Jennifer McCann

The first part of this book is menu plans, with page numbers for easily finding the recipes, the back half of the book is the actual recipes. Of the recipes I tried the instructions were easy to follow and the ingredients easy to find. Everything tasted fine, although I did omit the extra salt in many of the recipes. I found it strange to add extra salt to recipes that already had soy sauce. Like many of the other reviewers have said I too don't like the amount of processed fake meat and show more cheese. While I have no problem with Tofurkey lunch meat or the like, they are more an occasional thing than a daily staple. I can understand why they were in there, I just wish there weren't so many recipes that relied on them. Over all I enjoyed this cookbook, found it useful, and very much enjoyed the stories that were throughout the book. show less

I really did not need a recipe for a nut butter and jam sandwich, nor for vegan deli meats and soy cheese slices sandwiches, nor veggie sticks with dip, nor... Well, you get the idea. There were a lot of ideas that are common-place now (cookie cutter sandwiches, hiding leafy greens in pasta sauces, etc.) though still standards for a reason. She also relied heavily on processed products (I guess kids do want chick'n nuggets and pseudo-fish sticks to be like the other kids, but the other kids' show more parents are looking to remove those from their kids' diets too). This really does not fit in my whole-foods, eating clean plan.

I felt mostly uninspired, although I did copy the recipes for Tofu Apple Spring Rolls (I LOVE apple! Yes, I will indulge in tofu for spring rolls' sake) and Roasted Vegetable Broth (because my recipe is too boring and I LOVE roasted veggies). I felt most of it, I could have gotten elsewhere (actually, a lot of the recipes I had a version of somewhere else). The menu plans were not inspiring to me... except a little that her kid is so willing to eat veggie sticks.

IF you are really feeling uncreative, you may find some stuff in here worth trying or simply a menu plan to bring you out of your funk. However, before you bother, check out her blog at veganlunchbox.blogspot.com as you can probably find everything or should at least see if you find her at all inspiring first. show less

I really did not need a recipe for a nut butter and jam sandwich, nor for vegan deli meats and soy cheese slices sandwiches, nor veggie sticks with dip, nor... Well, you get the idea. There were a lot of ideas that are common-place now (cookie cutter sandwiches, hiding leafy greens in pasta sauces, etc.) though still standards for a reason. She also relied heavily on processed products (I guess kids do want chick'n nuggets and pseudo-fish sticks to be like the other kids, but the other kids' show more parents are looking to remove those from their kids' diets too). This really does not fit in my whole-foods, eating clean plan.

I felt mostly uninspired, although I did copy the recipes for Tofu Apple Spring Rolls (I LOVE apple! Yes, I will indulge in tofu for spring rolls' sake) and Roasted Vegetable Broth (because my recipe is too boring and I LOVE roasted veggies). I felt most of it, I could have gotten elsewhere (actually, a lot of the recipes I had a version of somewhere else). The menu plans were not inspiring to me... except a little that her kid is so willing to eat veggie sticks.

IF you are really feeling uncreative, you may find some stuff in here worth trying or simply a menu plan to bring you out of your funk. However, before you bother, check out her blog at veganlunchbox.blogspot.com as you can probably find everything or should at least see if you find her at all inspiring first. show less

I wasn't expecting this book to be terribly relevant to my cooking or life-style, and indeed this book met my expectations. I'm sure people who feel pressed for time or who have young children that they're trying to raise vegan would get a lot from this book. However, I found that it relies too heavily on pre-packaged food products that I don't use. I mainly cook from scratch and most of these recipes are focused on quick, easy and fun. That said, there are one or two recipes in here that I show more will probably write down and explore. But this is definitely not my kind of cookbook. show less