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236 of 238 found the following review helpful:
 Great cookbook, with one caveat May 24, 2010
By Reader
"piratebean"
The recipes in this book really are inexpensive to make. The book starts with about 28 pages of advice on ways to save money on food, and the rest of the book is devoted to recipes. I have tried the following so far, and thought they were great:
Cheezee sauce (excellent!)
Comfort loaf (Best vegan 'meatloaf' I've ever had)
Baked ziti (Delicious; I was amazed at how well the tofu worked in this dish)
Mexican rice and bean bake (Today's dinner - also outstanding)
The one caveat I have about the book is that some of the directions appear to be incomplete. This is okay for experienced cooks that can just figure out how to make it work. But someone with less experience and know-how could possibly end up wasting money by trying recipes that won't work.
For example, the Cheezee sauce recipe tells you to combine some ingredients in a saucepan. Then it says, "Turn the heat on medium and whisk in the soy milk. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute." This makes it sound like you are supposed to just turn on the heat and have the pot on the stove for 1 minute. What you have to do is bring the mixture to boiling and then cook it for about 1 minute longer. So, the author forgot to mention the part about bringing the mixture to boiling. If you've never made a sauce this way before, you might throw it out if you follow the directions, because it's not useful in that watery state.
In the Mexican rice and bean bake, the recipe involves partially cooking some rice on the stovetop, and then putting it in the oven to cook the rest of the way. I think that there is something missing from the directions there as well, because I cooked and baked as directed, and had to double my baking time to cook the rice completely. (And, no, there is nothing wrong with my oven.) I presume that it was supposed to be cooked a little longer on the stovetop first, but again, the directions just indicated that you were to return the stovetop mixture to boiling, and then dump it in the pan to go into the oven. I suspect you were supposed to boil it for a little while on the stovetop first.
The food tastes great. She really does a lot with inexpensive ingredients. (One of the things I liked about this cookbook was that she only asks you to have a few non-standard ingredients on hand, unlike most vegan cookbooks, which expect that you are secretly running an international grocery store in your kitchen.) But considering I tried 4 recipes so far, and 2 of them had inaccurate directions, I'm a little concerned about the rest of the book. I'll just have to remember to be more vigilant when making these recipes.
I think this is particularly important for this book, because I am sure that this book was geared, in part, to the 'starving students' and other new vegans who want to eat vegan on a budget. In general, younger people have less cooking experience and therefore will be less likely to know how to 'fix' these recipes. Also, I have a few of Robertson's other cookbooks, and haven't ever come across this problem so far. So, I'm disappointed for that reason, too.
But, man, that Mexican rice and bean bake is REALLY good.
68 of 68 found the following review helpful:
 Excellent, easy, healthy recipes that I can make for myself or dinner guests May 02, 2010
By A. Pennington
I love this book. I'm not great in the kitchen but this book helps me hide that fact from guests I have over for dinner. Not only are the recipes interesting and delicious (ex: Easy Peanut Sauce, how could I have presented Thai curry without this before?), but the book also has unique elements that I've never seen before. For example, each recipe comes with an estimated cost per serving. Wow.
There is a "Cheap Trick" section that explains how to have vegan versions of staples like Parmesan and bread crumbs, which can be pricey if you buy them prepackaged. The vegan Parmesan "cheese" recipe uses nuts and nutritional yeast that makes a rich topping that helps me turn my old vegan standards into restaurant-style dishes. The book also has a helpful section on where to find high quality ingredients at low cost. It also gives a suggested shopping list! this is really exciting to me as I'm hopeless with figuring out what I need to buy and end up just buying whatever catches my eye at the store. I also like the suggested menu for a week.
I highly recommend this excellent cookbook for people who are vegan or for omnivores who just want to eat more healthy, vegan food. It has a nice cover and the inside style is clean and sleek, so I'd also recommend giving it as a gift either to someone who is vegan or just trying have a healthier diet without sacrificing taste, time or money.
56 of 56 found the following review helpful:
Eat great for less! May 01, 2010
By Tamasin
I was a tester for this book and can't rave about it enough. As a rule, I'm not as budget conscious as I should be when cooking. But this books make it so easy and doesn't scrimp on the flavor. The recipes are very diverse and include dishes from several nationalities. Besides the American style dishes, some of the Asian and Mexican recipes were our favorites. The Tortilla Strata is one of the best I've ever had and doesn't take many ingredients. The Korean Cabbage Salad, Asian Noodle Soup, Quick Lo Mein,andCajun Spiced Seitan Po'Boys are just a few of our favorites. The recipe for Corned Seitan with Cabbage makes the best reubens!
Besides the wonderful recipes, the cookbook includes strategies for saving money and making your time in the kitchen more efficient. There's even a slow cooker chapter for make-ahead meals. Another cool thing about the book are the "Splurge a little" notes that offer suggestions to dress up a dish if you're so inclined.
With 150 recipes that cost 50 cents to $2 a serving, this book is money well spent.
26 of 26 found the following review helpful:
Vegan on the Cheap...and easy. Jul 08, 2010
By Dustin G. Rhodes
I bought this book because I have a penchant for preparing (and loving) vegan food that is, let's just say, the opposite of cheap. And then, to make up for my expensive, gluttonous ways, I prepare things so simple and bland that they aren't worth eating. I really need to find The Middle Way. That's why I bought this cookbook, and because I have faith in Robin Robinson, because I own many of her other stellar cookbooks.
This cookbook really delivers, and in ways that I didn't expect. The recipes really are inexpensive, and surprisingly, many of them taste exquisite and are worthy of guests, dinner parties, special events or simply an ordinary, but really incredible, dinner at home. Robertson's recipes are sometimes deceiving: they sound pretty run-of-the-mill, and then you find that, in reality, they are bursting with flavor (I'm thinking of some of the very easy tofu recipes in the book). The Lemon Basil Creme Sauce, I could eat it on anything.
This book not only lives up to its title, it surpassed my expectations, though I shouldn't be surprised. That's what all of Robertson's cookbooks and recipes do.
24 of 24 found the following review helpful:
A cookbook you will love and use! May 10, 2010
By Happy Vegan
This is a book full of great recipes! Anyone who has thought that eating vegan costs too much needs to get this book. It shows that healthy, compassionate food choices can be very affordable and anything but dull! We love all the cookbooks from this prolific author, and this book shows that she continues to innovate. We are really enjoying making use of this cookbook. The recipes here are "keepers" that you will use regularly and will feel good about serving to family and friends. Here are some of our favorite recipes so far: Cheapamole (low-cost, healthier guacamole), Cheezee Sauce, Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Cashews and Kidney Beans, Dan-Dan Style Linguine, Walnut-Crusted Tofu with Spinach and Orange, Deconstructed Enchilada Bake, Four Grain Polenta, and Gold Bar Cookies. Dependably good recipes without being fussy or overly complicated. You will really enjoy it!
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