Cookbook Club

Return of the Cookbook Club

2 Comments

RWT Cookbook Club

How it would work

Each month, a new vegan/vegetarian friendly cookbook will be announced via email group and on the blog. Once the book is announced, participants will have one week to get a copy of the cookbook and then one month to read, try new recipes and analyze the cookbook. During the month, participants should feel free to blog/tweet/facebook about their experience with the cookbook.  At the end of the review period, each participant will have one week to right a final review about the cookbook and post it to their blog.  Once all the review posts are up, I will link them from my the new Cookbook Club tab.

When doing your final review of each months cookbook each of us will address the topics in our blog post:

Layout

  • Is the layout clear?
  • Are you able to easily tell the ingredients apart for the instructions and the notes?
  • Are the instructions easy to follow?
  • Are the recipes numbered or is the section labeled?

Aesthetics

  • Does the cookbook feature photos?
  • If yes, is there a photo for every recipe?
  • Do the photos of the recipes look like the actual results?
  • What kind of paper is the book printed on?
  • How is the quality of the photos?

Recipes

  • How many recipes are in the cookbook?
  • What kinds of recipes will you find in this cookbook?
  • Is there a theme to the recipes?
  • Are the recipes complex or simple? would they be good for seasoned cooks and/or beginners?

Ingredients and supplies

  • Are the recipe ingredients easy to find?
  • Are there any items that stand out as being expensive or specialty?
  • Are there particular appliances that will be required such as blenders, juicers, dehydrators, ect?

Information

  • Does this cookbook provide additional useful information?
  • What additional information beyond recipes does this cookbook include? Is it easy to follow?

Other important Information

You need to make the recipes! Yes, to get an accurate representation of the cookbook you need to try out at least 3-5 recipes.  Additionally when you right your review you should make sure to include your experience while cooking the recipe:

  • How did the recipe turn out? How did it taste?
  • Was the recipe easy to follow?
  • Be honest when discussing the recipes you tried- if you didn’t like it then explain why.

Okay now that you know what this is all about are you interested in participating? If you answered yes then please email me with 5-10 vegan/vegetarian cookbook picks to lindsay@runningwithtongs.com. I will then tally up the votes for the cookbooks to decide which cookbooks we will be reviewing; please see tentative schedule below.  I will email participants as well as post the list to RWT with the start date, end date and post by date.
Planning to participate? Just email me anytime during the month with your Name, Blog and Twitter Handle (optional).

  • Book #1- Vegan Brunch

    • Start Date: October 1, 2012
    • End Date: October 31, 2012
    • Post By Date: November 7, 2012
  • Book #2- tbd

    • Start Date: November 1, 2012
    • End Date: November 30, 2012
    • Post By Date: December 7, 2012

Cookbook Club: Book #3 Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook

Leave a Comment

  • Start Date: March 20, 2011
  • End Date: April 16, 2011
  • Post By Date: April 23, 2011

When doing your final review of each months cookbook each of us will address the topics in our blog post:

Layout

Is the layout clear?
Are you able to easily tell the ingredients apart for the instructions and the notes?
Are the instructions easy to follow?
Are the recipes numbered or is the section labeled?
Aesthetics

Does the cookbook feature photos?
If yes, is there a photo for every recipe?
Do the photos of the recipes look like the actual results?
What kind of paper is the book printed on?
How is the quality of the photos?

Recipes

How many recipes are in the cookbook?
What kinds of recipes will you find in this cookbook?
Is there a theme to the recipes?
Are the recipes complex or simple? would they be good for seasoned cooks and/or beginners?

Ingredients and supplies

Are the recipe ingredients easy to find?
Are there any items that stand out as being expensive or specialty?
Are there particular appliances that will be required such as blenders, juicers, dehydrators, ect?
Information
Does this cookbook provide additional useful information?
What additional information beyond recipes does this cookbook include? Is it easy to follow?

