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48th out of 108 books
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The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat
by
Tal Ronnen
THE CONSCIOUS COOK is a breakthrough in vegan cuisine. By teaching readers how to make truly satisfying and delicious meals without the meat and dairy' it makes the shift to a vegan lifestyle easy.
A former steak lover himself' Chef Tal struggled for years on a vegan diet that left him hungry and filled with cravings for butter and meat. About ten years ago' he decided th
...moreHardcover, 239 pages
Published
October 1st 2009
by William Morrow & Company
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Lindsey
rated it
Recommends it for:
omnivores, vegetarians, vegans, Oprah fans
Shelves:
cookbooks-i-own
I bought this book for my mom for Christmas this year - haven't given it to her yet. I flipped through the whole thing and read all the non-recipe text last night. This is an incredible book. Not only do the recipes look amazing, it is beautiful! There is a picture to go with every recipe, and the book is in full color. I am psyched to own this myself and try some recipes.
Also, spread throughout the book are interviews with and recipes!! from several top chefs around the world - most notab...more
Also, spread throughout the book are interviews with and recipes!! from several top chefs around the world - most notab...more
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I love cookbooks. And this is a gorgeous cookbook. But as one for people transitioning to a new style of cooking/eating, it was a bit too complex. Another reviewer mentioned that at least in every recipe there was one ingredient that left the home chef scratching their head. Though I knew what the ingredients were, the cost of them as well as locating them in the first place in regular old Idaho or Utah is next to impossible. These chefs live and cook in big cities. Finding those ingredien...more
Ok, this book gets five stars just for being GORGEOUS and well designed. Not to mention the fact that Tal tackles the "black hole" of vegan cookbooks: high end entertainment cuisine. Having said all of that, as your run-of-the-mill vegan, I find most of the recipes to be a bit out of reach. Some of the things he talks about I've never heard of (burdock, farinata). Still others I can't imagine how I'd even go about acquiring them (dulse, pea shoots, white balsamic vinegar). All of the r...more
3 1/2 stars. This cookbook is filled with gorgeous photography and delicious-sounding, elegant recipes. While I haven't tried any of them yet, I have no doubt that they are wonderful. Given that, it is not a book for the new vegetarian or vegan, or for the person trying to get dinner for a hungry family on the table in half an hour.
While some of the recipes are pretty simple, there are quite a few less common ingredients called for, things that might be unavailable or intimidating...more
While some of the recipes are pretty simple, there are quite a few less common ingredients called for, things that might be unavailable or intimidating...more
Tal Ronnen sounds like a great chef who can make vegan food taste "normal". He takes classic French training techniques and applies them to food that is animal-product free. He claims that even meat-eaters can enjoy his recipes. Maybe if I were eating them in a restaurant, I would; however, in this format, I didn't get much out of the book.
Why? Almost every recipe has at least one ingredient that will leave the ordinary cook scratching their head, such as nutritional yeast,...more
Why? Almost every recipe has at least one ingredient that will leave the ordinary cook scratching their head, such as nutritional yeast,...more
The Conscious Cook is a gorgeous book with mouth-watering pictures accompanying nearly every recipe. I love the blending of different flavors from around the world, especially the Japanese and French combination.
I think this is a great book for those transitioning into the vegan lifestyle because the meals are flavorful and hearty. The richness of the recipes will be enough to satisfy any vegan newbie. However, this book assumes the reader has advanced cooking knowledge, so this may...more
I think this is a great book for those transitioning into the vegan lifestyle because the meals are flavorful and hearty. The richness of the recipes will be enough to satisfy any vegan newbie. However, this book assumes the reader has advanced cooking knowledge, so this may...more
I have officially reached the point where I sit down and read cookbooks cover to cover. I enjoyed "The Conscious Cook," though it's not my favorite of the vegetarian/vegan genre. I'm still pretty new at this vegetarian lifestyle, so I liked a lot of the recipes for staples like cashew cream and recipes for making vegan cheese. I did feel that the author was pushing certain products and kept thinking "does he have stock in this company?" On the other hand, there are both g...more
let me summarize this book:
1) very very complicated meals that take forever to prepare, require expensive ingredients, etc
2) kind of an advertisement for this certain kind of fake meat, which i guess some people might be into? but i was not into it
3) because of the fake meat, it is almost impossible to make a lot of the recipes without some kind of meat analog, and if you are not into it, well
4) the pictures are very pretty
5) the idea of cashew cream, though written...more
1) very very complicated meals that take forever to prepare, require expensive ingredients, etc
2) kind of an advertisement for this certain kind of fake meat, which i guess some people might be into? but i was not into it
3) because of the fake meat, it is almost impossible to make a lot of the recipes without some kind of meat analog, and if you are not into it, well
4) the pictures are very pretty
5) the idea of cashew cream, though written...more
I give this one star, but others are going to give it five.
