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Sweet Potato Soul: 100 Easy Vegan Recipes for the Southern Flavors of Smoke, Sugar, Spice, and Soul: A Cookbook
100 vegan recipes that riff on Southern cooking in surprising and delicious ways, beautifully illustrated with full-color photography.
Jenné Claiborne grew up in Atlanta eating classic Soul Food—fluffy biscuits, smoky sausage, Nana's sweet potato pie—but thought she'd have to give all that up when she went vegan. As a chef, she instead spent years tweaking and experimenting to infuse plant-based, life-giving, glow-worthy foods with the flavor and depth that feeds the soul.
In Sweet Potato Soul , Jenné revives the long tradition of using fresh, local ingredients creatively in dishes like Coconut Collard Salad and Fried Cauliflower Chicken. She improvises new flavors in Peach Date BBQ Jackfruit Sliders and Sweet Potato-Tahini Cookies. She celebrates the plant-based roots of the cuisine in Bootylicious Gumbo and savory-sweet Georgia Watermelon & Peach Salad. And she updates classics with Jalapeño Hush Puppies, and her favorite, Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls.
Along the way, Jenné explores the narratives surrounding iconic and beloved soul food recipes, as well as their innate nutritional benefits—you've heard that dandelion, mustard, and turnip greens, okra, and black eyed peas are nutrition superstars, but here's how to make them super tasty, too.
From decadent pound cakes and ginger-kissed fruit cobblers to smokey collard greens, amazing crabcakes and the most comforting sweet potato pie you'll ever taste, these better-than-the-original takes on crave-worthy dishes are good for your health, heart, and soul.
Jenné Claiborne grew up in Atlanta eating classic Soul Food—fluffy biscuits, smoky sausage, Nana's sweet potato pie—but thought she'd have to give all that up when she went vegan. As a chef, she instead spent years tweaking and experimenting to infuse plant-based, life-giving, glow-worthy foods with the flavor and depth that feeds the soul.
In Sweet Potato Soul , Jenné revives the long tradition of using fresh, local ingredients creatively in dishes like Coconut Collard Salad and Fried Cauliflower Chicken. She improvises new flavors in Peach Date BBQ Jackfruit Sliders and Sweet Potato-Tahini Cookies. She celebrates the plant-based roots of the cuisine in Bootylicious Gumbo and savory-sweet Georgia Watermelon & Peach Salad. And she updates classics with Jalapeño Hush Puppies, and her favorite, Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls.
Along the way, Jenné explores the narratives surrounding iconic and beloved soul food recipes, as well as their innate nutritional benefits—you've heard that dandelion, mustard, and turnip greens, okra, and black eyed peas are nutrition superstars, but here's how to make them super tasty, too.
From decadent pound cakes and ginger-kissed fruit cobblers to smokey collard greens, amazing crabcakes and the most comforting sweet potato pie you'll ever taste, these better-than-the-original takes on crave-worthy dishes are good for your health, heart, and soul.
224 pages, Paperback
Published February 6, 2018
676 people are currently reading
1769 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
February 20, 2018
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
My name is Kelly and I'm a cookbook hoarder. That's why when I had the chance to obtain a copy of this for free my eye zeroed in on one word and one word alone . . . .
"SOUL" and failed to see that secondary tagline pointing out the 100 recipes contained inside the book were all going to be vegan. How can I explain how I felt when I saw that??? I KNOW! I'll do something I never do and use gifs : )
Basically, my reaction was pretty much . . . .
Due to a combination of my previous experiences with vegans going something kinda like this . . . .
Along with quite a lot of this . . .
And also because I live in flyover country where we enjoy being morbidly obese and eating an entire cow at every meal.
But then I saw . . . .
Well, in all honesty I actually saw Coconut Corn Chowder, but Sunday dinner is still a thing at my house and I didn't want my family to murder me in my sleep since two of the members are not fans of the nut of the coco. (I'm totally going to make it for myself next at lunch Saturday, though, because it looks delicious and easy which are my only two requirements when it comes to making food.)
So I did cheat a bit and used meat sausage rather than the suggested sausage options because (1) there is NO WAY I'm ever making my own sausage ever and (2) the apple option wasn't really an option for the meat-a-sauruses who live in my house. I also put shrimp in it because . . . . .
The end result????
Pretty pretty pretty good. Plus I got to channel my inner Beyonce the entire time I was in the kitchen so that made everyone in my house pretty excited . . . .
3.5 Stars because vegan recipes are not super easy. This one was, but most in the book are not. However, the pictures were real purrrrrty.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
My name is Kelly and I'm a cookbook hoarder. That's why when I had the chance to obtain a copy of this for free my eye zeroed in on one word and one word alone . . . .
