Thursday, December 01, 2011

Quick-Fix Vegan
Book Review and Giveaway

When it comes to getting dinner on the table, I'm all about quick! Since I work at home, I'm sometimes still tapping away at my computer keyboard until well past the time I should have been figuring out what we're having for dinner. Vegan chef Robin Robertson has written more than twenty books, including a few of my favorites—Vegan Planet, Vegan Fire and Spice, Vegan on the Cheap, and along with husband, Jon Robertson, Vegan Unplugged(You can read my reviews of Vegan on the Cheap here and Vegan Unplugged here!) In Robin's latest book, Quick-Fix Vegan, she helps readers prepare fabulous vegan meals inexpensively and deliciously in 30 minutes or less! Drawing on culinary influences from around the world, the book is jam-packed with great-tasting recipes for the most sensational snacks, salads, soups, sandwiches, stove-top suppers, and sweets you'll ever eat!


Take for example, this spectacular gyro! I made it with Butler Soy Curls, instead of seitan, but Robin's seasonings and refreshingly light tzatziki sauce (which I made with So Delicious Greek-style Coconut Milk Yogurt), made this dish our new favorite sandwich!


We often enjoy tofu scrambles for dinner. (As well as pancakes, waffles, tofu omelets, and other breakfast foods!) Robin's Indonesian Vegetable and Tofu Scramble blends together a medley of Southeast Asian flavors to create a tasty twist on this staple dish.


It's hard to believe that this Moroccan Chickpeas with Tomatoes and Spinach sauté can go from stovetop to table in just fifteen minutes. And the blend of no fewer than eight aromatic spices make every bite so delectable, your family's taste buds will be fooled into thinking you spent hours preparing this dish.


I can't crack open a new cookbook and not hone in on at least one pasta or noodle dish. These Thai-inspired Primavera-style Coconut-Cashew Noodles combine the vibrant taste of fresh green vegetables with chewy pasta noodles and a dreamy-creamy, rich sauce. Want to try this delectable dish for yourself? The recipe is at the end of this post!


Rather than relying on packaged, highly processed faux meats and cheeses, I love that Robin's recipes are made from inexpensive, healthful, and hearty whole foods with modest amounts of minimally processed ingredients like tofu and seitan. More recipes from Quick-Fix Vegan that I can't wait to wrap my lips around are Romaine and Pear Salad with Sherry-Walnut Vinaigrette, Sloppy Portobellos, Curried Cauliflower Soup with Roasted Cauliflower "Rice," Catalan-style Crème Brûlée, and Apple Pie Parfaits! (Yes, there is a whole chapter filled with yummy desserts, too!)

With the holidays quickly approaching, it's the perfect time to treat yourself or someone (no—treat yourself and everyone!) you love to a copy of Quick-Fix Vegan! With the bounty of delectable recipes you'll find within its pages, this wonderful book will pay for itself over and over again by saving you time in the kitchen and money at the grocery store. And since I'm getting into the holiday spirit a little early, I'm giving away a copy of Quick-Fix Vegan to one lucky reader!* To enter, simply leave a comment here telling me why you'd like to win this book.

Update: Congratulations to Rebecca (Art You Dream About)! You won the giveaway! Please email me with your postal address, and I'll get your copy of Quick-Fix Vegan right out to you! Thanks to everyone for making this such a great giveaway! Stay tuned for my next post—I'll be sharing something completely different and wonderful, just in time for the holidays!

You can also earn additional entries by doing any or all of the following. Just leave a comment for each item you complete:

1. Follow this blog by clicking the "follow" link in the upper left-hand corner of this page, subscribing via email, or through NetworkedBlogs.
2. Tweet the following message: Win a copy of Quick-Fix Vegan from @Vegiegail & make delicious dinners in under 30 minutes! http://bit.ly/sEhr1n #vegan #giveaway #recipe
3. Follow @Vegiegail on Twitter!
4. Follow @GlobalVegan on Twitter!

Reprinted with the kind permission of Andrews McMeel Publishing, below is the recipe for Primavera-style Coconut-Cashew Noodles from Quick-Fix Vegan  by Robin Robertson. ©2011

Ingredients:

12 ounces linguine
1 Tbsp neutral vegetable oil
5 scallions, minced
1 carrot, shredded
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 cup snow peas
1/3 cup fresh Thai basil, cilantro, or regular basil (I used Thai basil)
2 Tbsp cashew butter
1 Tbsp sriracha sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp light brown sugar
1 13-oz can unsweetened coconut milk

Directions:

Cook the linguine in a large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 10 minutes. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions, carrot, ginger, and snow peas, and cook until the snow peas are softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the basil and cook, stirring gently, until hot.

