VeganMofo15: Tell us about your favourite cookbook! #VGNMF15

I know I have posted so so many times about this book, but it remains one of my favourites Joanna Vaught's Yellow Rose Recipes (YRR). I tested for this cookbook and I keep singing it's praises, the page layout and design was done by sir Joshivore of Herbivore Clothing.  Features adorable art from Amanda Bear , and is basically a PPK dream come true.

Behold the glory!

To get started the book is gorgeous! Filled with flavour and easy to make recipes, don't forget our main lady was writing this bad boy while growing her son inside her. This continues to be one of the book I reach for again and again, with many favourites I've added to my own repertoire for daily/weekly consumption. While the glorious original is no longer in print, Joanna did make the new revised recipes available in a smaller self published collection (I own both).

The book has so many gems from breakfast tofu scramble, to the only vegan cake my granny will make, to my one true love the bechemel sauce (which as a broke university kid, I eat a lot of).

I've blogged about this book again and again, so I won't bore you with more  but this guy is worth your time.

My top three recipes (excluding the tofu scramble/seasoning mix!)

BECHEMEL! 

This sauce has been a routine crowd pleaser in my house. Simple, easy, cheap and ultra smooth and creamy. It is remarkably rich without being overly heavy and will add life to any pasta or rice bowl dish. Bonus Points: for making the roast squash lasagna with this magical sauce to wow any lunch box or dinner party.

Grilled Portabello!

Nothing spells summer like these mushrooms and that marinade (with is also amazing for tempeh, tofu etc!). Every BBQ season I bust these guys out and it's one of the recipes I send out the most. 

 I grill these all year round and have been known to bake them for dinner during more than one snow storm.

Crusted Tofu!

This book does simply home comfort neck in neck with the oous and awws for dinner parties. The crusted tofu (adapted from the seitan recipe) holds up great cold in sandwiches or wraps, which is key for my lack of microwave work options.

Seriously, there is something for everyone in this book, and I cannot imagine life without it. Every holiday trip I make sure to pack it for our Roasted Ginger Vegetables or Sauces or just in case we stay an extra weekend to have access to some good vegan dishes.

It does holidays, birthdays, everyday, weekday and everything in between it is one of the best all around cook books I own and it is tattered and food splattered to prove it.
Joanna was kind enough to get back to me, although the original is no longer in print folks can get copies of Yellow Rose Recipes Greatest hits from Joanna on Amazon here.

http://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Rose-Greatest-Hits-time-tested/dp/1475082738

March Cookbook Challenge!

From the lovely minds of the PPK, I've signed back up for a cookbook challenge to cook at least a few things from an honest to goodness book.

I also signed up for a cookbook swap with the Halifax Veg*n FB group, and got two cookbooks from another HRM Vegan. So this Month I am cooking from those.

So Far~!
Challenge : Cook from the book
Book : Martha Stewart's Meatless
Impressions: lots of easy/basic intro to making vegetables taste good, reliance on fresh ingredients and simply showcasing basic cooking techniques.

This is likely a book I really enjoyed flipping through and have bookmarked about a million things to make, but for the most part I will likely use this book for inspiration or a basic direction rather than a true every day go to book. Like a lot of non VEGAN specific authors/books, it does some pretty tasty vegan dishes and sides but mostly its a lot of making vegetables not taste bad and nothing that is super mind blowing (but maybe PPKers/authors like Isa, Terry, Joanna, Kelly, Katie, Kittee, Julie, Joni etc have ruined me for other authors)

Now the good stuff, photos and recipes tried!

Roasted ChickPea/Eggplant Stew
This was super easy and one of those dishes I could see myself turning to when there is wayward eggplant in the fridge on a busy week night. Eggplant aside, I always have the rest of the ingredients if I sub dried herbs for fresh (because im not a millionaire).

I love that the recipe has everything roasting on one pan all at once to make it an easy throw together, the stew was very thick and tasty the next day with Vegan Naan for lunch. It was pretty earthy and salty, and definitely good but not something I would go out of my way to make

Roasted Chickpea/Eggplant Stew PG136-137

Italian Baked Eggplant with Seitan

This was another recipe that was pretty easy to make because I had a huge batch of julie (everydaydish.tv) famous seitan sausages I needed to use up. The recipe looks way fancier in the picture, but I left my roommate jae in to prep and he said he found it a little cumbersome/involved for a week night meal. The end result was good, but someone not quite what I envisioned. I might try this one again with a more hands on approach, overall it was a decent filling one dish meal but the steps of breading the eggplant wasn't as low key/tasty as I had hoped. Still good and gave us lots of leftovers and didn't feel like we were missing anything by eating this by itself (since it has eggplant, tomato, spinach and seitan)

PP. 168-168

It also photographs much better.

There is another eggplant dish, I am regretting not trying for a simple dip. I have a feeling the simpler recipes are where this book will really shine showcasing vibrant fresh produce and ingredients w

I think in the future, I would try breading all the eggplant, it seems like this dish aims for a more casserole like dish and our presentation might be to blame for it's middle ground achievement.

I still really love reading through this book and have a weak spot for Martha, so while I wouldn't pay full price for this book and feel it's target is better suited for non-veg*n looking to learn how to eat more vegetables or even learn how to cook some veg*n food. I will probably buy this guy used or on sale, because I am a sucker for well edited books with lots of photos