The official Vegan Diner review thread (to be updated)!
Add recipe reviews for Julie Hasson's Vegan Diner: Classic Comfort Food for the Body and Soul here, and I will add them to the compilation. Thanks to Eldsjal for this list!
Breakfast
Cherry Almond Poppyseed Muffins
Very good! I used all whole wheat pastry flour instead of white, and about a cup of frozen mixed blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries instead of dried cherries because that's what I had. I think the directions were sort of unnecessarily complex; you're supposed to alternate adding the dry ingredients & half of the milk into the rest of the wet ingredients. Next time I will just sift the dry ingredients into the wet, stir it, and call it a day. The muffins had great flavor, though! I like the addition of poppyseeds a lot. (JessaCita)
Cranberries
I followed the recipe, but agree it's a bit more of a pain to do this alternating stuff. I think that's leftover from when the recipe had eggs. Anyway, these are good muffins. Nice and light with mild flavor. Everything is balanced. Not my favorite muffin ever, but good. Would maybe be slightly more flavorful with the cherries. (AC)
Blueberry Nutmeg Muffins
Yum! You have to be a nutmeg lover to enjoy these, I think. I thought it slightly overpowered the blueberries (might add more if I was to make them again), but I like them. They rose nicely and the texture is quite fluffy. P said he thought they had a corny flavor?? which they don't, but I think he was referring to the nutmeg. I actually ended up making 2 separate batches of these, because I wanted to use all the berries. Each batch came out pretty identical, and good. I'm taking some to a family reunion. (AC)
Apricot blueberry
Mocha Muffins
I forgot the flaxseed when I made this and it didn't seem to affect anything but I should say that I didn't try them. I made them for my partner and her coworkers and everyone was raving about how good they were. (intheend)
Good, nice and moist. Nothing too special. I was a little surprised that there was no cocoa powder in the recipe, only chocolate chips. I added a tbs anyways I like 'em. (dannibazaar)
These are tasty. Very easy to make. Nice coffee flavor with the chocolate from the chips (I don't think cocoa powder is necessary). Subtle sweetness. Good texture. I didn't change anything, and mine were done in 20 minutes. Would make again. They aren't that sweet, so don't expect a sweet dessert. Will be great with tea. (AC)
These were ok. I made them side by side with the mocha cake bread stuff, and these weren’t as good. They dried out pretty quickly, and didn’t have as much flavor. (fb)
Orange
Apple Spice Coffee Cake
Very good! It tastes even better after you let it sit for a while...I wouldn't suggest it hot out of the oven. Great with a cup of coffee...or even better, some chai! (dannibazaar)
I made this for my daddy yesterday and he ate about a third of it in one sitting. I only took one bite because I went back on high raw, but it was really moist. I forgot to sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar directly on the apples before covering them with the remaining batter so I sprinkled it all on top and it was just fine. (storm)
I followed this recipe exactly (even bought soy flour!). I used 2 granny smith, so had enough to make a full layer in between, then a decorative layer on top. Mine needed about 54 minutes to bake. For me, there's just something missing in this cake. It's almost like it's not sweet enough, but it has so much sugar! I'm not sure what it needs, but it wasn't special to me. I thought maybe it was because I tried it still slightly warm (had good texture), but this morning it's the same, just a bit drier. Even had it with chai tea, as suggested. Won't make this one again. (AC)
This was ok. Not amazing, but I think it could be with some changes… maybe more spice? LIKE CARDAMOM. Anyway, it was just kinda plain. (fb)
Cinnamon Orange Rolls
Nice orange-y flavor. A little lacking in the cinnamon dept. Might help to add some to the dough or a little extra in the filling. Couldn't find soymilk powder, so used soymilk in place of the water as suggested by the author. I don't like these as much as the cinnamon rolls from Vegan Brunch (best ever!!!), but they're still really good. (kristinv)
Scrumptious! Pretty much perfect. Excellent dough, nice rise, great texture and flavor, orange + cinnamon roll. I forgot I had hazelnut milk, and had no other nondairy milk, so I just did the liquids listed and added 2 tablespoons garbanzo bean flour (as some kind of sub for soymilk powder?). I dunno, it seemed to work well, and these are delicious. I did add another 1/2 teaspoon of (strong) cinnamon to the filling, and it still could have used maybe a bit more. Very good. (AC)
Banana Biscuits
Very cakey, not too sweet. I like them better with chocolate chips. (fb)
These are great! They're basically just fluffy scones. Not that I'm complaining. I froze half the batch for later use. (sb)
Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
This is so good! My favorite banana bread, or banana baked anything probably. I'm always looking for ways to use up ripened bananas we don't eat quick enough. I don't usually like HAVING to make banana bread, but this is worth it! I followed the recipe, even measuring the mashed banana (I used most of 3 medium ones). I might try applesauce for oil sometime, but not necessarily. Love this as is. She says to bake it 60 minutes, but mine was done after about 44, so watch it! The "worst" part was the long baking time, but not too bad at all. Will make again. This is probably better than the (really good) banana chocolate chip muffins in JOVB. (AC)
Fabulous. Usually I prefer banana bread to be a little more on the "autumnal" side, with lots of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg - but this was a delicious change. I used 3 small bananas (instead of 2 large), and in place of 2/3 cup of the AP flour, I used garbanzo flour. The loaf still rose well & the crust turned a beautiful golden brown. My loaf was perfectly done at 55 minutes. My only critique is that it's verrrrry sweet, so next time I will probably use only 1/2 cup (or less) of sugar. Oh, and once again, I find the mixing instructions to be unnecessarily complex; I just whisked all the wet ingredients into a large bowl, sifted the dry ingredients directly into that, and stirred just until mixed. (JessaCita)
made without the chocolate chips. Really nice bread. I don't make banana bread often enough to know whether this is better than my 'normal' recipe, but it is good. It was nice and moist, but was very sweet - maybe I'd use less sugar next time? I did end up cooking it for the full 60 mins, although I did check earlier based on AC's review. (shelloid)
Even with adjustments to try to make it healthier, it came out wonderfully. it was really good straight out of the oven, and the next day it was delicious. I used all white whole wheat flour, reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup and subbed applesauce for half of the oil. will make this again. (thirteenblackbirds)
This one is more crumbly than the one from V-Con, but also good. Well, I've made six loaves so far and everyone has loved it. This is quickly becoming my favorite cookbook. (mdv)
YEAH delicious dense-ish banana chocolaty goodness. I still like the banana bread from vw better, but this is also delightful. (fb)
Carrot Pineapple Loaf Cake
I'm not crazy about pineapple, but I decided to make this because I wanted something different. I added the shredded coconut. Overall the flavor was very good, nice and sweet, although the loaf was a bit dense . I was disappointed because I wanted the "light lovely texture" she describes. Good, but not something I'm likely to make again. (thirteenblackbirds)
I also added the optional coconut. I used all AP flour, and I agree about the texture. I wouldn't call it a "light cake," but slightly like a bread. Mine wasn't dense, but it's not light and fluffy. I had a nice crisped top, and the flavor is good. It's nice for a different type of cake, but not my favorite. P said he would prefer it with a frosting. I baked mine for about 53 minutes. (AC)
Turns out that it is really not that good. It was ok the first day, but has not even been appetizing since. I had to throw out the rest of the leftovers. Leftover cake? Yeah. (AC)
Blueberry Loaf Cake With Lemon Glaze
Now this is a good breakfast. The loaf is so tender and flavorful. It has a lot of lemon in it- lemon juice, extract, and zest but it's not overpowering at all. (intheend)
Nice loaf cake! I did not have the soy flour, so I used garbanzo (3 tablespoons). I'll have to try the soy flour one of these days. I'm sure it makes it a bit lighter. The cake texture was good, though. Not too dense, not extremely fluffy. Flavor was lemony, but not too much. The glaze is nice. I wanted a bit more blueberry, but the cake is good. (AC)
This lemony sweet loaf with plump blueberries was wonderful. If you have guests coming over at short notice this is a good choice as it is easy to make and flavorful. I replaced the soy flour with cornstarch and it still rose nicely "into one gorgeous cake!"(to quote the author). My family and I enjoyed this with French press coffee after dinner, and my Mom even asked me for the recipe days later. (saskia)
