What a classy looking book this is! It’s got an embossed cover and a little badge mentioning Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. This book is printed by Simon and Schuster who generously sent me a copy for review and will be sending a copy to one lucky reader. More on that later.
After the Intro (which includes info on gluten-free and soy-free cooking), the recipe chapters begin. Small Bites has a very nice array of Asian, Mexican, and Italian appetizers, with a few more “American” style recipes thrown in, such as Crispy Potato-Leek Patties with Lemon Dill Dip.
Chapter 2 is Soups and Salads. Again, there is a good variety: from a curried soup to a mandarin salad to a California chipotle chop salad.
The third chapter is Simply Vegetables and is just that. This chapter would be the most helpful for someone new to vegan cooking, with recipes such as Classic Roasted Vegetables, Teriyaki Wok Vegetables, and Sea Salt and Vinegar French Fries, which are baked (and are on our menu for tonight).
Next up: Eat With Your Hands. Sandwiches, pizzas, and a taco recipe appear here. There is also a recipe for Avocado Toast. This recipe is very simple, almost too simple, until you think back to before you tried it yourself. This and Chloe’s Favorite Five Minute Salad may look skimpy on the page, but are likely to be a revelation to some new to this style of eating. The cookbook wisely includes recipes like these as well as some for more experienced cooks.
Oodles of Noodles is exactly what it says. Again, Chloe has a diverse selection. This chapter includes her favorite recipe in the book, Peanutty Perfection Noodles, and I look forward to trying them.
The Main Event chapter really has my mouth-watering. It’s got takes on the standbys, such as piccata and scallopini, but so much more! The Moroccan Bistilla intrigues me. There’s even an Indian Buffet Trio that is so tempting. This chapter also has the first dish I tried from the book, Mongolian BBQ Seitan. It was outstanding.
The next chapter is Cupcakes and More. You probably don’t need my input on this one, but it looks incredible. This is followed by a Basics chapter to help you fill in the blanks from previous chapter.
With outstanding photos, a lovely tone and many delicious sounding recipes, this book is a winner. Just like Chloe. (Yes, after reading this book, I feel I can call her Chloe: it’s got that kind of chatter and I’m feeling like we’re almost friends).
When reviewing a book, I like to try at least three recipes and generally choose “mainstream” ones so that I can compare them to the other versions out there. I’ve already said how we loved the Mongolian BBQ Seitan. For the record, I only used 1/3 of the agave called for because I knew it would be too much for us. While I liked the Best-Ever Baked Macaroni and Cheese, I have to admit it wasn’t my favorite. However, it was Jim’s, so that says a ton. (Here, I omitted the agave). For a side dish, we had the Garlicky Greens (made with swiss chard) and thoroughly enjoyed them.
So… in writing this review, I realized that I’m the kind of person who has to try the vanilla ice cream first in an ice cream book. I figure if that’s not good, nothing else will be. What about you? Do you go for a standard to gauge a book, or just jump right in? Answer that and you’ll have a chance to win a copy of this book shipped straight from the very generous publisher. United States shipping only, please. Good luck! Random.org will pick the winner next week.
Also next week: I’ll be back with a recipe. Don’t forget Food Network Friday, March 9th.
3/6 Update: The contest is closed. Thank you very much to all who entered. Congratulations, Peggy!
3/9 Update! Redraw! No word from Peggy so the book is for Caitlyn.
3/12 Update! The book goes to Jocelyn, thanks to her fast facebook reply.
55 Comments
I usually read the book from start to finish, and make notes the entire time as to which recipes I’d like to try.
This book sounds fantastic!
This looks like such a creative cookbook! Bu I am on a cookbook embargo. No more new cookbooks for me!
I usually look for recipes that call for whatever I have on hand already, because I’m so excited to make something from it.
Usually the first thing I make out of a book is something that uses ingredients I already have… then if that turns out awesome, I’ll try some other things out that call for special ingredients! I suppose that’s sort of similar to your MO…
no, I don’t pick anything specifically to do a trial run, just whatever grabs me..(often something sweet though)
I love Chloe! She kicked so much butt on Cupcake Wars.
