The Big Book of Vegan Cooking: 175 Recipes for a Healthy Vegan Lifestyle

The Big Book of Vegan Cooking is a very comprehensive and beautifully photographed cookbook. I have already bookmarked dozens of recipes to make, including baked apple cinnamon oatmeal squares, summer rolls, mac 'n' cheese soup, red curry noodles, raspberry almond shortbread bars, and many others. The recipes use fresh whole foods and easy to find ingredients, and range from quick and easy for weeknight cooking to extra special recipes to impress guests. I also love the 2 week getting started menus with grocery lists, and suggestions for special occasion menus. I am looking forward to making many dishes from this cookbook! I received a free review copy from the publisher.

Another great book from vegan chef and nutritionist Dianne Wenz! The author focuses on delivering recipes that are flavorful and easy to accomplish. So far some of my favorites have been from the chapter, “Do It Yourself Homemade Sauces and Staples”. Some of these recipes have truly become staples in our kitchen, like the Spicy Peanut Sauce, and the Carrot Ginger Dressing. There are over 170 more recipes to try!

First, my main annoyance with this book -- the print is small and hard to read, ingredients are in black ink but the directions and intros are in gray ink, TIPS are in white ink on a medium gray background, and recipe titles are in a light purple with a lime green highlight line. Second, I have a hard time adjusting to the "tone" of the book -- for example, from the intro to one recipe: "I once got out of my green car carrying my green purse and wearing my favorite green dress, and I realized I must have looked like this crazy green lady to anyone watching me....You, too, can get your green on with this healthy bowl." If that approach makes you want to read the recipe that follows, then you'll love this book. Once into the recipes themselves, there are many good things to choose from. "Creamy Queso Dip" is built around potato and carrot--not cheese, Butternut Tahini Soup, Chickpea and Rice Soup, General Tso's Cauliflower, Portabella Schnitzel, White Bean Shakshuka, Coconut Milk Rice Pudding, and Baked Tofu Three Ways (three different marinades). In the back of the book there's a two-week Getting Started Plan "if you're just dipping your toe into the world of vegan cooking" and some Special Occasion menus to help you figure out how to entertain within your new lifestyle. This is a BIG BOOK from Rockridge Press, -- 8"x10" and 256 pages. It has 175 recipes and there are only a few ingredients you can't find at your local grocery store. If you want a picture with every recipe, that will be Annoyance Number Three about the book.

I love the lay-out of this book. You get pantry staples, meal prep ideas, shopping lists, nutrition info, and a TON of easily-approachable recipes. It's the kind of book I gravitated toward when I became vegan many years ago, and with all the more advanced books I own, it's still the type I lean on the most. I could make many of these recipes with ingredients I already have in my kitchen, which is handy considering we're all avoiding too many trips to the grocery store right now. My fingers are already itching to make the Blueberry Banana Muffins and eat the whole pan on my next snow day. I know this book is a welcome addition to my kitchen library, and I think it would be a benefit to all. While I received this book in exchange for my review, my opinions are mine, unbiased, and honest.

All of these recipes look awesome. It was difficult to choose one to start off with because there were so many that I was eager to try. Our first recipes were the tofu ricotta to add to the lasagna soup. I have often been hesitant to make lasagna because of the long time commitment, but Dianne's recipes made for an incredible dinner in a short amount of time. Nearly all of the ingredients were already on hand in my pantry and frig. The ricotta came out so creamy and flavorful. The lasagna soup had all of the richness you would expect from a casserole that was prepped and bake for over an hour, but here within about 30 minutes dinner was served. I really liked Dianne's tips and suggestions especially as I am a fairly new to vegan cooking. I know I am going to keep coming back to this cookbook to try more fantastic recipes.

175 easy recipes to help make your vegan lifestyle a little easier?? Yes please! This new cookbook is a wealth of information covering everything from breakfasts and snacks, main meals, noodle dishes and bowl food, desserts, homemade sauces and as well as some suggested menus. The oven fried okra, portobello schnitzel and chocolate tahini brownies are calling my name! The Big Book Of Vegan Cooking is very well organized and makes a quick read while you plot your meals for the week and has a sprinkling of beautiful photos throughout to keep your interest. I especially liked the info sections with in-depth information and easy cooking guides. That’s a true gift as it makes it easier to create your own recipes in the future. If you are a new vegan, someone that likes quick and easy recipes but short on time, looking for a healthier approach to vegan comfort foods or maybe a kid going off to college that needs an accessible yet solid vegan cookbook for their common area/kitchen, this book deserves a center spot on your bookshelf.

