I Love You: Recipes from the Heart

by Pamela Anderson

In a career spanning fame and activism, Pamela Anderson has ventured from a humble upbringing to the forefront of Hollywood—and has always been a passionate cook and gardener. Now, she invites you into her kitchen to share 80 delicious recipes that nourish the soul.

This cookbook began as a box of recipe cards: a housewarming gift for her sons inspired by homegrown traditions and world travel. It grew to become her gift to you, showing how romantic, comforting, and indulgent it can be to cook only with vegetables.

At Pamela’s down-to-earth fairy kingdom on Vancouver Island, you’ll join her on the dock for chicory dandelion coffee and whipped cranberry porridge, for picnics in the forest with a green goddess mason jar salad and tomato galette, and at the dinner table for her anti-inflammatory lentil soup, minty pea-potato pierogis, and more.

She also shares her love affair with bread, from maple-glazed cinnamon rolls to rustic sourdough loaves and fougasse dipped in herby pistou, alongside insights into life, love, entertaining guests, and preserving nature’s bounty.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Vegan, Health, Food and Drink, Poetry

288 pages, Hardcover

Published October 15, 2024

About the author

Canadian-born actress, sex symbol, glamour model, producer, TV personality, and author.

She holds both American and Canadian citizenship.

For a time, she was known as Pamela Anderson Lee after marrying the drummer for Mötley Crüe, Tommy Lee.

Reviews

[Lauren Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know if I'll ever cook anything from this cookbook, but idc. It's so aesthetically pleasing I want to crawl into it and live there. Also I'm low key obsessed with Pamela Anderson's no makeup confidence, Dôen/Christy Dawn/vintage J.Crew style, self-reflective writing, vegan cook re-emergence into popular culture.

[Lynn Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, no one is more surprised than me that I am reading a cookbook by Pamela Anderson. But I saw her on Today rocking the no-makeup natural look and thought that had to take a lot of courage—or at least confidence, and I was intrigued. And then when she said the cookbook was vegan, I was all in. We aren’t vegans in my house, but we do have allergies to milk and eggs, so I knew this could be a useful read. And it is. The photography is absolutely gorgeous. It’s a very pretty book with great recipes from a woman who’s nearly 60 and trying to do something beautiful with her third act. I can relate to that.

[Martine · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I'm going to make life beautiful - no matter what it takes..."

This book is beautiful, with easy, yummy recipes. It has lots of thoughtful and inspirational words throughout. It reminds me of a cozy blanket. And, I got a signed copy! I love how Pamela has finally come home to herself and is living life to her own standards. This book is a true reflection of that!

[Serenity Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new favorite cook book, i love Pamela so much!! As a vegetarian i can’t wait to make these meals!

[Klaudia Kikiopia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Love You

I love the simple recipes, the beautiful photographs and quotes, and the cute illustrations (by Pamela!) scattered among the pages. A cookbook after my own heart. 💓

The most important ingredient is Love.

P.S. I love the message and image spread across pages 140 and 141. And also, the poem on page 213 is so sweet and pure.

Highly, highly recommend!

[Christy Seacrist · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this cook book so much. I don’t know how she made a cook book so beautiful but it makes me borderline emotional how thoughtful it so- so much I had to go out of my way to rate a cook book on here

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Time slows down among those you love..."

t would be hard for me to give any book this beautifully done less than five stars. I saw this cookbook by Pamela Anderson at my library and didn't pick it up. After I saw her show on the Flavour Network, I had to go and take it out. I read cookbooks just like any other book, and this one was just beautifully written. The photography itself is so gorgeous I've gone back to look at the photos several times. Pamela has done an about face from her Baywatch days...she is a beauty completely without make up, comfortably dressed and her writing reads like a journal. Her recipes are all vegan (woot! woot!) which is an extra bonus for me, and members of my family, and nearly all are fairly easy and use common ingredients. And there are also sections on pet treats, home made beauty items and preserving!!! There is also her recipe for a sour dough starter. I can't wait to make a lot of these recipes!!

The book is dedicated to her sons, and it is obviously filled with love!!

[Goth Radio Hour · Rating 3 out of 5]

More cooking inspiration than practical recipes. The book overflows with pictures of Anderson's picture perfect life in Canada, and the most crafted shots of her cooking with the most beautiful produce in the world. These are not recipes you pull out on a busy weeknight, these recipes are ones you make when you have nothing but time on your side, (and an abundance of money.)

Anderson's collection includes CBD pet treats, superfood smoothies and recipe for her own Dijon. While many of the dishes do look lovely and appealing in their sepia toned photos, I think this book is better placed as a coffee-table flip-through than a practical guide to cooking. I hope she is getting enough protein, as recipes including beans/soy are scarce.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this! Unfortunately, there weren't many interesting or unique recipes that caught my eye. The recipes I tried out were pretty hit and miss. Beautiful photography and a great concept, but really lacking in solid recipe book content.