Mocha Java Cake
I don't know about this one... The only thing I changed was to use half prune puree/half oil because I just can't use 1 cup of oil in one recipe. This substitution usually works really well for me, but this cake ended up quite dry. Also, I think it's weird that a "mocha" cake doesn't include any cocoa powder. The cake was pretty bland & I didn't care for the cinnamon flavor in it. Won't make again. (JessaCita)
So, I made these along with the mocha muffins (both as muffins), and then it turned out that these seemed like they would take longer to bake. I gave up and decided to let these sink (the toothpick did not come out dry, but then: MAGIC. They did not fall, and did not end up gooey. Further, they are greasy and/but delicious. It has a lot of coffee in it, and despite grinding it to a powder, it was still a wee bit gritty in the cake. Still, they were good. I think it’s kind of weird that both the mocha things aren’t coffee and chocolate, but coffee with cinnamon + chocolate chips, but still, tasty. One could probably use less oil, no substitution. (fb)
Diner Granola
Walnuts or pecans
This came out so well! I've only made granola a couple times, and this is very good. Pretty simple, as well. I should really make it more often, and maybe now I will. For the nuts, I used pecans, slivered almonds, and pumpkin seeds. She uses 1/2 cup hazelnuts, but I used close to 1 cup nuts. I used a few raisins for the fruit. I also used chia seeds instead of flax, because I'm out, as well as maple syrup instead of agave! Same basic recipe, different add ins. I like this method, and baking time was spot on. (AC)
Diner Donuts
Crispy Banana Cinnamon Waffles
I'm not sure what to make of this recipe. I wanted to love it but as it stands it was a disaster for me! I made a half batch and the batter was way way way to think....almost like a dough rather than a batter. The recipe states to add a tablespoon or 2 more of soy milk if needed, but in my half batch I ended up adding probably a quarter of a cup or more. I also bought rice crispy cereal especially for this recipe and I couldn't notice them in the final product. AND for the first time ever the waffle stuck to the waffle maker. I've never ever had that happen before, so I don't know why it would for this recipe or whether it was just bad luck. In terms of the final product - meh it was ok, but nothing that special. Couldn't really taste the banana or much cinnamon. Don't think I'll bother making again...but may steal the idea of adding rice crispies to waffle batter in another recipe to see if it makes a difference. (shelloid)
Hmm. I was really hoping for the rice krispies to come through crispy in these. Sounded cool. I didn't notice them at all! Too bad, because I got crisped rice cereal just for this. I'm guessing if you wanted them to stay crispy, it'd have to be a drier batter and maybe added at the very end. Not even sure that would work. The waffles as a whole are fine, nothing to really write home about, and I didn't have the sticking problems like shell did - they cooked fine - but I probably won't make them again because I have other recipes I like better. (fb)
Orange Cornbread Waffles
These smell kickass when they are cooking. Did anyone drink orange julius? I swear this tastes like it in waffle form, which of course means they kick ass (I make a vegan version of orange julius till this day). This is a thick batter so I only got 4 1/2 waffles out of it but then again I think my waffle maker is freakishly big. (intheend)
Savory
Malted Waffles
Now this is a waffle! I only got 5 out of this recipe but they were fantastic. I really love the malted flavor and it did remind me of waffles I used to eat at diners. I'm a bread baker so I keep two types of barley malt around and I know most people don't but you really should go out of your way for malt powder to make these! (intheend)
Pumpkin Spice Pancakes
These are pretty good! And my hubby really liked them too. Good amount of spices. Tasted great with maple syrup. The batter is thicker than most pancake batters, so it doesn't bubble much on the top when cooking. It's easiest to look at the edges to tell when it's time to flip. (kristinv)
Delicious! These are some of my favorite pancakes. I added about 1 tbs oil to the batter and an extra splash of milk, so my batter was thinnish (the way I like it). The spices are perfect (I maybe added a bit more nutmeg), and the pumpkin flavor comes through well. Mine were very light and fluffy. Mine bubbled and fluffed on top, but do be sure to cook them enough. P had his as a waffle, and liked it a lot. He said it was nice and crispy, but the pumpkin didn't come through as much. The waffle did glue my waffle maker together, so I wouldn't do it as waffles again. (AC)
I think I must have done something wrong because mine ended up being "heavier" than I'd like. Maybe I didn't cook them long enough??? They were O.K., but I'm not sure I'd make them again. My son and I both think more spice is needed... or better yet, just let A.C. cook for us, lol! (abrimmer)
Good. The teeny amount of molasses seemed odd, so I subbed the sugar and molasses with brown sugar instead. (fb)
Spelt Chai Pancakes
I made these using all-purpose flour because I don't usually keep spelt on hand and had a few issues with it. I had to add more liquid than it called for (about 1/3 cup more of soymilk). Also, these didn't have a pronounced chai flavor. I would probably skip the steeping process and just bust a chai tea bag open and pour the contents into the batter. I need to try this with spelt flour next time. (sb)
Not good. Even with all the tea bags, the pancakes don’t come out tasting like chai (I think it’d be better to just use spices rather than steep tea), and the amount of sugar doesn’t overcome the speltiness. Ended up tasting very… healthy. (fb)
Blueberries
Whole Grain Pancake Mix
I'm so sad that these stuck to the pan kinda badly, because we both loved them. I followed the recipe for the mix, and then tried the 1:1 ratio of mix to milk, but needed more milk. I did 2 cups mix and needed maybe 2 1/2 cups milk, or so. This made about 8 pancakes (2 of which I had to throw out due to sticking). She doesn't mention adding any oil to the batter, but I think it would help. I tried to add some after the first pancakes stuck, but didn't seem to make a difference. Next time I mix some up, I'll try some oil. Otherwise, the flavor and texture are great-fluffy. (AC)
I used the last of this mix to make waffles. I had probably about the same amount of sticking in the waffle iron. I did try to add some oil to the batter, but I don't know that it made a difference. I also had to liberally oil the iron each time. They didn't stick as bad as some I've made, but enough to where I wouldn't make this again for that reason. They were tasty waffles, though. (AC)
My Big Fat Greek Scramble
I liked this. I especially liked that after working a tiring 12-hour shift today this came together in less than 30 minutes. (tweety)
Very mildly flavored, but otherwise fine scramble. I think I’d prefer it with some lemon juice or nutritional yeast or whatever, but that’s easily done. I probably won’t make again, since I usually don’t use a recipe for tofu scramble anyway unless it’s omgdelicious. (fb)
Smoky Potato Scramble
Good. I expected this to be brilliant and was a bit disappointed. As much as I love nooch, I think 2.5 tablespoons is too much and added a gummy texture to it, but it could just have been me and my way of cooking it. It still was good, just didn't meet my expectations. I love smoked paprika and it was good in this. I didn't have parsly so I used cilantro. (tweety)
Came together quick and easy since I had leftover potatoes in the fridge. I reduced the nutritional yeast (based on Tweety's feedback) and added some black salt. It tastes more or less as you'd expect - like fried potatoes and tofu scramble mixed together. DH used leftovers in a wrap with salsa and daiya. (mdv)
Pretty good. More importantly: smoked paprika is delicious and goes perfectly here. (fb)
Breakfast Potatoes With Peppers And Onions
It's a potato recipe, so obviously it's good. I par-cooked my potatoes in the microwave instead of boiling. You need to have a jumbo skillet to get all this stuff in a single layer. I used maybe 1-2 fewer potatoes, so it was kinda heavy on peppers, but good. Takes a bit longer to cook if you have more stuff/smaller skillet. Did not do the parsley. (AC)
I enjoyed this. I used the smoky maple sausages from the PPK blog in this and it was tasty. However, my pan is not huge so I think I could have cooked it all a little longer, it wasn't exactly crispy. I don't think the sage gravy is necessary. I used it all as a filling for an omelet. It's a good basic recipe and I'll use it again. (eldsjal)
Skillet style
Biscuits And Creamy Sage Gravy
Very good! The gravy was divine...I did have to add some cornstarch to thicken it a little more, but whatev. Loved the flavour. My mum and I thought it even tasted a little "chicken-y." (dannibazaar)
