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The official '1,000 Vegan Recipes' review thread (to be updated)!

Appetizers and Snacks
Snacks
agave glazed pecans
Absolutely delicious with the maple syrup (variation suggest by Robin). Like a dessert! (gathdurwin)
asian fusion party mix

black sesame wonton chips

curried cashews
I love it! Curry and cashews are a very good combination. Very useful when you receive many people. (gathdurwin)
edamame with coarse salt

fiery pumpkin seeds
These are good, but don't really taste that different from other flavored nuts/seeds I've toasted! No matter the flavoring, they all taste pretty similar. I used red devil for the hot sauce (much more than listed), and mine did not come out fiery, but they are tasty. I used a combo of sunflower and pumpkin seeds. (AC)
five spiced walnuts
These are good. I'm not very familiar with five spice powder, but the overall flavor is pretty strong. It almost tastes a little bacony. I think I would cut down a bit on the liquid, because they need less time in the oven. All the liquid needs to be baked in, but the walnuts get a bit too done. A tasty (but strong) snack. (AC)
flower power granola squares
just might be the most delicious thing I have ever put in my mouth!!  The only changes I made were to use old-fashioned oats (instead of instant) and carob chips (instead of chocolate). The only negative I can see is that mine absolutely crumbled apart and did not stay in bar form. But who cares - I just crumbled it into a bowl and ate...and ate...and ate...and have now eaten almost half the pan myself. I actually really love the carob with this and think it may be even better than chocolate! This is soooo insanely delicious!! This is a great snack and would be great as a breakfast granola too. (lebkuchen)
tastes great but very crumbly (thirteenblackbirds)
jerk spiced soy jerky

personalized trail mix

ragin' cajun popcorn
I made this with a few modifications. I use an air popper, so I just mixed my spices in with some oil, and mixed that with the popped corn. I made some changes with the spices based on what I had, but kept it similar. I liked using different spices than usual, and it was tasty. (AC)
this is seasoned well and we liked it, but I've decided I'm old fashioned and like regular popcorn (salty and buttery). (thirteenblackbirds)
roasted chickpeas

sesame pita chips

tortilla chips
I actually made chips like this the night before I looked at the recipe (coincidentally), but I made them again today following the recipe. Love them like this! So easy, and healthier. The texture is good. (AC)
Dips and Spreads
baba ghanoush
a very good recipe.  my eggplant wasn't very big though, and as a result i think it turned out to have a bit too much tahini (1/4 cup) - so next time i will be more careful about adding the tahini gradually.  (thirteenblackbirds)
didn't like it at first, so I added a can of chickpeas and some more spices and refrigerated until the next day and then it had a MUCH better flavor. (stacydan)
back to basics hummus
I usually make my own hummus recipe/method, but wanted to try this one. It's good! I forgot to add the oil, but it's not really necessary. It's a bit thicker than my normal, but it's a nice change. I did add a splash of soy sauce, and the necessary cumin. A good, basic hummus. I used the 4 cloves of garlic. (AC)
black and green olive tapenade
This is so inferior to her recipe in Party Vegan. This one doesn't have any garlic, and has too many capers and olives. It's too strong tasting, and too salty with all the briny stuff. Not impressed. She recommends kalamata and green, so that's what I used. (AC)
black bean and sun dried tomato dip
delicious.  i would say the flavors are on the mild/subtle side, but they meld together perfectly.(thirteenblackbirds)
creamy spinach tahini dip
This was pretty boring. I used part thawed frozen spinach and the rest lightly steamed. I only used 2 tablespoons tahini instead of 1/3 cup, and that was plenty. The flavor is just meh. The color is really pretty, though. Wouldn't make this again. (AC)
cucumber and green olive dip

eggplant walnut spread
Just so good! It's the better spread I ever taste! Make it many many times and it's always a winner! (gathdurwin)
four seed bread spread

golden sunshine roasted veg spread

green green guacamole

layered bean dip

lemony edamame dip

mylie's secret queso dip

roasted red pepper hummus
This is not really a hummus to me. It has garlic and chickpeas..but no tahini. That aside, it's a pretty good dip. Something about it was weird to me, but I dunno what. P liked it. Since there's no binder type thing (like tahini) it has a bit of an odd consistency. It's ok. It might be good to have if serving a bunch of dips. Easy. (AC)
salsa and pinto bean spread
This was good, simple, and fast, but mine came out more like a "dip" than a "spread." I used jarred salsa, so maybe if I made my own I could make a thicker salsa. Or just use a half cup of salsa instead of a whole cup. I sliced some corn tortillas and baked them into chips to go with, and it made a great snack. (tmarkeim)
sassy spinach dip with roasted garlic

smoky chipotle pinto hummus
This is so easy to throw together since it just needs to be run through the food processor. The taste is awesome too! It disappeared pretty damn fast. (intheend)
very good but I would tweak it next time by blending in some yellow onion and adding more spices. (thirteenblackbirds)
smooth and savory mushroom pate
Loved the flavor, but it's ugly. I brought it to a party and I think everyone thought it was old guacamole! (motomom)
This is really good! My first so called "pate" (it's just a spread..). The flavor is great, and the texture is nice with the nuts. I used a bouquet garni with savory, instead of just savory, and used part slivered almonds for the cashews. This reminds me of a nonvegan mushroom turnover recipe I made for our wedding. This was our favorite of the dips, and I'd make it again. (AC)
sushi inspired edamame avocado dip

tempeh pimiento cheeze ball

three bean dip

white bean and artichoke spread

white bean and dill hummus
Good. There's a typo in the recipe that says "add the chickpeas," but only white beans are used. This is a simple hummus, but has balanced flavor. Not super special, and wouldn't make it again, but tasty. I will say that I did not do the recommended chilling, so maybe the flavor does super improve. A good dip. (AC)
za'atar spiced roasted red pepper spread