In a small bowl, combine the cashew butter, sriracha, soy sauce, and sugar. Stir in the coconut milk until well blended. Stir the mixture into the vegetables and keep warm. Drain the cooked pasta and return to the pot. Add the sauce and vegetable mixture and toss to combine. Serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

*Sorry, international friends. You must have a valid US postal address to enter to win.

125 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would love to win this book because I am always looking for new recipies to help my vegan quest!!

Tanya said...

I'd love this book! Sometimes you just want to make something quickly and not spend hours preparing a meal. This looks perfect for that....and I need the tzatziki recipe :)

Anonymous said...

I follow your blog!

Tanya said...

I tweeted:

https://twitter.com/#!/EatingKale/status/142286940635529218

Anonymous said...

I tweeted!!!

Tanya said...

I follow VG on Twitter (@eatingkale)

Anonymous said...

I follow you on twitter!!!

Tanya said...

I follow GlobalVegan on Twitter (@eatingkale)

Anonymous said...

I follow @Globalvegan!

Jill said...

I would LOVE this book. I am trying to build up my Vegan library...as well as my daughter's who is 20. I am notorious for not knowing what I am making until less than an hour before dinner, my daughter comes home from school and ALWAYS asks "whats for dinner?" My response is always, Not sure!!! Thank you for this opportunity!!

Helen said...

I cannot believe how many amazing vegan cookbooks there are out there, and how many of them you give away! I would love to win a copy of Quick-Fix Vegan, because I'm always short on time when it comes to preparing dinner. The recipes all sound amazing, and as usual, you've made me hungry with all of your great photos. Thanks for sharing the Coconut-Cashew Noodles recipe. I'm making it for dinner tonight!

VeganCraftastic said...

I'd love to win this book because I'm always looking for quick recipes for busy nights! Thanks for the chance to win!

-craftytofu at yahoo dot com

Lizzie Bordello said...

I just read a review of this and remarked to the husband that maybe this is the cookbook I've been searching for - I love to cook, but at the same time and super lazy, so the idea of tasty vegan meals in under 30 minutes was very appealing! :)

Lizzie Bordello said...

Just tweeted the giveaway. :)

Helen said...

I already follow your fantabulous blog!

Lizzie Bordello said...

Already follow VegieGail on Twitter!

Lizzie Bordello said...

Also following GlobalVegan.

Anonymous said...

I have had my eye on this book for a long time! It is perfect for me because I am a busy college student who also works and I do not have a lot of time to prepare meals. Thanks!

VeggieDoc said...

I would LOVE to have this book. We just transitioned from vegetarian to vegan and I work a lot so quick-fix ideas for meals are just what I need!

Anonymous said...

followed via networked blog.

chatandchai at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

follow @vegiegail via @chatandchai

chatandchai at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

follow @globalvegan via @chatandchai

chatandchai at gmail dot com

Morphine said...

I follow your blog

kjmillionie(at)gmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

YES! I want this, need this, gotta have this book! I never have time to think about dinner, let alone make it. As a result, we eat way too much take-out. This book sounds like a godsend and the recipes look amazing!

rivka said...

I'd love to win because I get in incredible time crunches and often need dinner FAST!

rivka said...

I also follow your blog

tribs said...

I would love this book since I find myself turning to take-out so often this time of year!

Book and Cat Librarian said...

I would love to win it, because a lot of times I just don't want to spend much time cooking. It always takes me longer to cook things than it takes others, so the shorter the time, the better.

Book and Cat Librarian said...

I follow your blog

Book and Cat Librarian said...

I follow you on Twitter

Book and Cat Librarian said...

I follow Robin on Twitter

Jessica said...

I need new tasty recipes that will convince my hubby that eating vegan can be delicious!

PurpleLarkspur said...

I would love to win this book because my hisband and I are transitioning from vegetarian to vegan, and I am always on the hunt for new recipes!

larkspurpurple (at) gmail.com

PurpleLarkspur said...

I follow your blog

larkspurpurple (at) gmail.com

PurpleLarkspur said...

Tweet! https://twitter.com/#!/PurpleLarkspur/status/142321571007184896

larkspurpurple (at) gmail.com

PurpleLarkspur said...

I Follow @Vegiegail on Twitter!
I am @purplelarkspur

larkspurpurple (at) gmail.com

Jessica said...

Tweeted the message!

PurpleLarkspur said...

