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Jan 17, 2012

Kathryn rated it:

Very good, but necessarily recommended for those exploring/dabbling in a plant based diet.

I'm a huge fan of Isa's recipes. Though I have only made a few from this cookbook so far, I have made several from Appetite for Reduction: Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Meals and Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook and been impressed with almost every single one. "Veganomicon" has some more complex recipes, but "Appetite" and "Vegan/Vengeance" have many recip More...

6 comments like (1 person liked it)

Aug 28, 2007

Karen rated it:

We've got a lot of cookbooks at home. This one ranks right up there with my battered copy of Tassajara Cooking, the one that taught me how to cook in college - and that's saying something.

There are two vegans and one, well, carnivore in our house. I've made a lot of the things in here, and there hasn't been a badly received one yet. The pizza crust recipe is a terrific intro to bread baking in general. Just take a look at it.

4 comments like (2 people liked it)

Aug 15, 2010

jess rated it:

I've been cooking out of VWAV for several years now; it's about time I write a review for it.

If you are new to vegan cooking, or looking for a basic place to start wooing a vegan date, this is a solid, dependable book to start with. While I love Isa's newer book (veganomicon) a lot more, I have to give credit where credit is due and say that VWAV is the root of much of my cooking ability. I would be lying if I didn't say that many of the basic dishes that I science up on the regular More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Apr 04, 2008

Nicole rated it:

I love this book with all my heart. There is not one meal that I have made that hasn't been delicious; the fact that my incredibly carnivorous and generally unhealthy food devouring family is duly impressed with each new dish is amazing.

I appreciate the simple yet malleable nature of most of the recipes (well, the ones I've tried!). A vegan due to a variety of food related health issues, I also have to keep my foods gluten free, and do my best to keep them low-fat. It's incredibly More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Aug 05, 2007

Camille rated it:

I really love this book, and I'm always amazed by how Isa can make really basic foods taste sooo good with such a perfect texture and flavor. This is my favorite cookbook to whip out if I want to make something particularly fancy or special. That said, many of these recipes take hours -- sometimes days -- of prep time. I remember cooking for a potluck and having it take nearly 2 hours (and I was fortunate to have had a fully stocked spice rack and fresh veggies already in my fridge!). Some of th More...

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Jul 28, 2011

Katherine rated it:

Isa's writing helped me work out what I had preceived as dissonance between the counter-cultural idealism of my youth and the responsible adultness necessary to have a family and be married to a pastor. She calls it being "post-punk." I thought I had just gotten boring. But I'm over the hump now. I've been learning over the last few years that it is possible to be radical (okay, I'll say it one more time. . . and idealistic) and discontent with the state of the world in the process More...

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

Jan 15, 2008

Alissa rated it:

I received this last year for xxx-mas from melissa. (yeah?) Seriously, Isa does a good job about telling a story and making it interesting, but her flavor profiles are off. I KNOW that being a good cook doesn't mean following a recipe, but sometimes when it says "This is really good and yadda yadda" in the book and on the web site I trust too much. So... with a grain of salt (literally TASTE everything you make in a small batch before you commit to ANYTHING in this book) I enjoy this b More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Feb 26, 2008

Jennifer rated it:

As a professed hater of vegetables, it's nothing short of amazing that I even picked up a vegan cookbook, let alone gave it 5 stars. I don't consider myself a vegan, in fact, I love meat. But I do hate tortured animals and chemical additives, so I thought I'd give it a try. I've made about 8 of these recipes and each one has turned out divine. What do I mean by divine? Suffice it to say that my fiance is usually considered the best cook in the house, but after cooking those last 8 recipes, he qu More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jan 23, 2011

Trish rated it:

O.M.G. I should have known, after using Veganomicon for a couple of years, that the cookbook that launched Isa Chandra Moskowitz was bound to be a keeper. Isa credits Terry Hope Romero with the Chili Sin Carne recipe that ROCKS with its own calypso band on days 2 and 3. Make it a day early if you've guests coming and this recipe will stay in your memory forever. And the Macadamia-Coconut-Carrot Cake is, without exaggeration, the far-and-away BEST carrot cake I have ever encountered. I probably w More...