Other important Information

You need to make the recipes! Yes, to get an accurate representation of the cookbook you need to try out at least 3-5 recipes. Additionally when you right your review you should make sure to include your experience while cooking the recipe:
How did the recipe turn out? How did it taste?
Was the recipe easy to follow?
Be honest when discussing the recipes you tried- if you didn’t like it then explain why.

Okay now that you know what this is all about are you interested in participating? If you answered yes then please email me your name, twitter handle (optional) and blog URL to lindsay@cookingforaveganlover.com by March 20, 2011 put “Cookbook Club” in the subject line. Additionally if you have not yet please vote here for future books. Also remember you are not required participate every month pick the books that interest you!

This months participants:

Presto Pesto and Pancakes!

3 Comments

Nutrition Tuesday is turning into Food Tuesday this week because I’m really excited to share my recipe from tonight’s dinner. I am tired out tonight and am having a hard time focusing writing a more informative post but don’t worry things will be back on track for next week. Okay so lets talk food; first lets rewind to last nights dinner. Last night the Hubz took over dinner and made VeganYumYum’s Easy Weekend Pancakes as part of the Cookbook Club.

With our pancakes we had a side of fruit (I was too full to eat my dates) and we topped our pancakes with a little almond butter, chocolate chips (for fun) and a homemade blue-raspberry sauce. Overall we thought the pancakes were good but they weren’t our favorite; we probably won’t make them again.

Dinner tonight was all about making a nice restaurant dinner at home. The Hubz and I have been trying to have more date nights in and I am loving it because that means more time in the kitchen; as the Hubz says “I have my groove back.” So tonight I decided to make a delicious Italian inspired meal of pesto manicotti, red wine and raspberry vanilla soygurt parfait.

Presto Pesto Manicotti


Yields 4-5 Servings
Preheat Oven 350F
Cashew-Basil Pesto
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1t salt
  • 1/3 cup raw cashews
  • 2T nooch
  • 1 bunch of basil
  • 1/3 C olive oil
  • 1/4 C water
  1. In the bowl of a food processor place the garlic and salt; pulse 5-6 times.
  2. Add the cashews and nooch and pulse 5 times.
  3. Add the basil and process on low; steam the olive oil and then the water in through the feed tube.
  4. Remove from the food processor and set aside- don’t clean the food processor out though use it for your tofu ricotta!

Tofu Ricotta (make in the processor that has the pesto remains, you don’t want to miss out on any yummy goodness)

  • 1 block extra firm tofu
  • 2T nooch
  • 1/3C almond milk
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1t salt
  • 1/2t black pepper
  • 1/3 cup shredded vegan cheese (optional)
  1. To the food processor add everything to the bowl and process on low until the tofu mixture is smooth.

10 manicotti shells (cook by directions)

1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese (optional)

Assembly

In a 9×12 baking dish evenly spread a 1/4 cup of pesto on the bottom of the dish.  Fill 10 cooked manicotti shells and place in the baking dish in one layer.  Top with remaining pesto- spreading it evenly over the manicotti.  Sprinkle with shredded vegan cheese, if using.  Cover the baking dish with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for 10 more minutes.  ENJOY!

Now I’m off to watch NCIS with the Hubz! Goodnight!

Appetite For Reduction Review

3 Comments

Layout

  • Is the layout clear? I think that the layout is very clear and starts with information at the beginning and then goes on to a wonderful number of recipes.
  • Are you able to easily tell the ingredients apart for the instructions and the notes? Yes it is very easy.
  • Are the instructions easy to follow? Yes the directions are easy to follow.
  • Are the recipes numbered or is the section labeled? The recipes are both numbered in the table of contents and index and the sections are labeled.

Aesthetics

  • Does the cookbook feature photos? This cookbook does feature photos.
  • If yes, is there a photo for every recipe? The photos are not for every recipe, only a small selection.
  • Do the photos of the recipes look like the actual results? I would say that overall from the recipes that I have made and by the recipe photos are accurate to the photos.
  • What kind of paper is the book printed on? The book is printed on nice off white paper and is a heavy texture which is great for extending the life of the book.
  • How is the quality of the photos? The photos are alright- they look nice but aren’t overly professional.

