Cover Image: The Classics Veganized

The Classics Veganized

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Member Reviews

On the long vegan journey, I was happy to read and review this book. Many comfort foods translate well into vegan versions, and this book does not disappoint. These plant-based recipes are presented well and worth trying for a healthier eating experience.
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I will purchase a copy of this cookbook for in our Family & Consumer Science Classroom. We have a lot of students who want to be vegan and are struggling with making the switch because they want to eat the same foods as their peers. These were easy recipes that meet that need with ingredients that can be found in our small town area in WI. I will also be purchasing a copy of this! The end section with the cheeses is FANTASTIC.
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The Classics Veganized by Doug McNish
Over 120 Favourite Comfort Food Recipes for a Vegan Lifestyle

I am always on the lookout for vegan recipes for real food that are also easily made with what I have available where I live. Living overseas in Lebanon I will not be able to find many of the ingredients mentioned so could not make many of these recipes without using substitutes but I did enjoy reading through them and drooling over the photos as I contemplated making some of them someday. 

This book is definitely dedicated to comfort foods and reminded me of what I would find on a diner menu with fries and onion rings and meatloaf and sub sandwiches and just about any item you might think of having at the neighborhood restaurant or deli BUT only if that deli provided vegan fare. I believe that this would be great if I had vegan teenagers at home but that time in my life is long gone. I also feel that these recipes would not be daily fare but more for special times when calories were not to be worried about. 

The author said that his focus is on flavor and texture, but I would also say that he appeals to the visual after looking at the beauty of the food presentation as exhibited in the photos within the book. The photography was beautiful and had me salivating thinking about sinking my teeth into one dish after another. 

I loved that recipes for making the basics from scratch included various cheeses, mayonnaise, ranch dressing, sour cream, vegan eggs that look like real eggs and so many more items that I can’t list them all here. In addition there are lists of items to stock in your kitchen, cooking items you might need, tips and suggestions, and excellent directions provided for each recipe. 

I would have loved to see nutritional information provided but in general comfort food is delicious but not necessarily waistline friendly so perhaps it was better left off. 

* Did I enjoy reading this book? Yes
* Would I buy this book for myself? Probably not
* Why wouldn’t I buy it? I can’t get the ingredients for many of the recipes and I believe the calorie count would be too high for my daily needs
* Would I buy this cookbook as a gift? I think I would for a vegan family with children and teens

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House Canada for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars
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I'm pleased with all the newly published vegan books. This one is a keeper for anyone starting out and trying to transition to a vegan life.
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This is a fantastic vegan cookbook to help make mouthwatering versions of favorite comfort foods, using real food ingredients and almost all from scratch (though you can purchase store-made versions of ingredients like sour cream and parmesan to save time, too). There is a photo for almost every recipe, and they all look delicious. Many are really creative takes on things, like calamari made from mushroom rings and a seitan-based ribeye that looks amazingly identical to a huge seared steak.

That brings me to the reason the book won't work that well for me -- there's lots of wheat-based stuff in here, especially homemade seitan (made with wheat gluten). That's perfect for those who can eat gluten and want to know how to make their own "meaty" sausages, steaks, etc. but it's sad for those who can't. There are still plenty of recipes that don't use gluten, but some of the ones that looked best to me are not options. There is also a fair amount of use of nuts (mostly cashews and almonds) and tofu, but there really is a nice variety of ingredients so those with allergies will probably still be able to find lots of other recipes to make.

These aren't terribly healthy recipes for the most part, since they tend to be for comfort foods and there's a lot of frying and such. That said, lots of them rely on healthier ingredients like the aforementioned cashews. Refined coconut oil is often the oil of choice, since it is neutral in flavor and solid at room temperature and thus works well for things like vegan butter. No nutritional information is provided.

All in all, this is a fantastic vegan cookbook that I loved reading. I've bookmarked lots of recipes to try, and enjoyed it immensely.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
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A huge thank you to Net Galley for this title. 

I'm not a vegan and I don't know if I plan on being one, but I've always been intrigued by veganized versions of my favorites. If you're like me, or more into the vegan lifestyle, I think you'll really get into this cookbook. 

The author has a clear passion for vegan cooking and it shows in every page. He looks out for your refrigerator and cupboards to make sure you're set in your vegan cooking journey. Aside from the delicious recipes and mouthwatering pictures, I loved that he had guides for prepping your veggies and getting the right utensils, which I can imagine helps a lot with making a major lifestyle change a bit easier. 

I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but when I do, I will update my post.
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Wow! What a great book! My hat off to the author who, as a chef, has created wonderful vegan versions of various comfort foods—including items like deviled eggs and calamari.

As someone who enjoys eating vegan from time to time, I have had delicious vegan meals that are also creative. However, I love that these recipes are for comfort foods. While many of the ingredient lists may be a bit lengthy, if the ingredients are set up ahead of time, then the preparation phase should go smoothly. In addition, the author provides tips for cooking and stocking a vegan pantry as well as beautiful photography that you should not look at while hungry. For the person who is already a vegan, this book provides the opportunity to create meals that will rival the regular comfort foods enjoyed by those who are not vegans. 

Whether as a gift or for personal use, for the vegan or the person who likes to have alternative meal choices, this is a wonderful book to possess. I look forward to its publication.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book provided by the publisher and Net Galley. However, the thoughts expressed are totally my own.
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A good introduction and information section before recipes. Recipes seem really good and a decent selection of items to make. Some recipes for throughout the day, not just one meal.
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Really great alternatives to traditional, mostly American food for those that follow a plant-based diet. The instructions were easy to follow and the photography was great.
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Clear and well explained. These are definitely more diner and fried / what I imagine to be southern comfort food vibes type recipes made vegan. I can see this being super useful for someone who loves those dishes and wants to be more vegan. I didn’t realize that I wasn’t up to do frying or make this genre of dishes right now. No knocks on the book! Just where I’m at / my food tastes. 

