Vegan Planet Cookbook--What Are Your Faves?
Posted by willwolf on Aug 24, 2007 · Member since Apr 2003 · 596 posts
I recently got a copy of Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson. I just tried my first recipe today, Mediterranean Lima Bean Salad with Grape Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, and Marinated Tofu (p. 116). I thought it was really tasty and simple and makes a nice, different summertime salad. I've already marked a bunch of recipes that I'd like to try including Lasagna Primavera, Ultimate Shepherd's Pie, African Sweet Potato and Peanut Stew, Vermicelli, Chickpeas, and Vegetables with Creamy Curry Sauce, and Tahini Rotini with Broccoli and Lemon. Has anyone tried any of these recipes? Do you have any other favorites from this cookbook that I should be sure and try? Thanks so much for your input!
Sadly, I've had this book for sometime but am so intimidated by its size. I never know where to start.
I also know that this exact same topic was brought up on the ppk site (www.theppk.com) and many listed their favorite recipes. It's under The Kitchen Forum.
Good Luck!!!
My favorite recipe is on the page 128. The Five spice Moroccan Couscous Salad ( sometimes I use rice)! I make it many times and Love it! I think it is not just the Moroccan spice, the secret ingredient is the orange juice. It goes with the spice so well.
When I first purchased this book, I seriously read it cover to cover. Admittedly, I haven't made too, too many of the recipes (I tend to throw my own concoctions together), but many of them are great starting points.
The Yellow Split Pea soup on pg 81 is really good - I've made it both as is, and switched up the spices. The miso soup on pg 76 is basic, and quite tasty - my husband quite enjoyed it, and actually mentioned craving it (it's easily been months since he's had it).
I've made the basic pizza crust with really good results.
I love baking, so I've also tried: Banana Split Tea Bread - mmmm..the texture of this one was really awesome. A perfect "tea bread." The Skillet Cornbread was also good, though I didn't make it in the skillet. The Irish soda bread was a staple for a while, based on the simplicity of the recipe, and how basic it is: it goes with every meal! Finally, the Molasses bread with walnuts and raisins: wonderful. Seriously.
Thanks for reminding me that I have this book, and that I need to use it. Just flipping through it now, I was reminded of how awesome it is - most of the ingredients are handy, and there generally aren't a bajillion steps to follow.
My family most often makes the Tuscan pasta recipe with chickpeas. The peanut butter brownies are also really good, although I make them with almond butter and almond flavoring instead. We also especially like the mushroom pizza, the black bean chili with cilantro pesto, and the barbecue tempeh with bell peppers.
The other night we made the ginger lime dipping sauce (with some modifications) to use as a salad dressing and that turned out very well too.
Robin Robertson is my favorite cookbook author! I also have her crockpot cookbook and use that one frequently.
Thanks so much for the replies everyone! Keep 'em coming! Today, I tried another recipe from VP. I wanted something relatively quick for a late lunch, and I decided to make the Not-So-Dirty Rice (p. 232). This rice dish is pretty tasty, so easy to prepare, and makes a ton. Another plus, is that I usually have all of the ingredients on hand. The only things I changed were to use brown rice instead of white, and I made a little more as I had a bit more of the veggie crumbles and rice to use up. I added extra of the seasonings to make up for adding more rice and crumbles, and I like food on the spicy side. Oh, and I also subbed Frank's Red Hot for the Tabasco.
Meikmeika, I'll be sure to search over on PPK, also. Thanks!
Doughbunny, I've added the Five Spice Moroccan Couscous Salad to my list. Thanks!
Tofu.Is.For.Lovers, thanks for the soup and bread suggestions. I'll definitely be getting more into those as fall approaches and the weather cools down. I really want to try the Irish Soda Bread. I'll be sure to check into the pizza dough, as I'm always willing to eat pizza. Man, that Banana-Split Tea Bread sounds fantastic. Thanks!
Vegan-Dancer, that Tuscan-Style Pasta with Chickpeas, Zucchini, and Rosemary sounds delicious. It's going on my list. The Ginger-Lime Dipping Sauce sounds great, also. Really, everything you mentioned sounds good. I'm taking notes. Thanks!
i like the chick pea and artichoke stew yum
Is this the official Vegan Planet thread?
I made the cumin scented sesame flatbread, and turned them into tortillas! I didn't have sesame seeds..so I started making them and sprinkling them with the cumin...but then I realized I just wanted to do "plain" tortillas. They are better than other tortillas that I've made. ;)b
I love the za'atar lentil patties. They are very delicious and the coconut curry sauce that goes with them is also very good. Even though there are two major steps in making the patties they come together very easily and are good to make ahead to fry up at the last minute and they are even good eaten cold the next day.
We love the lebanese bread salad pg 11, gold and balck bean salad pg 115, use the pizza recipe for dough in here, but the sauce is from another cookbook that I can't remember right now. We made the shedded vegetable fritters p213 once, good, but abit time consumiing by hand and so we haven't made them again. Hoisin braised baby bok choy and shiitake mushroom p197 is good too, but make sure you wash the boy choy really good. >:( Roasted sesame asparagus p192 is great! Oh we've made the Polenta with Red bean and fresh tomato salas, pg 227, good, but we liked it better without the salsa being cooked. Five spiced Portobello Satays p 54 is good, but little too spicy for me.
