The official Party Vegan review thread (to be updated).
Add your reviews for Robin Robertson's Party Vegan here, and they will be added to the list. Thanks to Erin for handing over this recipe list!
Anytime Gatherings
A Dinner Party Italian with a Twist
Artichoke Tapenade
Yummy! This is extremely simple and very flavorful. I just did some modifications, to taste, and reduced the capers by a bit and increased the lemon juice a bit. We both really liked it, and it took about 15 minutes. I'd make this again, especially for a party/gathering with dips. (AC)
Sun Dried Tomato and Green Olive Biscotti
As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. I was unsure how a savoury biscotti would come out - really well as it tuns out. I loved the combo of flavours and am defini:tely making these again. However, my biscotti didn't come out crisp enough after the stated baking time and I ended up cooking them for the second time for over twice as long as called for. So maybe next time I'd do a longer first bake and see what happens. A winner of a recipe. (shelloid)
Butterhead and Radicchio Salad with Walnut Pesto Dressing
Wild Mushroom Ragu over Polenta
Orange Kissed Chocolate Tiramisu
This cake is really worth the effort. The flavor combination is just amazing. We don't usually make desserts. So the 6-8 servings is probably more 8-10 by our scale. (nickandnora)
Crowd Control Moroccan Station
Fava Bean Hummus
Smoky Baba Ghanoush
Spiced Pita Dippers
Mini Falafel
Good falafel! I didn't have any cilantro to add for the parsley, so I just tried to up the dried herbs. By the recipe, the mixture was way too crumbly in the processor. There was no liquid added! I added about a lemon's worth juice and still a splash of water. I might have added a bit too much water because they were slightly fragile when frying. But with no liquid in the ingredients, I don't see how they would come together otherwise. I only had like 1 crumble, so it wasn't a big deal. The flavor is good, and texture was almost there. (AC)
Stuffed Dates
Crowd Control Japanese Station
Edamame
Japanese Pancakes
Teriyaki Shiitake Sticks
Sushi Rice Balls
Gingered Crab Cups with Wasabi Cream Cheese
Crowd Control Antipasto Station
Antipasto Skewers
Mini Focaccia with Tapenade
Very delicious! Much better than I expected. I thought the focaccia might come out a bit plain with an off texture, but it had a nice flavor, and excellent texture-puffy and light. Very cute. The tapenade was pretty much perfect. I used mostly kalamata, but a few Spanish green to fill out the rest. Will make these again. P loved them. (AC)
Zucchini Cups with Tomato Concasse
Arugula and White Bean Crostini
Pesto Stuffed Baby Potatoes
Crowd Control Dessert Station
Coconut Snowballs
Cherry Pecan Bars
Italian Wedding Cookies
Chocolate Chunk Blondies
Strawberries Dipped in Chocolate
A Picnic Lunch
Southern Fried Seitan
best version I've ever had. (Tamasin)
Fingerling Potato Salad with Pan Fried Arugula Pesto
Chilled and Dilled Green Beans
Caramel Almond Oat Bars
Effortless Potluck
Spiced Chickpea and Couscous Pilaf
Very Veggie Lasagna
Two Potato Shepherds Pie
this was great! I used a bag of frozen mixed veggies in addition to the onions and mushrooms...liked both potato topping sections equally. Andy actually went back for seconds, which is rare. (erinmonster)
We made this after seeing the positive review from erinmonster5. It IS great. Frozen veg worked very well. The recipe is listed as a "Potluck" recipe, but the leftovers were really good. So we would definitely make this for guests or just for busy weeks when we want leftovers in the fridge. We will make this again. (nickandnora)
Antipasto Rice
Creamy Noodle and Vegetable Bake
I had some weird amateur user errors with this casserole, but that's nothing against the recipe. I ended up with something a bit different, but still using all the same components (but left off breadcrumbs). I just couldn't get my sauce quite right, but the flavor profile is definitely solid and comforting. I would think that this would be good for a potluck type thing. (AC)
Just Desserts
Chocolate Lovers Brownies
Pine Nut Anise Cookies
Ginger Spice Cupcakes
Pistachio Dusted Chocolate Raspberry Truffles
Fresh Berry Tartlets
Fresh Fruit with Two Dips
A Child's Birthday Party
It's My Party Mix
Personal Pizzas
Mutant Ants on a Log
Build Your Own Ice Cream Sundaes
A Teen Party
Baked Potato Skins
Five Story Bean Dip
Seitan Buffalo Wingz
