Vegan with a Vengeance : Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock Reviews

• If You Could Have Only One Vegan Cookbook - Get THIS!

  
  By A1Q7AQV64XZT1N on 2005-11-22
  I am a relatively new vegan, and I dove in head first and purchased a TON of vegetarian/vegan cookbooks so that I would not get bored and frustrated with my new lifestyle. Of all of the cookbooks I own, I have been disappointed with many, impressed by some and awed by only one - Vegan with a Vengeance. The recipes are creative, flavorful, and are enjoyed by my meat-eating friends/family as much as by me! Plus, the book covers a lot of ground - from breakfasts/brunches to desserts, soups, sammiches, etc. I love the additional commentary and advice in the book, regardless of the fact that the other and I don't have the same views on many issues! I keep going back to this cookbook frequently and my many others are starting to collect dust. An absolute must have for any vegetarian or vegan library, and highly recommended for anyone else who wants to eat a little healthier and more varied as well.
  
  

• Awesome!

  
  By A3KY3IL0QCID4U on 2006-04-17
  I love this cookbook! I am not a cook (I do most of my cooking using the microwave) and I don't really know what I'm doing, but I still love this book! The directions are really simple and straightforward, and there's a section on stocking the vegan pantry, which is something that has always escaped me. Now that I have onions, garlic and potatoes handy, I can actually make some of these recipes without going shopping. I think that is the greatest beauty of this book--the ingredients are usually relatively cheap (although spices cost a bit at first if you don't already have them) and most of them aren't very exotic. I live in a rural-ish area and our mega-grocery has most of the ingredients that appear in the book (the other ingredients are within a 30-minute drive, so we're good to go). Moskowitz keeps cheap and simple in mind, so even if the recipe calls for fancy kitchen equipment, she'll often give a punk rock alternative so you can make the recipe without having to spend a lot of money at a yuppie kitchen store.
  
  The only things about this book that I'm not crazy about are: 1) There are a couple of typos or inconsistencies that leave you wondering which you're supposed to follow, although I'm sure you can figure it out if I can. 2) For microwave professionals like myself, it can be hard to decide what a "medium onion" or "large russet potato" looks like. Now that vegetables are genetically altered, the classic medium potato looks kind of shrimpy. I like having ingredients listed in standardized measurements. 3) Possibly due to problems related to item 2, I made the falafel (the uncooked falafel tasted rockin!), but it didn't stick together in the cooking oil. So I had this dough that took a couple hours for me to make, and I put it in the oil and it disintegrated. I couldn't eat it! I think I used a genetically altered onion that was bigger than it was supposed to be, so the falafel was too wet. I don't know! But it was tragic. (In related news, the tahini was a-mazing. I think I made it three times in one week, it was so good.)
  
  I'm still giving this book 5 stars because I think a lot of the problems are my own, and it's so good otherwise that it makes up for it. The chocolate pudding is *(#@$(* great! The only thing is that you have to wait for it to chill (can't eat it warm), or it doesn't taste so good.
  
  I've never had a cookbook that I really, actually used before, but this one is already beat up and discolored! There are ingredients all over it! I'm so proud of myself!!! Great book! :D
  
  

• Too sweet

  
  By ABRNH7UX06PCT on 2006-01-03
  Not a bad cookbook, I guess, if you have a major sweet tooth. I had hoped that some of the muffin/dessert recipes would do without the standard white sugar/white flour formulas. It is not hard to have a "Best Pumpkin Muffin" recipe taste good if it has a cup and a half of sugar and 2 tablespoons of molasses in it. And even the vegetable and fruit dishes are sweetened - usually by a bit of maple syrup. Is it really necessary to further sweeten applesauce with both white and maple sugar? The carrots, the winter vegetables, the beets are almost all glazed with maple syrup.
  
  Overall, this is an interesting and inventive cookbook. Just be aware that many of the recipes run sweet.
  
  

• White Flour and sugar ?

