Vegetarian Books

I recommend this book to anyone who is looking for instructions on eating great food that is quick and easy to make. Even if you are not a vegetarian, "Friendly Foods" is the a great gourmet helper. My husband is not a vegetarian and he is crazy about the recipes!

When I used to eat meat, I dined at many 5 star gourmet restaurants. Many of these recipes belong in that category. The food is delicious. The only downside is that some of the recipes may take a long time to make and for the average 8 to 5er, you won't have time to make them after work. You will also need access to a descent health food store as some of the ingredients such as miso and agar flakes are not going to be in your average grocery store. I still highly recommend this book. Besides the excellent recipes, there is some good nutritional information about cooking and food quality. There is also a good glossary in the back for the less common ingredients describing where they come from and what they are used for. Great book for any vegan.

I'm vegan and this is my favorite cookbook. The recipes are simple to make, elegant, and delicious - it's perfection. Ron Picarski is a genius. I have sworn to try out every single recipe before I die. I'm about a third of the way there so I know I've still got some great food ahead of me!

Try it out, there's something in it for anyone and everyone.

Many times I have eaten vegan recipies which are not only bland but unimaginative. When I bought friendly foods over 7 years ago (when I was just turning to a vegetarian lifestyle) I thought I had died and gone to heaven!

The recipies in here are not only nutritionaly well balanced, they are easy on the stomach, delicious and rather easy to make! This book was one of the few that convinced me that eating a non dairy/meat diet would not only be easy, but very satisfying.

Some of the best recipies in this book are the Carob Cake with the Peanut Butter frosting, Tofu Spinach Pie, Hazelnut Glennie and the Carrot Pate.

This book is not only well versed in well tasting vegetarian/vegan recipies, but is chock full of good nutritional advice as well. Although I have not tried all of the recipies in this book, every single one I have tried has been relatively easy to make and the ingredients are relatively easy to get at your local helth food store (and some more enlightened grocery store chains)

My husband and I (both vegetarians) were lucky enough to be on a cruise in 1998 on which Mr. Pickarski was our chef. I had more delicious food during those six days than I ever had before or since! After we got home I ordered every Pickarski item I could get my hands on, this book included.

Bear in mind, these distinctive, gourmet vegan recipes aren't your everyday fare. This is the book you'll want to pull out when you need to wow your non-vegetarian friends. My favorite is the Chocolate Cream Couscous Cake (page 220). Vegan or not, this is one of the most elegant and delicious desserts you can ever hope to taste. Happy eating!

I have probably cooked 50 recipes from this book, and everything turns out great! What a broad variety of dishes. This is the book I go to when a find some fresh or interesting vegetables at the store, and need some wonderful way to cook them..This book makes me want to go cook some wonderful vegetables, and read some of Bert Green's introductory comments!!!

A passionate home cook that has been honing her cooking skills for the last 25 years writes this review. My favorite cookbooks are "The Professional Chef" by the Culinary Institute and "Culinary Artistry". With more than 500 cookbooks in my collection I am usually disappointed in my recent cookbook acquisitions. This book is a wonderful addition to any cookbook library. This book is NOT vegetarian. There are many vegetarian recipes and some vegan recipes, but there are also recipes that include meat.

The book is subdivided the vegetable those included are as follows:

Artichokes
Asparagus
Avocados
Beets
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrots
Cauliflower
Celery and Celery Root
Corn
Cucumbers
Eggplants
Fennel
Greens
Kale
Kohlrabi
Okra
Onions and Leeks
Parsnips
Peas
Peppers
Potatoes
Spinach
Squash
String Beans
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Turnips and Rutabagas
Zucchini

At the beginning of each new vegetable section the author covers a little history, nutritional facts, what to look for, and how to prepare the vegetable.

This book contains a variety of ethnic recipes. There are many French, and Italian recipes. But the author has also included recipes from the Netherlands, Basque region and the Southern USA.

There are many delicious recipes in this book. I think that my favorite is the sautéed peas with walnuts or maybe the baked potato-stuffed cucumbers. It is hard to choose a favorite recipe from this book since so many of them are winners.

I would recommend this book to anyone that is interested in adding new vegetable preparations to their culinary repertoire.

I received this cookbook 20 years ago for a wedding present. I love it! Each vegetable is talked about as to what to look for in buying, what its historical uses have been(either worldwide or in his family), and what the author's favorite way of cooking it is. The recipes that follow are gleaned from many different sources. Not low fat, but high taste. I was given some fennel last year and had no clue what to do with it. Got out Greene on Greens and made some fabulous fennel bread.

