HomeCookbooksMexican CookbooksViva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers |
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40 of 40 found the following review helpful:
 The whole veganchilada! (too corny?) May 06, 2010
By B. B.
I am a recently converted vegan. I am lucky enough to have the full support of my closest friends and family; my mom even sought out a vegetarian restaurant when she was on a business trip to see what it was all about!
I realized recently, however, that supportive as they are, many don't think that it's possible to have a vegan meal that doesn't taste like "substitution" food. I have no desire to shove my opinion down people's throats; when we have visitors or I have to contribute food, I would LOVE to be able to prepare and share vegan meals where they don't necessarily notice that there aren't any animal products. I've quickly learned that this is more than just possible--it's probable. Like any kind of cooking-- you just have to learn the techniques and tricks of the trade (for instance, until quite recently I didn't realize that it is a good idea to press tofu). This book is a fantastic resource for achieving this goal.
Last night my husband (an omnivore) and I had the chickpea potato enchiladas paired with spinach, capers and raisins-- it was AMAZING; I never anticipated capers and raisins pairing so brilliantly together. My husband, a self proclaimed cheese-addict said that they were some of the best enchiladas I've ever made hands down. I followed the recipes to a T. In the future he'll request these over their cheese-drenched cousins.
As other reviewers have alluded to, the educational components of the book are thorough, enlightening and engaging. I am completely smitten with this book and would recommend it to anyone interested in becoming a better vegan cook and/OR just better acquainted with Latin American cooking in general.
27 of 27 found the following review helpful:
So good! Apr 22, 2010
By bekki
This book is amazing (not that I had any doubts!) and I've had so much fun just reading it, there are interesting tidbits about the origins of the dishes and substitutions for the few hard to find ingredients used (there aren't many). Plus, I've found my official "go to" seitan recipes! The red and white seitans are absolutely the best I've ever made, and that's before incorporating them into full dishes. Empanadas and tamales are the greatest, I can't wait to have my freezer stuffed with them for easy and quick "fast food."
I highly recommend this book for pretty much anyone; there are dishes for a simple weeknight dinner or more impressive undertakings for impressing dinner guests-omnis included!
26 of 27 found the following review helpful:
Yummmm! Apr 22, 2010
By M. McClellan
This book is fabulous, I tested for Terry and we were blown away every night at dinner by how tasty her recipes are! She uses wonderful fresh ingredients and for many, you don't even need to go to a specialty market (though there are some that do, but it's so worth it!). I knew nothing about South American cuisine or cooking before this, and I was introduced to many wonderful new flavors and textures. Do yourself a favor and pick it up immediately.
Favorites: Cilantro Lime Rice, Pupusas, Cafe Con Leche Flan, Green Onion Salsa, Eggplant Torta Sandwich (omg I could eat one of these every meal, every day, forever), Colombian Style Red Beans, Savory Orange Rice, Tofu Chicharrones, and Spicy Tortilla Casserole with Roasted Poblanos.
17 of 17 found the following review helpful:
Muy Yummy! Apr 27, 2010
By Janet A. Winikoff
"humane society janet"
If you're not familiar with Latin food (like me), this book is a great introduction. Terry gives you a culinary trip around Latin America. Many of the foods are easy to prepare and delicious.
Don't know an arepa from an empanada? No worries. If you're a Latin food newbie there are are plenty of photos. Lots of great recipes but the chachapas are especially delicious! This book is a great and unique addition to any vegan cook's library!
16 of 16 found the following review helpful:
I'm pretty much obsessed with this cookbook! May 23, 2010
By Melissa
If this book weren't written by someone who, because of her other books, I completely trust, I probably would not have bought it. Why not? Because I would have looked inside it, seen ingredients I never heard of, and thought it wasn't worth it. But I knew that Terry Hope Romero, co-author of Veganomicon and others, would be more than capable of successfully leading me into culinary directions I never explored before. So after a trip to my local Latin grocery store, which had everything I needed and more (for instance: achiote paste, various chili powders, plantains, avocados, and jalapenos galore), I got cooking.
First of all, I'm crazy about the seitan recipes in this book! Brilliant! And what's more, she has you steam it the way you steam vegan sausage rather than boiling it forever in otherwise wasted veggie broth. Never boil seitan again! Steaming it is much better. And I was so impressed with the deliciousness of her seitan. I wanted to eat it plain, seriously. And, you know, no one usually does that.
The recipes really taste authentic. And it's so inexpensive! I'm addicted to the yellow rice just to have on hand. Her recipe has you make your own annato-infused oil, but she explains how you can replace it with pre-made achiote paste if you've got that. Well, my local Latin grocery carried that, so making the yellow rice is a snap. I will never use one of those packs again (not that I really ever did, I like cooking too much).
This really isn't a beginner's cookbook. Some recipes have you make other recipes first. But for people who can chop an onion and garlic a little more quickly (which is my secret way of being able to tell if a person cooks often or not), this is a serious cookbook that will help you make incredible food. Her directions are impeccable, she explains everything that needs explaining really well. It's very, very, omnivore-friendly. I fed the food to a lot of different people and they all went nuts for it. There's a lot of faux meat (mostly seitan) and it's really convincingly done.
I still want to try some of the desserts -- in particular the flan! But that will involve me getting some agar flakes or powder off the internet, so I haven't done it yet. Other than that, if you have a Latin grocery in town (and if you have an immigrant population, you do have one in town), the ingredients are actually highly accessible. Also, I buy vital wheat gluten in bulk from Amazon Hodgson Mill Vital Wheat Gluten with Vitamin C, 6.5-Ounce Boxes (Pack of 8) so that is not such a problem, but I could see it being a problem for others.
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