Vegetarian Books

Any body who has read more than two or three books on veganism and vegetarianism runs across references to Pythagoras, Henry Salt, Francis Moore Lappe, Leo Tolstoy, etc. etc. as people who wrote important works on vegetarianism. But their books are hard to find. This book steps in and presents the central writings of these and many other people who have defended the notion that diet is a moral moatter. Very helpful, very well organized.

--on the road to vegetarianism. This book supplies centuries of moral wisdom by persons who refused to kill animals to satisfy their palates. I've given copies to several of my relatives. I'm not sure why the authors included their nonvegetarian appendix at the back of the book. Maybe in the interest of fairness; but the pro-vegetarian choices are top notch, especially the ones from the ancient world.

If you're curious about why vegetarianism is the right way to go, get this book. Vegetarians throughout the centureis have made rational and compelling arguments for their diet choices. This book collects the most important of them, and the editors provide informative and helpful introductory essays. A great investment.

As the title implies, various philosophers through the ages have come to the conclusion that meat eating is neither necessary nor ethical. Here, in Ethical Vegetarianism, their most articulate arguments are organized sequentially for the common reader. A great book and a bargain nonetheless.

I'm not a vegetarian and I doubt I'll become one. But I found this collection interesting because I've always thought of vegetarians as nice but sorta flakey tree huggers. The essays here are written by people who offer strong arguments for their beliefs. (Usually, that is. The one by Harriet Schlieffer is over the top). But sorry folks. My appetite over-rules my head in this case.

This book is a little different that most as the author's personality is intertwined in the recipes. Personally I enjoy it since I understand that when she says milk she means non-dairy and butter is actually margarine. I'm not the type to have a fit if a little interpretaion is needed. The recipes are good and I feel comfortable cooking with her style. Just go in knowing you might have to think but just a little.

Ann Jackson really had taste and simple prep in mind when she wrote this cookbook. Every recipe I have tried is simply delicious.The recipes are easy to prepare and the fried Chicken tofu and gravy is unbelievable.If you are looking for down home vegetarian fare then this is the cookbook for you.

One time I ate "Chicken Fried Tofu" for just about every meal for two weeks straight. And I didn't complain once. Then I discovered there were OTHER recipes in here. That was a pleasant surprise because they're all really good. The pictures ain't bad either.

I've never been a big fan of the Moosewood series. This is probably a stupid reason, but I think I'm biased against Ms. Katzen's books because of a single recipe: miso soup. In one of her books, she published the most absurd recipe for Misoshiru that I have ever seen--taking one of the world's simplest, most sophisticated dishes, and turning it into a complex and garish production that completely misses the point of Japanese cuisine. So Molly gets a thumbs-down from me on the basis of a single recipe, and I'm probably not being at all fair. Ah, but I digress...

Ann Jackson's books are for vegetarians as well, but they're quite different from most cookbooks you've probably seen. For one thing, they're, ahem... fairly casually written. It's not at all unusual to get the feeling when you're cooking one of her recipes, that you're being instructed by someone who's terribly busy and not really paying attention to what you're doing. Me: "Say, Ann--how am I supposed to chop these rutabagas? Should they be diced, or minced?" Ann Jackson (without even looking): "They look great to me--you're doing a great job." You run across these moments in Ms. Jackson's books where you'll be asked to add butter to a dish--but if you don't happen to have any butter on hand, it's OK substitute sweet potatoes or creamed corn. I'm exaggerating, of course, but just barely. When preparing Ms. Jackson's recipes, I've become accustomed to doing my shopping, getting halfway through a recipe, and then realizing that I didn't pick up one of the ingredients because she didn't bother to list it--until the very end of the recipe. Is this incredibly annoying? Well, yes, at first. But the thing is, I haven't made a single dish from her cookbooks that didn't turn out great. And a few of her recipes are among our family's essential, once-a-week favorites (her mushroom and corn stew, served with biscuits, is simply not to be missed). Until you've tried her grilled carrot "hot dogs", you really haven't had all-American cuisine. Ms. Jackson's cavalier attitude toward details--while leading to some "interesting" moments in the kitchen--doesn't seem to harm the recipes one little bit.

I've grown to love this cookbook, and have purchased copies for many, many of my vegetarian and non-vegetarian friends. It's probably my favorite vegetarian cookbook, and high on my list of all-time favorites--right alongside classics like Julie Sahni's "Classic Indian Cooking" and Shizuo Tsuji's "Japanese Cooking - A Simple Art"--books that inspire and educate as well as giving you specific examples of the cuisine.

