Leeka's Profile

From: Hamilton, ON Canada

Joined: November 16th, 2009

About me: Bookworm, mother and vegan.

Favorite recipe: Don't make me choose.

Website:
plentysweetenough.blogspot.com


Latest review:

April 3rd, 2013

Fresh Noodle Salad with Avocado Dijon Dressing from The Blissful Chef

I love zucchini noodles so I'm always looking for new ways to dress and eat them. The avocado gave this salad dressing a lovely creaminess. I may cut down a touch on the dijon next time around. I had... read more >


recipe reviews (233)
book reviews (5)
useful review votes (211)

Leeka's Reviews


Search Reviews:

232 recipes reviewed. Showing 1 to 50Sort by: Book Title | Date | Rating | Recipe Title

Website: Plenty Sweet Enough

plentysweetenough.blogspot.com
 

21st August 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Zucchini-Raspberry Jam Muffins

Moist and sweet with surprise raspberry flavour.
It's the first time my daughter has eaten anything with zucchini in it. Yay!

Yields 10 muffins.

useful (1)  


Get It Ripe: A Fresh Take on Vegan Cooking and Living

By jae steele
Arsenal Pulp Press - 2008

10th July 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Zucchini Date Muffins

These muffins are entirely sweetened with dates so if you are looking for a sugar free muffin these are a pretty good bet. They were moist with a fairly mild flavour. I think I would have liked them to be a touch sweeter so next time I may add a bit of maple syrup to the date mixture.

useful (2)  


Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero, Sara Quin
Da Capo Press - 2006

31st December 2009 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Your Basic Chocolate Cupcake

These are an excellent, perfectly textured chocolate cupcake. They are not too dense. I was easily able to eat two of them without feeling like I over did it. This is the same base recipe used in the chocolate mint cupcake recipe.

useful (0)  


Vegan Planet: 400 Irresistible Recipes with Fantastic Flavors from Home and Around the World

By Robin Robertson
Harvard Common Press - 2003

1st February 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Winter Vegetable Bisque

The perfect soup to warm up chilled bodies in the middle of winter. This pureed medley of root vegetables featuring parsnips as the star, was warmly received even by my five year old who is notoriously selective with her veggies. I found the parsnip flavour to be quite strong but will gladly make this again if my child will actually eat it.

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Get It Ripe: A Fresh Take on Vegan Cooking and Living

By jae steele
Arsenal Pulp Press - 2008

11th July 2011

White Bean Dip

This dip couldn't be any simpler. Just throw four or five ingredients into the food processor and Bam! A yummy, thick, garlicky dip. I recently made a slightly different version of this recipe that had lemon in it and wasn't sure this was going to be as good without it but the fresh parsley added a nice freshness. I really like both versions.

useful (0)  


Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007

3rd July 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

White Bean Aioli

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!

useful (4)  


Vegan Yum Yum: Decadent (But Doable) Animal-Free Recipes for Entertaining and Everyday

By Lauren Ulm
HCI - 2009

21st November 2009

Weekend Pancakes Made Easy

Easy to whip up in the blender the night before. Thin, fairly light pancakes a little on the sweet side perhaps because I used sweetened soy milk for half the amount called for.

useful (0)  


Website: New York Times - Recipes

topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/r/recipes/index.html
 

25th July 2011

Watermelon Gazpacho

This was a light, summer soup but lacking a little zip. I think it needed a little more complexity or a few more ingredients.

useful (0)  


How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food

By Mark Bittman, Alan Witschonke
Wiley - 2007

12th December 2010

Vegannaise

This was my first attempt at making vegannaise and it was extremely easy. Silken tofu, olive oil, dijon mustard, salt, cider vinegar, a touch of turmeric and whiz it up in the blender for a minute until smooth. I decided to add a few additional ingredients such as a bit of sugar because I like my mayonaise on the sweet side. This was much better than any store bought vegannaise or mayonaise I've ever tasted.

useful (0)  


How It All Vegan! 10th Anniversary Edition: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet

By Tanya Barnard, Sarah Kramer
Arsenal Pulp Press - 2009

17th August 2011

Vegan Sloppy Joes

I substituted tofu for tvp in this recipe and was very happy with the result. It has just the right amount of chili powder and seasonings for my taste. I thought it was interesting how the sauce ingredients were blended raw in the blender first and then added to the fry up. Very good!

useful (0)  


Website: Plenty Sweet Enough

plentysweetenough.blogspot.com
 

10th December 2011

Vegan Shortbread

This was my first attempt at a vegan shortbread recipe. They were good, not too sweet but they could have been a touch flakier. I'll keep working on the recipe.

useful (1)  


Website: The Blooming Platter of Vegan Recipes

thebloomingplatter.blogspot.com
 

This review is for the Sage-Scented White Beans which is part of the total dish. I was missing a key ingredient for the Cheddar-Spinach Sauce so I'll leave that for another day.

