Aquafaba: Sweet and Savory Vegan Recipes Made Egg-Free with the Magic of Bean Water

I have been using aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chickpeas or other bean) since Goose first started writing about it (he and I are friends on Facebook, and part of some of the same veg*n groups on Facebook). So, I've been using aquafaba for well over a year and a half.Two things that I want to say right up front: This is an amazing discovery not only for vegans, but for *anybody* who can't eat eggs. And this is *not* like *any* other egg 'substitute' out there. It is *JUST LIKE EGG WHITES*!!!And secondly, NO! It does *NOT* taste like beans! In fact, I've shocked people who eat my meringue cookies, and my meringue pies, when I tell them what it's made from.*YOU CANNOT TELL THE DIFFERENCE!!*All it takes is one time of whipping this liquid in your mixer into an *identical* substance as whipped egg whites to turn any non-believer into a believer.I'm including pictures of the aquafaba whipped in my Kitchenaid, and then both meringue cookies, and a vegan meringue pumpkin pie that I made for Thanksgiving last year. (Easy peasy - get the vegan pumpkin pie from Whole Foods, whip up some aquafaba meringue, spread it over the pie, and bake!)While there are tons of great resources online and in the Facebook group (search for the 'Aquafaba (AKA the original "Vegan Meringue - Hits and Misses!" ' group)), what has been missing has been a proper aquafaba cookbook!So THANK YOU, Zsu Dever, for writing this (and kudos for having Goose write the forward!)Now, all this said, Zsu didn't just slap together any old book and get it up online in order to be among the first, like *some* 'cookbook' authors do (I'm looking at you, Instant Pot book and Air Fryer book authors).No, *this* book is an *incredibly* well-done book in its own right!The pictures are gorgeous, the binding is very professional.But above all, the *information*, and the *recipes* are WONDERFUL!!Yes, you truly can make egg-free meringue, vegan 'butter', egg-free vegan mayonnaise, and so many other treats with the liquid from the lowly bean!And what do I do with the chickpeas after getting the aquafaba out of the can? I salt and season them and throw them in the dehydrator - they make a wonderful, crunchy snack!By the way, you *can* make your own aquafaba if you don't want to use canned chickpeas, but I find having these "egg whites" sitting in the pantry for whenever I need them so very convenient.

I wasn't an aquafaba-believer, but figured it was worth a try to get this book. DANG, I was wrong! Aquafaba is the BOMB. We buy chickpeas all the time now, just to get at that magical liquid! Start with the vegan meringue cookies (page 104). This alone will make you fall in love with the cookbook and aquafaba in general. Yeah, we've made them several times and you can easily double the batch for parties or cookie swaps.Don't stop there, though - try the Mississippi Mud Pie on page 90, the Chile Quiche on page 50 and the simple pancakes on page 30. All are serious winners! Even if you're new to using aqaufaba, the book has your covered because there is a several page primer to get you going and help with any issues that arise. It's simple to follow and use! Also, gluten free, soy free and nut free recipes are all clearly labeled.Most of the recipes in this book are easy to execute, however some, like the homemade marshmallows and macarons, are more like "project cooking." The collection has a few fancy dishes, but it's overall very homestyle - featuring meals recipes like meatloaf, lemon poppyseed muffins, pound cake, frittatas, waffles and doughnuts. There are also some ethnic recipes like tamagoyaki rolls, matzo brei and schnitzel.

As the mother of children who decided they were vegetarian very young, finding acceptable recipes with real food ingredients has been difficult. This book brings together so many cultures and cooking techniques it’s like a world tour! I’m buying this for my kid, they’ll love it

I've been following Zsu Dever on the Aquafaba issue. I must say, this book does not disappoint. There is another aquafaba recipe book out there, but this one is really great in comparison. In this book Zsu goes into greater detail about how to make your own aquafaba, something I've been wanting to do for a year now. I've been stuck using canned chick peas since I couldn't figure out the ratio of water to chick peas to make the best aquafaba. Here in this book Zsu tells you the secret. Also the various stages of the meringue are very well explained, so much so that I now realize I never knew what soft peaks meant when I used egg whites once upon a time long ago. I love the collection of recipes in this book. I regularly use aquafaba, canned chick pea water/juice as my egg replacement in my recipes I try to veganize. It helps having more ideas and more details to expand my aquafaba usage and my knowledge of whole food plant based cooking.

I have eagerly awaited this book. I knew nothing of the online groups but the idea of using bean water for these purposes was fascinating. I am not vegan or vegetarian but often cook such recipes, and am a very experienced cook.It surprised me that a number of esoteric ingredients are required. Here's a list of them:Xanthan gumPsyllium powderKombuCream of tartarLactic acidNutritional yeastI can't wait to try the recipes. They look fascinating. There's everything from nougat, waffles, vegan cheese, "meatballs", both Swedish and Italian, matzo brei, various pies, portobello schnitzel, marshmallow crime and fudge. There are even a number of recipes for chickpeas that I can't wait to try. You see you need to cook chickpeas to make the bean water. It's great to have ways to use them too.The bottom line, this is a great book with lots of intriguing recipes. Just be aware you need some unusual ingredients, although maybe they aren't unusual to you.Recipe reviews to come.