My whole family approves of the 10 recipes I’ve made so far, and I’m definitely going to be trying more! Since it’s bigger than most cookbooks, I was expecting more variety and unique recipes beyond the standard vegan versions of popular dishes, and this book delivered. Plus it’s fun to read straight through with all the author’s witty, funny comments. The mac ‘n’ cheese soup is a new favorite, and my 7-year-old had fun making a couple of the desserts pretty much all by herself (she would have eaten them all by herself too if I’d let her!). Most of the recipes look pretty quick and uncomplicated. We eat whole-food, plant-based and generally avoid processed foods but still found a lot we’d be happy to make in here, unlike many other vegan cookbooks that aren’t too health conscious. Though I will say, if you miss bacon, there’s a lot of tempeh bacon in here...I personally don’t miss bacon, but now I think I’m going to have to try making it one of these days. I received a free digital review copy from the publisher.

This is a really GREAT book that has LOTS of interesting recipes from basic sauces and stuff you can use in a recipe like a creamy white sauce that uses beans as a base or queso dip to “fancier” things like no bake chocolate cherry cheesecake, portabella schnitzel, mushroom wellington, and cauliflower piccata. These are like GREAT recipes that you would see in a restaurant – which is awesome! I really like the way the author really makes things interesting like by using beans as a base for a cream sauce and she doesn’t just say to add a faux meat substitute for piccata or schnitzel – very creative and cool. The only flaw I see is that the author uses regular flour a lot – that is so old-school as most vegans, especially lately, have moved onto a Vegan gluten-free diet. I would have really liked to see some recipes reference another flour to use like brown rice, tapioca, or even just a general all-purpose gluten-free flour in at least some recipes. There can be a difference in just substituting – so actual recipes including these would have been really nice. The chapters are laid out well, have quirky names, and really do have something for everyone. I LOVE salads but don’t need a recipe for them really. I am also not a ‘bowl’ person but I know others who literally ONLY eat bowl meals. Again – not for me – but great for others. Almost all the other chapters would be my favorites, though. Other notable recipes: chocolate tahini brownies, zucchini manicotti, broccoli tots, popcorn tofu, lentil loaf, and chicken nuggets you make with oats and chickpeas - among many others too. : ) Again, a REALLY nice solid (and larger) cookbook for the seasoned vegan, a veg newbie, or anyone else who just wants to get more creative in the kitchen and give plant-based foods a try. There are also some guides and sample menus in the back to plan meals and parties. I guess that can be helpful for some as well. If you found my review helpful, why not click the “helpful” button. Thanks! Have a Great Day! : )

I'm not a vegan or even a vegetarian...but I am interested in adding more plant-based foods into the meals I prepare for my family. I'm a fan of those beautifully produced, comprehensive cookbooks featuring vegetables that have hundred of recipes, but they are quite expensive and I wasn't really sure I would use it enough to justify a purchase. I happened to run across this vegan cookbook that has quite a few recipes and I figured it might just be healthier as well, so I was happy to order it. The cookbooks starts off with a very basic introduction to the vegan lifestyle (and I do mean basic) as well as some tips on getting started. The recipes are organized into 10 chapters, and I would say there truly is something for everyone in this cookbook. I have only tried a couple of the recipes so far, but a lot of them do sound intriguing. I have made the broccoli and tomato quiche and the lentil burgers; both came out great. I was a bit surprised that the recipe for the lentil burgers called for a can of lentils, which I didn't have, but it was easy enough to cook up a quick batch of dried lentils. In fact, I thought it was odd that so many recipes use canned ingredients. Each recipe includes some nutritional information (but as another reviewer has noted, this is not complete) as well as some tips on preparation. I found the author's style a bit off-putting, and after reading the first chapter as well as few of the recipe introductions, I just ignored it and focused not the recipes themselves. I often use recipes as a basis for my own ideas rather than as written (I'm apparently just not creative enough to come up with those ideas on my own). There is a two-week getting started plan as well as a list of useful conversions, extra resources on the topic and references as well as an index at the back. This is a fairly large cookbook at just over 250 pages and the design is simple -- soft covers and basic, matte paper that is thick enough not to bleed through the other side. It is well bound so I think it will hold up well to regular use. Each chapter provides a brief introduction and some pictures over several pages, and for the most part, each recipe within the chapter is presented on its own page. The format for the recipes is okay, but I didn't really care for the purple and green color scheme. There are also some tables and charts with additional information sprinkled in as well as a few more pictures, but this cookbook is not heavy on images. This doesn't bother me, but might be important for some consumers. This is a basic cookbook with 150 or so recipes, and I'm sure it will be handy for vegans and non-vegans alike, but at a price of $18.99 it seems a bit pricey.

