quinoa, Rustic Sweet Onion Flat Bread, Bok Choy Couscous with Sacha Inchi, Live Falafels, Live Seasoned Cashew Cheese, Live Cashew Sour Cream, Pecan and Dill Pate...okay. I want to try a lot of the recipes, and I'll be buying the book.

Alas, now the library version of Thrive Foods has to go back to the library.

I recommend this book to those who really want to go the next step from whatever diet they eat into whole food veganism. Athletes or manly men who wonder if they can find enough protein in plant food to survive and thrive should also check into Brazier’s books. Newbie or transitioning from standard Vegan to whole food Vegan would benefit from this book as well. It's also going to be a great resource on what foods are the richest Thrive foods and how to prepare them. Folks who just wonder if a Vegan lifestyle is realistic, contains what the body needs, or palatable might want to score a copy. Finally, if you are eager to green up your life and reduce your carbon footprint, you should find his calculations fascinating.

Scraps and Snippets ~ More in My Repetoire...

Thanks to Groupon or Living Social or whatever site I purchased from, I got a Barnes and Noble gift card for not quite 1/2 price. The bad news was that it didn't come before Christmas. The good news: it became mine.


I bought at Barnes and Noble online so I got free shipping and some good deals (spent $11 more than the card, but overall, win. win. win I got three cookbooks for $26 total.)


I bought:

I made two recipes in Vegan on the Cheap. I think I'm going to really like it. She has a recipe for Vegan Pot Roast (Seitan) with potatoes, veggies etc. Pretty tasty. Not exactly roast beef like in texture or flavor but close enough. I may have to add a little something-something next time around. Celery would help, which I didn't have. I also made her pie crust and made little bittie chicken pot pies with it (my recipe, not hers). I'll post that recipe soon. So. Two recipes that are keepers with a touch of tweaking, out of two recipes. 

I've thumbed through the other two and think I'll find some keepers there, too. Time will tell. I'm thinking quick-fix could be just the ticket some night. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ The Happy Husband Cookbook

The Happy Husband Cookbook

Nashville Kat

A note from Kat about her book, The Happy Husband Cookbook.

"My cookbook has 204 tried and true recipes, the things we eat at our home daily. It is filled with black and white drawings my husband did. I decided to start a cookbook when I got married a little over 4 years ago. The book came from this. My husband did the art work on the front. The picture hangs on our kitchen wall and one day while having lunch together I looked at it and said, 'there's my cover.' I had the title for the book first then it all came together at lunch that day."

And a note from me.

Kat introduced me to a whole lot of food adventures while she worked on The Happy Husband cookbook. I had the opportunity to join delicious parties where she'd assign recipes and a dozen cooks would get together to eat, rate and suggest.

Kat was the first truly diverse foodie I had the opportunity to cook and eat with. And I had never heard of Miso or considered raw food until she shared some of her experiences with those items and those she gained enjoying food from all over the United States as well as an European adventure. She collects recipes and techniques like others might collect shot glasses or refrigerator magnets from all the special places and moments in life. 

Though this cookbook is not Vegan, and my regular readers all know that's my current recipe book collection bent, it's a keeper. Her recipes, though occasionally heavy on ingredients, are ALL heavy on love of food and folks and chock full of taste. Many of her recipes have stories and helpful hints. Kat loves taste and mouth feel and will work until it's just right, while her husband is a meat and potatoes kind of guy. Her experiences and skills as a foodie all come together to make for some great recipes. Her midwest roots and country bent also guarantee that many of these recipes are comfort foods that will become some of your favorites. Her husband's art work adds the cherry-on-the-top charm.

Scraps and Snippets ~ The Kind Diet ~ Reviewed

The Kind Diet

Alicia Silverstone

My Review:


Alicia Silverstone's Vegan/kindness tome went with us on a recent road trip. The passengers in the car passed it around and read up on some of what Alicia had to say. She gives great information on how and why to go Vegan. She shares delicious recipes. Her peanut butter cups and Rustic Pasta are amazing, and many pages in our copy of The Kind Diet have become stained and/or dogeared in the months since the road trip.


Alicia's voice is friendly girl-next-doorsy and she shares little stories, encouragement and pictures from her life. Her book is part why, and focused on the Kindness of plant eating, to animals, the planet and the human body. (Without graphic pictures and horrific stories of packing plants.) The how of her book is broken down into simple categories. In each category, she gives hints and examples and role models.The just getting started category, of those who are taking baby steps into Vegan eating, she labels flirts. The stricter and more devoted Vegan category is next, with tips and hints for those willing and ready to commit to a strict plant-based diet. Finally, she gives insight on the next class of plant-eaters, the Superheroes, those who embrace Veganism and take their passion to the next level. Some of her ingredients are not super easily grabbed at the local grocery store. Some I had not even heard of. She explores the debates on grains, sugars and soy. Discusses organics, pantry supplies, and the pros and cons of eating Nightshade vegetables. Her information includes a good, solid overview of how to get the nutrition the body needs from eating plants.