The biscuits are good and really fast. I needed more almond milk to get the dough to come together, but it worked well. The texture was good, and pretty fluffy. I got an extra biscuit from the leftover after cutting. I'd make these again. The gravy flavor was good, but did not thicken properly. I didn't read db's review beforehand! I was impatient and just used it anyway, but it was more like a sauce. I wouldn't even call it "creamy," because it was too thin. Nice savory flavor. (AC)
I saw that the gravy was thin so I added an extra 2 tbsps of flour and it ended up completely thickened, I ended up having to thin it out just a wee bit. This is so good! I really like the two types of pepper and the flavor of the sage. It's completely different than what I usually make. (intheend)
These biscuits are wonderful!!! My favorite biscuit!!! I used all spelt flour, since thats what I had, and they were still so light and good! The gravy, surprise surprise, didn't thicken properly, even though I added more cornstarch after reading reviews, but it was still okay. The biscuits are where its at though!!! (babysgotsauce)
very good. on the bland side but in a good way. both the biscuits and gravy came out great. (thirteenblackbirds)
I only made the gravy. I had the same problem with this as I had with the brown gravy, it turned out very thick. Maybe it's something wrong with my flour? It has a very plain taste, it's basically just white sauce with sage. It was good, but nothing extraordinary. (eldsjal)
Good combo, but either component (gravy and biscuits) could go with other things too. (fb)
Breakfast Benedicts Florentine
I figured as a fake benedict thingy it would have some fake egg thing, but it doesn’t. The combo of the sauce, “sausage,” and bread are good together, and I’m not sure if tofu would it anyway. (fb)
Garden benedict
Herbed Breakfast Sausage Patties
YUM!!! Super easy to make, low(ish)-fat, and incredibly delicious. (Jessacita)
Perfect for breakfast! I made these to go on top on the biscuits and top with gravy and it was grubbed down savage style. They have just the right amount of sweetness to give it that breakfast taste. (intheend)
Delightful, has a sausagey flavor, easy to put together. (fb)
These are delicious, although I would definitely recommend making them ahead of time and popping them in the fridge for a day before sauteing and enjoying because the flavor improves greatly overnight. Either way, slather these bad boys in some gravy or even some maple syrup for those with a major sweet tooth. (sb)
Breads
Fluffy Biscuits
Yup, baking powder biscuits. A staple recipe. (dannibazaar)
Good and really fast. I needed more almond milk to get the dough to come together, but it worked well. The texture was good, and pretty fluffy. I got an extra biscuit from the leftover after cutting. I'd make these again. (AC)
Basic biscuits, they rise perfectly and taste good so that works. (intheend)
Good & really easy. VERY fluffy! They aren't quite as flavorful as my favorite biscuit recipe, which contains nutritional yeast & herbs - but these are a great base for more flavorful toppings like baked tofu, gravy, tempeh sausage, etc. I got 9 biscuits from the recipe. (JessaCita)
a great basic biscuit recipe. (thirteenblackbirds)
Why did I only do half this recipe. ‘Cause I did half the benedict recipe? Well, that is a mistake because THESE ARE GREAT. Flakey fluffy delicious biscuits, like biscuity versions of those JOVB scones. (fb)
Chipotle Scallion Double Cornbread
I sort of made this, but I didn't add neither chipotle powder nor scallions... Instead I used red onion and regular ground chili pepper with a few drops of liquid smoke. Damn, it was good though. I loved the whole corn kernels in it. I have only made cornbread once before and didn't like it at all, but this was so tasty, I could have eaten the whole pan by myself. I had it with the chili and it was a perfect match. The recipe calls for 3 tablespoons of sugar, I used only 1 but next time I think I'll use the full amount. (eldsjal)
I always prefer sweet cornbread, but this is good. Instead of chipotle I used ground pequin peppers. The amount of scallions makes it taste pretty oniony, but it’s not weird, but it might be without the chile. It dries out kind of quickly, but that’s cornbread I guess. (fb)
Sweet Cornbread
Not really that impressed with this cornbread. It was surprisingly not very sweet for having 1/3 cup sugar. Mine turned out pretty dry and crumbly. I followed the recipe, but was disappointed. Would not make again. (AC)
This cornbread is good, but it comes out just a little dry. The flavor is great and a friend of mine LOVES it, but I want to play with the liquid/oil measurements to see if I can come up with a better recipe. Anyway, pretty good! (sb)
Quite dry, and I thought it would be sweeter with the amount of sugar… the chipotle scallion stuff is better. (fb)
Reduced sugar
Chocolate Hazelnut Swirl Bread
While the filling is delicious, the bread didn’t bake quite right. My oven was at the right temp, but the inside was a bit underbaked while the outside was beginning to burn. On top of that, the dough wasn’t that tasty (but that may have been in comparison to the delicious filling). Oh well, I had high hopes for this one. (fb)
Walnuts or pecans
Cinnamon Sugar Bread
I made this on a whim after Kate was talking about it, and it's so good! I had all the ingredients, and it's really not too difficult. It really is a cross between a bread and a cinnamon roll. There's not enough filling for a cinnamon roll, but enough for a sweet bread. The actual bread is perfect! It rose better than any other bread I've made, which is weird because I wasn't sure about my yeast. I didn't use instant, so I proofed my yeast in the warm almond milk (which wasn't vanilla, so I added hazelnut agave and coconut extract). I do think next time I'd add maybe just a bit more cinnamon and sugar for the filling, but that might have been because my bread did rise so much! I baked it for 45 minutes, but did foil tent it part way in. The bread looked so perfect when it came out. The glaze is good to make it a bit sweeter. I should have waited longer for the bread to cool, because the glaze melted a bit. So good. I think P said he liked it better than cinnamon rolls! It is best eaten within a day, because mine got pretty dry..but I didn't wrap it up the best. (AC)
I made this a while ago and forgot to review it...and I made it again today (mistake! It's so hot....) But it's really good, and really easy. The bread is so light and fluffy...I love it. I don't make the glaze though. I don't like the idea of a bread with a glaze. (dannibazaar)
This bread is awesome. I used mostly spelt flour because I only had 1 cup of white flour left in my pantry, which made me nervous because in the past, spelt yeast breads have not risen well for me. To compensate, I used 3 tsp yeast instead of 2.25. It must have done the trick because the loaf rose a lot & it is gorgeous! Great flavor, and not too sweet. Excellent with just a little dab of Earth Balance. The loaf is still cooling (couldn't wait to try a slice!), and I can't decide if I want to add the glaze... I really like the subtle sweetness as is. I am so happy it worked with spelt flour because I always prefer to use whole grains over white flour when possible! (JessaCita)
I added the glaze & am glad I did. It was good without, but extra delicious with it! (JessaCita)
Good bread, baked well, rose well and everything, but I didn’t think the glaze helped it out much. It was pretty dry either way, but better upon microwaving. (fb)
Cinnamon raisin
English Muffins
Double Cornbread Buns
Was not very cornbread-y in the traditional way (and you’d think with a name like “double cornbread”…). Ended up being fairly dense. (fb)
Oil
Old Fashioned Hamburger Buns
Very good...nice and soft. They come together so quickly! I made 8 nice sized rolls. I am a fan of smaller rolls myself, so next time I think I'll make 12 or so slider sized ones. (dannibazaar)
Super quick to assemble and light and fluffy as promised. I did proof the yeast (as mine wasn't instant) before mixing into the dough. The only difference between these buns and the store bought ones are a slightly crunchier outside crust and no gross chemicals. Will definitely make again. (mdv)
I agree. These were simple and quick to make. They don't rise very much, but I guess you don't want much rise in a hamburger bun. I don't think mine were as fluffy as I would like, but I did have to use a tiny bit of bread flour with my AP, since I ran out (maybe 1/4 cup total). My inside texture looked like it might not be right, but it was good, just not fluffy. I'd do these again. The taste and texture are good. (AC)
Good but not magical; a little dense. Maybe it’s my yeast? Came out better than the “double cornbread buns” (fb)
PERFECTION! I subbed one cup of the flour for whole wheat and ended up having to let them rise about an hour longer before they were the right size, but it was so worth the extra time. Love this recipe! (sb)
Hot dog buns
Rosemary Sandwich Rolls