"SOUL" and failed to see that secondary tagline pointing out the 100 recipes contained inside the book were all going to be vegan. How can I explain how I felt when I saw that??? I KNOW! I'll do something I never do and use gifs : )
Basically, my reaction was pretty much . . . .
Due to a combination of my previous experiences with vegans going something kinda like this . . . .
Along with quite a lot of this . . .
And also because I live in flyover country where we enjoy being morbidly obese and eating an entire cow at every meal.
But then I saw . . . .
Well, in all honesty I actually saw Coconut Corn Chowder, but Sunday dinner is still a thing at my house and I didn't want my family to murder me in my sleep since two of the members are not fans of the nut of the coco. (I'm totally going to make it for myself next at lunch Saturday, though, because it looks delicious and easy which are my only two requirements when it comes to making food.)
So I did cheat a bit and used meat sausage rather than the suggested sausage options because (1) there is NO WAY I'm ever making my own sausage ever and (2) the apple option wasn't really an option for the meat-a-sauruses who live in my house. I also put shrimp in it because . . . . .
The end result????
Pretty pretty pretty good. Plus I got to channel my inner Beyonce the entire time I was in the kitchen so that made everyone in my house pretty excited . . . .
3.5 Stars because vegan recipes are not super easy. This one was, but most in the book are not. However, the pictures were real purrrrrty.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
March 15, 2018
I am a long time vegetarian, a southern girl, and a great fan of soul food ... so Sweet Potato Soul immediately appealed to me!
The first thing to know: this is a beautiful cookbook, with great food photos. The recipes are laid out one to a page, with ingredients and 1-2-3 directions, just the way I like.
I really loved the introduction on southern food. Jenne Claiborne even details pantry items for southern cooking, southern fruits and vegetables, spices, baking staples, sweeteners. There is a short section on varieties of sweet potatoes!
I also loved her Five Healthy Rules I Live By (p. 19, longer details in book!):
1. Avoid all animal products.
2. Eat your colors.
3. Don't count calories or protein.
4. Go 80/20. (unprocessed/processed)
5. Make everything delicious.
Now on to the recipes! In Sweet Potato Soul you will find:
Breakfast
Salads and Soups
Greens and Sides
Mains
Sweets and Drinks
Pantry Staples and Sauces
I have three things I look for in cookbooks:
Are the recipes vegetarian (or can I tweak them to be veggie friendly)?
Yes, this is a vegan cookbook!
Are the ingredients readily accessible at any grocery store?
Yes, the ingredients in this book are delightfully accessible foods that should be available anywhere.
Are the recipes straightforward and easy to make on a busy work night (i.e. 30 - 60 minutes tops)?
Most of the recipes are pretty straightforward. Some do include multiple steps. For instance, Low Country Grits (which looks amazing!) does require the cook to also make either Creole Red Bean Sausage or Smoky White Bean Sausage ... so not a great work night recipe.
To give you an idea of the delicious variety of recipes in this cookbook, here are a few that particularly appealed to me: Sweet Potato Skillet Home Fries, Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie, Bourbon BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches, Georgia Watermelon and Peach Salad, Coconut Corn Chowder, Jalapeno Hush Puppies, Spicy Fried Cauliflower "Chicken," Happy Hearts "Crab" Cakes, New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice, Cajun Blackened Tofu Sandwich, Smoky Black Eyed Pea Cakes, Georgia Pecan Pie, Ginger Kissed Peach Cobbler ... and this is just a small sampler!
I rate this vegan cookbook five stars and highly recommend it to anyone who loves southern cooking, vegan cooking, or vegetarian or "Meatless Monday" cooks who want to add more plant based southern food to their diet!
The first thing to know: this is a beautiful cookbook, with great food photos. The recipes are laid out one to a page, with ingredients and 1-2-3 directions, just the way I like.
I really loved the introduction on southern food. Jenne Claiborne even details pantry items for southern cooking, southern fruits and vegetables, spices, baking staples, sweeteners. There is a short section on varieties of sweet potatoes!
I also loved her Five Healthy Rules I Live By (p. 19, longer details in book!):
1. Avoid all animal products.
2. Eat your colors.
3. Don't count calories or protein.
4. Go 80/20. (unprocessed/processed)
5. Make everything delicious.
Now on to the recipes! In Sweet Potato Soul you will find:
Breakfast
Salads and Soups
Greens and Sides
Mains
Sweets and Drinks
Pantry Staples and Sauces
I have three things I look for in cookbooks:
Are the recipes vegetarian (or can I tweak them to be veggie friendly)?
Yes, this is a vegan cookbook!
Are the ingredients readily accessible at any grocery store?
Yes, the ingredients in this book are delightfully accessible foods that should be available anywhere.
Are the recipes straightforward and easy to make on a busy work night (i.e. 30 - 60 minutes tops)?
