Cooking With Betty Goes Vegan

I finally started cooking with Annie and Dan Shannon's debut cookbook, Betty Goes Vegan.  They have taken the Betty Crocker cookbook (the 2010 edition) and veganized it!  Brilliant, if you ask me!!!  These recipes are old school comfort food, back from when our moms and grandmas were making us dinner.  Some of the recipes are a bit rich, and not always the healthiest (sauces, carbs, vegan "cheese" and processed vegan meats galore), but hey, that's the fun of Betty Crocker!  

They have it all in this book - breakfast/brunch, lunch, dinner, baked goods, apps, and holiday favorites....casseroles, pasta dishes, pizza, sandwiches, salads, whoopie pies, omelets, puddings...The recipes are fun, vegan throw-backs to what we think of when cooking with Betty Crocker, plus some modern surprises that I wouldn't have expected to find in Betty's repertoire (go Betty!).  I seriously have almost every page bookmarked to try.

So far, I have started with the dinner recipes.  Here's what I have made so far:

Vegan Roast Chicken and Vegetables - I made this for a visiting houseguest.  It was a hit with the whole fam and gave me the flavor of eating a non vegan roast chicken and vegetables like I used to make before going vegan.  Click here for the recipe.

Limoncello Bundt Cake - This has become one of my favorite desserts.  It instantly transports me back to Italy, where I ended each meal with a glass of the liquer that is the star in this dessert.  Click here for the recipe.

Osso Bucco - I served this with mashed potatoes and my husband loved it, as did I (the kids...not so much).  Click here for the recipe.

Champagne and Hazelnut Risotto with Vegan Chicken - I made this for family and it was a hit.  It is a very elegant recipe that uses champagne!  You'll have to get a copy of the cookbook for this gem, as they don't have it posted on their website.

And here's a sampling of a few other recipes in the book I am dying to try:

Coconut Vegan Shrimp Kebabs

Vegan Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza

Caesar Salad Burger

Vegan Chicken Tetrazzini

I bookmarked the whole desserts section!  If you are looking for a new cookbook, you must give Betty Goes Vegan a try.  Aside from the great recipes, I love the Shannons' voice and wit throughout the book.  It is a fun read in its own right.  If you do get cooking with the Shannons, please share your experience in the comments section below.