Leeka's Reviews
232 recipes reviewed. Showing 201 to 232Sort by: Book Title | Date | Rating 
| Recipe Title
Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Terry Hope Romero
Da Capo Press - 2007
useful (0)
Tofu Cookery (25th Anniversary)
By Louise Hagler
Book Publishing Company (TN) - 2008
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)
The Peaceful Palate: Fine Vegetarian Cuisine
By Jennifer Raymond
Book Publishing Company (TN) - 1996
I was looking for a way to jazz up my steamed broccoli and came across this simple recipe. I found it a little too vinegary but my husband liked it.
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
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!
useful (0)
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 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.
useful (2)
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.
useful (2)
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.
useful (1)
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.
useful (1)
Get It Ripe: A Fresh Take on Vegan Cooking and Living
By jae steele
Arsenal Pulp Press - 2008
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)
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.
useful (0)
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!
useful (3)
Website: Vegan Planet
With not many veggies in the fridge apart from some fresh corn, I was looking for a recipe to fill our bellies and happened across this one. The ingredients are onion, celery, potatoes, corn, stock, a bit of soy milk, salt and pepper. It can be dressed up with different garnishes at the end. I added some chopped fresh chives.
Overall an easy soup with simple flavours. You can leave it chunky or puree it in the pot. It won't rock your world but it's comfortable and satisfying.
useful (1)
Vegan Diner: Classic Comfort Food for the Body and Soul
By Julie Hasson
Running Press - 2011
The smell of the almond extract while these were baking was amazing! I didn't have dried cherries and had to substitute maraschino cherries which added a nice sweetness. They were quite dense, not light and fluffy and I think they need more fruit or something to jazz them up a bit. Good but not out of this world.
useful (1)
Website: Plenty Sweet Enough
plentysweetenough.blogspot.com
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)
The Peaceful Palate: Fine Vegetarian Cuisine
By Jennifer Raymond
Book Publishing Company (TN) - 1996
I was slightly disappointed in the sauce. While it has a nice creamy texture, the flavour was definitely lacking something. I may make this again and fiddle with the seasonings.
useful (2)
Website: Post Punk Kitchen
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)
Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Matthew Ruscigno
Da Capo Lifelong Books - 2010
A very hearty and simple winter soup. The recipe calls for french lentils which I love but I had to substitute mung beans because that's what I had on hand. The soup is seasoned with thyme, tarragon and garlic and I always find tarragon to be a little overpowering as was the case here.
useful (0)
Of course these would taste really yummy fried but that defeats the purpose! I did find them quite mushy and a bit sticky to work with but they baked up firmly. The flavour was nice, and for dinner we paired them with some chopped fresh tomato, stir fried greens and onions and a home-made vegannaise on tortillas.
useful (0)
The Happy Herbivore Cookbook: Over 175 Delicious Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes
By Lindsay S. Nixon
BenBella Books - 2011
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)
The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets
By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Fair Winds Press - 2007
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)
Vegan Planet: 400 Irresistible Recipes with Fantastic Flavors from Home and Around the World
By Robin Robertson
Harvard Common Press - 2003
This pudding was far too rich for my taste. It took me three days to eat one portion and I have a sweet tooth. I think cutting the one cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips by a third or even one half would still make for a nice pudding. On the plus side, it's very simple to make with only four ingredients.
useful (0)
The Happy Herbivore Cookbook: Over 175 Delicious Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes
By Lindsay S. Nixon
BenBella Books - 2011
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)
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)
Vegan Yum Yum: Decadent (But Doable) Animal-Free Recipes for Entertaining and Everyday
By Lauren Ulm
HCI - 2009
I wasn't so keen on this dish because it didn't taste anything like mac and cheese to me but my husband really liked it. The sauce was too thick and strong tasting. I'd have to play around with the ingredients, perhaps leave out the miso to make it more appetizing.
useful (2)
Sadly, these fritters did not live up to our expectations. Both my daughter and I found them too heavy and a bit greasy for our tastes. The photo accompanying the recipe looked fabulous but the taste did not measure up.
useful (0)
The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets
By Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
Fair Winds Press - 2007
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)
How to Cook Everything Vegetarian: Simple Meatless Recipes for Great Food
By Mark Bittman, Alan Witschonke
Wiley - 2007
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 Happy Herbivore Cookbook: Over 175 Delicious Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes
By Lindsay S. Nixon
BenBella Books - 2011
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)
Appetite for Reduction: 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes
By Isa Chandra Moskowitz, Matthew Ruscigno
Da Capo Lifelong Books - 2010
This is the first recipe from this book that has been a disappointment. I found the flavours to be muddy and boring. I have used cocoa powder in other chili recipes which have turned out much better than this one. After my first bowl, I've had no desire to taste any more when usually a pot of chili in the fridge is a big draw.
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)
Breaking the Food Seduction: The Hidden Reasons Behind Food Cravings---And 7 Steps to End Them Naturally
By Neal D. Barnard M.D.
St. Martin's Griffin - 2004
I didn't like these at all. The flavour wasn't bad with a hint of maple and walnut but these brownies were ruined by the texture which was extremely tough and chewy.
useful (0)
The Happy Herbivore Cookbook: Over 175 Delicious Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes
By Lindsay S. Nixon
BenBella Books - 2011
I'm not a huge carrot fan but I do love roasted carrots and the occasional carrot stick. The lovely colour of the soup in the photo of this recipe seduced me into giving it a shot. I was also curious about the addition of instant oatmeal for creaminess. I'm afraid this soup was a complete flop. I thought it was awful and wouldn't feed it to my worst enemy. It was creamy but not in a good way and the flavour was very one dimensional.
useful (1)