  
  By A1E7G56OX03JKO on 2007-03-17
  Whether you'll like this cookbook depends on what you're looking for. If you are eating vegan to be healthier, if you wish to avoid refined flour and sugar, then this book isn't for you. If you want to eat "veganized" versions of popular foods in the typical American diet, this might be the cookbook for you. Many of the recipes call for white flour, sugar, or both. This was a huge disappointment to me, as I was expecting whole grain recipes using a variety of different grains and beans. If you want to bake cookies, muffins, scones, and other desserts, this book provides a good selection of recipes.
  
  

• I've got more vengeance than you can shake a stick at

  
  By AV3NBS1L977VZ on 2006-10-20
  When I first checked this book out from the library I did something that I've never done with a cookbook before--I sat down and just read it. The author is so entertaining, witty, and engaging that I just liked reading the recipe descriptions, punk points, tips from Fizzle the cat, and litte vignettes that are woven into the book.
  
  Then I started cooking. Oh, the scones! Amazing! The TLTs (tempeh, lettuce, tomato)! Wonderful! So many recipes, so little time.
  
  So of course I returned the book to the library and bought my very own copy to drool over and treasure and love and sleep with under my pillow. OK, so I exaggerate, but not much.
  
  The only downside is that many of the entrees call for tempeh, seitan, or tofu, and I don't use those products very often. But when I do, I know that Isa will give me a good recipe. But there are enough other recipes that I think it's balanced overall. And Isa convinced me to try roasted brussels sprouts on pizza. Crazy, I know, but it was SO GOOD.
  
  Yesterday I also got Isa's newest book, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. It's also wonderfully entertaining and I can't wait to start baking. I'm thinking of buying Vegan with a Vengeance and Vegan Cupcakes for all of my friends this Christmas--and none of them are vegan. No matter! Our vegan vengeance and cupcakey goodness will take over the world!
  
  
• We've Come A Long Way Since Soy Not Oi!
  By A1TS1QJCES4LB6 on 2005-10-28
  This book changed my life.
  
  Now, since there are approximately 26,742 other Amazon reviews that say the same thing, let me explain before you dismiss me entirely. I'm 26 and had been vegetarian since I was 19. From the very beginning, I knew that veganism was the goal I wanted to aim for. I had read the books and had all the pamphlets. I knew "Why Vegan?". But I kept putting it off. After 7 years, it was clear that I had made veganism an unreachable goal in my life. I had blown the concept of vegan sacrifice to insane proportions, falsely inflating the importance of cheese and ice cream to my well being. I understand now that without this book, I might never have made that leap of faith.
  
  When I first came in contact with Isa's food ideas, I was under oath to try one recipe a week for eight weeks. I completed this goal, and went far beyond. In fact in the subsequent months, if I cooked from a recipe it was almost always from VwaV. The food contained within isn't just good vegan food. It's good food period. Ms. Moskowitz has balanced the book very well between the deceptively simple and the "Oh my god, I MADE that!" (well ok, I was a pretty novice cook at the time, but there are some fun challenges). When making these recipes, I found new flavors and discovered a lot of flavor complexity that I hadn't found in any cookbook, veg*n or not.
  
  To touch briefly on the writing of the book and it's format. Basically there is an introductory paragraph before each recipe that can range from a one liner about how good the recipe is to an anecdote about where the recipe came from and memories associated with it. You will also find helpful sidebars scattered throughout, written both by Isa and her helpful cat, Fizzle. There are also about 10 longer 1-2 page essays on various topics with a great focus on community-building. I found this non-recipe writing to be very engaging and gave the recipes extra life beyond the page. Make no mistake though, this cookbook's focus is definitely on the food.
  
  Back to the life-changiness of the book. Well, after completing the 8 week goal, and still using Isa's recipes regularly long since, it finally dawned on me: veganism is EASY and actually fun. That unreachable goal that had haunted me for 7 years had been right there the whole time and my early experience with Vegan With A Vengeance is what finally made me realize that veganism isn't about SACRIFICE. You gain not only a whole new range of flavor but also creativity in the process. No, Isa Chandra Moskowitz didn't make me a vegan, but she showed me how good it can taste.
  
