Reviewing The Happy Pear: Recipes for Happiness - Buy, Borrow or Bypass? Vegan Family Taste Test

[@miss_m_yt]

I love your cookbook review videos! Please consider an isa Chandra moscovitz book!

[@debbyjo123]

@@miss_m_yt yes!!!

[@leaperrins8373]

I'm from the UK, and the granola type bar is what we call flapjack. I had no idea it would be a name for a pancake type thing elsewhere lol!

[@taniaallan5702]

They have 2 books that came after that one, and a new one coming out November 14 this year. The first two books I have also, bjt they are vegetarian. They used eggs and dairy back then. Easy to adapt though. Books 3,4,5 and 6 coming are vegan.

[@virginiatibbetts1551]

Just another thought, for coconut milk, put shredded coconut in a Ninja Bullet with water and spin. Voila, coconut milk/water so you don't lose that amazing flavor of cococut by using cashews. Lower fat content too.

[@plants4Ever17]

Coconut milk hacks: from Well Your World: 3/4 c. unsweetened plant milk: 1.5 T unsweetened coconut flakes/blitz in high speed blender. Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook by Jane & Ann Esselstyn: 1 c. unsweetened plant milk: 1/2 t. coconut extract

[@pbwithjeremy]

I tried it tonight - blew my mind :)

[@peggymccright1220]

Great show! When I forget to chop the veggies I just go in with a scissors and cut them up. Love this book

[@cerysford3708]

Hi Jeremy Flapjacks are very popular here in the UK. They are usually made of oats and lots of butter. They are bars. Sometimes topped with chocolate or yogurt. Sometimes contain jam or dried fruit or chocolate chips. Oh, and yes, we love curry here!

[@BBHubbs]

Hi! I am new to your channel and fallen into a PBwithJ vortex. Do not send help… I am quite content, here, and not seeking rescue. Thank you for all you do and share! I am only 2 minutes into the video… the moment you speak about a little symbol indicating there’s a video for The Happy Pear’s recipe. I was thinking, “It would be wildly cool if cookbooks included a QR code that took me directly to that particular video.” Just a thought to pack into your back pocket of you make your own cookbook. 😎

[@pbwithjeremy]

Welcome to the Vortex! And yes - we have that feature in our upcoming cookbook - great minds think alike :) For any recipes where we have a video to support it there will be a QR code :)

[@YiayiaJoanne]

After watching this video and screen shot the recipe, I made the chickpea tikka masala and added the cauliflower and peas. Wow! Was that delicious. It’s a keeper. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Tomorrow I will make the Pad Thai and may order the cookbook.

[@pbwithjeremy]

So glad you enjoyed it!!!

[@lizziedripping71]

It’s nice to see you reviewing a cookbook from my side of the pond. I am familiar with The Happy Pear & their cooking. Personally I don’t buy recipe books - I glean recipes online, create my own & adapt from those used in my family in my pre WFPB years. Keep up the good work 👍❤️

[@pbwithjeremy]

Thank you!

[@monikastep5711]

YES to a remake of the chickpeas masala :) Your revision sounded much tastier :)

[@johncrwarner]

In some Indian vegan / vegetarian cuisines they often use cashew cream to thicken sauces so subbing cashews for coconut was a good move. That plus I don't use coconut milk or cream and have found cashew cream better is a substitution I use a LOT.

[@hypnosisforhappiness]

The difference between coconut butter or cocoa butter and tahini is that the butters are solid at room temperature, whilst tahini is not. That's why your mixture came out cumblier, I don't think more tahini would have made a difference. Great save with the chocolate balls! And great job in not adding a bunch of saturated fat to the dish. I don't use coconut products either (again, too much saturated fat) so for the dish you needed coconut milk, I would have done the same you did with cashews and add a little coconut extract. Your cookbook reviews are my favourite videos on your channel, please keep them coming! By the way, The Happy Pear also have a very successful plant based eatery in Ireland and have put out five cookbooks (not three).

[@lisamontaghami9196]

I was going to say the same thing about avoiding coconut milk because of saturated fat and substituting cashews or vegan yogurt regularly.

