Cover Image: The Vegan Cookbook

The Vegan Cookbook

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Beautiful photos that make the food look very appetizing. The recipes were easy enough to follow and I enjoyed them even though I'm not vegan. The only reason I gave this book didn't get more stars is because I thought these were more run of the mill recipes

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed the recipes and trying out new things from this.

I would certainly recommend that people new to vegan or plant based eating check his out and explore some of the options. I found the recipes easy to follow and nothing was too difficult to find from the ingredient list (at least in the SF Bay region)

Was this review helpful?

I was not able to read it. I received it on NetGalley the day the book was archived.

Was this review helpful?

Loved the recipes in this cookbook! Particularly enjoyed making and eating the Spicy Lentil and Quinoa Risotto! The recipes I have made were easy to make, tasty and many of the ingredients I already had which was handy. Thanks to Nourish and Netgalley for the ARC (and great dinners!)

Was this review helpful?

Vegan food gets a bad rap. I mean most people physically cringe when they think of only eating vegan food or even participating in a conversation with a vegan about food in general. Animal ethics aside, a vegan diet is one of the healthiest diets to partake in if it is done correctly. Now, I know what you're thinking, the minute you hear healthy you associate it with tasteless, restrictive, soul-killing, boring food. It is books like this that are changing that perspective.

"You will find that there is a wide range of healthy and incredibly tasty food that will make you feel nourished and satisfied after your meals."

Adele McConnell offers a variety of tasty, colourful, easy, and dynamic recipes that will appease the whole family. The best part is that Adele focuses on real food and tries to avoid all the over-processed vegan alternatives like soy and TVP (texturised vegetable protein). She provides a few easy dairy-free cheeses that you can easily make at home as well as few side dishes that you can pair with variety of meals.

From Indian cuisine to Asian and Mexican, there is something in this book for everyone. My personal favourite recipes are: Udon Noodle Bowl, Curried Cabbage with Potatoes, Mushroom & Pea Coconut Korma, Khao-Soi - Thai Curry Noodles.

The format of this book is beautiful. Even with my old, black and white Sony eReader I can see that the care that went in to the format of this book. The pictures are beautiful and the pages are in an easy to read format. My one complaint is that I wanted more photos! What is also very helpful is that the author marks each recipe with logos indicating if the recipe is soy-free, gluten-free, seed-free, nut-free, raw or sugar-free.

I was also hoping for a few more main dish recipes. There are tonnes of books on vegan desserts and I would have rather have had the main dish section doubled and the dessert section left to 2 or 3 recipes. I'd like to think that most people spend more time eating main dishes than dessert. Right?

This book is a solid convincing base for anyone wanting to give veganism a try or even just for those who are looking to reduce their meat intake and eat healthier.

A big thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to the publisher and net galley for the opportunity to check out The Vegan Cookbook. The following is my honest review.

I have been vegan for 2 1\2 years. I have a lot recipes I use a lot, but still love checking out vegan cookbooks. Honestly, I was disappointed with this one. Firstly, the description mentions vegan meals, so I expected more variety, but maybe that's just me.

I made the lemon basil artichoke pasta. If I make it again I'll make a few changes. Lots of potential, but not quite there. Everyone has their own tastes of course.

All in all, it isn't a bad cookbook, but I already have others I would highly recommend instead.

Was this review helpful?

Unfortunately I am unable to provide a review on this book. It was requested and approved the night before the archive deadline and I was unable to download it in time. I am sorry I missed out on the opportunity of reading and providing a review especially as I had heard a few good things about the book. Thank you anyway

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to NetGalley I had the opportunity to read this book in exchange of an honest review.
Great suggestion on vegan cooking recipes, as I am trying to adapt a more vegan lifestyle this book helped me with suggestions and new ideas. Good diversity of flavours and types of cuisine from spicy to Italian cooking.

Was this review helpful?

