There are so many amazing new cookbooks popping up at the moment! This one is slightly different in that it’s an eBook- an interactive one at that!
“ A Vegan Dinner Party” is part of an eBook series called Culinary Quandaries designed to show readers how to cook to different dietary requirements, whether they have recently adopted a new diet themselves or would like to learn how to cook for someone else with requirements or preferences that they are unfamiliar with, or even if they are already well-seasoned vegans, vegetarians, gluten- and lactose-intolerant people themselves and are just looking to pick up some fresh and exciting new ideas for extending their culinary repertoire.
The introduction is especially useful for newbies as it explains veganism, what is and what isn’t vegan, and where to find some of the more unusual ingredients those not used to cooking vegan are likely not familiar with.
The recipes in the book have been contributed by experienced vegan chefs and bloggers, Anya Kassoff of Golubka Kitchen, Allyson Kramer and Janet Malowany of The Taste Space, so you know they’re going to be good!
The recipes range from the extravagant to the more classic, homey type, so you’ll be sure to find something to suit whatever mood you’re going for with your dinner party.
I would have loved to actually host a dinner party and make a few of the recipes from the book to serve to my guests but I just haven’t had the time lately. I’ve been happily testing out the recipes for my everyday meals though.
I kicked off with the Tamarind Roasted Eggplant and Chickpeas. I’ve had a half jar of tamarind concentrate in my fridge forever (luckily it lasts a long time) but don’t remember what I’ve made with it, other than the Tamarind Lentils from Veganomicon
, which I’ve made many times, and the Tamarind BBQ Tempeh & Sweet Potatoes from Appetite for Reduction
. Anyway, I was glad to find another use for it and this curry is certainly one I’ll make again and again. I served it with homemade naan but I think it would be good over rice too, maybe with a side of greens.
Mains I’ve particularly got my eye on to try next are the Hazelnut Burgers with Roasted Tomatoes and Avocado and the Melon Basil Summer Rolls.
Next up was the Chickpea & Apricot Salad with Pineapple-Ginger-Cilantro Dressing. This came from the Starters section but I think it’s better suited as a side-dish or a lunch option, which was how I ate it. I liked all the different textures going on here, and this dish was actually what got me back into adding fruit to my salads.
Other Starters include Baked Veggie Spring Rolls (including homemade spring roll wrappers!), Fig and Kale Salad and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus and Dippers.
As I mentioned, this eBook is interactive, meaning it’s not just a simple PDF, and there are drop down menus, separate ingredients lists and instructions, etc. Once purchased, you can view it directly online via the Erudition website or downloaded to iBooks or Kindle format.
I found it much easier to read/use the ebook on my iPad rather than a computer or laptop as it’s quicker to scroll through the directions rather than clicking through to a new page for each step. I love that some of the more complicated recipes are broken down step-by-step with visuals and even videos to guide you through.
To note: A couple of the recipes do call for slightly more processed ingredients which I don’t tend to use in my own cooking, such as TVP, vegan cheese, vegan cream cheese or vegan butter, but these are definitely in the minority, so there are still plenty of recipes to suit my tastes.
You didn’t think I’d skipped dessert did you? I had a tough time choosing a recipe to try but in the end went all out with the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie with Almond-Coconut Crust. Gosh is this delicious, but most definitely a dinner party recipe! Meaning, it’s very very rich and not one for every day! Good thing I halved the recipe as it would be dangerous having too much of this around.
For my next dinner party it’s a toss up between the Pineapple and Mango Tart and the Vegan Panna Cotta Tea Cups with Raspberry Compote…
You can buy the eBook online here…
I’ve also been offered a copy of the eBook to give away to a lucky reader. As it’s an eBook, anyone anywhere in the world is welcome to enter. Please follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget below and the winner will be announced in a week’s time!
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I’m a big fan of make-your-own (taco, nachos, ice cream sundae, etc.) bars!
Make-your owns are so fun! Saves on some work for the host too 😉 I’d love to do an ice-cream sundae party!
Dreena Burton’s festive chickpea tart is always a huge hit when I make it.
Oooh yes. Love that recipe!
Desserts are kind of my specialty, so that would probably be coconut milk ice cream with caramel pecan topping
I would love to have the coconut mild ice cream recipe with the caramel pecan topping. I am trying really hard to find a way to eat healthy ice cream. Thanks!
Coconut ice cream with caramel pecan topping?! Wow does that sound good!
