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Summary
Summary
As more people decide to become vegetarians--or nearly so--the scope of vegetarian meals is growing, too. No longer defined by the absence of meat, vegetarian cooking is an expansive, healthful, and delicious cuisine. No cookbook makes this more evident thanThe Essential Vegetarian Cookbookby Diana Shaw, author ofAlmost Vegetarian(Clarkson Potter, 1994; 175,000 copies sold). Filled with irresistible recipes and useful, accessible information,The Essential Vegetarian Cookbookwill be the authoritative guide for everyone who wants to eat vegetarian and needs to know how. Comprehensive, witty, and instructive, the book offers more than 600 (low-fat!) dishes and features mini-cooking lessons called "Make It Your Own," which teach cooks how to adapt recipes to their own tastes. And the recipes themselves will satisfy all appetites in all kinds of ways, from luscious muffins to creamy calzones to savory stews to spicy curries to a devilishly tempting chocolate soufflé cake. . . that happens to be low fat. The spirited, substantial introduction covers the basics of vegetarian meal planning and includes everyday and festive menus as well as menus for those with dietary concerns. An extensive appendix offers information about vegetarian cooking, such as: guides to beans, vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices, flours, grains, and dairy and soy products; a list of favorite brands; mail-order information; a kitchen utensils guide; a glossary of cooking terms; and kitchen strategies, such as how to work in a small kitchen, entertain last-minute guests, and customize convenience foods. Throughout the book, upbeat informational sidebars provide tips on many topics, including how to choose the best ingredients and how to repair a recipe gone awry. And all of the recipes are accompanied by do-ahead tips, preparation times, storage advice, and nutritional information. Engaging, encouraging, and contagiously enthusiastic, Diana Shaw'sThe Essential Vegetarian Cookbookis more than a rich collection of recipes; it's a pleasure to read. Inspiring and instructional, this book will be savored by everyone who loves food of all kinds.
Reviews (2)
Publisher's Weekly Review
This jam-packed compendium tries to be all things to all vegetarians. It succeeds as a valuable collection of recipes, even though the nutritional information is rather run-of-the-mill and poorly presented. Each recipe includes calorie, protein, carbohydrate, fat, cholesterol and sodium counts, but Shaw (Almost Vegetarian) doesn't classify the dishes according to nutritional balance, despite a lengthy introduction documenting the pitfalls of some types of vegetarian diets, e.g., lacto-ovo and vegan. The recipes, however, are creative and well presented, offering many suggestions for personalized wrinkles and substitutes (e.g., cilantro and cumin for basil and oregano in pasta sauces). A section on breakfast offers traditional favorites-oatmeal, for example-along with several suggested variations (e.g., cook it with fruit juice), as well as more esoteric treats, such as Pumpkin Waffles. There are plenty of innovative vegetable dishes, such as Spicy Spinach Nuggets with Cooling Chive Sauce, and ethnic favorites, for example, Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce. From soups (Barley Soup with Zucchini) to "one-dish dinners" (Potato-Fennel Stew with Mixed Beans and Tofu) and tasty pasta sauces (Three-Mushroom Sauce), Shaw offers much to prod the appetites and imaginations of dedicated cooks. Author tour. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Library Journal Review
This big new book by the author of Almost Vegetarian (LJ 9/15/94) offers more than 600 light, fresh recipes, including lots of variations ("What To Add and When To Add It"), along with information on ingredients ("Curious Cooks Want To Know..."), techniques ("Harried Cooks Need To Know..."), nutrition, and other culinary matters. Shaw has a dry sense of humor, and she obviously loves food (unlike some authors of low-fat cookbooks, who seem to be afraid of it). Both a cookbook and a reference, this is indeed an essential purchase for most collections. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
