Vegan with a Vengeance

[Tigress]

Anyone got this book and if so is it worth buying ?

The writers are bringing out a book full of cupcake recipes end of Oct, I will buy that purely for the pictures

[absentmindedfan]

The recipes are very American, if that makes sense. Different cultural influences to the UK and the recipes reflect that.
However it is a good book, with some great recipes in it. It's a bit slim though for the money, La Dolce Vegan is better value for money IMO.

[Tigerlily]

I really want to get it.

[Wildflower]

I bought it and LOVE IT!

The recipes are just my style - pretty simple, simple ingredients, not a lot of fussiness. I hate it when I buy cookbooks that have recipes with 40 ingredients - all of which you just need a pinch or a tablespoon of - it is such a waste in my opinion, as I can't just go to the store and buy those quantities.

I also really like that the book doesn't have a lot of asian influence - many veg cookbooks have seaweed, umeboshi vinegar, soysauce, etc in every recipe. A lot of those things are hard to find, and I don't like them in absolutely everthing.

5 stars from me!

I should also add that the cookbook has no recipes that include packaged/processed foods like fake meat, fake cheese, etc. The author said she made a point not to include those because they are expensive, and not found everywhere. The only packaged foods are soymilk, tofu, tempeh and a few call for soy margarine. You technically can make these things at home, if needed. Also, there is a recipe for seiten in the book and a few recipes that call for it.

My favorite recipe so far is the Coconut-Macadamia Nut-Ginger-Carrot Cake with coconut cream frosting. It is to die for! I sent a cake with my boyfriend to work, and all the guys loved it. then he told them it was completely vegan and they were shocked! One guy even asked to borrow the cookbook for his veg daughter. Other recipes I have tried are the Tempeh Bacon, Portabella Mushroom, Quinoa and Black Bean Stuffed Red Peppers and Chipotle Black Bean, Corn and Potato Stew, and maybe a few others I can't think of right now. I just got this book a few weeks ago, and then was without it while my boyfriends co-worker was borrowing it, so I am still trying the recipes out. I really like it though!

[Tigerlily]

This book is on my wishlist. I'm going to coax my boyfriend into buying it for me.

[Wildflower]

Make him buy it for you Tigerlily!

I read the thing cover to cover, and keep carrying it around everywhere to look through! There are just soooo many recipes I want to try out!

[Tigerlily]

Are there any pictures?

[Wildflower]

Just a few in the middle section, but they are full color and beautiful ones.

Let's see...pictures include Tempeh Bacon and "Fronch" toast, Lemon Corn Waffles with Blueberry Sauce, Matzoh Ball soup, Spanakopita (spinach pies), Fresh Mango Summer Rolls, Mushroom and Sun Dried Tomato Risotto, Isa Pizza (with Tofu Basil Ricotta), Green Thai Curry, Faustess Cupcakes (a take off on those chocolate Hostess Cupcakes - Do they have those in Canada?), Lemon Gem Cupcakes and Ginger-Macadamia-Coconut-Carrot Cake.

So, yeah...not too many pics seeing as how the book has 150 recipes. I haven't found too many cookbooks with a lot of pics though, so I guess i am getting used to it!

On edit - there is a pic on the back of scrambled tofu and one on the front of some grilled tofu.

[Tigerlily]

I don't know if we have Hostess cupcakes! I rarely ate those sort of foods. If I did eat cupcakes they were like special treats at Halloween/Valentine's Day/Easter from the bakery or homemade.

Everything sounds yummy. Do the bake goods turn out right? How It All Vegan's desserts are very hit and miss with rising, taste, serving size, etc.