This is a big Vegan cookbook, thick paper, and I like it better then a few more expensive cookbooks I have. The recipes are easy, tasty, and I have almost everything in my pantry, or fridge. The recipes -food can be found in your grocery store, nothing odd here to find, or shop for. There is color pictures, but would like to see more, although it is very easy to get a idea of what your making/cooking looks like. This is Not a complicated cookbook... Although I’m not a fan of Rockridge press cause they do not show many pictures, this is probably one of there better books from them. I think there a less expensive printing Co.and they charge less. Actually makes this book, a win, win. At The top of the page it shows different for each page , but if it’s, nut free , soy free, kid friendly etc. How many mins to cook, Pan/pot. How many it serves, prep time,cooking time, etc. Left side of page shows Ingredients, In dark black thicker print. I personally would like to see the full page in Darker Print. But this is NOT tiny print. Bottom page, time Saving tips. And Substitutions. . Per serving , Calories, fat, sat fat, Chols, protein , Fiber, Sodium... I’m glad I got this cookbook, and enjoying the recipes I have cooked from this book. 5 stars

The Big Book of Vegan Cooking is a very comprehensive and beautifully photographed cookbook. I have already bookmarked dozens of recipes to make, including baked apple cinnamon oatmeal squares, summer rolls, mac 'n' cheese soup, red curry noodles, raspberry almond shortbread bars, and many others. The recipes use fresh whole foods and easy to find ingredients, and range from quick and easy for weeknight cooking to extra special recipes to impress guests. I also love the 2 week getting started menus with grocery lists, and suggestions for special occasion menus. I am looking forward to making many dishes from this cookbook! I received a free review copy from the publisher.

Another great book from vegan chef and nutritionist Dianne Wenz! The author focuses on delivering recipes that are flavorful and easy to accomplish. So far some of my favorites have been from the chapter, “Do It Yourself Homemade Sauces and Staples”. Some of these recipes have truly become staples in our kitchen, like the Spicy Peanut Sauce, and the Carrot Ginger Dressing. There are over 170 more recipes to try!

First, my main annoyance with this book -- the print is small and hard to read, ingredients are in black ink but the directions and intros are in gray ink, TIPS are in white ink on a medium gray background, and recipe titles are in a light purple with a lime green highlight line. Second, I have a hard time adjusting to the "tone" of the book -- for example, from the intro to one recipe: "I once got out of my green car carrying my green purse and wearing my favorite green dress, and I realized I must have looked like this crazy green lady to anyone watching me....You, too, can get your green on with this healthy bowl." If that approach makes you want to read the recipe that follows, then you'll love this book. Once into the recipes themselves, there are many good things to choose from. "Creamy Queso Dip" is built around potato and carrot--not cheese, Butternut Tahini Soup, Chickpea and Rice Soup, General Tso's Cauliflower, Portabella Schnitzel, White Bean Shakshuka, Coconut Milk Rice Pudding, and Baked Tofu Three Ways (three different marinades). In the back of the book there's a two-week Getting Started Plan "if you're just dipping your toe into the world of vegan cooking" and some Special Occasion menus to help you figure out how to entertain within your new lifestyle. This is a BIG BOOK from Rockridge Press, -- 8"x10" and 256 pages. It has 175 recipes and there are only a few ingredients you can't find at your local grocery store. If you want a picture with every recipe, that will be Annoyance Number Three about the book.

I love the lay-out of this book. You get pantry staples, meal prep ideas, shopping lists, nutrition info, and a TON of easily-approachable recipes. It's the kind of book I gravitated toward when I became vegan many years ago, and with all the more advanced books I own, it's still the type I lean on the most. I could make many of these recipes with ingredients I already have in my kitchen, which is handy considering we're all avoiding too many trips to the grocery store right now. My fingers are already itching to make the Blueberry Banana Muffins and eat the whole pan on my next snow day. I know this book is a welcome addition to my kitchen library, and I think it would be a benefit to all. While I received this book in exchange for my review, my opinions are mine, unbiased, and honest.

All of these recipes look awesome. It was difficult to choose one to start off with because there were so many that I was eager to try. Our first recipes were the tofu ricotta to add to the lasagna soup. I have often been hesitant to make lasagna because of the long time commitment, but Dianne's recipes made for an incredible dinner in a short amount of time. Nearly all of the ingredients were already on hand in my pantry and frig. The ricotta came out so creamy and flavorful. The lasagna soup had all of the richness you would expect from a casserole that was prepped and bake for over an hour, but here within about 30 minutes dinner was served. I really liked Dianne's tips and suggestions especially as I am a fairly new to vegan cooking. I know I am going to keep coming back to this cookbook to try more fantastic recipes.