Want to enhance your vegetable dishes with some new variety and spice? This is great resource to help.

Having sought our at times just these goals, this book has always delivered. For instance, winter squash blaws? Try Winter Squash Creme Brulee or or Spaghetti Squash Tetrazzini. Amazingly is the richness of flavor in a parsnip based dish called Pike's Peak Souffle.

Just examples to wet your interest to find and try this. Over 450 recipes, each clearly detailed to follow. Not exceptional ingredients of the hard to find category. From Artichokes to Zucchini, this is handy reference to follow.

If chance, pick up his volume, one of my favorite cookbooks, Bert Greene's Kitchen Bouquets. He's a great cook and writer!

Bert Greene's books are all terrific, but this one is my favorite. It never disappoints me; Greene himself had a warm, wise personality and a love of good food. The directions on vegetable preparation are exceptionally good. The recipes themselves are fantastic. Buy this one!

I've been a baker for over 20 years, largely because I was inspired by this book. It is, floury-hands-down, my favorite cookbook. The recipes are clear and well written. The results are consistently delicious. The authors are enormously generous in sharing their knowledge and passion. Whether you're a beginning baker or a seasoned professional, get this book!

We used to live near the Greyston Bakery when it was in Riverdale, and it was wonderful. We felt lucky when we found the cookbook. All the recipes we have tried have been delicious. We just finished making the sesame tahini cookies as a gift for friends we are visiting, and they actually asked us if we could make another batch before we left!

I hope they reprint this book. My copy is getting old from being used so much! I have tried almost every recipe from this book--always wonderful. The results are always perfect. I can't think of another book I own with such a great success rate.

This has to be one of my favorite cookbooks when it comes to treats that you would normally get from a bakery. This book is filled with those delightful cakes, pastries, and cookies of yesteryear, you know, when bakeries actually cooked everything from scratch. Your not going to find things you would find in your local grocery store in here, you will find treats that you would normally find only in the finest bakeries.
The book is divided into several sections: Muffins, Danishes, crusty breads, pastries, cookies, pies and tarts, cakes, and chiffon layer cakes. Most recipes come with either a hand drawing or there are a few color pictures included. Each recipe is carefully written and includes information about the type of pastry this is, or something special you need to know about the preparation. The Queen of Sheba Torte is my favorite in this book a rich chocolate cake with a ganache topping. You will find that this book will help you create finery that typically only comes out of the better bakeries.

The Greyston Bakery Cookbook contains recipes that you might have always wished to make but thought might be too hard, like fancy pastries, tarts, cookies, breads,and cakes. But each recipe has simple directions with useful comments, and turn out tasting wonderfully and looking elegant. My personal (and our family's) favorite is the Chocolate Mousse Cake: two layers of chocolate chiffon cake split then filled and covered with a simple chocolate mousse, then frozen and glazed with a chocolate water glaze. Chocoholics, this is to die for! Tasty, simple, and impressive to gaze upon.

Cooks who like to bake goodies should demand a reprint of this book. I treasure my copy.

The Healthy Hedonist Holidays is an inspiration! I opened this book and immediately felt inspired to cook. In her latest book, Myra Kornfeld demonstrates a passion for fresh foods and quality ingredients. Celebrating our favorite holidays, this book features simple to follow recipes packed with authentic flavors from all over the world. The book is well organized into Holiday Menus that can easily be for a feast, or for just a weeknight meal that will impress anyone that sits at your table.

What is most impressive, is that the recipes work without any tweaking. I have made several recipes from the book and each one has come out tasting fantastic and looking beautiful. Even though I tend to prefer savory foods, the first recipe that I made was the Double Chocolate Cloud Cookies. I took them to the office and everyone inhaled them as if they were clouds! While we are on the subject of dessert, the Truffles are yummy and the Belgian Brownies are more than a little sinful.

Being a vegetarian, I really like that each of the menus has a main dish that is either Vegan or Vegetarian. The Golden Squash and Chickpea Soup with Roasted Chickpea Nuts is delicious with balancing flavors of spicy ginger and clean lemon, perfect for a cool autumn supper. The best Chickpea recipe I have ever tasted is the Charmoula Chickpea Strudel and it is so easy. It also freezes well. For a weekday brunch, I prepared the Cheese Pancakes with Zucchini and Walnuts. They are light and airy, almost like a soufflé. Everyone wanted more!

