Cookbooks Galore!
Lunch was SO satisfying today! I think the keys to a satisfying lunch are:
- Lots of high-fiber, low-calorie parts (fruits and veggies)
- Whole grains and protein
- Something to CRUNCH
- Something warm
- Something cold
- Something I can eat with my hands
- Something sweet to end it with
This lunch fulfilled all my requirements in a delicious way!
I stuck a veggie burger on a whole wheat English Muffin… but the burger was a bit too large for the muffin! 
Plus, cucumbers and a carrot:
And a bowl of grapes:
And a date for dessert.
The publishers of the new PETA’s Vegan College Cookbook sent me an advanced copy of the book to read and review.
This is my second vegan cookbook (the first is Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan). My problem with ED&BV is that the recipes are way too complicated and require all these strange-sounding ingredients that I’ve never heard of. As a result, I think I’ve made 1 thing from ED&BV.
Now, PETA’s Vegan College Cookbook intended audience is clearly college students who do not have access to an oven and are cooking on their own for the first time. As a result, the recipes and ingredients are very simplistic.
In fact, most of the recipes are almost TOO simple. A recipe for a PB and Banana Sammie?! Seriously? (There’s also a recipe for a bagel with vegan cream cheese and jelly… I kid you not.)
However, the book does have some strong points, like a list of suggested vegan items to stock your college kitchen with:
I saw about 10 recipes (out of the 275) that struck me as interesting and potential yummy, including one for Fake Blondies.
Plus, it’s filled with fun vegetarian/vegan facts!
In conclusion…. if you’re looking for a simple cookbook to give a recent high school graduate who is interesting in maintaining a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle while at college, this book would be an excellent choice. If you’re looking for a vegan cookbook that is a bit more challenging, PETA’s Vegan College Cookbook is not the book you need.
What’s your favorite cookbook?
Posted by: Caitlin 36 comments
Posted in: All Posts
on May 6th, 2009 at 9:42 am
great lunch! I don’t know that I have one favorite cookbook, but I have used the basic Betty Crocker one the most. I find a lot of recipes online, on the food network, etc.
your chocolates are on their way
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on May 6th, 2009 at 9:48 am
The ABS power diet has great recipes too!
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on May 6th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Lunch looks yummy! I don’t think I have a favorite cookbook, all the ones I currently have are from my pre-vegetarian days so I never use them because I have to alter them so much. Thanks for the cookbook review, I have been debating on getting that one. I think I might just for some quick simple dinner or lunch ideas. I have been in a salad rut for lunch for weeks now!
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on May 6th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Nice lunch! I agree with your requirement list for a good lunch!
I love recipe books!
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:01 am
Interesting review of the recipe book, I have had some issues with those type of books and lifestyle because I feel like I can’t eat anything, since I don’t eat lettuce. but I def. see how you make it work, I’ll have to look into it, and just disregard the peanut butter banana sandwich… ha ha
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:07 am
Huh…I loved the Eat, Drink, Be Vegan cookbook! I checked it out of the library and had to return it before I could make too many things but I had about 15 recipes flagged to make! It did call for things like spelt flour but I subbed it. I thought the Super-Charge-Me cookies are fantastic and the Popeye Pasta is yummy too!
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:12 am
That cook book looks really cute!
I wouldn’t mind getting my hands on it!
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:14 am
There’s a recipe for Pistachios in a cookbook I bought recenty (the Flexitarian Diet). The ingredients? 50 pistachios in shell…seriously.
I have a bunch of cookbooks but some of the best recipes I’ve used are from cookinglight.com.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:26 am
Thanks for the review! I think the balance for me is not too
simple versus not too complicated..How it All
Vegan is awesome for that.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Haha, we had the same lunch today, only I didn’t have grapes
I agree with the meal criteria. Thanks for the review of the cookbook. I really like The Biggest Loser cookbook because a lot of the recipes are for 1-2 servings and easy to make.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:31 am
Haha that PB&banana recipe is funny! I really like "The Food You Crave" cookbook by Ellie Krieger. Every recipe uses healthy, fresh food and there are great pictures!
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Fake blondies? I made Chickpea Blondies last month and they were seriously amazing. Now that I think of it, they probably were vegan!
Betty Crocker Whole Grains is my all time favorite cookbook, I think I’ve made 2/3 of the recipes in there and I’m not finished yet.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:36 am
Lunch looks delicious!
