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crystalisreading's review
4.0
I both loved and hated this cookbook. The recipes were pretty simple, and most of them sounded delicious. I liked how the author broke down many of the recipes into "The Night Before" and "In The Morning". and even though this wasn't a gluten free cookbook, many of the recipes were or could be made gluten free, as well as vegan. Perfect for me.
However, I disagree with the author on artificial flavoring and processed vegan substitutes. I think that's mainly what it comes down to. I don't want to load a dish down with processed fake cheese products. I don't care to use (nor can I generally, because of gluten issues) fake meat products. Even her frequent use of seitan wouldn't have been such an issue for me if it wasn't constantly "flavored" versions. And why make such a point of using a "vegan chicken-flavored bouillon and water" instead of just using vegetable broth. One is real food. the other is not. Even the non dairy milk she called for was usually "vanilla-flavored". Yuck. the flavored milks are generally higher in sugar than the plain/ original, as well as being artificially flavored. How difficult would it be to say to use broth or add a bit of vanilla to a recipe with non dairy milk? Substituting out real ingredients for what she calls for won't be a problem at least half of the time, but I still don't like it. To me, vegan food should be healthier and less processed than its conventional animal-based counterparts.
Because of my differences on those issues (and because all the recipes with seitan simply aren't something I can eat), I wouldn't buy this cookbook. However, I copied out A LOT of the recipes to try, including golden borscht, pumpkin pie oatmeal, peach almond breakfast polenta, mango coconut rice pudding, chock-full of veggies cornbread, subtly spicy peanut coconut fondue, balsamic brussels sprouts, sweet and sour smoked tofu, homemade smoky ketchup, sweet potato white bean soup, and caribbean mango black beans, among others. If I love enough of them, perhaps I'll revisit the author and her cookbook.
However, I disagree with the author on artificial flavoring and processed vegan substitutes. I think that's mainly what it comes down to. I don't want to load a dish down with processed fake cheese products. I don't care to use (nor can I generally, because of gluten issues) fake meat products. Even her frequent use of seitan wouldn't have been such an issue for me if it wasn't constantly "flavored" versions. And why make such a point of using a "vegan chicken-flavored bouillon and water" instead of just using vegetable broth. One is real food. the other is not. Even the non dairy milk she called for was usually "vanilla-flavored". Yuck. the flavored milks are generally higher in sugar than the plain/ original, as well as being artificially flavored. How difficult would it be to say to use broth or add a bit of vanilla to a recipe with non dairy milk? Substituting out real ingredients for what she calls for won't be a problem at least half of the time, but I still don't like it. To me, vegan food should be healthier and less processed than its conventional animal-based counterparts.
Because of my differences on those issues (and because all the recipes with seitan simply aren't something I can eat), I wouldn't buy this cookbook. However, I copied out A LOT of the recipes to try, including golden borscht, pumpkin pie oatmeal, peach almond breakfast polenta, mango coconut rice pudding, chock-full of veggies cornbread, subtly spicy peanut coconut fondue, balsamic brussels sprouts, sweet and sour smoked tofu, homemade smoky ketchup, sweet potato white bean soup, and caribbean mango black beans, among others. If I love enough of them, perhaps I'll revisit the author and her cookbook.
aimeedarsreads's review
4.0
[b:The Vegan Slow Cooker: Simply Set It and Go with 150 Recipes for Intensely Flavorful, Fuss-Free Fare Everyone (Vegan or Not!) Will Devour|10765560|The Vegan Slow Cooker Simply Set It and Go with 150 Recipes for Intensely Flavorful, Fuss-Free Fare Everyone (Vegan or Not!) Will Devour|Kathy Hester|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1328754347s/10765560.jpg|15676985] by [a:Kathy Hester|4710360|Kathy Hester|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1354806465p2/4710360.jpg] is her first book based on her popular blog, but I read her second book first. The second book, [b:Vegan Slow Cooking for Two or Just for You: More than 100 Delicious One-Pot Meals for Your 1.5-Quart/Litre Slow Cooker|17318771|Vegan Slow Cooking for Two or Just for You More than 100 Delicious One-Pot Meals for Your 1.5-Quart/Litre Slow Cooker|Kathy Hester|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1380699778s/17318771.jpg|23987840] is designed for smaller meals, but otherwise the the two books are similar, so I feel like I'm repeating my review.