This is not a cookbook for people who are afraid of food, and it's certainly not a cookbook for people who demand precise measurements and dependably repeatable recipes. This is a cookbook for people who love food and who love cooks and who know that the dish will always turn out fine. Just make it taste good, and it'll be great.

When I went to Peru to live for a year and a half, I took this book with me. When you're missing a taste of home, and you need to do some easy, comfort-y food from scratch, well, this is it.

The presentation of the book is offbeat and informal. I adore it, although it has its politically incorrect moments-- people are messy, complicated creatures and this book feels like learning recipes from a living, breathing person. It is conversational. It is imprecise. And it calls some ingredients by colloquial (and totally incorrect) names.

If some of the other reviewers had read the preface, they'd be aware that Ms. Jackson is well-aware that she doesn't do a good job of policing her tongue... she tells us, "When I say butter, I mean margarine-- or you could use olive oil or whatever tastes good to you." I'm not sure how the reviewers who freaked out about Ms. Jackson's politics, social attitudes, or linguistic imprecisions get through a day. A ride on a public bus must be like a death sentence to them. Overall, this is a charming, chatty cookbook with a wealth of absolutely delicious, real-world flexible recipes crammed into it any which way. I adore it.

I love this book! its great, I've done almost all the recipes in this book, and they have all been a hit! A great book for anyone wishing to ease into a vegetarian lifestyle.

I own many vegetarian cookbooks and this is the one I cannot do without! I would have never been able to become a vegetarian if it had not been for the recipes in this book. It had plenty of variety to keep me from getting "bored" when I was making the transition from becoming a meat-eater to vegetarian. The recipes are easy to follow and every one I have tried has turned out perfectly. I have owned this cookbook for over 10 years and the pages are dog-eared and spattered with food (proof that this is a much-used and much-loved cookbook!)

I haven't written any reviews on this site. But when I bought two items, I thought that I should start. One was on Linda's CD and the other was on this book. This book is great. I am a vegetarian by nature. I was never a meat lover except for fish, cheese, and eggs. This book provides a lot of recipes on every day foods that are as good as they are clever. I have enjoyed this book and I haven't even had it a week, yet. It's chocked full of colorful pictures and scrumptious recipes. I loved it from beginning to end. I haven't made all the recipes I wanted to, yet, but I'm working on it. I have a feeling this book will be a staple in my cooking library.

Excellent recipes, all of her cookbooks are great. Often it's just a meat substitution from a standard recipe (like shepherd's pie), but the meals are great and you don't even think about meat (or lack thereof). Everything is very clearly and concisely written, and most meals don't take very long to make. The longest ones have a lot of oven time, so you don't actually have to be doing something for so long.

I am not vegetarian, but I do eat relatively little meat compared to many people, and it was with this in mind that I bought this book (plus as a long term fan I knew of Linda's dedication to vegitarianism).

I was not disappointed. The recipes are delightful, and many (especially the lentil soup) absolutely superb.

I have to admit that I have found some of the recipes that use meat substitutes a little daunting, as I think well, if you want to think it's meat, eat meat, but I have found that with small modification these recipes can be used with lentils or other legumes, and have turned out, in my experience anyway, just as delicious.

What is interesting about Linda's cooking is that she obviously puts a great deal of thought into how the food looks, tastes and can be used as a centrepiece for entertaining, or just a simple family meal. The photos are wonderful, and unlike many cook books the finished products do indeed match the image!

It is all round a lovely cook-book, a great addition to any cookery library, and really quite "user friendly". Even your most ardent carnivorous friends will appreicate something from here!

Some of the recipes are good and some not so good as per typical cookbook. This definetly shouldn't be listed as RAW because it's not. They use flour in many recipes.

This book is a very good edition to any reader the reads and studies the word of God. Place it next to your Bible for easy knowledge about what God says about our health.

You do not have to be a clinical nutritionist or a Biblical scholar to dispell some of the erroneous information and find flaws with the recommended diet in this book.

To start with, the author's "ideal" diet which she claims is ordained by God quoting heavily from Genesis is faulted in that she includes some passages and ignores others. She manipulates what the Bible says to fit in with her diet. Especially her limitation of fats and her reasoning on avoidance of fish and meat or "flesh foods" as she calls them and their consumption in relation to longevity. Read Genesis yourself especially Genesis 1:28-31 and Genesis 9:1-5;28-29. You will clearly see that flesh foods have no effect on life expectancy (Noah lived for 350 years after God made the new covenenat with man to include eating flesh foods). Also, there is no place in the Bible God states eating fruits, nuts or seeds which are high in fat should be limited or the water we drink should be distilled removing all minerals from it.