I Follow @GlobalVegan on Twitter!
I am @purplelarkspur
larkspurpurple (at) gmail.com

Chef Amber Shea said...

I pretty much COLLECT Robin's books, and I haven't had a chance to buy this one yet, so I'd LOVE to win a copy!

Chef Amber Shea said...

I tweeted! @AlmostVeganChef

Chef Amber Shea said...

I follow you on Twitter...

Chef Amber Shea said...

...and I follow Robin on Twitter!

Marie said...

Wow! Would I ever love to win this book! The recipes all look so delicious! Being able to prepare them quickly is a real bonus!

Marie said...

I follow Hungry Vegan!

Marie said...

I follow Vegiegail on Twitter!

Adam said...

after your review I would be excited to try all the recipes from the book! they sound great!

Adam said...

I also follow on twitter

Rebecca said...

I'm following you via google reader!

Rebecca said...

I tweeted! @rebeccaablock

Rebecca said...

Just followed globalvegan on twitter!

Rebecca said...

already following you on twitter!

Compassionist said...

I like having quick and easy recipes on hand so that I can avoid processed convenience foods as well as elaborate, time intensive, cooking.

Tiffany said...

I'd love to win this book because with my youngest sons recently diagnosed dairy allergy, I'm finding myself trying more and more vegan recipes. Being a mother of 4 young boys, the quicker and healthier, the better :)

Joseph Notovitz said...

I would love to win a copy of this book so I can cook for many friends who will want to buy it!

Summer said...

I need a new vegan cookbook for the holidays! I want to make something to knock everyone's socks off.


sdrake6@kent.edu

Summer said...

I follow your blog!


sdrake6@kent.edu

Anonymous said...

I'd love to win this book! The recipes look so delicious, I don't even think I'd mind if they took longer to make! LOL!

Anonymous said...

I follow your blog!

Merrie Beth Samways said...

Another awesome and compassionate cookbook!!! The Coconut Cashew Noodle recipe sounds fantastic; I am sure the other offerings in this cookbook are equally delicious- and quick to prepare!!! That's why I would love to win it!

Merrie Beth Samways said...

p.s. I follow your blog!

Michelle said...

This recipe looks awesome...id love a cookbook with quick dishes

littledebisnack said...

Because I would love to give it to my sister for Christmas.

Athena said...

I subscribe via email.
cereza25 at yahoo dot com

Athena said...

I follow you on Twitter @GoddessFoodie.
cereza25 at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

I follow you on Twitter! @jesscaneal

Anonymous said...

I tweeted about the giveaway @jesscaneal

Anonymous said...

I follow Robin Robertson on Twitter! @jesscaneal

Anonymous said...

I subscribe to Hungry Vegan via email and Google Reader.

Pip444 said...

I'd like to win this book because I would like to make great vegan meals without spending hours in the kitchen.

Pip444 said...

Already follow this blog. :-)

Pip444 said...

https://twitter.com/#!/pip444/status/142611624971341825

Pip444 said...

Follow @Vegiegail on Twitter!

Pip444 said...

Follow @GlobalVegan on Twitter!

Cassandra said...

I would love to win this book!! The recipes look really good.

Cassandra said...

I follow you via Opera's RSS feed! :)

Terri Cole said...

I need this book because you can never have too many cookbooks!

gaia (at) cinci (dot) rr (dot) com

vegAnn said...

Definitely a vegan cookbook collector here. I follow via email

vegAnn said...

I tweeted https://twitter.com/#!/coniecone/status/142648766732828672

vegAnn said...

I following @Vegiegail on Twitter @coniecone

vegAnn said...

I Follow @GlobalVegan on Twitter @coniecone

Julie Lynn said...

I'd love to win this book so I'd have a handy reference for those days when I don't feel compelled to create anything new. :-)

Morgan Mitchell said...

I have a baby due any day now so this book would come in very handy! Quick & easy delicious meals are what I need, plus my family will be cooking for me so if they had this book, they couldn't go wrong! Not to mention, all of Robin's cookbooks are amazing :)

Morgan Mitchell said...

Following you google connect

Morgan Mitchell said...

Tweeted via @mmmorgans (gumboots&cats)

Morgan Mitchell said...

Following @veggiegail via @mmmorgans

Morgan Mitchell said...

Following @globalvegan via @mmmorgans

kelly g. said...

I'm always pressed for time (especially when 5 o'clock rolls around!) and this cookbook could be a huge help!

kelly g. said...

I also did #2, tweeted about the giveaway (I'm @easyvegan)

kelly g. said...

