Rating: - Great for beginners
The good points of this book are loads of info on nutrition, simple to follow recipes, easy to find ingredients, and it doesn't rely much on fake meats either, unlike many other vegan cookbooks. However, being a bit more experienced at cooking, I felt it wasn't really aimed at me.
While it's certainly more of a book for beginners and is therefore ideal for any new vegan, there are still admittedly few things, though not that many, that might appeal to a more experienced cook.
I have only given it 4 out of 5, because there really should be a subtitle stating that it is a book for beginners.
Rating: - Generally a good book for beginners and more experienced Vegan cooks
This area is outside my remit, so I drafted in a Vegan friend for her comments on this book. She described it as the equivalent of `Nigella Express', i.e. fullest flavour without the effort!
Possibly not the best title for this book, as in the use of the word 'Feasts', and it is true to say that the recipes do use `Vegan' variations of ingredients, e.g.:- Vegan mayo/cheese slices/margarine, chocolate or soya milk/cream and some do advise checking the ingredients list of each product, e.g. gravy powder to check that it is meat-free.
So, perhaps, a bit of work to be done on the shopping side before commencing cooking, but worth it in the long run!
She felt that it is a good mix of recipes both for one starting out on this road, i.e. a book that includes basics to show the would-be Vegan that their diet need not consist solely of 'nut cutlets' and `lentils' and more ambitious dishes aimed at those who are well experienced and looking for a few new ideas.
Some ingredient lists are indeed `long-ish' but simply add to the overall flavour.
176 matt pages, split over 12 chapters:-
Soups
Dips
Sandwiches and Bread-based Snacks
Salads, Dressings and Appetizers
Sauces
Pastry Dishes
Pasta Dishes
Legume Dishes
Grain and Nut Dishes
Potato Dishes
Desserts
Scones, Cakes and Cookies
with an introduction, a section on `eating healthily and well', which includes notes on how to meet the daily nutritional requirements of a Vegan diet and an index.
Each chapter opens with relevant text.
Each recipe is well laid out with an opening note, the title, number of servings, list of ingredients and the method.
On the negative side there are line illustrations throughout but NO photographs which may prove slightly negative to those who enjoy that side of a cookery book.
Rating: - very disappointing - if you already cook
This is a very BASIC cookbook - eg. a whole section on pasta with basic tomato and veg style sauces. Most things - cakes, dips etc just substitute vegan margarine or rice/soy milk for the dairy alternative. I found it Really dull and have not cooked anything from it. I have to say though, that I am in my 40's and quite a keen cook - so if you are a teen or new to cooking it could be a good basic starter text to get you going . I bought the book to get new ideas for my vegan teen based on the amazon reviews and wished I had looked at it in a shop first.
Rating: - Not so simple
I have not been enticed into actually cooking something from this book yet I'm afraid. As such I may not be the best reviewee. However, if you're looking for simplistic recipes this is not the book for you. The recipes include far too many ingredients in my opinion. An example of this is the "spring rolls with dipping sauce" it lists 20 ingredients. This book also has no pictures which may prove highly important to some.
Rating: - absolutely essential vegan cook book
this book is essential to all vegans, and anyone who might ever want to cook vegan food. all the recipes are simple, ingredients can be found in any supermarket, and they're foolproof! lots of old veggie faves such as lasagne, hummus and various salad. also many more interesting recipes. also has some great recipes for vegan cakes that don't taste as if they're vegan!