Book Review and Giveaway! Robin Robertson's One-Dish Vegan

I'm always excited when I get a new cookbook in the mail. The arrival of Robin Robertson's One-Dish Vegan was no exception. When I was asked to participate in the BLOG TOUR I was more than happy to say yes. One-dish is like Fred's dream come true for me in the kitchen. I have a serious kitchen hurricane issue when it comes to dishes. Any option to minimize mess is highly desirable in my kitchen.

I have several of Robin's books. I have always enjoyed her no-nonsense, fairly simple recipes. I do find that many of her books contain recipes where similar versions can be found in her other cookbooks. Sometimes there is a slight variation: lower fat content, variations for more common food allergies, etc. If you have a lot of her books, you may want to peruse the index before you decide to add this one to your collection.  There are still enough new recipes to make a long-time fan happy.

Speaking of the index, this one is well organized. It makes it very easy to find what you desire by recipe name or main ingredient. Simple cooking charts for grains and beans are included. Even though I have many cookbooks that include these charts, I love having it available in the book I am using. Some I know by heart, but I don't always remember all of them. There are also recipes for basic veggie broth and seitan for those who don't already have their own favorite.

Early in the book, Robin explains what One-Dish means to her. I originally thought it to meant you would only be using one dish to cook and prep the entire recipe. This will indeed happen for many of the recipes, but the One-Dish designation actually means the meal will be served in one dish. The beauty of many of the recipes is that they can be made ahead of time and quickly reheated. We are ridiculously busy so much of the time, this is a great option for us.

The recipes I tried were all very hearty and filling. She successfully combines proteins, grains and veggies into just about every recipe. I like the fact that a lot of the recipes can also be frozen for future use as well. I tried four recipes, three successfully.

Jamaican Jerk Tempeh with Vegetables (page 74). This was truly made in one skillet, which I loved. The ingredients were all simple and easy to find. Most I had in my pantry. It came together in about 45 minutes total. I served it over some cooked quinoa I had on hand. The Jamaican spices with the hint of rum were very nice, although I will probably up the amounts of spices a touch next time. I do wish I would have had the suggested mango chutney on hand. I think the dish needed that little extra brightness. Fred liked it which is saying something as he is not a lover of tempeh.

 

Quinoa and Lentils with Butternut Squash and Rapini (page 75). This was another one pot deal (yay!). This homey dish was really quite easy to assemble. The most time consuming part was peeling and dicing the butternut squash. I usually buy mine whole, but if you really want to save some prep time, some stores sell the fresh stuff already peeled and diced. I substituted broccoli for the rapini. That is another great thing about Robin. She often provides suggestions for substitutions to suit your tastes or what you might have in the pantry. Now this one is very subtle and yummy, but not POW flavorful. To me this is the kind of stick to your ribs dish you would eat after a long day playing in the snow (or in our case here in AZ, playing in the desert).

Recipe © 2013 by Robin Robertson and used by permission of The Harvard Common Press

Gluten-free | Soy-free | Serves 4
Hearty, healthful, and delicious, this simmer of lentils, quinoa, and squash also includes rapini (aka broccoli rabe) and walnuts for a wide variety of textures and flavors. If rapini is unavailable, substitute 8 ounces of your favorite green vegetable.
Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or 1/4 cup water
• 1 medium-size red onion, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup dried brown or green lentils
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced (about 3 cups)
• 3/4 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces rapini, thick stems removed, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces

Directions:
1. Heat the oil or water in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Stir in the lentils and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
2. Add the squash, quinoa, thyme, red pepper flakes (if using), and salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and cook for 15 minutes longer.
3. Stir in the rapini and cook on low heat until the ingredients are tender and the flavors are well blended, about 15 minutes longer.  Taste and adjust the seasonings, if needed. Sprinkle with the walnuts and serve hot.

Louisiana Red Beans and Rice (page 68). The other day I asked Fred to pick a recipe he wanted to try (eating not cooking this time). Fred loves Cajun food. Honestly, he likes anything that makes any reference to being at being spicy. He was on the fence deciding between this recipe and the Jambalaya. I didn't have time to make the sausages, so this one won. Another truly one pot meal, this one left little to clean up after prepping. I used canned beans for convenience (as I often do). A quick chopping of the veggies and this was another snap to prepare. We like a lot of spice and heat, so I think the next time I make this one, I will add some fresh chopped jalapeno and a touch more of the smoked paprika and cayenne. Slathered with the Louisiana hot sauce, Fred at three, yes that's right, three bowls!!! We have plenty left over for the week as well. 

I attempted the Butternut and Cremini Lasagne (page 172). I had high hopes as the ingredient list contained a lot of things I adore: butternut squash, cremini mushrooms pecans, greens and white beans. Sadly, I found it pretty bland and flavorless. I served it to a group of starving 20 year-olds who concurred. It just seemed to need more seasonings. It looked pretty though!

There is a whole chapter dedicated to chilis. I am looking forward to trying some of them out as it is perfect chili weather. The Bahn Mizza recipe (page 186) is on my radar as it looks so yummy and unusual. I haven't even delved into the salads or soups yet. 

Pro's:

Hearty, filling recipes

Easy to find ingredients

Convenience

Healthy meal options

Food allergy friendly

Cons:

No pictures except for front and back covers

Similar recipes to some of her other book

Uses spices sparingly, may need to adjust to your tastes

As you can see, the pro's far out weigh the con's. If you are looking for a great cookbook for a busy lifestyle, this is one you will want in your collection. If you want minimally processed healthy meals for you and your loved ones, this one is a keeper.

