The 30-Minute Vegan's Taste of Europe: 150 Plant-Based Makeovers of Classics from France, Italy, Spain . . . and Beyond

A week doesn't go by when we don't use at least one of the recipes from this book in our kitchen. Had it for several years.

I was so very excited when I first heard about this cook book, I think Traditional - and not so traditional - European food is a type of cuisine that is somewhat lacking in the vegan world. I come from a Greek and German background, and grew up eating a lot of traditional Greek and German fare, some of it is hard to veganize because it's typically food very heavily laden with animal products. Some recipes like Spanokopita and German Red Cabbage are totally over done in the vegan world - these are not hard recipes to veganize, I want something more creative, that provides more of a challenge and I think Mark Reinfeld delivered that with this book.Certainly the book contains a handful of recipes that I've seen veganized time and time again, but there is enough new stuff, and enough really creative stuff in this book that I can forgive the tired recipes. I remember first flipping through this book and just being mind-blown by some of the culinary genius. I wish I had more time to vook from this book, because so many of the recipes look fantastic.One of my favorite things about this book is the variety. I like the he includes dishes not only from Italy and France, but Spain, Portugal, Germany, The United Kingdom, Ireland, Greece, The Netherlands, Iceland, Poland, Hungry, Czech Republic, Sweden, Finland and more. I also like the fusion chapter at the end that combines traditions from a lot of different regions. Great selection. As always I find the recipes are clearly written and easy to follow, some do have long ingredients lists and some are really bordering on that 30 minute mark - taking closer to 40 minutes in some cases, - but overall this is a fairly practical book. Soy, Seitan and Tempeh are used often if that's a concern for you, but very few `fake meat' products are used which I appreciate. There's also no nutritional information which I know is a concern for some people. I do however like that he includes appropriate pairings with each recipe. Sometimes you just don't know what to serve something with and Reinfeld as usual takes all the guesswork out of it.Personally I would have liked more recipes from Germany, France and Eastern Europe. I also would have liked more pictures - Reinfeld's books are notorious for having a lack of lovely photography, but overall I like this book quite a lot. It may not be one I use on a regular basis, but it is one I come back to over and over again, especially when I'm in the mood for something with a European flair. So far I've made,Angel Hair with Roasted Garlic and Arugula - Loved itLinguine with Clam Free Sauce - GoodRoasted Squash with Truffle Cream Sauce - Loved itTofu Scallops with Saffron Herb Butter - Loved itGreen Beans with Beurre Blanc - Pretty GoodChocolate Mousse - Loved itQuicker and Easier Garlic Herb Aioli - Loved itChocolate Stuffed Figs - Pretty goodIrish Stew - Loved itParsnip Colcannon - Loved it!Champ with Crispy Onions - Loved it!Yorkshire Pudding - LOVED IT - I grew up eating this as a child with a traditional Sunday Night Roast dinner, these are perfect! No longer will I miss this childhood staple.Grilled Tofu with Horseradish Sauce - LOVED IT!Irish Soda Bread - Pretty good, but not my fave soda Bread recipeGreek Halvah - Pretty good, but I prefer Middle Eastern Halvah.Beer Braised Greens - Bitter but pretty goodBrussels Sprouts and Red Cabbage - Loved itGerman Potato Salad - Loved itBaked Vegan Schnitzel - A little salty but Loved itApple Strudel - Loved itBlack Forest Parfait - Loved itDutch Stamppot - Loved itMediterranean Pistachio Crusted Tofu - Loved it, I mean, really amazing!Saffron Quinoa Pilaf - Pretty goodBlueberry Blintzes - Loved itOverall I really love this book, and I can't wait to try the rest of the recipes, there are so many good ones! I think this is a perfect book for anyone who likes European food, or for anyone who's interested in cooking creative, cruelty-free versions of their favorite childhood meals.

I love cooking, and I enjoy trying other people's recipes, too. I found this book originally in a library, and it's one i liked so much that I decided to find a version to purchase. I love the vegan spin on a lot of classic (and less classic, too) European recipes. The chapters are grouped by country of origin, which a generic hodgepodge of mostly Eastern European recipes at the end under "European Fusion." There are so many good dishes in here that it's hard to find a favorite, but I am especially a fan of the Spanish and French sections. Best of all, these are designed to be made without taking hours, making it the perfect after-work relaxation.

I just made the roasted squash with truffle cream and the braised tempeh (tofu instead) with herbs de Provence. The dishes I have made are SUPERB, FLAVORFUL, EASY and FAST!! I was so happy to find this book because I am a surgery resident with barely any time to sleep. But I can easily make 1 dish, multiply it by 2 or 3, and viola! Quick fabulous food in no time! And omg so delicious. Here's some helpful info:1. Each dish takes 30minutes, even if you are not a pro.2. If you want a 30 min meal, then cook 1 thing from the book and have one or more easy side dishes or appetizers like: edamame, fresh fruit, quinoa or any whole grain that can be easily microwaved from the freezer aisle of any whole foods, steamed veggies, etc.3. If you actually like to use ur dishwasher like I do, clean up is easy peasy.4. you can easily make these dishes without oil and you would be fine.5. They give you tons of variation ideas so you can easily play with the ingredients. For example, im not a tempeh fan and I don't always Iike eating soy...but they give you ideas about what veggies would work well instead!

I'm a fan of 30 Minute Vegan's other ethnic cookbook,  The 30-Minute Vegan's Taste of the East: 150 Asian-Inspired Recipes--from Soba Noodles to Summer Rolls  so when I found out they were releasing an European cookbook, I pre-ordered it as soon as it was available.While I love the Asian cookbook, Asian is relatively easy to do vegan without making many substitutions, European, or more specifically French, is not as easy, so that made the concept of the book extra exciting to me. Exciting enough that I started trying out recipes as soon as the preview pages were available.The book is divided into seven sections, French, German, Greek, Italian, English/Irish, Spanish/Portuguese, and European fusion. Though I haven't tried any of the desserts yet, there are dessert recipes in each section as well as many meal options. There are also some raw recipes, and recipes in each section that are noted as quicker and easier, though I don't think any of the recipes are very difficult or time consuming.The tempeh-based moussaka recipe inparticular is easy to prepare and very tasty.For those concerned about pictures, there is one pretty large insert of photos in the center of the book.The one thing I don't like about some of the recipes is the use of processed cheese substitutes, though since I've started making my own non-dairy cheeses, that's become less of an issue for me.

Europe as close as your table ! I love the salads soups and breakfast items Save money on travel and stay home and cook Europe Style !