But I Could Never Go Vegan!: 125 Recipes That Prove You Can Live Without Cheese, It’s Not All Rabbit Food, and Your Friends Will Still Come Over for Dinner

I should start by saying, I don't review a lot of cookbooks, and I have *many* (seriously -- in my new kitchen we're having a shelving unit built). I got this for my birthday a couple weeks ago (forgot I put it on my wishlist) and when I got it from my husband, I was bummed it wasn't a different book I was hoping for. I need to thank him *again* when he comes home tonight, two more incredible recipes today -- this book is truly, TRULY my new favorite! I'm not vegan (I'm vegetarian), and this cookbook is straight up, no weirdo vegan ingredients you never heard of (unless you've not heard of nutritional yeast, which you SHOULD, because it's chock full of B vitamins and has a cheesy, nutty taste, it makes everything better). I've made two of the cheeses here, both of which I love (try the tofu chevre with fig jam on crostini, holy omg). I've made cheeses before, but not like this, not that I wanted to make again and again (the chevre is in my fridge for the 2nd time). I've made 5 recipes, all of which were seriously -- life changing. The Roasted Broccoli Salad w Apples, Toasted Almonds, Tempeh Bacon and Lemon tahini dressing that I'm eating right now is unreal. Flavor explosion times a million. I've roasted my own veggies thousands of times, my broccoli has *never* tasted like this. The balance of salt & sweet & acid -- this woman knows what she's doing. The one thing I've noticed that I love, Kristy isn't afraid of spices, seasonings, alliums. When something calls for 1 clove of garlic in any of my other books, I do 5. I doubled the seasoning today for my broccoli, assuming it wasn't enough (because it never is), but it was. Love that!! And yep, you can follow her actual recipes!! Another thing I *really* appreciate is that these are whole food recipes. She makes flax eggs, uses bananas, dates, etc instead of using "Ener-G egg replacer" in her baked goods. She uses real ingredients, I didn't see one "faux meat" item in here -- she does make her own seitan, which I'm not a fan of in general, but there's plenty of legumes, tofu, tempeh and veggies kicking butt in these recipes. A lot of the recipes are comfort food dishes, but there are plenty of light items too. There are plenty of baked goods and ice cream in this book I plan to try, all the things you loved as a omnivore are in this book. Including Peanut Butter Cups and French Toast and Omelettes. Oh yeah. Sorry if I sound corny, but I want to sing from the rooftops about this book. I made my girlfriend buy it, because I couldn't bare with letting her borrow it from me. This food is on point, vegan or not -- I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to cook flavorful, healthful, beautiful, delicious food that is dinner party worthy!! Can I give this 6 stars??

I have been a vegetarian for over 20 years; live in a house with folks that all eat meat and LOVE all things cheese so never made the transition to Vegan - Friday nights after a long week in work are just too perfect when finished with cheese, wine and olives! So when I saw this book that not only looked fun but was written by someone who at one point professed herself as a "die hard cheese nerd" : my curiosity was piqued and I added it to my Christmas list! I loved it from the moment I opened it and read it in book form which I would never typically do with a cookbook (I was also pretty hungry as my relatively new range decided to die on Christmas day leaving my food plans a little askew; so pretty food porn was the next best thing!). Things to love: no crazy tools required -blender; check, cutting board , check; I have those ...so was happy that I did not see pages requiring dehydrators and other gadgets I will probably never buy! Food I have heard of -stuff I can buy in a regular store -yet another plus! Pretty pics full of old faves - Mac N'Cheese, Pie, Mexican dishes, Asian dishes, spiced food, and yes, even cheese! This is hearty food that one can feed the family with and yet end up with clean plates and full bellies! Today I made the broccoli chickpea soup as nutritional yeast is always on hand in my pantry, and it was delicious , warm and easy to make; the Creole Corn chowder is next on my list as well as some of the rather delicious looking desserts to serve friends and family over the holidays...only to announce after they were vegan ! This book is chock full of options! It begins with an interesting and easy to follow introduction covering basic ingredients and tools you will need to get started; followed by a basic how to guide on topics such as roasting garlic, making nut butters and cooking various grains. Then I really loved the guide to making condiments and components that can be added to dishes such as tofu sour cream and tempeh bacon. This is followed by a section built for cheese lovers full of ideas to fill that craving without dairy (have yet to try but will update when I do). The book then covers vegan options for beef lovers, pizza lowers, heck even those who adore chocolate! This book is designed to tempt the pallet of those with some big craving who as the title states "could never go vegan"! Simply love this book and will use regularly. I will update this review as I tempt my meat loving household with these dishes! Follow up: I seriously doubted I could give up cheese, or that vegan cheese would be that good but just tried making their cashew blue cheese and all I can say is why, I am a convert!