The fine folks at Harvard Common Press have generously offered to send a free copy of One-dish Vegan to one of you lucky readers (US only this time please). Leave a comment on this post about your favorite one-dish meal or how one-dish meals will make your life better or easier by midnight MST on Wednesday, November 20th, 2013. Winner will be announced on Thursday, November 21st. Good luck and good eating!!!

Side Note: Robin's 30 Days of Vegan Cooking campaign is currently live on her blog (http://robinrobertson.com/) and Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/VeganPlanetbyRobinRobertson). She's sharing one recipe from the revised edition of her Vegan Planet cookbook each day in November to promote World Vegan Month, and to help people incorporate more vegan recipes into their lives-- whether they've embraced an entire vegan lifestyle, or are just trying to work more vegan meals into their routine, even if it's just once a week 

Thanks to all of the commenters who dropped by to play. The winner of the giveaway is...drumroll....#7 - NICOLE!! Congrats Nicole, please contact me at vegintraining at g mail dot com and we'll get that yummy book on its way to you!

Book Review: Going Raw by Judita Wignall

Do you think raw food is for rabbits? Maybe you think you would be bored, malnourished or hungry. Thankfully, you would be very wrong. Judita Wignall is the author of two books that can show you how easy, tasty and fabulous a raw diet can be.

Today I'm taking a look at her first book, Going Raw (published by Quarry Books). It comes with a DVD where she shows you basic kitchen techniques in a very clear and easy to follow manner. The book provides wonderful information on what raw really means and why you should consider a raw diet. She provides a glimpse of why processed, junky food is so inexpensive (surprise, government subsidies).

The book offers fantastic nutritional information and answers the age old question of "How do you get your protein?' There is a section on the kitchen tools you will need to help make prep a breeze. It's no surprise that my favorite part of the book is the fact that it is full of gorgeous pictures and fantastic tutorials in living color! Oh and lets not forget the recipes! Each recipe includes prep times and when necessary, soaking and drying times to make it easy to plan. There are recipes for juices, smoothies, breakfast, lunch, dinner, salads, soups, desserts and snacks. All the bases are covered in colorful healthy fashion.

My pictures don't hold a candle to Judita's, but here they are. From Going Raw:

Blueberry Cream Green Smoothie (pg.61)

The crazy dark color is from the optional spirulina I added. Contrary to the way it looks, it was sweet, creamy and delicious.

Cucumber Gazpacho (pg. 90)

This was a must as we had a lot of cucumbers coming out of the garden. It took no time at all to whip this up and it made enough for a couple of days. This light refreshing dish is perfection in hot weather.

Orange-Chocolate Mousse Parfait (pg. 130)

This is some serious dessert. It is so rich and decadent. It's creamy texture was incredible! I only needed a small portion to satisfy my sweet tooth. 

Now it's your turn for an opportunity to Do it in the Raw! One lucky reader will have a chance to win a free copy of Going Raw by Jidita Wignall. Just leave a comment on today's post about something you would like to learn about raw food preparation or nutrition by midnight, Sunday, June 30 MST. Please make sure to leave a way to contact you.

I will be posting an interview with Judita and the name of the winner on Monday, July 1st. Now that's a great way to start July!!! I will also be giving away a copy of her newest book Raw & Simple in July! Make sure to check back on July 1st to see if you won!

US, Canada and UK residents only for this giveaway please. 

Book Review - The Sexy Vegan's Happy Hour at Home

He's sexy, he's vegan and he's all about happy hour! Brian L. Patton, author of The Sexy Vegan Cookbook, has done it again. He uses his very approachable, humorous style and great happy hour ideas together in a book that is fun to read and easy to navigate.

I love to entertain, so I was very excited when the publisher contacted me to review this book. I tend to obsess and obsess about what to make. It often takes me longer to figure out what I am going to make than it does to do the cooking and cleaning. Sometimes a cooking obsessed girl needs a break from her own menu planning. Brian provides 20 different happy hour menus, so you can pick and go without agonizing over the details. Each menu comes complete with a shopping list. The list can help prevent that "Oh crap, I forgot an ingredient" syndrome. I'm world famous for having to run to the grocery store multiple times for one or two forgotten ingredients.

The menus are designed to take about 1 hour to prep. This one hour timeframe assumes you are using some pre-made, store-bought items like pizza dough and vegan sausage. The good news is you have choices. If you don't like to buy the processed stuff and want to make your own, there are recipes included for those items. I like options!

If I'm following one of the cardinal rules of cooking from someone else's recipe: read the entire recipe first, there are fantastic "efficiency tips" sprinkled throughout the book. These help with timing and prep. Make sure to read them lest you make your life harder. I also love the "WTF" boxes. These are tasty tidbits of knowledge about different ingredients. Hey, you never know, this info could help you win some obscure trivia question down the road.

I had 8 people coming, so I decided on two of the menus: Nothing Rhymes with Citrus (Menu 5) and two thirds of Charred and Roasted (Menu 12) (sorry my time management left something to be desired). The citrus menu was almost a perfect choice for the 110 degree days we have been having. I say almost, because I did have to turn on the oven to bake the tofu for the Tofu-Citrus "Titrus" Dippers (pg.51). The creamy citrus dip was the perfect match for the crispy chunks of tofu. The marinade from the tofu made appearances in the other two dishes on the menu. Being a Virgo, I love the efficiency of this. The light, fresh flavors of the Citrus Soba (pg. 53) and Grilled Pineapple Salad (pg.54) made my tastebuds dance. My guests were crazy about all of it, but the very simple Citrus Soba seemed to be the favorite.