I recently returned from Mexico and needed a "South of the Border" fix. I made the Tortilla Soup, and the Asparagus Quesadillas with Red Chile Paste and the flavors were authentically recreated. I was back in the sun!

I read cookbooks like novels. I highly recommend actually reading this one from front to back. You will glean so much information about cooking techniques, ethnic flavors, and the role food plays in the celebration of our holidays through taste, smells and memory.

Because of the way this cookbook is organized, it is easy to gather ingredients in advance, and the recipes are fast and easy to make. And because holiday foods are special and pretty, they are somehow extremely appealing to children to eat!

My five year old son and I made the Potato Latkes (light and easy with lots of carrots in the mix) and the Cheese Pancakes with Zucchini and Walnuts (scrumptious). He had a good time mixing the potatoes and forming them into small patties for cooking. The mama in me liked the fact of the "hidden" veggies that he wolfed down happily. We made the Mulled Cider-Cranberry Applesauce which my son informed me was "way better" than store bought applesauce: No Kidding! And it was so pretty!

The Pierogis were fun to make together, too, and the dill was a great addition to the Dilled Potato Cheese Pierogis. I love it that they can be made ahead and frozen. I doubled the recipe and filled the freezer with meal-sized bags of them.

The recipes are fantastic, but maybe the best thing about the book is the writing about the holidays inbetween. I love it that I can cook this food with my son, and also talk with him about who makes the same kind of food, and why and what it means to them. It makes the world seem a lot smaller, which can't be a bad thing in these troubled times.

We are looking forward to making the Pomegranate Chicken with Walnuts for Thanksgiving. Thank you, Myra Kornfeld, for another fantastic cookbook!

I received Healthy Hedonist Holidays as a gift from a friend who's a professional chef. She assured me this is one cookbook I'll want to use over and over again. At first, I was skeptical, (polite of course, but skeptical) but she was so right!

Here's what I love about this book:

1) It's a delicous read; just the titles of these international recipes are enough to send me to an Overeaters Anonymous meeting.

2)These obviously well-tested dishes makes me look like a much more sophisticated cook than I am. Example: Last Saturday night, I made the posh-looking Sunflower-crusted Salmon Pinwheels with Watercress Pesto, from the St. Patrick's Day menu ("Wow" factor: ten) My husband swears he's never seen his Mom look so blissed out. And she's not even Irish!

3)Thanks to this festive book, I don't have to stress over what to give for the holidays this year! I'm ordering gift-wrapped copies of Healthy Hedonist Holidays for everyone who adores exquisite food, year round. (And that's everyone on my list!)

Just when I'd begun feeling the need to refresh my culinary repertory, Healthy Hedonist Holidays shows up on the bookshelves! Having made extensive use of the recipes in Myra Kornfeld's two prior cookbooks, "The Voluptuous Vegan" and "The Healthy Hedonist", I dove with excitement into this latest publication brimming with international flavors and time-honored, festive traditions. As with her prior cookbooks, fresh, natural and seasonal ingredients take center stage. It's full of cooking tips and invaluable prep notes that allow for advance cooking. Not only has Myra Kornfeld planned your holiday meal for you, but then goes on to lay out the cooking schedule. What's even better is you can make these exotic holiday dishes for dinner on weekdays or weekends, too. I do. The Pomegranate Chicken with Walnuts is already a favorite. I used all chicken thighs and dredged them in spelt flour. The pomegranate molasses gave the chicken outrageous flavor and the thighs came out mouth-wateringly tender, reminiscent of a meal I enjoyed in Marrakech. Same goes for the Breast of Duck with Port-Cherry Sauce. It looks impressive and yet you can make both the sauce and duck in an hour. I've already made both dishes a couple of times and everyone loved them. And the Baby Bok Choy Braised with Mustard Greens and Black Mushrooms is the way to eat greens. I'm looking forward to exploring many more of the recipes in this new book, but also still recommend some super favorites of mine from Myra's 2005 "Healthy Hedonist": Orange-Glazed Flounder with Watercress: flounder doesn't get better than this. Red Snapper Provencale, fabulous. The Wild Rice with Porcini Mushrooms, Pecans, and Dried Cranberries is a great Thanksgiving Day dish. Every salsa, sauce and chutney in that book can be mixed and matched with all sorts of meals making for great variety. The soups are luscious and the recipes work without the need for adjustments: Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Shallots and Sage! Moroccan Chickpea Soup! White Bean and Spinach Soup with Rosemary! Anyhow, obviously I've cooked enough of this author's recipes to whole-heartedly encourage everyone to explore them on their own.

