Product Description

Elevate your vegan palate to the sumptuous level!

ExtraVeganZa is an exquisite compilation of recipes that push the boundaries of vegan cuisine. The book presents over 250 tantalizing savory and sweet vegan recipes, including:

• Appetizers, spreads, snacks and dips
• Soups, salads, dressings, toppings and sauces
• Rice, grains and legumes
• Main dishes, side dishes, casseroles and pastas
• Breakfasts, buns and breads
• Cakes, icings and glazes
• Pies, pie crusts and “cheesecakes”
• Puddings, mousses and fruit gels
• Cookies and squares
• Sweet loaves, brownies, cobblers, crumbles and oddballs
• Beverages and frozen treats

   

Adding unique flair, ExtraVeganZa highlights the elegant presentation of dishes using edible flowers and fresh herbs as garnishes, as well as natural foods as alternatives for food dyes, producing some rare colored treats for the eye. An edible flowers glossary and a special section on natural food dyes helps the reader experiment further.

Also unique is the philosophy of the book. An important milestone in vegan cuisine, it incorporates the larger scale vision of growing your own food or at least knowing where it comes from, and creating a more sustainable lifestyle. At the author’s organic farm and B&B, they grow as much food as possible for themselves, their guests, farm workers and the local community.

Laura Matthias is a field biologist, B&B owner-operator, and organic farmer. A long-time vegan, she has researched the nutritional value of foods, worked in a vegan restaurant and cooked vegan food as a personal chef for clients with dietary sensitivities.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #143620 in Books
• Published on: 2006-07-26
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

About the Author
Laura Matthias is a field biologist, B&B owner-operator, and organic farmer. A long-time vegan, she has researched the nutritional value of foods, worked in a vegan restaurant and cooked vegan food as a personal chef for clients with dietary sensitivities. She grows much of the food for her family and B&B on her farm in Victoria, BC.

Customer Reviews

Get this book!
I know, you're wondering about whether you should get this book, since it doesn't have many reviews yet and this is the first one. But let me tell you, I have over 150 cookbooks, and this one ranks in the best of them. It doesn't matter if you are a vegan, omnivore, or lacto-ovo-vegetarian - you will enjoy these recipes if you like vegetables, healthy grains, nuts, and legumes, the occasional sweet, and new and inventive ways to cook your favorite foods. Vegan foods, luckily, can be eaten by anyone - so just kick back and enjoy; this book makes it especially easy. Some recipes are wheat-free and others, like the vegetable mochi casserole, are gluten-free. The casserole is delicious, and the lemon sesame kale is my new favorite way to eat it. The Thai noodle salad is one of the best Thai dishes I have ever made. My boyfriend and I have greatly enjoyed these recipes, and I am confident you will, too.

Great cook book for vegans and folks allergic to wheat
This is a great vegan cookbook! I won't say what's been said in other reviews (especially the very first review that convinced me to buy this book). The hardest part of going vegan for me has been finding really good baked goods--cookies, pies, sweet breads, etc. This cookbook meets that need. At first I was put off by the baking section since spelt flour is used in a lot of the recipes. I finally bought some spelt flour, tried the recipes and was converted. Most of the baked goods are wheat free (as well as vegan) and all of them come out wonderful.
Pros: Good recipes, good flavors, some unique flavor combinations (think lavender and chocolate). Not the typical vegan cookbook--you'll find interesting and easy to make main dishes and wonderful desserts. Recipes are easy to follow and every one that I've made has come out. I especially like the cookie recipes--they make 30 to 45 cookies per recipe--a nice quanity (3 to 4 sheets), are easy, and tasty. The cookies and baking section are wonderful!
Three Cons: 1. There are a few editing errors. The Lavender Chocolate Chip cookies don't have water in the ingredient list and the directions mention water (but not the maple syrup mentioned in the ingredient list--I just used the maple syrup and they came out great). Another cookie recipe has almond in the title and hazelnuts in the ingredients. 2. The cookbook assumes a general competency in the kitchen--this isn't the book that will give you all the great kitchen tips or tell you about the ingredients. 3. There isn't a breakdown of nutrition or calories for the recipes.
And why a 5? It's a great cookbook. I've had it for a month and it is one that I keep coming back to. The cons aren't very significant--I mention them because if corrected the book would be stellar.

ExtraVeganZa
As long-term vegans we're always looking for good vegan cookbooks. This is one. I bought a copy for my sister and her family since my husband was buying a copy for us. Recipes are well organized and easy to follow, photos are tantalizing. This cookbook contains recipes using ingredients we're likely to have, in novel combinations, such as Buckwheat Bean Casserole with Sesame Sauce (p.107) and Strawberry Jalapeño Corn Muffins (p.121) . Others call for ingredients we're less likely to have, such as lavendar. The Chocolate Jalapeño Cake is among our favorites so far.