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
spinach, mushroom, and black bean quesadillas
-I was expecting these to taste like..spinach, and mushrooms, and black bean...you know, what you would expect. I was pleasantly surprised! It's a wonderful filling. I added some chili powder, probably more garlic, and used a white onion, but otherwise followed the recipe. I had really small tortillas, so we each had 2 tortillas with the folded over method. We had them with Spanish rice, salsa, and avocado sauce. Really good!
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my kinda meatloaf
we made this recipe last night. had to go get some fresh parsley (we always have a ton of the stuff when we can't think of what to use it for and none when we actually need it). anyway, our loaf turned out supergood! we made it with the tahini and an extra stripe of ketchup on top (old-school!), and probably a bit of extra parsley because measuring parsley is a hassle. it cooked up completely. we were worried that it would taste oat-y since 3/4 cup of oats seemed like a lot. on it's own the flavor is light, but with the gravy (for nora) or ketchup (for nick) it was really good!
our .02: make the loaf in a glass loaf pan (the tin-types seem to make mushy loaves). it's worth it to hold out for fresh parsley. definitely make the gravy to go with.
we're making "kiss my grits" (p. 510) next!
thanks again for starting this forum. so helpful!
I just got my book! I'm stoked to try some things. I'm going to go through and mark pages of ones I want to try tonight.
Kiss My Grits Breakfast Casserole
the recipe says you can prepare it ahead of time and then bake later. so we thought we would try that because it takes 45 minutes to bake. plus the additional time to make tempeh bacon. we wanted a breakfast that isn't oats for a change -- but we couldn't wait for breakfast! this recipe is TOTALLY WORTH THE PREP TIME. the combination of grits, veg, cheese, and tempeh is excellent on its own and it's even better after baking. it looks a little thin when you spread it into the 9x13 pan, but it bakes up really well. we will definitely make this often.
Tonight I made the beer marinated seitan fajitas. I follwed the recipe exactly, but it turned out a little bit blah. My husband and I gave it a C and would add more spice to it if we ever make it again. It was an easy recipe, so we might do it again if we tweak the spices. I also made the black bean and corn salad with cilantro dressing and it was very good. I used a jalepeno and it turned out great. My husband and I both gave it an A, and he requested it be in regular rotation in our home. It's a solid, easy bean salad recipe.
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.
eggplant and bell pepper salad
-This is a good salad. I'm not usually a huge salad fan, but this one is solid. I used several small Japanese eggplants, and one large green bell pepper. I added lemon juice and fresh basil to the vinaigrette, and I think those are superb additions. I also used another clove of garlic. I didn't marinate a long time, and it might have been even better, but it was really good. I like the walnuts on top. The vinaigrette is good, but mine overpowered the flavors of the eggplant and pepper, but that was fine. A good salad.
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soy-glazed tofu
this recipe is so simple you would think you could figure it out for yourself, but you don't have to because robin robertson already has. we liked it baked. we'll try it grilled on a grill pan, too. an easy way to take tofu from basic to excellent in no time flat.
thai kale with coconut milk
when nick picked this recipe i'll admit that i went cross-eyed.
kale? sure! coconut milk? sure!
kale+coconut milk? mmmmmmmmm. . . i don't know.
this recipe is a surprise. we added the optional crushed red pepper (and advocate for it) because the subtle flavor of the coconut gets a really good boost from the pepper.
definitely an innovative way to eat more kale. try this!
we made both recipes together with some rice noodles. dinner accomplished!
Haha. I just looked at the back of the book and has the url to vegweb in it. Awesome.
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.
I was just looking at the black bean burger recipe, it has vital wheat gluten in it, which seems like an awesome idea. I'm going to try that when I get my hands on some.
orange-scented coconut cookies (p.434)
nick's sister got left out of holiday dessert planning this year, and store-bought gluten-free always disappoint her. a lot.
and we've been hearing about it ever since Christmas. a lot.
so we decided to make it up to her and try this recipe. now we are hearing about how she is so totally in love with these cookies.
success!! this is a great recipe. we both think the cookies are really really good, too. definitely worth making (whether you are gluten-free or not).
