Leeka's Reviews
232 recipes reviewed. Showing 51 to 100Sort by: Book Title | Date 
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One World Vegetarian Cookbook
By Troth Wells
Interlink Pub Group - 2010
These beans are excellent! The only change I made to the recipe was blending the cooked onions and garlic with the sauce and putting it back in the pan with the beans. No chunky bits always increases the chance that it will get eaten by certain members of the family. My guess paid off and my daughter loved them! I also did not add cayenne but just a little chili powder.
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Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook: Crazy Delicious Recipes that Are Good to the Earth and Great for Your Bod
By Kim Barnouin
Running Press - 2010
Wow, I was not expecting to like this at all and I was very pleasantly surprised. I made this on the recommendation of someone in my cooking group and after reading the ingredients was somewhat skeptical but gave it a shot. I'm really glad I did.
This is a baked pasta dish with cheese nowhere in sight. The sauce is deliciously creamy and is made with coconut milk, blended cooked cauliflower, a bit of miso, garlic, nutmeg, mustard, salt and pepper. Added to the pasta and sauce is a bit more browned cauliflower and tofu. The flavours are mild but not boring. This is definitely comfort food, perfect for supper on a cool autumn or winter's night.
Note: I did not have potato starch for the sauce but substituted corn starch and it was fine. You could probably get away without this ingredient all together.
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One World Vegetarian Cookbook
By Troth Wells
Interlink Pub Group - 2010
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.
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Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Matthew Ruscigno
Da Capo Lifelong Books - 2010
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.
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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
Light, fluffy cupcakes with a hint of chocolate. The recipe called for chocolate extract which I don't have so I substituted a bit more vanilla and almond extract instead. The almond extract gave it quite a nice flavour. I topped the cupcakes with vanilla buttercream icing and they were delicious.
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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
This stew was really beautiful and delicious. It's hearty, earthy, colourful, a little spicy and the yams add a touch of sweetness. I forgot the mango but it was fine without. I also had to add more liquid to the pot, at least a cup when I added the beans.
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Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook: Crazy Delicious Recipes that Are Good to the Earth and Great for Your Bod
By Kim Barnouin
Running Press - 2010
I'm a little on the fence about this crisp. It uses lemon zest in the topping along with oats, granola, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown rice syrup. I'm not sure I dig the combination of lemon zest and peaches. It tastes a bit funky to me but I'm eating my second bowl as I write this so I guess it's tasty enough.
Also, I like less topping and more peaches/fruit but I find myself thinking this every time I make a crisp so a note for myself next time - make less topping!
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The Asian Vegan Kitchen: Authentic and Appetizing Dishes from a Continent of Rich Flavors
By Hema Parekh, Tae Hamamura
Kodansha International - 2008
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.
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Website: Plenty Sweet Enough
plentysweetenough.blogspot.com
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.
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How It All Vegan! 10th Anniversary Edition: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet
By Tanya Barnard, Sarah Kramer
Arsenal Pulp Press - 2009
Really yummy and moist (but not too moist) banana bread with dates and optional chocolate chips. Definitely a keeper.
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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!
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Website: All Recipes
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.
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Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007
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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Website: Plenty Sweet Enough
plentysweetenough.blogspot.com
Well, I got sick and tired of not being satisfied with other people's recipes for black bean burgers and created my own. And I have to say they're pretty darned good!
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Website: New York Times - Recipes
topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/subjects/r/recipes/index.html
This was a light, summer soup but lacking a little zip. I think it needed a little more complexity or a few more ingredients.
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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
The fragrance of this rice while cooking is extraordinary. It had wonderful coconut flavour and even though I used the same basmati rice I normally do the grains did not stick together which was nice. Great to accompany an Asian inspired meal.
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Website: Plenty Sweet Enough
plentysweetenough.blogspot.com
It's kind of strange but the first time I made these I forgot half the flour and I ended up wolfing down all but one of the muffins in a single day. They were extremely moist and flavourful.
I just made them again because the recipe is up on my blog and I thought I'd better check with the proper amount of flour. I also used canola oil to see the difference and I must say the coconut oil adds great flavour and I much prefer it in this recipe. So, second time around they are still delicious and slightly dense. Not a light and fluffy type of muffin but again that maybe my fault (over mixing) because I forgot to add the strawberries (duh!) and had to chop them quickly and re-mix them in at the end.