I already love Myra Kornfeld's previous cookbooks and was excited to receive this one. I just had to start with the Chocolate Hazelnut Sandwich Cookies and had to laugh when I read at the end of the recipe that they would keep for two weeks at room temperature. Good luck keeping yourself away from those delightful treats for two weeks! But I do appreciate that the instructions include such useful information.

The book is organized by holidays that range from Ramadan to Kwanzaa to the Fourth of July, and includes recipes inspired by many different cultures and ethnicities. Each holiday menu contains dishes that perfectly go together and features a vegetarian main course, as well as either a fish or a chicken dish. Each section begins with a little history about the holiday. Particularly useful are the "Cook's Notes," which tell you how far in advance you can prepare each item. Dishes that freeze well, can be made several weeks in advance, others can be made a few days ahead - great for keeping last minute preparations to a minimum.

But don't wait for the holidays to use this book. I found a halibut recipe on the Easter menu easy enough for a weeknight dinner. Besides the onion, there was only one vegetable to chop. And although I couldn't get halibut and used cod instead, the dish was extraordinarily flavorful and delicious. We ended up serving it with the roasted cauliflower dish from the festive New Year's Eve Menu, which just needed to be reheated, and some crusty bread. It was a veritable feast for a weeknight. The Sesame Noodles with Wilted Napa Cabbage from the Chinese New Year is another easy, yet flavorful dish. And it took less than 25 minutes to prepare. I can't wait to try the Crispy Five-Spice Tofu with Black Bean Sauce as soon as I can get the fermented black beans (resources for ingredients that may not be readily available can be found in the back of the book). The Three-Sisters Polenta Casserole from the Thanksgiving menu, which is inspired by Southwestern and Native American flavors, was another winner for a weeknight at our house. Although it is a little more involved, it can be made ahead and reheated. Scoring the top layer of the polenta before reheating is key - it looks so beautiful when it comes out of the oven! And next time we have meat-eating guests for Thanksgiving, Myra Kornfeld's recipe for the Maple Sugar-Brined Southwestern-Style Turkey will be the one I'll turn to, for sure.

The sweets are not your ordinary desserts. Besides the cookies, I've had a chance to make the Coconut Crème Caramel with Roasted Banana-Chocolate Sauce. This was easy to make, and the sauce turned out so heavenly that I had a hard time restraining myself from just sipping it like hot chocolate while the custard cups were chilling in the refrigerator. The Almond-Orange Fortune Cookies sound like they could be a real project. But I like the idea of being able to write my own messages for my guests.

I couldn't find anything to criticize about this book. It is a unique and invaluable resource if you are interested in delighting your guests with an unforgettable holiday feast. Some of the dishes are more involved than others - after all, the book is about cooking for celebrations. But if you're just looking for new inspiration for every day dishes, this book can be a real treasure as well. You can't go wrong with recipes featuring seasonal ingredients while emphasizing flavor. And Myra Kornfeld succeeds beautifully in creating these recipes. I give this excellent book five stars without reservation.

It is book from ISKCON. First chapter point out the dangers to health from meat eating. Second chapter deals with the economics and ecological implications of meat eating. Third chapter approaches this question from spiritual point of view. Fourth chapter discusses law of karma and points out that meat eating as leading sinful reactions. Fifth chapter introduces the concept of love of God and how it is practically expressed by cooking for Krishna, offering it to Krishna and eating only food offered to Krishna. Seventh chapter provides a collection of observations by Prabupada in this context. The rest of book gives recipes for various regions (Indian, Italian, Chinese, Mexican, French, Middle East). Appendix introduces to Hare Krsna Food for life program, list of ISCKON restaurants in Australasia and ISKCON Centers around the world. Narada got Krsna mercy by eating Krsna Prasad. That should explain the importance of the theme of book.

I am not a fan of recipe books and I am even LESS of a fan of celebrity cook books and I will only buy that that I think are worthy of purchasing and this is one of those books.

I will also add I am not a member of the Hare Krishna sect though I have great deal of respect for them, so this review is done based SOLELY on the content of the book itself.

