VegBlogger - a vegan / vegetarian blog

"Betty Crocker Vegetarian Cooking" Cookbook Review

This past week I got a new review cookbook in the mail. It is the "Betty Crocker Vegetarian Cooking"
cookbook. So I checked it out, and here is my review...

This is a nice looking book that features some beautiful photos of some of the recipes. There are several things I would like to try, including the Mexican Tofu-Rice Skillet, Burrito Pot Pies, and the Lasagna Cupcakes. Being a vegetarian cookbook, rather than a vegan one, there is a lot of dairy and/or eggs used throughout the recipes. However, I am confident that I can veganize them on my own and will do so when trying out some of the recipes.

I vowed several years ago that I would never purchase a vegetarian or vegan cookbook that wasn't written by a vegetarian or vegan (you can always tell!). While there is no "author" listed on this book, I am confident that it is not a vegetarian. I can just tell by some of the things that are written. For example, on page 276 there is a page about soy and one of the lines says "Soy, unlike most plant foods, is a good source of high-quality protein." Apparently whoever wrote this book isn't familiar with things like nuts, nut butters, quinoa (which is a complete protein), lentils, beans, etc. That comment is one that would generally only come from a non-vegetarian, who has been lead to believe that they need animal protein in order to get good sources of protein. 

Another line that lets me know a vegetarian or vegan didn't author this book is on page 6, where they describe what a vegan is. After saying what they eat/don't eat, they go on to say that a "Vegan may not use animal produts or animal by-products..." Um no, by definition a vegan does not use those things. Someone following just a plant-based diet may or may  not avoid other things like leather, fur, and wool, but a vegan always does. Additionally, they say a vegetarian "May not eat animal-broths like beef, chicken, fish, or seafood." Sorry, but a vegetarian would never eat those. If they did, they wouldn't be a vegetarian.

The bottom line on this book is that it is one I may check out of the library to peruse and try a few recipes from, but I would not purchase it.

My Mother's Day Vegan Breakfast - Vegan Pancakes with Fruit

My husband made me vegan pancakes with fruit on Mother's Day. I loved it!

I usually make the pancakes around the house and I make them healthier. But without a doubt, my husband makes them tastier. His pancakes are the best! It's because he uses Earth Balance on the pan, so they cook up crispy around the edges. Great vegan pancakes!

Moe's Southwest Grill Vegan Fast Food Option - The Tofu Bowl Review

This week I stopped into Moe's Southwest Grill (Port Orange, Florida location). I've eaten there before and have had the burrito with tofu, but this time I wanted to skip the tortilla. I opted for Moe's menu item called the "Tofu Bowl." The tofu bowl was simple to make vegan, as you can tell the person what you do and don't want in it. Skipping things like the cheese and sour cream, as well as black olives (I hate black olives). I had a vegan tofu bowl piled high with rice, beans, and veggies (including the grilled peppers, onions, and mushrooms).

I found that I like the tofu bowl better than I do the burrito. The tofu bowl was good. I really appreciate that Moe's Southwest Grill offers tofu as an option. Not many restaurants offer that, so it's wonderful to have access to tofu. And they do a good job of preparing it, because it tastes great!

Every Tuesday at my local Moe's Southwest Grill is kids eat free day. I'm sure I will be back again to take advantage of that, and get the tofu bowl again. Check with the Moe's in your area to see when kid's eat free (if you have kids and are intersted in that option). Otherwise, just stop in sometime and try their tasty tofu bowl, with a side of chips and salsa.