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Vegan Yum Yum: Decadent (But Doable) Animal-Free Recipes for Entertaining and Everyday
By Lauren Ulm
HCI - 2009
A delicious combination of finely chopped broccoli and onion with red lentils and Indian spices such as mustard and cumin seeds. At the end, soy milk, turmeric and a bit of lemon juice are added. The turmeric gives it a really lovely colour. I ate a bowl of this after eating a plate of spicy noodles and amazingly was still able to appreciate all the flavours.
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The Vegan Table: 200 Unforgettable Recipes for Entertaining Every Guest at Every Occasion
By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Fair Winds Press - 2009
Hearty Stew is aptly named. Simple ingredients - potatoes, carrots, onions and tempeh seasoned with thyme, marjoram and tarragon in a savoury broth. Good stuff. Preparation was uncomplicated and cooking time relatively short at 25-30 minutes. It would be almost impossible to mess this recipe up.
The only thing that had the potential to turn me off was the disctinctive smell of the tarragon while cooking but that's just one of those personal things. Tarragon and I don't always get along. Thankfully, when I tasted the stew, the flavour was not at all overpowering.
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Website: Vegweb.com
Really yummy, sweet, soy based, ginger-garlic sauce. I recommend doubling the amount and throwing in some more veggies while the sauce is cooking to go with the tofu.
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La Dolce Vegan!: Vegan Livin' Made Easy
By Sarah Kramer
Arsenal Pulp Press - 2005
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.
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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
I wavered between giving this soup 3 or 4 stars but my extremely picky daughter actually loved it. The curry flavour was quite strong and the apple very subtle. I thought the soup did taste better after sitting for a while in the pot. I think when I make it again, I will decrease the curry powder a touch.
The preparation was quick and simple and there are few ingredients so that's a definite plus.
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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
These are a variation on the golden vanilla cupcakes (page 33) with some added lemon zest and lemon extract. I chose to make these with the canola oil option instead of Earth Balance out of pure laziness and the texture was somewhat spongy. Next time I'll try the other way. The recipe name describes the flavour perfectly, a balance between vanilla and lemon.
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Get It Ripe: A Fresh Take on Vegan Cooking and Living
By jae steele
Arsenal Pulp Press - 2008
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.
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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.
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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
Okay, I challenge anyone (who has a sweet tooth) to be able to look at the scrumptious photo of these cookies in the book and not run to your kitchen and make them immediately. When I saw them, I didn't happen to have any maraschino cherries on hand and had to wait until the weekly shopping was done.
My cookies, turned out alot darker than those pictured in the book and they had a distinctly cake-like texture. The flavour is very rich and chocolatey. The melted chocolate combined with cherry syrup drizzled on top added another hit of dark chocolate. I wonder if the texture was more cake like because I was forced to use half sugar and half liquid sweetener but they were still very good, and so cute with the half cherries nestled on top.
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Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007
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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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
This was the surprise hit of dinner. I was surprised at how good the creamy hunks of avocado contrasted so beautifully with the acidic dressing and raw carrots. And every time I tasted a bite with roasted sesame seeds it was an extra hit of flavour. This salad is definitely going on the regular rotation for being easy to prepare, having relatively few ingredients and great flavour.
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Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Matthew Ruscigno
Da Capo Lifelong Books - 2010
This was good but not outstanding. I think I had too much cauliflower in the pan because even though I left it in the oven for double the time stated in the recipe, it didn't brown. We became impatient and just ate it as it was. The flavour of the breadcrumb and herb mix was fine but again, I think my execution was poor because it just clumped and was a bit wet.
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Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007
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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Quick-Fix Vegetarian: Healthy Home-Cooked Meals in 30 Minutes or Less
By Robin Robertson
Andrews McMeel Publishing - 2007
I was looking to make a pasta salad yesterday that didn't require a ton of fresh veggies. Since I had a bag of orzo and a jar of artichokes in my pantry I was able to put this together fairly quickly. The only thing I was missing from the ingredient list were the sundried tomatoes in oil. My rating of three may very well reflect the missing ingredient. The salad was good but lacking a little zing. The chickpeas provided a nice bite. And I did add in some red pepper to give it a little colour.
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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
Quite a bit of cooking time for such a simple recipe but it was yummy slathered on mashed potatoes. I don't know if I would classify this as a gravy because it didn't have a very thick consistency.