I don't think this should be the only Vegan cookbook you purchase if you are Vegan or going that direction. However, it's a good one to grab if you are a flirt, and it should take you to the edge of the Superhero chasm. We refer to it and cook from it often.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Recipe Book Review ~ Vegan With a Vengeance...

I'm not a cookbook collector. Oh, I collect books and have a whole wall of bookshelves to prove it. But I need my cookbooks to be more than pretty decoration. If they don't work for me, I scavenge what I will use, put it in a three ring binder and the cookbook moves to a new home. Vegan with a Vengeance is moving in.

Why?

I've made nine recipes. One of them twice. All but one of them stellar. The following is a list of the items I've tried.

Seitan. Terrific and easy. Yum.

Sparkled Ginger Cookies. AMAZING. All thumbs, and big toes, up.

Fauxstess Cupcake. They taste freakishly like the original.

Chocolate Chip cookies. Good

Pumpkin Muffins. Really good.

Lemon Gem Cupcakes (I made a bundt version... very, very lemony delish)

Gingerbread Apple Pie (Good and got raves from non-Vegans.)

Cold Udon Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Seitan (making that one for dinner tomorrow, the sauce and seitan are done, pretty sure it's going to be delish.)

Other recipes are marked with "gotta try this" strips of paper. Others won't be ones that tempt me. She has a pancake recipe that looks way too involved and I have a pancake recipe that I LOVE. Scrambled Tofu, tried it, didn't love it and I have another recipe I like better. Many of her recipes are comfort food makeovers or fun twists on standard ethnic dishes.

Moskowitz is clever, creative and funny. Her bodacious attitude peppers the book with comments and she shares her story, her kitchen tool list, and her ingredient must haves. Her cat, Fizzle, pops in with interesting facts throughout the book.

I don't think Vegan with a Vengeance could be the only Vegan cookbook you'll ever need, but it certainly can add a whole lot of interesting spice to your menu repertoire.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Recipe Book Review ~ Peas and Thank You...

The best thing about writing book reviews is when you score a free FABULOUS book to review. So thank you, Peas and Thank You marketing team. That said. I don't write glowing reviews unless the book deserves one.


When I get a cookbook, I look through the recipes and try a few that sound good to me. And if there are five or ten recipes I will add to my life recipe file, I consider the book a keeper. I'm pretty picky. If a recipe book has only two or three I want to try, I don't buy it. If I'm given the book with just a few keeper recipes I usually will copy down the recipe, put it in my file and get rid of the book. I just don't need a huge shelf of books that aren't being used.


Peas and Thank You is a keeper. A lifetime member of my recipe shelf. The recipes I've tried are delicious, they turn out when I follow the easy directions, and they don't taste like someone is trying real hard to make tasty food healthier. Everyone who has tried the recipes I've made from Peas and Thank You, whether Vegan or meat eater, cautious eater, or don't-give-a-rat's-rear-end-what they put in their mouth, rave about the food.

I have only tried nine of the recipes, but three of them I've made several times. These are the recipes I've tried and love. And they are SO worth the stinking sticker price. Heck. I'm tempted to send a check to someone.


Apple Cinnamon Pancakes
Lemon Lentil Soup
Cutout Sugar Cookies
Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt
Almond Joy Cookie Bars
Peanut Butter Blondies with Ganache
Double Chocolate Single Chin Brownies
Grand Old Biscuits
Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chickpeas


I have about a dozen more that I must try. More recipes are marked than not.


Mama Pea (Sarah Matheny) is a talented and engaging writer as well and she shares charming and sweetly twisted stories about each recipe. I don't often laugh when reading a recipe book. I did with this one. She also shares pantry information, details about why they went vegan and most of her recipes are designed for busy folks and use convenience items. If you are newly Vegan, want to explore meatless, or love cookbooks, you need to add it to your list.


The only thing I did not love was the recipe title appeared at the beginning of each recipe, but not after the story and right before ingredients. So some recipes are a page or two after the introduction/story. So you have to do a little page flipping to make sure you are on the right recipe. Otherwise I LOVE it. Don't even ask to borrow it. This little sucker is part of me now.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Smiling is My Favorite ~ Blue Planet

I don't write a lot of restaurant reviews. Heck, I don't know that I even know how to write one. But here goes.

We've got a few locally owned eateries around and about that we like to go to when we get the hankering for food we don't have to prepare.

One is a place we've only been to a handful of times over the past few years. It's pretty close, ten miles or so from us, and reasonably priced, too. But for whatever reason, I haven't been to Blue Planet since we went Vegan in April.

Yesterday we dropped in for lunch. I hadn't scanned the menu before for Vegan friendly foods. And I was really surprised to see how many Vegan items there were available. The staff members were extremely friendly and helpful.

While we waited for our lunch we sat near the kitchen. Couldn't help but notice a couple of the cooks having a great time. Don't you just love seeing people love their jobs? I do. Anyhoo. The food prep included a few riffs on the air guitar and some songs. I overheard a conversation about smiles between two cooks and the owner/manager (a guess). When our Vegan Caprisi pizza was delivered I understood the conversation and we had to smile.

Caprisi v vg $7.99 Natural Italian sauce, slices of tomato, basil, and natural mozzarella or vegan cheese

Why? Well, because a) they had plastered the thing with smiles. b) and because it was delicious.