[Wildflower]

These are Hostess Cupcakes - they are really cheap and you know they must be nasty, but they taste pretty good anyway! Kinda the way I felt about Kraft Dinner / Macaroni and Cheese from a box. Not exactly "real food" but you can't help but like it? LOL - I don't know, it may be a US thing, and I never really ate Hostess Cupcakes very often anyway! As for the baked goods, I have only tried making the Coconut-Macadamia-Ginger Carrot Cake, and it rised up perfectly and tasted AWESOME! I may try one of the cupcake recipes next weekend - maybe the Lemon Gem cupcakes. YUM! http://www.twinkies.com/cupcakes.asp

[Mermaid07]

I also have this cookbook and I like it very much. The Banana Pecan pancakes are great and my boyfriend and vegetarian friend love them. The scarmbled tofu, Brocoli and chickpea casserole as well as others. The recipes are easy to follow with ingredients that can be found at the local grocery store. There are a few recipes that seem waay to long and kind of hard to follow sauce as "gravy" sauce and the faux hostess cupcakes and the pizzas. Other than that I highly recommend it. I also bought how it all vegan and I liked Vegan with a Vengance a lot better!

[claireyveg]

I am really excited i am getting this cookbook tmorrow for my birthday!! Yay, i'll keep you posted when i make something and then i'll give a rating

[pavotrouge]

I dare say I'm addicted to this cookbook... it has started me baking, though I hated it before.

I make at least one thing from the book once in two days.

Among my favourites are the home-made gnocci, the various scones recipes, Isa's pizza, the roasted garlic + white bean soup, the Phad Thai... too many to list them all up...I haven't found a recipe I didn't like so far.

[claireyveg]

I love this book, I cooked one of my first recipes from it tonight, easy to adjust to cook for one aswell, i made parsnip/scallion pancakes! yum yum

[Wildflower]

I made the Asparagus and Sun-dried Tomato Tofu Fritatta yesterday for brunch - it was AMAZING!

I used cremini mushrooms instead of the asparagus though, the 1 cup sliced suggested. And I had regular dried sundried tomatoes instead of the oil packed ones the recipe calls for, so I just ground them up with a tablespoon or so of oil in the food processor with the garlic - making a paste out of them so the flavor would be throughout (i don't really like the texture of a whole sundried tomato - too chewy and bitter). I also used fresh thyme instead of the dried.

YUM YUM YUM! This was so good! I served it with pan fried potatoes and coffee.

I also made the Roasted Butternut Squash soup on Monday, which tasted great until I added in all the garlic I used. It called for 2 cloves so I used too insanely huge cloves that were VERY strong (i got them from the organic grocer) and it was a bit overpowering in the soup. My fault though - I have never added too much garlic to anything before as I really like it! So just a warning to be ware that the garlic really kills the sweet roasted squash taste - so use smallish cloves. I still ate it though, and it tasted better the next day (not as garlicky), but I was tasting the soup before I mixed the garlic in and it was so much better!

[vgnwitch]

At one time we did have Hostess cupcakes in Canada. I remember eating them when I was a kid. Haven't seen them in years, but I haven't really looked.

Currently, I have my eye on the carrot cake recipe in VwaV. The picture is incredible! My kids don't like carrot cake though, so I think I'll halve the recipe and make cupcakes instead. I have a big appetite, but I can't eat an entire cake by myself! LOL

[Aims]

This is my most used cookbook. It's all bent out of shape and certain pages are warped and splattered with food stains.

[Soul Rebel]

My wife made the carrot coconut cake out of the cookbook and it was wonderful.

[Wildflower]

Are there any pictures?

I came across this site where someone posted their own pics from recipes made - http://www.flickr.com/photos/squashb...879960/detail/

[Annie]

Oh...my...god those pictures look insanely delicious! I officially am adding this cookbook to my bday and xmas wishlist

[Aims]

Oh YUM @ those pictures!
I have a major craving for broccoli chickpea casserole now.. that stuff is awesome.

They have a flickr thing for the cupcake book now too. It's not a good idea to look through it in the middle of a work day when the only food you have with you is a grotty banana and peanut butter sandwiches.....

[Tigerlily]

A library in my province carries this cookbook. But someone has it checked out. When it becomes available, I'll ask my local library if I can get it. I can't wait!

[Wildflower]

wow, that's so cool tigerlily! It's good to get cookbooks from the library, because then you can try them out, and if you find a recipe you like you can write it down (allthough I guess technically you should buy it, but I think that's OK).

Let me know when you try out a recipe, I hope you like them as much as I do.

