Customer Reviews

366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is one of the best cookbooks I own (and I own a lot of them). Chesman starts out the book by going through everything you really need to know about legumes, rice and grains -- the different types, how each should be bought, stored and used, what each is good for, what each tastes and feels like in the mouth, etc. Her shopping and storing tips are worth the price of the book alone, but the recipes take it into the realm of the sublime. The book is well organized by broad chapter, e.g., beans, or rice & beans, with a clear listing of the recipes in each chapter and then the recipes themselves. Each recipe opens with a brief description of the dish or a positive feature about it and is then followed by a very clear list of ingredients and cooking instructions that are almost impossible to mess up. Chesman also gives nutritional content info including the overall protein, fat, sodium, and fiber of each dish, as well as the percentage of calories from fat. Most of the dishes are, or can very easily be, vegetarian, but she gives instructions on how to add meat and make certain dishes more traditional, such as adding salt pork to boston baked beans. She also gives alternatives such as turkey bacon for some dishes, so that the recipes can be adapted for vegans, non-vegan vegetarians, non red-meat eaters, etc. So far I have made Mediterranean White Bean Soup with Fennel, Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Chickpeas, and Brown Rice and Lentils. All have been unbelievably great and really easy. The dishes freeze well so busy people can make a lot and freeze them in single-serving bowls, or have a party and feed a lot of friends or family without a lot of work.

This book has a lot of great ways to add vegetables and protein to one's diet and get a lot of flavor without a lot of fat. All cookbooks should be this great. I can't recommend it highly enough.

I'm a returning student and eating out was one of the things I had to give up to survive on my smaller budget. This cookbook helps because I can make meals that I like better than most restaurant food with little fuss and cheap ingredients. The recipes are easy to follow and the introductory content helped me understand the basics of bean preparation so I don't have to rely on over-priced, high-sodium content canned beans!

The book has a number of strong points: the recipes are usually low in fat, there are many suggestions for vegetarian dishes but also options to add in meat, every pulse you can think of is covered and a good number of the recipes use time saving products such as already processed barbecue sauce or tomato paste etc. This has its benefits but also, in the case of some items, if you are located in Europe the suggested items aren't readily available. The book extensively covers different types of rice, grains, beans etc, and contains information on soaking and cooking times. There is a large section on deserts, rice puddings and other kinds of sweets with some original suggestions. Overall, however, few of the recipes sparkle with creative flair, many are variations of what you intuitively mix together yourself if you are moderately creative and have a well stocked kitchen. If you are an experienced cook looking for creative and exciting input, i.e. you flick through books and then assimilate suggestions to incorporate into your own cooking you might want to have a look at the Ajurvedic cookbook by Mirjam Gazin Hospodar, which also has many grain, rice etc recipes, however not low-fat and more time intensive than the rice beans and grain cookbook. If you 1) are not experimental when cooking 2) want step by step solid instructions 3) don't like spending ages in the kitchen 4)like healthy low-fat fare 5) want a good summary of grains, rice, pulses and how to treat them and don't already have a book, then this book is a very good choice for you.

I ordered three whole grains/beans cookbooks at one time, and so far this one has been my favourite by FAR. I feel as though I will be able to happily cook through this book from cover to cover. I like the author's criteria for a good bean or grain recipe:

1) should taste great
2) should be quick and easy to make
3) should not require following a recipe slavishly

I couldn't agree with her more.

This cookbook is an excellent resource for both vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Chesman writes in a very easy to read style and her recipes are delicious. Normally I can only find a few recipes in a cookbook I want to try, but there are dozens in this one I am dying to try. The nutritional information is an additional bonus.

I have had 366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grain about a year and have tried many of the recipes. Quite a few of them have been disappointing (some of them are SO bland), though there have been some keepers as well. Most of the recipes aren't too complicated, and many of them can be made with ingredients that are easy to find. For some of the recipes you might have to make a trip to a health store (for quinoa, amaranth, wheat berries, cranberry beans, etc). Having an herb garden is a plus if you buy this cookbook, as a fair number of the recipes call for fresh herbs.