175 easy recipes to help make your vegan lifestyle a little easier?? Yes please! This new cookbook is a wealth of information covering everything from breakfasts and snacks, main meals, noodle dishes and bowl food, desserts, homemade sauces and as well as some suggested menus. The oven fried okra, portobello schnitzel and chocolate tahini brownies are calling my name! The Big Book Of Vegan Cooking is very well organized and makes a quick read while you plot your meals for the week and has a sprinkling of beautiful photos throughout to keep your interest. I especially liked the info sections with in-depth information and easy cooking guides. That’s a true gift as it makes it easier to create your own recipes in the future. If you are a new vegan, someone that likes quick and easy recipes but short on time, looking for a healthier approach to vegan comfort foods or maybe a kid going off to college that needs an accessible yet solid vegan cookbook for their common area/kitchen, this book deserves a center spot on your bookshelf.

My whole family approves of the 10 recipes I’ve made so far, and I’m definitely going to be trying more! Since it’s bigger than most cookbooks, I was expecting more variety and unique recipes beyond the standard vegan versions of popular dishes, and this book delivered. Plus it’s fun to read straight through with all the author’s witty, funny comments. The mac ‘n’ cheese soup is a new favorite, and my 7-year-old had fun making a couple of the desserts pretty much all by herself (she would have eaten them all by herself too if I’d let her!). Most of the recipes look pretty quick and uncomplicated. We eat whole-food, plant-based and generally avoid processed foods but still found a lot we’d be happy to make in here, unlike many other vegan cookbooks that aren’t too health conscious. Though I will say, if you miss bacon, there’s a lot of tempeh bacon in here...I personally don’t miss bacon, but now I think I’m going to have to try making it one of these days. I received a free digital review copy from the publisher.

This is a really GREAT book that has LOTS of interesting recipes from basic sauces and stuff you can use in a recipe like a creamy white sauce that uses beans as a base or queso dip to “fancier” things like no bake chocolate cherry cheesecake, portabella schnitzel, mushroom wellington, and cauliflower piccata. These are like GREAT recipes that you would see in a restaurant – which is awesome! I really like the way the author really makes things interesting like by using beans as a base for a cream sauce and she doesn’t just say to add a faux meat substitute for piccata or schnitzel – very creative and cool. The only flaw I see is that the author uses regular flour a lot – that is so old-school as most vegans, especially lately, have moved onto a Vegan gluten-free diet. I would have really liked to see some recipes reference another flour to use like brown rice, tapioca, or even just a general all-purpose gluten-free flour in at least some recipes. There can be a difference in just substituting – so actual recipes including these would have been really nice. The chapters are laid out well, have quirky names, and really do have something for everyone. I LOVE salads but don’t need a recipe for them really. I am also not a ‘bowl’ person but I know others who literally ONLY eat bowl meals. Again – not for me – but great for others. Almost all the other chapters would be my favorites, though. Other notable recipes: chocolate tahini brownies, zucchini manicotti, broccoli tots, popcorn tofu, lentil loaf, and chicken nuggets you make with oats and chickpeas - among many others too. : ) Again, a REALLY nice solid (and larger) cookbook for the seasoned vegan, a veg newbie, or anyone else who just wants to get more creative in the kitchen and give plant-based foods a try. There are also some guides and sample menus in the back to plan meals and parties. I guess that can be helpful for some as well. If you found my review helpful, why not click the “helpful” button. Thanks! Have a Great Day! : )

I'm not a vegan or even a vegetarian...but I am interested in adding more plant-based foods into the meals I prepare for my family. I'm a fan of those beautifully produced, comprehensive cookbooks featuring vegetables that have hundred of recipes, but they are quite expensive and I wasn't really sure I would use it enough to justify a purchase. I happened to run across this vegan cookbook that has quite a few recipes and I figured it might just be healthier as well, so I was happy to order it. The cookbooks starts off with a very basic introduction to the vegan lifestyle (and I do mean basic) as well as some tips on getting started. The recipes are organized into 10 chapters, and I would say there truly is something for everyone in this cookbook. I have only tried a couple of the recipes so far, but a lot of them do sound intriguing. I have made the broccoli and tomato quiche and the lentil burgers; both came out great. I was a bit surprised that the recipe for the lentil burgers called for a can of lentils, which I didn't have, but it was easy enough to cook up a quick batch of dried lentils. In fact, I thought it was odd that so many recipes use canned ingredients. Each recipe includes some nutritional information (but as another reviewer has noted, this is not complete) as well as some tips on preparation. I found the author's style a bit off-putting, and after reading the first chapter as well as few of the recipe introductions, I just ignored it and focused not the recipes themselves. I often use recipes as a basis for my own ideas rather than as written (I'm apparently just not creative enough to come up with those ideas on my own). There is a two-week getting started plan as well as a list of useful conversions, extra resources on the topic and references as well as an index at the back. This is a fairly large cookbook at just over 250 pages and the design is simple -- soft covers and basic, matte paper that is thick enough not to bleed through the other side. It is well bound so I think it will hold up well to regular use. Each chapter provides a brief introduction and some pictures over several pages, and for the most part, each recipe within the chapter is presented on its own page. The format for the recipes is okay, but I didn't really care for the purple and green color scheme. There are also some tables and charts with additional information sprinkled in as well as a few more pictures, but this cookbook is not heavy on images. This doesn't bother me, but might be important for some consumers. This is a basic cookbook with 150 or so recipes, and I'm sure it will be handy for vegans and non-vegans alike, but at a price of $18.99 it seems a bit pricey.