I really like the arguments that are put forward in the beginning of the books as to WHY we should not eat meat, I still eat meat but I am going to try and cut down on it and then cut it out completely, not easy for someone who has "Carnivore" stamped on her butt. The book also points out that there are famous vegetarians such as Leonado de Vinci and Benjamin Franklin to name but two and that by going vegetarian doesn't mean you give up your lifestyle, you just improve on it, health wise and finance wise!

The recipes are great and really simple,it tells you how to make Ghee, and curd, something I wouldn't have dreamed of doing until I got this book and then it gives some very tasty and filling recipes such as green beans and tomato (yum!)Bengali Kheer (rice pud...Hmmmmmm!) mixed vegetable curry, (I'm dribbling here!) and many, many more recipes that will keep you busy and well filled for the whole year through.

This is very much an under rated book, people probably shy away from it because it is linked to the Hare Krishna religion, well all I can say to that is, you are missing out on a good thing, and I have no qualms about buying it for all my friends who come from all faiths, creeds and religious backgrounds.

This is one of the best books I've read so far on this topic. It is short but very insightful, profound and informative. It provides not only the how, but also the why of vegetarianism, including several tasty recipes as an introduction to delicious Indian cuisine. Your life should be changed for the better after reading this book -- and implementing the recommended changes in your diet and lifestyle.

Everyone should read this book and learn why a sincere spiritual seeker has to become vegetarian no matter which paths he/she belongs to.

After reading Bhaktivedanta's comprehensive teachings, I truly realized as to how beneficial both spiritually and physically a vegetarian lifestyle really is. I became a vegetarian after finishing the book which was in 1988! G.Lemmey

This is my favorite cookbook. The recipes are simple, healthy, and they don't taste like they are missing anything.

After becoming a vegan, I thought that I would be deprived of all the tastes that I grew up with. I happened upon this book at Borders and have been pleasantly surprised by every recipe that I have tried. Even my anti-vegan sister loves this book.

The recipe for gyoza is a real winner.

This is a great cookbook. As a Japanese-American and a vegan, this is by far the best vegetarian japanese cookbook I've come across.

The veg-anized recipies in this book mimic the real thing--the Japanese curry out of this cookbook tastes the same as I remember the beef/pork/chicken version tasting. The ramen recipe is as close to the real thing as I can imagine, and I'm not referring to the 6 for a dollar insta-packs from the supermarket.

The author includes traditional and modern foods, and recipes which are tradionally vegetarian and not. Most of the ingredients can be bought at your local supermarket. This is the book to get for healthy, completely vegetarian Japanse food.

The few recipes I've made from this book have turned out quite tasty. But almost every single recipe includes either meat substitutes or exclusively Japanese ingredients. That would be fine, except I live in a rural area where I have very little access to exotic "meats" and Japanese markets.

This book would be better if there were a complete shopping list or pantry list so I could buy stock up on ingredients when I'm in a bigger city, or are there mail order addresses where I could buy Japanese groceries?

But still, the recipes are good. Maybe I can grow shiso and daikon and whatever else in my backyard. Maybe I can find some recipes for soy sausage and other meat substitutes. Until then, this recipe book will get some good rest on the bookshelf.

Well, heck, while I'm at it, let me add one more less-than-satisfactory aspect of this book. Japanese food is all about simplicity. Most of the recipes in here, though they do taste good, are so simple it's sort of ridiculous and embarassing to even need a recipe for them. Here's one (my paraphrase): "Wilt spinach and sprinkle with sesame oil." Two ingredients. That one recipe has a whole page dedicated to it. But hey, at least that's one that I can make--I have those ingredients!

But again, the recipes end up tasting great.

It's hard to search for a cookbook when you can't view it personally so I took a chance buying this and am extremely happy with it! The recipes are authentic and easy. There aren't any photographs but a few drawing to illustrate technique. The recipes are the core of Japanese cooking and the ingredients are consistant and easy to find. Exactly what I was looking for and would definatly say it was not a waste of money. This is getting alot of use.

I came across this book while researching vegan recipes for a family member who is on a really restricted diet. I am not a vegan, but I have loved every recipe from this book that I've made. The maze gohan (Japanese pilaf) and Yasai Zosui (mixed vegetable 'risotto') have become some of my favorite foods.

The book is nicely laid out and it's the perfect size book. It's long enough to contain a wealth of recipes, but not so large that it is unwieldy and awkward to actually have in the cooking area. The directions are extremely clear, and the author does a good job of explaining unfamiliar ingredients.

Vegan or not, this is one of my favorite cookbooks.