Another major point of misleading information is what she claims is the "ideal" diet for a weaned 2 year old child: Lunch: 1/4 cup raw summer squash, 1/4 Cup raw carrot

I was very pleased with this book as my wife & I are on a RAW diet. This book helps you to understand why we need to eat more raw foods and has some great recepies in it also.

I am not an accomplished food preparer thus I want and need all the help I can get from a recipie or recipie book. It is maddening that some of the recipies in the book (indicate only) that it is for one serving and some ( indicate only ) it will be for multiple servings but majority do not even indicate what it will serve. This is a major issue with me but probably not with practiced food preparers. Otherwise the book and principles it serves are excellent.

I thought 'Vegetarian Meals for People on the Go' was very helpful and informative. I've tried a few of the meals and they are yummy but not all of them were made in such a timely manner (for me).

Still, a great buy for the vegetarian lifestyle!!!

Any one of these recipes are tasty and easy to make. None of them require any expensive equipment or exotic ingredients. Great book to add to your library.

Turned into a perfect gift for my daughter-in-law who works full time, and is DEFINATELY a vegetarian. She loves to cook, but often finds the
recipes limited in her lifestyle. Thanks for calling this book to my attention. ~MLM~

This book was just "ok", not a lot of photos and not so many quick meals either.

I bought this book online on a whim. So far, I have made 4 things and they all have been super easy and very tasty. I like these meals because they are very hearty - unlike some vegetarian meals. The author also uses a lot of "one-pot" meals where you just make one dish and it is filling enough to be the whole meal (I prefer this to having to prepare a main dish and a side dish and a salad, etc.) I thought the ingredients were easy to find and the health information seems well-researched. I have found that the preparation times in the book (generally 10-20 minutes) are very accurate. The dishes also seem very kid-friendly both in cooking and taste. I have already thought about sharing this cookbook with my mom!

I bought this cookbook after about 6 months of being on a diet recommended by my naturopathic doctor. I was told to avoid meat, dairy and sugar. I had been doing o.k. with one of the Moosewood Restaurant books, but was looking for more variety. When I first started looking at the recipes in here, I was a little nervous, being "cooking-challenged". There were a number of ingredients I had never heard of! But there is a glossary in the front that explains what the ingredients are and where you can find them. Also a good techniques section, which helped me a lot in preparing tofu. And now having made several of the recipes and being amazed when they are finished (they actually look like something I'd get at a restaurant), I'm not so daunted anymore. They are really fairly easy to make and don't take as much time as you might think from reading the ingredient list. The desserts are great, and believe me, I was addicted to sugar! But these recipes use evaporated cane juice, which you can find at the health food store, and are very tasty! I especially like the chocolate chip cookies and the brownies! I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking to make a change to a healthier diet!

I have been an ardent vegan for nearly 2 years, and this book nearly made me go and buy a McDonald's hamburger. The recipes I have tried had ingredients that were expensive, difficult to find or both. The finished dishes were not appealing to any of the senses, and had a horrible aftertaste. The aftertaste may have been attributed to the massive amounts of nutritional yeast and miso required by many dishes. After the third time I tried to make a meal using recipes in this book, I threw it out (and almost threw up). I did not want this book to go to Goodwill or Salvation Army and continue the legacy of horrible vegan cooking. There are good vegan cookbooks out there, try again. IF YOU MUST TRY THIS BOOK AVOID: Quiche Lorraine, Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts and Creamed Artichoke Hearts. All will break your vegetarian/vegan spirit, and scar you for life.

This book doesn't say "vegan" anywhere on it, and I myself am not vegan (just a vegetarian for now), but I feel like I could be vegan based on this cookbook. Oser gives a great, not-too-lengthy but informative introduction to using soy, with a complete list of "unusual" ingredients and where to get them, as well as a conversion chart. The recipes are great -- easy to make and delicious! She has a fantastic mix of foods, but my VERY favorite thing about this book is all the "comfort foods" she includes. There's an AWESOME recipe for shepherd's pie, for example, that is filling and tasty and makes you not miss meat at all. This book also has the hands-down BEST vegan chocolate cake recipe I have ever eaten. I recommend this book to both new and veteran vegan/vegetarian cooks. You will not be disappointed.

Some very good recipes and easy to follow.

I give this 4 stars, only because some of the ingredients are not typical pantry stock and many of the recipes are labor intensive. However, they are "delicious" and filled with nutritional balance. The quantities are large, so often, I will freeze recipes. Also, I've found that if I don't have all the ingredients like mushroom powder or nutritional yeast, the recipe is still very good. Thank you, Marie Oser, for taking the time to test and balance healthy recipes that are worth making.

