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Just Enough: Vegan Recipes and Stories from Japan’s Buddhist Temples
Fresh out of college, Gesshin Claire Greenwood found her way to a Buddhist monastery in Japan and was ordained as a Buddhist nun. Zen appealed to Greenwood because of its all-encompassing approach to life and how to live it, its willingness to face life’s big questions, and its radically simple yet profound emphasis on presence, reality, the now. At the monastery, she also discovered an affinity for working in the kitchen, especially the practice of creating delicious, satisfying meals using whatever was at hand — even when what was at hand was bamboo. Based on the philosophy of oryoki , or “just enough,” this book combines stories with recipes. From perfect rice, potatoes, and broths to hearty stews, colorful stir-fries, hot and cold noodles, and delicate sorbet, Greenwood shows food to be a direct, daily way to understand Zen practice. With eloquent prose, she takes readers into monasteries and markets, messy kitchens and predawn meditation rooms, and offers food for thought that nourishes and delights body, mind, and spirit.
216 pages, Paperback
Published June 11, 2019
64 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
Gesshin Claire Greenwood
2 books25 followersGesshin Claire Greenwood is the author of Bow First, Ask Questions Later: Ordination, Love and Monastic Zen in Japan. An ordained Zen priest, she spent over 5 years training in Japanese monasteries, and is currently the youngest American authorized to teach Zen.
An avid cook, dog lover, and sometimes collage maker, she blogs intermittently at http://www.thatssozen.blogspot.com. Her next book, a vegetarian cookbook and meditation on the philosophy of "just enough," is forthcoming from New World Library.
Gesshin is currently completing her master's in East Asian Studies from the University of Southern California.
An avid cook, dog lover, and sometimes collage maker, she blogs intermittently at http://www.thatssozen.blogspot.com. Her next book, a vegetarian cookbook and meditation on the philosophy of "just enough," is forthcoming from New World Library.
Gesshin is currently completing her master's in East Asian Studies from the University of Southern California.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 27, 2019
“Dashi (Japanese umami stock) helps food taste more like itself. Zen practice helps us be more of ourselves. If your Zen practice is more obvious and apparent than your personality, then something is amiss. It should be in the background, making your life taste delicious.”
Joke’s on me : I read the summary of this book a bit too fast, and thought it was a cookbook with notes about the Zen monastery practices related to food preparation and meals. Oups! There are plenty of recipes in “Just Enough”, but it’s definitely not a cookbook… It’s more of a memoir by someone who loves cooking.
I’ve been interested in the relationship between food and Zen practice, partially because I love cooking and eating, but also because Dogen’s “Instructions for the Zen Cook” (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) is probably my favorite book of Zen teachings. In that short text, he brings forth the idea that any small and mundane task can be Zen practice when approached with the right state of mind. So any book about the topic is sure to grab my interest.
Greenwood divided the book in thematic chapters, each beginning with a description of how meals were planned and served at the monastery where Greenwood lived and practiced Zen in her twenties, and later on, about how her life changed after she decided to move back to California and to eventually get married. After the story comes a few recipes, related to the story and the experience. This structure works very well, and her recipes (while sometimes involving Asian ingredients that may be tricky to find) are well explained and pretty easy to pull off.
But just as importantly, her stories are honest, interesting and I often found them relatable. I’m sure it helps that we are of similar age and from similar backgrounds, but it was refreshing to hear about someone’s experience with Zen from a perspective I related to strongly. She is an engaging and insightful writer, and she ties the Zen teachings to simple, ordinary life situations to make what she learned in Japan very approachable.
If you like food and are interested in Zen, this is a great book!
Joke’s on me : I read the summary of this book a bit too fast, and thought it was a cookbook with notes about the Zen monastery practices related to food preparation and meals. Oups! There are plenty of recipes in “Just Enough”, but it’s definitely not a cookbook… It’s more of a memoir by someone who loves cooking.
I’ve been interested in the relationship between food and Zen practice, partially because I love cooking and eating, but also because Dogen’s “Instructions for the Zen Cook” (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) is probably my favorite book of Zen teachings. In that short text, he brings forth the idea that any small and mundane task can be Zen practice when approached with the right state of mind. So any book about the topic is sure to grab my interest.
Greenwood divided the book in thematic chapters, each beginning with a description of how meals were planned and served at the monastery where Greenwood lived and practiced Zen in her twenties, and later on, about how her life changed after she decided to move back to California and to eventually get married. After the story comes a few recipes, related to the story and the experience. This structure works very well, and her recipes (while sometimes involving Asian ingredients that may be tricky to find) are well explained and pretty easy to pull off.
But just as importantly, her stories are honest, interesting and I often found them relatable. I’m sure it helps that we are of similar age and from similar backgrounds, but it was refreshing to hear about someone’s experience with Zen from a perspective I related to strongly. She is an engaging and insightful writer, and she ties the Zen teachings to simple, ordinary life situations to make what she learned in Japan very approachable.