I like basic New England food. I don't like anything spicier than garlic, onion, or red pepper. Curry scares me. Is my food boring? Maybe, but that's the way I like it. Now get off my lawn.
This book was way to chic-chic for me. There's great information about the benefits of going vegan, but I wouldn't make anything as listed.
There is a fantastic recipe for cashew cream that I do see myself usi...more
I like basic New England food. I don't like anything spicier than garlic, onion, or red pepper. Curry scares me. Is my food boring? Maybe, but that's the way I like it. Now get off my lawn.
This book was way to chic-chic for me. There's great information about the benefits of going vegan, but I wouldn't make anything as listed.
There is a fantastic recipe for cashew cream that I do see myself usi...more
This isn't a beginner's guide to vegetarian eating, but it's a really interesting look at gourmet vegetarian cooking. I say gourmet, because there are recipes with many steps, many ingredients and some of those ingredients are very hard to find (or things I've never heard of, even as a 12-year vegetarian veteran).
I like that it gave me ideas of things I've never thought of, like crisped capers, cashew cream, and tofu ricotta.
I may not cook most (or any) of these recipes from start...more
I like that it gave me ideas of things I've never thought of, like crisped capers, cashew cream, and tofu ricotta.
I may not cook most (or any) of these recipes from start...more
The Conscious Cook is a fabulous cookbook for vegans, vegetarians, and even carnivores who are wanting to make a change, or just simply want to wow their herbivore friends.
I have been a lifelong vegetarian, but within the past 2 months, I have been easing my way into veganism. Why? Well, it all started about 6 months ago when I discovered that rennet (taken from the stomach lining of calves) is found in most cheeses. And from that day forward, our love affair came to an abrupt end. ...more
I have been a lifelong vegetarian, but within the past 2 months, I have been easing my way into veganism. Why? Well, it all started about 6 months ago when I discovered that rennet (taken from the stomach lining of calves) is found in most cheeses. And from that day forward, our love affair came to an abrupt end. ...more
Overall many of the ingredients are hard to find and the directions not always clear. Yet the end results were always very good.
An example of confusing directions, one recipe calls for you to preheat the oven to 200. But you never actually cook anything in the oven. I read and reread to see if I was missing a step. Nope, just preheat the oven and then...um, walk away? And the elusive Gardein 'chicken' breasts, I've tried 3 different stores, including Whole Foods, and no luck. So, I'...more
An example of confusing directions, one recipe calls for you to preheat the oven to 200. But you never actually cook anything in the oven. I read and reread to see if I was missing a step. Nope, just preheat the oven and then...um, walk away? And the elusive Gardein 'chicken' breasts, I've tried 3 different stores, including Whole Foods, and no luck. So, I'...more
I had high hopes for this cookbook. When I finally got it I was super disappointed to see that he uses tofu in almost all his recipes. From research I've done I have learned that tofu is not the super food everyone thinks it is. It's actually very harmful and messes with hormones and other functions in the body. Too good to be true. He also uses a lot of vegan substitutes like tempeh and vegan sour cream. Read the label on those products. They're worse than their "regular" counterparts...more
The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat is such a beautiful book. The photographs are extraordinary and the recipes are easy to follow. My husband and I have already tried several recipes and used this cookbook as our guide for a dinner party--we even gave away a copy of the book as a prize for one of our lucky guests. Tal provided us with a taste of reality--that going vegan is not about living without anything; it's about living with new and exciting pos...more
I have this fantasy where I get to spend a leisurely evening in the kitchen with a special someone (okay, it's Justin Vernon...this is a fantasy, right?), cooking an elaborate meal in the kitchen, drinking whiskey and singing along to Nina Simone...and this is not the book to inspire that fantasy evening. The recipes look solid, but it's pretty fussy, and it's just lacking the kind of down-and-dirty, food-is-life passion that really makes me want to spend hours preparing a meal. The photograph...more
Disclaimer: I have not tried any of the recipes yet so I can't really give it a full 5 star rating.
