The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat

I bought this book for my mom for Christmas this year - haven't given it to her yet. I flipped through the whole thing and read all the non-recipe text last night. This is an incredible book. Not only do the recipes look amazing, it is beautiful! There is a picture to go with every recipe, and the book is in full color. I am psyched to own this myself and try some recipes.
Also, spread throughout the book are interviews with and recipes!! from several top chefs around the world - most notable to me were the chef from Saf in London and the chefs from Candle 79 in NYC. The Saf chef contributed his cashew cheese recipe, which is phenomenal I'm told by a Londoner friend. It is made with probiotic cultures using the same process as dairy show more cheese.
One staple ingredient in this book is cashew cream - my mouth waters just thinking about it. There is a recipe for it up front, and it is used in many of the following recipes.
Anyway, the premise of this book is that Chef Ronnen was struggling with his vegan diet - he missed meat and dairy and really rich foods, so instead of backsliding, he took the positive, solution-focused approach and developed very rich, filling vegan recipes. Perfect for me since I'm always looking for a meal that really hits the spot.
People like Chef Ronnen just make me so optimistic and happy about the future of veganism. show less

I bought The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen even before I adopted a plant-based diet because I was intrigued by the recipes in the book. I've made several of the very interesting recipes in The Conscious Cook. I rarely make the recipes in it anymore, but I keep this cookbook on my shelves and occasionally use it as a reference or for inspiration. As I sit here looking through the cookbook, I'm tempted to make some of the recipes again soon, adapted to fit my cooking style which doesn't include the oils and the highly processed foods he includes. Beyond even that, many of the recipes require ingredients I don't necessarily keep in the kitchen, so I'd need to shop for them. This is probably the main reason I don't use this cookbook as much show more as some of the others on my shelves. Many of the recipes are also quite involved and time consuming. That said, the recipes I have tried all tasted delicious, so if you're willing to put in the time and effort, it's a cookbook worth having on your shelves. I don't intend to relinquish my copy any time soon. show less

If your goal is to reduce the fat in your diet without sacificing the taste or 'mouth feel' of the rich foods you crave, try the recipes in this book. Tannen is a talented chef who has gathered his friends and tested soups, meat substitutes and vegetable dishes in menus that satisfied carnivores and omnivores, alike.

The book is beautifully photographed, and carefully details the principles of veganism and provides information on how to set up your pantry with the unusual plant proteins and pantry items that would become familiar ingredients in a vegan diet.

I have used his recipe for cashew cream in two great recipes for tomato bisque and celery root soup included in the book. These soups are delicious and allow me to indulge without show more feeling any guilt. Tannen (and my doctor) feels that even minor vegan diet substitutions can improve overall health, so there is no need to shy away from it or fear a bland flavor palate.

I plan on seeking out the ingedients and trying more of his recipes using meat substitutes. He seems to have a grasp on how to incorporate textures and satisfying meaty flavors in his meals. Small changes like substituting vegan mayonaise for my beloved 'Best Foods' brand and using the cashew cream in place of dairy will make meatless meals a more frequent part of my eating habit and benefit my waistline without sacrificing taste or meal satisfaction. show less

Pretty vegan cookbook. Fancy dancy food that I probably will not recreate at home. Lots of plugs for Gardein, which I have yet to find to try.