This is a big Vegan cookbook, thick paper, and I like it better then a few more expensive cookbooks I have. The recipes are easy, tasty, and I have almost everything in my pantry, or fridge. The recipes -food can be found in your grocery store, nothing odd here to find, or shop for. There is color pictures, but would like to see more, although it is very easy to get a idea of what your making/cooking looks like. This is Not a complicated cookbook... Although I’m not a fan of Rockridge press cause they do not show many pictures, this is probably one of there better books from them. I think there a less expensive printing Co.and they charge less. Actually makes this book, a win, win. At The top of the page it shows different for each page , but if it’s, nut free , soy free, kid friendly etc. How many mins to cook, Pan/pot. How many it serves, prep time,cooking time, etc. Left side of page shows Ingredients, In dark black thicker print. I personally would like to see the full page in Darker Print. But this is NOT tiny print. Bottom page, time Saving tips. And Substitutions. . Per serving , Calories, fat, sat fat, Chols, protein , Fiber, Sodium... I’m glad I got this cookbook, and enjoying the recipes I have cooked from this book. 5 stars

Dianne Wenz’s THE BIG BOOK OF VEGAN COOKING (2021) is just the cookbook for someone like myself who is trying to transition to a plant-based diet. I am not planning on going all the way to “vegan,” perhaps only as far as “vegetarian.” What I really like about this cookbook is that it is more like a traditional cookbook, that is, it is mostly a recipe book. There are recipes for breakfast and brunch, snacks, comfort foods like chilis (vegan of course), lunch sandwiches, etc., desserts, and treats for parties. Also, there are sections of recipes for main dishes of vegetables, pasta and noodles, legume and grains, homemade sauces, and much more. Ms. Wenz includes with each recipe little grey boxes filled with tips for ingredient substitutions, time saving, etc. Using this cookbook makes experimenting with vegan cooking fun as well as healthy. Ms. Wenz uses humor the make her recipes appealing. For example, for her “Ooey-gooey Magic Cookie Bars” she notes that, “It’s difficult to convey the magical qualities of these cookie bars with words. You have to try one to understand. Something otherworldly happens when pecans, coconut, and chocolate chips collide with sweetened coconut milk. Their lure is irresistible. These bars are so sublime, they can be used to settle arguments, apologize for wrongdoings, and heal great divides.”

This is a good cookbook for new and experienced vegans and for non-vegans who want to try veganism or cook for a vegan friend or family member. There are lots of tasty-sounding recipes which also happen to be generally quite healthy and lean towards the WFPB side of veganism, avoiding processes fake meats and such. The recipes are mostly quite easy and the ingredients are tuned so that most are widely available. This is not a cookbook that has a picture with each recipe. There are 2 or 3 recipes per chapter. It does not rely on fake meats or store-bought vegan cheese substitutes. It does use tofu and plant milks. This is not an SOS-free cookbook but over all the recipes are very restrained in their use of processed foods like oils - for example a stir-fry dish uses 1 teaspoon of oil for 4 servings and is very good and of course you could omit the oil. My only issue with the cookbook is that there is no separate list or index entry if you are specifically looking for Gluten-Free for example. The recipes themselves are labelled to indicate whether they are Nut-Free, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Kid-Friendly, 30-Minute Meals or One-Pan/One-Pot. I think many of the recipes that are not so labelled could be modified to be gluten-free, nut-free etc.

The recipes are good, both from reading them and from preparing three dishes in the week I've had this book. I made a Greek Goddess Bowl, the Spicy Chickpea Stir Fry, and Red Beans and Rice. The recipes themselves would get 5 stars, but here's where there are issues: 1. Nutritional information. Each recipe has a nutritional breakdown; I thought this was great until I realized that the breakdown fails to include CARBOHYDRATES. As a diabetic, this is important to me, and other books I have that include nutritional information provide this important piece that is vital to a diabetic. The other thing that is troubling is that each recipe has information provided about cholesterol content, although any vegan knows that only products sourced from animals contain cholesterol, so EVERY RECIPE In this book has ZERO CHOLESTEROL and the book points that out in the nutritional information for each recipe but chose to ignore the carbohydrates. 2. The presentation is lacking. I get that it is less expensive to print in black and white, but the layout, ingredients in bold black, directions in a hard for me to read grey, and tips in white on a black background, makes it difficult to read.