I used the breading, sauce, and baking recipes/techniques, but I subbed tempeh for the seitan. These were great! I've been looking for a mild buffalo sauce that doesn't contain cayenne, and this is the only recipe I've found. It's great, perfect for people who can't handle hot stuff like me! (lebkuchen)
Ultimate Taco Bar
Everyone's Favorite Ice Cream Cake
A Tapas Table
Patatas Bravas
Spanish Orange Salad
Sherried Mushrooms
Olive and Caper Stuffer Cherry Tomatoes
Garlic Chickpeas and Spinach
Super simple but yummy. I think it's key to have a broth that you like and season well with salt and pepper. I made this just as is, and we thought it was great with crostini. It would be good for a party, because it takes no time to make, and is all around tasty and healthy. I might just squirt some Bragg's in next time, and decided that I will smear my crostini with garlic in the future for this. (AC)
Chinese New Year
Pearl Balls
Hot and Sour Soup
Pan Fried Sesame Noodles and Broccoli
Brown Rice with Pineapple and Green Onions
Caramelized Tofu
really tasty. (Tamasin)
Szechwan Green Beans and Shallots
Curry for Company
Curried Pakora Puffs
Mixed Vegetable Curry
I used a bit less curry powder (2 tsp vs 3 tsp), frozen green beans, and subbed 8-oz of sliced baby bellas and 1 chopped red bell pepper for the cauliflower. This was really good and very flavorful. I had it over brown basmati rice, which was nice. (lebkuchen)
Spinach Flecked Chapati
Mango Mint Chutney
Coconut Basmati Rice with Cashews
Cardamon Rice Pudding
Holiday Gatherings
A Super Bowl Party
Olivecado Dip
Finger lickin Tempeh Fingers
Super Slaw
Devil's Details Chili
Confetti Corn Muffins
Man Size Chocolate Chip Cookies
Loved them. Great texture! (Tamasin)
These are great! I was pretty sure they would be good after mixing up the dough..it looked like a good dough. I used all AP flour. They have quite a bit of EB, but hey...they are cookies. The flavor is very good. Classic, and not too rich. The texture is soft. I don't like the name, but I do love the cookies. Maybe my fave choc. chip! I don't think I got 2 dozen...but maybe kinda close. I'd make these again. I baked both batches 15 minutes. (AC)
I don't like the title either, especially because a woman like me just ate six of them in one sitting. But I do love the taste. The combination of unbleached white flour and whole wheat pastry flour give the dough just the right texture, chewy with crispy bottoms and golden tops. The brown sugar melds wonderfully with the Earth Balance for that buttery, caramelized taste. Chocolate chip-to-cookie dough ratio is perfect. 15 minutes in the oven is just right. If you use a darker baking sheet you might want to pull them out of the oven a little earlier, unless you like darker, crispier cookies. Best baked on a chilly night, and enjoyed right of the oven with a cup of soymilk to dunk them in. (saskia)
Be My Valentine Dinner for Two
Chickpea Artichoke Bites with Rosemary Aioli
I made the aioli to go with the falafel bites. (no artichoke bites) The aioli is great! Anything with vegenaise is probably going to be great.. I decreased the rosemary slightly because I didn't want it to be strong with the falafel, but it's delicious. Very, very quick and a yummy sauce. (AC)
Red Bliss Potato and Fennel Soup
Pastry Wrapped Seitan Roulades with Spinach Mushroom Duxuelles
Heart Beet Rosti
Sauteed Rainbow Chard with Balsamic Drizzle
Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
St. Patrick's Day Menu
Pea Green Soup
Whiskey and Soda Bread
Shamrock Vegetable Salad
Colcannon Topped Irish Stew
Creamy Lime Pistachio Parfaits
Phat Tuesday Party
Collard and Red Bean Fritters
Remoulade Sauce
Smoke and Spice Jambalaya
Grits 'n' Greens
Pastry Wrapped Bananas Foster
Passover
Cousin Jenny's Matzo Ball Soup
Roasted Eggplant and Potato Torta
Lemon Scented Asparagus Bundles
Apple Pecan Haroset
Fruit Crisp with Matzo Crumb Topping
Cinco De Mayo Celebration
Spinach Potato Quesadillas
Awesome! I love chipotle and potatoes together - always! (erinmonster)
Chorizo en Croute
Seitan Enchiladas with Mole Poblano
Romaine and Avocado Salad with Cilantro Cumin Vinaigrette
I'm not sure I like avocado in my salad. Or maybe I was just being picky the night I made this, but I didn't care for it. And the dressing wasn't very flavorful - tasted like olive oil. (erinmonster)
We liked it! I definitely like avocado in my salad. I like avocado in most things. I modified the dressing slightly by cutting a down a bit on the oil and increasing the lime. I also added some water. I thought the dressing had quite a bit of flavor, but I did add quite a bit of lime. I think the olives would be way too much added to the salad with the dressing. I just did lettuce, tomato, and plenty of avocado. Nice, light, and enjoyable. (AC)