Fantastic! Very easy to make. The smell as they're baking is divine. Especially good out of the oven with a bit of EB. The recipe says this makes six rolls; I made 10, could have easily made a dozen. Will definitely make these again and again. (kindnesstoall)
Very yummy! Great flavor and texture, not too hard to make. I don't think they are the absolute best rolls ever, but really good, and I wouldn't be opposed to making them again. I never do the switching mixer attachments in recipes, because that's just too much hassle. I mixed the beginning ingredients together, and used the hook. My dough rose for about 3 hours. I used regular yeast. The recipe actually only makes 4 sandwich rolls, so I just made 9 largish size rolls. You could probably do any shape. Mine baked for about 25. I had no issues. (AC)
Delightful. The rosemary is delicious, and the rolls come out quite large (the recipe could easily make 1.5-2x as many rolls). Good for making fancy sammiches. (fb)
Garlic Dill Bread
hearty delicious bread! we real enjoyed this. I do not like beer, but didn't mind the flavor of it in this. I use negra modela beer, and 1/2 AP and 1/2 white whole wheat flour. the outside was nice and crusty. I served this to go along with the Corn and Bean Chowder from AVK and it was an awesome dinner. (thirteenblackbirds)
My husband and son really liked this. I love that it went together so easily. I think I'd like to try it with a pale ale next time. (abrimmer)
This is some awesome bread. Lotsa garlic and dill, very savory. The beer makes it a little bitter, but it’s ok. Very fluffy for non-yeast bread. Would make again. Goes well with soup. (fb)
Whole wheat
Soups, Salads and Sides
Old Fashioned Tomato Soup
Yum! Good tomato soup! Great for a quick supper. I used crushed tomatoes rather than diced, which was fine. (dannibazaar)
Amazing! This is probably my favorite tomato soup ever, and it's SO simple. I have to be careful with the amount of liquid I add to my processor, so I added some of it later in the pot. The flavor is perfect! I also used crushed tomatoes instead of diced, because I prefer them. Will always make this for tomato soup. (AC)
I'm not a fan of tomato soup usually because it's not hardy and filling, but alongside a sandwich it's it filling enough. This soup was delicious! I used petite diced tomatoes and only blended half of the can so the soup would be more chunky. I aslo added about a tablespoon of tomato paste since I didn't puree all of the diced tomatoes. (tweety)
There was some hype to live up to, and it did. Something about the blended cashews just make this extra good, better than plain old tomato soup (which I like anyway). I think I’ll add cashew cream to tomato soup from now on. (fb)
Home Style Veggie Noodle Soup
Who makes soup in 100+ degree weather?! I do, apparently. It was quick, and no oven heat needed. Anyway, it's pretty good. A good version of what it is. Pretty similar to the veggies and dumplings, just in soup form. It seems weird to not saute the veggies, but it makes this style of soup good. I use Better Than Bouillon for the broth powder. I also added some good sprinklings of dried parsley and dill. Came together very quickly, is healthy and tasty. (AC)
TVP
Quick and Hearty Chili
OK. Nothing to get excited about. Very healthy. Run of the mill chili with the fun addition of cocoa....I had "Mayan Cocoa" on hand (which is a blend of Dutch cocoa, chili, and a scant bit of vanilla). I don't use TVP hardly ever, so that was another reason for me to try this recipe. It did indeed make it more hearty. (tweety)
I loved this chili! It's just a standard chili but it's has the perfect amount of spices and the cocoa powder really rounds it out. I used dutch cocoa powder and it seemed to work out great. (intheend)
This is a great chili. I followed the recipe using kidney and pinto beans. I think the flavor is really great, but needed a bit more salt and more spice for me. I just added some cayenne. Worked great. (AC)
I loved this!! I didn't really expect too much but this will definitely be a keeper. We don't have chilli powder like the US does, so I used a recipe I found online...not really sure if it was the same or not, but it seemed to work. I probably added a bit more cayenne to spice it up. I didn't have any beans in the house at all, so just upped the TVP a bit, but it would be great with beans in it. It was a bit salty for me...and considering that it had soy sauce and salt in it's not really surprising, so need to cut the salt back next time. (shelloid)
This is the best chili I've made, but I added a bunch of stuff because I didn't think it tasted very much when I had added all the stuff on the ingredient list. Some of the things I threw into the pot: A few generous squirts of ketchup, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoons maple syrup, more salt, chili powder, soy sauce and some cayenne and garlic powder. I'd never made a chili with cocoa powder before, I loved that. Will definetely keep adding it to my chilis from now on. Will make this recipe again, with my additions. (eldsjal)
Good, simple chili. The cocoa adds a nice, different depth to the chili that goes well with dark chili powder. (fb)
Diner House Salad
Salad recipe, but the dressing is great. I added some green pepper and tomato. I did revisit sunflower seeds in salad for this. Mmmm. (AC)
Smoky Spinach and Tomato Salad
Diner house dressing
Sandwich Slaw
I wasn't expecting much as I really just wanted to use up some extra cabbage I had, and I was very pleasantly surprised as to how good this is. The right combination of mayo, vinegar and spice. I can see that this would be good on sandwiches. (tweety)
This is good, but I wasn't blown away by it. I would turn to the AFR cool slaw before this, but I did enjoy it. I ended up increasing the mayo a bit (I think she must like her slaw dry and a bit bland), splashing in some more vinegar, agave, and celery seeds. The garlic makes this interesting for a cool slaw. (AC)
Old bay
Smoky Curls
These are perfect! I already knew that I liked soy curls, but the flavoring and preparation on these is perfect for a bacon style thing. Easy to prepare and delicious. The recipe just doesn't make enough! I used these on ton of a creamy sauce with pasta, but they would be great with so many things. Will make again. (AC)
Love! I could have eaten the whole batch at once. I bought soy curls especially for this recipe and they are more than worth it! I liked them both hot and cold. (eldsjal)
Good, smoky, salty, addictive. They came out more chewy than crispy (as far as similarities to bacon). (fb)
Creamy Horseradish Potato Salad
This is probably the recipe in the book I've liked the least. I've been hungry for horseradish for a long time, but this wasn't more than the sum of the parts, for me. There are multiple comments in the recipe about how you'll want to add more, but just try it as is....didn't do it for me. I would be more inclined to add some horseradish to a more flavorful potato salad. (AC)
Garlic Dill Potato Salad
Very disappointed. Well, I didn't use any dill, but I don't think that that would have made a difference. I really didn't like the dressing...it was grainy and I have no idea how it was white-ish in the picture in the book. The nooch flavour was way too strong. Just...no. (dannibazaar)
Oh my god do not add the extra garlic in the recipe. The garlic mayo is more than enough garlic already. I ended up not liking the potato salad because the garlic mayo; made with regular vegan mayo would probably be a lot better, or a vinaigrette based dressing. (fb)
All American Beer Battered Onion Rings
Best onion rings ever. Crispy delicious savory will make again MAKE THEM RIGHT NOW. (fb)
Crispy Chickpea Onion Rings
Vampire Fries
Baked these, but they still turned out great. I was surprised that the raw garlic wasn't overpowering. I'd like to try these double deep fried. (mdv)
Sweetheart Fries
Garlic Mashers
I think it's a typo that garlic is in the recipe title, since garlic is only a variation/suggestion (which I did not do). These are good mashed potatoes, and excellent with gravy, but still not perfect on their own. I've yet to make a perfect vegan mashed potato, and I think it's related to the milk. However, these are delicious. (AC)
First of all, this typo is sooooo weird. How do garlic mashers not have garlic in the ingredients? I wanted garlic-y potatoes so I added the garlic and the parsley in the suggestions/variations section. They were a bit too salty for my taste (I didn't even salt the potato-cooking water), but overall they were really enjoyable, especially with creamy gravy. (kristinv)
So, instead of doing the garlic variation or omitting it, I did half the recipe and added about 3 cloves of garlic to the boiling water along with the potatoes and mashed them together, and, I also used yukons instead of red potatoes. It came out great; I always like mashed potatoes when the garlic is cooked with the potatoes, and it goes well with the nutritional yeast in the recipe. (fb)
Creamer
Garlic Roasted Brussel Sprouts
I've made roasted brussels many times in my life, and even garlic roasted brussels, but I've never just tossed in the garlic afterwards. So good! Probably my favorite brussels, and I love them. P enjoyed them quite a bit, and he's kinda picky about them. Will do it this way again. (AC)