[Aline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is absolutely beautiful. I love all of her very personal writing in it. I forgot she is vegan so I’d have to modify some of these to make them or try more plant based ingredients. Definitely worth the read.

[Jacque · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE this cookbook!!! It's sooo beautifully put together. I adore Pam & her general life philosophy, she's such a gem. I'm interested in making almost everything in this book, which is rare for me.

[Dana Al-Basha | دانة الباشا]

I admire her so much... I love seeing how she transformed herself and her life into something entirely different. I love how she's telling her side in her own way. Her cookbook speaks to my soul. I would love to get a copy of her actual book, rather than a Kindle edition. I think once you know from a young age that you are a housemaker and farm girl, you will always be one, no matter what.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This vegan cookbook by celebrity Pamela Anderson feels underwhelming and incomplete. It feels like just a collection of recipes (duh! - it’s a cookbook) that aren’t tied together. Although some of the recipes look lovely, I’d probably only make the pierogis as most of the other recipes are nothing new or inspiring. However, if you are a fan of Ms Anderson’s - you might want to add it to your cookbook shelf.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a work of art! The pictures are gorgeous! I have tried the cinnamon buns…oh my incredible! I have tried the French potato salad, absolutely fantastic! What’s next? Not sure so many good recipes! Her love of her gardens and clean recipes shines through! My favorite cooking book! Highly recommend 💜

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautiful and sweet, and i love Pamela Anderson (who also is beautiful and sweet). The recipes i tried were delicious, but many others in the book were a bit above the level I'm usually working at. Still, this is an inspirational book even to just page through, and i love that she has recipes for dog treats too.

[Britannia May · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cooked all of the recipes in this cookbook this year. I loved it 🤍

[Zuzana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Krásna a inšpirujúca žena svojou premenou bytia a žitia. Konečne jedna z mála žien, ktoré pochopili že návrat k podstate a prijatie seba samej je ten najcennejší poklad. Jej čistotu a láskavosť cítiť aj na stránkach veganskych receptov, ktoré pripravila pre svojich synov. Kniha je obohatená krásnymi fotkami, úvahami, radami a kresbičkami.
Odporúčam✨

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sehr schön gestaltetes Kochbuch mit persönlichen Einblicken, sehr gut klingenden Rezepten - sogar für Hundekekse - und überraschenden Kreationen bzw Kombinationen.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Normally, I wouldn't log cookbooks on Goodreads, but this one has some poetry in it. I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but the mini reflections are adorable and they remind me of Phoebe Thorburn's approach to cookbooks. Basically, cookbooks don't have to just be lists of ingredients and steps, but they can also be journals, scrapbooks, or other forms of self-expression. Things are getting interesting in the cookbook world and I'm stoked to see it!

[Athena Beanbowl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Pamela, so when I finally saw her new cookbook out in the world at my local Target, I had to pick it up. I can't wait to try out all her vegan recipes. The pages are all so elegant and her poetry and entries tie in beautifully. This is a great addition to my collection.

First recipe I tried is the fig and basil salad, but it's out of season, so I subbed comice pears for a girls night. I don't know what was to be expected from the basil. My friend said it reminded her of pizza too much to be in a fruity salad. But pear salad is delightful.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful cookbook!

Let me start by saying that I am not vegan, nor vegetarian, but it matters not. This is a cookbook that I see myself turning to often. Such inspirational, nourishing and "doable" recipes!
This was also visually lovely, almost dreamlike in her drawings and the photographs. I'm really impressed by this cookbook - it's genuine. I'll be gifting one to my daughter!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The recipes in this cook book are well written and well tested. I have made several and they have all come out very well. I especially liked the Earl Grey Overnight Oats and the Mini-Veggie Pot Pies with Sage Gravy (I think that recipe will now be a regular vegan option on our family Thanksgiving menu!).

The book itself is beautiful - from the thick pages to the photography of the food, the author, and her property that she proudly talks about. The back story on how she gave a recipe box to her sons of her handwritten recipes and that the box had "I Love You" written on it, lays the foundation of this being a passion project to share not just with her sons, but with her many fans and followers.

If you're a bread baker - or want to be - there is an excellent looking chapter on making your own starter and an extremely detailed recipe on baking sourdough bread. I'm not a bread baker, but this section of the book makes me want to become one!

Voracious Books provided me with a copy of this cookbook; the opinions shared are my unbiased review.