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for an ARC In exchange for an honest review.
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I loved the organization of this book starting with the little annotations at the beginning of the recipe to the separation of steps letting you know what you have to make in advance. I usually just read the ingredients and start cooking as I read the steps so I miss the "let rest for 4 hours", but in this case it's perfectly laid out! The best part is at the end with the Staples and Condiments. The worst thing in vegan cookbooks is when the recipes call for store bought fake meat, sour cream, etc., but this book gives you the recipes for MOST of the things (there are some that require store bought items, but he explains why it's best to do so). All the recipes are so mouthwatering and all the beautiful pictures just make me want to try everything!
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A lot of these recipes seem really good. The only downside I would say is that a lot of them require made ahead ingredients, so if you don't have a lot of time to cook, it may not be the best option. However, I will reiterate that I hadn't seen a recipe for a lot of these classics so for that, I'm thankful.
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My husband and I have been vegan for 7years and we own a LOT of vegan cookbooks. 
I was glad to see this one covered new territory - it veganizes restaurant-quality meals, with a focus on the whole experience of the dish (texture, flavor, etc). 
For a newer cook (or a new vegan), there’s a good set of cooking tips, and a thorough section of pantry basics, with a clear description of both basics and specialty items, with suggestions for substitutions if you don’t have it.  In other words, you can learn how to think like a vegan chef, not just recreate recipes. 

For me the most valuable section of the book is towards the back where you can make your own vegan cheese and meats. 

This book is FULL of recipes I’m exited to make (from scones to chicken pot pie to beef straganoff). I’ll update my review closer to pub day with how the recipes turned out!
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Beautiful recipe cum coffee table book. 
Each recipe is well-explained and prefaced by a brief description of the origins of the dish and the author's experiences substituting ingredients, or a personal anecdote. The recipes are well-explained, the pictures are stunning and the text is beautiful (albeit hard to read). 

This truly is the Vegan Cookbook Bible. 

I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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I’m not vegan but I try to make at least two meatless meals a week and this book is perfect to try and help make those classics that my family enjoys into vegan ones.  The format is great, the pictures beautiful, and the recipes mouthwatering. 

I was provided with an electronic ARC through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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When life for the entire universe and planet turns on its end and like everyone else you "have nothing to do" while your place of work is closed and you are in #COVID19 #socialisolation,  superspeed readers like me can read 250+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today. (I have played a zillion games of scrabble, done a zillion crosswords and I AM BORED!!!)

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.  

From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸.

Incredible classic comfort food recipes for a vegan lifestyle.

Vegan cuisine is exploding in popularity around the world, and now more than ever, people are adopting a plant-based diet or vegan lifestyle. Not only can you thrive eating a healthy plant-based diet, but also you can now enjoy all those familiar comfort food dishes that you have been craving.

In The Classics Veganized, you will find over 120 drool-worthy dishes that reinvent classic comfort foods with a modern spin. Standout vegan dishes that no one would know are meatless! 

Start with appetizers, like 
- Crispy Mushroom Calamari
- Cheesy Tex-Mex Quesadillas
- Boneless Wings, because really, is there any other way to kick-off a meal? 

You will find lots of hearty mains like 
-Hickory Smoked Ribs
-Chickpea Pot Pie
-Home-Style Meatloaf
-White Widow Mac and Cheese
-Shepherd's Pie. 

Round out dishes with sides and salads like:
- Buttermilk Onion Rings
- Creamy Caesar Salad
- Twice Baked Vegan Taters. 

Weekend brunch is a must with
- Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes
- Breakfast in Bed Scones
- Quiche Lorraine
- Sunny-Side Up Vegan Eggs with Yolks. 

Easy-to-make vegan desserts put the finishing touch on any meal. Classic desserts like:
- Chocolate Fudge Cake with Buttercream Frosting
- Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
 - Pineapple Upside Down Cake 
....are a breeze to throw together with basic ingredients. 

The Classics Veganized also includes recipes to make your own vegan pantry staples and condiments from cheeses and kinds of butter to dressings and sauces.

It was the "fish and chips" that caught my eye ... I don't like fries, but this looks so good....yes, #socialisolation makes me want race foods that cost a fortune to be delivered!  This book is so comprehensive and as I have a lot of the ingredients at home right now I am going to cook my way through this #COVID19 #selfisolation as I get a customizable box every week from a local CSA. 

The recipes are well written and so many of them looked yummy I ordered copies for both the library, my sister Anya and myself. We cannot keep plant-based recipe books on our shelves so this will fly out over and over ... it is a great book that needs to be cooked through. Not into all plant-based foods? You can easily add dairy cheese or use butter to these recipes... some can even have animal proteins added to them if your family will turn their noses up at the 100% vegan version. (I don't run a restaurant in my home, but I will modify for the picky eaters!)

As always, I try to find a reason to not rate with stars as I love emojis (outside of their incessant use by "🙏-ed Social Influencer Millennials/#BachelorNation survivors/Tik-Tok and YouTube  Millionaires/etc. " on Instagram and Twitter... Get a real job, people!) so let's give it 🍏 🍅🥕🥔🍑
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will definitely buy this when released as i think looking through a physical copy would be easier. saw lots of recipes i wanted to try, especially the mushroom calamari. yum.
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