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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

Basic Simmered Seitan:
What a great idea to mix up seitan in the food processor! Duh, why have I not done this?! I kneaded the gluten for a few minutes, cut it into four steaks and let them sit for about 5 minutes, then gave the steaks a few kneads to make them nice and smooth. I doubled the recipe (Did it twice in the food processor) and threw the steaks in my crockpot on high for about 5 hours. Very easy this way! (amymylove)

Seitan en Croute:
Holy smokes this was amazing! First time ever using puff pastry and it was a huge success. Everyone gobbled these up for Thanksgiving, even 3 omni boys, 2 of which never want anything to do with eating anything vegan. I am making them again this weekend they are THAT GOOD! I did cook them a few extra minutes in the oven and I made the stuffing and seitan in advance. (amymylove)

Madeira Sauce:
Very awesome served along with the Seitan en Croute and some mashed potatoes. I had to double the amount of cornstarch slurry to get it to thicken to my liking. (amymylove)

Rum-Spiked Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate Pecans:
Meh these were okay flavor wise but I did screwed them up cooking wise... I overcooked the sweet potatoes so they looked more like mashed potatoes... Might try these again since I have all the ingredients on hand except the sweet potatoes, just watch them closer next time. (amymylove)

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asparagus dijon - Absolutely loved this!  This is steamed asparagus with a nice vinaigrette of dijon, soy sauce, olive oil, sherry vinegar (I can't seem to find this and used white wine vinegar instead), and shallots. 

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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.

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.

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/377788_10150995957395533_507120532_22007633_1754368788_n.jpg

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YOU GUYS GOTTA TRY Seitan en Croute!!!

I just made it again today OMFG... I like a triple batch so I can bring some to my veggie homie <3

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argentinean bean and vegetable stew
- a great dish. the orange really gives it something special. I might cut it down to half an orange next time though because there seemed to be a little too much. I also omitted the sugar and used less squash than called for.

bell peppers stuffed with white beans, mushrooms, and walnuts
- amazing!  i used pecans by mistake and used the dill.  they don't have a very strong flavor but are excellent, the dill flavor especially.  I used italian seasoned panko bread crumbs.  I like to have these with a spicy side dish since they're mild in flavor.  I had a lot of filling so I froze some and used it a couple weeks later, and it still came out great.  I will make this again.

baby spinach with lemon and garlic
- we didn't like this. i usually think cooked spinach is okay, but this almost seemed like the lemon juice enhanced the bitter flavor of the spinach.

orange and maple baked acorn squash
- meh. this was just okay for us.

spaghetti squash with tomatoes and basil
- this was okay. I always expect spaghetti squash to taste more like spaghetti than it actually does, and then end up disappointed.  I added a little bit of pasta sauce to it and a lot of red chili flakes.  it's good for an easy side.

roasted lemon asparagus with pine nuts
- easy and so awesome! I loved this and will make this again and again.

stir fried sesame asparagus
- very good.

coconut peanut chickpeas and vegetables
- easy and delicious.  

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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.

chickpea tomato wraps
I agree with thirteenblackbirds about the mayo. In many sandwiches in this book, the recipe seems to call for a weirdly large amount of mayo, and 1/4 to 1/3 of it is usually enough. With 2 T mayo, these are super. Good fast lunch.

peanutty tofu roll ups
I didn't use nearly as much peanut butter as the recipe calls for - maybe half. A nice change if you want a peanut butter sandwich. You get your pb, plus extra protein and veggies.

tastes like tuna salad sandwiches
As AC says, way too much mayo (in general, I don't add anywhere near the mayo called for in these recipes). After reading her review, I subbed Old Bay for the kelp and liked it fine! Good on crackers.

roasted vegetable bisque
This is a GREAT soup!!! And totally versatile. I've made it several times, and subbed different vegetables in and out, and pureed only half the soup or none at all. I've added little beans or small shapes of pasta. My little nieces love it, and they don't eat vegetables usually. I like to serve it with a crusty bread. Yum!

