Member Reviews
Great book, but over reliance on guest chefs. Nonetheless, very on brand. Very excited to see what this entrepreneur does over the next decade.
I really enjoyed this cookbook! Tried the cauliflower, beet-tini, creamy pesto Mac and cheese, elites my way, barbecue bowl, and stuffed butternut squash. Every recipe was delicious! I will be making more because there are so many good ones! Would love to visit her food truck some day. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.
Lots of good tips for anyone looking to go vegan or just incorporate more plant-based meals into their diet and surprisingly, some good tips for entrepreneurs. The recipes are easy to follow and range from vegan beginner to advanced vegan master. The only thing missing is nutrition information but this is a great resource to have on hand.
I requested this book based on the title, and the topic. I love how it reads, and there are so many recipes I am going to be trying. So glad I requested this one!
This is a recipe book with a strong Caribbean/southern influence and a whole lot of fun attitude. Those choosing Vegan for health reasons will want to look elsewhere: these are comfort food recipes with a lot of oils/fats/sugars that will taste great but also pack on the calories. The foods may be unhealthy (e.g., fried items) but they will definitely tickle taste buds.
The book break down as follows: Intro; Black, Vegan & Cool; Black Boss Tings; Vegan Pantry Staples; Vegan FAQ; Recipes, Acknowledgements. The recipe categories give you a good idea of the types of recipes you will find: Good Morning, Grand Rising; Jamaican Saturdays; Kick up Rumpus; Gold Ol' Southern Comfort; DA Butters, DA Dips, DA Jams, and Da Jellies; Dem Sweet Thangs.
Recipes include: Chi Chi's Vegan Churro Waffles, Chickpea Sunrise, Cup of Kelewele, Garbanzos Guisados, Vegan Bourbon Cauliflower, :"Bacon" Wrapped Asparagus, Deviled N'Egg, Eggplant Fries, Fondue Cheese Bowl, and many more. Nearly every recipe has a type of oil and many require vegan 'substitutes' - butter, cheese, bread, bacon, etc. Many of the recipes are from guest chefs/contributors.
The book is nicely formatted with full color photographs for every third or fourth recipe. Each recipe has a large font title, servings size, small introduction, ingredients in italics, and then unnumbered steps. Note that there is no nutrition information for any recipe. There are also no substitutions or suggestions for e.g., allergies.
For me, I want to eat healthy and so few of the recipes appealed. They are all vegan and no meats or dairy products are used. But I was highly concerned with the amounts of oils and sugars - and the large amounts of various oils in so many of the recipes. From the title, I had assumed a more healthier plant-based approach of solid nutritious food with a Caribbean flair. This felt more like Vegan fast food. Reviewed from an advance reader copy provided by the publisher.
I jumped at the chance to read Eat Plants, B*tch because I’m always ready to dive into a vegan cookbook. Pinky Cole’s writing is engaging, but overall this wasn’t the book for me. There’s a heavy use of veganized meats and cheeses rather than a focus on plant-based ingredients. The more plant-based recipes are decent but there’s nothing particularly original about them. I think Eat Plants, B*tch might be best for meat-eaters who want to try vegan meals without sacrificing meat taste, which simply isn’t for me.
This is the first time I had heard of Pinky Cole or the Slutty Vegan, but her vibrant personality and love of life comes off the pages. It made reading about her past and reasons for turning to Veganism all that more interesting. Add to that the advice she (and other chefs) give in regards to being an entrepreneur and all the recipes and this makes for a fantastic cookbook.
I really enjoyed that most of the recipes were pretty easy to make. There are some that call for soy or tempeh, but most don’t, which is great for those who don’t eat soy or don’t enjoy the textures of those items. And there are other ones that call for vegan bacon or vegan cheese, so I can see people who are looking for more vegetable-forward recipes that don’t lean on vegan speciality items, not really like that.
While I am not a Vegan or even a Vegetarian, I do try to limit my meat intake and can see myself making a lot of these recipes, especially the breakfast ones since most of them are super fast… and the desserts too… because, desserts!
I could see anyone from a meat eater to a Vegan enjoying this book and finding lots of recipes that they could easily make And I could see people wanting to turn to Vegetarianism or Veganism finding this book to be a great step towards it. But if you are, I would recommend doing a lot of research to make sure your body continues to get all the minerals and nutrients that it needs from a vegetable only diet.