The first chapter has useful information on choosing, storing, and cooking just about every kind of rice, bean, and grain out there. The second chapter is on Dips, Spreads, Starters, and Snacks and includes recipes for hummus, bean dips, etc. The third chapter is on soups (barley/vegetable soups, bean soups, lentil soups, stocks, etc.). The fourth chapter is on salads that tend to feature just beans or beans with grains. The fifth chapter is Risottos, Rice Pilafs, and More. The sixth chapter is Beans, Beans, Beans, and the seventh chapter is Pasta e Fagioli (pasta with beans). The eighth chapter is Great Grains, and the ninth chapter is The Marriage of Rice and Beans, Beans and Grains. The tenth chapter is on breakfast (funky pancake recipes, porridges, granola, etc.). The eleventh chapter is on muffins, biscuits, and breads, and the final chapter is on dessert. Here's what I've tried and what I thought:

Didn't like:
Herbed White Bean Spread (for vegetables, crackers, bread, mayo substitute, etc.)
Roasted Garlic, Red Pepper, and White Bean Spread (for crackers, bread, vegetables)
Black Bean Soup with Indian Spices
Curried Red Lentil Soup
Mediterranean White Bean and Vegetable Soup with Fennel
Southwestern Rice and Bean Salad
Black Bean Salad with Goat Cheese
French Lentil Salad with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
Spanakorizzo
Black Bean--Sweet Potato Cakes (these were a disaster)
Curried Spinach with Chickpeas (this supposedly "rich-tasting" curry is horribly bland)
French Country White Beans
Lebanese Navy Beans with Tomatoes and Onion
Chili Mac
Quick Louisiana Red Beans and Rice
Basic Bean Burgers

Tasted okay, but not good enough to make again:
Black Bean Roll-Ups (black beans, chipotle en adobo, salsa, tortillas, cilantro)
Black Bean and Goat Cheese Quesadillas
Smoky Black Bean and Tomato Soup
Butternut Squash Soup with Black Beans and Cilantro
Spinach-Bean Soup
Gingered Red Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes
Tabouli (I generally am a fan of tabouli but was not a big fan of her recipe)
Summertime Black-eyed Pea Salad
White Bean Salad with Sun-dried Tomatoes
Refried Black Beans
Curried Cauliflower and Chickpeas with Tomato
Falafel (I like other falafel recipes much better than hers)
Syrian Lentils in a Spicy Tomato Sauce
Mexican Vegetable Saute with Pink Beans
Cowboy Frijoles
15-Minute Barbecued Beans
Couscous and Roasted Vegetables (I substituted quinoa for the couscous)
Slow-Cooked Louisiana Red Beans and Rice

Liked quite a bit:
Fresh Tomato-Rice Soup
Split Pea Soup
Roasted Red Pepper and White Bean Soup
Couscous and Black Bean Salad (I substituted quinoa for the couscous)
Lemony Couscous Salad with Chickpeas and Feta (I substituted quinoa for the couscous)
Quinoa Tabouli
Black Bean Salad with Chipotle-Honey Vinaigrette
Tropical Bean Salad
Mexican Black Beans
Kidney Bean and Sweet Potato Stew
Spicy Slow-Cooked Barbecued Beans
Refried Pinto Beans
Pinto or Black Bean Chili-Cheese Burritos
Quick Cannelini and Broccoli Ragout
Black Beans and White Rice
Garlic-roasted Soy Nuts
Breakfast Black Bean and Egg Burritos

There are many good bean books on the market, but this one is perhaps a cut above the rest. The recipes are easy, delicious, and plentiful. A great addition to your bean book collection, or the only one you'll want if you are creating one.

I (James' wife) found this cookbook in a bargain bookstore 7 years ago and found it to be a treasure chest of great recipes using beans, lentils, etc. We own many international cookbooks and I like how this cookbook incorporates international flavor without too much extra work. Most of the ingredients I keep in my pantry. Every Wednesday our family has a meal featuring beans and I have used the ideas and recipes from this book to prepare these meals. My copy of the cookbook is full of bookmarks, I have so many favorite recipes. I have since purchased many more copies of the cookbook to give to relatives and friends. I also know that many of my friends have purchased the book on my suggestion. I highly recommend this book to those who are looking for new ways to prepare beans, lentils, rice, and other unique grains. These recipes can convert the uninitiated to a love of tasty vegetarian cooking.

This is the book I have been looking for. I have always liked beans and grains but what to do with them other than tabouli and chili? The recipes are for simple basic food, ingredients that can be found in most supermarkets and I don't need my french dictionary ! I had the Red Lentil Vegetable Stew for supper tonight and it was great!

I purchased several vegetarian cookbooks at one time once my boyfriend and I made the decision to become flexitarians. This book, more than any other, has helped us make this transition. Yes, I grew up in the south and know how to cook beans & greens and vegetarian chili. This book introduced me to quinoa (my new favorite!) and got me thinking about how to approach cooking in a whole new light. Highly recommended for vegetarians, or even meat eaters who need to add some fiber to their diets. Well written, and the recipies are simple and easy to follow. I wish there were pictures - I'm just a visual person, and I tend to prefer cookbooks with photos.