I received this book through the Amazon Vine program in exchange for an honest review. This is a surprisingly big book full of recipes. The author talks about why they're vegan and introduces vegan concepts. I'm not vegan but am always looking for ways to eat more plant based. There's not a lot of pictures which is a bummer because I always enjoy seeing what the finished meal should look like, but there's a variety of recipes! Many of the recipes are good for easy weeknight cooking, like the soups. I can see this being a helpful guide for people who are new to veganism or cooking. Overall it's an interesting find.

I've been vegan quite literally half of my life, and I feel like I'd be lying if I said I was totally blown away by the recipes in this book. But on the same token, it did put a fresh spin on some of the classics I already make. The pros: -They're easy recipes -They don't require a boat load of ingredients/substitutes (often an issue with some vegan/vegetarian cookbooks) -Clear and concise directions -Good pictures -They have a whole section with DIY sauces (including vegan cheese sauce), or recommend "use a store bought one." I think this is super important for folks learning how to cook vegan - you don't have to do it ALL from scratch right away if your time is limited. -Recipes seem in proportion. Cons: -Not 100% "new" recipes for me. I can make a killer pasta w/veggies dish, vegan pizzas, hasselback potato, or rice bowl without a recipe. For those just learning to cook, or learning to cook vegan, maybe this is a pro for you? As someone who has cooked like this for nearly 18 years, though, it's not so innovative.

Oh, how I wish I had this book when I first went vegan! Packed with straight forward easy to follow recipes that range from the basic “what in the world am I going to eat not that I’m vegan” recipes to more elaborate recipes to impress. This is already becoming my new “go-to” cookbook. I received a free review copy of this book, and these are my honest thoughts about it.

“The Big Book of Vegan Cooking” is a book that even carnivores should acquire and enjoy. It contains 175 recipes that are delicious and include many foods without meat that even meat eaters will enjoy. The price of $18.49, far less than a restaurant meal, is a steal when we recognize how healthy we will be and how delicious many of the dishes are. The colorful book looks good and is easy to read and easy to use. It contains recipes for every meal and every occasion. There are recipes for breakfast, brunch, snacks, salads, soups, stews, chilies, sandwiches, pastas, noodles, and more. There are 30-minute meals, one pot recipes, kid-friendly foods, recipes that are nut free, gluten free, soy free, and more. There are discussions on the value of a vegan diet, kitchen makeover, measurement conversions, a comprehensive index of many pages, and more.

I'll be honest, vegan cookbooks tend to get repetitive, with little variations on the same meals. This was refreshingly different from others I have gotten before, using mostly vegan staples: tofu, nondairy milk, nutritional yeast, cashews, etc. The recipes are mostly very easy to follow, and fairly easy to whip together. Some require a lot of prep time, ie soaking cashews for several hours, but this is nothing new. Simply put, it'd be hard to make any recipe on a whim. The ingredients are easy to acquire from the natural section of the grocery store, though is not particularly soy or nut friendly (again, another issue you find with most vegan cooking with the amount of tofu, almond milk, and cashews). But if you are vegan, have egg or dairy allergies, this is a great book for you.

I’ve been cooking vegan meals for a decade now and my number one complaint is most vegan cookbooks are rarely just a giant how-to of easy, easy to find ingredients, with delicious creative meals. They usually are super specific; until now. This is a must have staple in your kitchen even if you are not vegan. Make your side dishes colorful and appetizing for your family. I mean, Brussels sprouts are America’s latest hip veggie - why nit make them into tacos?! Soooo good! Take your tacos to a level you didn’t know they could. This book gives you excellent ideas from breakfast to sauces. Plus, did I mention how easy they are to make? You can tell the author took great care and attention to make sure to explain why and how a vegan diet can benefit all. Have allergies? She explains ways to work around them. This book is the staple no-nonsense I have been looking for and I can’t wait to try every recipe. A+

I was a recipe tester for this book and can vouch for how delicious Diane's recipes are. The book is beautiful and nicely laid out. While I'm a longtime vegan, this book is also excellent for the new vegan who wants guidance. I've bookmarked many recipes I want to try but will definitely come back to the following recipes I have already made: Blueberry Banana Muffins, Creamy Cauliflower Soup, Fish-Free Rice Bowls, Pesto Is the Best Pasta Salad, Green Goddess Bowl, Chic'un Patties, Tex-Mex Quinoa Salad.

This is actually a big book. It's large, thick, on good paper, and just feels nice in your hands. The recipes are, as always, delicious but not-too-complicated ones that use easy-to-find ingredients. I've only had time to make a few things so far. The Curried Chickpea Wrap, Butternut Tahini Soup, and Tofu and Kimchi Sandwich. All totally delicious. The instructions are clear and informative, the photos are beautiful, and every section is well-done. I particularly like the intro chapter where Dianne talks about going vegan. I highly recommend this to new and seasoned vegan alike. There's something in this for everyone.

