Review of “Irresistibly Vegan” by Elvira Rodriguez Alonso

Score: 94/100 (9.4 out of 10)

Irresistibly Vegan is an incredible vegan cookbook filled to the brim and rich with recipes—over a hundred mouth-watering, savory recipes! This is our highest-rated, highest-scoring cookbook for a reason!

Part of what makes this cookbook especially exceptional is that its author, Elvira Rodriguez Alonso, is a very experienced vegan cook, having started cooking when she was just eight-years-old! She has over thirty years of experience as a cook, and furthermore has been vegan for most of her life.

One of the most frustrating things about many other cookbooks is that they're vague and, at worse, inaccurate, especially in terms of cook times. That is not the case with this book. The author of Irresistibly Vegan understands the nuances and complexities of preparing foods. They understand that you need to be specific about the ingredients, the prep, and the cook times. In other words, the author is thorough. The cook times and temperatures are listed and accurate. The author details every ingredient for every recipe to the ounce, and we love them for it.

There are even brief stories or explanations of many of the recipes, giving each recipe life and meaning.

Something else that's great about this book is how varied the recipes are. There are appetizers like the stuffed sweet baby peppers, main courses (entrees) like shepherd's pie (with lentil, mushroom & vegetable ragout), and desserts like pistachio-walnut balkava.

The author really seems to understand veganism, including its biggest criticisms: that it's supposedly dull, tasteless, and leads to deficiencies. Nothing could be further from the truth as far as this vegan cookbook is concerned. The author highlights several staple ingredients that accomplish several key things: adding taste/flavor and ensuring adequate nutrition. Beans, lentils, and peas are highlighted as sources of protein and nuts & seed butters are highlighted as sources of essential oils.

Another great thing about this book is that it is rich in colorful, eye-catching photos of each meal. Now, as a small criticism, the quality of the pictures seems to be lower than we'd like to see, either taken on
an older camera/device or having fallen victim to KDP's conversion process. We understand that and don't put too much weight into it.

All in all, this is an incredible vegan cookbook. If you and vegan, vegetarian, eat a plant-based diet, or have someone in your household that eats this way, this book could really be eye-opening and helpful.

Check it out on Alonso's official website!