[@lalablotz7348]

Parchment paper tip I learned from the Whole Foods Plant Based Cooking Show is to crumple the paper all up after you cut it to fit then smooth it back out and put it in the pan. It makes it fit like magic. Never would’a thunk it but it works.

[@johncrwarner]

I was going to say the same, I know Jane and Anne Esselstyn learnt it from another KZbinr (via a comment) and they use it - because it works.

[@pbwithjeremy]

I just learned that tonight. Mind blown!

[@GameOver-jq1cu]

Me… after every dinner… I feel like I’m gonna have bad breath after this. #GARLIC lover ❤️I occasionally watch their channel B/C they don’t give the recipes. I do however watch all of your videos and appreciate that you always give the recipes.. so thank you 🙏👍👍👍

[@pbwithjeremy]

You're welcome!

[@virginiatibbetts1551]

Just an FYI to fit your baking paper into a pan, crumble into a ball first then reform. It will fit so much better and not pop out. Think this was from Jill at Whole Food Plant Based Cooking Show. Love you and your family. Virginia from Southern California

[@Maria-yf8fp]

Yes! Love this, I think it works better also.

[@cltinturkey]

I love the Happy Pear! Thanks for doing this. Their hummus three ways is incredible. I've made it for about 15 parties and potlucks. Always a hit! Roasted beet hummus is my family's favorite.

[@leaperrins8373]

i always use cashews in place of coconut milk for curries as I prefer the outcome.

[@pbwithjeremy]

I think I too. It just means Woolie can't take it to school the next day.

[@DonnaDanvers-jw8sy]

While it's a fail at reproducing the chickpea recipe, it's absolutely perfect at presenting realistic every day challenges of home cooking, and how to successfully swap ingredients you're out of. Some of my favorite videos are those that you show you're own creativity, like the chocolate balls!

[@pbwithjeremy]

Thank you Donna! We try to make the best of it :)

[@heartshapedisle]

Yay my state library network has this book. I've placed on hold and I'm first in the queue. So far the library has had most of your favourite reviewed cookbooks. Gold star Libraries Tasmania 🌟

[@lizintas8396]

ha, hello from a fellow Tasmanian, good idea re booking this through the library

[@pbwithjeremy]

Yeah!!!!!

[@heartshapedisle]

@lizintas8396 Libraries Tas has so many of the books Jeremy has reviewed. Great to have a deep look before buying.

[@ladynymue]

The Happy Pear channel was one of my first KZbin channels I watched religiously when I first became vegan. So happy there is a cookbook from them now.

[@hypnosisforhappiness]

There isn't "a" book by the Happy Pear, there are five!

[@plants4Ever17]

Jeremy- love this channel. Coconut milk hacks: from Well Your World: 3/4 c. unsweetened plant milk: 1.5 T unsweetened coconut flakes/blitz in high speed blender. Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook by Jane & Ann Esselstyn: 1 c. unsweetened plant milk: 1/2 t. coconut extract

[@WFPB_4_Life]

👏👏👏👏

[@pbwithjeremy]

Thanks for sharing those hacks!

[@vi3472]

@@plants4Ever17 Cool! Good to know, thanks!

[@cathyrichard1100]

Love you guys…love your family ties🙌 Woolie looked so cute and young making the bread (perhaps I’ve never seen her so close up)!

[@DoloresVassallo]

I used to watch the Happy Pear years ago. On the "bread" - I have a somewhat similar recipe but it calls for leaving the seeds in the liquid to rest for "x" time. This allows the seeds to swell and soak up the liquid. I think that's how it holds together.... just a thought.

[@riverbilly64]

In some parts of the US “flapjack” is synonymous with a pancake. But in parts of Appalachia, a flapjack is a large fried bread, usually cooked in an iron skillet. A large fluffy fried bread that is flipped, aka “flapped,” halfway through cooking to maintain uniform crunchiness top and bottom. I have also heard it called shaney bread.

[@joannabradway4916]

Yes please make your version.