Chocolate Coconut Brownies
I made these last night and oh my goodness, I think they have to be the most divine brownies I have ever had! The taste, texture and appearance were all spot on. Rich, melt-in-your-mouth loveliness! The only substitution I made was using replacing the 1/2 cup oil with maybe 1/8 cup oil and the rest made up with applesauce. For me, the brownies were risen and cooked to perfection in 18 mins.
portobello po boys
This is a really simple recipe, but it's tasty. A really fast sandwich. I wasn't sure how spicy my Cajun seasoning is, so I didn't add the hot sauce, but it would have been a nice touch. I don't think I would call this a "po boy," but it's a good Cajun spiced sandwich.
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http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs479.ash1/26237_10150158954960533_507120532_12099468_4757072_n.jpg
how do you eat that without making a huge mess with those whole tomatoes in there?
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs479.ash1/26237_10150158954960533_507120532_12099468_4757072_n.jpg
how do you eat that without making a huge mess with those whole tomatoes in there?
I don't.
The tomatoes were the least of the mess problems, too.
(they were cherub/baby tomatoes)
haha, I could tell they were small, but still...
sometime messy food is fun though! ; )
also I had to google po boy and the 'original' ... sounds mighty disgusting!
caramelized onion and walnut focaccia
This was my first attempt at making dough with yeast. It was actually really easy and it tasted sooo good. My husband and I ate the whole thing almost immediately. I highly recommend it.
cornbread
This is pretty good. I doubled the sugar to 4 tbs, and it's still not quite sweet enough for me, but I like sweet cornbread. I used canola for the olive oil in the batter. The 30 mins baking time was perfect for mine, and I didn't wait the 10! It's not too crumbly, not too dry (semi dry, though). The flavor is pretty good, and there's a nice bottom crust. Pretty quick to put together. I generously oiled my pan, but there was some slight stickage, and I wonder if this would be too dry with less oil in the pan. It's ok, but probably not a favorite.
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I made the country fried tofu with golden gravy. Not too bad but the tofu was a bit bland. I didn't dislike it but it is not something I would make again. I also made the mashed potatoes with greens. I used kale. I didn't have flax seed oil so I used sesame oil. I liked it. I would make it again but wouldn't use the sesame oil (or I would use less) because it was pretty overpowering.
I also made the ratatouille. It was the first time I ever made ratatouille and I really liked it. I think next time I would leave out the eggplant but that is just a personal preference.
I also made the stir fry curry vegetables. Very quick and easy and tasty. An easy way to change up the usual boring stir fry.
Tonight I made "My Kind of Meatloaf" and "Tuscan White Beans and Broccoli Rabe". The tuscan beans were delicious. So simple and tasty and something I would definitely make again. The meatloaf was just ok. It tasted a lot like a seitan loaf rather than a 'meat' loaf. I like Robin's "meat-free meatloaf" from The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook much better. Only it is so much more complicated to make. I would make this again but if I had company I would go with the "meat-free meatloaf" instead.
Grilled tofu with tamarind glaze - Pretty good, tastes like barbeque sauce with a twist. It was too sweet for my tastes, it called for one tbs of sugar and two tbs of agave. Next time I'm going to cut way back on that and up the heat with extra cayenne. I skipped the two-hour marinade time because I didn't plan for that but don't think it made that much of a difference. I broiled instead of grilled. Considering the tofu was to be glazed, there was an awful large amount of sauce which I just poured over the tofu and rice I ate it with. (tweety)
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Tex mex lasagna - I thought this sounded kind of odd but I was gladly mistaken! This is now my favorite lasagna ever. I made my own salsa and used daiya cheese on top.
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