This is more than a book of recipes; it is a book about caregiving, a situation many of us will face and are totally unprepared for. Those of us lucky enough to have the original "Laurel's Kitchen" with its introduction of Laurel in its wonderful preface (alas, omitted in later editions) will know that Laurel Robertson is an ideal guide in a rough time: warm, sensitive, generous, and practical (but not too practical). People are more important to her than saving five minutes at the stove. Did I mention that the basis of her fame is that she is also a great vegetarian cook?

Her goal here is to pass on tips that will help you nurture both the patient and the caregiver. A great book. I am not taking care of anyone with a protracted illness at the moment but bought "Laurel's Kitchen Caring" based on my belief in Laurel and all the folks at Blue Mountain (whom you can "meet" in all the "Laurel's Kitchen" books as well as the wise writings on meditation and living by Eknath Easwaran).

as a long time fan of laurel's kitchen, i bought laurel's kitchen caring just to add to my library, never dreaming how helpful i would find it. since i bought it, i have nursed my daughter through a frightening bout of mononcleosis and my son through pneumonia - at 16 and 14, this is really the first time either of them has been sick, for which i give credit to their healthy vegetarian diet. this book also was a support for my next-door neighbor in this past year as she nursed her husband of fifty-eight years at home as he was dying of cancer and to my girlfriend, who is trying valiently to keep her mother nourished as she dies at home of cancer. the broths, soups, custards and teas have been thoroughly appreciated by all, as have the caregiver's brownies, which i have shared with numerous friends donning the temporary mantle of home-nurse. the lasagna al forno is like an old friend, but enchiladas petaluma, a new offering, has been tremendously popular with those with whom i have shared the recipe, even a couple of seemingly implacable carnivores. the commentary that goes with the recipes serves, at least for me, as an excellent substitute for a care-giver's support group. if you enjoy cooking, and even use it as therapy, this is a wonderful book to keep at your fingertips, ready for the day you are called to assume the role of caregiver on either a short or long-term basis, which, with the way insurance companies work these days, may be sooner than you think! laurel, carol et al. have done it again!

This is a book that has comforted me with both good information and practical ideas about supporting others. In fact, it's so good that I've given "my" copy away twice! (I've already ordered a replacement.)

It's also a good focus for visiting someone who needs caregiving--especially if by visiting, you can provide the caregiver with the chance to take time off. By taking the book along, you and the person you are visiting will have the opportunity to talk about something other than the illness or situation. The recipes and the narratives which introduce them have triggered some amazing discussions with people. Talking with the person in this way has allowed me to do something practical and to know in advance that my efforts will be welcome.

As a licensed social worker, I am aware that not all ills can be fixed. But love and caring can continue for the entire journey, and this cookbook maps out many good ideas for doing so. Aloha, Laurel!

A dear friend lent me this book. I was very pleased when I read it. Good ideas and pleasant relaxing style made it a book I want for my permanent library. I would recommend this book to caregivers who need some ideas...it seems we all have someone who, at some time, needs our help.

Laurel Robertson sounds like a wise, nurturing grandmother as she encourages the cook/caregiver, provides special suggestions for children's food and queasy eaters, and offers practical ideas for dealing with odd schedules and restricted diets. The use of some herbal remedies and teas is discussed, as well as hints for keeping the caregiver healthy during this often stressful time. Many of the recipes are followed by a list of variations whereby you customize for the patient by adding (flavor/protein/calories) or subtracting (dairy/fat). Brian Ruppenthal is a registered dietician and provides guidelines for keeping food hot enough or cold enough to be safe as well as nutritional information throughout. It makes me feel good just to have this book on the shelf so the ideas and inspiration are at hand for those inevitable times when good, simple food is important but hard to think about.

the recipes are ultra easy to prepare...sounds expensive and
very gourmet...but most ingredients in the book are simple,staples that most of us have in our kitchen 24/7 anyways...very delicious and you can season and spice them up
to your taste...i am on a diet and the recipes in this book
just make all the easier to stay excited about staying on it with
out the guilt...some of the recipes you can get you kids to eat..
simple format...easy to follow...plus the beginning of the book
has interesting and informative facts about vegetarian facts and
healthy tips...goody gooody!!!!!

Several recipes in this book have become staples in my family. They are well thought out and easy to prepare. Every recipe I've tried was absolutely savory! We are not vegetarians, but find that we don't miss meat when we dig into this book. I've just become pregnant and have found many recipes that will accomodate my new dietary requirements. Whether your looking for whole meals or for side-dishes you'll find recipes that meet your needs and that you and your family will love.