Oh did I mention? The cucumbers are from our garden!!!

The Charred and Roasted menu is super easy! I can't believe I ran out of time and didn't make the Sunflower Seed Spread with Crackers! I have the ingredients, so it will happen. It really looks like it takes no time to make, but the doorbell was ringing as I was rolling the pepper from the Roasted Pepper Rolls, so game over for the cooking portion of the day.

I usually like to make my own hummus, but this fine day I opted for an organic spinach and artichoke version I found at Sprouts for the Roasted Pepper Rolls (Pg.112). These are seriously a slam dunk quick and pretty appetizer. How much easier does it get than drying off some jarred organic roasted red peppers, spreading a little hummus on the strips, rolling up with a leaf or arugula and skewering a kalamata on top with a toothpick? Voila! Oh and the colors are perfect for Christmas!

I love veggies on the grill, as you probably already know if you read my column or saw the recent grilling post. The Charred Broccolini (pg 111) is a quick, tasty way to get your green on. I used my pasta pot insert to cook the Citrus Soba (above). This way I could save the boiling water to blanch these guys with ease. Then it was a quick turn on the grill and a toss in the seasoned olive oil to finish it off. I loved this dish!!!

Oh and let me not forget the tasty libations! Each menu has a libation suggestion. I laughed out loud when Brian suggested that I "just grab whatever floaters of shitty light beer are left on you coffee table from the night before". It brought back memories of the days when my room mates and I actually would make cocktails from leftover drinks. Ah the days of being poor and young. My head hurts just thinking about it.

The Cocktails chapter has some rather interesting twists on traditional adult tasty beverages. He uses some funky ingredients in some of the cocktails. I love the fact that he uses a lot of fresh juices, but if you don't have a juicer, some of these drinks would be left in the dust. We tried the Punchy Pineapple. I had visions of grandeur about making fresh pineapple juice. I'm glad I bought a backup of organic juice. After cleaning the house and the dog, I just didn't have it in my to bust out the juicer and clean it afterwards...options I say!!!

Now the most exciting part of today's post. Yes, dear readers, it has been some time since I've given anything away. No time like the present! Tell me a little happy hour story. Leave a comment about a real or dreamed happy hour experience you've had by midnight (MST) this Thursday, June 14th. The winner will be drawn Friday because according to Brian's Happy Hour Rule Number 3 - "Happy Hour is on Friday. Period."  this is the only logical day to draw a winner. This one is for US residents only. Please make sure to leave a good email address to contact you!

Good Luck, good eating and many happy hours!

Book Review - Ani's 15-day Fat Blast

I saved this book for last to review on purpose. This might be just the book to reverse some of the not-so-healthy effects of my busy month. Admittedly, my eating and sleeping habits have been pretty poor this month. It has made me feel kind of bloated and seriously lacking energy. I've also been having a hard time focusing and concentrating. I could really use a good body-mind clean up.

After reading the first four chapters of Ani's 15-Day Fat Blast, I am reminded of how what you put into your body totally affects how you function. In the first chapter Ani discusses the myths and truths about raw diet. She talks about how whole, nourishing raw foods are more easily digestible, easy to make and quicker to prepare. All good things for a busy blogger. The thing that made me sit up and take notice was her promise increased energy. I could use some of that!

Chapter 2 gives a peak at what is in it for the reader. She promises that the plan will produce weight loss, increased muscle mass (from plant proteins), increased energy and endurance, healthier skin, better mental performance, improved overall health, slower aging and toxin elimination. That's a pretty big promise and I want it!

The third chapter explains the building blocks of her plan: Rocket Fuel. These include probiotics, prebiotics, MCFAS and thermogenic foods. Confused? So was I, but she does a great job of explaining what these are and how they work.

In  the next chapter she explains the plan, the tools needed and how to supply your pantry. This is where some people might get off. The plan includes a lot of powders and other not so standard ingrediets like sahca inch, maca and matcha. I like to think I have a pretty good knowledge of ingredients, but even I found myself thinking "Hmmmm. Do I want to go out and purchase all of these ingredients?" My goal is vibrant health, so yes, I will probably give it a go. Probably...not definitely.

The pros: quick prep, natural ingredients, short program, promise of quick health and weight loss results.

The cons: unusual ingredients

The author seems very focused on weight loss and looking good, which probably is logical giving the subject of the book. What really hooked me was her focus on increased energy, mental clarity and a healthier, leaner body. I've had my fair share of challenges with inflammation and other annoying physical issues. I do believe that many health issues we face are related to our dietary choices. The plan itself is only 15 days long. I can do just about anything for 15 days. I'm curious to see how I would feel at the end of that time. Will I go and buy the special ingredients to work the program? I'd like to think so, but time will tell. How bad do you want it?

No really,  how bad do you want this book? Because you can win your very own copy. Just leave a comment about a health or fitness related goal you'd like to reach by changing your diet by midnight MST tonight for your chance to change  your world with this book. The winner will be chosen at random and announced tomorrow, the last day of MoFo and Halloweenie! (US and Canadian shipping only please)

Book Review - Vegan a la Mode and Guest Poster!

