The Complete Vegan Cookbook: Over 200 Tantalizing Recipes, Plus Plenty of Kitchen Wisdom for Beginners and Experienced Cooks

Rating:
Summary: A "must" for the vegetarian bookshelf
Review: A vegan diet is one drawn exclusively from the vegetable kingdom and excludes all animal meat products including seafood, eggs, dairy, and honey, as well as any vegetable product which is processed using animal ingredients. In The Complete Vegan Cookbook, Susan Geiskopf-Hadler and Mindy Toomay effectively collaborate to present more than two hundred mouth-watering recipes enhanced with a wealth of "kitchen wisdom" for the benefit of the kitchen novice -- as well as the experience chef! From French Lentil Salad with Fresh Basil and Mint; Cauliflower in Coriander Cashew Sauce; and White Beans with Tomatoes and Chipotle Chilies; to Skewers of Baby Squash and Tempeh in Pineapple-Ginger Marinade; Granola with Dried Cranberries and Apricots; and Banana-Date Freeze, The Complete Vegan Cookbook is a "must" for the vegetarian bookshelf!

Rating:
Summary: disappointing
Review: I bought this book thinking I could use it to make some good vegan meals. I was very disappointed by it because although the recipes do look tempting and interesting and exotic, they are not practical - one would have to buy too many 'strange' ingredients to make them. In the end I just kept getting frustrated looking through it, because all these ideas she presents were not realistic, so I returned it. There may be one or two good recipes, but there are better vegan cookbooks out there.

Rating:
Summary: Great to be Vegan
Review: I just starting eating vegan this year, and this cookbook makes it very easy and tasty. This is a very diverse cookbook, yet the ingredients are not so exotic that you cannot find them. I especially love the Soba with Fresh Soybeans and Spicy Tahini Sauce and the Orrechiette with Tomato Sauce, Basil, and Toasted Pine Nuts. I made a few recipes out of this book for my non-vegan parents and in-laws for Easter dinner, and they loved them. This book has definitely made the transition from omnivore to vegan a great experience.

Rating:
Summary: Simply the best
Review: I signed on to review this book because I am so excited about it, but had to respond to the last reviewer, who says the recipes in it are too high in fat. In fact, MOST of the recipes are very LOW in fat. And you have to take into account the percentage of calories that are derived from fat, not just the total fat grams. There is plenty of wonderful food here for people who are watching fat intake. Also, the last reviewer mentions canola oil as the major fat in the book, but the most prominent oil used in The Complete Vegan Cookbook is heart-healthy olive oil. It is important to remember that an extremely low-fat diet can be hazardous to your health, unless you already have heart disease. You need a sufficient quantity of essential fatty acids in your diet, especially the monounsaturated kind--like olive oil and avocado. I definitely recommend this inspiring and informative cookbook. I especially recommend the great selection of pilafs and the Chinese-inspired soups.

Rating:
Summary: Informative, innovative, inspiring
Review: The recipes in this book are out-of-the-ordinary, which is a good thing if you ask me--it keeps the vegan diet from getting boring. Every one I have tried has been easy to make and very delicious. My favorites right now are the Southwest Corn, Chard, and Potato Soup and the Linguine with Asparagus, Walnuts, and Fresh Herbs. I made the Oat and Buckwheat Pancakes with Blueberry Sauce for friends, who loved them. Anyway, I'm not a experienced or fancy cook and this book is one of my favorites. It also has a lot of good nutrition and cooking tips. Check it out for yourself!

Rating:
Summary: Watch the fat please!
Review: This book has many innovative recipes. The recipes vary from very simple, to somewhat more sophisticated, which is good since sometimes you just want to throw something together for yourself, but other times you may want to cook something more complex or impressive (for entertaining). The only draw back that I wanted to point out is that while this cookbook is vegan, it DOES NOT pay any attention to fats. So, some of the recipes may contain as many as 29 grams of fat per serving! Granted, this is the high end of the spectrum for the entire cookbook, but most of the recipes hover between 10-17 grams of fat per serving. The fat is mainly from canola oil, although some of it is from nuts and seeds. I try to modify the recipes myself so that they contain less fat. It is very healthy to eat a meal with no animal products, but equally unhealthy if it is SOAKED in oil! I definitely prefer a lighter style of cooking--so if you are willing to modify the recipes to contain less fat (or if you are not concerned about fat intake), then this book is worth your while.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Cookbook!!
Review: This was my first Vegan recipe book. I have tried many recipes from the book, and they have all been wonderful. I would highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: A Great Cookbook!!
Review: This was my first Vegan recipe book. I have tried many recipes from the book, and they have all been wonderful. I would highly recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: A revelation
Review: Who knew vegan food could be so delicious and varied? I still eat some dairy and eggs, but this book proved to me that I can (and someday will) be completely satisified with no animal products in my diet. The broad range of foods used in these recipes, and the creative way they are combined, truly opened my eyes. I'm not even a great cook, but I've enjoyed making these dishes, and they've all been really good, especially the soups and the pilafs (and the tacos!). Even if you don't like or are allergic to soy products, you can eat for a year on these recipes without getting bored. And don't worry about the low-carb thing--these recipes use healthy complex carbs like veggies, beans, and grains. Also, I learned a lot about nutrition and a lot of great cooking tips with this book--in a fun way, not like a textbook. The Complete Vegan Cookbook is great!