Cold Appetizers
artichoke and walnut stuffed belgian endive

avocado and asparagus sushi rolls

couscous dolmas

cheezy cashew roasted red pepper toasts

cherry tomatoes stuffed with whirled peas

jicama guacamole bliss

lentil pecan country style pate

lemon and garlic marinated mushrooms

lemongrass tofu and snow pea spring rolls

lemony rice stuffed grape leaves

mango avocado spring rolls

marinated olives

mushroom walnut pate

rainbow sushi

sesame seitan and spinach spring rolls

sesame shiitake wonton crisps

snow peas stuffed with sun dried tomato hummus

vietnamese style lettuce rolls

Hot Appetizers
artichoke mushroom phyllo packets

asparagus wrapped in phyllo

baby potatoes stuffed with roasted bell pepper and walnuts

basic bruschetta

cajun tofu crunchies
These were yummy, very basic but I've never really used cajun spice so it was a nice change. I generally don't bake tofu due to me messing it up somehow, but these were super good dipped in ketchup (I cut them like fries). I only changed one thing, which was adding more of the oil/spice mixture when I flipped them halfway through, I also might have cooked them just a couple minutes longer. (sarah)
cherry peppers stuffed with sun dried tomatoes and pine nuts

chickpea kofta with chutney dipping sauce

chickpea pancake with rosemary
now, this is the first time I've made or eaten socca before, so I have no idea if it is supposed to be salty, but this was hella salty. I used dried rosemary instead of fresh. Other than the salty factor, I thought this was quite good. My hubby and son loved it. It went great with a lemon chickpea lentil soup and some steamed broccoli. I'll definitely make it again, but I'll reduce the salt to maybe 1/2 teaspoon, instead of 1 full teaspoon. (lebkuchen)
classic crostini

french onion pastry puffs

ginger lime glazed bean curd skewers

in lieu of crab wontons

mushroom croustades

mushrooms stuffed with spinach and walnuts

pinto pecan fireballs

potato samosas

savory artichoke squares

sesame cilantro scallion pancakes

shiitakes in puff pastry

spicy chipotle potato quesadillas

steamed vegetable dumplings

tempeh satay
I'd make this again if all I had was tempeh in my fridge but I wouldn't recommend to go out of the way to make this. (intheend)
tempeh taco bites

vegetable pakoras

herbed millet and pecan loaf
This dish rocks my socks.  It reminds me a little of my mom's meatloaf from my childhood (I eat it with a little organic ketchup on top) but better, since mom's meat loaf could have used some help... plus no meat!  I am making this loaf for my entree for Thanksgiving this year.

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herbed millet and pecan loaf
This dish rocks my socks.  It reminds me a little of my mom's meatloaf from my childhood (I eat it with a little organic ketchup on top) but better, since mom's meat loaf could have used some help... plus no meat!  I am making this loaf for my entree for Thanksgiving this year.

someone needs to remind me of this come thanksgiving for reals... i would like a replacement from the tofurkey ball

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Italian rice with seitan and mushrooms - Delicious!  I was going to make seitan but accidentally found in my freezer some tofurkey sausages and used that instead and it was great.  The overpowering tastes are the mushrooms and the sausage...there's a little bit of basil and fennel, but the sausage was so good it was far from bland.  Loved this.

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/386280_2283638209254_1197836956_32079435_1013375476_n.jpg

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Chive-tarragon vinaigrette - Good basic salad dressing without a lot of drama...it has chives and tarragon (duh) along with tarragon vinegar and olive oil.  Simple to make. 

herbed millet and pecan loaf - Influenced by the rave review I thought I'd give it a try as I had all the ingredients on hand but for the pecans which I bought (they are expensive).  I failed because it crumbled after cooking  It held together until I sliced it and tried to put it on the plate and it was a crumbled mess.  I'm not sure where I went wrong except that I blindly followed the instructions to cook the millet from the package instructions.  Her instructions call for more broth and a longer cooking time.  Perhaps this makes a difference in the millet which helps it bind together.  Or perhaps I didn't pack it tightly enough, but this wasn't in the instructions and I thought I patted it down pretty good.  This is my first "loaf" and I'm disappointed.  That said the taste was pretty good, not dry at all, but nothing to rave about and I will not be making it again.