When Skyhorse Publishing agreed to provide a copy of Vegan a la Mode by Hannah Kaminsky for this giveaway, the first thing that flashed into my mind was my step daughter's family. She is probably one of the best cooks I know and her whole family loves ice cream! She seemed the natural choice to review this book and I was thrilled when she agreed without hesitation. It's such a pleasure to be able to share our love of cooking.

Here is her review of the book. Thanks Ty!!

Our family experiments a lot with ice cream and although we are not vegan, we are always trying to find new ways of perfecting our craft. Vegan recipes offer not only a delicious plant-based alternative to the rich dairy based desserts, it’s generally cheaper. Over the years I have tasted many store-bought vegan ice creams, and a few (usually coconut milk based) do appeal to me, but often they fail to satisfy my craving for actual ice cream. We tested two recipes from Vegan A ‘La Mode, Bitter Orange Sorbet and Horchata Ice Cream, and my craving was satisfied. 

The book is beautiful and easy to follow with great pictures and reference material. I recommend reading the “Troubleshooting” section before getting started, it has invaluable tips on avoiding ice cream catastrophe (ex: the stabilizer recipe to keep sorbet smooth).  We are a “jump-right-in” kind of family, so this suggestion is in hindsight. Both recipes turned out deliciously craveable the first time, even without modification; however some slight adjustments would probably amount to perfection. I want to work my through every recipe in the book and would be happy to give/receive this book as a gift, vegan or not. 

Mason, my 6 year old, picked Bitter Orange Sorbet, and this mini-foodie knows great flavors. It was an easy recipe to follow and we had a great time with it. First we made our orange sugar syrup. In hindsight I would have cooked the sugar syrup longer and taken it to a thicker "thread" stage. In my experience this helps keep sorbet smooth and creamy in the freezer, rather than turning to ice. The author offers a vegan stabilizer recipe to achieve this. Another way to accomplish this, I have heard, is to substitute some brown rice syrup for some of the sugar, but I have yet to try it.  While the syrup simmered we juiced our fruit. 

We made one adjustment to achieve the "bitter" undertone. We were not able to find the sour variety of oranges, as the recipe note suggests.  We substituted a 1/4 cup of extra grapefruit juice for 1/4 cup of the orange juice because our oranges were really sweet.

So after our orange sugar syrup cooled and we mixed with the juices, it was on to the ice cream maker. We have an electric Cuisinart Pure Indulgence, which is a staple in our kitchen. We churned until smooth and thick then transferred, covered, and put in freezer, BUT....not before sampling the fruits of our labor. It was slightly sweet, tangy without making our jaw clench, a hint of each juice came through without any being overpowering, and it melted in our mouths. It was delectable and I could not wait to eat again the next day. This is where the effort to make it creamy would have been nice.....it froze rock-solid. We moved it to the fridge for a few minutes to soften, then mixed well. It was still a bit "slushy" like, rather than the creamy texture it had night before, but who doesn’t love a great slushy?!

Our overall experience with this recipe was excellent and left me very excited about the 2nd trial.... Horchata ice cream!!!.....Stay Tuned.....

OK folks! It's time for another giveaway. This was can be shipped anywhere so everyone can join in the commenting fun. Leave a comment about the craziest or most interesting ice cream flavor you've ever had. If you haven't gone outside that box yet, just post about your favorite ice cream treat. Please make sure you post before midnight MST tomorrow night. The winner (and the Horchata ice cream review) will be posted on Monday. Sweet dreams.

Book Review and Giveaway - Vegan for the Holidays

Today's featured book is the festive Vegan for the Holidays by Zel Allen.

This is a happy little book that covers the holidays from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day. Zel introduces each chapter with a reflection on the holiday featured in the chapter. The book has some Thanksgiving classics like Williamsburg "Pumpkin" Pie and mashed potatoes with her own unique twist: Onion-Chardonnay Gravy. Her version of the holiday classic, Egg Nog: Brandied Holiday Nog is a rich delicious creamy treat. It rivals it's eggy counterpart without any of that pesky cholesterol. It was a little early to break out the nog, but I'm certainly glad I did. I do recommend making sure your ingredients are cold, or at least let the nog chill before serving.

If you are one of those people who needs some inspiration during the holiday season, this book has some fun and original recipes and ideas. The author shares how her food brings her loved ones to the table every holiday. Maybe she can inspire your loved ones to do the same.

Here's your chance to add a festive holiday book to your collection! Leave a comment about a dish you just can't imagine living without during the holidays by midnight MST tonight, Thursday, 10/24/12. Winner will be announced tomorrow (US Shipping only please). 

Book Review and Giveaway - Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats

Finally a gluten-free AND vegan cookbook that is beautifully presented and full of great information and delicious recipes. Being just vegan or just gluten-free poses it's own challenges. If you find yourself vegan and suddenly unable to eat gluten, don't fear! Allyson Kramer has got your back in her book Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats. There are recipes for breads, muffins, pizza, pasta and so many other things you might have thought you'd have to give up with the gluten.

Allyson has provided a very handy and informative guide to gluten-free flours at the beginning of the book. There is also a section (with recipes included) for pantry basics. I was pleasantly surprised at the great variety and yum factor of the recipes in the book.

I have a good friend of mine who is trying to eat a more plant based diet. She also has some loved ones who gluten sensitive. She asked me to recommend some books for her. One of her criteria is that she wants a book with a lot of pictures. She likes to see what the dishes will look like when they are done. She is a woman after my own heart, and apparently Allyson is too! The book is chock full of mouth watering photos. This book will be perfect for her!

