The New Now and Zen Epicure: Gourmet Vegan Recipes for the Enlightened Palate

This is one of the very best vegan/vegetarian cookbooks I own, and I have well over 20. I've made a number of recipes from it, and all have come out superbly. The dishes are imaginative, and some, like the tofu bourguignon, are good enough facsimiles of the traditional version to satisfy carnivores. I'm especially fond of the roasted red pepper soup and alwys try to keep some of the cashew-tofu-based sour "cream" on hand. Best of all, most of the recipes aren't fussy, requiring hours of preparation. If you're an established vegan, just starting out or simply want to incorporate more vegan dishes into your diet, I can't think of a better book to begin with.

Great purchase for anyone wanting to go beyond vegan salad and bowl offerings. While some of the recipes take a bit of extra prep time, the final product is well worth the effort. My husband and I have recently changed our eating habits to be more vegetable and fruit centric and this cook book has been an eye opener for us as far as the complex tastes and textures that can be obtained from non-animal food products. We have particularly enjoyed the recipe for stuffed tomatoes and the elegant French Moussaka.

I gave the book 5 stars because I'm really impressed with Miyoko Schinner. I wish I lived on the west coast so I could take her classes. The recipes that I have tried from the Artisan Vegan Cheese book are amazing. But, like that book and this one the kindle version is VERY screwed up! The formatting is horrible-- difficult to read. Some of the recipes are backwards, etc. I've complained to Amazon, but they won't take responsibility for the problems. Spend a few extra dollars and buy the book!

I bought Miyoko's book on Japanese cooking and really liked it. So I bought this one and was disappointed that most of the recipes called for oil or margarine. The main dishes all have tofu, tempeh or seitan which can't be tolerated by many. This is an interesting book with some really cool recipes for vegans but for those on a plant based oil free diet, steer clear. I don't see how to eliminate the oil in these recipes and the oil or margarine is often the only flavor enhancer. Broth might be substituted in saute'ing and aquafaba for brushing on before grilling or baking but it's just a guess how it might come out. I will attempt some of these recipes but almost everyone will require modification. I was hoping to get some tips on how to cook food without oil and this is certainly not the book. It may be a good book to use to transition from a non vegan to a vegan.

Miyoko, thanks for this book.You are helping expand the literature on vegan food preparation.As you call it-"for the enlightened". which simply means,NOT the closed -minded, and those fearful of trying something new/different

It's a book for those who prefer to eat a plant based diet and want to enjoy food that has all the characteristics of fine cuisine. I recommend her paella, it is wonderful.

I'm just learning vegan cooking and needed a good cookbook of things I thought I'd enjoy eating that wasn't too "special ingredient" or difficult. This turned out to be a perfect fit. The best part is that every recipe I've tried has turned out well. Yay!

'Love this chef and mom. Practical, easy vegan recipes. A bit heavy on soy products, but some recipes could be adapted. I have so many markers in this book I don't even know why I bothered! Everything is delicious and I return again and again to Miyoko's cookbook.

A gift, so don’t know how helpful it is.

Miyoko is great. Love her YouTube videos.

Really inspiring!

The book is very good and useful indeed. The only reason I gave 4 stars instead of 5 is because most of the recipes call for tofu. Even though I love tofu for its nutritious value and versatility, I just don't want it to be in each and every dish I eat. But Miyoko Schinner is an amazing author and amazing chef, and if you have her newest book - Artisan Vegan Cheese - you can substitute tofu with a non-soya based cheeses from her amazing recipes.