I focused anew on healthy foods a few months ago, and several recipes from this cookbook are in my "regular rotation". They are very tasty, easy to fix, and call for easy-to-find ingredients. I like the page lay-out of the book, too. I have lost over 25 pounds in 4 mos without ever going hungry or "dieting". When my doctor's nurse called to tell me about the improvement in my blood lipid panel, she added, "We rarely see so much improvement." My favorite recipes (paraphrased titles which I am copying from the back of my meal-planner) are:
sweet-and-sour tofu with broc & pprs, p. 261
curried tofu w fruit & quinoa, p. 345
hoisin & black-bean stir-fry w carrots, pprs, squash, snow-peas, p. 137
caul & raisin curry w chickpeas, p. 260

This cookbook is filled with easy and inexpensive recipes. The recipes center around a vegetarian kitchen that relies on staples such as pasta, beans, grains, etc. Even if you don't usually have these things on hand, they are easy to find and inexpensive.
Most recipes are hearty and enjoyable for vegetarians and non-vegetarians a like. My only complaint is that of the hundreds of recipes, there are pictures of only a fraction of them.

This is definitely my most used cookbook. The recipes are simple, ingredients easy to find, and the food is truly healthy and delicious. Even my meat and potatoe friends like it. You can plan way ahead with these meals, since the ingredients will keep for a week usually, which makes preparation even more convenient.

This was the only book that interested me at the bookstore. There wasn't much selection for Vegetarian kids and I bought this book after 5 minutes of looking at it. I loved everything Lauren Butts wrote in this book, and I love the easy recipes. It was an awesome book and now I'm a vegetarian!

I personaly know the author of this wonderful book. I went to a camp with her that helps for college credits. She is very intelligent and I have tried the food in this book. It tastes really good. The book is well thought out, easy to read and perfectly set up for any teenage vegitarian. I gave a personal review before it was published, so I do recomend this book to any teenager that is willing to cook.

...especially young ones. I have now been a vegetarian for five years and rarely use this book any more but it was GREAT when I was first starting out. Lauren Butts was sixteen when she published this book and the recipes are all geared towards kids in that age group - both in simplicity and taste.
When I bought this book it was getting a lot of buzz because it had just been published by such a young author. Judging by the date of the last review, I'm guessing it has fallen off the radar. I, however, would still recommend this book to any teenage vegetarian.

Though I am 23, older than the intended audience, my Mom bought me this book as a present. I was thrilled with it. Lauren Butts has created a fun and easy cookbook for anyone. I love the layout of the cookbook, it is divided into sections, and I enjoyed her nutritional info in the front of the book. Maybe it will inspire more teens to go veg.I found this cookbook full of great meatless recipes. I must warn strict vegetarians and vegans however, that most recipes contain dairy products, or eggs. There is a great recipe for "Nathan's Blueberry Breakfast Cupcakes", that is easy to make and tastes like store bought. However when I tried to get my three year old neighbor to eat one, he refused in horror. Other recipes that I have enjoyed making include: apricot chimichangas, Thai tofu Veggie Wrap-yum, Burrito Roll up, Veggie Pitas (Tastes the same as Wendy's veggie pita), Layered Nacho Salad, Mock Caesar Salad (in case you didn't know, Caesar Salad dressing is typically made with ANCHOVIES-fish=meat), Chilled Berry Soup-this is a fabulous recipe I made last summer when berries were plentiful, it is totally tasty and makes a great meal, TASTY FLATBREAD PIZZA WITH ARTICHOKE HEARTS!! This pizza was so unbelievably tasty, I have always been a bit wary of artichoke hearts, they just look kind of disgusting you know, but I was so shocked to discover their delicious taste!! Veggie Quesadillas were also fabulous. SPAGHETTI PIE is indeed a great dish, and I like to make it when serving non-vegetarians. It has been a hit with everyone so far. Tofu McNuggets are the absolute bomb. These recipes are only a fraction of the great ones in this book. I would highly recommend it to parents of new young vegetarians, or college students like myself who don't have that much time to cook. Some have opined that this book is full of recipes that are fattening, but I think most know, that us vegetarians are a mostly lean lot, and I can personally attest that the recipes aren't fattening. Thanks Lauren for creating a great book, it is indeed an oasis as far as Veg cookbooks go. Its great to have a cookbook that isn't full of really long, hard to find, expensive ingredients!

