This is another cookbook that the wonderful people at the Book Publishing Company sent me to review. I’ll be sending this review copy off to one of you lucky readers who comments on this post. But first, the review for 4 Ingredient Vegan by Maribeth Abrams with Anne Dinshah.
I admit it. As someone who loves to spend time in the kitchen, recipes that barely have an ingredient list don’t always appeal to me. It took me longer than usual to get interested in this book. So long in fact, that Jim said “Let me cook from it.” He’s the perfect audience for a book like this. I truly can’t imagine recipes that are quicker or easier than some of these. He chose the Italian Sausage and Pepper Sauce made with the sandwich variation. Using jarred spaghetti sauce, sausages (he used Field Roast Italian), and peppers from our garden, this sandwich tasted better than it’s parts and was quite satisfying.
The next thing we tried was the Cashew French Toast. It was delicious! Richer than some batters for french toast, it browned beautifully on my electric griddle. It couldn’t be easier either. The ingredients just go in the blender, then on the bread, and you’re done.
There are quite a few great sounding recipes in here, broken into categories such as Morning Meals, Beverages, Soups, Salads, Dips, Spreads, and Savory Sauces, Main Dishes, Side Dishes and Desserts.
This book would be ideal for college students, cooks who routinely need food on the table in minutes and even aspiring vegans. The recipes are familiar, easy, and approachable.
Now’s your chance to win this copy! Tell me one of your most used ingredients in the kitchen.
Don’t forget:
Food Network Friday is morphing into Food Network Monday for the October 4th wrap up. We’re veganizing this recipe for braciole from Anne Burrell. All you have to do is make it your way and email me your take on it, or post to the comments on this blog on that Monday.
If you’re in the Cincinnati area, come to Books by the Banks! It’s downtown at the Duke Convention Center on Saturday, October 2nd and it’s free. I’ll be there signing copies of American Vegan Kitchen. Stop by and say hi! Thank you to those of you who commented or emailed me with suggestions for vegan eating in Cincinnati.
The contest will close early next week. Good luck!
62 Comments
One of my most used ingredients is cinnamon – I love adding it to my baked goods, oatmeal, desserts, even coffee grounds!
Oh, I’d love to win this book! I bought it and promptly gave it to my aunt (she is vegetarian and I’m trying to get her to come over to the “other side”)
An ingredient I use very often is Bragg’s Liquid Aminos. Great for marinades, on salads and in soups.
I use spinach in almost everything I make! It’s good for you and goes well in everthing.
My most use ingredient is anything fresh from our garden of herbs. We use a lot of basil and garlic. It’s so nice to be able to go out and grab it to mix with pasta and tomatoes and have a meal.
Thanks
Stacey@saysomethingstacey.com
i would add lentils to anything
my most-used ingredient has to be peanut butter, because i think it goes on everything
i think i cook with salt the most….but that aside, i use either nutritional yeast or almond butter more than anything else. wow.
Vanilla. I *never* use salt.
Most used? Tinned Tomatoes in some for or another, or rice, in one of its many guises.
most used ingredient: fresh garlic. i use it nearly every night.
One of my most-used ingredients is nutritional yeast–breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
My most used ingredient right now is fresh basil — my aerogarden is going crazy with it. I have to eat it all the time just to keep it under control! (not that I’m complaining)
Coconut oil! Everything is cooked in it.
I think I use chickpeas in most of my meals. I added chickpea flour to my buckwheat pancakes this morning, topped my quinoa pilaf off at lunch with some garbanzo goodness and I’ll probably mash some up in a loaf tonight for dinner using some besan in the gravy too. Homemade hummus is a must in between meals as well
This book looks like it would be perfect for my boyfriend to make me dinner from
My most used ingredient is probably onions. Most dishes I make start with a bed of sauteed onions for flavor.
A toss-up between onions and potatoes. I can never seem to keep either one around very long.
Probably carrots. I can go through 2 1bs a week by myself- love them!
One ingredient we always use is onions–especially when they are sweet!
I at first was going to type garlic but I realised I use olive oil more than anything.
Besides garlic, probably my most used veg is cabbage!
Nutritional yeast. I swear, I put it on EVERYTHING, lol!
Courtney
I use so much nutritional yeast, it’s insane.
I would give this cookbook to my newly vegan boyfriend!
I’m going to have to say onions and/or mushrooms.
mmm definitely cayenne pepper. everything’s better when it’s spicy!!!! This would be so helpful for next semester when I won’t have a meal plan.
My most used ingredient lately has been dijon mustard. It’s soooo yummy!
I would love to win this book! I love cheap, easy, healthy, delicious vegan meals with only a few ingredients. Amazing!
I would love to win this cookbook. It looks so good! My most used ingredient is definitely chickpeas… or garlic! I use them both all the time.
My most used ingredient is tomatoes, fresh or canned.
That French toast recipe sounds delicious! I’ll have to pick up a copy of this one.
At the moment, I think nooch is probably what I am using most. I am addicted to it at the moment – on everything I can get it on!
I’d be interested to see this book. The ’4 Ingredients’ (non-vegan) books are written about a lot here because the women who wrote them came from here. I’ve been wondering if a vegan one would come out!
There are way too many vegan cookbooks to keep track of these days!!! Jeepers! I think my most used item in the kitchen would have to be pure vanilla extract for baking and kale (kale, kale, kale!!!) for cooking. Thanks for hosting this giveaway!