The beans were fantastic. The orange pepper gave them a lovely peachy colour and the fresh sage added a distinctive flavour. I pureed the bean mixture in the food processor so my onion-phobic daughter would try some. We ate this slathered on toasted baguette and I didn't want to eat anything else all day.

useful (0)  


Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007

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.

useful (0)  


Website: Post Punk Kitchen

www.theppk.com
 

9th January 2012

Tofu Balls

I thought these were a little bland and at the same time had too much peanut butter flavour. They held together well but definitely need more seasoning.

useful (0)  


Website: Vegweb.com

vegweb.com
 

Really moist and delicious cookies.

useful (1)  


Vegan with a Vengeance : Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Da Capo Press - 2005

27th February 2010

The Best Pumpkin Muffins

These muffins are so delicious and moist, even my super picky four year old will eat them. They are my absolute favourite muffins and are perfect for an afternoon snack or really anytime as they are not too sweet.

useful (3)  


Vegan Planet: 400 Irresistible Recipes with Fantastic Flavors from Home and Around the World

By Robin Robertson
Harvard Common Press - 2003

14th November 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Thai- Style Coconut Soup

Delicious smooth coconut flavour combines with chili, lime and ginger. I love this flavour combination and there are tofu and mushrooms to sink your teeth into as well.

useful (0)  


Website: Elena's Pantry

www.elanaspantry.com
 

3rd February 2011

Thai Vegetable Soup

This was a quick, simple and tasty soup to prepare using coconut milk, stock, lime and cilantro for flavour. Next time I make it I may add some tofu, more veggies and perhaps a little chili sauce to bump it up a notch but it's still very good as is.

useful (1)  


One World Vegetarian Cookbook

By Troth Wells
Interlink Pub Group - 2010

5th September 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Tamia - Falafel

I thought I was making falafel but these delicious patties had a very unique flavour. The whole coriander seeds ground up in the processor with the rest of the ingredients added an interesting floral taste. I really loved the combination of ingredients which included chickpeas, green pepper, garlic, onion, whole coriander seeds, fresh cilantro, sesame seeds and bread soaked in lemon juice.

The batter was very, very wet. In fact I had to add triple the amount of flour called for in the recipe (originally 2 tablespoons) before I was satisfied that these might hold together in the pan without falling apart. They fried up very nicely and despite their initial, wet, goopiness and the whole family devoured them as they came hot out of the pan.

useful (3)  


Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007

24th July 2010

Tamarind Lentils

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.

useful (0)  


Party Vegan: Fabulous, Fun Food For Every Occasion

By Robin Robertson
Wiley - 2010

26th April 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Szechwan Green Beans and Shallots

useful (0)  


Vegan Planet: 400 Irresistible Recipes with Fantastic Flavors from Home and Around the World

By Robin Robertson
Harvard Common Press - 2003

7th November 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Szechuan Hot and Sour Soup

I've always wanted to make Hot and Sour Soup at home and this was my first attempt. I was very pleased with the result. I used an Indonesian Chili paste and with only one teaspoon added it was plenty hot enough for me. I also upped the sugar from 1/2 teaspoon to about 1 1/2 teaspoons. The soup is chock full of tofu strips, bamboo shoots, shiitake mushrooms and finished nicely with a bit of sesame oil, cilantro and scallions. Yum!

useful (0)  


Vegan with a Vengeance : Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Da Capo Press - 2005

11th November 2010 (edited: 11th November 2010)

Sweet Potato Fries

Yum! I added sesame seeds and salt to this recipe which complemented the cumin, coriander and peeper nicely. A thumbs up from my 4 year old.

useful (0)  


Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Matthew Ruscigno
Da Capo Lifelong Books - 2010

3rd April 2011 (edited: 30th October 2011)

Sweet Potato Drop Biscuits

These biscuits were moist and fluffy with a hint of sweetness provided by the sweet potato. Next time round I will cut the 1 teaspoon of nutmeg in half because it was too much.

useful (2)  


Website: Healthy.Happy.Life

kblog.lunchboxbunch.com
 

I love, love, love this cucumber salad. It contains the perfect combination of of sweet, tart, spicy and fresh crispness perfect for a hot summer day.

useful (1)  


Vegan Yum Yum: Decadent (But Doable) Animal-Free Recipes for Entertaining and Everyday

By Lauren Ulm
HCI - 2009

24th July 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Sweet Chili Lime Tofu

I like the citrusy, sweet glaze on the tofu.

useful (0)  


Tofu Cookery (25th Anniversary)

By Louise Hagler
Book Publishing Company (TN) - 2008

6th June 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Sweet and Creamy Topping

I used this topping to accompany strawberry shortcake and the result good. I added an extra couple of teaspoons of lemon juice because I thought it needed more zip. I also substituted silken tofu for regular because that's what I had on hand.