This cookbook has many good recipes but be forewarned that it is geared toward an experienced cook. The recipes are not quick and they involve many ingredients, but the results really are delicious! Few of them, however, is something that you can just whip up from what you have in the pantry and the fridge. You really have to plan ahead. But if you love to cook, and eat a plant based diet, this is an excellent choice.

Was this review helpful?

Pretty pictures but recipes are less than awe-inspiring.

Readers have abundant choices for vegan cookbooks. Most can be separated into quick and easy or complex and expensive. The Vegan Cookbook falls into the second category. It has mouthwatering pictures of the completed recipes. However, all the recipes include a multitude of ingredients. Many are exotic spices that would be expensive to buy for a single recipe. Several would require a special trip to a health food store or Whole Foods rather than a neighborhood grocery store. It was particularly disappointing to not see any nutritional information—not even calories—for a single recipe. Also there was no indication which allergens were in each recipe without reading the entire ingredient list. A nice soy-free or gluten-free icon would have made it easier for the allergic to find recipes.

Usually when I receive a review copy of a cookbook, I prepare at least a few of the recipes. Within The Vegan Cookbook, I couldn’t find a single recipe where I had all the ingredients in my kitchen. I admit that I am not organized enough to add recipe ingredients on my weekly shopping list, bring them home and still feel like cooking the recipe many days later. Some readers are and will appreciate the recipes within this vegan cookbook. However, it rates only 3 stars from me.

Thanks to the publisher, Nourish, and Netgalley for a review copy.

Was this review helpful?

Original plant based recipes. I loved the photography and the ingredient lists.

Was this review helpful?

What a brilliant vegan cookbook. I want to cook everything in it, so far I have made 5 recipes and have a further 5 book marked for the next few weeks. Everything I have cooked was tasty and more importantly easy to make. The cheese sauce (p23) is delicious, I made the Moussaka with it and genuinely couldn't tell it wasn't real cheese, this will become a goto recipe for me. 

The layout and wording is clear and concise and easy to follow. I loved the design, the new front cover is a winner for me. A fantastic cookbook for people who might be unsure about being vegan or who want to add a few vegan meals to their repertoire.

Was this review helpful?

Published by: Nourish Books (21st September 2017)

ISBN: 978-1848993389

Source: NetGalley

Rating: 4*

Description:
Adele McConnell brings a fresh, inspired look to plant-based food, showing just how satisfying, dynamic and undeniably delicious contemporary vegan cooking can be. The beautifully photographed recipes make the most of a wide variety of fresh ingredients, drawing inspiration from cuisines around the world to help you create healthy, balanced meals effortlessly. McConnell proves once and for all that there’s no need to sacrifice flavor to eat animal-free. She creates her stylish, mouth-watering dishes with innovative techniques and nutrient-packed ingredients, including whole grains and protein sources such as pulses, nuts, tempeh and tofu. From Mushroom & Roasted Beetroot Polenta Nests to Chinese Spring Onion Pancakes with Ginger Dipping Sauce, you’ll find dishes that will tempt both part-time and fully-committed vegans alike. Complete with 100 inspiring, easy-to-follow recipes, The Vegan Cookbook isn’t merely about creating great meat-free food, it’s about

Review:
There's a lot to love about this handy little cookbook. At the beginning, Adele lists lots of the main ingredients that are essential for a healthy vegan diet and details just what is so important about them and what the health benefits are. There are instructions on preparing your own basics, such as nut milks and butters, how to prepare and also how to cook tempeh and tofu and a whole host of other ingredients, as well as lots of other really handy tips. What I REALLY love is that there is not a single piece of pretend meat mentioned anywhere. No mention of that Q word either!
What I'm not so keen on is the amount oil used in some of the recipes, although I am on a weight loss programme at the moment, so that is influencing my thoughts! There aren't photos for every recipe, which doesn't really bother me. I tend to find food photos in cookbooks rather unrealistic as a rule, so not having something to aspire to is fine by me! The recipes I've tried, I really enjoyed and I'll be using again. I've got many more yet to try, including some rather delicious sounding pumpkin ones for Halloween!
Special thanks to Nourish for providing the ARC in return for my unbiased review.