Diner Style Dressing
Not tasty. I love stuffing, but this baked version didn’t come out so great. I’m not sure why; I think I just like the stovetop method better. This ends up fairly dry and doesn’t have much flavor. (fb)
Main Courses
Rockin Reubens
Fantastic! Not the healthiest dish, I'm sure, as it calls for spreading EB on the bread before cooking. I never cared for reubens in my carnivorous days. These I enjoy as a special treat. (kindnesstoall)
Very Sloppy Joes
Good! I had some distractions while making this, so it's probably even better usually, but it came out very well. Very reminiscent of pregan sloppy joes. Unfortunately, I had to used diced tomatoes instead of sauce, so I added some ketchup. I would make this again with the sauce, but maybe decrease the TVP just a bit. It makes a lot. P really liked it. (AC)
Very good indeed. I didn't think I'd like these very much, because I've tried another sloppy joe recipe with TVP before and didn't care for them, but these were much better. Not as good as the Snobby Joes in Veganomicon of course, but still. I liked the mushrooms in these. I upped the spices + added a teaspoon of oregano and used some bacon bits instead of liquid smoke. I ate it on toast, with a few slices of dill pickle and some sweet and spicy mustard. Very tasty, but not so filling. (eldsjal)
Not very sugary like a lot of sloppy joes, which is fine. I like that it’s got the mushrooms so it’s not all fake meat stuff, and the smoked paprika is good here. (fb)
Philly Seitan Sliders
Fantastic sandwich!!! The smoky seitan was so delicious in this, and the cheezy sauce is great. Actually fairly easy to throw together, even with the couple separate recipes that needed to be prepared. This sandwich even impressed my meat-and-potatoes-loving friend! (JessaCita)
I made these on (store-bought and kind of gross) hot dog buns (was going to make homemade, but my yeast was dead). I liked it well enough, but I didn't dig the peppers. I'm not much of a pepper person. I'll make them again with lots more onion, though! that would be great! (dannibazaar)
Pure vegan junk food. Great with melted Daiya. (mdv)
I followed this recipe using the smoky seitan, but then put it all in tortillas instead of buns. I thought it was very yummy. Had it with a cheezy sauce made with Daiya pepperjack. P is not a huge fan of peppers and onions, so not his favorite. I used a mixture of red, yellow, and orange sweet peppers and green bell pepper. (AC)
DELICIOUS! I made this as a bowl. Used some of the smokey seitan roast, sauteed onions and peppers and the cheez recipe from the mac n cheez in the book (with a T of miso paste mixed in). I served it over brown rice instead of between two slabs of bread and added some of Storm's death dust on top. Cant wait to try these as an actual sandwich. I just never keep bread on hand. (sb)
I didn’t make this as teeny burgers, just regular sandwiches. The combo of the delicious ‘smoky seitan’ and the cheesy sauce and sautéed onions and peppers was great. (fb)
Q Sandwiches
Very good! Both of the above (rough rider sauce and smoky seitan) were used to make this sandwhich, which basically is the seitan roast sauteed a bit and then covered with the bbq sauce. I ate it plain without the cole slaw she calls for. (tweety)
The two main components (delicious smoky seitan, bbq sauce) were tasty so… tasty sandwiches. (fb)
Mushroom Burgers
My favorite burger recipe from this book! They are perfect. I've made them once as burgers and once as meatballs, they tasted so much like the meatballs my grandmother used to make! Fantastic. (eldsjal)
Good burgers, but they fall apart quite a bit. I don’t mind, but it might be a problem if you’re serving it to others. Kind of tofu-y, not as overly nutty as the hazelnut burgers. (fb)
These are really good! I did use dried breadcrumbs instead of the two pieces of bread she recommends and they turned out just a little bit dry so next time I'd probably use fresh or cut back on how much dry I used. I was tempted to add some thyme, but I'm glad I didn't. The subtle flavor of everything came through wonderfully and was awesome on some homemade burger buns. (sb)
Brown Rice Hazelnut Burgers
Wonderful. The first time I had them, right after I'd cooked them, I thought they were pretty bland (there are no spices in these except fresh parsley) but when I took one from the freezer and just let them thaw, not reheating, before eating, I fell in love. I kept the fixings pretty simple to let the flavors of the toasted hazelnuts, mushrooms and rice shine through. Just had the burgers on a toasted bun with a little bit of ketchup and mustard. It's the most labor intensive/time consuming burger recipe I've ever made though. Toasting the hazelnuts and rubbing off the skin, sauteeing mushrooms, cooking the brown rice... It took me pretty much the entire afternoon. But they are worth it, at least every once in a while. (eldsjal)
These are delightful. They are like a pre-made veggie burgers in that they’re meaty, *don’t fall apart*, and kinda health foody. The hazelnuts are great, and the short grain brown rice is perfect for the texture (I was almost going to be lazy and use white rice, but brown rice is definitely better). (fb)
Quinoa Burgers
The texture was spot on. Love burgers with quinoa! However, I made a mistake and used "chick'n seasoning" instead of poultry seasoning, which is what the recipe calls for. Therefor they didn't taste that good, but I'm sure they will with the right seasoning! I'll give it another go sometime in the near future. (eldsjal)
Made these again with the right spices! I just made my own mixture of nutmeg, marjoram, rosemary and thyme. Much better! Almost as good as the brown rice hazelnut burgers, but much easier to make. Will make this again when I have cooked quinoa on hand. (eldsjal)
We thought these were good. I had high expectations based on the mixture/how the patties looked, but they were a bit more delicate than I thought they'd be. That said, they didn't crumble much, and I just had to be a bit careful. Texture is pretty good, but not super firm. I think I would like these more when a different seasoning blend than poultry style. I would also prefer more chickpeas and less quinoa, but overall good burgers. I had mine with the vegan ranch and roughrider bbq sauce. (AC)
Not a fan. I subbed the chickpeas with white beans, yet the burger as a whole tasted like a hummus patty or something. Despite that, it didn’t seem to have as much seasoning as the other burgers. (fb)
Grilled Cheezy Sandwiches
Disappointed! I followed the recipe (even using the onions) because I was hoping for something special with the great smoky mountain cheeze, but it's not my favorite. I would prefer it with Daiya. I used ciabatta which made it much better than it would have been, but I won't make the cheeze again. The flavor is too strong for me. (AC)
While I like the smoky mountain cheese, I don’t think it really fits as a grilled cheese sandwich filling. It’s tasty, but more like for crackers. (fb)
Daiya
Cheezy Mac
I have tried a bunch of Mac recipes and generally find most of them edible but wouldn't ever make them again. This recipe is not at all like that! It is so awesome and comes out great after blending everything up in my Vitamix. The sauce is so creamy and tasty! I like this version just as much as I like the Caribbean Vegan one. Highly recommended to cheez lovers. (intheend)
I was slightly disappointed, only because I have huge expectations for recipes from this book now! I think I just prefer Daiya mac and cheese now (with nooch). I liked it, and P loved it, but it wasn't my favorite. The texture/color were great, and flavor was good..I think I just prefer it without the garlic/onion/stuff. I had some issues with the processor leaking, so I had to add some liquid at the end, but followed the recipe. I think mac and cheeze is a highly preferential thing! (AC)
Wow, so good! I opted to add the optional daiya, which made it really awesome. So so cheesy and delicious. It's like the best of the faux cheese sauce worlds...a little cashew, a little nooch, and a little daiya. I did lessen the amount of daiya only using 1/4 cup rather than 6 tbs. I also popped the cheezy noodles into a casserole, covered them with panko and baked the casserole. Loved it. (dannibazaar)
This is a great mac n chz recipe. I love the idea of adding the earth balance at the end, giving it a richer, creamier, fresh melted buttery taste. I didn't have any daiya on hand so I didn't add the optional amount, but I bet that would make this even better. Would definitely make again. (sb)
Try adding a T of white miso paste when you melt the EB. (sb)
Same “cheese” as the cheezy sauce, and so, also delicious. The only thing more mac n cheese-y is that expensive frozen Amy’s thing made with Daiya. (fb)
Gluten free
Daiya
Jambalaya
this was so good! I wanted this to be healthy, so I used brown rice (despite her instruction not to), added a can of kidney beans, and served salad on the side. For the sausages, I used tofurkey kielbasa and they were great in this. I used more garlic and it does need more than 1 tbsp of the Tony Chachere's seasoning... I was a little irritated to have to buy that, but was happy it made the dish come together quickly. I liked this more than the seitanic jambalaya from V'con and it's a little easier to make. (thirteenblackbirds)