The recipe I chose to make first was the Basic Brown Bread (pg. 26). My issues with baking are well known among these parts. So why not go for the most challenging thing I could? Ha. This bread contains buckwheat flour. Allyson explains that there are two types of buckwheat flour. I did not know this before I started. Apparently I had the dark variety. It gave my bread a very odd almost purple-ish hue. The color was a little off-putting to me, so next time I will use the light flour. I had never made gluten-free bread before. One thing that was very noticeable was the loaf did not rise as high as gluten-full bread. It was much more dense as well. The flavor was really good. If you make this recipe, I do recommend slicing the bread pretty thin because of the density.

I took the loaf to work to share with my co-worker. His wife has recently had to give up gluten, so I thought she might like to try the bread. They are having some challenges trying to figure out what to cook and eat. The next day he came in and asked for the recipe. He wants to get the book for his wife for Christmas. Loving it! He is a far cry from vegetarian much less vegan, but it's great he is willing to look at different options.

Today we have another wonderful giveaway courtesy of the fine folks at Ten Speed Press. A free copy of Great Gluten-Free Eats could be yours (US shipping only please). Just leave a comment about a food or dish you love but think you could never have if you had to be gluten free by midnight MST tonight. The winner will be randomly drawn and announced tomorrow 10/24/12.

Drumroll please!!! The winner of Vegan Eats World is...

#30 - Petunia!!

Congrats Petunai. Please make sure to contact me at vegintraining at g mail dot com with your shipping information.

Book Review - Vegan Eats World - Giveaway!!

How excited am I for yet another new cookbook from Terry Hope Romero? I'm more excited than a 12 year old girl at a Justin Beiber concert! That's pretty darned excited. I have cooked so many recipes from Viva Vegan, Veganomicon, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar it isn't funny. Terry's recipes are always well written and tested, it is always a safe bet to whip one out for hungry friends with confidence. When I heard she was writing an international cookbook, it was all I could do not to break out into multi-lingual, international song.

The book starts off with a huge table of contents. She breaks the world down into 12 chapters that cover everything from spice blends to curries to desserts and lots more in between. Like Veganomicon, Vegan Eats World includes handy icons for meals that take under 45 minutes, mostly inactive time, cheaper ingredients, easy, low fat, gluten free, and soy free recipes. This makes the huge book a little less intimidating. 

The first part of the book is a section called Kitchen Cartography. This section is great for the less experienced cook. It offers lots of great tips and basic prep hints with cute little illustrations. I've never been very good at mis en place, but after reading her little blurb on mis en place, it just seems to be silly not to do it. Terry includes some basic cooking terms and methods. It is an international cookbook, so she takes a bit of time to describe some ingredients the reader may not be familiar with and separates them out by region. Even you seasoned cooking veterans are likely to learn something new. 

The second part of the book includes all of the creative and varied recipes. Terry knows her way around the kitchen and the world. There are 300 recipes in this section. Each chapter includes an encouraging introduction. The recipes are easy to read and use. The biggest problem you will have with the book is deciding where to start and what to make first. To help you with this quest, she provides really handy resources including some menu ideas, recipes by icon and an excellent index at the end of the book.

For me, it was an ingredient that I wanted to use that led me to the recipe I made first. I had some aji amarillo paste in my pantry that really needed some love. I fell in love with this pepper paste while testing for Viva Vegan. I was thrilled to find a very intriguing recipe in which to use it. The Andean Aji Bean Stew (pg. 116) had five of the cute little icons listed: mostly inactive time, cheaper ingredients, easy, low fat and soy free. Sounded like a perfect weeknight meal to me!

As the icons indicated, this was a very easy and low maintenance recipe. The most time intensive prep was peeling and chopping the butternut squash. It is chock full of antioxidant rich veggies. The beans and quinoa give it a good protein boost. The aji amarillo gave the stew a beautiful spice. I loved the hint of smokiness imparted by the smoked paprika and liquid smoke. This was a wonderful one dish meal. It got a thumbs up from my family and one very meat eating co-worker. This is going to be in my regular rotation for sure. 

Now it is your turn! You can win your copy even before the release date! One very lucky commenter is going to take a trip around the world with Terry courtesy of Da Capo Lifelong Books. Leave a comment about your most memorable international food/eating experience or your favorite type of international cuisine by midnight tomorrow night, Monday, 10/22/12. The winner will be chosen at random Tuesday. US and Canada shipping only please. 

OK, folks. Here is the winner of Artisan Vegan Cheese...

Commenter #14!! Laura C.

Laura, please make sure to contact me at vegintraining at g mail dot com with your shipping information. Congrats!!!

Book Review and Giveaway - Artisan Vegan Cheese

Of all of the incredible vegan cookbooks that have come out this past year, I don't think there has been as much buzz about any of them as there has been about Artisan Vegan Cheese by Miyoki Schinner.

What is it about cheese that is so irresistible? It is the single food that makes many people think it is impossible to go vegan. There may be something to their claims: cheese is addicting for real. According to this article by the PCRM, cheese contains very minute traces of morphine that is naturally produced by the liver of cows. It also contains casein. This sneaky little substance releases several opiates during digestion. So if people say they are addicted to cheese, they may very well be.