Gosh, I haven’t entertained in sooooooo long, but I think these days I would most definitely various dips to serve, like hummus ad veggies. I know it’s not exciting, but I feel sometimes simple is best and it can be presented beautifully.
I’m always happy with hummus and veggies. Sometimes you go to a party and there’s just a lot of rich food and sweets so it’s definitely nice to lighten it up.
I like serving a variety of appetizers. I make great guacamole!
Mmmm guacamole. Dips and crudités are a great choice for a party.
Oh i do love a good Ebook full of cooking recipes
Must invest in an ipad cover that will stop everything getting dirty!! hahaha
yes definitely! I’m paranoid about getting my cookbooks or iPad dirty. Luckily my kitchen is open plan so I tend to just keep to-ing and fro-ing to look at the recipe! Good luck in the competition!
My favorite vegan dishes to serve are ones that omnivores gobble down, such as hummus, muhammara and the Oh She Glows Vegan Nacho Dip. All have been big hits at my parties.
I’ve never hosted a legit dinner party on my own, to be honest. But when I do, hummus all the way. You can never go wrong with hummus.
Thank you for this wonderful giveaway
My favorite thing to serve at diner party is all kind of salad; chickpea salad, potato salad, raw vegetables with a good dip, etc.
I love doing a selection of dips and salads too. Especially in the summer. Preferably enjoyed outside!
Ahhhh…thanks a 10000 time for this e-book
I’m so excited about it, you have no idea.
Thank you and can’t wait to try the recipes
xxx
My pleasure! And let me know what you make!
If you decide to make the pannacotta, I’ll let you invite me to your dinner party!
haha, ok then 😉
Your menu looks extremely good! I love how your food looks, you always take such pretty photos! I definitely want to try the book!
Thanks so much for the lovely compliment! Beautiful food practically photographs itself!
I always serve savoury bites http://theveganwomble.blogspot.co.uk/2010/04/savoury-bites.html
But anything mini I love to serve and lots of different spreads and crackers. I like the sound of this book.
Those little bites look very moreish! I love mini things too. It’s fun to serve a variety of different dishes too.
Ah awesome! I don’t often buy cookbooks (I mean I have the internet…?) but its largely just because they take up physical space, which I don’t have a lot of in a studio flat. xD I love just flipping through them though, and an e-book sounds like it would sort that problem right out. And an interactive one sounds even more interesting.
My current favourite dish for dinner parties is a sweet potato and date tagine which I’m planning on uploading at some point - it’s one-pot and dead easy to slow down or speed up the cooking depending on how hungry the guests are:p
Even with the internet I still love cookbooks! But yes space is definitely a problem! I only have a little flat too and my cookbooks are always lying all over the place.
The tagine sounds delicious. You know I’m a big fan of sweet/savoury combinations. I haven’t made my standard recipe for months http://www.coconutandberries.com/2013/09/24/red-lentil-root-vegetable-tagine/ though I suppose it’s rather a wintry dish.
I find that the best food to serve at a dinner party, especially where non-vegans are involved, is a delicious pasta. Everyone wins with a rich tomato-based sauce. 😉 But I’m sure I’ll be able to find plenty of omnivore-friendly dishes in the book.
Pasta seems to be a lot of people’s favourite! I don’t make pasta very often but always enjoy it when I do.
Great giveaway especially as I’m trying to expand my vegan repertoire
I love serving something simple - nachos & guacamole & lots of other dips & nibbles!
That’s great to here Lucy! There are so many vegan options out there. If you win I’m sure the recipes in here will spark some of your own creativity!
Dips and veggies are always a hit here
Our Pakistani Kima, moroccan carrots and my homemade almond joy. Thanks!
I had to pop over and find out what Kima is! Looks so good. I’d love to try a vegan version with crumbled tempeh
Sounds really great! As for me, though I prefer sweets, best dinner is a salad with my favourite ingredients as cooked apples, tangerines, oranges, grapefruites, dryed crunberry ir raisins and nuts. It is simple, but together and with dressing these ingredients make incredible dish:)
I love loading my salads with fruit- fresh or dried! Delicious.
dessert
Hubby makes the best spinach and artichoke dip. Always a must have at holidays and family gatherings
I made spinach and artichoke dip for the first time just recently (a vegan version of course) and loved it. I could definitely see it being popular when feeding a crowd.