Tres Leches Cupcakes
Mother's Day Brunch
Strawberry Carpaccio with Balsamic Syrup
Asparagus Quiche Me Not
Tempeh Bacon Triangles
Chai Spiced Muffins
Chocolate Pots de Creme
Father's Day Cookout
Spicy Smoky BBQ Ribs
these were weird. I didn't care for the texture - the seitan was really spongy, too spongy. And the tomato flavor in the sauce was overpowering. Didn't really taste like BBQ sauce - it was kinda like I added pasta sauce to BBQ sauce - it was just weird. (erinmonster)
Vegetable Dippers with Ranch Dressing
Foil Roasted Corn and Potatoes
Grilled Vegetable Skewers
Blueberry Peach Cobbler
A Fourth of July Celebration
Mini Blue Corn Pancakes with Chipotle Streaked Sour Cream
Independence Burgers
We really liked these burgers a lot because they have good texture without being too heavy on the wheat gluten. The balance of flavors is surprising for such a simple recipe. We made them again and added a couple of chipotles in adobo. Again, really easy and enjoyable. From now on we will double this recipe and keep some in the freezer. Tamisin is right about how useful this book is for everyday cooking. The recipes we've tried hold up on their own. It's a party book, but it definitely isn't just a party book. (nickandnora)
Three Potato Salad
Herbed Vegetable Salad
Mixed Berry Crumble
Halloween
Black Olive Tapenade with Carrot Sticks and Orange Bell Pepper Strips
Black Bean and Butternut Chili
Savory Pumpkin Muffins with Black Sesame Seeds
Black Rice Salad
Orange Carrot Cake with Dark Chocolate Icing
Simply Stuffed Thanksgiving Dinner
Chestnut Bisque
Buttercup Squash Stuffed with Wild Rice, Shiitakes and Caramelized Leeks
Pan Gravy
Roasted Autumn Vegetables
Cranberry Apple Relish
Pecan Pumpkin Pie
Christmas
Mixed Greens with Caramelized Walnuts and Balsamic Pear Vinaigrette
Porcini Stuffed Seitan with Wild Mushroom Sauce
a knockout. (Tamasin)
Herb Mashed Potatoes
Wilted Baby Spinach with Dried Cranberries
Spiced Two Apple Tart with Cider Creme
Hanukkah
Baby Greens with Lemony Vinaigrette
Quinoa Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Wine Braised Shallots
Potato Latkes with Cranberry Apple Relish
Tarragon Green Beans with Toasted Pine Nuts
Chocolate Raspberry Rugalach
New Year's Eve A-List
Spinach Phyllo Cigars with Walnuts and Figs
Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms
Truffled White Bean Hummus
Polenta Crostini with Eggplant Tapenade
Pastry Wrapped Stuffed Cherry Peppers
Two Potato Shepherds Pie - this was great! I used a bag of frozen mixed veggies in addition to the onions and mushrooms...liked both potato topping sections equally. Andy actually went back for seconds, which is rare. (erin)
Romaine and Avocado Salad with Cilantro Cumin Vinaigrette - I'm not sure I like avocado in my salad. Or maybe I was just being picky the night I made this, but I didn't care for it. And the dressing wasn't very flavorful - tasted like olive oil. (erin)
Spinach Potato Quesadillas - Awesome! I love chipotle and potatoes together - always! (erin)
Spicy Smoky BBQ Ribs - these were weird. I didn't care for the texture - the seitan was really spongy, too spongy. And the tomato flavor in the sauce was overpowering. Didn't really taste like BBQ sauce - it was kinda like I added pasta sauce to BBQ sauce - it was just weird. (erin)
Two Potato Shepherds Pie
We made this after seeing the positive review from erinmonster5. It IS great. Frozen veg worked very well. The recipe is listed as a "Potluck" recipe, but the leftovers were really good. So we would definitely make this for guests or just for busy weeks when we want leftovers in the fridge. We will make this again.
Orange-Kissed Chocolate Tiramisu
This cake is really worth the effort. The flavor combination is just amazing. We don't usually make desserts. So the 6-8 servings is probably more 8-10 by our scale.
I was fortunate in being a tester for this book and thought I'd throw out a few of my favorites.
We loved the Man Sized Chocolate Chip Cookies- great texture! The Caramelized Tofu is really tasty. The Southern Fried Seitan is the best version I've ever had. The Porcini Stuffed Seitan is a knockout.
I think the title of this book is a little misleading. There are so many great recipes for any time cooking. These really aren't just 'party' recipes.
I just learned that I won this book in her giveaway! Yay!
Awesome AC...you definitely need more cookbooks. LOL
Awesome AC...you definitely need more cookbooks. LOL
Hey! You're one to talk!! ;)
You need more so you can catch up with me!