I'm really happy with this book. Although I wouldn't say the recipes are overly memorable, they are good basic recipes that can be fixed very quickly and call for ingredients that I usually have on hand. This is becoming my go-to book when I don't know what to fix for dinner.

The only minor complaint I have (and it really isn't a complaint at all) is that I wish the recipes were laid out as meals like they are in Vegetarian Express. I like not having to flip between different sections of the book when fixing a meal.

I've had this book since around its release, and i have yet to be disappointed with a recipe! I make meals from this book often and am always surprised by how easy these recipes are to make. And after they're done I always get compliments from the family (all vegans like myself). I highly recommend this book to everyone ranging from the casual cook to the head chef. It suits all and never disappoints! *****

When I first got the book, I was so excited by the concept. I planned two days worth of dinners based on her book...and both times my husband and i were thoroughly disappointed. They were on the quicker side, but we paid for it in flavor. We were able to spice it up and make it more palatable...but when i buy a cookbook, i really don't like to do that much tweaking. Maybe after i develop more cooking skills and know how to adjust the recipes, this book will be more useful.

I love this book, both for reading and for cooking from. It makes a great companion to Atlas' Vegetarian Family Cookbook. I'm happily cooking my way through it; the Seitan Gyros alone are worth the price of the book. The basic recipes are quite good in themselves; if one wants to add something here and there, well, that's the way of a real cook.

I don't normally write reviews, but it seems to me that this cookbook hasn't been getting the credit it deserves here. Not every vegan cookbook is for brand new cooks who need exact-to-the-tsp amounts of salt and pepper or to have their hand held throughout the recipe. No where on this cookbook does it claim to be an Introduction to Cooking 101, and to review its failure in this respect is irrelevant and misleading. There are plenty of vegan and not-vegan cookbooks that do try to fill such a need, so if you are starting out from square 1, it would clearly be better for you to begin with one of those. Not that I mean the recipes here are confusing, they are indeed clearly-written and properly thorough.

What this cookbook does promise is quick, healthful, delicious meals. And that's what you get! Many recipes from other sources purport to be speedy, but by the time you've done the prepwork you've already exceeded the recipe's supposed time. These recipes truly are quick, but they don't sacrifice fresh and healthy ingredients in doing so, either. They are amazingly varied, nicely organized, and they even provide nutritional info, which is surprisingly rare in vegan cookbooks.

I am by no means a master chef - I taught myself (slowly!) how to cook only a few years ago, by research and trial and error. But by this time I already understand how to make changes to a recipe while I'm cooking to make sure it will be to my liking. No one knows my tastes better than I do, and its hard to think of any recipes which I don't alter in one way or another honestly.

That said, I've tried many of these recipes and so far have always enjoyed them. They are truly healthy, delicious, and fast, and the notes accompanying most recipes on what to serve alongside to complete the meal are also very helpful. I know some readers appreciate hearing specific recipes that a reviewer can attest to being delicious, so a few that I've really liked include Curried Chickpeas with Chutney Bulgur, the amazing Thai Coconut Corn Soup, Pineapple Coconut Noodles, Fingerling Fries, Garlicky Greens, and Spinach-Miso Pesto. There are quick ideas pages which pop up throughout the book too, with inspiring ideas on how to throw together delicious salads, wraps, noodle side-dishes, or tofu/tempeh dishes, and provide many recipe ideas that aren't included in the official count, but are awesome and fast also.

So if you're comfortable in the kitchen, but don't have a lot of time to spend there these days, and want to eat healthy, interesting, tasty food, I definitely recommend giving this book a try.

The Accidental Vegan is one of the best vegan cookbooks that I have encountered thus far. The meals offered are simple, and delicious. The ingredients are listed in a green box for easy decifering. The directions are simple and to the point.

I was really impressed with the Pad Thai. Devra Gartnenstein managed to make a wonderful Thai dish without the Yucky! fish sauce.

All in all, you can never have enough vegan cookbooks, and this one is a grand addition to my collection.

Ms. Gartensetin gives incomplete directions for cooking. She gives vague instructions on purpose, stating in her introduction, "I figured these recipes would be more useful if I let you plan some things for yourself, and develop your own system."

Useful? It is not useful to spend an hour standing over a stove stirring something, "until it thickens" not sure if the stove is at the right setting because the recipe did not specify a cooking time or heat.

I am not a vegetarian, but I am trying to make better choices for my health, for the sake of the animals and our planet. Ms. Gartenstein's book (with many time consuming recipes) only made me long for more familiar foods that do not require so much strategy and are not such a hassle to prepare.