This cookbook sounds so interesting!
As for ingredients…hmmm. I use garlic in literally everything I make and as a condiment the way most use salt. Also, a while back I discovered smoked paprika in a soup recipe by SusanV. I loved it so much I promptly started using it in everything I made. Needless to say, my boyfriend got tired of everything tasting the same all the time haha. But I still use it quite often.
My most used ingredient is probably soy sauce. Mmm salty salty goodness.
Easy. Onions.
~Midnite (harrypotter_rox(at)msn.com)
Vital wheat gluten. Lately it seems I’m going through a lot of it for seitan/cutlet type dishes.
my most often used item is cumin… I think it goes well with everything! I’m so glad a book like this is finally out. I don’t cook as often and feel this will help with that.
Tons of great answers so far. Excluding what has been mentioned I would have to go with toasted sesame oil. Drizzled on top of a stir fry, mixed into salad dressing (raw kale anyone?) Sesame oil can perk anything up and make it taste exotic:)
After sesame oil, my next fave right now is raw cashews. Toasted with spices to crown a curry, a bowl of lentils or a simple slaw, soaked and pureed into cream, fermented into cheese… cashews are delicious and versatile!
I agree with Jessie that this book looks like a great candidate for a night off in the kitchen and passing the hat to a significant other:)
Ooh, this book has been on my to-buy list for a few months now. My bf is a very picky omni, so I figured that with only 4 ingredients, chances are good I can find some recipes he will approve of!
My most used ingredient is probably chickpeas. I toss them into salads, pasta, curries, etc. Or I just eat them straight from the can!
I think I could really use such a cookbook right now. My most used ingredient is, of course, salt. Does that count. Right after salt comes pasta.
Garlic, garlic, and more garlic. I use it in just about every savory dish I create. I love the dimensions it adds to food. I puffy heart garlic.
Whole wheat flour and safflower oil are the two most commonly used ingredients in my kitchen. My mom’s home canned tomatoes come next!
Without a doubt, my most used ingredient is tomato. I eat plain, in a sandwich, or in a yummy salad! I would love to win this book. I definitely need some help with broadening the foods in my vegan diet. Thank you!
-Emily
emily.hernandez444@gmail.com
Sweet potatoooooooooes!!
Sometimes I just want to make something simple that tastes good but I think of all the ingredients I’m going to have to add to it and i end up with a frozen patty for dinner (ick)
i LOVE LOVE LOVE using onions and garlic.
So much flavor. YUM
I love simple recipes! They’re usually easier and quicker to prepare. I use a lot of olive oil. I noticed someone else mentioned Liquid Aminos – reminds me I should have some tofu soaking for tonights dinner!
My all time favorite is lemon. I use in on almost every salad I make, even when I’m also using vinegar. I add much more than suggested to any vegan cheese cake I bake. The most important aspect I’ve discovered is that the sour of lemon softens almost any bitter. People who will not eat Brussels sprouts will eat them happily if they are coated with a little lemon juice and vegan margarine and lemon on spinach or chard similarly enhances their appeal. But my favorite use of lemon is in anything chocolate. Forget chocolate with orange, I add lemon to almost everything chocolate I make. No one can figure out what I’ve done, but they love the results.
HUH, I haven’t heard of this book. Interesting!
This sounds like my kind of cookbook. I’m always needing quick meals. Keeping my fingers crossed that I win.
)
I would love a copy of this cookbook!
I use lots of oregano, because it’s good in so many cuisines.
we’re crazy for garlic in just about everything. we buy giant bags at costco–definitely one of our most-used ingredients
Thanks for the contest! Hard to pick just one ingredient but lately I’d say tortillas.
Right now I’m using a ton of cayenne pepper. I’m trying vegan and lots of pepper to hopefully reduce my cholesterol before my November check up. Being the only “semi-vegan” in the house, this cookbook would be great for me to use to cook quick.
my most used ingredient is dish-washing detergent, elbow grease being a close second.
(but seriously, probably peanut butter. and please do not count me as a cookbook-winning participant.)
This sounds like a good cookbook for someone like me. I like to have a mix of simple recipes as well as more involved ones.
My most used ingredient is onion. No doubt about it.
With savory dishes, I love adding sesame seeds. The crunch, aroma, and nutritional value are always welcome in stir-fries, noodle dishes, salads, and more!
Garlic!
Soy sauce (oh, and nooch). I love making seitan, so I always buy a huge bottle.
Soy Sauce is my most used ingredient (and just about everyone else in the house’s too). We put it in almost everything (notable exception: baked goods) and it’s a house-wide emergency whenever we run out.
Ohh that book looks awesome! But thinking about my most-used ingredient is so difficult, because I like to eat from so many different cuisines.
I guess I use olive oil nearly every day, irrespective of the cuisine (though obviously not for high-heat-requiring items!) because I absolutely love it. Plus I recently discovered the joys of olive oil cookies… so addictive.
I use crushed rep pepper flakes on almost everything. I love the extra kick of flavor that it brings to so many different dishes, especially in creating a tantalizing spicy-sweet combo. Yum!
I would say soy sauce is one of my most used ingredients even though the amount is usually small.
My most used ingredient is probably Nutritional Yeast Flakes. It adds great flavor to almost everything