  Oh, in a cookbook review you're supposed to mention some of your favorite recipes so here are the top 3 standouts for me: The Best Pumpkin Muffins truly are the best. Terry's Chili sin Carne Mole is amazing! And as a guy wearing a mohawk and a studded denim vest writing about a punk rock cookbook (don't let the "Post" fool ya, Isa's punk as fork), I'm losing all my punk points by saying this, but the Raspberry Blackout Cake with Ganache-y Frosting is DIVINE.
  
  
• Not just a fantastic *vegan* cookbook--a fantastic cookbook overall!
  By A2Q6R7KNAW5FF2 on 2006-03-30
  This is a brilliant, brilliant book. I'm getting all excited just writing a review for it. I love this book to pieces and I'm not even vegan.
  
  The tone - Hilarious and awesome. Kind of like listening to Grandma's stories if Grandma was a crazy punk in New York during the 80s. Her tales are one of the reasons I bought the book (they're fun to read while waiting for cakes to bake!). Isa's style is always chatty and fun, never preachy. My favorite part is in the beginning, when she tells the reader that it's cool if they spill food and sauces all over the book, because then they'll remember all the awesome food they've made. The whole book has that fun, messy, DIY spirit. Needless to say, my book is well-loved.
  
  The recipes - Brilliant. Inventive and delicious. I can't do justice. Omnis and veg*ns love it. And, best of all: IT IS NOT ONLY TOFU. AND THERE IS NOT A SINGLE SALAD RECIPE TO BE FOUND. Which means more room for fun stuff like Chickpea & Spinach Curry (*best ever*), Falafel (constantly requested by my meat-eating family), and Fresh Mango Summer Rolls (forget seconds--we went to fifths and sixths!). Best of all, Isa's recipes are flexible, and she gives you various tools (low-cal/fat replacement sections, etc.) to fix them exactly the way you want them. Every time I have made her recipes, the food has turned out absolutely delicious--and even better, it stays delicious, even with modifications for dieting family or picky friends.
  
  So yeah this is pretty much a love letter at this point. I would totally ask this cookbook to marry me were it, you know, sentient. And human. But I'm just being silly. Buy this book. It will make even the pickiest eater love fantastic, homemade, healthy food--which just so happens to be vegan. It's the best :)
  
  
• Vegan, yes....but still not my type of vegan foods
  By AIJTYQNYL95CF on 2007-04-12
  Although I looked closely at the recipes, there was only a couple that I wanted to try. I became vegan for health reasons, not ethical ones. This book was full of recipes with processed flour and fake meats & cheeses. Although technically vegan, these are not really the kind of foods I want to eat. If you want recipes with raw & cooked whole foods as close to their natural state as possible, without the addition of processed grains or mangled soy & wheat products that approximate (badly, may I add) animal products, this cookbook may not be for you. I found the layout and type distracting, nay, annoying. I also have no political ties or sympathy to the punk movement, and this cookbook has plenty of that (my own fault - I knew that when I bought it). All in all, these recipes were too much work and not even the kinds of foods I wanted to eat anyway. I returned it to Amazon.
  
  
• Some good ideas, but poor execution throughout
  By A2O8XXPBE5DLQZ on 2007-11-08
  I hate to be the Voice Of Doom, but I have to break with the majority of the reviewers here and say that many of these recipes really aren't that great. I guess it's a good resource for brainstorming. Or if you are vegan because of ethical concerns, or strictly to rebel against your parents (or society in general), it's a good thing to throw on the coffee table. But when it comes to getting reliable recipes for nutritious meals, this one just doesn't do it for me.
  
