Cook 1.0: A Fresh Approach to the Vegetarian Kitchen (Hardcover)

by Heidi Swanson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
This bizarrely titled volume is dedicated to simple, user-friendly vegetarian recipes. The author, an enthusiastic amateur in the kitchen, has not so much written a cookbook as compiled one, separating basic recipes into three or four steps apiece and then charting them out in neatly designed graphs. The section on pizza, for example, includes Feta and Mint Pizza; Fig, Arugula, and Goat Cheese Pizza; and Red Pepper and Olive Pizza. Each pizza is prepared the exact same way, and the same directions are listed over and over again ("Preheat oven… gently pat pizza dough," etc.) The only variations are in the toppings, but each recipe is presented as a different item on the pizza chart, giving the illusion that the author is presenting several different recipes. This misleading representation occurs throughout. In addition, many of the recipes are for desserts, drinks and breakfast dishes—that is, foods that are almost always vegetarian and therefore frustratingly redundant in a vegetarian cookbook. The author’s style is chatty and warm, however, and some of her ideas are inventive; Smoky Corn Kabobs are especially tasty, as is the Spring Vegetable Pot Pie. Nevertheless, the book suffers from overdesign. The charts are counterintuitive and difficult to read, and the overall feel of the book is gimmicky. While a good vegetarian cookbook is a wonderful resource, a more traditional format would have served this one better. 40 full-color photos.
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Review
An engaging collection of simple but sophisticated vegetarian recipes....each presented in a sleek, approachable step-by-step chart format. -- Library Journal

Anyone looking for interesting ideas to add variety to everyday meals will find much to consider. -- Seattle Times, November 24, 2004

Heidi Swanson adds sparkle and ease to simple vegetarian cuisine....the photos are luscious enough to get any tummy rumbling. -- The Oakland Tribune, November, 2004

Her approach is at once basic and innovative.....quick, simple meals that can easily be changed from week to week. -- Washington Post, March, 2005

One cookbook, multiple themes, endless recipes!....Cook 1.0 offers a wide variety of crowd-pleasing favorites. -- Vegetarian Times, Nov/December 2004

Swanson stands out in the cookbook world...has come up with one of the most appealing books of the year. -- Denver Post, November 28, 2004

The best of the year's cookbooks just in time for gift giving. -- Santa Cruz Sentinel, December 8, 2004

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (October 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158479335X
• ISBN-13: 978-1584793359
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #411,459 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Lifesaver for this Omnivorous Mom, December 7, 2006

By	Sue Treppenhauer (Hawaii) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is long overdue. I am an omnivore, with a mostly omnivorous family. Imagine my surprise when, two years ago, my teenager announced one evening (after a visit to a lovely farm with adorable baby cows) that she was going to stop eating any land animals. Turns out, there is a word for that:pescatarian. Back then, I didn't know that, and being faced with the prospect of trying to cook healthy vegetarian meals for a developing teenager made me want to pull my hair out. I worried that I would either end up with a malnourished girl, or that the food I cooked would be so unpalatable that she wouldn't eat it. I also didn't want to have to cook one meal for her, and another for the rest of the family. If she would make this journey, then so would we. I tried various vegetarian books, only to find tofu-pushing, bland recipes that I had a hard time tempting my whole family with. Then my sweet sister came to my rescue, telling me that her friend Heidi wrote a little book I might like...and she mailed me Heidi's guide.

I call it a guide because that is what we used it for in the beginning. Heidi takes the time to explain the ingredients, the basics of how to cook them, and advises on the utensils and other things needed. She scatters useful advice throughout - it isn't a book that I just pull out when I need a recipe. I actually sit down and read it for the extra encouragement I need to keep our family on-track. I have two other children, 6 and 8. They loved their hot dogs and hamburgers. I don't know any other children their age who now rave about risotto and mushroom pot pie! My husband is a Food and Beverage Director for a luxury resort. Sometimes, after hearing about the menus he puts together for his hotel, I feel a little intimidated about what I offer him at home. This is a true sign of the success of Heidi's book: my carnivorous, German husband, Mr. Foodie, LOVES these dishes. Yes, he still likes sausages, schnitzel, etc. But he will dig into the corn, coconut, and curry soup like there is no tomorrow...

Now, being more sensitive to the other vegetarians in the world, I always bring a dish from Heidi's book when I attend parties or potlucks. For our first vegetarian Thanksgiving, we were invited to a friend's home. The prospect of dining on Tofurkey didn't seem appetizing, so we made and contributed the mushroom medley fritatta and the roasted sweet potatoes to the Thanksgiving Feast. My kids had to wrestle to get some of the food we brought onto their plates! We ended up bringing home empty food containers, and I noticed there was ALOT of leftover turkey...everybody there just couldn't get enough of our vegetarian dishes.

The best part is the ease with which I can prepare all this food. I enjoy cooking - I actually collect cookbooks. So I can say from experience that Heidi has a great formula with the format of this book. She gives you the basics for the core of the dish, then she offers a chart of various ingredients you can add in order to make different dishes out of that core recipe. It really simplifies things for the reader, and the various ideas for ingredients really make a difference in preventing food-boredom with my children.

Again, thank-you, Heidi, for a well-written, well-planned guide to vegetarian cooking. We are two years into the game now (I thought it would last 6 months) and my well-worn copy of Cook 1.0 doesn't even make it back into my cookbook collection; I keep it out on my counter for quick reference. And my little vegetarian? Her new lifestyle has NOT turned her into the wraith I feared...she is 5'9" now, and a star on her school basketball and volleyball teams.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Simple yet complex, December 12, 2004

By	J. Robinson (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As other reviewers have noted, I couldn't wait to try all of the recipes in this cookbook. I enjoy cooking, but lack any sort of invention in the kitchen; I'm awful at trying out new flavor combinations or "winging it" when it comes to expanding on a recipe. This is where Heidi's book excels: showing you how to build upon basic favorites to create new dishes. My favorite portion of this book is the "Flavor Combinations" page, which lists some tasty couplings that I, on my own, would not have had the foresight to pair (such as apples + fennel or strawberries + black pepper). I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys cooking but wishes they could be a bit more creative about it!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Look Mom I'm Cooking!, October 28, 2004

By	Joaquin Castillo "jca" (San Francisco) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

First of all I must disclose that it has been said that I don't/can't/shouldn't cook, and that the only thing I have consisently made with any success are 'reservations'. I was referred to Heidi's website and was happy to order Cook 1.0 on the principle of not giving up. I found myself reading it simply because it was a fun read and Heidi's unpretentious writing and presentation makes preparation exciting and not intimidating. I have since been preparing broken lasagna with cherry tomatoes, red pepper and lemon kabobs and roasting pine nuts with uncanny success! The unique format of Cook 1.0 is so easy to follow that I think Heidi has set a new standard for cookbooks. The conversion charts, suggested menu's for special occasions and tips are so helpful that it inspires you to try! The colors and photography in the book are nothing short of delightful and photos are not about table settings, dishware or center pieces but get this... about the food. Love this book!