The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen

I've cooked several of the dishes, all of which have been hits with vegan and non-vegan eaters - satisfying even to my meat-eating friends who believe only meat makes a meal! I served the squash gnocchi recently at a dinner party, and my guests were bowled over by it (it was worth every minute of effort). A cold cauliflower salad with a dressing involving capers was outstanding.

What I most enjoy about the book is its quintessentially mediterranean nature: simple, fresh, uncomplicated, and absolutely delicious. Having grown up in an Italian family, I've hungered for vegan recipes with mediterranean roots that are not the usual pasta and sauce fare. This book has this and more.

While I enjoy cooking with and eating soy products, this book takes a creative approach that doesn't rely on this as many vegan cookbooks do. It also has recipes appealing to every level, from the person wanting only a few ingredients and easy prep to the experienced cook willing to invest a good amount of time. Buy this book - you won't regret it!


Real Food for Real Vegans   July 25, 2001
 59 out of 61 found this review helpful

Thank you, Donna Klein, for writing the vegan cookbook I've always wanted! These are real, authentic, naturally vegan recipes from the different Mediterranean nations, not imitations that rely on faux meats or obscure Asian condiments (tasty as those things can be in the right context).

You'll find some old favorites here, like a variety of bean- and tomato-based crostini toppings or minestrone, as well as some interesting treats--my personal favorite is the rich and moist currant cake, made with light olive oil. Many of the recipes are Italian, but a good number are from less well-known cuisines, such as Catalan and Provencal. There are relatively few Middle Eastern or Greek recipes, but these cuisines are already well-represented in so many other cookbooks, that I didn't miss them.

Klein gives a lot of helpful hints along the way: nutritional information about each recipe, cook's tips, menu ideas, and substitutions for the few fresh vegetables (e.g., fava beans) and other ingredients that may be hard to find outside of major cities.

This is a cook-your-way-through cookbook! Enjoy!


Outstanding cookbook!   July 24, 2001
 13 out of 13 found this review helpful

I've only had this book a short time, but everything I've tried has been wonderful! Just reading the recipes is entertaining and makes me hungry. I like the idea of having different cookbooks for different vegan cuisines. It makes meal planning easier because everything "goes together". One problem in the past was ending up with a Mexican appetizer, and Indian main course and a French dessert. This book solves that problem. This is an excellent addition to my vegan bookshelf.


Good honest eats!   July 7, 2001
 57 out of 58 found this review helpful

My husband and I tried two recipes from this book...the Marinated Lentil Salad (pg 87) and the Roasted Green Beans with Slivered Almonds (pg 147). Both were excellent (note: while I am a vegetarian, my husband is definitely not, and he declared that these were both "make it again" recipes). In fact, the lentil salad was the best we've ever eaten. I'm going to try one of the other bean salads tomorrow.

I bought this book because it contained recipes that did not contain soy replacements, but instead relied on good, honest combinations of "real" ingredients. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of wonderful soy substitutes out there, and we enjoy many of them (except for the soy cheese-substitutes, which are uniformly too strong and strange-tasting). But when I found myself using miso in a Mediterranean dish as a substitute for anchovies, I knew things had gone too far! I happened upon this book quite by accident, but by the time I finished reading the author's introduction, I knew it was a book for me.

I am also a weight watcher and this book contains nutritional information with each recipe (sufficient enough to calculate POINTS, if you are a member of WW). While the recipes are not all lowfat, many are -- simply because of the lack of dairy and meat. Some recipes seem to be a little heavy-handed with olives, olive oil, and nuts, but it will be easy to use a lighter hand when I make some of those dishes.

I heartily recommend this book to vegetarians of all types, and also to omnivores who want to incorporate a few meatless meals into their lifestyles. Even if you are not a vegan or a vegetarian, do not shy away from this title. You won't be disappointed. Way to go, Ms. Klein! I'm looking forward to your next vegetarian cookbook.


This is how all vegan cookbooks should be   May 19, 2001
 47 out of 49 found this review helpful

In my opinion, this is how all vegan cookbooks should be. This book is simply perfect. Many vegan cookbooks have lots and lots of recipes, but one ingredient--soy. This book breaks from that tired old template and provides a unique and fresh cookbook using no mock food (soy this and that and this and that.)

From Garlic Soup, Baba Ghanouj and Italian minestrone, to poor mans Pesto, you name it, the flavors in this book are sure to amaze.

This fantastic whole food cookbook is genius. Buy it now.