[.ca] Accidental Vegan (ISBN 1580910793)

this is great!:
i love this cookbook. it is not overly big but the recipes cover the bases. ingrediant lists are concise and easily read. her approach to cooking is also very relaxed - you can tell she rarly, if ever, stresses in the kitchen. for me, this book was a breath of fresh air , good vegan recipes that are easily made. most of the ingrediants are easy to find, although you might need to visit a specialty store for some items.

If Alice Waters were a Vegan:
This is not a book for beginners. It has simple but very interesting recipes. If you enjoy ethnic food this is the book for you.

Good Cooking:
A good basic addition to my vegan cookbook collection. The recipes in this collection are very open ended... which is terrific if you are the type of cook who likes to make your own additions and adjustments as you cook. I think it may be harder to use for someone who is either a new vegan or does not cook a lot. My family has been very pleased over all with the recipes. She offers some wonderful dips in the first section which make healthy and wonderful snacks for the kids. Try the stuffed mushrooms or the walnut/vegie spread! Wonderful and so incredibly easy to prepare.

Basic but delicious:
The recipes contained in this cookbook are mostly very basic blueprints. The author did this on purpose, and it does work rather well. I love this cookbook. Pros: * Many recipes are low-fat * Excellent food made with simple recipes. Recipes to try include: Acorn Squash with Herbs Pulao Red Lentil Dahl Black Eyed Pea Dahl Curried Peas and Potatoes Cons: * MAJOR PROBLEM: some of the recipes contain honey. Even though this is easily substituted, this is unacceptable for a vegan cookbook. For this reason, I would not give this book as a gift to anyone who was not vegan unless they understood that vegans do not consume honey. I wouldn't want them to make me a recipe with honey in it. * Provides little in the way of information on recipes. This relly is _just_ a recipe book. No detail is given on the origin of recipes, other than in the title. This results in a slimmer book. She gets right to the point. If you're used to background information on recipes, tips, tricks, etc, then you will be disappointed. * VERY simple instructions (can be a pro, if you know what you're doing) All in all, it's a great cookbook and it deserves a place on your bookshelf. PS: Here's a tip on some of her recipes, specifically the dals. Instead of boiling the spices with the other ingredients, sautee olive oil in a nonstick pan, add onion and garlic with the spices and cook for 5 minutes. Add at the end of the cooking instead of the beginning. This results in a much spicer, fuller flavor.

Vegan-tastic!!:
This cookbook is filled with wonderful recipes with very simple directions. The simplicity of the recipes make them easy to personalize if you are adventurous, but the are mighty tasty without altering. It has a wide range of savory entrees and appetizers, but I must say that the dessert section is lacking a bit (only 6 ideas). From basic essentials to fancy dishes, you will find many vegan culinary inspirations within this cookbook.