I just got this cookbook the other day and I can't wait to make everything in it! I have been reading and making recipes from Dianne's blog for so many years and all her recipes have always been so yummy! The cookbook features healthy vegan recipes that are full of flavor, but easy enough to make everyday. This is one of those cookbooks that you may as well leave out on the counter, otherwise, you are going to have to keep pulling it out of the bookcase. Each recipe includes tips which is always helpful! The recipes don't have hard to find ingredients and they are simple recipes you would want to make both daily (Cheesy Quinoa Casserole) and on special occasions (Lemon Asparagus Risotto). They are also great if you are new to vegan cooking or want to impress your non-vegan friends with how delicious vegan food can be! I would love to see more food photos in the book. All the recipes sound so good and I love food pics! However, I guess if there were a lot of pictures, the book would be HUGE since there are 175 recipes! So, probably a good call there. Pretty sure these recipes are going to be in my weekly rotation from now on.

First thing I tried was the puttanesca - I always thought it would take hours to make a thick rich pasta sauce but I was wrong. This easy to make sauce came out perfect. I'm not a vegan yet so other recipes I've seen for Puttanesca include anchovies and usually end up tasting fishy. This sauce gave me the perfect combination of saltiness from the olives and capers and and sweetness from the crushed tomatoes. I took the suggestion and replaced the lemon zest and juice with orange in the lemon loaf and made a wonderful cake. I never would have thought to put lemon on a backed potato but the lemon garlic Hasselback potatoes are amazing. This book is loaded with so many really creative recipes .

The Big Book of Vegan Cooking: 175 Recipes for a Healthy Vegan Lifestyle Paperback - February 23, 2021 The Big Book of Vegan Cooking is an easy to follow vegan cookbook. With something for everyone, this cookbook has so many delicious recipes. Some of my favorites include: Lentil Burgers Chocolate-For-Breakfast Overnight Oats I’m looking forward to trying: Pesto Pasta Chic’un Tetrazzini I highly recommend this wonderful cookbook for anyone looking for healthy vegan recipes. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this review, have a FANTASTIC day!!

Dianne has a very gentle, caring, witty and knowledgeable way of educating others about the vegan lifestyle. When you add that to 175 mouthwatering recipes, clear guidance for transitioning easily and helpfully to veganism and lastly, providing a simple plan to get you started, you have a thorough and wonderful book - which this is!

The Big Book of Vegan Cooking is, indeed, a very big book of vegan cooking. It's nearly 300 pages, and it's a pretty large-sized book in both width and length. Inside, you'll find 175 healthy vegan recipes. Author Dianne Wenz covers all the bases here with breakfasts, snacks, salads, sandwiches, bowls, vegetable mains, bean/grain mains, pasta dishes, desserts, and sauces. The recipes are simple and call for mostly whole foods. When the recipes refer to other recipes in the book, such as a sauce or homemade plant meat, there's always the option to include a storebought version of that thing (i.e. Dianne's Chic'un Patties or storebought vegan chicken patties). I love recipes like that, because sometimes, I want to be lazy, and sometimes, I want to go all out and make all the things. I made two recipes from the book. First, the Tofu Rancheros. This savory breakfast dish features a tomato-heavy tofu scramble that's seasoned with chili powder and nooch and served with warm corn tortillas. Perfect for a fancy week day breakfast or a lazy Sunday brunch. Last week, I tried the White Bean Shakshuka. This was in the Spill the Beans chapter on bean and grain mains, but it doubles as a breakfast option since it's based on the traditional North African shakshuka breakfast. Pan-fried tofu stands in for the eggs that are traditionally included in this dish. They're served over a bowl of white beans with tomatoes, bell pepper, spinach, and lots of spices. I love a whole foods-based dish like this! So satisfying! Other recipes I want to make from this book include Mac & Cheese Soup (!!!!), Taco Casserole, Mushroom Wellington, Broccoli Bac'un Pizza, and Spaghetti Pie. Also, the Lemon Tahini Cookies look DOPE!

