Leeka's Reviews
24 recipe(s) reviewed. Showing 1 to 24Sort by: Title 
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Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007
Banana-Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding : page 251
Moist and lovely to eat warm from the oven, this dessert is easy to make and not too sweet. The only sweetener added is 1/2 cup of maple syrup.
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Basil-Cilantro Pesto : page 214
Excellent and kid-approved! I think I added a touch too much lemon juice because I just eyeballed the amount but otherwise the flavours were nicely balanced. I like that this recipe calls for a mix of my favourite herb cilantro along with basil and I was also able to use up some of the sliced almonds in my pantry. A definite make-again!
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Black Bean Burgers : page 98
Good texture but lacking salt.
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Carrot-Pineapple Sunshine Muffins : page 226
Very moist muffins, the orange zest lends a wonderful aroma combined with carrot and pineapple. Lovely texture and not too sweet.
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A friend of mine told me that she enjoys this recipe as a side dish without making the crust. My first go round I wanted to make it with the topping even though I'm not an olive lover and don't stock them in my pantry. The sauce was creamy and rich with the tarragon being the dominant flavour. I think I would have liked a little hint of sweetness or acidity in the sauce for some balance. I didn't have sherry and used the option of white wine vinegar instead but I think the small amount was lost in the sauce.
Overall, I enjoyed the dish. It's a little bit time and labour intensive for a quick supper but I'm glad I tried it. It would go well paired with a crisp green salad or some greens.
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Cheater Baked Beans : page 122
My husband and I really enjoyed these beans. Unfortunately, because I didn't have the required light molasses, I had to use a very strongly flavoured dark molasses and my daughter couldn't get past the overpowering smell and flavour. I cut the amount in half and added some agave nectar to replace it but it did not mask the strong smell. I will definitely have to re-stock my pantry because these simple baked beans were very satisfying and we enjoyed them paired with fluffy steamed rice and veggies.
This is a fairly quick recipe to put together and then throw in the oven for an hour while you prepare the rest of your meal.
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Chickpea Cutlets : page 133
These cutlets were unexpectedly delicious. I panfried them a little too long and even though they were a little crispy on the bottom, they remained chewy and flavourful. Next time I will make a double batch because our family devoured them.
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Coconut-Lemon Bundt Cake : page 256
Outstanding! This cake is moist, chewy and fragrant. I loved the combination of lemon and coconut. No icing needed and it's the perfect cake to accompany afternoon tea or coffee.
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Curried Tofu : page 127
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Eggplant Potato Moussaka with Pine-Nut Cream : page 164
I was a little disappointed in how the dish turned out after all the prep work. I much prefer the lasagna from this book which layers similar elements but results in a tastier dish.
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Fudgy Wudgy Blueberry Brownies : page 243
These brownies were moist and cakey. The whole blueberries were an interesting addition that worked for us. Next time I will serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
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Herb-Scalloped Potatoes : page 108
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Lasagne Marinara with Spinach : page 196
I would like this recipe more with the addition of vegetables other than spinach. Overall though it was very good and I didn't miss the cheese.
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Lemony Roasted Potatoes : page 109
If you like lemon you will love these potatoes. The flavour is quite intense so be sure to balance out your menu with that in mind. These were fairly easy to prepare and require a few stirs while cooking.
I also usually add at least 1 tablespoon instead of 1tsp of tomato paste.
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Lost Coconut Custard Pie : page 258
I loved the creamy, coconut filling but found the crust too sweet using graham cracker crumbs, coconut and sugar. Next time I will cut the sugar out completely or use one of the other crust options.
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Lower-Fat Banana Bread : page 228
Very good. Not quite as moist as my regular recipe from The Joy of Vegan Baking but there were no complaints from the family. I like that it was not too sweet and half the loaf was gone within an hour of it coming out of the oven.
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Mediterranean-Style Cashew-Cucumber Dip : page 66
This dip is a vegan version or variation of the delicious Greek tzatziki. I was unsure when I read the ingredients but gave it a shot and was really happy with the results. It's definitely richer than tzatziki because of the cashew base but the cucumber adds a lovely freshness to balance that out. We enjoyed this dip with some toasted pita triangles and then I slathered the remains on some toast. Yum!
ETA: As I wasy typing in the ingredients I realized that I forgot to add the garlic when I made it. I also chose to use the optional fresh dill which added a nice flavour.
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A really simple and delicious side with only four ingredients. The crushed coriander seeds pair really well with the sweetness of the squash. I left mine in the oven without flipping as per the directions and the dish still turned out fine.
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Snobby Joes : page 98
The whole family enjoyed these lentils, they had very good flavour and a little bit of heat. I only used 2 tablespoons of chili powder instead of three because I thought that would be plenty for our palates and I was right. I also let everything sit in the pot for a while (30 minutes) before serving to give the flavours a chance to meld. I think this is something that could be easily made ahead and taste great after a little rest.
Overall I thought this was a hearty and satisfying dish piled on top of some crusty, toasted rolls. My husband enjoyed it without any accompaniment at all!
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Spaghetti and Beanballs : page 189
The beanballs tasted quite bean-y or maybe I'm just not a huge kidney bean fan but all three members of my family felt the same about them. These were easy to prepare.
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This is a quick and flavourful meal to put together. I love cilantro but those that don't wont find it overpowering in the least. I used regular spaghetti in place of the spinach liguine and thoroughly enjoyed every bite while thinking "Why don't I make pesto more often?".
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Tamarind Lentils : page 123
The lentils took a lot longer than 30 minutes to become tender, almost an hour but it was worth the wait. The sauce had an intense, rich flavour with a hint of sweetness.
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I blame this rating on the tinned tomatoes. I think this soup has the potential to be much better than what I tasted today. The brown rice and navy beans give it a wonderful heartiness and texture but all I could taste was the that awful tinned tomato flavour and the roasted garlic was completely overpowered and virtually undetectable. What a shame.
Next time I will use fresh tomatoes along with a bit of tomato paste and some veggie stock. I think this soup is worth tinkering with.
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White Bean Aioli : page 62
This is simply delicious! Not only does it taste great but it only takes about 10 minutes to prepare start to finish. My five year old loved it, my husband loved it and I am happy to discover an alternative to hummus with delicious garlic and lemon flavours that I can make in a snap. I served it as a spread on some toasted baguette - YUM!
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