I am 13 and although I did not purchase this book from Amazon (I got it from my local boarders), I couldn't resist sharing how great it is with you. As I have it sitting next to me I'll mention some of the best recipes. (By the way I am about to become an ovo-lacto vegetarian but wanted to try some of the recipes 1st)
~First of all, my first one, brown butter ravioli w/ portobello mushrooms. I could not find pesto ravioli so I supstituted garlic and something or other (meatless of course!). They were delicious I must say.
~I have only recently had thai food where I got chicken pad thai (as I said I am not yet veggie) although they had vegetarian. Well, I loved it so imagine my delight when veggie pad thai was in this book (no thai food places near me :( I was at my cousin's)!
~Lastly, breakfast in your pocket, I have yet to try but very much want to- also I have been thinking of trying this on a croissant.

Also: Nathan's Blueberry Breakfast Cupcakes- I wanted to give them to the 5 year old I babysit for but he is allergic to like EVERYTHING so I'm afraid lol.

Overall, I love this book- A must for anyone- even non-vegetarians!
(I am an ok cook so be aware that some recipes require cooking skill)
sorry for rambling on- just so much to say

My 5 and 3 year old love this story. The art is pretty cool and the story is so-so. I understand the idea... live and let live. You eat your way and I will eat mine, which is a great message... maybe a bit more on being a vegetarian? I don't know, it is a kids book.
The drangon is great though!

Heather mama of 5

and have me read it to them all the time. I wouldn't recommend this book for really small children because of the mention of the dragons eating princesses and the such, I know that's an issue for some parents. My children were never really bothered by it and I didn't feel it was overly done.
I initially purchased this book because my 5 yo son couldn't understand if it was right or wrong to eat meat (we're vegetarians, obviously) and this book was the perfect way of explaining things to him. It's a great and fun way to help kids (especially boys) understand tolerance. Also, he really likes that 'Herb' is a vegetarian just like us.

We love Herb and his story book. The story is really good for helping little ones understand why we don't eat meat. It alsohas a good thread of non-violence. The little bendy Herb is great to play with.

In a faraway forest in a faraway land live Meathook and his band of carnivorous dragons who love feasting on tasty knights and princesses. There is one dragon who is different...
Herb is a peace-loving vegetarian who is prepared to stand up for what he believes in. When he is mistaken for one of the princess-munching meat-eaters, his principles are well and truly tested, but his courage saves the day! As well as encouraging healthy-living, Herb's hilarious story offers lots of food for thought!
This book and bendy toy with 10 inch tail will make for hours of fun. Includes extra earth-friendly activities!

"A magical read for all new readers, young and old; Herb's story tells the tale of the future." - Sir Paul McCartney

"Can frightened citizens, unrepentant carnivores and a peaceful herbivore find a way to coexist? Jules Bass, author of Herb, the Vegetarian Dragon, is the weaver of this whimsical tale of learning to live together in harmony. Accompanied by vibrant and often hilarious illustrations, Herb's story amuses readers while encouraging tolerance for personal choice."
- Delicious! Magazine

"Lush with growing plants and green grass, the artwork is filled with details that readers will pore over."
- School Library Journal

"The book's case for vegetarianism and understanding of differences is further enhanced when accompanied by the author's Cooking With Herb: A Cookbook for Kids.... Amusing illustrations characterize both works; the recipes and safety tips in the cookbook will help kids enjoy cooking while learning good kitchen habits." - NAPRA Review

I love this book! I ordered this book for my 3 year old for Christmas because while we are not strict vegetarians, we are gradually moving in that direction, it looked like a great book and the set with book and the bendy dragon was precious.
Anyway, when we read the book, we all loved it! I've read people's reviews about how violent it is and all I can say is that how violent it actually is, has a lot to do with the tone with which it is read. I don't believe that a 3 year old will look at the page where Meathook tries to get Herb to take the wild boar meat and say " Hey look - there's blood dripping off that thing!" I really think you can read the book in it's entirety without promoting violence. I really didn't see anything gory about it, but that could have something to do with the fact I'm a surgical nurse in a trauma center and I see real gore. This book is great because the art work is gorgeous and the story promotes tolerance and acceptance - I think that is one of the most positive things about it and I think that it's one the author's ideals for this book.It's more important to teach our children acceptance and tolerance than it is to teach them that vegetarianism is the only way. But that's a whole other story in itself. p.s. My 15 year old loved this book too!