This is by far my all time favorite cookbook. I had it from the library for awhile but decided to buy it since there's too many recipes I wanted to make (I go through a lot of vegan cookbooks from the library but only actually buy a few). In fact there is almost nothing in here that I DON'T want to make. Here are the recipes I've made so far: Sunflower sausage - an awesome healthy alternative to soy or seitan mock meats and really easy to make. Tofu sour cream - a no oil recipe, yay! Sunflower cheddar - not a very realistic tasting cheese but delicious and gratable on it's own right. Cheaper than cashew cheese. Caprese Farrotto with macarella - I couldn't find macadamia nuts so I used Brazil nuts for the cheese. This recipe is soooo good. It's a pestoy tomato grain topped with vegan cheese. Savory overnight quinoa oatmeal - I love new takes on savory breakfasts (not into sweet) and this one is great with roasted red pepper and olives. Chickpea scramble breakfast tacos - a great soy free breakfast option and really yummy. Chocolate stout chili fries - just did the chili part and brought to an omnivore potluck where it was well received. Potato sauerkraut soup with sausage crumbles - my soup turned a weird brown color because of the broth I used but it was still good. Would definitely use vegan chicken broth in the future. Roasted veggie deep-dish pizza - loved the design because I always feel like I eat too much bread with pizza (this is much more vegetable heavy) but the sauce is very bland. Would make again with a different sauce. Orange-miso mushroom scallops with orange, fennel, and forbidden rice - this was the biggest flop of the book, sadly. There wasn't enough flavor and I'm not a fan of half-cooked citrus slices. Seitan-mushroom roast with wild rice stuffing - I made this for Thanksgiving and it was better than any other foil-wrapoed seitan-mushroom roast I've made before. That said, I still prefer braised roasts. Creamy curried tempeh salad with dried cherries and almonds - a great alternative to chicken salad for lunch. We ate it in lettuce leaves. There's so much more I want to make - especially the recipes using homemade vegan blue cheese, the eggplant "meatball" subs, and sesame siracha tofu sliders. I generally cook very low oil and this book is so adaptable to that style of cooking (hardly any oil called for and it's easy to remove). It's great for beginner vegan cooks in that it specifically addressed concerns they have over going vegan (each chapter tackles a specific barrier like "I could never give up cheese", "Tofu doesn't taste like anything). But it also has plenty of new and exciting ideas for us veteran vegans. If you're going to buy one vegan cookbook, get this one!

Purchased as a gift. I may eventually buy a copy for myself because my friend loves hers so much! She's vegetarian, not vegan, but we both love to cook and she makes several recipes out of this book regularly. There's even a whole chapter on vegan homemade cheese! The recipes are really creative and really good, and she does a good job explaining some of the more obscure ingredients, where to purchase them, and how/why they're used. The only think I don't like is that occasionally, the writer will make a comment that implies how gross it is to eat animal products. It's to be expected from a vegan cookbook, but it's a bit alienating for nonvegan readers. I prefer the Oh She Glows cookbook for this reason - more approachable for nonvegans.