However, I think a lot of the "I can't live without cheese" attitude has a lot to do with our dairy loving culture too. Can you imagine a plate of nachos without the melty goodness on top? How about a caprese salad with no creamy mozz? Pizza without cheese is possible, but how fun is that? The National Diary Council has made sure that we feel like we must use their products to be healthy. Now we know better. But what's a vegan or lactose intolerant person to do?

There are lots of really good vegan cheeses now available on the market. But some of them fall short of that "aged" flavor that many have grown to love. Enter Miyoko Schhinner, a vegan food expert and restaurateur. She has written the holy grail of vegan cheeses. Her book has taken the country by storm and made the cover of VegNews, She offers a wonderful variety of flavors and types of cheese for the reader to try out.

The beginning of the book offers great tips and advice on how to become your own cheese monger. The key ingredient is patience; something I don't always have in excess. Good quality dairy cheeses require time and patience, the same goes for vegan cheeses. One of my favorite parts of the introduction is when she describes how she had lots of tasting parties and made all of her friends keep trying her experiments. I felt like she could look inside my soul as I do the same thing so often!

The chapter on "Almost-Instant Cheeses" is a great starting off point for the less patient. If you like melty cheeses, you're in luck. If you are an aged cheese fan, she teaches you about a miraculous liquid called rejuvalac. This odd sounding ingredient is the key to giving your homemade cheese that slightly pungent aged flavor.

I had two epic failures on my first two attempts. It took me a little while to realize that my rejuvalac was off. It was pretty warm here when I made my first batch. It fermented far too quickly and it was very strong. I tried to make two mild cheeses with it and was very sad when they were too pungent. I also did not follow the cardinal rule of being patient. I wanted to make it "now" and did not yet have the carrageenan suggested in the recipes. Miyoko says you can substitute double the amount of agar powder (which I did), but I got much better results with the carrageenan.

At the urging of some of my PPK friends I made the pub cheddar. Mine took quite a bit longer to get to the shiny smooth stage than stated in the book, so I was worried I was going to fail. But I channelled that sometimes illusive patience and it became beautiful and shiny. It reminded me of that bright magenta and yellow cheese that comes in a little plastic tub. It was pretty yummy on crackers and the texture was spot on for a spreadable cheddar. Sadly, I did not get a photo. However, I do know that there will be more successful cheese mongering in my future as I learn from the master.

Are you excited about having a chance to win the hottest vegan cookbook in the country right now? I'm excited for you! This one is for everyone...no matter where you live. So my international friends, make sure you leave a comment for your chance to win Artisan Vegan Cheese by midnight MST tomorrow night (10/20/12) for your chance to win. Leave a comment telling me about your favorite cheesy dish or another cheese memory you have. The winner will be announced on Sunday. Good luck!

Books can be purchased through online retailers and  https://www.bookpubco.com/

Book Review - American Vegan Kitchen

American Vegan Kitchen by Tamasin Noyes is all about comfort food. I don't know if it is really fair to call this a review as I have reviewed and praised this book several times before. The new relationship glow we had in the beginning has matured into a comfortable, familiar trusting relationship. I had the great pleasure to be a tester for this book, so I have tried MANY of the recipes. Tami's writing style makes you feel like she is your buddy and you're hanging out in the local greasy spoon.

She provides a lot of great basic information on vegan proteins. Her savory seitan recipe (the slow cooker version particularly) is one of my go-to seitan recipes. It turns out great every time. She offers brief tips and tidbits without being long winded. On thing I adore about this book is her section titled "Celebrate All Year 'Round with American Vegan Kitchen". It is a fun list of different food themed days for throughout the year. If you are lacking blogging inspiration or cooking inspiration, turn to this section and get yourself a theme going. 

A couple of weeks ago someone posted it was taco Tuesday. I hadn't been to the store and wanted to make some tacos. Luckily, I had everything I needed to make AVK's 21st Century Tacos (pg. 145). I don't think it is fair for an Arizona, chile lovin' girl to critique these tacos. I will tell you, that I like mine much more fired up. But this recipe is super easy and great for a quick weeknight meal. I think most gringos and gringas will very much enjoy these. The taco meat freezes really well, so make double and freeze some for a super quick dinner. 

One of my all time favorite sweet treats when I was very young was tapioca pudding. I don't remember the last time I had tapioca pudding! When I was testing, I really didn't look at the desserts much for some reason. I guess it was because I had just come off of testing for a baking book and I was bursting out of my pants. I was excited when I found the Mom's Tapioca Pudding (pg. 196). It was very parntry friendly. I didn't have instant tapioca, but it's in every store, so no biggie. I could hardly wait for it to cool off to eat it. I let it get completely cooled, because this is how I ate it as a kid. Oh man did this take me back!! The recipe says it serves four. Hah! I didn't want to share any of it...but I did.

It's time for another give away! American Vegan Kitchen can be yours!!

America is truly a melting pot. There are so many cultural influences in American dishes. For this contest, leave a comment about what you think represents All-American food or great American diner fare. Leave your comment by midnight MST tomorrow 10-18-12. US residents only.

Come back tomorrow when I will be posting a recipe from the book!!

Book Review - The Quick and Easy, Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Food Cookbook

The Quick and Easy, Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Food Cookbook is the book I reviewed.  I must admit that when I saw the name of the cookbook I was skeptical. While I was excited about the quick and easy part and felt comfortable with the vegan part, the low-cal part made me hesitate. I am fortunate enough to never have had a need to focus on low-cal foods in my diet.  I definitely have never been a calorie counter.  But I was willing to give it a whirl since Kimmy recommend this book to me.  She knows my lifestyle and my food preferences so I put my trust in her when agreeing to review a cookbook for MOFO.  