Black Eyed Peas
Also easy to make, is a good comfort food. It makes a LOT... I really need to learn to halve recipes sometimes! Good with a bit of hot sauce, served over brown rice. Not very beautiful to look at. To serve it to others, I'd probably add some garnish for color. (kindnesstoall)
Good, but not mind blowing. I used frozen black eyed peas, so I'm not sure how dried would work with thickening the broth. Mine stayed pretty thin, so more like a soup. Tasty and healthy, but probably not something I'd make again. (AC)
Tomatoes
The Blue Plate Special
Veggies and Dumplings
This is so so good! I wasn't sure how P would feel about it because 1. he's not the biggest fan of stews 2. he doesn't like biscuit type things, but he said it was one of this favorite things ever and the best dumpling! I made it in the summer, but still perfect. I basically followed the recipe, except I didn't blend the flour mixture, because I don't understand why that's needed. I just whisked it really well. I used better than bouillon. This is not difficult at all, and pretty quick. I hope I remember to make this again! Delish. (AC)
I am so glad that AC posted a review/picture of this because I hadn't even noticed it in the book! This is perfect comfort food. I love that you don't even have to saute the veggies before adding water like with a lot of stews; it was a real time-saver. I doubled the water because I wanted to make sure we had enough for 4 people + leftovers, but I left the flour/water thickening amounts the same - and it was perfect! I did add more nooch & onion powder, though (just to taste). The flavor was fantastic; so rich & hearty, without being too heavy. I used spelt flour for the dumplings & almond milk for the nondairy milk. Oh, and lots of fresh spinach instead of frozen broccoli because that's what I had. Everyone loved this! Can't wait for leftovers today. (JessaCita)
Now I really liked this. It's kind of bland but still good. N however, didn't really rate it. He said he'd eat it again if I really wanted it, but it's not something he would request. I loved the fact it was so simple and quick and used just one pot (and a bowl). The dumpling were great, although they did puff up much more than I expected, so I'd make less of the dough next time. I used cauliflower instead of broccoli and added seitan as suggested. I made a half batch and found it made 3 massive huge servings or 4 normal sized ones (bear in mind I eat a lot, so it probably would have been 4 normal person big servings, if that makes sense). So when she states that the whole recipe makes 4 to 6 servings I think it would be way too much...but maybe that's because I used the seitan in it too? Oh and like AC I didn't really see the point in blending the flour mixture and just whisked up with a fork. (shelloid)
A good comfort food. The dumplings tend to take over the dish; next time I plan to halve the dumplings, add a bit more nooch, and will add cubed seitan to round out the meal. Will definitely make again. (kindnesstoall)
This was good but I wouldn't go out of my way to make it again. There were way too many dumplings for my taste and it was pretty bland. I made this when I was cleaning out the fridge though so I can't complain since it made a decent meal. (intheend)
So good that I didn't get a picture before it disappeared. The dumplings were light and flavorful (I added some nutritional yeast and garlic pepper) and the recipe lends itself to substitution. I actually subbed green beans for the celery because that's what was in the cabinet. (I used some celery salt in the seasoning to compensate.) (mdv)
I don’t like stew and this is delicious. It’s simple and has the advantage of DUMPLINGS. Doesn’t need fake meat, but it could be added. (fb)
Seitan or soy curls
Skillet Baked Panko Cutlets
Outstanding!!! One of our favorite meals. Loved everything about it. The sauce seemed like it wouldn't be very flavorful, but the subtle flavors all came together wonderfully. Instead of using diced tomatoes and pureeing, I did 28 oz pureed and 28 oz whole that I smooshed. I think it's key to grate the garlic in. I used some dried parsley, because I don't like fresh. My cutlets breaded very well and were easy to cook. I didn't bother with the sauce in the pan and broiling the cheese (used FYH monterey). I just put sauce on top with some cheese on the plate. Will definitely make this again. It all definitely takes time, but is not too difficult, and an awesome meal. (AC)
Man, I made this, and it was delicious and all meaty and home-y and stuff and now J wants it ALL the time. SIGH. That being said, I add more daiya, otherwise it’s kind of a little sprinkling. Delicious, heavy. (fb)
Barbequed Ribz
These are fantastic. I wasn't so sure about making them because I made Dragonfly's Ribs recipe (on VW) years ago & had such trouble with it (and terrible results) that I swore off seitan ribs. How dumb I was! This recipe is so easy, and so delicious. I used tahini (not PB) & storebought BBQ sauce; fabulous flavor. I thought the directions were sort of confusing in that it tells you to cut the ribs into sections two different times, but other than that... A+! (JessaCita)
Delicious caramelized heavy meatiness. Would make again. (fb)
Loved these! Especially cold. I used half peanut butter and half tahini, it gave the ribz just the right amount of sweetness from the peanut butter without actually tasting peanutty. Didn't grill them, just brushed on the glaze and baked them for a little longer on a baking sheet, turning once. Maybe 10-15 minutes on each side. (eldsjal)
Smoky Seitan Roast
I really loved this! Loved the smoky flavour and loved the texture. I'm not sure how the texture was different to other seitan I've made - maybe more chewy? - but it is different and I loved it. N wasn't as keen on the flavour but loved the texture too. I will be making again but maybe less liquid smoke, as I think that is what N would prefer. (shelloid)
Very good. Came together nicely and easily. I was a bit wary of her instructions to minimally mix it, because I wanted to knead it for several minutes like I do with other seitan recipes, but I followed her instructions and it still came out good. Perhaps this method keeps the firmness? Steaming for 60 minutes was a pain (I used the tin foil method) as I had to keep adding water to the steamer, but effective. It makes about two pounds and I froze half. (tweety)
So delicious in philly seitan sliders. (JessaCita)
Yum! I've never made a seitan roast with this sort of smoky flavour before...I really liked it! The texture of the seitan in her recipes is so perfect, not spongy at all! It was great sliced thin in the Philly Seitan Sliders. (dannibazaar)
First time that I've ever steamed seitan. Loved the texture - firm, but not rubbery at all. The amount of liquid smoke seemed really high, but it worked well in the Philly Sliders (which were actually sandwiches, in my case) and also sauteed with cabbage and potatoes as leftovers. (mdv)
Yes, very good seitan. It came together extremely quickly! The dough does seem very moist, but it worked well. Excellent flavor, great texture. Almost too firm! I did the foil method, and followed recipe. I didn't have the mushroom powder, but added some Northwoods fire seasoning (smoky). I did the 60/5 minutes steaming, then cooled, and chilled in fridge. I was then able to slice it pretty thinly (and even thinner if I had the skill). Solid recipe. (AC)
I almost feel like I shouldn't review this because I made a lot of substitutions. First off, I didn't have any chickpea flour so I omitted it. I also didn't have any porcini powder (who the hell keeps this stuff on hand?). I substituted the porcini powder for a portobella cap that I pureed with the water. I also substituted half an onion and 3 cloves of garlic for garlic & onion powder that I pureed with the water as well. I also tossed in a boullion cube for good measure. The texture came out slightly soft, probably due to the moisture from the mushroom, but the flavor is awesome. Look forward to hunting down some of this esoteric porcini powder she calls for and making this to recipe. (sb)
Best ever savory salty smoky meatiness that is kinda bready (seitan, whatcanisay). Oh yeah, I subbed the porcini powder with powdered mushroom stock (closest thing I had) and didn’t add salt because of it. (fb)
Great! My new favorite all-purpose seitan recipe. And so easy to make! I steamed it in tin foil, in a large pot and it worked very well. (eldsjal)
Pastrami Style Seitan Roast
This is freaking awesome!!! I can see myself investing in a 'meat' slicer just for this recipe to use in sandwiches. It has all kinds of spices in this- ground caraway, ground fennel, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. It is so flavorful and I really liked the sprinkling of coarse pepper on the outside of the log. It gives the seitan a little punch. (intheend)
