Vegetarian Books

This book provides traditional Southwest American recipes--vegatarian style. Every recipe I have tried so far has worked wonderfully. Even though this is one of the newest of my cookbooks, I have used it way more than I have any other book! The recipes aren't too complicated and don't require too much effort.

Although some recipes are vegetarian, the author tries keep them vegan if ever possible, or has suggestions to veganize them.

I received this cookbook this week and I am impressed how well researched it is. I have many indian cookbooks and I was cautious to buy others. But this one presents so many new vegetarian recipes and techniques that made me wonder how vast is the indian culinary heritage. Important to notice that each chapter presents a kind of dish with lots and lots of original variations. This is really an important adition to any cookbook collection.

This is a great little book, and I think it would be handy for any beginning vegetarian of any age. These are pretty much basic recipes, many which could be made with limited utensils. I am a seasoned cook, but just wanted some recipes I thought my teens would like, and maybe take on to college with them.

This is a small, hardbound book with gorgeous pictures of luscious French vegetarian food. What always helps me when using a new recipe is to see photos of the process and especially the outcome. Not only are the photographs clear, but so are the directions. Some French cookbooks require ingredients that are not easily purchased in the USA; not so with this book. Each recipe has easy-to-follow directions, so even a beginner can cook with this book.

Before the book lists its recipes, there are a few pages on the history of traditional French cooking, nutrition and choosing vegetables, herbs and spices, preparation and cooking techniques, and what items to have stocked in your cupboards.

Some of my personal favorite recipes included here are grated carrot salad with hazelnuts, spinach soufflé, asparagus with lemon butter sauce, green beans with parsley and almonds, and poached cherries.

Some claim that "French" and "vegetarian" don't belong in the same sentence. They most definitely do, and this book is just one of many that proves it. This book would be a good one to buy for oneself, but its attractive cover and design also make it a good option for a gift.

From a Monastery Kitchen is a cookbook, sure. And it has excellent, practical and simple recipes that I have used again and again.

But it is far more than a cookbook. Surrounding each recipe are the most wonderful prayers, quotes, pictures, stories, etc. They are by turns inspiring, thought-provoking and heart-warming. I really can't recommend this book highly enough.

Please Note: I have been told that the newer edition has far, far fewer of the surrounding text and pictures, so make sure it is the older edition you get if that is what you are interested in.

Based on the menu from Schumacher College in Devon, England, this book of recipes (and more) is by far the best vegetarian cookbook I have ever come across. The whole philosophy extends to conservation, preservation, sustainability, biodiversity - and is a lesson to us all. Every single recipe we have tried from this wonderful book has been absolutely delicious, and nonvegetarian friends have been astounded that food can taste this good. Recipes include quantities for 30 people and up, so you can happily and easily feed a crowd. Totally recommended!

I can't believe there are cheap used copies of this book available. It's a staple in my kitchen. My husband and I almost always eat vegetarian and with this cookbook we are never short on ideas.

The top 3 best things about this book are:

1. An index by ingredient. What to do with another zucchini? Scan a healthy list of choices and never get bored.
2. Super-short recipes for instant fixes. All delicious, too.
3. Many recipes listed with "possibilities" like, say stir-fry. Various vegetable combinations are recommended to maximize the nutritive value and tastiness. You won't have to think too hard, and it'll help you use up whatever you have on hand.

I can't say enough great things about this wonderfully simple little cookbook.

Here's something you're not likely to see again: a cookbook, or more like a manual for eating, by the champion of Kundalini yoga and genuine 70's spiritual icon Yogi Bhajan. The book is lacto-vegetarian and is definitely a product of its time, though I feel that there is no reason to confine the principles of the 60's and 70's "health movement" to a specific age since being healthy and conscious is no fad but timeless and honest. What is different about these recipes from a lot more current health-related cookbooks is that it is not rigorously fat free but balanced. For years I avoided any fats in my diet, didn't dare even share a single bite of a dessert, and after a while I realized that this attitude is not sustainable or healthy, and in fact I even lost weight after I began to relax a little. I'm a pretty scrawny dude to begin with and this book is good by me, so health nuts and others please take equal heart.

