Veganomicon Review

Layout

• Is the layout clear? I found the layout in Veganomicon to be very clear. Each recipe was introduced with an authors note that included serving suggestions or a special tip.
• Are you able to easily tell the ingredients apart for the instructions and the notes? The ingredients are in a bold print, which makes them stand out from the actual recipe and notes. 
• Are the instructions easy to follow? The instructions are easy to follow for the most part. Many recipes had the "tip" box with with special instructions.
• Are the recipes numbered or is the section labeled? The recipes are divided up by category. There is even a section at the end of the book called Menus for the Masses. Easy menu planning for dinner categories like, Mediterranean Comfort Menu or a Smash Your TV Dinner Menu. 

Aesthetics

• Does the cookbook feature photos? There is a section that features photos for about 23 of the recipes.
• If yes, is there a photo for every recipe? Nope
• Do the photos of the recipes look like the actual results? I made two of the recipes that were photographed, Pineapple Cashew Quinoa and Portobello Salad with Spicy Mustard Dressing, both turned out looking very similar to the pictures. 
• What kind of paper is the book printed on? The book is printed on standard book paper...not really sure what you would call it. It is a good quality paper and really takes in a splashes and splatters without seeping through and ruining page. 
• How is the quality of the photos? I thought the photos were of good quality. The lighting was just right and the background colors and dishes complimented each dish. 

Recipes

• How many recipes are in the cookbook? A lot, to many count! There are about 263 pages of recipes. 
• What kinds of recipes will you find in this cookbook? Veganomicon has a very nice variety of recipes. From soups, to sides, main dishes and desserts. There is even a section for Brunch recipes!! You will find Indian inspired, Jamaican inspired and Good old home cooking inspired recipes in Veganomicon. 
• Is there a theme to the recipes? No real theme, just Vegan! and Delicious! A wide variety of recipes sure to cure any craving. 
• Are the recipes complex or simple? Would they be good for seasoned cooks and/or beginners? I think Veganonmicon has a diverse selection of recipes suitable for seasoned cooks and beginners. I know that I will reference this cookbook for years to come! 

Ingredients and supplies

• Are the recipe ingredients easy to find?A For the most part all of the ingredients are very easy to find. I think I even bought the majority what I used in each recipe at Trader Joes. (Gotta love that TJ!)
• Are there any items that stand out as being expensive or specialty? Nope, maybe just some specialty spices in a few of the Indian dishes. But you can find most of these at markets these days and they store well. 
• Are there particular appliances that will be required such as blenders, juicers, dehydrators, ect? The only "major" applicance I notices was an Immersion blender for some soup and perhaps a KitchenAid for baking, but you get by without them! 
• Does this cookbook provide additional useful information? Yes, this book provides a lot of additional information. Each recipe is labeled with Icons to let you know if the recipe is Soy Free, Low/Reduced Fat, Gluten Free, or can be ready in less than 45 minutes. Pretty good info, if you ask me! Also you will find additional tips among the recipes, like how to roast garlic and how long it will keep. Time saving tips and tips on what you can use in place of some items you might not have on hand. 
• What additional information beyond recipes does this cookbook include? Is it easy to follow? Veganomicon also has a great introductory sections like: Stocking the Veganomicon Pantry, Kitchen Equipment, & Cooking and Prepping Terminology. You will also find tons of helpful and important tips in the How to Cook a Vegetable and How to Cook a Grain section. I love reading my cookbooks, as if they are a novel, so I truly appreciate when authors go to the extra trouble of including these special notes in Cookbooks. You are bound to learn something and it always leaves me itching to get in the kitchen. 

Cookbook Club: Tomato-Rice Soup with Roasted Garlic and Navy Beans

Garlic is good for more than just keeping the Vampires away...

 In the middle ages Monks used Garlic as protection against the plague, Hippocrates used garlic vapors to treat cervical cancer, and during WWII (when antibiotics were scarce) Garlic poultices were placed on wounds.
I have been using Garlic, along with groves of Oranges, to fight away a nasty cold! Now I don't know if the whole "Garlic helps prevent..."line is just an old wives' tale but at this point I am willing to try anything!

 Last week I lived off Veganomicon's Tomato-Rice Soup with Roasted Garlic and Navy Beans. And it was Dee-lish! Another recipe A had no problem helping with, which always means a success.