Excellent and easy to make. (I have a monster steamer that I bought for when I make tamales; it works great for this, too.) It also freezes well; I just take out what I need for when I make reubens (or eat as is. (kindnesstoall)
I like the flavor of this. It was easy to make, but steaming for an hour without an electric steamer is a pain. The dough came out very wet prior to steaming and it remained most and while it dried up nicely it's not very firm. I'm going to refrigerate over night then add to the review tomorrow. (tweety)
Much better chilled overnight. The texture is much firmer and it's still quite tasty. I can't imagine needing a meat slicer like the author uses because it's still a bit bready soft to me. Nonetheless it made a great lunch sandwich today. (tweety)
Interesting flavor, kinda sweet (how? Idk), but I like the smoky seitan stuff better. It’s still good; the smoky stuff is just that delicious. (fb)
Not Your Mama's Pot Roast with Roasted Vegetables
Well, as I stated before, I started planning this before I realized it was a slow cooker recipe, so I decided to bake it. I didn't use porcini powder, used some worcestershire (no marmite), and used some of my "beef roast seasoning." The seitan dough seemed to come together really well. I put it all in a glass dish. I baked it at 425 first uncovered for a bit, then covered for maybe 30 minutes. I checked it, and it seemed like there would be way too much liquid, so I covered it again for an undetermined amount of time until everything seemed done. The seitan was firm and...meat-like. Anyway, it turned out very well! It did come out fairly dry, so I would definitely experiment with the uncovered baking, but the texture was good other than dry. Firm, but still tender. I would love to try this with marmite (never had) because it could be a bit more savory..somehow. We liked it very much, and I'll experiment again. I threw in some mushrooms with the veggies. Oh, I forgot that it stuck pretty badly to the dish! The whole bottom of the roast got a bit too done and was stuck to the glass (which I greased). I think that was because I had it on the bottom rack for a bit, so the top wouldn't get too done. (AC)
This roast is delicious! I use miso instead of marmite & omit the porcini powder because WhoTF has porcini powder? This isn't my favorite seitan ever (it's a wee bit "soggy," for lack of a better word), but it's so easy to make in the CrockPot & the flavor is really good. Sometimes I add vegetarian beef broth powder to the roast & I think it's a great addition. (JessaCita)
This is good, but I changed a couple things: I used ground urad dal in place of the chickpea flour, omitted the porcini powder, and used miso in place of the marmite. The flavor is pretty good, but you can definitely taste the miso. Looks like I'll have to track down marmite next time. This was good right when it finished, but much better after sitting a day in the fridge. I'd recommend making it a day ahead of time, as the taste and texture of homemade seitan seems to improve greatly after chilling overnight. (sb)
Italian Sausage Cutlets
This is a fantastic version of sausage!! The seasonings were perfect and so was the texture. (intheend)
I've heard a ton of RAVE reviews about these cutlets, so I was weary about how mine would turn out. I followed the recipe exactly, and my dough came together well. I was slightly confused by the cooking instructions (1 sheet of foil? how much can they overlap?), and was scared mine were too crowded, so I separated the batch (of 8 ) into two separate steamers. ANYWAY, amazing!!!!!!! The flavor is perfect, the texture is great. I think I made mine a tiny bit too thick, but I kinda like them that way. I found it easiest to place the foil piece in the steamer basket, then arrange the cutlets on that. I would do 2 pots again next time, and there will be a next time! These were great as the panko crusted cutlets, and would be great in so many other ways. (AC)
MAKE THESE NOW. Absolutely brilliant. I didn't have smoked paprika, so I added a little liquid smoke to the wet ingredients. Next time I will cut the salt somewhat, as they were a tad salty - but other than that, the flavor is perfect. This recipe made a lot, so I put some in the freezer to use at a later date. This seitan is perfect for this meatball recipe (which, BTW, you should also make now; best meatballs ever): http://www.food.com/recipe/seitan-meatballs-200865 (<-- Not to do a recipe review within a recipe review, but since I'm recommending these meatballs, I should say that I used 2 flax eggs (2 Tbsp ground flax + 6 Tbsp water) instead of the egg replacement listed.) (JessaCita)
So, by itself I don’t think these have too much flavor. As the panko cutlet things it’s better because of the sauce and daiya. By themselves, they’re kind of bready like plain seitan, but J loves them, so hey. (fb)
Home Style Loaf
Great! I haven't made many different kinds of "meat" loaves in my vegan days, but this was definetely the best. I liked the nuts in it, they provided some crunch. And it really looked like "meat" loaf! It was especially good as a sandwich filling, didn't like it as much with the rich brown gravy because the gravy completely covered the taste of the loaf. I very much winged it with the ingredients: I used a mixture of almonds, walnuts and hazel nuts instead of just walnut, I didn't have enough of neither tofu nor soy crumbles so I used what I had and I used regular mustard instead of stone-ground. Probably did something else too that I can't remember at the moment. Still, it turned out fabulous. Make it! (eldsjal)
Kinda crumbly, but good. Very savory, pretty simple. (fb)
Chicken Style Seitan Roast
Awesome. Delicious on its own, delicious in a sandwich, delicious beaded & fried. My boyfriend is in love with this seitan. Also really easy to make! (JessaCita)
I thought this was alright but I wasn't that crazy about it. I felt like it didn't have enough seasoning. (intheend)
Love it! This is the best steamed seitan that I've had thus far. The texture is spot on, and it tastes just like a slice of roasted chicken, in my opinion. My new go-to. Can't wait to try more of the seitan recipes in this book. (dannibazaar)
Oh yum!! The texture is great and the flavour is really good. I'm not really sure what poultry seasoning is, but I treated myself recently and bought some vegan chicken broth powder and used that. I loved the seitan. I have only tried a little piece of it so far, but I can see this being a regularly made recipe. (shelloid)
This is pretty rockin'. I didn't have any cheesecloth, so I wrapped it in foil. The edges got a little well done but the flavor of the roast is good! I added a little too much white pepper, so it's a little over seasoned (my fault). Great with some sage gravy, roasted sweet potatoes and garlicky kale! (sb)
I think it really matters what “poulry seasoning” you use. If I use the cheapo seasoning that’s like, super yellow, this comes out salty delicious. Then I used the Butler chik-style seasoning, and it wasn’t so great (blander). Altogether, a little plain but good with sandwiches and stuff. (fb)
Good seitan! The flavor is definitely going to depend on your poultry seasoning, since there's not even any broth. I wouldn't say mine had a chicken-like flavor, which was definitely fine. The flavor was good, but I'd want to tweak it a bit. The mixture was pretty wet after I mixed, so I was tempted to add more VWG, but didn't, and the texture is good! I did the foil 60 minute method, and it was good after that. Probably better after stirfrying. Easy to make. (AC)
Also terrific, though it didn't taste much like chicken. But I used a homemade blend of spices for the poultry seasoning, maybe that's why. Anyway, I still liked it a lot and will make it many times in the future. (eldsjal)
Chicken Style Seitan Roast - Awesome. Delicious on its own, delicious in a sandwich, delicious beaded & fried. My boyfriend is in love with this seitan. Also really easy to make! (JessaCita)
Great Smoky Mountain Cheeze - I had really low expectations for this because sometimes I think recipes that use Mori-Nu tofu have a weird flavor. But my boyfriend wanted grilled cheese for his birthday dinner & specifically requested we use this smoky cheese. IT IS AMAZING. Absolutely delicious in grilled cheese (along with tomato, basil, and grilled onion) - and so perfect spread on crackers. The recipe says you can both spread and slice this cheese, but it's not really sliceable, IMO. I don't care, though. Spreading works just fine! I am definitely serving this at my next party! (JessaCita)
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies - Good. Not my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, but tasty. I think I had to add a little almond milk the two times I've made these because otherwise the dough was too dry & wouldn't mix properly. (JessaCita)
Quinoa Burgers: The texture was spot on. Love burgers with quinoa! However, I made a mistake and used "chick'n seasoning" instead of poultry seasoning, which is what the recipe calls for. Therefor they didn't taste that good, but I'm sure they will with the right seasoning! I'll give it another go sometime in the near future.