The book bases itself of a collection of complimentary principles: alkaline/acidic foods, ayurveda, (less directly) Buddhism, and the general adherence to natural foods without preservatives and produced organically. It is a yogic diet. Generally speaking, ghee is used instead of butter, honey instead of sugar. That might give you an idea of what "health" means in this book. Not the ABSENCE of sweetness or fat, but a balance is maintained and still many of these dishes include neither.

So how's the food?? It is really almost invariably delicious, I have to say. I use it more than any other cookbook and I was intending at first for it to be a fun occasional retreat. The Banana Apricot Loaf is exemplary, and if you want to give it a shot first you can go to the wonderful 3HO (Healthy, Happy, Holy Organization) website here:

http://www.3ho.org/clients/3ho/recipes.nsf/d075b8704d7c40e2c1256cc2002c6d14/CDF92F80091E57DC87256EF5006D50E7?OpenDocument

and I think it is tremendously representative of the book. Other amazing things are the Ginger Curry, the Carrot-Raisin Cashew Spread, the alarmingly good "Avocado Sat Nam Special" (no kidding: avocado, banana, raw peanut butter, almonds, sunflower seeds, alfalfa sprout, and somehow all this together is actually really really good). Many of these recipes are for live or raw foods, in fact there is a noticeable reverence for them, (even a RAW "NO-BAKE BIRTHDAY CAKE"!) and while I am not a raw foodist I have found them a wonderful and invigorating (believe it!) addition to my diet. There is a light bent in the direction of Eastern cooking, but if this is a daunting concept for you believe me it requires little of you and is fun, and in fact this book covers Mexican, Italian and American foods in addition to Indian and Middle Eastern foods. The diversity is wonderful and there is a distinct and welcome flavor that runs throughout.

To be fair this book has lots of funny little quirks, such as its first recipe being for aspic (glad we left behind THAT part of the 60's), hilariously unnecessary things like recipes for quesadillas thrown into the mix that basically tell you to throw some cheese inbetween 2 tortillas and grill, and recipes entitled "Yogi Bhajan's Wha Casserole" and "Ek Ong Kaur's Special Spread" which give it a cute sense of community. Not to belittle this book though, because it is really a wonderful thing, full of life and delicious healthy foods to suit just about any yogi. There is even the original recipe for the famous Yogi Tea!

As someone who has been practicing Kundalini for years I feel that this book is a wonderful companion piece to a lifestyle which strives for health, consciousness and balance. It is apparently out of print and it deserves better, though you'll find that there is really no trouble getting a hold of it thanks to amazon and the rest of the internet. Take care and sat nam!

This is my favorite cookbook. All the recipes in this book are based on this principle: Cook some grains, chop some vegetables, cook the vegetables and combine with the grains. Most of the dishes are hot, but there are a few cold "salad" dishes. This is my favorite because when I use this book I know I am getting an extremely healthy meal, and I don't have to worry about using many different recipes to come up with a meal.

The grains in this book include brown rice, millet, quinoa, wehani rice, and others. Quinoa is excellent and cooks really fast. Millet is good to, but can be hard to deal with, so if you start with that, you might get discouraged.

The hardest part of this book is that many of the recipes call for ghee, which is Indian clarified butter. You can make it yourself, or buy it in the store, or maybe just add extra oil.

The recipes also vary widely in complexity. Some have very few ingredients, and some have many ingredients and separate sauces. Now that I've used the book for a long time it is easy to pick a simple or a complex recipe depending on my energy. If you are just starting out, try to pick a simple one and try not to get discouraged. The complex dishes are worth it!

One of the best vegetarian cookbooks we have seen on the market. Ms. Shulman uses readily available ingredients and simple cooking instructions. She has menus listed as well as suggestions for each meal of the day. When you prepare her recipes, you know WHAT you are eating and WHY it is good for you; but, you thoroughly enjoy your food. Highly recommend this cookbook, not only for vegetarians, but also those who would like to occasionally eliminate meat from the table.