Most of the recipes are pretty straightforward. Some do include multiple steps. For instance, Low Country Grits (which looks amazing!) does require the cook to also make either Creole Red Bean Sausage or Smoky White Bean Sausage ... so not a great work night recipe.
To give you an idea of the delicious variety of recipes in this cookbook, here are a few that particularly appealed to me: Sweet Potato Skillet Home Fries, Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie, Bourbon BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches, Georgia Watermelon and Peach Salad, Coconut Corn Chowder, Jalapeno Hush Puppies, Spicy Fried Cauliflower "Chicken," Happy Hearts "Crab" Cakes, New Orleans Style Red Beans and Rice, Cajun Blackened Tofu Sandwich, Smoky Black Eyed Pea Cakes, Georgia Pecan Pie, Ginger Kissed Peach Cobbler ... and this is just a small sampler!
I rate this vegan cookbook five stars and highly recommend it to anyone who loves southern cooking, vegan cooking, or vegetarian or "Meatless Monday" cooks who want to add more plant based southern food to their diet!
February 27, 2018
Rating 3.5
Review to come.
Review to come.
October 1, 2018
I think this book is a little lost on me, solely because the vast majority of these recipes include sweet potato and, thanks to a childhood of forced canned yam consumption at every holiday, I now in adulthood cannot stomach sweet potatoes due to their extreme similarity in taste and texture. (I figured the title was just a fancy blog name, and I was wildly incorrect in that assumption.)
That being said, this cookbook is glorious. The photos, the recipes, the stories, everything is outstanding. This vegan food has been made with a broad audience in mind, not just vegans who are already used to 100% plants. Claiborne has made a serious attempt to veganize soul food without loosing its essence, and only someone with intimate knowledge of the cuisine could hope to believably recreate it without animal products.
My favorite aspect of this book is all the beans!!! Only a handful of recipes call for storebought meatless products (or handmade seitan meats, thank god. I'm not hip to the zillions of make-your-own-meat vegan cookbooks out now--who has TIME to make all their protein by hand??? I don't!!). Beans are tied for my favorite plant protein source and they are constantly burdened with disrespect by veggies & omnivores alike. Beans are superior! We love them! They are precious! If they taste bad it's because YOU don't know how to cook them! You only feel nasty after eating them because you don't eat enough of them in the first place! Fix yourself!!!
Half the time while reading I was feeling kind of annoyed at all the coconut used in these recipes. Lots of vegans like to call vegan food healthy but then use ungodly amounts of coconut milk/oil, which is near pure saturated fat with zero nutritional benefit, unlike other fats that have lower saturated fat levels due to the presence of monounsaturated & polyunsaturated fats like those found in olive oil, avocado, seed oils, etc etc. HOWEVER, in comparison to how much fat, salt, sugar, and oil southern food traditionally utilizes, I can't be mad tbh. A dish with a full can of coconut milk can be had once in a while. And Claiborne does a good job of balancing those fat-laden recipes with several others that only include a small amount of oil.
Overall, this cookbook is a gem and I love to see experts of cultural cuisines find ways to veganize them. Sometimes you need to put away that raw smoothie bowl and have yourself a full soul food breakfast, and this book can help you explore a favorite all-American cuisine.
That being said, this cookbook is glorious. The photos, the recipes, the stories, everything is outstanding. This vegan food has been made with a broad audience in mind, not just vegans who are already used to 100% plants. Claiborne has made a serious attempt to veganize soul food without loosing its essence, and only someone with intimate knowledge of the cuisine could hope to believably recreate it without animal products.
My favorite aspect of this book is all the beans!!! Only a handful of recipes call for storebought meatless products (or handmade seitan meats, thank god. I'm not hip to the zillions of make-your-own-meat vegan cookbooks out now--who has TIME to make all their protein by hand??? I don't!!). Beans are tied for my favorite plant protein source and they are constantly burdened with disrespect by veggies & omnivores alike. Beans are superior! We love them! They are precious! If they taste bad it's because YOU don't know how to cook them! You only feel nasty after eating them because you don't eat enough of them in the first place! Fix yourself!!!
Half the time while reading I was feeling kind of annoyed at all the coconut used in these recipes. Lots of vegans like to call vegan food healthy but then use ungodly amounts of coconut milk/oil, which is near pure saturated fat with zero nutritional benefit, unlike other fats that have lower saturated fat levels due to the presence of monounsaturated & polyunsaturated fats like those found in olive oil, avocado, seed oils, etc etc. HOWEVER, in comparison to how much fat, salt, sugar, and oil southern food traditionally utilizes, I can't be mad tbh. A dish with a full can of coconut milk can be had once in a while. And Claiborne does a good job of balancing those fat-laden recipes with several others that only include a small amount of oil.
Overall, this cookbook is a gem and I love to see experts of cultural cuisines find ways to veganize them. Sometimes you need to put away that raw smoothie bowl and have yourself a full soul food breakfast, and this book can help you explore a favorite all-American cuisine.