Mmm my favourite dish to serve is definitely almond and fig jam cake! I’m still a bit shy about inviting people over but when I go over to their place I like to think dessert makes everything better. We made the food the other day for a family get-together that consisted of veggie soup, a frittata, and a delish upside down chocolate pudding cake - does that count? 😉 This e-book sounds amazing! 😀
Ok, fig jam cake?! That sounds amazing! I like to take dessert if someone else is hosting too (particularly since as a vegan there’s not usually a dessert option besides fruit otherwise!)
Chocolate upside down pudding cake sound awesome too. Sounds like one of my childhood favourites!
What a lovely recipes - this cookbook is really worth of a try!:)
It is. There’s a nice range of recipes to suite everyone in here.
Lasagne. Or a baked potato bar that includes hot fillings i.e. Chilli, curry
Lasagne seems to be a popular one! I haven’t made it in ages, probably as I’m usually just cooking for one or two, but it’s definitely great for a crowd.
I have not given a dinner party in years. A lot of years. Back then it it was Chinese food of all types. These days I would choose something simple that is easy to expand the quantities of. Probably something like Chicken Paprikás, which is exotic to a lot of people, but simple to make.
Chinese food?! That’s a bit different. I like to serve slightly “exotic” food too. Nice to give guests something they might never have tried. Though that’s the case with most of what I feed my guests if they’re not vegan!
My favorite thing to serve at dinner parties is actually a lot of beautifully arranged fruit. I throw in my latest (usually chocolate) new recipe. Vegan chocolate cake with ganache topped with raspberries is always a hit as well.
For main dish stuff, its usually a salad with chickpeas, and lots of almonds (and a homemade dressing).
Oooh yes please! I like to take charge of dessert too as often you don’t get anything when eating at other people’s/.
It’s fun to show you can still eat decadent (albeit healthier) desserts as a vegan!
Mmm So many delicious recipes to choose from, surely you can sneak some into everyday meals not just dinner parties!
P.s I try to serve something different everytime I hold a dinner party but if I had to choose I’d probably say some kind of pasty is quick, easy, tasty and you can leave it cooking in the oven while you speak to your guests.
I’m the same. I love trying new things so always make something different when I’m hosting friends/feeding family….as long as I’m pretty certain it’s going to turn out well! Don’t want any disasters!
Definitely not to be saved just for parties! A lot of them are quick and easy enough for a weeknight too.
I love to serve quinoa salads. They can be so colorful!
I like my food to be pretty as well as tasty so a colourful quinoa salad sounds like the perfect option!
Thank you so much for your review, Emma. Your photos are gorgeous and I am thrilled you liked the recipes you tried.
Thank YOU for all your work on the book Janet. Hope you’re proud of it
I like to do pasta dishes becuase everyone loves that!
Pasta is proving popular! You’re right that it normally goes down a treat.
I like making a stuffed pasta dish with either tofu or bean or nut cream filling
yum yum yum. I love stuffed pasta! Always looks impressive as well as being delicious
I recently made some black bean and sweet potato enchiladas for a dinner party, and they were a huge hit, so I’m definitely going to have to make them again.
Believe it or not, I still haven’t made enchiladas! I really want to though but as I’m usually just cooking for one or two they never seem very appropriate. Definitely a good option for a dinner party though.
This ebook looks so useful. I love the fact that it’s interactive!
My favourite dish to serve at dinner parties is roasted veggie lasagne. It’s a safe option as I find it’s always a big hit with the non veggies and kids too!
I would love your recipe for roasted veggie lasagna! I didn’t see it on your blog - can you share it?
Lasagne is perfect for feeding a crowd. I don’t make it often but only because I’m usually just cooking for one or two.
In the summer I like serving quinoa salads and in the winter I like serving stews and chilis.
Definitely good choices! Probably what I lean towards too.
I think recently, it’s all about banana “nice cream”! So great when you reveal it’s made of banana!
Yes! It’s fun to surprise guests! I love doing avocado chocolate mousse for the same reason. So so good as well 😀
I usually make pasta with a veggie-heavy red sauce. I could definitely use more ideas!
Pasta is good and it always seems to go down well with guests but it’s definitely fun to make something a little more exciting as well
I haven’t done a lot of vegan entertaining but I have had success with Isa’s Enchilada casserole served along with my own Fiesta Rice, black beans, guacamole and chips. Mexican food is usually well received!
That sounds like a real feast Tami! I love Mexican so much, and there’s something about it which makes it absolutely perfect for feeding a group of friends/family.
