Customer Reviews

The Occasional Vegetarian

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Why the "Occasional" in the title? The author herself is not vegetarian, but she appreciates meatless dinners for both health and flavor reasons. She set about writing a cookbook that would introduce meat-eaters to more healthy alternatives and to provide satisfying recipes for vegetarians. This book is not meant to address the specific dietary needs of strict vegetarians, but then, most vegetarians already know how to eat healthfully. In any case, vegetarian and non-vegetarians alike will find much to satisfy their hunger within these pages.

Some of these recipes are exceedingly simple, while others require more preparation time. Very few recipes take up more than a page of fairly large-font text. I love Fiery Black-Eyed Pea Salad, Pasta with Marsala and Wild Mushrooms, Curried Couscous with Vegetables and Chickpeas, and "Cream" of Carrot Soup, a dish with no dairy products but with a creamy texture. You'll find recipes for bruschetta, stuffed cherry tomatoes, and baked acorn squash - the type of foods you find in many a cookbook but never really consider their vegetarian nature. Some dishes I tried were too bland, but most turned out well. Desserts, of course, are easily vegetarian - who would think of putting meat in trifle as seen in an episode of "Friends? - but Lee has selected most of her desserts for their lower fat counts. Of course, calories are calories.

Vegans will find several recipes that suit their needs, or which they can modify, but all in all might be disappointed with the limited number of recipes they can use. Other vegetarians and people who wish to limit their meat consumption should find this cookbook a real treat.

I'm up to the unspoken challenge, so here goes!

I bought this book when it first came out in hardback, and echo the motivations of the previous reviewers for purchasing the book. Since I cannot improve upon the positive comments they have already shared, I offer a description of some of the recipes that I consider definite "keepers" and regulars in my cooking portfolio.

"Artichokes with Mustard Vinaigrette" (Finger Foods and Appetizers) provides a delightful alternative to the clarified butter or mayonnaise 'dipping sauce' that most folks associate with steamed artichokes. Once I tried it, I was hooked! Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar are the foundation for the vinaigrette, and the author provides complete instructions for preparing the artichokes.

"Minestrone" (Soups, Light and Substantial) takes the prize as my all-time favorite vegetable soup! I make this for myself at least once every couple of months for my work lunches. Leeks are key to this recipe, and the author again provides complete instructions on their preparation. Other ingredients include carrots, celery, kidney beans, potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms, parsley, thyme, and oregano.

"Penne with Roasted Tomato and Leek Sauce" (Pasta) has become a Thanksgiving dish in my house, offered alongside the traditional turkey and trimmings as a savory alternative for those who prefer meatless dishes or just don't get all that excited about turkey. Leeks, plum tomatoes, garlic, and fresh basil provide the flavorings that make this dish memorable.

"Lentil and Potato Stew with Spiced Oil" (Beans) is, without a doubt, the best lentil recipe I have ever tried. It's hearty, accompanied by bell peppers, carrots, onion, and celery, and seasoned with soy sauce, fresh ginger, olive oil, and roasted cumin. I never tire of it when I make it for my work lunches.

"Sweet Potato and Pear Gratin" (Vegetables) makes a fabulous light vegetarian lunch. The sweet potatoes and pears are baked with a sauce of citrus juices, cinnamon, allspice, and brown sugar. Then, they are topped with bread crumbs and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. You'll say goodbye to the old sugary-marshmallow yams once you try this!

Oh, and I must mention that this book was directly responsible for introducing me to the delightful flavors of leeks and shallots and saffron, and in how to prepare good rice! I grew up in the Midwest, where "Minute Rice" was supreme -- but I never much thought about serving rice as a side dish in my own home until I stumbled upon Basmati Rice (via a good friend) and Karen's suggestions for preparing it.

I purchased this book a few years ago at the insistence of my sister, who owned it. Now my parents and my sisters own it, as well as numerous friends -- and I'm the only vegetarian in the bunch.

In fact, whenever someone expresses interest in vegetarian cooking (or frustration with figuring out how to handle family meals with a new vegetarian in the family), I suggest this cookbook. I also suggest it to people who want to try interesting recipes or make cooking a fun, creative experience.

The food itself is good, and her recipes are thorough (nothing worse than trying to figure out exactly what the author means me to do next). In fact, it wasn't until I read her explanation for including the Drop Dead Chocolate Cake recipe that I discovered this was a low-fat cookbook.

I wouldn't be as bold as some of the other reviewers in saying that all of the ingredients are ones I keep on-hand. It probably depends on how you cook and your access to produce (but most are readily acquired at a good health food store). In fact, this cookbook probably introduced me to 'fancier' cooking -- e.g., roasting my cumin seeds then grinding them as needed, portabello mushrooms, reggiano parmesan, risotto.