Taking my job as reviewer seriously, I read the book cover to cover.  Reading the intro chapters I did do some eyeball rolling when I read the chapters about serving sizes and calculating how many calories you should consume, outlining typical diets in certain calorie ranges and being physically active. Being a die hard reader (I usually always read books cover to cover with the exception of cookbooks! ), I did not lose heart.  The chapter “What’s That?! A Guide to Your Vegan Pantry” was fascinating to me.  The author discussed staple vegan foods in a detailed yet succinct manner.  Being new to the world that is vegan, I wanted to know what all these “foreign” items were and this chapter did not disappoint.  I now have a better understanding about items such as Silken Tofu, Tempeh, TVP, Vital Wheat Gluten, Masa Harina, Nutritional Yeast, Bragg Liquid Aminos, Liquid Smoke. With this basic knowledge, I found myself excited to experiment with them.  Oh yes, a little knowledge can be dangerous.  So, I proceeded to the recipes to see where I could be culinarily dangerous!  

The middle of the book had colored photos of some of the recipes.  I must admit that I am a lazy cookbook person, I very rarely make something that does not have a picture unless I have tried it before. Again, I was skeptical of reading through recipes without photos but I persevered as I had an assignment to complete! 

The book is organized by topic and has a great index in the back.  As I went through the book, I marked “potential” recipes that I wanted to try.  After going through the entire book, I was pleasantly surprised by how many recipes I had marked.  Not only did it have to sound delicious to me; it had to be quick and easy!  Yes, this book does live up to its title.  Now, the challenge was to pick one for this review. 

I chose the Southwest Scramble.  I picked this because it was nutritionally a great bang for the buck and gave me the opportunity to use tofu & nutritional yeast with ingredients (veggies & beans) that I already loved.  I also used the Tofu Express to press the tofu to remove the excess water.  If you are a tofu lover and don’t have this gadget - it is a must!  This dish was awesome!  It had so many flavors and textures that excited my palette that I was more than thrilled that it made six servings.  Not only did I eat it for dinner but I enjoyed the leftovers throughout the week.  

Another useful feature in this book, is that  there are a lot of recipes that use the same ingredients and overlap with one another.  For example, the tzatziki sauce can be used on the gyros, the zucchini fritters and the fried green tomatoes.  I like the versatility in that!  Needless to say, I am not done with this cookbook.  As a matter of fact, I am going to make the zucchini fritters today. I am going to bake half the batch and fry the other half (options for preparing them both ways is given) to see which way I prefer them.  And, I will also whip up some of that delicious tzatziki sauce to dollop on the fritters.  Yes, I am one saucy girl! 

Thanks sister!!! Great review! 

OK readers, this is a US only one again. I promise, I have a couple coming up that can be shipped internationally soon! Post a comment telling what you hate about "diet" foods by midnight MST Sunday 10/14/12 for a chance to win your copy. The winner will be announced Monday 10/15/12. Don't forget to check back then to see if you've won!

As an added bonus, the publisher just sent me (and gave me permission to post) this simple scramble recipe from the book!

Naked Tofu Scramble

Makes 4 Servings

When I first transitioned to being vegan, I liked my tofu scramble heavily flavored with all sorts of herbs and spices. Now I also enjoy a more dressed-down version with just a hint of flavor from bell pepper and a couple of simple spices.

1 tablespoon canola oil

½ cup chopped bell pepper, any color

One 14-ounce package firm tofu, drained, pressed (see Cook’s Tip on page 39), and crumbled

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon mustard powder

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Warm the canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the bell pepper and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the crumbled tofu and cook for 1 minute, then add the garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and salt. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until the desired texture is reached. Season with black pepper.

Per serving: 98 Calories | 7 g Protein | 6 g Total fat | 1 g Saturated fat | 0 g Monounsaturated fat | 4 g Carbohydrates | 1 g Fiber | 2 g Sugar | 35 mg Calcium | 1 mg Iron | 626 mg Sodium

Recipes from Quick and Easy Low-Cal Vegan Comfort Food: 150 Down-Home Recipes Packed with Flavor, Not Calories, copyright © Alicia C. Simpson, 2012. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, The Experiment. Available wherever books are sold. 

Book Review - Candle 79

Today's featured give away cookbook is brought to you by the fine folks at 10 Speed Press. Candle 79 Cookbook is the beautiful hardback tome by Joy Pierson, Angel Ramos and Jorge Pineda of Candle Cafe and Candle 79, both premier New York restaurants. I have never had the pleasure of dining at either place, but I own both "Candle" cookbooks. One fabulous commenter mentioned THIS blog post over at Lisa's Project: Vegan Blog. It is a great interview with Bart Potenza, the owner of the "Candle" restaurants. You can learn about the latest addition to their family of restaurants.

First off the cover is just stunning. The Nori- and Sesame- Crusted Seitan practically jumps off of the page at you. The photography in this volume is some of the best food photography I have seen (and believe me, I've seen a lot of it...especially this month!!). I truly believe the saying that you eat with your eyes first. Well, my friends, I have feasted and now need to be rolled out the door. The enticing pictures make it nearly impossible to chose what to try.