This is an essential cookbook for anyone considering veganism but daunted by the idea of giving up non-vegan foods, and also makes a great addition to the cookbook shelf of anyone who already cooks vegan. All of Kristy's recipes are delicious and use "regular" ingredients - you won't need to hunt down a name-brand egg replacer or "nondairy cheese shreds". Occasionally Earth Balance or other vegan butter is suggested. I have successfully substituted coconut oil for vegan butter in all of those recipes so far, for anyone who wants to eschew the premade stuff. I've made almost a dozen recipes: the homemade BBQ sauce; green pea guacamole with homemade tortilla chips; baked bean and cornbread casserole; flourless chocolate decadence cake; BBQ jackfruit fajitas; chickpea omelettes; BBQ baked tofu; sweet and sour cauliflower; loaded Mexican baked potatoes; rosemary lemon poundcake; and molasses-hazelnut chocolate mousse tart. I have pretty much no negative feedback about any of those recipes. I made all of them as instructed and enjoyed every last one, particularly the baked bean casserole and the rosemary lemon poundcake. This isn't the kind of food that makes you think, "this tastes vegan". It just tastes awesome! I also love the way the book is organized, with chapters each addressing a different common food-related concern about going vegan, like 'I couldn't live without cheese'. Kristy's writing is friendly, approachable and honest. She's probably also living proof that you can give up cheese, since she discusses how she used to be a fromagier. There are beautiful full-color pictures to accompany almost every recipe, which is another definite plus! I wanted to note some critiques of the book, but I could really only think of one. Many of the recipes involve a lot of different steps and/or ingredients, especially because some recipe components are actually previous "base" recipes (e.g. the baked beans utilize the homemade BBQ sauce). This is definitely the wrong book for someone who wants to get in and out of the kitchen as soon as possible. But I believe that the results of these recipes are well worth the effort. Happy cooking!

I'm not a vegan. I am not even a vegetarian. I'm not trying to be either. But I do really enjoy eating all sorts of things, and I want more variation in my plant based choices. I love vegetables yet sometimes I just don't eat enough of them. So finding ways to eat more plant based dishes that isn't just a salad or a pile of cooked vegetables, is a constant endeavor of mine. So even if you include animal products in your diet, this recipe book will certainly help whet your appetite toward creating some plant based dishes, including ones that make a fair swap in replacement of meat products. A few extra plant based dishes (and a few less animal dishes) here and there add up. So for those who are trying to go Vegan, or even for those like me who just enjoy eating everything and want to know how to cook some vegan food, this cookbook is a great primer for eating vegan. In my experience, some vegan or vegetarian cookbooks, magazines, cooking groups, etc can feel exclusive if you are not fully embracing this food lifestyle. I think promoting Meatless Mondays, and encouraging meal swaps, as well as being supportive of those that are flirting with vegnism/vegetarianism is important. This cookbook is pretty friendly (albeit a wee little snarky in some of the headlines) in that way. It isn't pushing anyone to eat a certain way, and the author doesn't act superior. Her audience is "those who are considering the journey and for those who have already started down the path". I'm not exactly either, but I also have no need for animal products at each and every meal (a lot of people who consume animal products are like this, actually- and many would consume even less with more helpful recipes and meal options available). The intro discusses ingredient staples and cooking methods. The remainder of the book is organized by food types; ie non dairy cheesy, proteins, tofu, beef alternatives (I love seitan!), salads, breakfast (ooh chickpea scramble, sunflower seed sausage!), vegan "junk" food, soups, pizza, seafood inspired dishes, ethnic variations, potluck casseroles, desserts, chocolate, and ice cream. All vegan, of course. I had learned about this recipe book when I was making myself drool over various food pics on pintrest. I find that I often pin vegan/vegetarian food without even trying. I had seen a recipe that brought me to a blog which described using the sunflower seed sausage recipe from this book. I remember jotting down the ingredients, and the name of this book. I proceeded to buy all that I needed to make it (including this book). Often I want a swap, and the sunflower seed sausage seemed like a really neat recipe to try. It is great! I have made jackfruit pulled "pork", and seitan (still trying to get it just right), and a few other items. Often I make it just for a myself, but some of these recipes have been well received by my husband, who can be skeptical of this type of food. There 125 recipes. You WILL find something you like. The book has GREAT color photos of each food.

I checked this book out from my local library and there were so many good recipes that I bought my own copy! I'm happy to find such good vegan recipes. Although I m not vegan (my daughter is), I think it's good to add meatless, dairy free recipes in my meal rotation.

lots of really great recipes! i'm only a third of the way through and have found several dishes that my meat-eating boyfriend says he'll try. my only complaint is that the book itself stinks. i don't know if it's the paper or the ink, but it's really off-putting. i considered returning it, but hope that using it will let it air out.