Was this review helpful?

Cooking from the heart for a healthy mind, body and soul -
This cook book was great from start to finish. You can sense from the get go how passionate the author is for the vegan way of life, offering so many great tips and facts on veganism and the fundamental concepts and components, that novices should feel well-prepared to tackle the inspiring meals, and practicing veganists (like me) will still learn a thing or two. A great collection of recipes that are written clearly and thoroughly and just enough inspiring snapshots to whet your appetite ;)

Was this review helpful?

Adele McConnell teaches the reader that vegan eating is not about what you can't eat but about what you can eat and how easy it is to enjoy a plant based diet.

The book begins with an explanation about what vitamins are provided from which ingredients teaching the reader how easy it is to get what you need from the easiest of ingredients. She teaches that vitamin B12 is not found in plants but can be supplemented from fortified Nutritional Yeast which she uses in an incredible vegan cheese sauce.

I especially enjoyed that she provided a recipe to create your own nut milk which I have enjoyed making.

Adele pairs wonderful recipes with beautiful images which will have your mouth watering and excited to get into the kitchen.

This is not just for the vegan who is new to a pant based kitchen but even for the seasoned vegan who is looking for exciting new recipes to feed their friends and family with.

Was this review helpful?

The Vegan Cookbook is a new release from Adele McConnell who is used to seeing people all over the world recreate her recipes thanks to her successful blog Vegie Head.

Through sharing her recipes McConnell wants to show readers that plant-based eating doesn’t have to be bland or boring, highlighting the huge variety of foods to be enjoyed. As well as sharing recipes she talks about her own personal journey, reasons for following a plant-based diet and the benefits. Suggestions are included for those who may be looking to make the switch themselves, including tips such as taking a step-by-step approach to ease into the new lifestyle and advice on store cupboard staples.

One of my favourite things about the book was how clearly allergens are labelled for each recipe using a simple colour-coded key, making it quick and easy to find recipes to suit different types of vegan diet. The layout of the recipes is easy to follow and colourful photographs showcase many of the finished dishes well, although unfortunately not every recipe is pictured.

Whilst a lot of the savoury recipes look delicious, I have to confess I’m most keen to try out the Raw Chocolate Torte with Salted Pecan Sauce – what's not to love?

Was this review helpful?

I enjoyed this one a whole lot. I thought the pictures were absolutely stunning (always an important factor when it comes to cookbooks!) and there were so many recipes I tried. The ones I did try were great. I especially loved the soups and I am looking forward to cooking more of those in the next few months (who does not love soups in the autumn and winter?).

I also like that Adele McConnell clearly labels which recipes are soy-free, lactose-free, and so on, as I have friends with food allergies and this helps with the selection a lot.

Overall, it is a great vegan cookbook with recipes I am sure non-vegans would enjoy and I am definitely going to buy it sometime soon.

Was this review helpful?

Great new cookbook to add to my collection. Always on the lookout for new vegan recipes and this one delivered. Beautiful vivid pictures, and yummy recipes.

Some were very basic; however, some took lots of ingredients. So I would recommend this to anyone who is wanting to try out raw or vegan recipes, or for someone is already enjoying this lifestyle, and just looking for a few new recipes to add to their meal plan.

Was this review helpful?

Innovative and easy to make vegan recipes with great pictures........

Was this review helpful?

I appreciated the fact that the author gave definitions for the food that is used in her recipes at the beginning of the book because I like to know exactly what I am eating and because my husband is on a very restricted diet. The recipes used fresh ingredients, they had metric and American measurements, and they were easy for a beginning vegan cook like me to understand and prepare. There was a lot of variety in the recipes - from garlic and hazelnut hummus, to raw sesame fudge slices and even a Moussaka recipe!

Was this review helpful?