However, I have read all of the non-recipe material which covers interviews with key people in the vegan movement as well as restauranters. My motivations toward moving toward a more vegan lifestyle is due to health issues (breast cancer) as well as "green" reasons and this book certainly is inspiring (great food porn picks and mouth-watering recipes). Many of the recipes...more
However, I have read all of the non-recipe material which covers interviews with key people in the vegan movement as well as restauranters. My motivations toward moving toward a more vegan lifestyle is due to health issues (breast cancer) as well as "green" reasons and this book certainly is inspiring (great food porn picks and mouth-watering recipes). Many of the recipes...more
LOVE THESE RECIPES. I've not tried all the recipes in this cookbook, but the ones I have tried, I've loved, and anyone else who has eaten them have loved! (inluding my non-vegan, steak-loving family members!) The author also includes lots and lots of great references for vegan cooking and lifestyle and stories about vegan lifestyle - like opening up the first vegetarian grocery store in San Francisco or the guy who brought quinoa to the US. Most of the recipes have beautiful pictures that can't ...more
Lisa Vegan
rated it
Recommends it for:
those who enjoy cooking elaborate meals; cookbook collectors; vegans who miss animal foods
My favorite parts of this book were not the recipes. The book is gorgeous and the photos are beautiful. I loved the little mini interviews with people such as the person who brought quinoa to the United States and with guest chefs who have their own restaurants. My very favorite photos were the two page spreads of his favorite: greens, mushrooms, superfoods, etc. I also liked the small amount of “why vegan” information.
Re the recipes: they’re good for cooks who like to spend a lot of...more
Re the recipes: they’re good for cooks who like to spend a lot of...more
This is a very beautiful book, and I would reach for it if I were trying to impress guests (just check out the cream of asparagus soup on pg 96, it's gorgeous!) It may also be a nice choice for new vegans, or parents of new vegans as he does explain the concept and highlight some of the common ingredients. Due to my personal preference for 'workhorse' cookbooks (of which, Vegetariana by Atlas is my favorite), this one would more likely be on my library shelves, than in my kitchen.
I really liked this even though I didn't have any of the ingredients here in NC to make any of the recipes. Kind of silly for me to even check it out from the library considering, but I did and I enjoyed drooling over the pictures of food. The interviews were kind of nice. (I wish I could travel to some of the restaurants mentioned!) The recipes looked reasonable and less intimidating than I had assumed. I will own this book one day and with it I will make beautiful noms. I just have that feelin...more
This book is vegan food-porn. It's beautiful & yummy. While some ingredients are asking a bit much, there are substitutes for everything & I've never particularly felt like I'm missing too much when a change is made.
This book is miserably also my last connection to my beloved Vegiterranean, although I think the only recipes from there are stuffed peppers (wonderful) & something I don't remember ever being on the menu.
This book is miserably also my last connection to my beloved Vegiterranean, although I think the only recipes from there are stuffed peppers (wonderful) & something I don't remember ever being on the menu.
I enjoyed this book. I agree with a lot of what other commenters have said about the poential downfalls of this book, but I felt like gourmet vegan was what Ronnen was going for, and he did it well. As far as whether or not I will actually use the recipes, there are definitely a few I'm planning to make soon, but many of them don't seem worth the effort.
This cookbook is gorgeous and I want to eat every single thing in it. Unfortunately, I will probably only ever try a handful of recipes because most of them are so complicated and require the use of a number of ingredients that just can't be located in my zip code. Which is too bad, because seriously, this book made me drool.
As gourmet vegan cookbooks go this is wonderful. I am an advanced cook so this book is not intimidating for me. Recipes range from one hour to 3 hours. I adjusted the recipes and omitted all nuts, oil, salt and sugars to make healthy. I love that almost all the recipes have a mouth-watering photo of finished product.
Gorgeous book with pictures of every amazing looking recipe in the book. Unusual or hard to find ingredients & complicated preparations combined with my desired limited time in the kitchen discouraged me from trying any of them yet & I need to return it to the library now.
Fantastic cookbook. Yes, the photos are gorgeous. Yes, the recipes, somewhat involved. However, everything I have made from Tal's book has turned out beautifully delicious. Even five asparagus-hating boys, aged 8 to 17, loved the cream of asparagus soup.
Heavy on the soy, so not for those whom don't soy. Also vegan rather than vegetarian. BUT it's light-years better than other books of its type, with lovely pictures and every recipe sounds elegant. If you want a vegan american-bistroish book, this is it.
I haven't made any of these recipes yet, but the stuff definitely looks very tasty & way more interesting than your typical vegan cookbook. It's exposed me to a new fake meat: gardein. Which I want to go buy like right now!
As far as veg/vegan cookbooks go, this one has some great recipes. But, many of them are a little more gourmet than I'd make on an everyday basis, and I think my kids would be a little skeptical of most of them. This one's probably better for special occasions rather than everyday use.
The layout was beautiful and inspiring. Many of the recipes featured soy, mushrooms, wheat, and nuts which I cannot eat. I was able to pick up a few ideas. This book is not for the beginning cook.
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“Without pushing an agenda (okay, maybe I've pushed a bit), I've spread a little veganism wherever I've gone. I've become friends with chefs at the meatiest restaurants you can imagine, and shown them a few things that opened their minds (and their menus) to vegan options. It's easy to be convincing when the food is delicious. It doesn't feel like a sacrifice--it feels like a step up.”
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