December 28, 2019
3 1\2 stars until I get to try
My current partner is vegan, so it will be nice to try new things to make for him. I also appreciate all the easy desserts.
My current partner is vegan, so it will be nice to try new things to make for him. I also appreciate all the easy desserts.
January 25, 2021
The name of this cookbook attracted me — I’m a big fan of the yummy sweet potato, and that was a big reason I checked this book out.
Though I have not made any of he recipes yet in this book, I liked how easy they looked, and how the ingredients are mostly easy to buy at my grocery store. That’s actually one of the things I look for in a cookbook, as well as tasty dishes (of course). I plan to try a few recipes in the near future and may update this review to include my thoughts on my trials.
Though I have not made any of he recipes yet in this book, I liked how easy they looked, and how the ingredients are mostly easy to buy at my grocery store. That’s actually one of the things I look for in a cookbook, as well as tasty dishes (of course). I plan to try a few recipes in the near future and may update this review to include my thoughts on my trials.
February 15, 2018
Yes, I am in love with a vegan cookbook!
The first forty pages are a how-to, what and why to vegan cooking, and obviously the Southern soul food way. In this comprehensive introduction, Claiborne introduces the many different varieties of sweet potatoes, includes a "Why is it good for you" rationale, lists "Tools to Stock your Soul Kitchen" along with "Southern Pantry Staple" recommendations. There's even witty vegan quotes from the likes of Erykah Badu and Natalie Goldberg. While I found these introductory pages intriguing and informative, I was ready to get to the meat of the book (pardon the ironic pun).
I think I could embrace vegetarianism and a lot of our meals tend to be meat free. But, embracing the vegan lifestyle has always caused me to pause---there's that whole fake cheese thing to get past. Claiborne's book makes me think, however, that I could embrace a plant prone diet.
Sweet Potato Soul is divided into the following sections: breakfast, salads & soups, greens & sides, mains, sweets & drinks, and pantry staples & sauces. I really wanted to pull a recipe from each section like Sweet Potato Granola (48), Coconut Corn Chowder (94), Black-Eyed Pea Hummus (110), Southern Buddha Bowl (131), Blackberry Mint Julep (196), or Peach-Date BBQ Sauce (207). All of these recipes mentioned here could easily be put on a non-vegan table with no complaints.
It's rare that I get a cookbook that I want to go through recipe by recipe and try them all. Claiborne and Sweet Potato Soul make me want to do just that, especially this spring and summer when ingredients will be fresh, ripe and delicious.
Claiborne has blogged for years at Sweet Potato Soul.
As a non-vegan, I rate this cookbook FIVE STARS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books for this review. All opinions, exclamations, gushings and rants are my own.
The first forty pages are a how-to, what and why to vegan cooking, and obviously the Southern soul food way. In this comprehensive introduction, Claiborne introduces the many different varieties of sweet potatoes, includes a "Why is it good for you" rationale, lists "Tools to Stock your Soul Kitchen" along with "Southern Pantry Staple" recommendations. There's even witty vegan quotes from the likes of Erykah Badu and Natalie Goldberg. While I found these introductory pages intriguing and informative, I was ready to get to the meat of the book (pardon the ironic pun).
I think I could embrace vegetarianism and a lot of our meals tend to be meat free. But, embracing the vegan lifestyle has always caused me to pause---there's that whole fake cheese thing to get past. Claiborne's book makes me think, however, that I could embrace a plant prone diet.
Sweet Potato Soul is divided into the following sections: breakfast, salads & soups, greens & sides, mains, sweets & drinks, and pantry staples & sauces. I really wanted to pull a recipe from each section like Sweet Potato Granola (48), Coconut Corn Chowder (94), Black-Eyed Pea Hummus (110), Southern Buddha Bowl (131), Blackberry Mint Julep (196), or Peach-Date BBQ Sauce (207). All of these recipes mentioned here could easily be put on a non-vegan table with no complaints.
It's rare that I get a cookbook that I want to go through recipe by recipe and try them all. Claiborne and Sweet Potato Soul make me want to do just that, especially this spring and summer when ingredients will be fresh, ripe and delicious.
Claiborne has blogged for years at Sweet Potato Soul.
As a non-vegan, I rate this cookbook FIVE STARS!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books for this review. All opinions, exclamations, gushings and rants are my own.
June 30, 2020
This cookbook is amazing! I own a couple of vegan cookbooks already and all of them are insanely healthy, raw wholefoods cookbooks which I also love, but it's great to have a cookbook with delicious comfort foods as well. I'm not from the south but my family from Curacao has their own version of soul food that's very reminiscent of this so I could definitely relate. I really liked that she went into the history of soul food and slavery, and also her personal story of going vegan. I just really wish there were more pictures because 90% of the time I pick a recipe to cook based on how it looks lol.