useful (1)  


Vegan Yum Yum: Decadent (But Doable) Animal-Free Recipes for Entertaining and Everyday

By Lauren Ulm
HCI - 2009

8th May 2010 (edited: 8th May 2010)

Super Quick Tomato Basil Cream Pasta

A fairly easy recipe with few ingredients still makes a creamy sauce with fresh tomato flavour. I sauteed some onion and mushrooms along with the garlic to add to the sauce and then threw some kale in the pasta pot at the end because I like more veggies.

useful (1)  


Color Me Vegan: Maximize Your Nutrient Intake and Optimize Your Health by Eating Antioxidant-Rich, Fiber-Packed, Color-Intense Meals That Taste Great

By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Fair Winds Press - 2010

27th June 2011 (edited: 3rd July 2011)

Strawberry Lemonade

A refreshing burst of summer in a glass! I cut the sugar almost in half and it was the perfect, slightly sweet-tart accompaniment to some salty snacks.

useful (1)  


The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets

By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Fair Winds Press - 2007

10th February 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Strawberry Cupcakes

Very tasty and moist.

useful (0)  


The Asian Vegan Kitchen: Authentic and Appetizing Dishes from a Continent of Rich Flavors

By Hema Parekh, Tae Hamamura
Kodansha International - 2008

This recipe is from the Burmese section of the book and was very simple and tasty. I didn't have enoki mushrooms so instead used cremini mushrooms which tasted fine.

useful (0)  


Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian: More Than 650 Meatless Recipes from Around the World

By Madhur Jaffrey
Clarkson Potter - 2002

19th February 2011 (edited: 19th February 2011)

Stir-Fried Carrots and Ginger with Mustard Seeds

I think these spicy, grated carrots are best used as a stuffing for wraps, flatbread or tacos together with other items. We enjoyed them and even without using all the cayenne specified found them hot enough for our palates.

useful (0)  


Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007

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?".

useful (0)  


Vegan Yum Yum: Decadent (But Doable) Animal-Free Recipes for Entertaining and Everyday

By Lauren Ulm
HCI - 2009

21st November 2009 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Spicy Tomato Chickpea Soup

Tangy, spicy goodness and very easy to prepare. Next time I will double the recipe because it made less than expected and I like to have soup ready to go in the fridge for a few days.

ETA: I left out the chili flakes and subbed paprika so it would suit my daughter's palate. The experiment was successful. I also stirred in a spoonful of sugar at the end.

useful (2)  


Vegan Soul Kitchen: Fresh, Healthy, and Creative African-American Cuisine

By Bryant Terry
Da Capo Press - 2009

13th November 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Spicy Smothered Green Cabbage

Really tasty cabbage with a touch of spice and easy to prepare.

useful (2)  


Peas and Thank You: Simple Meatless Meals the Whole Family Will Love

By Sarah Matheny
Harlequin - 2011

This was an excellent, thick and hearty soup. It has great flavours, not spicy, and served with some biscuits made a filling meal. After two hours in my slow cooker the soup was not cooking so I dumped it in a pot and let it simmer for half and hour and it was just fine.

useful (3)  


The Asian Vegan Kitchen: Authentic and Appetizing Dishes from a Continent of Rich Flavors

By Hema Parekh, Tae Hamamura
Kodansha International - 2008

22nd August 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Spiced Zucchini and Potato

My husband gives this dish a five, I say three and my daughter says zero because of the spice level - LOL. I cut the 1/2 tsp of cayenne in half and it was still plenty hot enough for me. This is a fairly simple dish to prepare once all the slicing prep is done.

useful (1)  


La Dolce Vegan!: Vegan Livin' Made Easy

By Sarah Kramer
Arsenal Pulp Press - 2005

18th May 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Spaghetti and Tofu Balls

I was looking for a recipe that would appeal to my 5 year old daughter and this caught my eye. The tofu balls were very simple to make and I had everything in my fridge or pantry. I should have known that the bits of minced onion would be detected but apart from the onion bits, she requested that I make them again. I loved the flavour and was surprised at how tasty the balls were. I used my own tomato veggie sauce instead of the one specified in the recipe because it was already made. This is a good veggie version of spaghetti and meatballs that our whole family enjoyed.