[Tigerlily]

My library has a few vegetarian and a couple of vegan cookbooks. But they are old school 70's and 80's style cookbooks. They don't really appeal to me. I don't want to take 2 hours cooking some bean casserole or nut loaf when I would much rather be eating something exciting. Like vegan twists on Japanese food or cupcakes!

[niallmc]

I love this book, again like 'How it all vegan' it is written with a great attitude and that to me is the winner

[pavotrouge]

Oh all lucky you, my librarian has never even heard of the word "vegan" T_T Is it the meds or why am I complaining all day ?_?

I've got to admit I haven't tried the cupcakes yet because I'm a only beginner at baking and scared of that frosting and all...

[insubordination]

I love how that flikr album called it 'food porn'.

[fiamma]

Is the book similar to "La Dolce Vegan" or is it very different? Sorry if that sounds like a stupid question. It's just that often these cookbooks get very samey after a while. It does sound like this one is worth buying though.

[pavotrouge]

I don't have "La Dolce Vegan" and didn't like most of Sarah Kramer's recipes too much...many recipes turned out very bland to me...

VWAV is not as traditional American, not using any commercial meat or cheese substitutes.
It has got a good variety of international foods as well as traditional stuff...both Vegan with a Vengeance and How it all vegan were my first two vegan cookbooks and yet they're both written with that certain DIY-punk-attitude, they're completely different (the funny thing is, at first the recipes in HIAV looked a lot better to me than those in VWAV... but I have liked EVERYTHING out of VWAV so far and only two or three recipes from the former).

[Aims]

I thought I wouldn't use it much because it seemed to have a lot of tofu, tempeh, seitan recipes.. but I was pleasantly surprised to find that there are a LOT of other things in there. And they're all very yummy.
So if anyone's feeling a bit sceptic for those reasons, trust me, it's worth it

[Oliver Oil]

I have no hesitation in recommending VwaV. I think there's something in it to please every palette. Most of the ingredients used in the recipes are easy to find and your tastebuds will already be familiar with them. I don't care much for obscure ingredients from faraway places that I wouldn't ordinarily use, so it's a relief to find a vegan cookbook that doesn't include many of these in its recipes.

The recipes are easy to follow and cook. The ones I've tried so far: Mashed Pototoes with Punk Rock Chickpea Gravy; and Maple-Mustard-Glazed Potatoes and String Beans. Both tasted delicious and I will use them on a regular basis. The only recipe that's failed to please me so far is the Italian Tofu marinade. I tasted a teaspoonful and poured it down the sink. Wasteful, I know, but it would have been even more wasteful if I'd poured it over a packet of tofu. Not every recipe is going get your tastebuds in party mode, but you can always substitute ingredients and modify the recipe to make it work for you (the author actually encourages you to experiment).

Interspersed between the recipes are helpful/useful tips and entertaining anecdotes.

I wouldn't be without this book and it doesn't cost the earth. I hope there'll be a VwaV II.

[Soul Rebel]

We have had several dishes out of the book now. I am currently borrowing the one we have from our local library, but when I return it I'm going to the bookstore to buy it. We love it! We recently bought Vegan Planet, but haven't tried anything in it yet. Does anyone have any experience with Vegan Planet?

[howdawg]

Hey, I just bought this book yesterday and love it! I'll be making some stuff from it today, not only a good cookbook, but an entertaining read!

[pavotrouge]

woot...today I made the roasted brussel sprouts with toasted garlic (or was it the other way around) and I must say I LOVED them, although I've been hating brussel sprouts all my life!

[Yogini]

Oh all lucky you, my librarian has never even heard of the word "vegan"

When I was working on paper for my class in reference (I'm studying to be a librarian), I posed as a patron with a question and asked the reference librarian how to find unbiased information about veganism. You're supposed to repeat the question to the patron to verify you understood it and she asked "information on Reaganism?"

Too funny.

[pavotrouge]

Oh well ever since I came out as a vegan to my co-workers everybody is telling people that I'm a vegan and don't eat any flour because of that ?_? I don't know where they got that from, even if the German words for flour and meat both start with "Me" and got 4 letters...