  As for the recipes I have tried, the vast majority of them are--to put it bluntly--BORING. I know for a fact that vegan food does not have to be bland! Almost all of these recipes require "tweaking" to punch them up beyond the level of mediocre. This is nothing a good experienced cook can't fix the second or third time around, but I find it a little disappointing considering this is a published cookbook that got so many rave reviews here on Amazon. The recipes in this book are more like something you'd find in a Google search from an untested source--very much hit-or-miss. For any cookbook to get a review of 3 stars or more, I think the recipes need to work right out of the box.
  
  Having said that, I will give the author credit for creativity, and for taking on the challenge of publishing a vegan cookbook in the first place. America is finally going through a culinary renaissance in regard to home cooked foods. We are finally being presented with a wider variety of good, wholesome, natural foods, even in the mainstream supermarkets. Let's face it--"prepared" vegan foods can only get you so far, and the average cookbook has very few options for vegans. Sadly it seems as if there aren't enough professionally-trained vegan chefs that happen to be inclined to write a cookbook.
  
  I sincerely hope that this author decides to go to culinary school. Then maybe she can put together a truly GOOD vegan cookbook some day. In the mean time, I give this book two stars out of five. It's more of an entertainment piece than a ticket to good food. But, at least that's a start.
  
  
• Fun but Overhyped
  By A23GOXD09G310J on 2007-02-04
  I don't get what all the hype is about with this book. I bought it pretty much solely for the matzoh ball soup recipe, which I am excited to try, but few of the other recipes are really inspiring me to bust out this cookbook. As a vegan for 13 years and avid cook, I think these recipes are overly complicated. Most of the ideas are recycled from other cookbooks I already have, and those recipes are way simpler and already kitchen tested to be delicious. I much prefer "Garden of Vegan" by Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard. GOV has just has much personality and variety, but the ingredients are simpler and the results are fantastic. VWAV just seems over-complicated to me, and unnecessarily so. I will make the caveat that I haven't made any of these recipes yet, so maybe I'll be wowed when I finally do. This cookbook just doesn't inspire me the way others do.
  
  
• This cookbook could make the world go vegan.
  By A1KMBYDBJX8ZRQ on 2006-01-17
  First off, let me start by saying that this is a vegan cookbook with no salad section. That fact alone should alert you to the awesomeness that is VwaV. Since most of steak and potato America thinks we subsist on plates full of limp lettuce and veggies(no dressing), the fact that there are no salads to be found is great mythbusting. So with that out of the way...onward!
  
  I have had this cookbook for a few months now, taken it around the block a few times. It's pages are creased and stained with things like pomegranite barbeque sauce and tahini. I will say, under oath, that nothing that I have made out of this book has been anything short of life altering. Seriously, some of the best food is waiting in these pages...it's calling out for you. Answer the call.
  
  Isa Chandra Moskowitz writes this cookbook with an easy going style, and is quite funny and entertaining. You could almost sit and read it like it wasn't a cookbook. Also, one thing that I hate about a lot of cookbooks, is that there are a million really exotic ingredients that you'd never have. With the majority of the recipes in VwaV, you'll probably already own the spices that it calls for. If you don't have everything the recipe calls for on hand, it'll be easy to get...which is good.
  
  Alright, so if you are still reading this that means you haven't bought it yet, and my question to you is, why not? Okay, come over and I'll whip up a pan full of scrambled tofu and some lemon corn waffles with blueberry sauce, and you'll say "WOW, this is amazing, are you sure it's vegan? how did you make it?", then you'll know that all I said about this cookbook is true.
  
  I wish that everyone who wasn't vegan could try some of the recipes from this book. They are so flavorful and so satisfying, I think we would have converts on the spot. So there are my two cents about this book, I cook from it almost daily and I am still in love with it. Do yourself a favor... buy this and get ready to amaze yourself.
  
