Vegetarian Dinner in Minutes [Paperback]

Linda Gassenheimer (Author), Jennifer Levy (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1997

Author of the popular nationally syndicated column "Dinner in Minutes,' Linda Gassenheimer has spent years devising delicious ways to put together the evening's meal quickly and easily Now she turns her talents to vegetarian fare, showing how to prepare healthful, low-fat meatless dinners without spending hours in the kitchen. Refreshingly diverse menus call for one-stop supermarket shopping (with handy shopping lists provided), require little preparation time, and make for wonderfully satisfying meals the whole family will enjoy -- all with thirty percent or less of the calories coming from fat. Inspired by flavors from around the world, from Mediterranean and Chinese to Cajun and Caribbean, Vegetarian Dinner in Minutes is perfect for busy cooks who want to spend more time enjoying dinner than they do preparing it.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Trying to fit more vegetables in your life, but hate all the lengthy preparations? Linda Gassenheimer has much to offer anyone looking for help in preparing quick, healthy, vegetarian meals that are appealing to everyone in the family. As the author of "Dinner in Minutes," a column in the Miami Herald, Gassenheimer decided to write this book after receiving many requests for recipes that use more vegetables. She found that vegetarian meals are often labor intensive, making them difficult for a person to prepare after a long day of work. Her answer was to write this book, presenting the recipes in a vibrant, colorful format, which clearly makes every effort to save the cook valuable time in the kitchen.

Inspiration for the recipes comes from many regions around the world, including the Mediterranean and the Far East. Gassenheimer passes along ideas for meals such as Eggplant Parmesan with Quick Brown Rice, Pasta Stuffed Tomatoes with Italian White Bean Salad, and Indian Spiced Spinach with Lentil and Rice Pilaf. In case any of the ingredients sound unfamiliar, she includes a comprehensive glossary. Each recipe includes a shopping list, a countdown showing the order in which to complete each part of the meal, and helpful hints for saving even more time. Gassenheimer suggests that cooks take advantage of convenience items from the grocery store, such as buying pre-washed spinach, or chopped vegetables. She also mentions when a dish is suitable for freezing, and recommends that cooks make enough so that a second meal can be used later for an effortless dinner. Soon you'll be whipping up healthy vegetarian meals in the same time it takes to mix that macaroni and cheese dinner! --Lori Forest

About the Author

Linda Gassenheimer wrote the James Beard Award winner Dinner in Minutes. Her syndicated column runs in over four hundred newspapers, and her "What's for Dinner?" column appears in America Online's "Electronic Gourmet Guide." She lives in Miami.

Jennifer Levy is a photographer based in New York City whose clients include Martha Stewart Living.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (December 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811813835
• ISBN-13: 978-0811813839
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 7.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,365,879 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Linda Gassenheimer is a TV and Radio Personality, Syndicated Journalist and Best Selling Author.
Her weekly National Public Radio program, Food News and Views, is heard on WLRN 91.3 FM and world-wide at wlrn.org. She has appeared many times on the Television Food Network and many other national TV shows. Her syndicated Dinner in Minutes column reaches over 6 million readers each week. In addition, she writes regularly for several other national publications. She is the author of several books. Her newest book, Flavors of the Florida Keys will be published in December, 2010. Her latest books are Mix N' Match Meals in Minutes for People with Diabetes, The Portion Plan, Prevention's Fit and Fast Meals in Minutes, Good-Carb Meals in Minutes, Good-Carb Diet for Life, and Low-Carb Meals in Minutes which reached number 1 on Amazon.com's bestseller list for all books and number 2 on the L.A. Times Hot Books List. . Visit Linda Gassenheimer on her website, www.DinnerInMinutes.com. Join her on Facebook.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, tasty, interesting and quick., August 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Vegetarian Dinner in Minutes (Paperback)

And they're menus too, not just recipes. A lot of them take up to 45 minutes which is not the fastest recipes I've found, but the taste is worth it any little extra time! I am very pleased to have quick veggie options in my repertoire now. Plus, no complicated planning involved. You get the recipe, shopping list, and when to start each step. And you get real-people size portions while eating healthy. My only problem with the book (which was a problem with her Dinner in Minutes as well) is with the layout. Put both recipes on the same page next time!! It is aggravating to have to continually flip back and forth when you are in a hurry. However, it has been a while since a cookbook made me want to immediately start cooking-- this one did. Be sure to try the tofu and shiitake "tenderloin."

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Tried a number of recipes and didn't like, April 12, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Vegetarian Dinner in Minutes (Paperback)

I also was drawn to the pictures in the book and found the recipes I made to be tasteless. The gumbo sounded so great, but it was so drab. I could barely get down a bowl. I also made the goat-cheese enchiladas which I also found bland. I cook vegatarian at least 4 nights a week. This book is not a good starter vegatarian cookbook. Try Horn of the Moon for a better choice.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not worth it, June 17, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Vegetarian Dinner in Minutes (Paperback)

My husband and I purchased this book recently and we have found that we should have saved our money. The recipes we have tried have been...well not terrible but definately not worth the effort. The instructions are clear and I think that anyone could cook from this book. The recipes just aren't very good. They lack flavor, visual appeal, and I would really like to know what four people she is feeding with a recipe that calls for a pound of potatoes. So if you are thinking about purchasing this book I would advise you to look a little more and find something that will help you create more enjoyable meals for yourself and your family. In other words don't waste your money.