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 enlarge | Author: Colleen Patrick-goudreau
Publisher: Fair Winds Press
Category: Book
List Price: $19.95
Buy New: $12.42
You Save: $7.53 (38%)
New (41) Used (9) from $12.24
Avg. Customer Rating:  114 reviews
Sales Rank: 1493
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 288
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.1
Dimensions (in): 9 x 7.4 x 0.9
ISBN: 1592332803
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.5636
EAN: 9781592332809
Publication Date: October 1, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: Brand New, Perfect Condition, Please allow 4-14 business days for delivery. 100% Money Back Guarantee, Over 1,000,000 customers served.
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| Customer Reviews:
Absolutely fantastic! April 14, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I bought this book almost as soon as it hit the shelves last fall. At the time, I didn't know anything about Colleen, her activism, her podcast, her website, etc. I just saw it at the bookstore & thought it was beautiful. The layout is so convenient, the pictures are gorgeous, and the instructions are easy-to-follow. I have been using this book quite often ever since buying it 6 months ago.
I have never made a recipe from "The Joy of Vegan Baking" that didn't turn out perfectly. A few of my favorites are: Butterscotch Pudding, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Date & Almond Butter Smoothie, Mexican Wedding Cookies, Focaccia (best bread I've ever had!), Soft Pretzels, Hot Chocolate, and the Light Lemon Bundt Cake with Lemon Sauce (I take the liberty of adding blueberries to this one). I always get rave reviews--all from my omnivore friends & family!
One feature that I really like in this book are the "Food Lore" snippets placed on some recipe pages. Here, Colleen explains the history of the dish, or shares an interesting factoid about it. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that the recipes included in the book aren't ALL baked goods; smoothies, teas, puddings, and others are also present. Additionally--and this might be my favorite part, besides the actual recipes themselves--the Index is the most comprehensive & convenient I've ever seen! There are THREE indices: one general, one by season, and one by holiday/occasion. Even in the general index, the recipes are sorted by name, type, and ingredient... So if you have cinnamon (for instance) & want to see what you can make, see "Cinnamon" in the index & all recipes that use this as a primary (or secondary) ingredient will be listed. Same goes for peanut butter, chocolate, pumpkin, nutmeg, etc. It's fantastic!
I love that this book seems to be made with EVERYONE in mind: meat- and dairy-eaters, as well as the veg crowd. Some vegan cookbooks have recipes that I personally find delicious, but I can willingly admit that they are a little too "crunchy granola" or "earthy tasting" for most to whole-heartedly enjoy. Not so in this book!
Also worth noting... Some people think "vegan" = "health food," and that misconception has led to some negative reviews for this book. Just by virtue of these recipes being egg- & dairy-free, they're a bit healthier than other [non-veg] desserts. But vegans know how to indulge, too! :) For the most part (there are a few exceptions), the recipes in this book are not lowfat, whole grain, or low-calorie. But they're perfect for special occasions, or for sharing desserts with those picky (or skeptical) eaters in your life. The dishes are so comforting & familiar, and don't taste like the "vegan version" of an old favorite; they taste just like the egg- and dairy-laden versions, only better & cruelty-free! They're by no means "diet food," but traditional desserts aren't meant to be! And if you don't like using white sugar & flour (like me), replace some of it with the healthier alternative of your choosing... The recipes are flexible enough to lend themselves to some tweaking!
I also want to say that if you like this book, you'll love the author's podcast. "Vegetarian Food for Thought" is smart, insightful, supportive and SO INSPIRING! I want to tell everyone I know about it because it's THAT amazing.
I highly, highly recommend this book--for beginning cooks, advanced chefs, and everyone in-between!
Delightful surprise April 12, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
First, an admission. I'm not vegan. I have a dairy allergy but I still loved baked goods--I love to bake them and I love to eat them. The biggest challenge for me is finding the right balance of soy milk and oils in baking. I've had so many mishaps. So to find a book that doesn't rely on any dairy products is wonderful. I was anxious about buying this book because I thought that it would be too earthy-crunchy or use hard-to-find ingredients or just be too strange. Instead, it is chock full of great recipes, is presented very well and the recipes are easy to follow. I'm very happy with this purchase.
Freedom from Eggs and Dairy and Still the Most Delicious Desserts March 27, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Ms. Patrick-Goudrea's cookbook has moved to the front of the line of all of my dessert cookbooks. Her recipes deliver. The proof they say, is in the pudding, and the taste is all there. I made the peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips for my daughter's kindergarten class. The children loved them. The chocolate cake is fantastic. No eggs, no dairy. It is amazing that you can make such moist, decadent desserts without the traditional ingredients we all grew up with and never miss a thing. AND in these tight economic times, it is great to know that one box of egg-replacer equals about 114 eggs! Not only do her recipes deliver, but her tips are very useful. It is like she is standing in the kitchen with you. Patrick-Goudreau also helps you stock your pantry, and plainly demystifies "vegan" labels. What does it really mean? By switching to egg and dairy alternatives, you are being more compassionate toward animals, you can save money, and you could be eating a healthier dessert! Back to the main point: These recipes are delicious. Your tastebuds will love every morsel. Patrick-Goudreau has created the right desserts that prove you do not need eggs and cow's milk for a sweet treat. This is baking for the 21st century and beyond. Give this cookbook a try. It will be a star in your culinary library. Happy baking!
Tasty vegan recipes with ingredients that fit families on a budget! March 19, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This past weekend I tried out my first recipes from this book (Chocolate Cake page 72 & Buttercream Frosting page 231). I made the dessert for 4 non-vegetarians/vegans. I've tried to veganize baked goods myself in the past and have just not had a lot of luck with textures and consistencies. I bought this book because I hoped I'd be able to bake things my whole (non-veg) family would enjoy that I could feel good about making. Baking homemade birthday cakes is my absolute favorite thing to do in the kitchen.
I was so thrilled to see not only how easy this cake was but how great it tasted, looked and felt. The cake was moist and flavorful and the frosting was a huge hit with my extended family (lots of licking of beaters). I even got to lick the cake batter bowl which with non-vegan batter that contains eggs no one should really do but especially a pregnant lady. The batter was so good!
I see that some reviewers think this book is too basic or not experimental enough. But our family is on an EXTREMELY tight budget. Would I like to use all kinds of cool, hard-to-find ingredients in recipes? Sure. But the reality for us is that we have to keep our pantry stocked with the basics. To be able to bake vegan desserts that everyone likes on my budget is fantastic.
I can't wait to try out more recipes. I have about 1/3 of the pages folded down for that purpose. With a holiday this weekend, I'm sure I'll find something fun to make for a group of 10 non-veg folks.
 trial and error March 15, 2008
4 out of 6 found this review helpful
This book has lots of creative ideas. I have baked many of the recipes. A word of caution. Some of the recipes seem like they are written by someone else. Also several of the recipes have to be tweaked. By this I mean, directions are either unclear or down right poor. Example, I made the cinnamon rolls, in the directions it tells you to use a baking sheet...I did this and ended up with rolls and sticky filling on the bottom of my oven. I think the concepts are great, but some of them seem like maybe she hasn't actually put them to use herself. I have just modified them when I need to. While the book certainly is 'pretty', as an end user I could care less as long as the recipes result in some success. You can find many of these recipes on line for free with more clear directions. I think she had a good idea, i bought the book, but I think maybe actually making all of the recipes and making directions more clear is more important than pretty pictures. if I could have given this a 3 1/2 stars I would have. try www.veganchef.com
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