October 26, 2020
I enjoyed reading this cookbook. Most of the ingredients I am familiar with and I already tried two recipes and they were yummy.
January 31, 2023
I follow Jenne Claiborne on Instagram, and enjoy her feed. I requested and received her cookbook for Christmas in 2020. Just in time for the pandemic. I have enjoyed trying these recipes over the past 9 months. I love vegetarian fare, but I live in a household with picky meat-eaters. So, the recipes have to be pretty spectacular to please my crowd. I have to say that most of recipes I've tried have been excellent.
The recipes we've loved are:
1. Sweet potato-pecan cinnamon rolls (over the top delicious and a treat during the pandemic)
2. Georgia Watermelon and Peach Salad (my two sons said it was the best salad they've ever had)
3. Coconut Corn Chowder (absolutely delicious)
The recipes we've liked really well:
4. Tender Mess O' Collard Greens (if you like collards, these are a good vegan alternative)
5. Good Luck Black-Eyed Peas
6. Quick pickled onions
7. Mushroom gravy
The recipes we didn't like:
8. Smoky White Bean sausage
9. New Orleans-Style Red Beans and Rice (it had the above sausage in the recipe)
10. Lentil loaf -- it was a really hard sell to my meat eating family.
All in all I would highly recommend this cookbook for vegans. For picky eaters, it may be a harder sell. I would recommend following her on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube. She has a wider variety of recipes on her social media accounts. This cookbook has a narrow focus with ingredients from the south like sweet potatoes, peaches, black-eyed peas.
In the near future, I'm really looking forward to trying her Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Cakes, Oyster Mushroom Etouffee, Jalapeno Hush Puppies, and Happy Hearts "crab" Cakes.
The recipes we've loved are:
1. Sweet potato-pecan cinnamon rolls (over the top delicious and a treat during the pandemic)
2. Georgia Watermelon and Peach Salad (my two sons said it was the best salad they've ever had)
3. Coconut Corn Chowder (absolutely delicious)
The recipes we've liked really well:
4. Tender Mess O' Collard Greens (if you like collards, these are a good vegan alternative)
5. Good Luck Black-Eyed Peas
6. Quick pickled onions
7. Mushroom gravy
The recipes we didn't like:
8. Smoky White Bean sausage
9. New Orleans-Style Red Beans and Rice (it had the above sausage in the recipe)
10. Lentil loaf -- it was a really hard sell to my meat eating family.
All in all I would highly recommend this cookbook for vegans. For picky eaters, it may be a harder sell. I would recommend following her on Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube. She has a wider variety of recipes on her social media accounts. This cookbook has a narrow focus with ingredients from the south like sweet potatoes, peaches, black-eyed peas.
In the near future, I'm really looking forward to trying her Smoky Black-Eyed Pea Cakes, Oyster Mushroom Etouffee, Jalapeno Hush Puppies, and Happy Hearts "crab" Cakes.
February 15, 2018
As a person who has had to switch my diet for autoimmune and a neurological situation, this book has been wonderful in giving me new ideas and inspiration for food. I love cookbooks that inspire me and getting me thinking outside of the book and that is exactly what "Sweet Potato Soul" does for me. I love that this book is based on a plant based diet, which is very helpful to me because I can eat most of it and this cookbook has simple, quick and easy recipes. I can make them in minutes. I love that it has southern flavors, but is so simple, which can be hard to find in a cookbook. This book is for anyone looking for healthy recipes or different ones. I give this book a 5/5 stars for its content, ease or recipes and variety .
March 19, 2025
Yummy! I've always been a fan of the sweet potato and have recently become vegetarian. I'm working my way to vegan. This book is fantastic! It's chock full of recipes from breakfast to dessert! I'll definitely be trying a lot of the recipes!!
December 28, 2022
Jenne was the reason I went vegan back in 2017...I found recipes I knew and loved but made vegan I adore her YouTube channel. Though no longer vegan I still make all the recipes
June 1, 2021
One of my favorite cookbooks!!
* Some time later....this book still makes me drool. I adjusted a few recipes to make them gluten free, but this kind of book makes that super easy. Still loving it, still a thumbs up!!
* Some time later....this book still makes me drool. I adjusted a few recipes to make them gluten free, but this kind of book makes that super easy. Still loving it, still a thumbs up!!
June 16, 2018
I have been researching various books that still has the SOUL in the foods that I have been accustomed to eating before considering being a vegetarian-vegan since I primarily will focus on the veggies and fruits but still would like biscuits, cornbread, etc. that actually works. I have tried to make quinoa/rye cornbread and was a bit dry tasting. I have attempted biscuits without the use of eggs and used either chia seeds with water or nest egg with water, and was goopy in the insides and hard on the out! I hope this one will work and especially sweet potato biscuits. Hers work! I am so pleased with it but have learned not to hit PULSE too long on the food processor. I do not have a cutter, so I use a glass, but you have to put flour on it every biscuit you cut. Fluffy, goodness, sweet potato biscuit and will do better next time. I do not use WHOLE WHEAT flour but ALMOND FLOUR and was great. I also use gluten-free flour (different types that will try in future too).