I just learned that I won this book in her giveaway! Yay!
oh wow, lucky!! : )
I just learned that I won this book in her giveaway! Yay!
oh wow, lucky!! : )
Yeah! I actually had forgotten about it, and didn't go back to the blog, so she messaged me on fb because she heard I might have been the one who won (with name Allychristine). : )
Romaine and Avocado Salad with Cilantro Cumin Vinaigrette
We liked it! I definitely like avocado in my salad. I like avocado in most things. I modified the dressing slightly by cutting a down a bit on the oil and increasing the lime. I also added some water. I thought the dressing had quite a bit of flavor, but I did add quite a bit of lime. I think the olives would be way too much added to the salad with the dressing. I just did lettuce, tomato, and plenty of avocado. Nice, light, and enjoyable.
Artichoke Tapenade
Yummy! This is extremely simple and very flavorful. I just did some modifications, to taste, and reduced the capers by a bit and increased the lemon juice a bit. We both really liked it, and it took about 15 minutes. I'd make this again, especially for a party/gathering with dips.
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/205425_10150537056555533_507120532_18157513_7295356_n.jpg
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/215619_10150537064915533_507120532_18157558_4314344_n.jpg
independence burgers
We really liked these burgers a lot because they have good texture without being too heavy on the wheat gluten.
The balance of flavors is surprising for such a simple recipe. We made them again and added a couple of chipotles in adobo. Again, really easy and enjoyable. From now on we will double this recipe and keep some in the freezer.
Tamisin is right about how useful this book is for everyday cooking. The recipes we've tried hold up on their own. It's a party book, but it definitely isn't just a party book.
Garlic Chickpeas and Spinach
Super simple but yummy. I think it's key to have a broth that you like and season well with salt and pepper. I made this just as is, and we thought it was great with crostini. It would be good for a party, because it takes no time to make, and is all around tasty and healthy. I might just squirt some Bragg's in next time, and decided that I will smear my crostini with garlic in the future for this.
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/216556_10150545512935533_507120532_18249902_7421405_n.jpg
Pulled out my copy of Party Vegan today, planning for Passover this week. Looked at the cover with the recent VN scandal fresh in my mind, and decided to do a little research. Checking Getty Images and StockFood turned up every photo on the cover of the book. The ice cream sundae isn't vegan. The tarts in the lower right-hand corner are made with cheese, as are the kebabs in the upper left-hand corner. The image of the chocolates isn't labeled as vegan, therefore said chocolates are almost certainly dairy-laden. This isn't the first of Robertson's books to have a deceptive cover, as Vegan on the Cheap has feta on the cover. How disappointing.
Pulled out my copy of Party Vegan today, planning for Passover this week. Looked at the cover with the recent VN scandal fresh in my mind, and decided to do a little research. Checking Getty Images and StockFood turned up every photo on the cover of the book. The ice cream sundae isn't vegan. The tarts in the lower right-hand corner are made with cheese, as are the kebabs in the upper left-hand corner. The image of the chocolates isn't labeled as vegan, therefore said chocolates are almost certainly dairy-laden. This isn't the first of Robertson's books to have a deceptive cover, as Vegan on the Cheap has feta on the cover. How disappointing.
This is really, really unbelievable - not that I blame Robin Robertson per se, but I feel completely taken advantage of by these publishers or whomever is ultimately responsible. Part of why I buy a book (any book) is because of what the cover presents as representing the contents of the book. Pictures of food on the cover that doesn't represent the recipes is false advertising and deceptive. It's just plain wrong, period.
R.R. has confirmed to me that it's a publisher thing, but I don't know anymore beyond that.
This is unbelievable. I would say having it happen twice pretty much rules out the theory that it was somebody else's fault. If she was opposed to it and it happened once, she could have made sure it didn't happen again. You know what they say, fool me once...
It's a shame because I like the style of her recipes a lot better than some other vegan cookbook authors, and I was thinking about trying and buying a couple of her other cookbooks. The Vegan on the Cheap thing threw me for a loop, but the fact that it has happened twice really makes me question her integrity.
Non-vegan photos aside, I really do strongly believe that if you're going to have a photo of food on the cover of your cookbook, it should be from a recipe that's in the book.
This is unbelievable. I would say having it happen twice pretty much rules out the theory that it was somebody else's fault. If she was opposed to it and it happened once, she could have made sure it didn't happen again. You know what they say, fool me once...
It's a shame because I like the style of her recipes a lot better than some other vegan cookbook authors, and I was thinking about trying and buying a couple of her other cookbooks. The Vegan on the Cheap thing threw me for a loop, but the fact that it has happened twice really makes me question her integrity.
Non-vegan photos aside, I really do strongly believe that if you're going to have a photo of food on the cover of your cookbook, it should be from a recipe that's in the book.
Yes, it is quite strange. I don't understand!
I could not agree more. It makes me really uncomfortable and unhappy.
Robin's response to the stock photos issue.
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