The Flexible Vegetarian

by Jo Pratt

"Wonderfully versatile and tasty recipes you can choose to cook with or without meat or fish, to suit your companions, mood and budget." 
Peter Gordon

"As the owner of a veggie restaurant for the last 27 years I've seen fads and trends come and go. Jo's book tackles every possibility in a fun, informed and tasty way. Wish I'd written it." Simon Rimmer

Whether you’re an occasional meat-eater, a vegetarian who needs to cook for meat-eaters, or even a dedicated veggie, you’ll find something for you in this book filled with delicious and practical flexitarian recipes for every lifestyle from celebrated chef Jo Pratt. Choose between cooking each recipe as a completely vegetarian dish, or select to add one of the simple meat, chicken or fish additions, making them suitable for meat-free days and meat-eaters alike.

From spiced poke to peashoot and asparagus gnudi, the range of international recipes spans the globe and are all quick, simple, well-balanced and packed with protein. As well as easy meat and fish additions and hacks for each vegetarian recipe, this original cookbook shows you how to ace a handful of classic recipes, from the perfect roast chicken, to the perfectly cooked fish fillet. For both health, eco and sustainability reasons, there has never been a better time to join the growing flexitarianism movement and expand your culinary skills.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food

192 pages, Hardcover

Published September 26, 2017

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

My son has a friend who comes over often and typically stays through meals. She's vegetarian. We're not. And spaghetti and cheese pizza is getting old real quick. I know these are far from the only vegetarian meals I could be making. Sometimes I make black bean tacos, broccoli and cheese baked potatoes, hummus and veggie sandwiches... but I need some serious help. When I saw this book on netgalley, I snapped it up asap. "Flexitarian recipes for dishes with and without meat" ding ding ding!

The Flexible Vegetarian offers recipes for breakfast/brunch, soups/broths, small plates, big plates, and dips/bits. I highlighted a few recipes that may work for my growing house of tweens and teens but many of the flavors featured here may be for more refined palettes, which I'm hardly upset about. Personally, I'm dying to try the pistachio and kale pesto recipe and the carrot, coconut, and cardamom soup. This book did give me a lot of ideas for ways to make our regular family meals into something our precious guest can also eat so overall I'm very glad I read it.

Thank you to the following for permitting me access to an advance reader's copy (ARC) of The Flexible Vegetarian: Flexitarian recipes for dishes with and without meat. This generosity did not impact my honesty when rating/reviewing.
Source: NetGalley
Author: Jo Pratt
Publisher: Quarto Publishing Group, Frances Lincoln
Pub Date: 07 Sep 2017
Genre: Cooking, Food & Wine

[Anniek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trying out recipes is something I love to do. With two young children, a busy social life and work I don't have a lot of spare time to spend in my kitchen. When I look at new recipes to make, they always have to be relatively easy to prepare. They shouldn't take hours and have to be something my kids and husband all like to eat. I went through The Flexible Vegetarian to look at the recipes together with my son. As soon as he saw the recipe for the Southern Mac & Cheese, it was obvious what I would be cooking.

We all love pasta, so I knew I couldn't go wrong with this delicious looking Southern Mac & Cheese. The book has a very easy setup and the recipes aren't difficult to follow. I could buy all the ingredients at our local supermarket. The directions of how the dishes should be made are not hard to carry out and I love all the varieties the recipes have. When I took the Mac & Cheese out of the oven our house smelled delicious and my kids couldn't wait to dig in. They loved this dish and I know I'll be preparing it regularly from now on.

The Flexible Vegetarian isn't a cookbook for vegetarians alone. Jo Pratt also shows her readers how they can make certain dishes with meat or fish. Because of this The Flexible Vegetarian is a cookbook that's suitable for any household and it's ideal for a meal with guests. My son, who is now four years old, can even help with the simple tasks and he loves to be involved in preparing our breakfasts, lunches and dinners.

In The Flexible Vegetarian you'll find recipes for breakfast, soups, small plates, big plates and dips. I'm not a soup person, but Jo Pratt has me converted, after seeing some of the soup recipes I know that I'll try out at least the pumpkin soup & the carrot, coconut and cardamom soup. My children and husband love soups, so they look forward to finding out what the next recipe will taste like.

On Jo Pratt's website you can also find a lot of delicious recipes that are making my mouth water just by looking at them. I will definitely spend more time in my kitchen preparing Jo Pratt's recipes.

[Girl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of The Flexible Vegetarian is that some people enjoy eating vegetarian dishes without necessarily completely avoiding meat in their diet. Thus, every recipe is provided with a suggestion how it could be made with meat. I cook vegetarian a lot, so I am always on a lookout for new sources of inspiration.

The book is beautifully photographed (seriously, I loved looking at the pictures) and neatly organized into thematic chapters.