2 bulbs roasted garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium-size yellow onion, dices as small as possible
1 cup long-grain brown rice*
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 teaspoons salt
Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can navy beans, drained and rinsed
56 ounces of water (Use the tomato can and fill twice!) 




Preheat soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onions in the olive oil for 5-7 minutes, until translucent.
Add the rice, bay leaves, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, then add the water.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes. 
Squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skin and into a small bowl. Use a fork to mash the garlic into a relatively smooth consistency, then add to the soup once the rice is nearly tender.  
When the rice is completely cooked, add the beans and heat through. 
Serve and enjoy (oh and don't forget to remove the bay leaves!)

*A note from the author said to make sure you use long-grain rice because short-grain rice does not cook in tomato broth. 
I still had a problem with the long-grain rice not cooking completely. I ended up adding another can of water and letting the soup simmer for an extra 20-30 minutes.

                                  

Game Day 2011

Good Morning Friends! 

And Happy Super Bowl Sunday!

Image from here

My "gameplan" for the day: 

-Laundry/cleaning house

-A little bit of work

-Taking Gary on a run and to the playing fields AKA the Dog park

-Hitting up TJ's and Smiths for weekly goods

-Preparing a batch of Tomato-Rice Soup with Roasted Garlic and Navy Beans (from Veganomicon)--Cookbook Club Review to follow

-Football!! (Mostly just to watch commercials and the Black Eyed Peas!!) 

What is your plan for the big game day? Going to any parties? Making any yummy treats? Who will you be cheering for? 

Me? Here's a hint... 

Cookbook Club: Portobello Salad with Spicy Mustard Dressing

I told you it was coming...just a little slower than expected! It's not that I haven't been spending time with my nose in Veganomicon scouring for the winning recipes or even in the kitchen actually preparing said recipes. I have just been busy...with life, career transitions, apartment floods (!),  a certain boxer who demands serious "me" time, traveling, etc... Thank your for your patience and without further ado my first review! (haha as my Papaw would say, "You're a poet and didn't know it! Making a rhyme every time!" cheeezzeeee)

The first dish to review came after doing a quick inventory of my fridge and pantry. I wanted to use up produce and such that was getting close to end of life. I always buy a large tub of Baby Spinach, or what ever kind of greens I am feeling, this way I can quickly throw together a salad for lunch or toss some in the blender for a delicious green lemonade and I can even mix into whatever I plan to prepare for dinner...like pasta and marinara with wilted spinach, spinach and black bean quesadilla or... a Portobello Salad with Spicy Mustard Dressing! I also had an open can of Chickpeas with only about a spoonful or two missing (topping for a lunch salad!) I was also not wanting to spend a ton of $$ on different ingredients for a fancy smancy dinner, that I would be eating alone...A had a man-date! So there it was, a recipe with the majority of ingredients already on hand, a dinner of something tasty that I wouldn't normally prepare for family dinners (A hates shrooms!) and I would have plenty of left-overs for lunch the next day!

After work I stopped by Trader Joes to pick up two large Portobello caps, a bottle of vino (hey, the recipe called for it!) and Grapeseed Oil. From what I understand Grapeseed Oil can be on the more expensive side, but I always depend on TJ's for oils, condiments and spices at a reasonable price!

Once home, I gathered all ingredients only to realize I had no garlic...So I made due and diced up some onions to the Portobello marinade. I also added about a 1/2 cup more wine to the marinade than the recipe actually called for. I guess I had some big shrooms because they were just screaming for more juice! While the Portobellos roasted in the oven, I prepared the Spicy Mustard Dressing.

The recipe says, "Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Done." Then to toss the salad with ALL of the dressing (in my opinion that's A LOT of dressing for one salad!). I decided to prepare the dressing in a jar, then I could use a tablespoon (or two) for the salad and have dressing for the rest of the weeks lunches.

Next I prepped the salad... Spinach, Red Onion, Avocado, Chickpeas. Tossed with Spicy Mustard dressing and ready to be topped with slices of roasted Portobello!

The Portobellos smelled delicious while in the oven and 

tasted just as great once they were out!

I really enjoyed this salad but next time I will leave the Chickpeas out...or maybe warm them up a bit first. Not that I 

don't love Chickpeas but something about the flavor just 

didn't mesh well to me.

FYI that second Portobello cap that I saved for lunch the 
following day.... Made my day! I enjoyed it with spinach and red quinoa and a drizzle of the Spicy Mustard dressing....YUM!