  
• Simply not my idea of vegan food
  By A2CXPULSSEHRGL on 2007-09-12
  I agree with some of the other reviewers that if you are eating vegan to achieve a healthy lifestyle, this is not the book for you.
  Isa uses sugar, white flour and corn oil (among other not-so-healthy ingredients) too liberally. Also, the ingredient list for most of the recipes is just too long for my liking.
  I would take a plate of lightly steamed broccoli any day over the convoluted, processed dishes conjured up in this book.
  
  
  
  
• only for sugar-tarians
  By A3KBG7E1XSNTYC on 2007-12-19
  I'm really surprised this book gets so many great reviews. It just goes to show how far hype and a funny personality can take someone. I love vegan food, but hated all of the savory recipes I made from this book: the biscuits are dry and flavorless, the punk rock gravy tasted too strongly of lemon juice, the sausage crumbles were bland. The bbq tofu was okayish but I already had a much tastier recipe for it and the coconut rice was virtually flavorless. But the worst of the bunch? The veggie burgers. Weirdest thing I have ever tasted, absolutely nauseating. I threw it in the trash. Her dessert recipes ARE very good tasting, but full of sugar and fat. Personally, I prefer desserts that are a bit on the healthier side, with ingredients like whole wheat pastry flour, maple syrup and fruit sweetener. I have to agree with another reviewer who said the author needs to go to culinary school.
  
  
• No Salad!
  By A12Y575YH1FD8D on 2006-12-18
  1. She starts with a love of food.
  2. She starts with all the right politics.
  3. Easy and delicious recipes!
  4. No weird specialty stuff you have to buy $10 worth for just one recipe.
  5. Not a freakin' salad to be found. If you are vegan or veg, you know how to make a damn salad.
  
  I love it!
  
  
• Absolutely amazing for several reasons--
  By A28V0XBEWMZAO1 on 2005-12-14
  the title says it all-- as a vegan baker, I was delighted to receive this as a Christmas gift. Before this cookbook, I was feeling increasingly frustrated by vegweb.com's recipes that often turned out badly and left me so disparaged. This cookbook has renewed my hope for several reasons.
  
  1) Most of the time, vegan recipes contain the weirdest sounding ingredients. This cookbook, however, is creative in the way it combines simple and accessible ingredients. You don't need to be in close proximity to a health store to have the neccessary ingredients.
  
  2) They're so easy to make! As a new cook (as well as a new vegan), this book speaks in phrases I know and understand without using complicated lingo.
  
  3) It's inspiring-- she encourages experimentation in the kitchen and through her extra tidbits of info she makes you excited to pick up the frying pan/mixing bowl.
  
  4) The recipes are truly delicious. I had no idea that simple mushrooms, garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar could make for such an amazing 'sammich.'
  
  5) It's universal-- though some say vegans develop a different palate for food, these recipes taste yummy to everyone. Good food is good food regardless of age, race, or food preference. Isa makes that point loudly with this cookbook.
  
  6) It's also personal-- by expressing her own uniqueness in such clever ways, it's inviting to the reader to make the meals listed in the book. By giving personal anecdotes (like having brunch parties using various recipes) it also shows the cook the various applications and ways to use the meals being made. Her example of a political bakesale is awesome.
  
  7) It's not preachy. So many times, vegan authors can make it seem like veganism is a duty or obligation. Isa, on the other hand, shows veganism to be fun, creative, and just as self-satisfying as a meat-eating diet.
  
  Ok, there are probably other reasons why this book rocks, but I have to pull some of the pumpkin muffins from the oven! Best of luck!
  
  
• Best vegan cookbook I own
  By A1MXYU0VVZIG6X on 2006-04-02
  I have six or seven vegan cookbooks, but this is the only one I use regularly. Every single recipe I have tried from this book has come out delish. The chocolate chip cookies taste better than I remember Mrs. Field's tasting. The seitan portobello stroganoff is out of this world. I don't usually feel the need to write a review, but I am one satisfied customer.
  