[@maureens2812]

For the flapjacks I'd have added more dates to get it to stick together more. Chef AJ said deglet dates would be less sticky to hold.

[@paulinemcgee351]

Flapjacks are oat bars similar to Woolies granola bars but made with butter and golden syrup I think. It’s a British thing and they are sold in bakeries. But what a great rescue in making them into balls. I was salivating at each bite that you guys had. I want one! Get the recipe into your cookbook. They looked so yummy, give yourself a pat on the back for the wonderful save. Just wondering if the chocolate brownie cake was meant to be cut in half the other way, like a Victoria sponge. It looked a bit too deep to be put together as you did. Although I didn’t see the instructions so I might be wrong. I so enjoyed this video and the changes that you made, a big thank you from me.

[@pbwithjeremy]

Thank you. And I think you’re right about how we were supposed to cut the cake. It wasn’t super clear and the photo only showed a top down view - which was an odd choice for a layered cake. Glad you enjoyed this!

[@traceykaminski7874]

Love the tahini as oil replacement tip!

[@pbwithjeremy]

Glad you liked that tip!

[@doris3594]

Sunday dinner is Shiitake, Ginger & Sesame Pad Thai with your family’s suggestions and alterations of course. Thanks for reviewing the Happy Pear’s cookbook as it’s been gathering dust on my bookshelf and I’m bringing it back to life again. 😊

[@pbwithjeremy]

Glad we could inspire you to bring it back out!

[@nialew]

I missed the book reviews, this was a great video! 😊

[@pbwithjeremy]

Glad you like them! Usually every other week!

[@tracyhuckaby5876]

I am in the Texas Panhandle, and for me, flapjack and pancake are the same. I would love to see the curry with more veggies.

[@francessweeney1]

Flapjacks are an English/Irish thing, they are usually made with oats, golden syrup and butter, you then can add different mix-ins and bake, they are delicious but high calorie!! It's the solid fat that makes them stick together as they cool, they are usually soft and kind of gooey and the oats used matters, same as the gluten free bread, we have pinhead oats (groats), rolled oats (the ones you used for the bread) then oatmeal (very thin more ground up version of rolled oats that look like an anorexic oat) and then oat flour!! Hope this helps xxxx

[@plants4Ever17]

and i love your bumper music too......

[@pbwithjeremy]

Thanks!!!

[@hoopaholicSC]

I use cashew cream in my sweet potato lentil curry (instead of coconut milk, cause I HATE coconut anything), and the cashew cream works fantastic!

[@shannynindigo1579]

Yeah flapjacks in Australia I have always thought meant pancakes too. Hmmm. Lotsa love from Beau in Australia 🇦🇺 ❤️ love what you and your family bring to "the table" 😅 thankyou!!!

[@Maria-yf8fp]

Jeremy, i really appreciate you making the recipe wfpb sos free, i can follow a recipe but will often not even try a recipe that is not whole food plant-based SOS free. Pancake, definitely Macaroon (rhymes with mushroom), coconut desert at every Jewish deli, Macaron, almond flour, French, cream fulled cookie that made me cry when i made them.

[@pbwithjeremy]

I'm glad you appreciate that!

[@johncrwarner]

It is interesting to see how Irish their recipes are I being a Brit living in Germany find their recipes accessible but I do have scales and have a "brownie pan" which I rarely use for brownies but do use in our air fryer.

[@pbwithjeremy]

What size is a "brownie pan"???

[@beanfeast57]

I love your cookbook reviews the best. They are wonderful, especially hearing everyone's comments and scores whilst eating. I dread to think how much 1 cup of maple syrup would cost if you get the proper stuff. Thanks so much for all your hard work. Shell X

[@pbwithjeremy]

It's not as pricey here in Canada - but perhaps you could make a date syrup instead?

