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 51 to 100Sort by: Book Title | Date | Rating | Recipe Title

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

By Lindsay S. Nixon
BenBella Books - 2011

5th March 2012 (edited: 5th March 2012)

Black Bean Brownies

I was very curious if the black bean flavour would be noticeable and I must say I don't think I could have guessed the main ingredient. These brownies are very moist, there is no flour in the recipe and I found the banana and cinnamon to be the dominant flavours. Next time I make these, I'll increase the amount of cocoa and cut back on the cinnamon. On the upside, they were extremely simple to make, everything went in the food processor except for one ingredient at the end.

useful (3)  


6th June 2012

Cheddar Cheesy Sauce

I was fairly happy with this miso based sauce. It's quite similar to other vegan "cheese" sauces I've made in the past and since I did not expect it to taste like actual cheddar sauce, it didn't disappoint. Quick to prepare on the stove-top, I served it mixed with pasta, broccoli and cauliflower for an easy lunch.

useful (0)  


14th June 2012

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm not quite sure what to say about these. I've never made or eaten no-fat chocolate chip cookies before and they certainly don't taste like a typical cookie. They are more like little flat cakes. The flavour was fine but I miss the chewiness and traditional texture of a cookie with fat. I had trouble removing them from the pan even though I used parchment paper.

61 calories per cookie.

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)  


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

By Tanya Barnard, Sarah Kramer
Arsenal Pulp Press - 2009

20th June 2010 (edited: 20th June 2010)

Brilliant Baked Beans

These were tasty. I mashed them up with a fork and ate them with tortilla chips.

useful (0)  


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)  


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

Banana Bread

Really yummy and moist (but not too moist) banana bread with dates and optional chocolate chips. Definitely a keeper.

useful (0)  


How to be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking

By Nigella Lawson
Chatto & Windus - 2003

16th November 2009 (edited: 7th May 2010)

Fresh Gingerbread with Lemon Icing

This is a delicious and moist gingerbread I make over and over again. The cake tastes even better the day after and the lemon icing provides the perfect complement.

useful (2)  


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)  


13th February 2011 (edited: 13th February 2011)

Quick Whole Wheat and Molasses Bread

This recipe was as quick and easy to prepare but we found the molasses flavour to be extremely overpowering. After my daughter and I tasted a few bites of the warm bread my husband was left to eat the entire loaf. It does have an appealing and hearty appearance and I might make it again cutting the molasses in half using 1/4 cup instead of 1/2 cup. I also subbed soymilk with a tablespoon of vinegar for the buttermilk. Good texture and with a little tweaking I think this quickbread could be very good.

useful (1)  


The Indian Vegan Kitchen: More Than 150 Quick and Healthy Homestyle Recipes

By Madhu Gadia
Perigee Trade - 2009

16th April 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Pea and Tofu Curry

This tomato based curry was saucy, filling and delicious, perfect served over rice. I was missing a couple of key ingredients, including ginger and white poppy seeds which I imagine would alter the flavour of the sauce substantially. I also used the option of 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne in place of the chillies which gave me the perfect spiciness factor (not too much!). I look forward to making this again with the missing ingredients.

useful (0)  


9th May 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Scrambled Tofu

I found the cilantro and tomato made this dish quite fresh and tasty. It's light on spices compared to other Indian dishes with just a touch of turmeric, salt and pepper.

useful (0)  


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

Kale-Tofu Pilaf

I was tempted to mess around with the spices because I'm not a huge fan of the cinnamon flavour in garam masala. I followed the directions strictly the first time around but will definitely alter the seasonings next time. I love kale so any recipe that uses kale in a different way is usually a hit with me. I liked the texture of the grated tofu mixed in with the rice, onions and kale. The recipe made quite a large amount and I think this will be just as tasty heated up for left-overs.

useful (0)  


6th September 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Mashed Eggplant (Baingan Bharta)

This dish is made by roasting the whole eggplant, removing the almost burnt skin, mashing up the eggplant and adding some sauteed spices and tomato. It's very yummy served with rice or flatbread. Recommended for eggplant lovers.

useful (0)  


2nd March 2011 (edited: 2nd March 2011)

Curried Mushrooms and Peas

This simple dish packs a bit of a kick. I liked it but think it would taste even better by replacing the water with coconut milk to give the peas and mushrooms a creamy background.

useful (0)  


16th June 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Seasoned Zucchini

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.

useful (0)  


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)  


26th February 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Chocolate Cake

I love this type of cake which comes together without having to use a mixer. Easy and delicious, I've made it in cake form and cupcakes and both times the recipe turned out wonderfully.

useful (1)  


16th April 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

In my mind their are two types of chocolate chip cookies, the flat, chewy kind that spread like crazy when baked and the fat, doughy type that don't spread very much. This recipe makes the latter and they are quite tender and tasty.

useful (1)  


23rd May 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Delicious, fluffy, moist, banana and chocolate goodness! The whole family gobbled these muffins up in record time. This recipe would work just as well in cake form.

useful (0)  


12th June 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Peanut Butter Cookies

My husband and daughter loved these cookies but I found them a little on the heavy/doughy side. I would award them three stars and they said five so we are compromising with four stars.

