Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I made Mom's lentil soup this morning. Serving it to my parents for dinner. I'm usually not a big fan of soup, but I must admit that it smells wonderful!

Everything in this book is good. I make the taco filling, tamale pie, oatmeal cookies, tofu scramble, and Cajun baked tofu regularly.

The big strength of this book is that every single recipe is easy, uses inexpensive ingredients, and make great weeknight meals. I learned to love tvp.

HA! TVP is the one major change i would make if i could rewrite the cookbook. i now make all of those recipes with tempeh, crumbled tofu, or okara.

There are lots of tofu and tempeh recipes everywhere, but not as many for tvp. And tempeh is so expensive. Tvp is so cheap!

Yeah, I like using tvp sometimes, it's so easy!

I made my MIL give me the copy of YRR I gave to her back, because my copy was defiled by a needle-mouthed puppy, and when it enevitably completely falls apart, i'll be screwed. She doesn't cook from it (because she doesn't really cook), but she was horrified that it's not being reprinted!

uh, no you won't. i will send you another copy. DUHSVILLE.

I made the dirrrrty beans and rice. Very good! I ate them with pine nut crema and red chili sauce from viva vegan.

I was trying to find this book on the interwebs and could only find $50 used copies on Amazon. Just happened to be browsing Herbivore clothing today without actually intending to buy anything and found it there... on clearance, even. WOO.

Glad you found one. No secret that YRR is one of my very favorite cookbooks.

I just have to say that the guacamole and birthday salsa recipes both elevated my Cinco de Mayo nachos to new heights. Guacamole with green onions?! Heck yes. And I do believe that salsa is my new favorite go-to recipe. I had to sub an anaheim chile for the poblano, since the poblanos at my store looked really sad, but it was fantastic! A little heat, but still awesome for shoveling into your mouth by the bowlful.

Joanna,

which subs do you make for which tvp recipes in YRR? I used lentils in your sloppy joanna recipes and it was...too sloppy. i don't have access to okara (someday i'll start making my own soymilk), but i love how it cooks up. I have just been skipping the tvp recipes for now, but would love to start making them.

yeah, i also tried lentils instead of TVP for the sloppy joannas and thought they were maybe 1/2 as good.

truth be told, i don't really make most of the YRR recipes at all anymore, because i made them so much when i was writing the cookbook that i got tired of them. that's not just the case for YRR, but any cookbook i use. i don't like making the same recipe more than once. i always will pick a new recipe over one that i've made before.

the only ones i still make regularly are the spinach lasagna, the lentil and black bean soups, the basics and staples (hummuses, pestos, parm, chipotle ranch, oatmeal, etc.) and... i'm probably missing something. i'm probably missing several things.

however, if you have access to soy curls, i would recommend them as a near-perfect tvp sub. they have the same consistency but they taste better, and they're better for you because they're not processed.

Last week I made the butternut squash lasagna. I know, I know, it's not season for butternut but I really wanted to try it. And I loved it so much. I ate it four days in a row and I'm still thinking about how good it was. I want to make it again, real soon. Maybe this week...?

I made the vegan parmesan for the first time tonight. It is really, really good, and just as easy. Way better than Parma!, and way cheaper.

agreed, its my fave. Haha I make a half-batch and store it in a Parma bottle even. My toddler is crazy about it too, I've caught her licking her plate when there's been some on it.

HERE IS A SECRET:

add about 1/4 teaspoon of lemon rind with the rest of the ingredients. adds that tart tang of authenticity.

I made the mac & cheese last night (with the sesame green beans as a side) and it was UHHHHMAYZING! I'm eating the mac & cheese for breakfast, it's in the oven warming up. So good! And perfect after like, 2 weeks of food from Viva Vegan (which was delicious) but this was the perfect break from Latin food. Amazing. So good. My omni boyfriend loved it too. I'll be making it again soon. Too good.

I made the Curried Carrot Ginger Soup, so so so so good! And perfect for the very wet winter were having on my side of the world.

I finally made the parm and it's going to be an official staple in my fridge. I have always been underwhelemed by parm subs but I occasionally find myself eating this one straight. I'll add the lemon zest next time.

I'm eating this right now! I always love to make a nice carrot soup when I have a surplus of carrots and this one is great and super easy to make and ingredients that I always have on hand.

Also, Joanna's vegan parm is my favorite parm, I always have a container in my fridge. I will try the lemon zest tip next time I'm whirring up a batch in my food processor.

I was really happy to pick this up when I was in Portland on holidays. I haven't had a chance to read through it properly yet (I like to read cookbooks in a serious fashion before making things), but so far on the flick through it looked great, and I knew I had to get it because people have been so positive about it here! I look forward to using it.

Oh how I wish I had read this last week. I've had the book for a while and I loved the parm Joanna sent in the package with it, but I've never tried to make it before Monday. But now I've made it and realize how simple it is and don't think I'll be without it in the fridge anymore.

Reading all these posts made me realize that I needed to add this book to my collection. Luckily herbivore still has some copies. I just ordered mine, thanks for the push!!

I made the chipotle ranch for the first time this weekend - I used fresh dill (maybe 1/4 of a bunch?) instead of dried since I have too much dill from my CSA and am trying to use it up. It was really tasty! I don't know that I've had the chipotle-dill combo before, but I like it.

This is the only tofu sauce in the world that I like. (Pudding isn't a sauce, is it?)