Hester provides an introduction to using slow cookers, something useful to me, someone who has never even turned one on before. The cookbook also includes a basic introduction to spices and ingredients and a chapter on making essentials ("chicken" seitan, beans, sausage). Each recipe includes instructions for night and morning preparations with the assumption the cook will put together the dish in the evening and then put the ingredients in the pot to cook in the morning before starting the day. Each recipe is clearly labeled with preparation time (most 15 to 20 minutes), cook time, and number of servings. There is no nutritional information which doesn't bother me: I wouldn't pay attention anyway, but it might be something others miss. Although the photographs are striking, not every recipe has an accompanying illustration.
Chapters include breakfast dishes, soups, stews, main dishes, and desserts. Because I am so picky, only a portion of the recipes interested me, but Ma Pa Tofu and Hearty Faux Steak and Gravy stood out in terms of meals, as did the desserts Have-It-Your-Way Brownies, Slightly Drunken Apples, and Biscuit Topped Fruit Cobbler. Eaters, vegan and non-vegan alike, who are not as picky as I will certainly find more in the pages.
...aka darzy... | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Hester provides an introduction to using slow cookers, something useful to me, someone who has never even turned one on before. The cookbook also includes a basic introduction to spices and ingredients and a chapter on making essentials ("chicken" seitan, beans, sausage). Each recipe includes instructions for night and morning preparations with the assumption the cook will put together the dish in the evening and then put the ingredients in the pot to cook in the morning before starting the day. Each recipe is clearly labeled with preparation time (most 15 to 20 minutes), cook time, and number of servings. There is no nutritional information which doesn't bother me: I wouldn't pay attention anyway, but it might be something others miss. Although the photographs are striking, not every recipe has an accompanying illustration.
Chapters include breakfast dishes, soups, stews, main dishes, and desserts. Because I am so picky, only a portion of the recipes interested me, but Ma Pa Tofu and Hearty Faux Steak and Gravy stood out in terms of meals, as did the desserts Have-It-Your-Way Brownies, Slightly Drunken Apples, and Biscuit Topped Fruit Cobbler. Eaters, vegan and non-vegan alike, who are not as picky as I will certainly find more in the pages.
...aka darzy... | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
laurareads87's review
2.0
We've gotten some ideas from this book which we've then modified, but for the most part haven't loved the recipes as written. I feel like almost everything in here has chicken-flavoured stock (which there is a recipe for) in it -- not a very wide range in terms of spices/flavours -- and there is way too much use of store bought pre-made items like "package of vegan sausage" or "vegan shredded cheddar" in everything. I love using my slow cooker, especially in the winter for stews and soups and chili, but don't see the point in loading it up with packaged foods when so much can be done with just vegetables and spices -- all those packaged items make the recipes needlessly expensive as well.
shannonmcewen's review
3.0
My husband and I have to go completely vegan for about 12 weeks in a last desperate attempt to lose some significant weight and it has to be done properly, by eating a real variety of whole foods, not just a pile of rice and tofu. So I picked this up hoping there would be some stuff I could actually do in the crockpot during the week. Alas, the cooking times are all too short for any use of the slow cooker while we're at work (Who is this woman who thinks no one leaves their house for more than 6-8 hours on the average weekday, OR wants to come home from work in the evening and slow cook something for up to 2 and a half hours?? We'd be eating dinner at 8:30 were we to try that on a week night!). Luckily, it appears that every single recipe would be easily adjusted to NOT be slow cooked, and that's great because there are a ton that look super-delicious that I can't wait to try. Lots of soups, a way to make some good vegan risotto, and some desserts that actually look pretty yummy (I am not a dessert person as a rule, though I can be tempted).
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