Not part of review:  I guess I'm one of those people constitutionally incapable of making a vegan burger or loaf. Advice appreciated and accepted.  >:(

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/311984_2287739391781_1197836956_32080839_1101359808_n.jpg

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Not part of review:  I guess I'm one of those people constitutionally incapable of making a vegan burger or loaf. Advice appreciated and accepted.  >:(

right there with ya homie... one epic fail after another

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I'm hoping that putting it settles after sitting in the fridge for 24 hours and stays together. 

Glad I'm not the only one Amy.  :)

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Still fell apart and tasted worse...in the trash it went...total fail cuz I never throw away food.

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Still fell apart and tasted worse...in the trash it went...total fail cuz I never throw away food.

i really hate when that happens!!!

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Still fell apart and tasted worse...in the trash it went...total fail cuz I never throw away food.

i really hate when that happens!!!

I do too.  I really hurts my soul to throw away food, especially since the pecans were so expensive.  Still Robin Robertson is an awesome recipe writer and I've barely made a dent in this book and there are many more good things to try, and it did get a good review above.  Are you still considering making it?  I'd make a test run before Thanksgiving just in case your experience is like mine. 

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orange-and-maple baked acorn squash - Good, simple and easy to prepare.  It has fresh oj, maple and cinnamon and is baked.  :)

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pomegranate-infused lentil and chickpea stew - Hated it.  I thought that 1/3 cup of pomegranate molasses was too much but since I had the real stuff I figured what the heck.  I suppose it's just a matter of personal taste that I like pomegranate but not cooked this way.  It had a horrible aftertaste, was too sweet alongside the apricots and raisons, and a taste that just was bad.  I didn't notice when planning that she asks to soak the lentils first for 45 minutes, which I didn't understand or do.  I had a hard time getting my rice done in 40 minutes for some reason and had to add more water and time.  In the end I burned the bottom and wound up eating a plate and throwing the rest out.  Another total fail.  Yikes, I hope I'm not on a roll.  :-\

http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/382840_2307536046685_1197836956_32089524_512010027_n.jpg

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Still fell apart and tasted worse...in the trash it went...total fail cuz I never throw away food.

i really hate when that happens!!!

I do too.  I really hurts my soul to throw away food, especially since the pecans were so expensive.  Still Robin Robertson is an awesome recipe writer and I've barely made a dent in this book and there are many more good things to try, and it did get a good review above.  Are you still considering making it?  I'd make a test run before Thanksgiving just in case your experience is like mine. 

oh crap was that the thing i wanted to be reminded for thanksgiving?! the horror!

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pineapple-papaya salsa - Delish!  I let it sit a couple of hours before eating and the combination of ingredients was very tasty....sweet, tangy and a spicy...I used jalapeno instead of red chili but didn't over do it. 

http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/381360_2319544586891_1197836956_32094128_1811447641_n.jpg

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Edamame donburi - Very good!  Nothing unique or exciting here, I've made similar stuff a gazillion times...the base is onions, shitake mushrooms, soy sauce and ginger (what no garlic????) which not to say I don't like it.  The only change I made was to cube the tofu instead of crumbing it...and I used tamari for the Japanese flare.

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/310349_2326696165676_1197836956_32097097_1435090936_n.jpg

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spiced apple pancakes
I also enjoyed these. P liked them, and he's not a big fan of pancakes. The actual pancake has a nice spice, and is light and fluffy. Good texture and taste. I didn't pre-melt my EB, so I just melted some in the pan for the apples, then used canola oil in the pancake batter (and EB to cook them). I used a mixture of (non granny smith) apples, so that might account for the consistency of my apple mixture, which is my only complaint. It seemed like it would be too runny, so I tried to cook it down. Instead of reducing and getting thick, it just evaporated, and I ended up with not enough juice. Still tasty. She doesn't use "divided" in the ingredients, so be careful when/where you add the sugar and such.

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butterhead lettuce and walnut salad with raspberry0walnut vinaigrette - I didn't make this salad, but rather used it as inspiration to make a vinaigrette.  I used a blackberry-pomegrante preserve and red wine vinegar instead of raspberry and sherry vinegar, and 1/4 cup of walnut oil as she calls for.  It was quick and very tasty.

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corn relish - Good.  Very quick relish to put together...red onions, red pepper, corn, cilantro and lime.  Pretty basic.

triple cranberry relish - Good.  This recipe uses cranberry juice, fresh and dried sweetened cranberries.  Very sweet and tart.  I was wondering if using pure unsweetened cranberry juice would make it too tart, but the sweetness of the cranberries and the whopping 2/3 cup of sugar made it plenty sweet.  Very easy and traditional, no drama way of eating cranberries.

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i hope that relish turns out good i'm making it tomorrow!!

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i hope that relish turns out good i'm making it tomorrow!!

Be sure and post a review.  It's a no brainer if you like cranberries...and I love cranberries...I always drink the pure juice all year long and eat cranberries all the time.  There's a good recipe in Vegan Table that has more fruit in it, but I didn't want the drama and this is super easy.

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triple cranberry relish:

This was decent, very easy to make, and i did the whole shebang with the hollowed out orange peel... Cranberry was never something served for the holidays so I didn't really find it to be something I would bother making again. (amymylove)

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