  
• not for the health conscious
  By A2DZGSJ1WKHXWR on 2008-02-23
  I am an experienced vegan cook and was very disappointed by this book. Nearly every recipe contains soy, every recipe is fried, baked, broiled, or boiled, and there is heavy use of refined sugar and grains. Frankly a lot of her ideas seemed ripped off from the Moosewood cookbooks.
  
  Her claim that these are inexpensive recipes with easy to find ingredients does not ring true to me. Most recipes require a special trip to the health food store, where items are typically rather costly, at least where I live.
  
  She does have some clever ways to make omni foods with vegan products, but since I am a vegan for health reasons, I'm not too interested in fake bacon.
  
  
• Simple, creative, delicious food
  By A3AJ41VDS2B3YY on 2006-02-19
  I own many vegan cookbooks, but this is the one I find myself constantly consulting. Everything I've prepared so far has been simple to prepare and delicious. I especially recommend the spanakopita, roasted brussels sprouts, matzoh ball soup, and pumpkin waffles. And the BBQ pomegranate tofu. And the chickpea and spinach curry. And the curried split pea soup. And the chickpea broccoli casserole...
  
  Unlike many other fabulous cookbooks (e.g. Candle Cafe's and Milleniums'), the recipes require few ingredients and little preparation time. Within the first week of owning this book I bought copies for my mother and mother-in-law. They've both loved the book, as has my father, who's not vegetarian. These recipes will not only please veggies and non-veggies alike, but also the cook, who won't have had to slave away in the kitchen to produce creative, beautiful, and delicious food.
  
  
• Surprisingly yummy!
  By A3KRUHWZLESIHW on 2007-01-11
  I purchased this book so that I would have ingredients and ideas of what to
  prepare for my vegan daughter and family when they visited. Quite a number of recipes looked interesting and appetizing and I, a non-vegetarian, really appreciated all the substitutes listed for replacing non-vegan foods (like eggs, butter, cheese)along with the explanations as to why the author uses one ingredient over another for satisfying results.
  
  There are lots of tips, comments and suggestions within recipes throughout
  the book. I enjoyed the personal references and what appears to be "tried
  and true" recipes to choose from.
  
  While the whole family was together over the holidays, the cookbook remained out on the counter. I made some chocolate chip, thumbprint and cresent cookies with my grandkids and my daughter made delicious little
  appetizer pancakes with parsnips (a vegetable I'd never before introduced to my family). EVERYONE loved them, scarfed them up still wishing for more! We did make another trip to the store to have another batch the
  following day.
  
  I sent the book home with my daughter and I just purchased another copy, again for myself, and this time will try some other intriging sounding
  recipes not only for when my daughter visits but intentionally for me and
  my non-vegetarian husband.
  
  Yes, of course I recommend this book! A great addition to anyones cookbook
  library.
  
  
• Pure (vegan) genius
  By APV99EG6F0RL9 on 2006-01-02
  I've been a vegan for just over a year, I love to cook, and I own several vegan cookbooks already...but this one's different. Simply put, the recipes are fantastic. And they're accessible to normal people who like cooking but may not always have time to hunt down, say, agave nectar or asafoetida powder.
  
  I tried out the "Revolutionary Spanish Omelette" this morning and I swear to god, she's created an egg-free omelette - I repeat, and OMELETTE with NO EGGS -that will be scarfed down by vegans and omnivores alike. It really tasted exactly like the omelettes you get in Spanish cafes (which they call "tortillas" but who's quibbling?). So I immediately tried out one of her cake recipes. Unbelievable! Easily the best cake, vegan or omni, that I've ever made (it was the carrot-coconut-ginger-macedamia recipe, which you must try if you buy the book).
  
  The instructions are both fun to read and easy to understand. Not one of those big all-encompassing cookbooks (I'd recommend "Vegan Planet" for that), but the recipes are well-chosen. Highly recommended for new vegans, old vegans, and non-vegans.
  