There were a few that we tried, but didn't like. I think it might have been my cooking, but I know my dh doesn't like some flavors together so that could've been it.
I think it was my first vegan cookbook, and I will keep it until it falls apart. I've been bad about not trying new things and we've hit a boring spell so I've been looking through it again. I'll have to try some of the recipes other have suggested here.
I have tried a few recipes from this book; most of them were very tasty (I may not have the names right): Seitan Stroganoff, Chipotle Mashed potatoes, Not so Dirty Rice, Hoison Baby Bok Choy; the only one I did not like was her Fettucine Alfredo remake; it was off. The Pseudo Caesar Salad is good, and I'm sure I've done others that I just can't remember right now.
I really like this cookbook. So far we have tried...
Gold and Black Bean Salad (pg 115)
I think this is my favorite recipe in the book. I would rate this a 5 out of 5.
Tuscan - Style Pasta with Chickpeas, Zucchini, and Rosemary (pg 250)
This was good, although I thought it lacked a little something. I would rate it 4 out of 5.
Tahini Rotini with Broccoli and Lemon (pg 254)
Absolutely delish. 5 out of 5
Vermicelli, Chickpeas, and Vegetables with Creamy Curry Sauce (pg 264)
Took a few bites to get used to the coconut flavor, but it won me over. Also need to cut down the curry powder, but apparently I'm a wimp with heat. 4.5 out of 5
Zucchini Stuffed with Corn, Tomatoes, and Dill (pg 406)
This was good but I thought it was rather time consuming. Seemed to be needing something to give it a kick. 3.5 out of 5
Holy moly.....the tempeh goulash, I think it is called. It is a creamy and tangy casserole type thing. So goooooood. Calls for vegan sour cream, but I use plain soy yogurt and add poppyseeds. I use the mini lasagna noodles.
Good stuff. Soul food for (people raised) Lutherans.
My husband and I just made Indian Style lentil soup it was great. Havent made anything we didnt like from this cookbook
Also made and enjoyed
Three bean dal
Spicy Black bean and salsa pizza
Broccoli rabe and white bean pizza
Ultimate veggie buger
thai peanut-burger wraps
Apple Cinnamon french toast
flax-berry pancakes
I really love this cookbook. when I first purchased it, I was a little intimidated by the recipes. But every one we tried worked out great(without being difficult) Looking forward to trying more.
Last night I made the Red Bean Cakes with Coconut Sauce and was underwhelmed. The bean cakes did not have a lot of structure to them and verged on falling apart in the pan. I think that is supposed to be okay since the coconut sauce goes over them. The flavor was bland. We really enjoy the Za'atar-spiced lentil patties, which are in a different chapter. I have a bunch of bean patty recipes I like better than these so I probably won't be making them again.
I made the coconut soup from this last night, and it was sooooo easy. And it tasted surprisingly like what you would get in a Thai restaurant without having to buy lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves.
I highly recommend it.
Made BAKED SWEET POTATO AND GREEN PEA SAMOSAS about a month ago for a card party everyone liked them. My husband recommended using a white potato the next time (since he prefers white over sweet potato) So last week I took a batch made with regular potatoes to a christmas party and the only thing I brought back was the empty dish. So although good with sweet potatoes........my husband gives two thumbs up to regular potatoes in the samosas.
I love the corn muffin recipe-- soo good with some natural organic peanut or almond butter on top!!
Sadly, I've had this book for sometime but am so intimidated by its size. I never know where to start.
I also know that this exact same topic was brought up on the ppk site (www.theppk.com) and many listed their favorite recipes. It's under The Kitchen Forum.
Good Luck!!!
Don't be intimidated!!!!! It looks scary, but the recipes are sooo good and SOOOO easy to make!!! It's the last cookbook I bought, but the first I use consistently!
Last week I made the Thai Marinade and used it to bake tofu. Instead of marinating the tofu and then separately baking the tofu on a cookie sheet (without the marinade), I poured the marinade over the tofu and baked it together for an hour, turning a couple of times, until most of the marinade was gone.
The marinade is delicious and easy to make and a bit different. Although the method I used worked well (one batch of marinade for two pounds of tofu), I think that in the future I will try to plan ahead and use the method suggested in the book.
Last week I made the Thai Marinade and used it to bake tofu. Instead of marinating the tofu and then separately baking the tofu on a cookie sheet (without the marinade), I poured the marinade over the tofu and baked it together for an hour, turning a couple of times, until most of the marinade was gone.
The marinade is delicious and easy to make and a bit different. Although the method I used worked well (one batch of marinade for two pounds of tofu), I think that in the future I will try to plan ahead and use the method suggested in the book.
Which marinade is it? From which recipe?
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I've compiled the Vegan Planet reviews here: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=26437.0. I've been neglecting this book for over a year, and I want to use it more! I'm sure more recipes have been made, but I only found the few reviews here. I'm happy to add more reviews to the compilation thread. :)
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