I think if some one is an experienced or gourmet who can figure these things out they will be okay. Also, if a person doesn't work outside the home, he/she has time to "develop a system." These types of people will probably enjoy the book. But if you are not very experienced, and prefer foods that are simpler to prepare, her book will be VERY disappointing.

I was dissaponted that several of the recipes in this cookbook contain honey, a non-vegan item. Gartenstein is not vegan herself, and I think this shows...many of her recipes are the kind fo rabbit food omnivores think us vegan force outselves to eat. I also noticed that fruits and vegetables don't play a major role in most of the recipes (they focus more on grains), and the volume is poorly indexed.

I have never been a 'cookbook' kind of cook....most overwhelm me. For years, I have prepared tasty, low-fat, healthy meals just by experimenting. I never use salt, either. However, I got into a rut and felt my cooking needed an overhaul. My neighbor lent me The Accidental Vegan, and I love it! I find that when you cook with fresh ingredients, however, you DO have to go shopping more often, which can be tiresome. Her recipes, for me, are VERY simple (the ingredients might not be recognizable, so you have to shop at Whole Foods, or smaller more ethnic-type markets, as she mentions in her book). Yes, eating healthier costs more, but worth your while. Even if you can't do it every day, treat yourself to this book and one recipe each week.......you'll get hooked!

After 5 years this one still ranks high on my list. The recipes are easy, tasty and not loaded with sugar. There are many Vegan Cookbooks that require too much time,ingredients, sugar and refined carbs. I say, leave those on the shelves and take a chance on this one.

we are transitioning our children, aged 3 and 6 to vegetarianism, and this book is a godsend. I had first taken it out of the library (an older edition) and knew right away I would buy it. My kids were hot dogs and chicken nugget kids, and I swear, I never thought they would eat anything called a "veggie casserole" but they did. I am slowly weaning them off dairy, but for now, this book does the trick. I pull it out every single night when I am thinking of a dish for them. The dishes are fast and easy to put together, which doesn't hurt either.

This book is by far the best vegetarian book I have ever owned. Trying to intoduce my kids to a vegetarian lifestyle has always been challenging, but the enormous selection of kid friendly recipes has been just wonderful! I especially appreciated the "normal" foods like portabella steak dinner which let my kids feel just like everyone else.

I am happy I found this book. My 1-year old son is vegetarian by choice, he spits all the meat out. This book is meant for 2+ kids but I use it already and I found a lot of recipes that appeal to adults as well. I like the that the recipes are marked either vegetarian or vegan.

My husband bought this book as a gift for my sons 2nd b'day. The recipes are about 50% vegan, 90% veganizable, and of course 100% vegetarian. I think it would be good for someone who isn't a great cook or who has a picky kid. If you're a good cook with an adventurous toddler like me then you're not going to get much out of it.

this is a great book. my daughter is 2 and she has enjoyed the recipes that i've tried so far. there aren't any pictures though, so if your a visual person this may not be for you. but overall the book was great.

I have been cooking with this book for three years. It is my most used cookbook and contains wonderful, healthy recipies. It taught me to cook legumes and grains with the pressure cooker (my mother and grandmother had used them, but I didn't know how). The book literally became my guidebook to help my family to eat very healthy delicious meals - I am a working woman and cook when I get home from work or make batches of food on the weekend. This is a marvelous book. Thank you Lorna! (PS. I also use a lot of Bob's Red Mill products...if you can't find ingredients...you can order on the web).

I've been a vegan for 3 years and recently came across this wonderful cookbook. It is my new favorite. It is wonderfully complete (so many different cuisines and different types of ingredients ranging from simple to find and prepare to more challenging) and all the recipes I've made have been absolutely delicious. I love that most recipes have pressure cooker and stovetop directions--pressure cookers save so much time! Thanks Lorna Sass for this wonderul book.

This book was very useful. I am new at vegetarian cooking and this book was a great help.

I have an entire shelf of cookbooks and whenever I am looking for inspiration I look to Lorna Sass. This is my favorite cookbook. Lorna Sass combines simple ingredients, often pantry staples, to create interesting, easy to prepare, fantastic dishes. For example, I can't tell you how many people have told me they don't like brussel sprouts only to try the vinagerette woked brussel spouts and change their tune. Flavors compliment each other well, dishes are quick to prepare (get a presure cooker and then get the her Vegetarian Cooking Under Pressure too!), and the dishes are healthy.

it took a while, but after purchasing this book, i finally purchased a pressure cooker, and, can i tell you, what a valuble purchase it was! the recipes in this book are easy, healthful, and most amazingly fast. i have made soups that retain amazing flavor and nutitional value and cook in under 10 minutes. of course, you will have to buy a pressure cooker, but it is worth it!