artichoke walnut tart
It has possibilities. The flavors are good. But I was expecting something that I could cut into slices. Mine fell apart, and we ate it with forks. It was kind of an artichoke walnut crumble. Savory, though.

grilled vegetable skewers with charmoula sauce
A great recipe for a cookout. The charmoula sauce is to die for. Makes a pretty presentation, and it's easy.

garden scramble
Easy, fast, and good. Your basic tofu scramble. I sub different veggies in and out but like the mushrooms especially.

pumpkin waffles with cranberry syrup
I did not make the cranberry syrup, but the pumpkin waffles are pretty good. At least for me, some pancake/waffle recipes that contain pumpkin don't cook right in the middle, and stay sort of raw inside while I burn the outside trying to cook it through. I did not have that problem with this recipe. They cooked evenly.

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YOU GUYS GOTTA TRY Seitan en Croute!!!

I just made it again today OMFG... I like a triple batch so I can bring some to my veggie homie <3

This is the reason I want the book. I was baffled that it hadn't been reviewed yet. It looks so fucking good.

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YOU GUYS GOTTA TRY Seitan en Croute!!!

I just made it again today OMFG... I like a triple batch so I can bring some to my veggie homie <3

This is the reason I want the book. I was baffled that it hadn't been reviewed yet. It looks so fucking good.

http://vegan.com/recipes/vegan-thanksgiving-recipes-2009-a-feast-by-robin-robertson/

if you want to use her seitan recipe lemme know and i will email it to you... otherwise, your fave stove cooked seitan should work fine... this is actually much easier than i anticipated it being!

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beans bourguignon - Was expecting more based on reviews. Prefer Smitten Kitchen's mushroom bourguignon.

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spinach salad with almonds, fuji apple, and figs
This was excellent!  Changed sugar to splenda for diabetic mother-in-law.  Was quite tasty, everyone liked it.  Sweet with just the right amount of nutty balance.

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broccoli with black beans and walnuts - These are not ingredients that you usually see together but actually it works and is quite tasty.  It also has plenty of garlic, green onions and some parsley.  She says to steam the broccoli five minutes and then cook five more.  I drastically cut that ten minutes down to about 4 total. 

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/419210_3026148811555_1197836956_32360835_948202569_n.jpg

brussels sprouts with shallots and dillweed - Very good way to eat brussels spouts.

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/418245_3026148611550_1197836956_32360834_278854813_n.jpg

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penne with creamy asparagus sauce - Asparagus was something I always thought I hated until I went vegan.  Turns out I only had the over-cooked mushy canned variety and hated that.  Fresh steamed asparagus tastes real good to me now as an adult.  This recipe was very good and quick to cook.  It takes about 1 lb. of asparagus, half left steamed and the other half blended with some white beans, onions and garlic that was simmered in white wine and dried basil with a pinch of cayenne, and a bit of milk.  The other half of asparagus is left unblended and mixed in with the pasta and sauce. 

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/424904_3045646058974_1197836956_32369831_32890115_n.jpg

potato and kale soup - This simple soup was fat free, healthy and easy to make and so good.  I used a homemade veggie stock...it has onions, garlic, potatoes, oregano, crushed red pepper, kale and Great Northern beans.  It comes together real well.  I drastically cut down on her cooking time...she calls for cooking the potatoes for 30 minutes and then adding the kale and beans and cooking twenty more.  I cooked a total of 20 minutes and loved it.