I'm continually looking for vegetarian (not necessarily vegan) recipes that "will blow [my] meat-loving mind" as I understand it's better for my health and the health of the planet. I was attracted to the attitude and apparent celebrity of Pinky Cole (I'd never heard of her) and hoped that this would finally be THE cookbook that would make me go "Oh hell yea! I can totally do this!" Unfortunately, this was not that book although I did find a couple more recipes that I'd like to try and add to my meager collection of meatless meal recipes. I get that I'm a hard sell and that's not the books fault, although I will say that I was disappointed in the lack of nutritional information since my health is half of the reason I want to eat more vegetarian. But on the plus side, the photos were beautiful and very tempting.
Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an advanced copy (out Nov 15th) of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Awesome tried and true recipes from Pinky Cole and other Vegan chefs. I loved the vegan tips at the beginning. It’s easy to follow and very interesting to look at. My only complaint is that neither of her internet favorite recipes- the burger and the bbq tacos were in the book.
4 stars
Expected publish date: 11/15/2022
Pages: 224
Thank you to #netgalley and #gallerybooks for this advanced readers copy of #eatplantsb*tch by #pinkycole.
This cookbook did not just have recipes but also read somewhat like a memoir. The author wrote how she got into veganism and how it led to her starting a successful restaurant which was cool to read. She gave a list of vegan options you can incorporate in your daily life to replace the dairy products. That was pretty helpful. The recipes looked simple and tasty. I look forward to trying them. My only criticism is that in cookbooks I think there should be a photo for each recipe. I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was around 3.5 stars for me. This is mostly because personal preference for recipes that are already vegan instead of using vegan cheeses or other vegan substitutes for non-vegan foods.
I wasn't familiar with the Slutty Vegan before this, so it was an interesting introduction to Pinky Cole. There's a lot of recipes in this book with a good variety. Some are already vegan, some require vegan cheese or other pre-made vegan alternatives. The recipes in this book are hardy and largely not super time consuming which is nice.
Whether you're vegan, vegetarian, or just someone who wants to cut back on your meat/dairy consumption, this is an excellent cookbook to add to your collection. I am personally an omnivore, but I have been trying to reduce the amount of animal products I consume by focusing on plant-based cooking. I have a pretty good collection of plant-based cookbooks and this one feels so unique and fresh! The tone of the writing is playful and bright. The recipes are familiar enough that they are not intimidating, but also come with their own flair. Specifically, I liked the recipes focused on Jamaican cuisine, which I have regretfully not had much experience with so far in life. Even the more common recipes like smoothies felt a bit more unique than their counterparts in my other cookbooks.
Superb Cookbook! Absolutely loved the fresh take that these recipes have. The staples included are far more than the average staples you expect. I own over 20 vegan cookbooks and this one is definitely one of my top favorite ones recipe wise. I haven't tried the recipes yet, need to hit the market for a few more ingredients. However, they seem divine. Such beautiful combinations of flavors and mixture of types of food. I look forward to cooking with this book this coming week! So many great options that even my meat eating family will enjoy!
I received this Cookbook from NetGalley and the publishers to read and review. All statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this cookbook.
I'm not even vegan & I want to eat everything in this cookbook! The Black Pea Burgers and BBQ Tofu Bowl are early contenders for my favorites, but every recipe looks absolutely delicious. The photos literally make me drool. Several of the recipes would be easy to make vegan & non-vegan versions of in order to keep the whole family happy, like Paella with Vegan Shrimp.
This is truly a cookbook that you could cook your way through & not get bored with the same flavors or cooking styles. Original ideas abound for vegans, and I'll definitely be grabbing a copy for my vegan family members this holiday season.
Thank you to the publisher & netgalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I loved the personality and enthusiasm that shined through this cookbook. I’m not vegan and would never become vegan, but I appreciated hearing Pinky’s stories of what veganism means to her. I really liked the sheer amount of recipes in this book, running the gamut from drinks to entrees to desserts. What I didn’t like was how many of the recipes used inaccessible ingredients like specialty mushrooms, specific seed oils, and syrups that I would never be able to find at my grocery store. I will also say that this book is not for you if you don’t like vegan meat or cheese replacements. The rest of the recipes look very delicious and simple to make for the home cook.
4.5 stars
A colorful cookbook with a conversational relatable voice. If you are someone who loves southern comfort food, and like a lot of readily made vegan convenience items (like vegan "meats", cheese, mayo that sort of thing) I think you will adore this book. I think this cookbook would be a great start for someone new to plant based food. I liked the inclusion of entrepreneur information and the guest chef recipes, it really makes this book stand out in a sea of other vegan cookbooks. The recipes with photos are all gorgeous and styled very well. My favorite recipes were the zucchini cakes, okra salad, and potato mushroom soup. I can see myself making the zucchini cakes many times. I think breakfast was one of the weaker sections, heavy on smoothies, including one parsley moss smoothie that has three ingredients I never heard of (inlcuding sea moss gel) which is quite the accomplishment as I've been vegan over two decades. It's the sort of thing I think many people think veganism is, but usually isn't, which didn't seem to have the same accessible vibe as the rest of the book.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest opinion.