I particularly enjoyed the chapter on soups and I think I will be cooking at least a few of them in the near future. I might also make some of the salads. Overall I think the recipes don't seem too demanding on the casual cook, and the flavor combinations look really interesting. My one reservation is that while the meat alternatives to the recipes are okay, the (admittedly short) chapter on preparing meat feels out of place in a vegetarian cookbook, even for this flexible eater.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Carrie (The Butterfly Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I was Vegetarian for 5 years and then I met my current partner and he loves meat. Even pork, which I never touched even when I ate meat. A religious reason and now I don't eat it because I know how bad it is for you. Not that any meat these days is really good for you... I'm getting off topic.

I stopped being a vegetarian because it was too hard (too expensive) to cook two different meals every single mealtime. I wish he were up to trying more of my kind of foods as I tried his nasty bacon once. Though that will never happen. He's so narrow minded it's not funny. Also, am I the only one who has noticed that meat is often a guy thing? Like my brother, father, future father-in-law, all three of my male grandparents... they simply can't live without meat!

Point is, I was hoping this would show me dishes that maybe had the lighter meats, like fish and chicken rather than beef and pork. It did show some good ones but most of the recipes in here were very 'fancy', I love to cook and I am pretty dang good at it but I'm a Southern cook, we aren't all about how fancy a dish or how good it looks. We value taste above all that so while this did show some great ones most just aren't going to work in my house.

So if you want more fancy dishes, grab this, otherwise... I'm still holding out for that perfect dish that may just convince my partner to give it a try even though it has no meat.

Thanks for NetGalley for this cookbook in exchange for an honest review.

[Carol - Reading Writing and Riesling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great ideas here - a book we all need to have on our shelves - helpful for both vegetarian and meat eaters (and cheese lovers) alike . I loved the Dips and Bits section. Great for #MeatlessMonday recipe ideas.

[Jeimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this ARC from NetGalley. Although I read it after Hurricane Maria ravaged my island, I look forward to a time when there is food available in the supermarkets so that I may try the dozens of recipes that captured my eye.

[Claire Coupland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the style of this book a lot. The photography and design is contemporary and elegant, a beautiful book.

The recipes were excellent, a great idea to make recipes that can be adapted to suit all needs. The store cupboard section was well thought out and provided me some handy ideas of ways to add taste to recipes already make. The variety of recipes is good, some classics and some creative use of ingredients.

A good staple recipe book, that I could imagine keeping on the shelf to be delved into time after time.  

This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review of it.

[Marie Mimosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The recipes are easy to do and the pictures look beautiful. 4 stars for the soups!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like books like this, offering approachable recipes with a vegetarian focus. Many of the dishes are familiar, with small twists on the way I might make it: shaksuka, sweet potato-bean tacos, vegetable soups. I was pleased to find some beautiful and creative use of paneer, turmeric, celery root, barley, and other ingredients I like but tend to use the same way over and over.

I received a review copy from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic premise for a cookbook, The Flexible Vegetarian appreciates those of us who aren't strictly vegetarian or vegan. Amazing recipes that my whole, varied family enjoyed. The illustrations are absolutely gorgeous and the accompanying writing is entertaining, engaging, funny and realistic. Perfect for busy families, those looking for healthy recipes and the Vegetarian-ish folks out there! If you're a Meatless-Monday person, this book is for you!

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful cookbook. It is also a useful cookbook. The author presents the reader with a cookbook in the traditional sense in that you open it up and find listings and categories for various types of recipes. Vegetarian recipes as you would guess from the title of the book. What is the flexible aspect? Ms. Pratt offers alternatives for making the same recipe with the addition of meat or fish. You might think this is a simple concept but you would be surprised at how delicate a balance it is.

You will find breakfasts, brunch, appetizers, main dishes and dips that are vegetarian at their heart but can be adjusted to include meat. If you live in a family with a mix of meat eaters and non meat eaters this book offers you the ability to prepare the same meal for everyone but with the small changes needed to accommodate adding animal proteins to one or two plates. Isn’t that better than just slapping a slice of chicken on the plate?

The recipes are easy to follow but sometimes you bump into an exotic ingredient. That doesn’t mean you can’t come up with a substitute within your pantry. The instructions are well written so you’ll be able to present a lovely dish whether is just dinner for two or a party.

[Eileen Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This very useful book is ideal for anyone who would like to go vegetarian, but wants to ease themselves into it.
The recipes though meatfree can be adapted so that all members of the family and friends can enjoy a meal together.
Recommended.
I was given a digital copy of this book by the publisher Quarto Publishing Group via Netgalley in return for an honest unbiased review.

[Pamela Lilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great cookbook for vegetarians and meat eaters alike.
I have been a vegetarian for nearly 25 years, my family however are avid meat eaters (pig and chicken being their favourite). Cooking separate meals is always a pain, and to be honest, they don't always like my meal choice. So it is refreshing to find a vegetarian recipe book with advice on how to make it suitable for meat eaters. The photographs in this book look truly mouthwatering and had the desired effect of making me want to try them all. There are some unique and completely new to me dishes to cook along with some fantastic takes on traditional meals that I know I'm going to enjoy cooking and eating. Prior to writing this review I have tried 3 dishes and I also have plans to cook more later in the week. A few of the ingredients are not my norm, so a shopping trip is on the cards in the near future. A fantastic recipe book for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Victoria Peipert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a beautifully done book of vegetarian recipes with optional meat enhancements. I love the images and overall the recipes sound delicious and fairly reasonable to make - nothing to0 complicated and all directions are easy to understand. My only gripe is that I don't feel like the possible meat additions are very creative and feel very repetitive. I don't want sardines in any dish and so many had that as the only option. So while it was a good attempt to create a "flexible" cookbook it definitely serves vegetarians better.