[@lizintas8396]

yum, love the happy pear, Im a fan of scales in the kitchen unless its a really basic recipe, the tablespoon from Australia is different to the tablespoon from the US, and dont get me started on cup measurements lol. A flap jack to me is a heavy nutrient dense bar, always oats and then fat n sugar to stick it together, but I had a Scottish mother so close cousins. A good after school treat for energetic kids. Ill give the curry a go and sub cauliflower for the mushrooms, and use yr idea of cashews since I have some to get rid of. I love yr reviews

[@vi3472]

Flapjacks are pancakes in the US. That flapjack mix made into energy balls looks good. Great how a problem turned into an "S" rating for you and Woolie! Good call to turn them into balls! Macaroons are usually little coconut based cookies made with egg whites often eaten during Passover. Macarons are the French cookies. Since these recipes have coconut ingredients, I would not make them, except your flapjack balls, which would make a fabulous Passover dessert. The brownie cake looks so good, as do the pancakes! Unfortunately, my library doesn't have The Happy Pear books, but I will subscribe to their channel and check out their videos on KZbin. Thanks, Lalonde family! 🤩

[@pbwithjeremy]

Thank you Vi!!!

[@aloramoon1179]

Hello I'm Alora from Oromocto NB Canada! I live in a town that has the second largest military base in Canada. Love your channel 😊

[@margaretjohnston7320]

I like how she says, it tastes old! But keeps eating it😂

[@riverbilly64]

I’m going to try every thing but the dessert stuff. The Pad Thai and Chickpea Curry look right on.

[@pbwithjeremy]

Let us know what you think!

[@suemichaelsen8486]

Thank you, gentlemen

[@cogalog]

Flapjacks are a granola style bar in Ireland, England Scotland and Wales.

[@leslieewing9088]

Well, I enjoyed your book review and recipes. I am goingbtobtry that curry and that chocolate cake dessert. I so enjoy watchingbthevreactions of your children. Typical teenagers. I had three of them myself, but they have left home and have their own teenagers now. Leslie Ewing who fixes WFPB meals in our RV as we travel. Right now, my hubby and I are in Maine before we travel to Florida for the winter. Hurricane Milton has damaged our storage shed in Florida. I have been told that a tree is on top of it right now. We go back when there is electricity in the house, gasoline at gas stations and food in the stores. There is none of that right now.

[@pbwithjeremy]

Oh my - be safe if your travels Leslie!!!

[@debbyjo123]

Thanks for this video… I’ve got this book and waiting for their 5th one coming out in a couple weeks. I’ve got a question if you wouldn’t mind answering. I would love a Vegan pumpkin pancake or waffle recipe. I agree with your comment about needing more pumpkin then what their recipe called for. You mentioned you had a recipe you liked better, so curious if you would share. ALSO, I did like their suggestion of adding coffee to the batter. Did you just grind the coffee real fine. Could you taste the coffee. Soooooo curious about adding that, or should I be using instant coffee? (I agree, the directions leave some room for error.) Thanks again for this review. The cookbook reviews are my favorite.

[@pbwithjeremy]

Thank you! Woolie just made some pumpkin pancakes by thinking yesterday that she was still raving about this morning :) I'll see if I can't get her to remember what she did and add it to a video sometime soon!

[@debbyjo123]

@@pbwithjeremy that would be fantastic!!! Thank you!!

[@Samsona75]

Hi, Annette from Halifax, NS here. I follow the Happy Pair/Pear, I think they might have meant to use oat bran? I've seen them make something similar and it looked like oat bran flakes.

[@pbwithjeremy]

Hi Annette! If that's what they meant then they really made a mistake in the book :)

[@lisamontaghami9196]

Thank you Jeremy loved the video. I had never heard of the happy pear either, thank you for introducing me to them. I really want to try the chickpea tikka masala and I want to use the mushrooms, cauliflower and peas. I also avoid coconut milk and use cashews or vegan plain yogurt instead. Both work well for curry. I would love to have you remake a version using more vegetables. Flapjacks are pancakes here in California. In fact, there’s a restaurant nearby called “Flappy Jack’s Pancake House” 😂

[@pbwithjeremy]

Thanks so much, I love those substitutions for the coconut milk. I'll have to check out Flappy Jack's Pancake House!