  
• Put the other cookbook down and buy this one...trust me
  By A388MC7VFFR12B on 2006-10-23
  Thank you Isa! I finally feel like my hard earned money has been well spent. I own tons of vegetarian/vegan cookbooks; in fact I think I am pushing a world record or something. Normally I am so disappointed in all the `new, gotta have it' cookbooks. The day I got this book I immediately went to the baking section and tried out some of the muffins and cupcakes. I always find that the excellence of a vegan cookbook can be measured by quality of the baking section. If you are vegan or happen to like to munch on vegan baked goods, you know how hard it is to make a great vegan anything that is baked. The better the end product, I figure the better the quality of the rest of the entrees, sides, etc. included in the book. I am happy to report, Isa hasn't let me down yet.
  
  The only somewhat negative thing is that a lot of the recipes call for slightly expensive ingredients, but again, Isa hasn't let me down. I know from experience, if you email her and ask her how you can replace something, say maple syrup, in a specific recipe she will write you back with an answer quickly.
  
  
  
• Not for Me
  By A3V9KTKVS44IG3 on 2007-08-13
  This book was just an extenstion of junk food and not truly delicious food. I was very disappointed with this vegan book. I am a new vegan and had bought Carol Alts Raw Food book this book just didn't compare nutritionally or recipe wise.
  
  
• Not feeling this one...
  By A371TH2KAFVOPT on 2006-09-01
  Too much sugar & time required to make most of the recipes. Not bad, but not great. The recipes that I have tried were ok, but again, nothing to write home about. If I were to suggest a few vegan cookbooks to a friend this one would probably not make the list.
  
  
• Not so healthy...
  By A16E6YRXK4I1R6 on 2008-03-10
  I'm surprised by all the glowing reviews. Many recipes call for refined sugar, white flour, corn oil, etc. Virtually all the recipes contain soy--soy milk, soy cream, soy yogurt, etc.--with only minor mention of fermented soy products. While this cookbook is vegan, it certainly isn't healthy.
  
  
• An essential cookbook, vegan or not
  By A2CPSDCQQG1XOQ on 2006-01-21
  I know it's the same old stuff in everybody else's reviews, but I just wanted to add my support.
  
  I've had this book as long as it's been out, and I can't remember dinner before this book. I have a ton of cookbooks, vegan and not. But ever since VwaV showed up at my door, I can't bring myself to cook from anything else until every single recipe in the table of contents is covered in yellow highlighter, meaning I made it. Every single recipe is great. I plan my dinners for the upcoming week ahead of time, excitedly. I shop for ingredients at the store knowing for once that it won't be forgotten and found 2 weeks later rotting in the fridge. Think you don't like brussel sprouts? I did. I dare you to make the roasted brussel sprouts and still feel the same way. You NEED this book.
  
  Edited 11/11/07 - I've now had this book for 2 years and you should see it now! My table of contents is covered in highlighter - I've made over 90 recipes from this book, many of them repeatedly. There are all kinds of food bits and splatters on the pages. I still use this book at least every other day. Although their new book Veganomicon really is the ultimate vegan cookbook, Vegan with a Vengeance will never be obsolete.
  
  
• VwaV = Vegan Must Have!
  By A3JAPPGC1PULAV on 2006-04-20
  I've been vegan for a little over 8 months and I still have problems putting recipes together with great flavors. I've purchased so many vegan cookbooks and pretty much been disappointed with the dessert recipes..
  
  In VwaV I have tried every single cookie recipe, a couple muffin recipes and will be making the cupcake recipes soon and all of them were WONDERFUL. My co-workers still don't know they're Vegan.
  
  If you think being Vegan equals bland foods you really have to get this book. My boyfriend isn't Vegan but he runs to the kitchen when I'm cooking sweets..This book is a Vegan Must Have!!!!!!
  
  Meikmeik
  
  
• A Delightful Change Of Pace...
  By A3VY3FJTT57439 on 2006-05-27
  In a world where vegans are openly and often mocked... Where Vegan cookbooks offer you the same type of rice + beans + vegetables = dinners... Where cookbooks with a personality are needed more that ever...
  