As for new cookbooks, I either go for the recipes that got all the rants and raves, or the ones that are new and intriguing- like something I’ve never tried before. If it’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s flipping thru a new cookbook and seeing recipes like basic tofu scramble or plain hummus!
I usually skim through a cookbook and make sure it isn’t full of ingredients I’ll never have in my pantry. Then I read the intro and settle on the desserts.
I adore Chloe and would LOVE this cookbook!
Not entering to win (Canada!) but to say Thanks for the review! I have a review copy on the way and now am REALLY looking forward to it arriving!
Great review, Tami, and thank you for including me in the giveaway! I’m “jump right in” person when it comes to a new cookbook; I choose the dish that speaks to me first or for which I have all the ingredients on hand. I can’t wait to try Chloe’s book!
im definitely known to make the recipes that have pictures first!! then i start looking through the rest. when i got veganomicon, first recipe i tried was chickpea cutlets!
I usually look for simple but extravagant recipes! I don’t like buying bulks of ingredients I dont usually use so I try to spice up common things I have in my home but I am open myself to new recipes and ideas so that I can change up what I commonly buy and start using new ingredients on the daily!
I usually go for the baking and desserts section first. It’s always my favorite!
-Emily
I usually just pick a handful of recipes that look yummy and make them.
Recipes that have a new twist.I like to learn something new when I cook.
So then I’ll try a recipe that I have all the ingredients for.
I read the entire book and then the recipes that linger in my mind are the ones I make. The more lingering recipes, the better the book!
I just try whatever strikes my fancy first, but it’s usually not something super elaborate. i made chloe’s country ‘meatloaf’ with golden gravy this past year for my first ever vegan thanksgiving and it was DELICIOUS!
I jump right in- whichever recipe I’m most excited to try!
That seitan looks amazing.
I love cookbooks and jump right in, looking for interesting combinations, new ideas, or new ways to make old favorites!
I tend to go through the entire book, sticking little post-it flags on the recipes I want to try. I then go through the flagged recipes to find the most interesting one to make first, even if it means grocery shopping for ingredients. I tend to start with main dishes, then move on to sweets.
I try to do a little of both – old standards and unique dishes. I always have a lot of trouble picking the first thing to make though (because, if it’s bad, I’m unlikely to go back for a second recipe).
I usually look at the table of contents first for a quick preview of any recipes I find interesting. Then I check them out for ingredients and cooking techniques. If all looks yummy I dive in. I usually like to try something I haven’t made before.
I always start at the beginning with a new cookbook as I read it like an actual book.
I just jump right in! The book sounds fab!
I like to try something with ingredients I either already have or could easily work into my weekly grocery shopping. The more complex stuff comes later. I want this cookbook more than any other! I literally want to make almost everything, and I can’t say that for most cookbooks.
I’ve made Chloe’s mac ‘n cheese recipe from her website and I believe it’s very similar to the book version, and for something *low in fat*, pretty cheap, and simple to whisk together at the last minute, I enjoy it. I also omit the agave and use unsweetened milk.
I read cookbooks cover to cover and I make a list of the recipes I want to try.
I’m one of those people who read the book cover to cover, and then make what sticks in my mind. Some dishes just haunt me until I make them…
Looks like an excellent book!
I always pick the recipes I can’t find in other cookbooks!
I usually read through the whole thing and then just jump right in. I don’t have what I would call a standard gauge because I think there are so many awesome authors with different strengths, but I guess I do try to start with something I’m fairly sure I will like. I’m probably drawn toward recipes with pictures, too.
This book sounds fantastic and I’m excited for it. My five year old watched Chloe on Cupcake Wars and has loved her ever since, so I think this book is sort of mandatory for her…kids and vegan cooking are a great combo!
I usually jump right in with something unique because I end up changing around the recipes so much anyway
I go for the tofu recipes… If they can make a great flavorful tofu dish, that’s a pretty good indicator!