[@senang2day524]

Hi Jeremy, great video! I myself also cut out the oils and fats out of my diet and therefore I don't use any chocolate. Because chocolate contains mainly fat and sugar. I wonder what your thoughts are about that? I also have a question. Could you do a video on chestnuts, now that they are in season? I always bake them in the oven, but maybe you have some creatieve ideas on how to use them in smoothies, desserts, or maybe even make a hummus of chestnuts? Love to hear from you! Greets, Constance from Amsterdam, currently living in Belgium, the chocolate wonderland.

[@pbwithjeremy]

Hi Constance! Not sure I could get an entire video of content out of chestnuts but I'll think on it! :) Thanks for the suggestion,.

[@jennugent3957]

Theyd a shop and cafe long before books / youtube. Bread doesnt 'need' the flax egg. Id consider oats here as rolled oats, I'd never use phrase oat flakes for porridge oats, I've seen oat flakes, but I'd make this with porridge (rolled) oats. I wonder is the brand of yoghurt the difference - i find some thicker/loser. Maybe humidity? You also need to let it cool before cutting in to it. There are lots of variations online, I'd call it porridge bread, but very similar to their recipe. I wouldnt make a sandwich with two pieces, but I'd top it with hummus, or open top sandwich, or eat it with soup. (But thats how I'd eat soda bread). Note I'm not really following a recipe, nor do I for soda bread, i check I've proportions right and follow my nose. Agreed in your description of the bread, i served it recently to celiac american guest and was careful to describe it more like a dense soda bread. Flapjacks are better undercooked, once over cooked not that nice they go all crumbly. Traditionally, it was just butter/oats and sugar. Rest are just fancy additions, notions 😅. Pumpkin spice anything is odd in any Irish book, its not a thing over here. I mean starbucks sells pumpkin spice lattes, but thats it. I got one of their books for first removing meat/etc from diet. While cooking food I already knew.

[@pbwithjeremy]

Yeah - pumpkin spice is a very North American thing

[@elizabethvoigt9712]

Hi from Libby in Minneapolis!!

[@pbwithjeremy]

Hi Libby!

[@sjones902]

Hello from Sharee in Meridian, Idaho! 👋😊

[@pbwithjeremy]

Hi Sharee!

[@charBSI]

Hey from DE

[@pbwithjeremy]

Hi Char!

[@mamabigbaba]

Hello from the very diverse Queens, NY

[@crystalbarnett4657]

Pad Thai is literally Fried Thai so it varies

[@renemcintyre5741]

Vermont person here and I also thought flapjack = pancake.

[@pbwithjeremy]

Hi Rene!

[@lib8522]

Yes please to your version of the curry. If you do end up doing a cookbook yourself then if at all possible could you do weights (not for tablespoons or teaspoons obviously) for anything that in other US or Canada books might use cups, please? I’m in the uk and always find it super confusing whether a cup should be stuffed full of the thing and pressed down or chopped really small eg walnuts…..do I chop them small so 1 cup would mean more than a cup of whole walnuts? I just am not used to using cups so find weights so much more accurate. I’m probably just missing something about cups that all you guys know instinctively from using them, but I just don’t have whatever built-in knowledge you all do about using cups. Sorry if that’s a pain Jeremy. Another great video. I’m in the UK and I’m fairly sure I’m used to recipes saying what size bakeware to use, so I also thought it was strange that they didn’t say!

[@pbwithjeremy]

This is a great ask and we're going to do our best - we're in the final stages of it, so the grams will be estimates for the most part since we won't have time to remake all of the recipes to confirm them. If we put a dislaimer up front what do you think of that?

[@JohannaZee]

When do you or don't you need to whip the aqua faba? It seems like sometimes you just had it, and in this recipe, you whipped it first. Thanks johanna here from vermont

[@pbwithjeremy]

Hey Johanna - what I've realized is that, in baking, if I whip it up first, it helps make it fluffier - especially for gluten-free baking.

[@crazyfarmgirl606]

Good brownies are chewy in texture but i know people who enjoy cakey brownies, which in essense IS a cake just fudgy. So unless you like a chewy brownie its a cake in my mind😂.