6 comments like (3 people liked it)

Oct 22, 2009

Tatiana rated it:

This is a fun cookbook. I'm enjoying just going through and reading it as though it were a novel. Lately I've had this epiphany about cooking, about what a great healing and homebuilding and even a spiritual experience it is, lol. It's some kind of gonzo motherhood thing, I think. Anyway, since I've given up meat (again) my taste buds have exploded with deliciousity trying all these new flavors and textures. Seriously, if you're a gourmand, if you are a serious hedonist of food, you owe it More...

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Mar 20, 2011

Katie rated it:

I must make clear that I am not vegan, nor vegetarian. However, I have been delving into vegan and vegetarian cookbooks because I am looking for ways to prepare veggies and new flavors to try (And to offset the cost of groceries. Eating vegan and vegetarian is cheaper and tastier, I just also really, really like meat, but to consume it as ethically as one can consume another creature, is way more than my budget allows..so on onwards to learning how to cook differently and with minimal to no meat More...

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Mar 31, 2011

Jen rated it:

Totally loved this cookbook! I'm not a vegan, or a vegetarian, but saw it recced in a few different places so I decided to try it out. This is one of the easiest and best cookbooks I've come across. As someone who uses a PVC pipe as her rolling pin I'm good with anyone encouraging you to go your own way in the kitchen. I loved the author's fearless attitude, straightforward recipes, and easy to find ingredients.

The only sad part is I now have to return this book to the library More...

2 comments like

Mar 05, 2011

Lisa rated it:

Just awesome. So much creativity. I want to be BFF with Isa.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 19, 2010

Julie rated it:

Really great vegan recipes, with a minimum of fakey tasting meat and dairy substitutes! Hooray! The Stewed Tofu and Potatoes in Miso Gravy was fantastic, as was the Carrot Bisque (with coconut milk, yum!). Chickpea and Spinach Curry was also very tasty. I borrowed it from the library, but I'll have to purchase a copy to keep, it's so good.
Two obstacles - 1) It's been hard finding some ingredients in the UK (nutritional yeast, tofu (Tesco doesn't even have it!!), tempeh) and 2) my olde More...

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Apr 25, 2011

Jenny rated it:

All around basic, easy, and tasty recipes for vegans (and non-vegans hoping to impress their vegan girlfriends). Usually, cookbooks have a few duds but everything that I've made so far (about 15 recipes) has been good. I am addicted to the Cajun french fries, the asparagus and sun-dried tomato frittata is nom nom, and the sparkled ginger cookies (with my addition of crystallized ginger) is maybe in the top three of my favorite cookies that I've ever made (and I will admit I generally like a lot More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Oct 01, 2011

Melissa rated it:

This got my youngest daughter actually reading a cook book and following recipes. What's not to love about that? She's 21 but I never stop being pleased by new accomplishments. :) She frequently makes the tempeh bacon from this and even her likes it. It is not a substitute for bacon (honestly, I like it better--i LOVE the smell of cooking bacon but they taste rarely lives up). She has also made a frittata from this book and her dad (who's favorite meal is breakfast and favorite food is eggs) mad More...

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Oct 13, 2010

Elizabeth rated it:

I didn't think it fair to rate this book, as I neither finished reading it nor made recipes from it. My fiance and I are both enthusiastic omnivores, but are looking for new ways of incorporating veggie protein in our diet in order to diversify, save money, and be planet friendly. This cookbook came highly recommended, but as with Veganomicon The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook, I was underwhelmed. A number of the recipes looked interesting, but required enough specialty ingredients in place of meat More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Mar 02, 2008

Jessica rated it:

I've finally tried three recipes from this cookbook. My difficulty wasn't that none of the recipes appealed to me, but that one appealed far too much! I kept making the Brooklyn pad thai over and over again -- that's got to be a good sign.

Beyond the pad thai, I've now made the diner-style pancakes and the pumpkin oatmeal cookies, and I've been pleased with how all three turned out. I did have to modify the pad thai recipe somewhat -- leaving out the onion since it calls for scallions More...

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Nov 03, 2007

Sarah rated it:

I am not a vegan. I'm not even a vegetarian. In my younger and food-snobbier days, I once pretentiously told my roommate that I did not believe in veganism. Nothing personal to all you vegans out there (some of my best friends are vegans, I swear!), I just like cheese. A LOT. In any case, Isa Chandra Moskowitz has written a book of vegan recipes that will now, I not ashamed to say, constitute the bulk of my diet. (Hey, I refuse to sacrifice tastiness and start forking over my money to the frozen More...