The book seems impressive with wonderful photos with the pages to try the recipes, the clients she has worked with (and hope someday for me), the classes she has taught to help others make the transition to vegan lifestyle (will see if I can find online), and recipes that I would love to try. I will go ahead and purchase a copy from Amazon as well. I will try a couple things today such as the sweet potato biscuits and a few other things to see if it is a go!
The instructions seem simple and hope it turns out great.
I read the introduction which was pleased with knowing she was a vegetarian as a teen and even though she was around those who ate great meals--she incorporated her very own vegan style flavors. I love she kept the soul in it since I love sweet potatoes! I like sweet potato fries (already learned years ago) but like hers! I make good ones in the oven.
I also will try the sweet potato pancakes, quite a few ingredients though, and looking for tweaks; however, the book doesn't really offer. I also did the purple-yellow potato salad but used Creole Seasoning, roasted pepper seasoning instead of Dijon Mustard, with Dill (yes it works) and red diced onions instead of yellow. It all worked out to taste great. I like that I can tweak hers and still tastes like soul.. I read her mac and cheese, little scared since it uses butternut squash, but will see how it turns out. Make 1/2 of the amount. (I did buy the book since so many things I want to try and make.)
I cannot wait to try tomorrow for breakfast: no stone fruit and eat biscuits with cinnamon honee, also turmeric ginger lemonade. I tried Jenny Way's turmeric ginger lemonade and was a bit much.
Best cookbook for me and purchased my copy. Too many recipes I want to try and the ones I did was easy to make, and tasty. Two pluses. First one where I was not limited with choices but variety I'll try! Mainly the entire book! Changed star value to five.
The book seems impressive with wonderful photos with the pages to try the recipes, the clients she has worked with (and hope someday for me), the classes she has taught to help others make the transition to vegan lifestyle (will see if I can find online), and recipes that I would love to try. I will go ahead and purchase a copy from Amazon as well. I will try a couple things today such as the sweet potato biscuits and a few other things to see if it is a go!
The instructions seem simple and hope it turns out great.
I read the introduction which was pleased with knowing she was a vegetarian as a teen and even though she was around those who ate great meals--she incorporated her very own vegan style flavors. I love she kept the soul in it since I love sweet potatoes! I like sweet potato fries (already learned years ago) but like hers! I make good ones in the oven.
I also will try the sweet potato pancakes, quite a few ingredients though, and looking for tweaks; however, the book doesn't really offer. I also did the purple-yellow potato salad but used Creole Seasoning, roasted pepper seasoning instead of Dijon Mustard, with Dill (yes it works) and red diced onions instead of yellow. It all worked out to taste great. I like that I can tweak hers and still tastes like soul.. I read her mac and cheese, little scared since it uses butternut squash, but will see how it turns out. Make 1/2 of the amount. (I did buy the book since so many things I want to try and make.)
I cannot wait to try tomorrow for breakfast: no stone fruit and eat biscuits with cinnamon honee, also turmeric ginger lemonade. I tried Jenny Way's turmeric ginger lemonade and was a bit much.
Best cookbook for me and purchased my copy. Too many recipes I want to try and the ones I did was easy to make, and tasty. Two pluses. First one where I was not limited with choices but variety I'll try! Mainly the entire book! Changed star value to five.
November 28, 2020
This book has a ton of amazing recipes. I found the author through her blog and immediately was a fan. She has such tasty and inventive recipes that I thought I should probably add the cookbook to my library. The recipes are thoughtful and all of them can be achieved on a budget. I have loved soul food since I was a child living in NOLA, but have been vegan for over a decade. Tasty, healthy, and vegan soul food recipes can be hard to come by. Chef Jenne Claiborne is definitely one of my favorite vegan bloggers.
My favorite recipes from this book so far:
Chive and cheddar drop biscuits
Sweet potato pie smoothie
Skillet cornbread
Cure-all lentil soup
Coconut corn chowder
Pan fried butter beans and greens
Cornbread dressing
My favorite recipes from this book so far:
Chive and cheddar drop biscuits
Sweet potato pie smoothie
Skillet cornbread
Cure-all lentil soup
Coconut corn chowder
Pan fried butter beans and greens
Cornbread dressing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2018
My husband and I eat a primarily vegetarian diet at home and we were very excited to try this cookbook after reading about the author in the New York Times. So far, we have made the sweet potato biscuits, the vegan sausage, the crab cakes, the blackened tofu, and the coconut corn chowder. Everything has been edible, but not delicious. Claiborne spends too much time and effort comparing her dishes to meat-centric meals, which only serves to remind the home chef of the shortcomings of the dish. Once you try the vegan sausage, you will most certainly not wonder why anyone ever ate sausage made from animals in the first place, as Claiborne suggests.