I love so many things about this cookbook! To begin, Dianne offers a warm welcome with stories from her own experience of going vegetarian and then vegan. She then provides a well thought out and organized chapter that serves as a crash course for new vegans. I found this chapter to be very well written with just enough information and tips/tricks to help those who are just beginning their vegan journey or as a reminder for long time vegans - the one-page "Vegan Nutrition" section is a one-page goldmine! As usual, Dianne delivers many fantastic recipes, clearly written and clearly labeled. I love simple savory recipes, and this book makes it so easy for me to find the 30-minute (or less) and One Pot meals. Also, the Gluten Free recipes are clearly labeled, which is very helpful for me. Some of my favorites are: Tofu Florentine, Broccoli in Cheese Sauce, Butternut Tahini Soup, Spicy Green Bean Stir Fry, Spaghetti Pie, Peanut Noodles, Ginger Scallion Noodles, and Oodles of Tahini Noodles. In fact, as a self-proclaimed Noodleaholic, my favorite chapter in the book, "Use Your Noodle," contains 18 awesome noodle and pasta recipes! I am still cooking my way through that chapter. I have not made any of the desserts, but have my eye on the Rice Pudding, Cowgirl Cookies, No Bake Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, and Magic Cookie Bars. This big book is a vegan keeper!

I really like this cookbook. It’s laid out simply, with information on the why’s and how’s of good, healthy, and delicious food. There’s a section on nutrition, what you need in your kitchen – really just basic items, tips for transitioning if you’re new to plant-based cooking, and an array (lots!) of choices for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and a nice section on get togethers. Also some basic sauces for flavor boosts. The recipes are easy for even the most novice cook. The Ginger Scallion Noodles are quick and tasty (love using ramen noodles); Oodles of Tahini Noodles is plentiful and satisfying (udon or soba noodles); White Bean Cottage Pie is perfectly proportioned balancing vegetables and beans with a crusty potato top; Cheesy Quinoa Casserole went together really fast and an easy bake (yummy). All of these meals served if you like with a salad and/or a crusty loaf of bread fuel your body with great taste and good nutrition. So many more recipes I need to get to. Dianne knows her stuff and I’m happy she’s sharing it here.

I have been a huge fan of Dianne and her cookbooks/recipes for ages now. I have loved everything I've made from her previous cookbooks. I like the size and feel of the book in my hand. I immediately flipped through the book and marked dozens of recipes to try. First up was her Chimichurri recipe. It was so flavorful. I put it on everything for the next 3 days. Her recipes are accessible to practically anyone no matter where you live and will please vegans and non vegans. My non-vegan Mom ended up buying a copy. I don't think she's ever purchased a vegan cookbook for herself! I was graciously provided with a free review copy.

I’m always happy to find vegan new cookbooks, so I was excited to check this one out. Here’s where it let me down. For me, there needs to be photos to tempt, tease and instruct, this book didn’t have them. I also wished more vegan cookbooks would embrace alternatives to cane sugar, since that is part of my personal healthy diet journey. That being said, if these aren’t your gotchas, then you’ll enjoy this book.

This is one of the best vegan books I have reviewed. The recipes are great in that 1. they are easy to prepare 2. they don't require loads of exotic ingredients 3. they actually are stuff that people want to eat. I am not even vegan and love this book. As far as layout goes, it is well presented. I do wish there were a few more photos, but I am still giving this 5 stars. This would make a nice gift.

What I love most about The Big Book of Vegan cookbook is that I didn’t feel intimidated by it. The recipes are no-nonsense and easy-to-follow and they require everyday ingredients, most of which I already have on hand. No obscure ingredients that will go to waste after using them once. It’s a great cookbook if you’re a new vegan or a seasoned one like me and want to eat delicious healthy vegan meals without a lot of fuss. I appreciated the helpful sections throughout the book like sample menus for events, a 2-week meal plan, and a chapter named Beginnings to get started. Every recipe includes tips like ingredient substitutions, variations, and techniques that turn my meal preparations into no-brainers. If you want to make your own staples, like I try to do sometimes, there’s a section for that too. There are so many recipes to choose from!

I am a long time vegan always on the lookout for good recipes. This book is chockful of them. Great for newbies or anyone wanting to try a healthier diet or just improve how they eat and cause less harm

This book is very exciting for me. As a personal chef I sometimes find it hard to find recipes that new or different or inspiring, but this book hits the mark! I stickied so many recipes that I'm excited to make as soon as I flipped through it. :D Can't wait to spend more time with trying them out. I received a free review copy from the publisher.

There's a little bit of everything in this wonderful book. The ingredients are accessible and the recipes are doable -- not intimidating, even for someone who is new to vegan cooking. It's a comprehensive book filled with healthier vegan alternatives to classic comfort food and so much more. It's a no-brainer to add this to your cookbook collection.

There are a lot of really tasty ideas in this book but I was disappointed in the lack of pictures. That is a personal preference because I usually decide on what to try based on how yummy it looks. It is a great cook book to have on hand especially if you are trying to have a less meat based diet

A nice basic and easy-recipe cookbook. Popular types of foods to grab people for the vegan lifestyle. This would be especially good for teens learning to cook. I didn't find any ingredients listed that would be too difficult to find in average supermarkets.