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/s720x720/426908_3047700510334_1197836956_32370603_1743628652_n.jpg

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roasted brussels sprouts - Very good.  Nothing exciting here just the brussels with olive oil and lemon juice, but I appreciate the instructions on how to roast them. 

broccoli with almonds - and mushrooms (I used baby bella)....This was very good.  It's all sauteed in some white whine and garlic.  Yummy

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/423013_3064979022286_1197836956_32376736_1713433341_n.jpg

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Arugula and Apple Salad with Creamy Mustard Dressing - I loved this. It is ridiculously easy to make (it takes like 5 minutes) but wow, it is packed with so much flavor, and it is a very elegant dish. I used all baby arugula (recipe is part arugula, part lettuce) and shallot instead of red onion. It's wonderful. I think walnuts would be a great addition to this salad, too. It paired wonderfully with the Tempeh with Maple-Mustard Balsamic Glaze. (lebkuchen)

Tempeh with Maple-Mustard Balsamic Glaze - very nice dish, but slightly bland, IMHO. I didn't get as much caramelization on the tempeh as I would have liked. However, I started dipping my pieces in some spicy brown mustard, and it became super-delish. Very good with the Arugula and Apple Salad with Creamy Mustard Dressing. (lebkuchen)

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad - good but nothing special. I used kalamata olives instead of brine-cured black olives. I wouldn't go out of my way to make it again, but it's decent and healthy. (lebkuchen)

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I happened to have some arugula and was pleased to see the the review above.  That's what I love about this forum, it gives me ideas with what to do with stuff I have on hand.

arugula and apple salad with creamy mustard dressing - Very good!  I cut back on the oil to 1/4 cup instead of 1/3 cup which increased the tartness which went very well with the arugula's sharp taste.  Loved it.

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/561104_3149781062284_1197836956_32413165_1906419968_n.jpg

romaine and grape tomato salad with avocado and baby peas - Fantastic.  I used spinach and some spring mix that I needed to use up.  I hate peas so I used chickpeas.  I used two kinds of olives, kalamata and Sicilian style green.  This came together very well and I loved it.

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/534120_3149781782302_934173472_n.jpg

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I happened to have some arugula and was pleased to see the the review above.  That's what I love about this forum, it gives me ideas with what to do with stuff I have on hand.

I completely agree with you, Tweety! I love the cookbook reviews. I get tons of ideas and I especially love to read about people's recipe tweaks/subs/suggestions. It helps me immensely!

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I happened to have some arugula and was pleased to see the the review above.  That's what I love about this forum, it gives me ideas with what to do with stuff I have on hand.

I completely agree with you, Tweety! I love the cookbook reviews. I get tons of ideas and I especially love to read about people's recipe tweaks/subs/suggestions. It helps me immensely!

Totally with you guys! I don't check much else on vegweb!

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Baby Greens with Pear, Pecans, and Ginger Dressing - another really tasty, elegant, simple-to-make salad. I had to make a few subs (baby romaine for mixed greens; asian pear for the bosc pear; white wine vinegar for sherry vinegar; also reduced EVOO from 1/3 cup to 4 tbs). I used 4 stalks of celery instead of the 2 called for, since I like lots of veggies in my salad. I served this salad with some grilled tempeh and lemon dijon green beans and it paired beautifully! (lebkuchen)

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Green beans and grape tomatoes - Absolutely delicious!  Everything goes together so well...it's green beans, shallots, garlic, crushed fennel seeds, grape tomatoes and some fresh basil tossed in at the end.  Very quick to make. 

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/546684_3168871939544_1197836956_32421171_1780992887_n.jpg

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Sweet Potato and Broccoli Salad with Pomegranate Peanut Dressing - I took some liberties with this recipe to make it slightly healthier, but I think I was true to the essence of it. I used almond butter/sliced almonds instead of peanut butter/chopped peanuts, used a bit of maple syrup for the sugar, used a handful of dried cranberries for the pomegranate seeds, reduced the oil from 4 tbs to 2 tbs, and added more sweet potato and broccoli. I served it over a bed of baby arugula. This was definitely better the next day. I think the day-of, the flavors of the dressing were too pronounced (ie. you could really taste the fresh lemon juice, which tasted strange with the sweet potato). I'd make this again but do it the day before (lebkuchen)

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