As one reviewer mentioned, she has great tips about cleaning mushrooms, buying parmesan, etc. And when the recipe calls for roasted red bell peppers, she refers the user to a recipe for roasting bell peppers (or cumin seeds, for that matter) in the Basics section of the cookbook.

I have found that her preparation times aren't exactly accurate and, beyond that, certainly don't account for the time of, e.g., roasting bell peppers if she calls for them in the ingredients. And this isn't exactly a meal-in-a-minute cookbook. Several of my favorite recipes only take 20 minutes, but that is not her general aim, I don't think.

She also provides menu suggestions which include meat options (e.g., serve as a side dish with chicken) for people who do eat meat (or for 'mixed' meals/families who want to provide both options).

I strongly recommend this cookbook. It's the one most often used in my house and the homes of many of my family.

"I'm not a vegetarian, but I often eat like one." is the introductory statement to this book. A good, all-round variety of tasty dishes using ingredients easily found. You won't have to stock up on esoteric spices and vegetables. The preparation instructions are clear and easy to understand. There are even side bars on the pages with hints, substitutions, and sample menus. The "Before You Begin" section tells you how to stock your pantry...what to have on hand in the way of equipment, condiments, spices, etc.. The book is not overly heavy on desserts. One of my pet peeves with most cookbooks is too many desserts not enough "real food." What I would have liked is a better index. For example, look up pasta and you get a list of four dishes and then the phrase "see also specific types." If you don't know the name of the specific pasta recipe you're looking for, you'd miss it. It forces you to really look through the book. Also, I'm not sure why all cookbooks these days DON'T include nutritional information for all the recipes. Calories per serving, carbohydrates, protein, chloresterol, salt, etc. should be included.

A really mixed bag--The book suffers from the usual vice of vegetarian cookbooks: too many old standards. Unless they're absolute beginners, cooks don't need more recipes for pistou, black bean soup, and hummus. But when the author aims for real originality, she often stumbles. I found some of the ersatz oriental dishes (particularly the charred rice and bizarre "Chino caponata")downright awful. But there is good news, too. The book has lots of fresh-but-not-strange recipes that are a pleasure to cook. The pasta risotto and baked tomatoes with goat cheese are sensational, as are the light tomato-y vegetable stock, and the southwestern-style polenta with fried garlic (less strange than it sounds). Also extremely useful how-to info abounds: how to prepare black-eyed peas, best methods of rice cookery, etc. The author has a rational approach to fat that I like a lot--minimizing but not banishing it. The recipes call for small quantities of oil and the occasional spoonful of half-and-half and dusting of parmesan cheese. Cream, butter, and eggs are absent except in a few dessert recipes recommended as special occasion treats.

We're trying to eat less meat and more vegetables so we loved the title of the book and bought it. It is my favorite cookbook, vegetarian or not. I flipped through last night to make a nice light summery dinner and found 10 recipes I could easily make with supplies on hand. Quick, too. I had some pretty committed meat eaters try the lentil and potato stew and they LOVED it. Great flavors, interesting meal ideas. Good cooking philosophy.

I love this cookbook! Every single recipe is great and tasty. Although some are not the quickest to prepare, nor use ingredients you'd 'usually' have in the pantry, Lee has given me a new outlook on produce and preparation methods.

While every dish is delicious, you can be assured that it is healthy, too.

My favorites include: stir fried rice and ginger cookies.

Ms.Lee's book captures the essence of eating for the new millenium--interesting, nutritious recipes that don't rely on meat for flavor. The range of recipes is broad and the dozen or so that I have tried have received rave reviews from both my catering clients and my family alike. There is something here for everyone!

It's amazing that such simple recipes could produce such delicious food. I go mostly for the side dishes, due to a husband who does not believe a meal is complete unless there is a dead animal on his plate. The artichoke vinaigrette is indeed delicious. Other recipes that I turn to over and over are the green beans (or haricot verts) with slivered almonds and the shiitake mushrooms and snow peas (which takes about 10 seconds to make). I will definitely try the dishes recommended by the other readers as well.

This book is very appealing to read through and the recipes look great -- but I just didn't get good results with it. One of my particular peeves is that her dressings are too sharp and sour, because she cuts the oil to keep the fat down. But you can't just remove oil without compensating in some way -- you have to replace it with fruit juice, broth, corn syrup or something else and balance the dressing carefully to make sure it still tastes good. It's definitely possible to make good-tasting low-fat food -- but not necessarily with this book!