This is getting off-topic...Vegan with a vengeance is gooooood

[absentmindedfan]

When I was working on paper for my class in reference (I'm studying to be a librarian), I posed as a patron with a question and asked the reference librarian how to find unbiased information about veganism. You're supposed to repeat the question to the patron to verify you understood it and she asked "information on Reaganism?"

Too funny.

Ha ha ha that's excellent. I have an old lady that comes into my library and the name on her card is 'Mrs. T. Bag'
When I saw it I did a double-take, I had to stifle my giggles.

Anyway, on-topic hooray for VWaV!

[Wildflower]

The only recipe that's failed to please me so far is the Italian Tofu marinade. I tasted a teaspoonful and poured it down the sink. Wasteful, I know, but it would have been even more wasteful if I'd poured it over a packet of tofu.

It is funny you say this Oliver Oil, because I almost did the same with 2 of these recipes. When I made the tempeh bacon, i tasted the marinade and thought - yuck! But when it was all on the tempeh and cooked it tasted amazing! Same thing with the Basil Tofu Frittata, when I tasted the nutritional yeast/tofu/mustard/bragg's mix I thought - "uh...I thought i liked nutritional yeast, but this tastes REALLY yeasty!" I baked in anyway and when it came out of the oven i warned my boyfriend that he may not like it. He took one bite and said, "This tastes great, i like it a lot!" I was pleased to find when I tasted it, the yeasty taste was gone and it tasted wonderful! That is now one of my favorite recipes.

Don't know that it would have been the same for your tofu, but thought i would share since it happened twice for me!

[Wildflower]

Ha ha ha that's excellent. I have an old lady that comes into my library and the name on her card is 'Mrs. T. Bag'
When I saw it I did a double-take, I had to stifle my giggles.

Anyway, on-topic hooray for VWaV!

Hahahaha, T.Bag!

[Wildflower]

Is the book similar to "La Dolce Vegan" or is it very different? Sorry if that sounds like a stupid question. It's just that often these cookbooks get very samey after a while. It does sound like this one is worth buying though.

I don't own La Dolce Vegan, but when i looked at that and the other one she has they didn't look so great to me... so, i would say different. No salads, either (like vegans don't know how to make those by now!)

[pavotrouge]

The Italian Tofu Marinade turned out good for my taste, and I'm usually not a big fan of tofu... but I used soy sauce instead of the suggested tamari/braggs, because I can't buy Braggs here and tamari in something Italian sounds weird. Maybe you'd like it like that, Oliver Oil?

Talking about stupid names, I've got a new neighbour, but haven't met him officially yet (single city aparment house...)...his last Name is Bus, and a few days ago there was a letter for him saying "Mr. George Bus" (no, I didn't make that up)

[EFCliz]

I'm really confused about this book. I ordered it off Play.com but it says it isn't out until Feb 2007 and the picture has a different cover. Is it a different version of the book or just the same book with a different cover, because I don't want to wait for it if it's just the same book.

[Smoothie]

i had the exact same problem. i ordered it on amazon.co.uk, and after a while, i checked when it would arrive, and it said "march 18th" - WHAT?! so i just ordered the old one.

[pavotrouge]

Huh ?_?

I know there are plans for a new book, but didn't know they've got a publishing date already.

Or maybe the publishing house has just decided to print another edition and it takes this long?

[Jamie]

I did wonder why I couldn't find it anywhere!

[Soul Rebel]

Someone got us Vegan with a Vengence for Christmas, but we already own it. If anyone is interested I'd take $12 + shipping.

[EFCliz]

I'm LOVING this book. Everything I've made from it so far has been fantastic. I made the quinoa and black eyed bean croquettes with mushroom sauce the other night, and it was the nicest way I've ever had quinoa, by far. I'm planning to cook my way through all of it!

[fiamma]

I'm annoyed because I ordered this book and it was going to take months to come.

[inkedmiss]

I ordered this on amazon yesterday and it says delivery end of feb. I dont care which one they send me, just send me a copy so I can cook

[pavotrouge]

Weird...it's available at Amazon Germany, delivery time 2-4 weeks, and has been all the time