The term foodie is so well worn, but I am indeed one of those types. I love stunning presentations, complex flavors and textures, new and unusual flavor combinations and don't mind spending a lot of time toiling in the kitchen. As a matter of fact, when time allows, spending quality time in my kitchen is one of my favorite past times. While I am sure there are dishes in this book that do not fit that description, the ones that do have stolen my heart and I look forward to recreating these delicious works of art.

The author gives a short and sweet introduction and then get right into the recipes. There is a nice brief glossary and a list of resources in the back of the book. The index is easy to use. But there is not much else in the way of guidance in the book. This book might not be a beginners cookbook, but for the novice or experienced cook the authors' no nonsense, get right to the cooking approach makes this book just right.

One of the best dishes I ever made from Candle 79 was from the greatly missed Vine and Dine feature. It was the Chile Grilled Tofu with Avocado Tomatillo Sauce (pg. 76). Click here for more on that dish with picture! It makes my mouth water every time I think of it!

Whenever I have the opportunity, I love to wow my non-veg friends with some impressive vegan fare. I found my opportunity this time when my sister threw a "girls' night in" party. Everyone was to bring an appetizer. I knew I could find that wow factor in the Candle 79 Cookbook. As I paged through the book, I saw a beautiful picture of the Arancini with Roasted Plum Tomato Sauce (pg. 15). This was it!

I made the Roasted Plum Tomato Sauce (pg. 116) first. While it was simmering, I started working on the Arancini (which is a fancy pants name for risotto balls). Now risotto is not really hard to make, but it requires patience and almost constant stirring once the process gets started.  So I made sure to set up a good mis en place so I wouldn't have to leave my needy starch. I subbed tofu bacon I had left over from another recipe for the tempeh bacon. It worked OK, but I am quite certain in hind sight that the tempeh bacon would have been much better. I rolled the lovely slightly sticky risotto orbs in panko and Fred browned them to crispy perfection.

The texture was amazing and they were so perfectly golden. The flavor was a little on the bland side. I think next time I will use a rich veggie broth in the risotto and up the spices in the tomato sauce. A little tweaking and they will be even better next time. The girls loved them. After the party, one of the girls mentioned she had to hold back so that others could have some!

Every so often I like to do the swanky fine dine. For today's giveaway, leave a comment about an unforgettable fine dining experience, a dream dinner you'd like to have or even a restaurant you have always dreamed of going to by midnight MST tonight 10/11/12. This one if for US shipping only. 

Tomorrow the winner will be announced an excerpt / recipe from the book will be posted, so make sure to check back! 

Book Review - Grilling Vegan Style

Grilling season really never ends here in Arizona. It is one of the things that makes this state so awesome to live in! I love to call my family back in the midwest in the middle of winter and tell them I'm hanging out on the back patio grilling up my dinner...with veggies I just picked in my garden. It's even more fun (or cruel if I'm being really honest) to text them a picture of my al fresco dinner. We are so lucky to be able to grill most of the year, so I just knew a grilling book would be a great one to review.

Don't live in such a temperate climate? Don't fret! In John Schlimm's book Grilling Vegan Style (published by Da Capo Lifelong Press), John gives some great indoor grilling options for the not so temperate climates. Grilling Vegan Style is on the  Veg News' 2012 10 Must Buy Vegan Cookbooks list for good reason. John offers great tips on grilling safety, different types of grills and how to choose the one that is right for you and grill tools and accessories you shouldn't live without.

There is a section on grilling different ingredients and lists of the most common ingredients used in the book. I found this section to be a little disjointed. There are basic recipes offered in this section that I think would make more sense in the recipe portion of the book, but that is just my preference and certainly would not have kept me from buying or recommending the book. I like John's straightforward but light writing style. It keeps you interested just long enough to learn a little something before the stunning pictures distract you from all of those great tips.

My step son and grand daughter stopped in for a little visit. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to do some grilling, family style. I chose 4 recipes for our impromptu grill fest. We started off with the Portobellos with Roasted Leeks and Spinach (pg.101) for an appetizer. We have a few leeks left in the garden, so I thought they would make the dish extra special and they did. This easy appetizer was meaty, savory and earthy. I chose to use Daiya Mozz instead of crumbly cheese as suggested. I had some in the fridge and figured, why not. The Daiya lent the filling a very nice creamy texture. It was a snap to whip up, with impressive flavor results. We were fighting over the last morsel...I won yay!

For the main event I marinated the tofu in the Apple Cider Harvest Marinade (pg. 111). While the marinade added a nice tartness to the tofu, it seemed like it would be better with a sauce of some sort. But I have to say, my 2 year old grand daughter wasn't complaining and happily ate her tofu. So as I was looking through the book trying to decide on recipes, I felt the need for greens. I've been feeling a little iron deficient as of late, plus there was some chard hanging around the garden waiting for its moment on the plate. I chose the Crackling Kale, Swiss Chard and Red Bell Pepper (pg. 83). This took maybe 5 minutes to prep in it's little aluminum pouch. Very simple pantry friendly ingredients. It was really good! The kid ate a bunch of the greens. Another testament to the simple goodness of the recipes.

Tomorrow I will share with you the dessert. Yes, dessert from the grill!!! It will also be the time when the winner of today's giveaway will be announced. One lucky (US only please) reader will walk away with this great grilling companion. Just leave a comment about a fun, memorable or even scary grilling experience you've had before midnight MST on 10/8/12. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on tomorrow's post. Good luck and good grilling!