Cherry Almond Poppyseed Muffins - Very good! I used all whole wheat pastry flour instead of white, and about a cup of frozen mixed blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries instead of dried cherries because that's what I had. I think the directions were sort of unnecessarily complex; you're supposed to alternate adding the dry ingredients & half of the milk into the rest of the wet ingredients. Next time I will just sift the dry ingredients into the wet, stir it, and call it a day. The muffins had great flavor, though! I like the addition of poppyseeds a lot. (JessaCita)
Biscuits and Creamy Sage Gravy: Very good! The gravy was divine...I did have to add some cornstarch to thicken it a little more, but whatev. Loved the flavour. My mum and I thought it even tasted a little "chicken-y."
Fluffy Biscuits: Yup, baking powder biscuits. A staple recipe.
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies: Good, but much more crunchy than soft. That could be because of my dark cookie sheet though. They are definitely a mighty tasty cookie, and I love how there are only 3 tbs of oil in the whole recipe. I have made the recipe twice now, and I have found that I like subbing 1/4 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar rather than all brown.
Ooey-Gooey Brownies: Holy crap, I cannot have these around the house. They are so good, so easy, and I would be afraid that I could eat the whole pan myself. They are even better than the Deluxe Cocoa Brownies from VCIYCJ
Creamy Sage and Pepper Gravy: Like I said before, very good flavour but a little thin. Nothing a little cornstarch couldn't solve, though!
Blueberry Loaf Cake With Lemon Glaze - Now this is a good breakfast ;) The loaf is so tender and flavorful. It has a lot of lemon in it- lemon juice, extract, and zest but it's not overpowering at all.
Italian sausage cutlets - This is a fantastic version of sausage!! The seasonings were perfect and so was the texture.
Chicken-style seitan roast - I thought this was alright but I wasn't that crazy about it. I felt like it didn't have enough seasoning.
Rosemary Sandwich Rolls- Fantastic! Very easy to make. The smell as they're baking is divine. Especially good out of the oven with a bit of EB. The recipe says this makes six rolls; I made 10, could have easily made a dozen. Will definitely make these again and again.
Black-eyed Peas- Also easy to make, is a good comfort food. It makes a LOT... I really need to learn to halve recipes sometimes! Good with a bit of hot sauce, served over brown rice. Not very beautiful to look at. To serve it to others, I'd probably add some garnish for color.
Old-Fashioned Hamburger Buns - Very good...nice and soft. They come together so quickly! I made 8 nice sized rolls. I am a fan of smaller rolls myself, so next time I think I'll make 12 or so slider sized ones.
Chicken Style Seitan Roast - Love it! This is the best steamed seitan that I've had thus far. The texture is spot on, and it tastes just like a slice of roasted chicken, in my opinion. My new go-to. Can't wait to try more of the seitan recipes in this book.
Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie - It's a big choco-chip cookie! I made mine in a glass pie plate and it stuck really badly to it. But it tasted good!
I just ordered it! :D
Old Fashioned Tomato Soup - Yum! Good tomato soup! Great for a quick supper. I used crushed tomatoes rather than diced, which was fine.
Veggies and Dumplings
This is so so good! I wasn't sure how P would feel about it because 1. he's not the biggest fan of stews 2. he doesn't like biscuit type things, but he said it was one of this favorite things ever and the best dumpling! I made it in the summer, but still perfect. I basically followed the recipe, except I didn't blend the flour mixture, because I don't understand why that's needed. I just whisked it really well. I used better than bouillon. This is not difficult at all, and pretty quick. I hope I remember to make this again! Delish.
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Oatmeal raisin cookies
Also delicious! Oatmeal raisin aren't our favorites, but these are good. I forgot that I was running very low in flour, so I actually had to use like 1/4-1/2 cup bread flour! I couldn't really notice a difference..the texture was good. I think they could use a bit of cinnamon. She uses a lot of vanilla, but that works.. They are yummy.
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Ooey Gooey Brownies - I know I already reviewed these, but I made them again tonight & they're just so awesome. I actually turned them into Caramel Fudge Brownies, and OMG, they're insane! (I baked half the brownie batter for 10 minutes, let it cool for about 10 minutes, then poured caramel sauce on top, then topped that with the rest of the batter, THEN baked for another 15 minutes or so. They are especially amazing straight out of the freezer.) Also, I didn't have any yogurt so I used unsweetened applesauce instead, and they still came out perfectly. These are the best brownies EVER! (JessaCita, again)
Veggies and Dumplings - I am so glad that AC posted a review/picture of this because I hadn't even noticed it in the book! This is perfect comfort food. I love that you don't even have to saute the veggies before adding water like with a lot of stews; it was a real time-saver. I doubled the water because I wanted to make sure we had enough for 4 people + leftovers, but I left the flour/water thickening amounts the same - and it was perfect! I did add more nooch & onion powder, though (just to taste). The flavor was fantastic; so rich & hearty, without being too heavy. I used spelt flour for the dumplings & almond milk for the nondairy milk. Oh, and lots of fresh spinach instead of frozen broccoli because that's what I had. Everyone loved this! Can't wait for leftovers today. (JessaCita)
Malted waffles - Now this is a waffle! I only got 5 out of this recipe but they were fantastic. I really love the malted flavor and it did remind me of waffles I used to eat at diners. I'm a bread baker so I keep two types of barley malt around and I know most people don't but you really should go out of your way for malt powder to make these!
Mocha muffins - I forgot the flaxseed when I made this and it didn't seem to affect anything but I should say that I didn't try them. I made them for my partner and her coworkers and everyone was raving about how good they were.
Rosemary Sandwich Rolls
Very yummy! Great flavor and texture, not too hard to make. I don't think they are the absolute best rolls ever, but really good, and I wouldn't be opposed to making them again. I never do the switching mixer attachments in recipes, because that's just too much hassle. I mixed the beginning ingredients together, and used the hook. My dough rose for about 3 hours. I used regular yeast. The recipe actually only makes 4 sandwich rolls, so I just made 9 largish size rolls. You could probably do any shape. Mine baked for about 25. I had no issues. (pic in AFR thread)
Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
I think they are very good. I did need to add another splash of almond milk, and I wasn't sure about the dough, but they turned out great. I made 14 cookies. They do spread a lot, so take heed of the 2" apart. The dough didn't look too promising, but the cookies come out chewy with a little crisp on the outside. They are flatter than most I've made, but I like the difference. They are not "soft" compared to some (not hard), more chewy with a bite. The flavor is good, and they are healthier than most other recipes. I would make these again.
This seems like a book I can count on!
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Diner House Dressing
"Really flavorful and mild at the same time" were P's words. It's really good! Super simple to make. P is extremely picky about dressings, but liked this a lot. I used a good olive oil instead of flax oil, because I couldn't splurge for that. I used Bragg's for the soy, and the 4 cloves garlic. Super simple, and great flavor with a nice salad. Will make again.
Cinnamon Orange Rolls
Nice orange-y flavor. A little lacking in the cinnamon dept. Might help to add some to the dough or a little extra in the filling. Couldn't find soymilk powder, so used soymilk in place of the water as suggested by the author. I don't like these as much as the cinnamon rolls from Vegan Brunch (best ever!!!), but they're still really good.
smoky seitan roast
I really loved this! Loved the smoky flavour and loved the texture. I'm not sure how the texture was different to other seitan I've made - maybe more chewy? - but it is different and I loved it. N wasn't as keen on the flavour but loved the texture too. I will be making again but maybe less liquid smoke, as I think that is what N would prefer. (shelloid)
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