Product Description: In this expanded edition of the highly popular original, Jo Stepaniak has retained the book's imaginative concepts and down-home appeal, while broadening many sections to cover a vast wealth of alternatives for every animal-based food under the sun. From homemade veggie "meats" and uncheeses to scrumptious egg and dairy substitutes, Vegan Vittles fills the whole table, and does so simply, tastefully, and creatively. Written in conjunction with staff members of Farm Sanctuary, North America's oldest and largest farmed animal sanctuary and advocacy organization, Vegan Vittles provides valuable and timely information about modern "food animal" production, as well as constructive and effective actions that readers can take on behalf of these animals. The recipes are without pretense, ranging from hearty, home-style American, to ethnic and elegant. With over 100 exciting new recipes and clear, detailed instructions, Vegan Vittles is sure to inspire compassionate cooks of all ages, regardless of their comfort level in the kitchen.
The best vegan cookbook I own! I own at least a dozen vegan cookbooks and this is by far my favorite. Whenever I want to make nutritious comfort foods--which is pretty much everyday--I turn to this book first. I have tried nearly every recipe in Vegan Vittles and have only been disappointed by about three of them--all the other recipes yielded fantastic results that everyone in my family enjoyed.
I highly recommend this book to folks who are new to vegan cooking and cooks who want hearty, traditional American veg food without too many expensive exotic ingredients, heavy spices, or mock meats.
You can read more of my opinions about this book on SuperVegan.com. http://supervegan.com/blog/entry.php?id=790
My favorite cookbook: Vegan Vittles: Second Helpings I have been vegan for more than 5 years, and I have about 20 vegan cookbooks. Vegan Vittles: Second Helpings is my favorite.
I discovered the original Vegan Vittles a few years ago when I was looking for the perfect vegan pumpkin pie recipe. I found that and more in Jo Stepaniak's classic book. I was so happy when she published this revised and expanded edition of the original. All of my favorite recipes are in here. I'll just name a few: Maple Walnut Granola, Chickpeas a la King over Buttermilk Biscuites, Southern Fried Tofu, Potato Kale Soup, Noodles and Greens, Messy Mikes, Golden White Cake with Rich Fudge Frosting, Butternutty Chowder, Mahvelous Millet Loaf, Rich Chocolate Pudding Pie, Farmhouse Stew...I could go on and on. In fact, I haven't encountered a recipe in this collection that I don't love.
I often prepare these dishes for my omnivorous dinner guests, and always get rave reviews from them as well. This cookbook serves up a variety of "veganized" familiar dishes. The ingredients are very wholesome, pure, and healthful. But this health food is actually comfort food. I always turn to this cookbook when I'm searching for that comfort food fix.
The recipes are very simple, and the directions for preparation are very clear. The design and layout for the book is very user-friendly.
Most of all, I love this book because it has a lot of heart. The descriptions of the animals living at Farm Sanctuary are all very inspiring. The book is brimming with compassion and positive energy.
I think that this book is a must-have for any vegan cook, or for anyone at all who is interested in good, wholesome, delicious food.
It's good, kinda. The thing about the author is that I think she may have been vegan for a little too long--not that that's a bad thing by any means, but she's forgotten what some things really taste like. I've been a vegetarian for a long time, mainly vegan and three months ago I finally decided to commit. For instance, I just made the brownie recipe and they are not so good being that they taste like silken tofu dusted with cocoa. When things taste "vegan," which many of these recipes do, it's hard to cook these things for other non-vegans. Some of these recipes take some time and it's disappointing when you've cooked a meal for other people and they try to assure you that it's good(and you know they're thoughtfully lying). The cheese recipes are not so good either, so I just buy Follow Your Heart cheese and I'm satisfied. There are some useful baking tips in here and I can't deny that I don't appreciate the authors stance on the treatment of animals and people like her who make it easier to be vegan. BUT I might recommend that someone who really wants authentic tasting vegan substitutions that they look elsewhere.
Vegan Vittles -- Wonderful Cookbook I've been a Vegetarian for a while and a Vegan since July 2007. This cookbook has so many wonderful recipes. The recipes are not 'weird' like some other cookbooks, which is what I like. The stories of the saved animals are very touching.
The Vegan Answer to Home-Style Cooking Honestly, I wasn't expecting much from Vegan Vittles. As a dairy-free consumer who is just dabbling in the vegan lifestyle, I was certain that the Uncheese Cookbook would be my favorite from among her collection. To my great surprise, Vegan Vittles has emerged as one of my favorite cookbooks. There are several things that don't quite flow with me in this book, much more so than most other cookbooks I have read. Yet, the overall usefulness far outweighs any disconnect that I feel towards it.
While I have already tested a few of the recipes (Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies, Macaroni and Cheez, Carrot Butter) I can't even begin to tell you the recipes I am eager to trial. Just a few on my list include: Muffins that Taste Like Donuts, No-knead Whole Wheat Herb Bread, Hot & Sour Pad Thai (no fish sauce?), Cheez Please Soup, Chickpea Oat Burgers, Spicy Peanut Sauce, Aunt Bunny's Carrot Cake, etc., etc., etc.
The recipes are all so simple, using easy to find whole foods (think spices, veggies, fruits, and whole grains, not white flour and sugar). The most exotic ingredients that I spotted were quinoa and miso, both of which can now be found at Trader Joe's and in most major grocers. I think the fact that I could make so many of the recipes without having to make a special trip to the grocery store, was a real draw.
As for the disconnects - Certain portions of the intro get a bit wordy, and I found my eyes wandering off on many occasions. While full of useful information that I couldn't get enough of (do you know how hard it is to find a list of GMO foods to avoid? And what about that wonderful explanation of egg alternatives?), many sections tended to drag on with less pertinent details. Also, I was perplexed by the veganization of quotes throughout the book. Finally, the recipes weren't always spot-on. I found the author's taste buds to be more sensitive than mine, as I require a bit more flavor injected into my meals. Also, I often had to adjust the moisture content.
So if the recipes didn't always work perfectly, why did I like it so much? Simply put, Vegan Vittles really is a fantastic primer for all of those basic comfort food recipes that I often miss. As someone who is typically less than experimental in the kitchen, I have had a lot of fun "tinkering" with the recipes. The very idea that I can successfully customize almost every recipe, has made this a cookbook that I actually use (of which, there are few). Trust me, I am not a fabulous cook, but all of Jo's recipes are so simple that they remove any fears I have in the kitchen.
To note, Jo tends to reuse some of her recipes across cookbooks. While each one contains a ton of unique recipes, there are always a few crossover recipes, another pet peeve of mine. Yet, I found that Vegan Vittles contained the perfect collection of her recipes; a nicely sized section on cheese alternatives, and a good array of baked goods, full meals, snacks, and desserts. If I could only pick one Jo Stepaniak cookbook, this would be the one. Though we have our differences, Vegan Vittles will stay front and center in my cookbook collection!
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