Next time I will double the recipe because it makes a very small amount, suitable for only 2 people.

useful (1)  


Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007

8th August 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Spaghetti and Beanballs

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.

useful (0)  


Vegan Yum Yum: Decadent (But Doable) Animal-Free Recipes for Entertaining and Everyday

By Lauren Ulm
HCI - 2009

19th November 2009 (edited: 19th November 2009)

Soy Mirin Tofu with Snow Peas and Peanut Sauce

This was a few more steps than I normally like for a fast dinner but apart from the snow peas, the ingredients are all staples in our house. it was very tasty and I will definitely make it again. I also added mushrooms while pan-frying the tofu.

useful (0)  


The Happy Herbivore Cookbook: Over 175 Delicious Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes

By Lindsay S. Nixon
BenBella Books - 2011

12th April 2011

Soul Burgers

I liked the mix of spices; cumin, thyme, paprika, cayenne and pepper but I'm afraid this recipe fell down in the texture department. The burgers were mushy and fell apart very easily. I left them in the oven for an extra 12 minutes in the hopes of crisping and browning the outsides but the experiment was not very successful. I think something is missing from the ingredient list to help bind and firm these up.

useful (1)  


Peter Reinhart's Artisan Breads Every Day

By Peter Reinhart
Ten Speed Press - 2009

This was my very first bread-making attempt and I'm fairly pleased with the results. I made the butter-flake rolls with this recipe and they were surprisingly easy to make. I cheated on the proofing time a little but they turned out fine if a little denser than I expected. I'm encouraged to continue with more recipes from this book.

useful (1)  


Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007

7th July 2011 (edited: 7th July 2011)

Snobby Joes

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!

useful (3)  


Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Matthew Ruscigno
Da Capo Lifelong Books - 2010

1st September 2011 (edited: 30th October 2011)

Smoky Tempeh and Greens Stew

I did not think this was going to be as good as it was but wow, it was delicious. I think leaving it on the stove for an hour after it was done while I made biscuits contributed to the rich flavour that resulted.

The recipe called for 4 teaspoons of smoked paprika and I thought that was too much so I used 2 teaspoons of smoked and 2 teaspoons of regular paprika. I think it was the right decision. I also subbed a small can of plain tomato sauce in place of crushed tomatoes which I didn't have and added a bit more veggie stock. I left out the lima beans.

The resulting soupy stew had a deep, smokey, tomato flavour and lots of greens. I think this is the first tempeh recipe I've given five stars.

useful (3)  


La Dolce Vegan!: Vegan Livin' Made Easy

By Sarah Kramer
Arsenal Pulp Press - 2005

13th July 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Sloppy Jane's

This is a tasty, no-fuss meal that can be made all in one pot. It's the second vegan sloppy-joe type recipe that I've made in the last week and the sauce ingredients were very similar. The other one featured lentils and this one crumbled tofu which gave it a completely different texture. I enjoyed the flavours in both. The addition of a chopped pickle at the end was fun but my husband wasn't didn't love it as much as I did. (I love pickles!)

A definite make again for casual, comforting suppers.

useful (2)  


Website: All Recipes

allrecipes.com
 

31st July 2011 (edited: 30th October 2011)

Single Crust Peach Pie

Simple, down home, goopy, peach pie! I altered the recipe somewhat from the original on All Recipes by cutting the sugar, adding cinnamon and using Earth Balance in place of butter.

This was not a sophisticated or difficult pie to make but it sure was yummy.

useful (1)  


Vegan Fusion World Cuisine: Healing Recipes and Timeless Wisdom from our Hearts to Yours

By Mark Reinfeld, Bo Rinaldi, Tae Hamamura, Jane Goodall
Beaufort Books - 2007

8th March 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Simso's Strawberry Sauce

This is a simple strawberry sauce with a hint of cinnamon. I left out the pinch of cardamom because I am not a fan. The recipe makes a small amount, I will double it next time. I served it on pancakes and it was very good.

useful (0)  


Website: Fatfree Vegan Kitchen

blog.fatfreevegan.com
 

22nd April 2012 (edited: 22nd April 2012)

Simple Scrambled Tofu and Kale

This was an excellent tofu scramble. I love kale and am always looking for interesting ways to incorporate more of it into my diet. This recipe has quite a different flavour profile from my typical tofu scramble. The seasonings are smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric, salt, garlic and nooch. I cut back on the amount of smoked paprika because I just like a hint of it and used regular paprika for the remainder. A really nice change and a great way to get lots of veggies into a breakfast dish.

useful (2)  


The Peaceful Palate: Fine Vegetarian Cuisine

By Jennifer Raymond
Book Publishing Company (TN) - 1996

27th February 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Simple Golden Broth

This simple soup made with yellow split peas is extremely easy to make and delicious.

useful (0)  


Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes

By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Matthew Ruscigno
Da Capo Lifelong Books - 2010

28th May 2011 (edited: 30th October 2011)

Silky Chickpea Gravy

I had never previously made any type of sauce or gravy with pureed chickpeas and found this to be a very substantial, hearty and flavourful gravy. I'm not sure if I would agree with the silky part of the recipe name but I enjoyed the leftovers the second and third day with home-made oven fries and veggie loaf. I may reduce the amount of thyme slightly next time round but I will definitely make this gravy again. I also added a little extra water/veggie stock to thin it out a little as it was quite thick.

useful (3)