September 4, 2018
Was originally going to be 2 stars because the cutesy blog-style writing was driving me nutty (guys, she REALLY likes sweet potatoes). But then I cooked two of her recipes for dinner (black-eyed pea caviar and jalapeno hushpuppies) and they were delicious, so it was worth it.
March 2, 2018
Can I say that I was a little on the fence about whether I would like this cookbook?
Like, I knew that I would enjoy one or two recipes but sometimes, especially with cookbooks, many of the recipes can seem similar to something we already have, or they are filled with things that I just won't end up cooking. I took a chance anyway and boy am I ever glad that I did.
Visually, this book is beautiful. Clear, pretty pictures. Excellent formatting, even a good font. It has a first chapter of basic info, but the vast majority of this book is recipes, which is always something I look for.
The recipes are clearly laid out and don't require the use of many different recipes to create a final dish. Each recipe provides an introduction, all of which read like letters to friends, to be passed down with the recipes. It's such a cozy touch.
And with recipes like Spicy Fried Cauliflower "Chicken," Bourbon BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches, and Cardamom Apple Pie, I am beyond pleased. There is literally something wonderful sounding every couple of pages, and I am excited to try everything out. And my kiddo is excited to have new comfort foods to try to.
Like, I knew that I would enjoy one or two recipes but sometimes, especially with cookbooks, many of the recipes can seem similar to something we already have, or they are filled with things that I just won't end up cooking. I took a chance anyway and boy am I ever glad that I did.
Visually, this book is beautiful. Clear, pretty pictures. Excellent formatting, even a good font. It has a first chapter of basic info, but the vast majority of this book is recipes, which is always something I look for.
The recipes are clearly laid out and don't require the use of many different recipes to create a final dish. Each recipe provides an introduction, all of which read like letters to friends, to be passed down with the recipes. It's such a cozy touch.
And with recipes like Spicy Fried Cauliflower "Chicken," Bourbon BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches, and Cardamom Apple Pie, I am beyond pleased. There is literally something wonderful sounding every couple of pages, and I am excited to try everything out. And my kiddo is excited to have new comfort foods to try to.
February 10, 2018
From the scrumptious looking photos to the delectible descriptions of the recipes this vegan recipe book is a hit. Inside the pages of this recipe book you'll find 100 easy to make and easy to fall in love with recipes. The author experienced the change from a meat based diet to one entirely based on plants. She's experimented over the years to come up with tasty dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack time. In the introductory pages Ms Claiborne discusses how she made the transition to plant based meals and basic steps to healthy eating choices. She gives a list of essential tools for the kitchen as well as instruction on what types of vegetables, fruits, grains go best in certain types of recipes to produce the flavor and textures you desire. Whether you're vegan or not this is fun recipe book with yummy results!
I received this book free from blogging for books but was not required to write a positive review.
I received this book free from blogging for books but was not required to write a positive review.
February 26, 2018
I collect cookbooks, so I was excited to have the opportunity to review one. I’m not vegan, but I have many friends who are. Also, I’ve been trying to mix up my menus lately by adding in some vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free recipes. There are a number of ideas in this book which will likely be on my schedule to make in the near future, though I may tweak some a bit (such as add in chicken).
The beginning of the book gives some ins and outs of vegan cooking, as well as the Southern pantry staples. There’s also an introduction to the various kinds of sweet potatoes. (I never knew there were so many varieties.) The author explains why she moved to a plant-based, vegan diet. Some people may be familiar with her from her blog and YouTube channel. Claiborne’s book shows that it may not be as difficult to incorporate a vegan lifestyle as I once imagined.
You can read the full review on my blog: https://lmckeeediting.blogspot.com/20...
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from Blogging for Books, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
The beginning of the book gives some ins and outs of vegan cooking, as well as the Southern pantry staples. There’s also an introduction to the various kinds of sweet potatoes. (I never knew there were so many varieties.) The author explains why she moved to a plant-based, vegan diet. Some people may be familiar with her from her blog and YouTube channel. Claiborne’s book shows that it may not be as difficult to incorporate a vegan lifestyle as I once imagined.
You can read the full review on my blog: https://lmckeeediting.blogspot.com/20...