[Doug · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't usually include cookbooks in my reviews, but I've been fascinated by the recent 'rehabilitation' and renaissance of Ms. Anderson - so I got this out of the library, since we are both vegan and I wanted to see what she came up with. First off, the book is absolutely beautifully put together - plenty of full page, full color pictures, with little stories and poems interspersed with the recipes. From these she seems like a very sweet, genuine and quite intelligent person.

And the recipes themselves are also unusual and not the 'same old' ones you see in every vegan cookbook - and I particularly liked her ones from her Scandinavian heritage. Although she uses a bit too much oil and plant-based butter for my taste in many of them, that can be omitted. I found myself so enchanted with the book (and it was on sale for half price at Amazon), that I wound up buying a copy - the ultimate compliment.

[Danni0309 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I collect cookbooks. I have had to donate some through the years because I have so many. I bought this one as a gift for someone and told my husband it would be a perfect gift for me for our anniversary especially because the title is “I Love You”. I kept mentioning it and he was there when my cousin opened her present and I told her I refrained from sneaking a peek because giving it to her. It was hard, but I didn’t do it. The next day my husband said, “I know how much you want your own copy so let’s just buy it now”. Yay!! This is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I have ever read. It doesn’t surprise me though. I love that Pamela is having a reboot in her career. I read her book and just love this woman.
I am making salmon for dinner tonight so I made the Herby French Potato Salad and Balsamic Panzanella (without the figs because nobody has fresh figs in stock around me) as side dishes. I am excited to make so many of the other recipes too. Bon appetit! 😋

[Renee]

I was confused by this book. It seemed false - too perfect. A cookbook should showcase amazing food, and if it delves into memoir territory, I'm looking for authenticity; I want to like and trust the narrator.

This book features a woman too beautiful for her age, successful sons, lovely daughters-in-law, perfectly staged photos, gorgeous homestead… everything seemed too flawless to be real or relatable. Then I looked up the author. Ah ha. I understand. This is a woman who has suffered.

The book shows life as she wants it to be. This is how she wants to see herself - it's the woman she is choosing to be after living through a lot of darkness and difficulty.

Now, instead of feeling irritated as I flip through the pages, I feel compassion. The book is beautiful and I hope that, in the last half of her life, the author finds peace.

[erin iocco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous and inspiring cookbook that I’ll turn to often. The photography is stunning and through a slightly sepia lens that makes it all appear dreamlike. The recipes seem straightforward and delicious and I love how they are broken down into chapters that fit more with how I cook- not side dishes vs mains or lunch vs dinner, but broken down by light meals and cozy meals, etc. The canning/preserving chapter reflects something I haven’t done but have wanted to start so was happy to see so many interesting ideas. The beauty section was also a fun bonus I didn’t see coming. Pamela’s love for life, family, & nature comes through in each of the plant based recipes, cute drawings, gorgeous photos, and little love letters to her family.

[Ava · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pamela Anderson has an authentic voice when it comes to writing. These are her recipes she’s made over the years, and that’s why they aren’t super cohesive. There’s quite a few simple recipes I’m going to be copying down from this. However, this is definitely a “crunchy vibe” cookbook with all the boujie hippie buzzwords that many influencer or celebrity vegans love to preach. Many of these recipes could be adapted to use animal butters if you wish. The photography and illustrations are a highlight of this book, it’s stunning. I love Pamela, and I don’t think her cookbook needs to be anything revolutionary to be enjoyable.

[Elaine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know much about Pamela Anderson than what I remember from her TV shows and the tabloids so I was intriged when I Love You came out.

As other readers have noted, this might be a bit too hippie for some people.

It was for me, the flowery, corny language and statement.

No, thank you, but I appreciate the effort.

I do think some of her recipes are appealing, not that I'd ever make them because I'm a lousy cook.

I love when a cookbook features family photos and anecdotes because it adds a touch of authenticity and warmth.

Some fans would love this; I liked it but I wouldn't keep a copy on my bookshelf.

[Mapleleaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Love You, Recipes from the Heart, by Pamela Anderson (the actor from Ladysmith, British Columbia) wrote a cookbook for vegans and vegetarians. Our house is neither but enjoy plant-based foods and meals. Surprisingly, her recipes are achievable as 97% of ingredients can be found near me. Could it be that I live in BC too? I'm eager to try some of her recipes. They seem easy to follow. Her short poems and snippets are inspirational. Hurrah, Pamela!

[Sanders · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love all the recipes in this book!

I can’t wait to try them all. I was pleasantly surprised with all the recipes… and the book itself is beautifully presented. I looked it up after watching Pamela’s new cooking show. She’s seems so at peace with herself and where she is in her life now. I related so much with her. I feel we’re on a similar journey. The photos and personal writings are wonderful too! Good for her … and all of us too! 👍😊❤️