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Lunch looks yummy!! I just bought this cookbook to try out. I bought it on Amazon and for $15 I couldn’t pass it up. If I don’t like it, I can pass it on!
My all time favorite recipe book is one my grandmother gave me. She gave it to me for Christmas 08 and it was homemade. All the recipes were family tradition recipes. It was really sweet!
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:47 am
Cool! I think I’ll check that out at the library.
I have sooo many favorite cookbooks; right now I’m “reading” The Vegetarian Times Cookbook.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:55 am
I'm glad about the head's up on ED&BV, I wanted to buy it but weird sounding ingredients scare me off.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 10:56 am
Hmmm, I like your lunch requirements! I may have to start thinking like that.
My favorite “cookbooks” are a stack of recipes I’ve torn out of magazines (typically Cooking Light and Real Simple) and allrecipes.com. I tend to find cookbooks themselves too overwhelming.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 11:33 am
Hi there! Your lunch looks delicious. Just a veggie burger question for you. What brand/type do you use? And do you find that you get enough protein from it? Sometimes I feel like grainy burgers aren’t quite as satisfying as tofu/turkey/etc..
thanks!
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on May 6th, 2009 at 11:36 am
Katie – Hey! i use morningstar. i like the garden veggie patties the most. there’s 10 grams of protein, 9 grams of carbs, and only 110 calories. i just love them for the coveniance… so much easier than baking tofu.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 11:36 am
I am loving Veganomicon and Vegan with a Vengeance at the moment. I also love Eat Drink & Be Vegan! (the cocoa coconut chili is delish and no strange ingredients – so is the green smoothie!)
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on May 6th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
I’m totally a traditionalist.
I use Joy of cooking as a go to cookbook (mine is my Great Aunt’s 1975 edition with hand writen notes throughout).
Happiness Awaits
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on May 6th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
My favorites are Veganomicon, the Mayo Clinic Cookbook, and the annual Food & Wine cookbooks.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
You have to check out some Moosewood cookbooks and recipes… amazing. I made some of their vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes this year (featured in Vegetarian Times), and I even impressed my grandmother – and she is a tough audience.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Great honest review of the book. Thank you for that.
my favourite cookbook right now is the eat clean diet cookbook. I sometimes make modifications because I don’t eat meat, but I’ve never been disappointed (nether have my friends or family)
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on May 6th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
I love the cooking light cookbook in fact I need to page through it soon for some new recipe ideas.
Thanks for an honest review on this cook book I can not believe that have a pb & banana sandwich recipe in there. It would have been better if they left out all the crap and made it like 200 quality recipes.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
I love the Looneyspoons cookbooks, as well as Cooking Light, and the All Recipes Everyday Favourites! I also saw one at Chapters last night by Reader’s Digest, where every recipe has only 5 ingredients. The pictures are so nice in it, too.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
I love your honesty in your reviews – great job!
Favorite cookbook? Right now it’d be a mix between Raw Food Real World and Il Viaggio de Vetri.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
yummy lunch, so want that book!
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on May 6th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
I don’t buy cookbooks anymore. I am probably considered to be a bit fussy. So whenever I want a recipe I just go online and find what I want. A good way to save money too!
http://islandgirleats.blogspot.com
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on May 6th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
I completely agree with the different parts to a satisfying lunch. I can’t make it through the afternoon if I don’t get all my protein, filling foods, crunch, warmth and sweetness in.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Looks like a wonderfully fulfilling lunch!
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on May 6th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
It’s more like an “assemblybook” I guess!
I have really been liking Apples for Jam lately. It has gorgeous pictures and cute stories.
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on May 6th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
I had the same thoughts about the PETA cookbook…it was so basic I was almost bored reading it. But then I had to envision myself back in university and I do think that I would have liked it back then!
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on May 6th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
I really want that cookbook. But ummmm, my morals are soooo against it hahahaha
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on May 6th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
seriously a recipe for a PB & nanner sammie – thats ridiculous!
i don't have a fav cookbook – i pretty much take recipe ideas from blogs =)
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on May 8th, 2009 at 3:52 am
I agree, most of the recipes in the book are not recipes at all – just common sense combos. I’m going to have a hard time writing the review for the book. I like how you kept it simple and civilized (I have urges to rip it apart).
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