I usually jot down 10 or so recipes to try, whatever strikes my fancy. Which is to say, the most junk foody recipes in the batch!
With so many vegan cookbooks out there, many of which I have purchased of course, I tend to judge cookbooks on originality of the recipes and general theme more than any other standard. If the cookbook author has simply served up the same old, same old veganized versions of recipes found in most books, I am immediately turned off! I look at the creative direction of the book in general (e.g. Is it something that has already been done before?) and then go through the book as if it were a novel, analyzing recipe contents, looking for creative twists! And of course, beauty and design (lots of colorful photos) always makes a recipe more appetizing!
I often start with a vegetable or soup recipe and progress to an entree. If there’s potato featured in it, my eye is there! Thank you much for hosting this giveaway, and thank you to the publisher for the generous donation!
I tend to try the most interesting and different recipes first. I get cookbooks for these recipes and if the more basic recipes are awesome, I’ll find out down the line.
I usually like to jump right in and make something that sounds new or that i’ve never heard of before
I usually just go through the book and every recipe I like (which is most of them) I mark with a slip of paper. Some of my cookbooks look like a porcupine!
I love to read cookbooks like novels. I choose the recipes that look different from other books and what I cook without a book!
I like to read the whole cookbook through and then jump right in with whatever sounds best…or whatever I have ingredients on hand for
Courtney
I like to peruse cookbooks like a magazine. Usually my first chosen one is totally random.
I sit down and read the entire book and see if I have the ingredients to make anything right then. If so then that’s the one, otherwise I usually start with dessert.
Great review!
I usually read the book first. Then I picked out what sounds really good and that I have most of the ingredients for. I will wait to make a recipe that calls for ingredients that I normally don’t keep on hand.
I try to skim the entire book, cover to cover, but one or two recipes typically jump out at me for something to make for dinner that night.
I usually just choose whatever recipe sounds the best to me, often getting ideas from others’ reviews of the cookbook. This looks like an awesome cookbook to add to my collection.
I pretty much read the book front to back and mark interesting recipes as I go. Then when it’s grocery time, I’ll shop for those recipes and make them the following week.
hmmm. interesting. i would say yes, in an ice cream or cupcake or other specialty book, i think i’m more inclined to make the simple ones first, but i don’t toss the book if the simple recipes aren’t up to snuff. i’ll try some of the more unusual recipes and then make my decision. (except for sinfully vegan. i was rather brash with my decision on that one.)
I read cover-to-cover, marking notes as I go. Then I choose whatever looks most intriguing and jump right in.
I also prefer to make the first thing that sounds good and uses a lot of ingredients that I already have.
I start by going through most of the book, dogging pages of recipes I know I would actually cook. And then I go for whatever requires the least amount of grocery shopping!
I know it’s probably not the best way, but at least I’m being honest.
I usually pick something that’s really unusual that seems to have a “trick” to it that I wouldn’t have thought of on my own!
I love sitting down and leafing through a new cookbook, start to finish, and flagging pages that look interesting to me. From there, my cravings guide me!
wow, what a cool giveaway. I’m pretty interested in this book – I’ve heard so many great things about her recipes over the years. I usually read through a cookbook and mark down the recipes that appeal to me. I will usually make whatever is featuring produce I can get at the farmers market (which depends on what time of year it is). I’ll usually give a book about 3-4 tries and if nothing was all that great, I sorta give up on it. But if there’s promise, then I’ll really get into cooking from it.
I like to pick a few simple recipes that sound good and try them out. I’d love to try some new recipes!
I’m another one who reads the whole thing before I make anything (one of my favorite activities ever is curling up in bed with tea, a cat, and a cookbook!). I usually try one of the recipes that uses things I have in the house first… but I’ve also been known to have a recipe grab me so hard I run out to the store for ingredients, so it depends on the book!
I like to look through the whole book and flag recipes to try, but inevitably the first one I try is whatever I already have all the ingredients for. Don’t want my inspiration to diminish after a trip to the store.
boo! i neglecting checking my comments
so sad!!!