[Kylie Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

These recipes? They’re tasty. They’re affordable. And I’m looking forward to trying almost all of them- even the ones that use tofu. There are a few ingredients that might not already be in your kitchen, but overwhelmingly, they’re easy enough to source that it doesn’t feel like a massive undertaking. There are enough varieties of flavour, too, to keep it interesting. Global flavours, all simple and generally quick to bring to the plate.

My full review is live at Reviewers of Oz (https://reviewersofoz.wordpress.com/2...)

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book for many reason, but mostly because the recipes are clear, well explained and it also gave me options if I don't want them to be completely vegetarian!

Questo libro mi é piaciuto per molti motivi, ma fondamentalmente perché le ricette sono spiegate bene, utilizza ingredienti "normali" e soprattutto fornisce un'alternativa al lettore che preferisce inserire anche proteine animali!

THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good recipes that I could see myself making but also some recipes with ingredients I have never heard of/used before. Not a bad recipe book but I tend to like simple recipes and easy to make meals and not all of the recipes seemed simple with ingredients and preparation.

[Rhonda Lomazow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lovely books full of delicious clear recipies each one looks so delicious so tempting whether your vegetarian or not.Thanks to Quarto publishers &net Galley for free copy for honest review,

[Jood · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a vegetarian of more than fifty years I'm often on the lookout for new recipe ideas, and this interesting book gives us veggie recipes with suggestions for those who like a little meat on their plate.

Some of the recipes are a bit arty-farty, which is quite common with vegetarian and vegan cookbooks. For example: Aromatic tea-smoked mushroom ramen in which you, the cook, smoke your own ingredients, or Gnudi with pea shoot pesto and asparagus – what is Gnudi? You might well ask. Apparently it's “gnocchi-like dumplings made with ricotta and semolina rather than potato”. I don't often, if ever, eat this sort of food, and would like to have seen a few more basic or “ordinary”, everyday recipes to encourage novice vegetarians.

The book itself is well presented; everything about it is good quality from the paper to the colourful photographs, the layout of the easy to follow recipes to the information about ingredients. At slightly smaller than A4 size with a sturdy hard back cover, this really is a lovely book. However, the author's explanation of a “flexible vegetarian” is “someone who wants to cut down on the meat and fish they eat............” doesn't sit well with me. I admit I am a strict vegetarian eating no meat, fish, chicken, or anything that contains by-products of the meat industry such as biscuits or sweets with gelatine in them - you're either a vegetarian or you're not. Certainly the suggestions provided for adding meat, or swapping certain ingredients for meat, could be helpful; my husband is not a veggie and so I do occasionally cook a different meal, or tweak my meal, for him. You may choose to have meatless days but that does not make you a vegetarian, so the idea of a “flexible vegetarian” is weird. Just my opinion.

I'm guessing the author is not a vegetarian as she also states "most of my week passes easily, satisfyingly and deliciously meat-free.....", so maybe I'm being a bit picky in not being entirely happy with a book of vegetarian recipes written by someone who is clearly not.

Thanks to Amazon for a complimentary copy.

[Zee Monodee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good recipe book to have if you want to go more on the veggies/less or no meat side. Actually appreciated how each recipe had meat alternatives if you don't want to make it vegetarian. This actually showed me a lot of swaps I hadn't considered possible, and these techniques came in handy with other recipes I already had in my kitchen.

[Jeffrey Ning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flexitarian shall love this book for its good choices of easy recipes, photos, layout and twists. Vegan alternatives apply here as well.

The categorisation of breakfast/brunch, soups/broths, small plates, big plates, and dips/bits can be simplified further for coherent context with the rest of vegetarian recipe or cook books.

Nonetheless, it is still a good reference for flexitarianism.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent resource for those looking to reduce the amount of meat in their diets. The flexible nature of the recipes means you can adapt them to what you currently have in the fridge, or to the different requirements of various family members or guests. This book encourages us to think more about the choices we make when shopping and cooking without being preachy or guilt-inducing.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great ideas for someone who prefers eating more vegetables but wants to remain flexible when it comes to meat.

[JustHB · Rating 2 out of 5]

Recipes include omelette, mushrooms on toast, pancakes, basic soups, etc. There are some inspiring recipes there as well. However, the majority are so basic that I would not buy this book. For a vegetarian book, the last chapter is on cooking various meats, like roast chicken. I understand that you can serve meat with vegetarian dishes, but it is incongruous and really basic - everyone knows how to cook a roast chicken.