Now I want guacamole!
my favorite dish do serve would have to be some sort of veganized dessert
I always make sure to have a show-stopper of a dessert, especially when feeding non-vegans. I like to show them that you can still eat decadent (albeit healthier) desserts as a vegan
Wow, that chickpea salad and of course, that chocolate pie both have me drooling!!! Everything looks so colorful and delicious. No surprise you had trouble deciding what to make. I don’t really do the dinner party thing, I just cook and bake a lot and drop food off everywhere to family and friends as gifts and to be my taste testers, so with all of that, I’m pooped for dinner parties, haha! 😉
haha, yes. I haven’t held a legit dinner party for ages but I’m thinking I’ll probably do one at the end of the summer before I move back to London. Sort of a farewell meal for my friends here
It’s always fun putting toether the menu etc. but it is a lot of work. And I’m cooking ALL the time so I can get a little foodied out too!
My favorite dish to serve at dinner parties is my portabella wellington recipe. I use purple kale and walnuts for the filling and it’s absolutely delicious. Recipe here: http://herbivoreculture.blogspot.com/2014/01/whats-for-dinner-portabella-wellington.html
That sounds wonderful Lindsie! Definitely one to impress.
lovely review - I really enjoyed this e-book and the interesting recipes - I really wanted to try the chocolate peanut butter tart - good to hear you loved it as maybe one day I might get to try it.
That chocolate peanut butter tart is lethal!! I keep missing your posts at the moment but will pop on over to read your review now.
I enjoy making sushi as a workshop for other people which is always a good fun.
I also love hummus adding pumpkin seeds instead of tahini and polenta chips. As a dessert nori-almond-sesame seeds crunch with rice syrup and coconut oil is very easy to make and soooo delicious. 😉
I’d love to know more about that dessert Dana. Sounds delicious! I love all those ingredients.
And making sushi as a group would be so fun for a little party
Love this and your blog!!! So much inspiration here!! So glad I found you on pinterest!!!!
Thanks so much! Just checked out yours. What a cute design! And <3 avocados!
I make a great yellow squash and zucchini marinara sauce and serve over spaghetti squash! yum! With some GF garlic bread - I never have leftovers!
Yum! I haven’t made garlic bread since going vegan as I always made it with butter! How do you make yours?
I like to serve different salads, one warm and one tossed usually. I love making dessert for afterwards though!!
Perfect. And dessert is a must!
I always cook thai dishes at dinner parties because they are always super easy to veganise, contain lots of fresh zingy flavours and often are quick to prepare (meaning i can spend more time with my guests!) vietnamese rolls and chickpea red curry are my favs - with something sweet and limey to freshen the palate afterwards!!
Sounds fabulous. I don’t cook Thai often enough, though when I do I always go back to my favourite Thai Tempeh & Vegetable Red Curry http://www.coconutandberries.com/2013/10/21/thai-tempeh-vegetable-red-curry/
I usually make a large kale salad with lentil loaf to serve a crowd of hungry dinner guests. Mmmm, the dessert looks very decadent!
I’d love to be served that meal at a dinner party. I think I’m nervous of serving a kale salad because my guests aren’t so used to my slightly “wackier” foods…
Love my guacamole and nacho chips or hummus and veggies.
Guac, hummus and veggies are always always winners!
The colour in those rice paper rolls! So pretty!
I love finger foods for dinner parties, so I always have little caramelised onion and thyme tarts, or mini roast veggie stacks…things like that!
Those finger foods sound so fancy! And oh so delicious! Do you have a recipe for the tarts somewhere?
In the summer, I just love varieties of salads. At the moment my favourite is grated raw beets, carrots & apples with apple cider vinegar, olive oil, dash of salt and tiney bit of fresh thyme.
And for my guests I make loads of vegan sushi and of course rice paper wraps with loads of veggies and fruits, served with variety of dips. yumm!
All sounds so good! Invite me to your next dinner party please!
I usually go with a simple vodka sauce, but those hazelnut burgers and melon basil summer rolls sound divine!
Don’t they?! I adore summer rolls but would never have thought to put melon in them.
This was great as I am having a dinner party next weekend! I am planning on making a polenta tart with a hench salad and banoffee pie.
Sounds perfect! What’s a “hench” salad though?
Hope it all goes well
I would LOVE this book!!
Mmm, chickpea and apricot salad. That sounds wonderful. I love fruity salads, I’m defrosting some raspberries to make a fruity salad dressing for dinner right now!