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This was not as successful as I'd hoped. I think to acheive that delicious melding of spices with the tomato gravy that Indian sauces so often have, five minutes is nowhere near enough time to cook down fresh tomato with the spices. I added the chopped tomatoes a little early, near the end of the potato cooking process and it still had no effect. I also added a touch of sweetener because I found the fresh tomato too acidic. I'm hoping the leftovers taste better once the flavours have more time to combine.
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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.
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Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007
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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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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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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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
Anything that gets my child to eat zucchini gets a thumbs up from me! She especially enjoyed the chewy crust that formed on the outside of the loaf.
I baked the loaves for 55 minutes but maybe should have pulled them out to check a bit earlier. They were still moist and not too sweet. The perfect snack with a cup of afternoon tea or coffee.
I almost doubled the amount of cocoa because I didn’t think ¼ cup was sufficient chocolatey goodness for two loaves but in the end decided to follow the recipe as written (at least for the first time). After tasting the loaf, I think I will up the cocoa quotient next time round.
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Crispy, tender strips of seasoned pan-fried tofu. I wasn't sure if I would like the suggested smoked paprika but it added an interesting flavour. I intended on making a dipping sauce but we managed to finish most of the plate as a snack before that happened.
I cut the tofu into approximately 1/4" wide and thick strips, like french fries. The recipe did not specify a size but this worked well.
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Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007
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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The Vegetable Dishes I Can't Live Without
By Mollie Katzen
Hyperion - 2007
Tender-crisp broccoli, barely wilted red onion and tart apples, coated with a delicious mustard based dressing. I loved, loved, loved the simplicity and perfection of this salad! I substituted maple syrup for the honey and it was perfect.
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Website: Vegaloca
This veggie loaf has endless variations and makes a regular appearance at Sunday night supper paired with some mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes and veggies. I love making this and playing around with the seasonings, grains and protein combinations but this first version I tried was excellent.
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Website: Vegaloca
I created this recipe as a way to get my 5 year old daughter interested in eating lentils. She is very sensitive to bits of onion and other veggies so I left them out. Although this recipe uses some traditional Indian spices for flavour it tends to have a slight sweetness and no fire in order to appeal to a child's palate. The whole family enjoys these lentils whenever I make them and they go very well paired with some steamed rice.
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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.
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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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Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Matthew Ruscigno
Da Capo Lifelong Books - 2010
Yum. Creamy, garlicky, dill goodness! I love making these delicious dressings with a silken tofu base. Who would have thought eating vegan would be so saucily delicious!
I used the dressing immediately in a delicous wrap with fresh tomatoes, grated carrot and some tofu balls. This would be fantastic as a dip for veggies or salad.
Note: I used soft silken tofu intead of extra-firm and I did not blanch it as written in the recipe. I also omitted the 2 Tbl of mayonaise because I didn't have any and it was perfectly fine. I just threw all of the ingredients in the blender and whipped it up!
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Website: Vegan Cooking
This quiche was very rich. My husband and I both enjoyed the flavour and texture. While eating it I thought mushrooms would be a great addition along with the asparagus and perhaps a few herbs. My local grocery store doesn't carry Daiya vegan cheese so I used a rice based product which has good flavour but doesn't melt as well. As usual, I want to tinker with this recipe to cater to my own personal taste but if you make it as written, I think you'll find it very satisfying.
Also, I used fresh steamed asparagus in place of canned asparagus (yuck!).
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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
I liked the fresh flavours in this salad but am not a fan of couscous. I think any other small grain would provide a better base for this dish. The cucumbers add a nice crunch and the fresh herbs and simple dressing taste like summer!
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The Indian Vegan Kitchen: More Than 150 Quick and Healthy Homestyle Recipes
By Madhu Gadia
Perigee Trade - 2009
I was pleasantly surprised by this dish. It's very simple and quick to prepare. The zucchini was very juicy and flavourful. There was a perfect amount of spice and the mixture of cumin, turmeric, coriander and cayenne is always a winner for me. I left out the garam masala out because I'm not a fan of cinnamon in savory dishes. This is a great side dish for any meal.
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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
Excellent cupcakes! These were extremely moist and quite fluffy. Pouring the two batters into the tins simultaneously was a little bit tricky, messy and slightly more time consuming than a single batter but it was fun. We ate these without icing at my daugher's request but I think they would have been a 5 out of 5 with some chocolate frosting. Definitely something I would make again.
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