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Summary: my favorite cookbook
Review: I bought this book skeptically because I wanted to know what eggless and dairyless recipies would be like and if I could conceivably go "vegan" if only for a short time. Well I was pleasantly surprised. This is my favorite cookbook. I've liked almost every single recipie I've tried and that has never happened before. Well, I'm not vegan yet, but almost everything I cook for myself is.
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Summary: The animals have a friend in Robin!
Review: I can't imagine a better cookbook for one to have on the kitchen counter than Vegan Planet. Robertson has outdone herself in assembling this huge collection of recipes (her 10th cookbook!) encompassing everything from traditional comfort foods to exotic cuisine from around the world. And as impressive as Robertson's recipes are in Vegan Planet, her discussions on the benefits of vegan cooking are even more so. Are you worried about your cholesterol level? About your waist line? About animal suffering? In a non-preachy and friendly manner, Robertson discusses how each of these topics-and many, many more-can be remedied with a sumptuous and healthy vegan diet.Robertson makes it easy to flip to the recipe you want by organizing her impressive recipe collection into 19 straightforward chapters. Her choice of ingredients focuses on fresh foods and readily available items-you won't need access to a gourmet grocery store to prepare these gourmet recipes. It's rare that I find a cookbook that is so all-encompassing. For example, she includes recipes that are great for packing the kids' school lunches (such as grilled vegetable wraps) or for a special dinner party (such as pesto-stuffed tofu steaks with summertime tomato sauce). Whether you are a meat eater looking to include more vegan food in your life or you are a vegan looking for new recipes, you'll find Vegan Planet to be an invaluable resource.
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Summary: Has not steered me wrong yet
Review: I found this book to be an incredible resource for tasty recipes. The first one I tried was the African Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew which was wonderful. There are many recipes incorporating tempeh which I have not seen too much of in veggie cookbooks. I make it a point to try new recipes weekly and have used at least 14 or so from the cookbook and I am pleased each time. The Curried Chickenless Tempeh Salad is one of my favorites! Eat well
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Summary: The best vegan cookbook on the market
Review: I have had this book for a couple of years now, and it is the one that I turn to time and again for simple, delicious, guaranteed-to-turn-out-well recipes. It is by far the best vegan cookbook I have ever used (and I've used lots of them!), though it is true that I wish it had nutritional info along with the recipes.
"Vegan Planet" is perfect for staple recipes like chili, or mashed potatoes, or vegan shepherd's pie (my favorite recipe in the book and a big hit with my super meat-loving in-laws). The recipes are so easy that the lack of pictures never bothers me. Everything I have tried has come out well, and I'm not an expert cook by any means. There's also a ton of important nutritional information in different sections throughout the book, and I think it does a wonderful job of introducing great foods that many Americans don't typically eat (e.g. quinoa).
I LOVE this book and give it as a gift all the time, to vegans, vegetarians, and relatives who ask "what can I cook if you're coming to dinner?"
This book is perfect for 98% of one's ordinary cooking needs.
My other favorite vegan cookbooks: If you're a real foodie or into gourmet cooking, I would recommend the "Millennium Cookbook" or "The Artful Vegan;" if you like funky, fun recipes try How it All Vegan" or "The Garden of Vegan."
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Summary: Everything Fantastic!
Review: I have happily been a vegetarian for 9 years and was interested in becoming vegan but was frightened that there would not be enough entrees to feed my family. I have tried about 20 recipes from this book so far and they are all unbelievable. The balsamic glazed carrots, linguine with sage and white bean sauce, and jasmine rice with cashews are my favorites. Even my pre-school son eats these recipes. This is now my main cookbook.
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Summary: Time consuming...
Review: I live in a fairly small city, so we only have the basic big brand grocery stores here. Some of the things in these recipes are expensive and difficult to find. Also, the recipes are pretty time consuming. The food is deliscious though, so if you don't spending a little (time and money), you'll probably be quite pleased with the meals.
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Summary: Excellent book
Review: I love this book! I took it out of the library originally and made several recipies and they were all easy enough for everyday but very tasty. (They even go over well with non-veg*n's.) I liked it so much I purchased a copy. If you're looking for non-meat recipies this is an excellent choice.
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Summary: Best vegan cookbook available
Review: I love this book. It has some of the most imaginative and appetizing recipes that I have ever read in a vegan cookbook. Even my picky nine year old daughter loves the food. This cookbook opened my eyes to so many wonderful things that I had never thought of before. The facts about food are wonderful as well. Being vegan is hard. Now, after reading this book, I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything anymore. There are alternatives to almost anything in this book. A must have for any vegan!
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Summary: Abundent and Easy to Follow
Review: I went from being a non-vegan, non-cook to being both with the purchase of this book. It made becoming vegan look and taste easy. My friends, mainly non-vegans, have enjoyed every single dish I have made (and many desserts)from this treasure of a cookbook. Text boxes with notes about various topics are scattered throughout, and are always very helpful and insightful. I had never used my oven when I bought this book, and now I make fresh meals regularly. This book is wonderful.
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Summary: Fantastic addition to any kitchen's repertoire
Review: I'd been a long-time lacto-vegetarian and recently decided to take the plunge and cut out the dairy as well, and in doing so, decided that I needed to find some new cookbooks to go along with this lifestyle change. Though many of my vegetarian cookbooks offer some vegan recipes as well as some vegan alternatives for non-vegan recipes, I was still finding that I didn't have much to draw from. Not every vegetarian recipe can be easily substituted for, and not all vegan substitutions come out tasting all that great. After hours spent at bookstores sifting through vegan cookbooks and asking myself "how many of the recipes from each will I actually, truly try making?" I settled upon Vegan Planet, and I'm quite glad that I did.
I love that this book is more than mere recipes. For example, the whole first chapter is called "Vegan Basics" and includes several worthwhile informational tidbits. Robertson includes descriptions of differences between each of the various meat alternatives, such as seitan, TVP, and tempeh, and various ways to buy and cook each. Also included in this first chapter are sections on stocking the vegan pantry with a list of staples every vegan should have in their kitchen, a section on what it means to buy organic, and a section on how to avoid hidden animal products. Robertson also addresses vegan health concerns such as making sure you're getting enough protein, and the infamous vitamin B12 issue.
As for the recipes themselves, with 400 recipes to choose from I'm sure everyone could easily find dishes they enjoy in this weighty tome. Some recipes I would recommend are the Udon Noodles in Shiitake-Ginger Broth, the Tofu and Vegetable Lo Mein, the Yuba-Wrapped Seitan and Vegetable Rolls, as well as the various pizza recipes. Most do not require any hard-to-find ingredients, and many do not require an excessive amount of time in the kitchen to prepare, making this a great cookbook for those with busy lifestyles (though I would recommend a food processor to cut down on prep time) who don't want to sacrifice colorful and flavorful foods from their diet. So many cookbooks on the market have a few great recipes that one might turn to over and over again, but this one has several.
Some small downsides to this book, though far overshadowed by the pluses, include the lack of pictures and lack of inclusion of nutrition facts. Furthermore, as with any cookbook, there are a few recipes that are not going to appeal to every taste. For example, I had to throw out the vegan macaroni and "cheese" as my husband and I found it simply inedible (though I believe it's just difficult to find a truly enticing vegan substitute for that particular dish). However, as was previously stated, these minor quibbles should not be a deterrent to picking up this great addition to anyone's kitchen.
Overall, this is a great cookbook for someone making the switch to veganism, the "occasional" vegan looking for healthy, low fat recipes, or the seasoned veteran looking to add a few new dishes to their repertoire. Very highly recommended!
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