Recipes

  • How many recipes are in the cookbook? There are 125 recipes.
  • What kinds of recipes will you find in this cookbook? This book includes a number of recipes for soup, salad, tempeh, tofu, beans, sides, pastas/grains.  The recipes take a twist on traditionally fatty recipes and makes them lower in fat/healthier versions.
  • Is there a theme to the recipes? I found that many of the recipes are a play on Isa’s recipes from her other books- versions that are healthier than her other recipes.
  • Are the recipes complex or simple? would they be good for seasoned cooks and/or beginners? I found that the recipes are simple and would be great for beginners and for seasoned cooks looking for healthier versions of their favorite foods/flavors.

Chickpea PIcatta

Ingredients and supplies

  • Are the recipe ingredients easy to find? Most of the ingredients are easy to find.  There are only a few ingredients that you may not be able to find in the international section of your grocery but there are not many recipes that include these ingredients.
  • Are there any items that stand out as being expensive or specialty? Nothing is expensive – specialty would be miso, coconut milk, tamarind.
  • Are there particular appliances that will be required such as blenders, juicers, dehydrators, ect? A blender or food processor is needed for a few recipes such as salad dressings.

Information

  • Does this cookbook provide additional useful information? This cookbook does have a section at the beginning discussing fat and other nutritional information that is helpful for vegans.

Other important Information

40 Clove Broccoli and OMG Onion Rings

The recipes I tried:

My favorite dishes were the onion rings and ye’abesha gomen.  I thought the flavors and concepts were really well done and I will be making them again.  The 40 Clove Chickpea and Broccoli was okay but I didn’t really understand why so much broth was used- it caused my broccoli to be mushy.  The chickpea piccata was not my favorite but it was good and I would like to try it again possibly tossed with spinach and pasta.  The Portobello Pepper Steak Stew is a great option to serve your omni friends.

We now move on to our third book Skinny Bitch Ultimate Cookbook– if you would like to participate there is still time just contact me.

 

Cookbook Club: Book #2 Appetite For Reduction

1 Comment

 


  • Important Dates
    • Start Date: February 20, 2011
    • End Date: March 19, 2011
    • Post By Date: March 26, 2011

When doing your final review of each months cookbook each of us will address the topics in our blog post: Layout

  • Is the layout clear?
  • Are you able to easily tell the ingredients apart for the instructions and the notes?
  • Are the instructions easy to follow?
  • Are the recipes numbered or is the section labeled?

Aesthetics

  • Does the cookbook feature photos?
  • If yes, is there a photo for every recipe?
  • Do the photos of the recipes look like the actual results?
  • What kind of paper is the book printed on?
  • How is the quality of the photos?

Recipes

  • How many recipes are in the cookbook?
  • What kinds of recipes will you find in this cookbook?
  • Is there a theme to the recipes?
  • Are the recipes complex or simple? would they be good for seasoned cooks and/or beginners?

Ingredients and supplies

  • Are the recipe ingredients easy to find?
  • Are there any items that stand out as being expensive or specialty?
  • Are there particular appliances that will be required such as blenders, juicers, dehydrators, ect?
  • Information
  • Does this cookbook provide additional useful information?
  • What additional information beyond recipes does this cookbook include? Is it easy to follow?

Other important Information

  • You need to make the recipes! Yes, to get an accurate representation of the cookbook you need to try out at least 3-5 recipes. Additionally when you right your review you should make sure to include your experience while cooking the recipe:
  • How did the recipe turn out? How did it taste?
  • Was the recipe easy to follow?
  • Be honest when discussing the recipes you tried- if you didn’t like it then explain why.

Okay now that you know what this is all about are you interested in participating? If you answered yes then please email me your name, twitter handle (optional) and blog URL to lindsay@cookingforaveganlover.com by February 20, 2011 put “Cookbook Club” in the subject line. If you did not participate last month and/or did not send your list of your top 5 vegetarian/vegan cookbook choices please send these as well.  Also remember you are not required participate every month pick the books that interest you!

This months participants:

 

Twitter hash tag: #vegancookbookclub