ETA: I made these once accidentally forgetting the vegan butter completely and they still turned out quite well. They weren't too dry and had a good texture.

useful (0)  


26th June 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Lemon Bars

This is the first dessert I've made usuing silken tofu and I was very surprised at how undetectable it was in these delicious squares. They are best eaten fresh and I found the sifted icing sugar on top unneccesary to enjoy these simple, lemony treats.

useful (0)  


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

Apple Cake

The batter was very thick, almost the consistency of cookie dough so I wasn't sure how this was going to turn out but it was very good. Moist, fairly dense but not heavy and not too sweet. It reminded me of coffee cake or an apple cinnamon muffin in cake form. I made it without the brown sugar syrup.

useful (0)  


26th July 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Butterscotch Pudding

Very creamy, sweet and brown sugary.

useful (0)  


23rd August 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

The whole family enjoyed this not too sweet coffee cake with lots of cinnamon goodness. My daugher particularly enjoyed the topping. I substituted chopped pecans for walnuts because that's what I had in the pantry.

useful (0)  


26th August 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Chocolate Mousse

Extremely easy to prepare and very rich. A few bites were enough to satisfy my chocolate craving.

useful (0)  


29th August 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Cinnamon Rolls

Um, all I can say is YUM! While these were quite time consuming to make (approximately 4 hours) because of the rising time, they were very worth the effort. I have never made cinnamon rolls but we used to scarf down those giant Cinnabons from the mall frequently. These were just as good and extra satisfying because the were home-made! Yay for me.

useful (0)  


6th September 2010 (edited: 6th September 2010)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

I liked the flavour combination of chocolate, peaunut butter and banana but I found the cupcakes to be a little tough and dry.

useful (0)  


3rd November 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Blueberry Orange Bundt Cake

Good. Very moist and not too sweet but I did detect a hint of baking soda flavour. I'm not sure if this was my fault but the recipe did say to just combine wet and dry ingredients and to not overmix.

useful (0)  


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

Chocolate Brownies

Rich and super chocolatey. I cut the sugar by 1/3 and they were satisfyingly sweet enough. The recipe said these were the moist versus the cakey type of brownie but I found them to be a nice balance between the two.

useful (0)  


13th April 2012

Date Bars

The flavour was nice but not outstanding. I made these in a square pan and thought there was far too little of the date filling and too much oatmeal base and topping.

useful (0)  


The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet

By Alicia Silverstone, Neal D. Barnard M.D.
Rodale Books - 2009

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

Oatmeal, Walnut, and Dried Plum Cookies

I made these plain without the added fruit and nuts and they were still incredible.

useful (3)  


30th July 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

The peanut butter base is very rich. There wasn't quite enough chocolate to cover all of the cups so next time I make these, and there will be a next time, I'll increase the amount of chocolate chips.
Very easy and no baking involved.

useful (3)  


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

Eggplant Chana Masala

A hearty warming dish, easy to prepare.

useful (0)  


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)  


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)  


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)  


Moosewood Cookbook

By Mollie Katzen
Ten Speed Press - 1992

25th February 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Gypsy Soup

This is a heartwarming and beautiful soup. The colours and flavours of the broth and vegetables are warm and attractive. I've never used this particular combination of seasonings together - turmeric, basil, paprika and pinch of cayenne. I liked the flavour.

I had to add a little more water to the pot after adding in the chickpeas and peppers or it would have been more like a very thick stew.

useful (1)  


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

Apricot-Almond Bread

I was attracted to this recipe because it doesn't contain any sugar - sweetened solely with apricots and some maple syrup. I enjoyed a warm slice after dinner with a cup of tea and it was moist, not too sweet with nice chunks of almonds.

The suggested baking time was 1 and a half hours but a little after one hour the top was looking very crusty and brown so I took it out. Total baking time was about 70 minutes for me so if you make this keep an eye on it.

useful (2)  


The Moosewood Restaurant Cooking for Health: More Than 200 New Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes for Delicious and Nutrient-Rich Dishes

By Moosewood Collective
Simon & Schuster - 2009

17th May 2010 (edited: 12th March 2012)

An Easy Baked Tofu

Fast, easy prep and nice soft flavour from the sesame oil based sauce.

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)  


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)  


9th September 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Boston Baked Beans

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.

useful (2)  


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)  


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

Chocolate Chunk Blondies

I've only ever made one other blondie recipe and it was simply terrible so I'm not sure what these are supposed to taste like. All I know is that this recipe turned out like a moist, light, fluffy cake with chocolate chips scattered throughout. I loved it, my husband loved it and so did my five year old. It actually brings back memories of something called snacking cake we used to eat as kids. Easy and delicious! I want to eat the whole pan!

useful (0)  


The Peaceful Palate: Fine Vegetarian Cuisine

By Jennifer Raymond
Book Publishing Company (TN) - 1996

26th February 2010

Pasta Salad

This was a very tasty pasta salad but I found the dressing a little too acidic for my taste. There is no oil in the recipe which I found a little strange. I added black beans to make this dish a little heartier and more suitable for a main dish.

useful (1)  


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)  


27th February 2010

Aztec Salad

I was attracted to this recipe by the combination of black beans, sweet peppers, cilantro and corn but I think the dressing let it down somewhat. I found the vinegar overpowering. I would make this again but with a radically altered dressing.

useful (0)  


1st March 2010 (edited: 1st March 2010)

Pasta with Peanut Sauce

This was a very basic peanut sauce that definitely lacked some zest and zip. I think the spice quotient needs to be bumped up and next time I will also add some lime juice.

useful (0)  


9th June 2011 (edited: 12th March 2012)

Oatmeal Cookies

Mmmmmm, I have not been able to stop eating these cookies since I made them last night! They are dark, slightly chewy and delicious. There is a 1/4 cup of molasses in these and the taste is noticeable but I love them. My daughter is not such a fan of that flavour but her loss is my gain.

useful (2)