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Jan 10, 2011

Francesca rated it:

Homegirl gets it right!! I was having a really hard time with vegan recipes actually being tested before they went to print, & I know one of the testers for this cookbook personally. Whatever page you open it to, everything is dependable and delicious. I also like that Moskowitz took pains to include ingredients that aren't hard to find. In vegan cookbooks, you often find that you are halfway through a recipe & now you gotta go find "FAUX UNICORN HORN!" or something, so kudos to her fo More...

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Apr 04, 2008

Kate rated it:

So I am not actually a vegan ... or even a vegetarian ... but I bought this book because one of my really good friends is a vegan and I wanted to be able to cook for her when she came over. I really like the fun tone of this book, and it is full of great tid-bits of information - like a whole page of different things that you can substitute for eggs. I also like that the author is really up-front that vegan doesn't necessarily mean healthy and that not everything vegan needs to be whole-grain, More...

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Mar 03, 2011

Monika rated it:

For anyone branching out into vegan cooking and/or a vegan lifestyle, this is a great place to start. "Yay for being vegan!" it shouts,without being condescending or taking itself too seriously. Easy-to-find ingredients and not too many overly involved recipes make this very appealing. That being said, I had been vegan for quite some time when I finally got around to picking this up, and I was underwhelmed. Too much reliance on processed protein sources for my liking, and overall n More...

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Jan 25, 2012

Starlight rated it:

I was worried, because I read Veganomicon first, then Appetite for Reduction, and I hated Appetite for Reduction. I thought it was related and Vegan with a Vengeance was gonna let me down. It has not!
What a faboo book! I was barely 3 pages in before I was scribbling recipe notes, shopping lists and bookmarking online copies of the recipes. Gaaahhh another cookbook I absolutely MUST haaave!

Anyone have a waffle maker I can borrow?

0 comments like

Apr 04, 2010

Maria rated it:

This was the first cookbook I bought when I went vegan. Yes, I bought it because of all the reviews and hype.
It's decent. I have a few problems with it though... The main "issue" is that the recipes really aren't that healthy. I'm not a health nut but I care about what I eat. The recipes are good for when you need a treat but it's way too unhealthy for everyday.

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May 04, 2008

J rated it:

As much as I love the PPK, the main course recipes in this cookbook are not exactly ideal for someone who doesn't have a lot of time or a big budget. The different tofu marinades and crusts alone call for way more ingredients and time than I can afford. The few main courses I have tried are good, though (albeit rich). My favorite is the green curry (although I use curry paste from the store). The highlight of the book are the baked goods. I am not much of a baker, but I have tried a number More...

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Sep 06, 2008

Connie rated it:

I'm not a vegan, but I bought this cookbook because I am allergic to milk and eggs. The recipes are simple to follow and unlike some specialty recipes the ingredients are readily available. The book itself is a pretty entertaining with "punk points" and tips from the author's cat.

I've tried the following recipes so far:

-Chocolate-Raspberry Blackout Cake w/ Ganche-y Frosting (and I usually don't like the chocolate raspberry combo at all---but hey, I needed a birt More...

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Nov 07, 2009

Elena rated it:

I can honestly say that having perused through all of these recipes (and made several of them) over the course of this semester, I have a new found appreciation for veganism. I can't say for sure whether I will become a vegan, but if I ever do, this book will definitely come in handy. Delish, delish, delish!

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May 28, 2009

Tess rated it:

Worth the cover price for the tempeh bacon recipe alone!
Hits: gingersnaps, choc-chip cookies, sweet potato fries, oatmeal cookies
Misses: dishes such as the tofu scramble, which have way too many flavors that don't necessarily go together (thyme & turmeric & paprika).
Super-fun, with a nice range of recipes!

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Nov 14, 2009

Kelly rated it:

this book has the best corn chowder i've ever eaten! and there's no dairy in it. amazing. her website also has the best tortilla soup ever. as a fairly new vegan, i am amazed at how well vegans use herbs, spices and fresh ingredients. they so get it. i have enjoyed trying these fabulous recipes.

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Feb 27, 2009

Melissa rated it:

I'm a new vegan (jan 2009) This book has changed our household! They are easy, cheap receipes that I don't have to run to Cleveland to get the ingredients. Love all of the muffins, waffles, etc. Really changed the way I view tofu! If you're vegan or considering it, you must get this NOW!

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