[@cogalog]

Jeremy you forgot to say they teach how to do a handstand in the book surely that's the clincher to buy the book😜

[@pbwithjeremy]

How did I miss that?!?!?

[@rohannawildon9729]

Flapjack / pancake Seattle Washington 😊

[@pbwithjeremy]

Hi Rohanna!

[@kirstypollock6811]

I've wondered for a long time why North Americans don't weigh things. It's the default in the UK and Europe. Weighing is more accurate, especially for baking, and it's not at all difficult to do. Is there any really special reason for this? Any cool story?

[@pbwithjeremy]

I don't know - but I'll find out and include it in an upcoming mailbag video!

[@SarahW1009]

It is also quicker and less mess (just weigh everything into the bowl). There was an experiment done a while back where people were asked to measure a cup of flour - they weighed them all and the variation was big. That matters in things like cakes.

[@metislamestiza3708]

that oat bread recipe - i'd have ground the oats before hand. i hate crumbly anything resembling a bread - it always ends up being disappointing

[@lanaschnur5640]

Chickpea would be Chana Masala Tikka is chicken 😊

[@denisemcmahon7598]

Please review books by Celine Steen. Maybe the great vegan grain book

[@karenhicks7816]

Please take that idea for vidos🌱💚✅✌️

[@blindkimberly1360]

Couple things. Maybe few things. Where’s my brownie cake thingy? Huh? Huh? 😩 Puppy squeaking cuz peppy needs attention. Like NOW not take five! Poor bb! 😩 Brownies are richer and denser. Cake is supposed to be light and fluffy. Whatever. I just want some! Alabama doesn’t have flapjacks. It’s all pancakes n grits y’all. But my understanding has always been flapjacks are pancakes. Interesting to know there’s a different take on them! The balls were a great idea! Looking forward to the Marvin episode. Ok. Now I’m going to hit the post button and just let this sit until it actually posts. Crossing fingers n toes n stuff!

[@pbwithjeremy]

it posted - it posted :) Puppy ALWAYS wants a walk :)

[@blindkimberly1360]

@@pbwithjeremy puppy should ALWAYS get her walk then. Ask my Jensen! Gets what he wants when he wants. Of course he’s got needles for hands so…

[@reneewhite8255]

Jeremy, I thought in the video you said you did a video with the family that created the splatter guard you used, and you'd link it below. I don't see it. Will you please provide me with the link? Thx 37:25 t

[@pbwithjeremy]

The splatterdome link is in the description already if you scroll down and see all the affiliate links we have. But I'll add that and the video link here - thanks for the reminder :)

[@reneewhite8255]

@pbwithjeremy sorry. I figured I must have missed it. Thank you. 😊

[@pbwithjeremy]

@@reneewhite8255 No worries :) (there's a lot down there)

[@davidthescottishvegan]

Another awesome cookbook review video of The Happy Pear Cookbook with tweaks/adaptations suitable for Jeremy and his beautiful family (always lovely to see them). Flapjacks are similar to granola bars because pancakes in the UK are usually made out of wheat flour and fried in a frying pan rather than baked in the oven or air fryer unlike the Flapjacks. Love 🥰 the video and love ❤️ Jeremy & family.

[@1101naomi]

Ive never heard of happy pear!

[@vi3472]

@@1101naomi I haven’t either. I like being introduced to cookbook authors I haven’t heard and borrowing their books from the library. Unfortunately, my library doesn’t carry the Happy Pear books.

[@1101naomi]

@@vi3472 I’ll have to check my library. There have been maybe 3 that were reviewed here I couldn’t get

[@maryanne2224]

Can understand you not wanting to use oil, but dont think you should rate recipies if you havent stuck to them. Love yourchannel though.

[@pbwithjeremy]

We rate them based on how well they convert to WFPB. Hope this helps clarify.

[@maryanne2224]

@@pbwithjeremy I possibly missed this explanation, and I hope I didn't offend you with my observation.🙂

[@pbwithjeremy]

@@maryanne2224 Not at all - you're not the first to make this comment - which is why I just explain that we grade it on that curve. And it's just our opinions.