So. If you are ever in the Omaha area, give them a visit. Good stuff, and good attitudes = smiles for all.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Of Apple, Cinnamon, Pumpkin and Super Sweetly Cheap Cookbooks...

 I have stacks of books at my house. A result of a long term compulsion to buy books that are bargains. Some of them are cookbooks, some novels, and some are about figuring out life. I occasionally want to clear out some of the ones I've read, used and don't plan to keep using. The space I net is a bonus. Feeling green is another bonus.


We have a Half-Price Books in our metro area. And Half-Price Books buys books, and sells books at sometimes super bargain prices. I have quite the good time there. Especially when I find a book I've been wanting real bad.  


We were in the neighborhood the other day and I sold some cookbooks that were ones that didn't work for our new way of eating.

I ended up turning those few books into a SCORE. We found a cookbook we'd been eyeballing on Amazon. For six bucks cheaper. Win. Win. Win. Turn in six books, take home one keeper? Priceless.


^ (The unpronounceable symbol for the daughter who used to be known as 24 because her birthday is right around the corner and I have to change her name every year anyhoo.) made pumpkin muffins and cupcakes. Both are keepers. This cookbook will NOT be going back to Half-Price Books. I'll do a review of it soonish. I found some recipes that I'm super excited to try, too. 

The pancakes are ones I made from Peas and Thank You. Not ready to review it fully yet. But if you have an inkling, I'm telling you her Apple Cinnamon pancakes (yes, the pictured ones) are pretty much worth the purchase price if you are a pancake fan. We've been buying a Vegan pancake mix and will NOT be doing that anymore. Five from scratch batches will likely pay for the cookbook. I also found more pages to fold over of recipes I want to try. I can tell you Peas and Thank You is a keeper.

Serials and Scenario's Sarah Matheny's peas and thank you - again

Back to my obsessive thoughts about Peas and Thank You...the book.

The Cookies

I've baked and tasted a bunch of Vegan cookies. Some are really tasty, others are a FAIL. Now. I happen to love a cookie I've tweaked. But there is a lot of flax in it and it tastes "green" i.e. healthy. To those who don't care for green it just doesn't quite hit the spot.

Sarah's cookie -- Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookie with Sea Salt to be exact -- is delicious for other reasons.

Soft.

Fluffy.

Sweet.

Check.

Does it taste remotely healthy?

No.

All three of us liked them very much.

Will it become my favorite cookie? Probably not mine, because I really prefer chewy, gooey. However, I will make them again and think they are a good Omnivore option wherein said Omnivore will just say "Yum! Good cookie." and never suspect something shady.

And I'm going to try her Peanut Butter Blondies with Ganache. I'm pretty sure they will become an obsession. I have never used silken tofu. This will be a maiden voyage for me. Now I'm just going to have to find it, buy it, and get this dessert made. Will it happen this weekend? Good goal.

Note: She has posted the recipe on her blog. Some of her recipes are there, some are only found in her book.

Serials and Scenario's Sarah Matheny's peas and thank you LEFTOVERS

I blabbled on and on yesterday about this cookbook. Maybe I was just starving. Maybe if you make me laugh you kind of own me. However it goes, I'm going to give you a link to her blog to one of the recipes (recipeas) I recreated in my own kitchen. Here it is.

Now. I didn't just sit down and chow them by the handful though I could've because they are freakishly good. I needed to use up some cucumbers and thought they might be just the delicious top to a tasty salad.

I made the Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chickpeas as directed. (Okay. Confession. I did not follow the exact recipe. I exchanged the rosemary for dill.) So mine were Lemon Dill Roasted Chickpeas. Here's why. She refers to her husband as Pea Daddy (makes sense, trust me.) Well my equivalent to her Pea Daddy, Rob, hates rosemary. He detests rosemary. He has forbidden me to buy this spice which he likens to pine needles but worse. So. I had to improvise.

Otherwise the recipe was exactly like she said.

Then I chopped some tomatoes (the organic farm ones YUM) and chopped a few cucumbers. But. I had a problem. I had a an extra cucumber that needed to be used up in the worst way. And I wanted some sort of dressing. And really, Balsamic just wasn't cutting it.
What if I threw the medium to large peeled cucumber in the Vitamix,
added a TBSP of lemon juice,
a TBSP of Olive Oil,
a teaspoon of dried dill and
a 1/2 teaspoon of salt?

So I did. And out comes this freakishly good, CREAMY LEMON DILL CUCUMBER DRESSING. Next time I'll add 1/2 a clove of garlic or garlic powder.

I poured the dressing over the diced cucumbers and tomatoes and tossed on some Lemon Dill Roasted Chickpeas.

Yum.

(Okay, some of you might be bothered by this seemingly cucumber cannibalistic sounding recipe. Don't think of it that way. All the cucumbers were eaten by humans.)

There will be some additional posts about this recipe book. I still need to tell you why I owed Rob a big dinner. Today is farm day, though, so you may have to suffer through a few more farm stories. But I'll still be pouring over recipes and seeing what else jumps out at me and grabs me by the stomach.