LOVED the vegan sausage & tempeh bacon, no comparison found yet! And oh so many other recipes like the biscuits & gravy, Mediterranean tofu scramble (which is now on regular rotation!) AND even the salad section!

Viele leckere Rezepte, die auch jeden Nicht-Veganer überzeugen können. Viel Comfort Food, aber generell für jeden Geschmack und jeden Anlass gute Rezepte. Ich musste häufiger nachsalzen oder nachwürzen, aber das ist für mich kein Problem.

I am not a vegan but have decided that I would like to incorporate more plant based food into my diet. I first discovered Kristy when searching vegan food blogs. I decided to take a look at her book and then purchased it after reading some of her blog recipes. I like her fresh outlook and upbeat approach to vegan cooking. The book has some really good recipes ideas to expand my vegan repertoire recipe collection. The foreword has lots of useful tips and ideas to help you along the way. I initially looked at eating more vegetarian food but quickly turned to vegan options as I found that a lot of vegetarian food relies heavily on cheese/cream for flavour which is very high in saturated fat. I already follow a low saturated fat diet so this was not an acceptable option for me to help me cut down on meat, fish and poultry. I am a 'foodie' and cooking has always played a major part in my life. I love cooking and own a lot of cookery books. I daren't confess to how many!! I therefore research cookbooks thoroughly before I decide if I want to add any more to my collection. My friends and family describe me as much more than a competent home cook. I suppose as cooking is my hobby I have increased and expanded my skills over the years. I am glad that everyone reaps and enjoys the benefits of my efforts. I love bringing family/friends together with healthy home cooked food. I like new challenges and this is my next one to cook more tasty, healthy meat/dairy free meals. I purchased this book for two reasons the first to help me develop my vegan cooking skills and the second to give me ideas on how to adapt some of my existing recipes to dairy free. I have not had the book for very long and therefore not made a lot of recipes from it yet. To date I have made the 'Cashew Crema' brilliant recipe. You would never know that it was not double cream! I have used this in lots of my existing recipes i.e., to coat pasta, vegetarian mushroom stroganoff and other sauces. The 'Falafel Tacos with Spiracha-Tahini Sauce' were amazing. I have marked with post it notes many more recipes that I am going to try. It is an American publication and there are some ingredients that will need to be sourced outside the normal supermarket/health food shops but there is nothing that I have not been able to source yet online either through Amazon or Ocado. I am about to make an existing potato salad recipe that I have, but this time I am going to use the Herb Tahini dressing from the book. I really like this book and it will 'sit' very nicely with my expanding vegan cook book collection. If you are looking at Vegan cookbooks in general I also have found some inspirational ideas from Isa Moskowitz and have purchased a couple of her books too. I hope you have found my review of this cookbook helpful and thanks to Kristy Turner for writing such a splendid book! For me it's back to the kitchen!!

Je l'ai reçu la semaine dernière et j'ai déjà testé 3 recettes : - roasted broccoli & apple salad with lemon-tahini dressing - carrot cashew paté - chips ans peasamole la salade broccoli et pomme était l'une des meilleures que j'ai jamais mangé, le pâté de carottes auquel j'ai rajouté 4 gouttes d'huile essentielle d'orange sanguine était très fin. Le peasamole est vraiment bon. Il y a pleins d'autres recettes que j'ai envie d'essayer comme le sunflower sausage, les Gnnochi alla vodka, le BBQ jackfruit fajitas with guacamole ou encore les Thai seitan satay with spicy peanut dipping sauce. Tous les ingrédients peuvent être trouvé sur internet, donc à bons entendeurs... J'aime aussi l'humour et la manière dont les chapitres sont répartis : - where's the beef? - I'd miss pizza - It's all rabbit food - But i scream for ice cream! etc... j'espère que ce livre sera traduit en français car c'est de la très bonne cuisine, pour les vegans comme pour les non-vegans désireux d'ouvrir leur horizon gustatif.

Es uno de los libros de cocina vegana más divertidos y mejor explicados que tengo. He hecho ya varias recetas y me encanta. No hay ingredientes raros (salvo el jackfruit que aquí no encontramos, al menos en Extremadura) y está dividido no por "entrantes", "platos principales" y etc. sino por apartados como "Voy a echar de menos el queso", "Odio esta clase de verdura" y así. Muy bonito, sinceramente.