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from Blogging for Books, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
June 10, 2020
I hate to rate a cookbook before I've cooked from it, but doing it anyway! This looks like a good survey of Southern foods from Louisiana to Maryland, made vegan. There's a lot of stuff I personally won't be trying, since I'm about a 66% of the time vegan and it's not worth it to try vegan baking or making homemade sausages to me. There are also a lot of recipes with vegan mayonnaise, which I don't love. I can't imagine gloppiness would be fixed by taking out the eggs, all that oil is the problem! But, a lot of the dishes look amazing. For anyone buying this to cook from regularly, get an Instant Pot! Dried beans seem incompatible with a lot of schedules until you can cook them from dry in about an hour.
August 6, 2018
I loved this! I'm a huge fan of Jenne's Youtube channel, and her upbeat, kind spirit reflects just as well in text as it does on screen. Plus, the recipes looked amazing! I bookmarked a ton of them, and made two, the Sweet Potato Home Fries, and the Coconut Corn Chowder, the same day! The home fries were pretty good - I cut the oil by 75% and made them in the air fryer, so I think any dryness is my own bad, but the flavor of the spices was great. The Coconut Corn Chowder is out of this world amazing - never again will I lament the lack of cream-based soup in my life! So so good. I can't wait to try the Sweet Potato Pie Smoothie!
November 24, 2020
She wasn’t kidding about sweet potatoes being the base of every recipe. I know sweet potatoes are versatile but she takes it to the next level.
This book took me days to consume. It was so unique and interesting. Plus I had to read the stories and compliments.
I didn’t end up making anything from the book but I definitely enjoyed it. Plus it was all vegan. A few recipes were heavy on vegan butter but overall a cool take on vegan and sweet potatoes.
Everything looks easy to make and has accessible ingredients. Even though most recipes are sweet potato based they look flavorful and vary tasty. Not your average boring vegan cookbook.
5 stars. Would read again.
This book took me days to consume. It was so unique and interesting. Plus I had to read the stories and compliments.
I didn’t end up making anything from the book but I definitely enjoyed it. Plus it was all vegan. A few recipes were heavy on vegan butter but overall a cool take on vegan and sweet potatoes.
Everything looks easy to make and has accessible ingredients. Even though most recipes are sweet potato based they look flavorful and vary tasty. Not your average boring vegan cookbook.
5 stars. Would read again.
February 7, 2018
Upon receiving this cookbook in the mail, I was immediately ready to give these recipes a try. I've made the Cream Chesse Pound Cake and the Jackfruit Jambalaya. With the pound cake, I purchased one item (cream cheese) because I already had the other ingredients. I did a bit more grocery shopping with the jambalaya but all the items were easy to find. What I've cooked up so far has been delicious and I look forward to working my way through these fun recipes!
Thanks to the author and Estefania from Penguin Random House for sending me an advance copy of the book.
Thanks to the author and Estefania from Penguin Random House for sending me an advance copy of the book.
February 20, 2018
I'm always a little put off by recipes from vegan chefs/cooks who go a long way to make things taste/resemble the foods they no longer eat, and use lots of seitan and TVP in the process. Happily this is not the case with this book. While there is some use of the aforementioned stuff, for the most part, the recipes are clean, simple and approachable for anyone. I was a little sad that I'd allergic to wheat, because some of the recipes that use it look marvelous, but I was too uncertain in the substitutions of flours to experiment.
Thank you Blogging for Books and the publisher for my copy.
Thank you Blogging for Books and the publisher for my copy.
March 3, 2018
The only really bad thing that I can say about this book is that I wish that there were way more pictures. There weren't nearly enough. Especially for the lovely recipes that were in this book. Peach cobbler breakfast muffins, lots of ingredients, but oh how that sounds mouth watering. Creamy Teff Porridge, just a couple of ingredients, and not very many steps. Sweet potatoes are such a nutrient rich food that taste delicious as well. This book is such a great idea and very well thought out. I would buy this, I would use this, I would really enjoy this.
April 19, 2019
This is such a great book for vegans or vegetarians who want to eat good southern food. I love the author’s story & have followed her on YouTube for bit, and this book lives up to her hype. I really enjoy the recipes and alternatives she gives - especially with regard to making your own meat substitutes! I think that it’s so nice a vegan recipe book gives you actual recipes for meat substitutes other than tofu or store-bought alternatives! I highly recommend this book. I give it 4.5/5 stars because I wish there were nutritional information and/or alternatives for smaller portions :)
September 2, 2022
This is the newest vegan cookbook addition to my shelf, and it is one of the best. The soul food recipes are delicious, simple, and unique. I love bread, breakfast, and dessert recipes that incorporate sweet potatoes, cornmeal, and peaches — and there are plenty of those to go around. The jackfruit jambalaya and collard greens are also so delicious. These recipes are healthier than a lot of soul food — but not overly so. Plenty of richness, tradition, and flavor to go around.
Most-returned-to recipes: Sweet Potato Biscuits, Collard Greens, Jackfruit Jambalaya
Most-returned-to recipes: Sweet Potato Biscuits, Collard Greens, Jackfruit Jambalaya
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