Eat Plants, B*tch is an engaging up-to-the-minute collection of vegan recipes developed and curated by Pinky Cole. Due out 15th Nov 2022 from Simon & Schuster on their Gallery Books imprint, it's 224 pages and will be available in hardcover and ebook formats.
There are so many reasons to eat more plant based foods and incorporate veg*n foods in our daily lives: environmental impect, health benefits, economics (macro and micro), etc. Up til now, I wouldn't have said that comfort food was really an overwhelming possibility in a plant based diet. I was wrong. This is an accessible, chatty, and *fun* collection of vegan recipes which includes wall-to-wall tasty food. The author herself says it in her foreword: "What makes Slutty Vegan beautiful is that we make good food. Vegan or not, we make good food and people can appreciate good food."
The introduction includes pantry lists of ingredients and tools. The recipes are eclectic and wide ranging, and are arranged thematically: breakfast, weekend recipes, party/entertaining "good times" dishes, comfort food with a southern (USA) slant, sauces butters & dips, and desserts. Recipes are written with an introduction, serving yields, ingredients in bullet lists, and followed by step by step cooking / assembly instructions. The ingredients are given in imperial (American) measurements only. Ingredients used with mostly be available from any well stocked grocery store, but some will require a specialist grocer or health food store. Nutritional information is not included.
It's worth mentioning that the book isn't just full of tasty vegan recipes (which it is, of course). There is a surprising amount of wisdom and observation about being a female black entrepreneur, about making plans and putting in the work to succeed, especially in the food and service industries post-covid. I found those parts where the author talks about her life and upbringing almost as enjoyable as the food. She has a frank and honest voice and I enjoyed reading the non-recipe parts of the book very much.
The photography throughout is superlative. The food pictures especially are beautifully styled and appetizing.
Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Honestly, I was a bit underwhelmed by this one. I probably should have realized that this book would be largely veganized versions of non-vegan dishes, which really isn't my personal plant-based preference--I'd rather focus on dishes that are naturally vegan without having to rely on expensive and disappointing substitutes. Most of the breakfast options were some form of smoothie--nothing wrong with that, but there were far more smoothie/bowl recipes than I'd want or expect for a non-smoothie book. The copy at the front of the book felt like a first draft in need of serious edits, and there was a really large photo deficit--it felt like maybe as many as half the recipes didn't have photographs, which is a massive pet peeve of mine. Partially I just don't think I'm the target market here, but even beyond that, I felt this cookbook could have used some editing and further curation.
Super pleased I received this ARC, it's one of my favorite plant-based recipe cookbooks I've read so far! I take care of my elderly grandfather and he doesn't eat nearly enough vegetables because he thinks they don't taste good. I've already made the breakfast Garden Scramble and Gnocchi Florentine for him and he didn't know any better! I like the layout of the cookbook, especially the beginning where various vegan chefs give advice and words of encouragement for trying vegan foods. The section for vegan oils, dairy substitutes, etc was also very helpful and laid out very nice. An excellent cookbook that I will definitely be buying in physical form once it's released.
I'm looking forward to trying the the Brussels Rigatoni Carbonara next!
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Eat Plants, B*tch is a beautiful cookbook. Pinky Cole is the author and entrepreneur who launched the brand Slutty Vegan, which encompasses three brick and mortar restaurants as well as food trucks and partnerships with large food chains to connect great tasting vegan food to the masses. I am not vegan but am interested in eating more vegetables, and I have no interest in those vegetables being in the form of boring salads. This cookbook has a variety of dishes for all meal types. A fair number of the recipes call for meat substitutes to replicate traditional meals such as Paella or “Bacon” Wrapped Asparagus. I never review a cookbook without trying a few recipes. This weekend I made Black-Eyed Pea Stew for my lunches this week. It is delicious. The combination of cooked down black-eyed peas with the sweet potatoes, vegetables, and spices is a perfect combination of smoky and sweet. I also made the Potato Mushroom Soup. I served it with homemade bread, and it made for a perfect Sunday dinner. It was a robust soup that I will enjoy the leftovers for this week. I will make both dishes again in the future, for sure. This cookbook is a great choice for someone interested in tasty meat-free dishes that are not, for the most part, difficult to make. I received an advanced reader e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.