#3 - I already followed @Vegiegail on Twitter!

kelly g. said...

#4 - I also already followed @GlobalVegan on Twitter!

Emily said...

I want to know more quick & healthy meal recipes.

Anonymous said...

I'd love to win this book because I'm just starting to learn how to cook, AND how to make vegetarian food, so it'd doubly help!

Anonymous said...

Oh, and I already follow your amazing blog :) Cheers!

MarkTwain said...

This looks amazing! I love Robin's books- and quick meals are the best!

Ashley said...

This book would be perfect for my crazy job which keeps my schedule unpredictable...thanks so much for the giveaway!

Ashley said...

I follow VG on twitter!

Ashley said...

I follow Robin on twitter too

Babette said...

I love Robin's book, but I don't have that one yet.

Kaycee said...

I follow your blog!
kaycee@veganmachine.com

Kaycee said...

I follow Vegiegail on Twitter!
kaycee@veganmachine.com

Kaycee said...

I follow GlobalVegan on Twitter
kaycee@veganmachine.com

Kaycee said...

I want to win this book simply because they food looks delicious!

kaycee@veganmachine.com

NutriMom said...

A quick delicious fix would enhance life in our household! My 91-year-young mom who has Parkinson's, lives with us so, along with all that life brings, getting fresh, delicious whole meals prepared three times a day QUICKLY would be more than fab! ..... And it would be our first Robin Robertson cookbook. How nice it would be to scratch it off my wish lists and get cooking!

Mandy said...

This would be great when the family is hungry and I'm out of ideas for new dishes.

(mreid14 at hotmail dot com)

Laurie said...

I would like to win so I would have some yummy recipes to feed my family since we are trying to eat less meat.

Laurie said...

Email subscriber

Laurie said...

I tweeted about the giveaway.
https://twitter.com/#!/Organicandcheap/status/142794175644053505

Joy said...

My link did not come through, so posting again:

A quick delicious "fix" would enhance life in our household! My 91-year-young mom who has Parkinson's, lives with us so, along with all that life brings, getting fresh, delicious whole meals prepared three times a day QUICKLY would be more than fab!

The recipes sound delicious!.....And it would be my first Robin Robertson cookbook. Reviews like this simply rave about her books. How nice it would be to scratch it off my wish lists and get cooking!

moonsword said...

Well if I can't make delicious eats in under 30 minutes (and frugally), especially during this rushrushrush season, then I'm gonna starve and be sad. QFV would make me full and happy! :)

Anonymous said...

I would love to win this book because I am a new vegan, whose family can't afford pricey vegan foods all the time. Items such as cream cheese, tofu, veggie burgers, coconut/soy yogurts and non-dairy desserts and so on are rare "treats". Winning this book would please me and my tastes as well as my parents budget!

Anonymous said...

Following the Hungry Vegan!

Anonymous said...

Tweeted! :D

Anonymous said...

Following @Vegiegail!

Anonymous said...

Following @GlobalVegan!

Unknown said...

I would love to win this book because I am a 20 year old vegan college student living with four very non-vegan guys(!). Some nights when they forget to clean the kitchen (or the dishes, or the kitchen table etc etc etc.), the last thing I want to deal with is a complicated recipe. I want to be in and out of the kitchen quickly and have something warm, healthy and delicious to escape into my room with.

Amanda @ Hungry Vegan Traveler said...

I'm obsessed with vegan cookbooks!

Amanda @ Hungry Vegan Traveler said...

I follow your blog!

Joy said...

I have and love Vegan on the Cheap. Since there never seems to be enough hours in the day, and I hate reverting to veg Chinese takeout too frequently, quick 30 minute vegan meals sound like a godsend. Thanks for doing this giveaway!

Joy said...

I follow your blog

Joy said...

I tweeted about the giveaway
https://twitter.com/#!/bjoycannon/status/143456063344222208

Joy said...

I followed @GlobalVegan

@bjoycannon

Joy said...

Followed @VegieGail!

Anonymous said...

I'd love to win a copy of this....between full time work and school it's often very hard to find the time to make good vegan recipes - this book would help me out a ton! I'm vegan because it's delicious but also have allergies so can't eat many of the 'regular' foods that go in to most recipes....and I love your blog too! The recipes you posted from the book loook soooo yum!

Millie said...

hi gail I am having a giveaway. hope you enter to win..millie

http://nuestracena-vegancuisine.blogspot.com

Hannah said...

Sounds like yet another cookbook I need to get... I've been craving gyros like nothing else lately, and don't know where to begin as far as a recipe is concerned. Those look amazing though!