  "Vegan with a Vengeance: Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock" offers itself up as a breath of fresh air.
  
  This is a Vegan cookbook with a sense of humor, with a wide variety of delicious Vegan dishes, good ideas, helpful tips, and the first Vegan recipe I've ever come across for faux hostess cupcakes... The Fauxstess Cupcake Recipe, which is worth checking the book out for all by itself...
  
  Kudos to the author for a job well done.
  
  
• An essential addition to your kitchen
  By A4AI2VZJDU1IN on 2005-10-16
  This book is tremendous. It belongs in every kitchen in every home in the country. Even if you aren't Vegan, you never know when you might have guests that are. Are you going to serve them food that is less accomplished then your other meals?
  
  With Vegen with a Vengeance you get exquisite, cosmopolitan recipes that aren't overwhelming to prepare. You get great, healthy, food and the satisfaction of knowing you're doing it right.
  
  I threw out nearly every other vegetarian cookbook I had. I only needed this one. I can't say it enough -- buy it.
  
  
• DIY cooking has never been so inspiring...
  By A2CZ4E828C8FY6 on 2005-10-21
  Buy this book. Now. You won't regret it.
  
  This an incredibly special cookbook. Not only are the recipes fresh, non-corporate, and delicious sounding, but the tips from Fizzle are priceless. The vegan pantry list is a necessity for new vegans (like me) or vegans just learning the ropes to cook from scratch. My favorite thing about this book, though, is the sections where Isa Chandra talks about her experiences with food, drawing on stories from her punkrock past. This book has inspired me to revamp my pantry, embrace my kitchen, turn the volume up a little higher when cooking, and make my diet a bigger part of my life. Even non-vegan foodies would love this book, as well as all "post" punks reembracing the DIY spirit. I plan to buy copies of this book for all my friends for upcoming holidays, and maybe throw in a batch of The Best Pumpkin Muffins to boot (from the book) for each of them.
  
  
• Buy It Now
  By A211PANIHS9W26 on 2006-07-04
  Whether you are a tried and true meat eater or a strict vegan this book is a must. Like the title implies IT ROCKS!
  
  I have been a meat eater all of my life. Recently I thought about becoming vegan, but wasn't really sure if I would like anything without butter or cheese. I found Isa's website, ordered the book and am now happily on my way to becoming the vegan I want to be. I rarely think about the foods that used to be such a big part of my unhealthy, eco-unfriendly diet.
  
  The book is chock full of incredibly flavorful recipes. She sprinkles the text with fun little stories which make it even more magical. If think you have a fear or dislike of tofu, this book may change your mind. It did mine. Tofu is not the only thing vegans eat. The possibilities are varied and endless. There are some tofu recipes here, but there is so much more to discover. Isa is a genius at making the discoveries delicious and memorable.
  
  There is something for everyone in VwaV, sweet treats that will indeed rock your world, creative appetizers, sublime sammiches, extrodinary entrees, bombshell breakfasts. Don't miss out on this one. Hey for the price, order one for a friend too. They will really think you love them (especially if you cook something from this great collection for them).
  
  Before I got this book I couldn't imagine how you could bake without using eggs or butter and have anything taste good. Was I ever wrong! The Apple-Pie Crumb Cake muffins are just as good, probably even better than any non-vegan muffin out there. I made the Banana Walnut pancakes for a group of really hungry men. They keep asking me to make them again. I've been serving these vegan goodies to many friends and relatives who are anything but vegetarian. They love them. Good testimonial and ego-boost.
  
  Get a copy and watch everyone you cook for join the "clean plate club".
  
  Don't be shy, dig in and get a copy.
  
  

• Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World: 75 Dairy-Free Recipes for Cupcakes that Rule
• Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook
• The Joy of Vegan Baking: The Compassionate Cooks' Traditional Treats and Sinful Sweets
• The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen
• Skinny Bitch