If you like food and are interested in Zen, this is a great book!
August 11, 2019
Let me be honest: the likelihood of cooking from he recipes is 0, but the stories...Oh, the stories!
I did not know of Gesshin Claire Greenwood prior to happening upon this book, but I must read her other book and her blog.
This book goes beyond vegan cooking and Zen Buddhism. Consider reading it.
I did not know of Gesshin Claire Greenwood prior to happening upon this book, but I must read her other book and her blog.
This book goes beyond vegan cooking and Zen Buddhism. Consider reading it.
July 14, 2019
I absolutely loved this book! I made the miso soup recipe today and it was great! The stories are fantastic and genuine. Check it out!
July 7, 2020
This book has good recipe ideas both in quantity and quality but overall I was very disappointed with its content. 2 stars for content. 3 stars for recipes. Total: 2.5 stars
The title and subtitles are not what the book delivers. I expected to learn what is the "just enough" concept and what is the "just enough" amount of food eaten in temples, the philosophy behind it, how monks get by with it, how can we apply that to our lives, but instead, she basically goes directly into the recipes and then add a few descriptions which are very superficial and focused on her discontent towards her monastic life.
The routines, tasks and rules of the temples are described in a rather negative way, almost sounding like a complaint "why do they even bother?". Sometimes she describes the cerimonies as overdramatic (yelling!) and I felt no sense of respect towards the teachings, in a way to explain their deeper meanings. She barely touched on what Zen actually is.
From the middle on, the book also carries a negative aura when she narrates her decision to abandon monastic life and how the "American girl rebelled against the traditions". The subtitle ~Stories from Japan's Buddhist Temples~ should be replaced by ~Anecdotes from my life in California after liberating myself from Japanese monastic life~. I wasn't expecting to read that much about her marriage and her Zen Center in the US, but more about the experiences in Japan and at the Buddhist temples!
The dedication of this book is to women who feel trapped in the kitchen, yet I struggled to find easy and quick meals. They all require a long preparation (sometimes starting the day before), which are befitting to monastic life but how is this helpful in our daily routines?
I am not vegan but I was also excited to read this book, with the idea of adding more vegan options in my daily life, yet the author completely dismisses the importance of veganism in the temples and goes on to suggest that "ham could be better than shiitake in ramen"; mentions how, originally, some Japanese recipes contain meat, chicken, fish or pork "but if you don't have them, meh, just use shiitake", and "don't mind the no-garlic rule of the temples, and just add all the garlic and spices you want because we are AMERICANS AND WE ARE FREE AND WE DESERVE." *eyes roll*
SPOILER ALERT:
In fact, the whole book has this vibe of "I quit monastic life in Japan (because... WHY follow all those rules?) and went back to the American way of life back in California, sometimes regretting it, sometimes happy about it but I shouldn't compare myself to others, this should be enough."
As a personal self-evaluation for the author and memoir this would make a good book/diary but in terms of delivering what it says to the general public, it simply wasn't enough.
The title and subtitles are not what the book delivers. I expected to learn what is the "just enough" concept and what is the "just enough" amount of food eaten in temples, the philosophy behind it, how monks get by with it, how can we apply that to our lives, but instead, she basically goes directly into the recipes and then add a few descriptions which are very superficial and focused on her discontent towards her monastic life.
The routines, tasks and rules of the temples are described in a rather negative way, almost sounding like a complaint "why do they even bother?". Sometimes she describes the cerimonies as overdramatic (yelling!) and I felt no sense of respect towards the teachings, in a way to explain their deeper meanings. She barely touched on what Zen actually is.
From the middle on, the book also carries a negative aura when she narrates her decision to abandon monastic life and how the "American girl rebelled against the traditions". The subtitle ~Stories from Japan's Buddhist Temples~ should be replaced by ~Anecdotes from my life in California after liberating myself from Japanese monastic life~. I wasn't expecting to read that much about her marriage and her Zen Center in the US, but more about the experiences in Japan and at the Buddhist temples!
The dedication of this book is to women who feel trapped in the kitchen, yet I struggled to find easy and quick meals. They all require a long preparation (sometimes starting the day before), which are befitting to monastic life but how is this helpful in our daily routines?
I am not vegan but I was also excited to read this book, with the idea of adding more vegan options in my daily life, yet the author completely dismisses the importance of veganism in the temples and goes on to suggest that "ham could be better than shiitake in ramen"; mentions how, originally, some Japanese recipes contain meat, chicken, fish or pork "but if you don't have them, meh, just use shiitake", and "don't mind the no-garlic rule of the temples, and just add all the garlic and spices you want because we are AMERICANS AND WE ARE FREE AND WE DESERVE." *eyes roll*
SPOILER ALERT:
In fact, the whole book has this vibe of "I quit monastic life in Japan (because... WHY follow all those rules?) and went back to the American way of life back in California, sometimes regretting it, sometimes happy about it but I shouldn't compare myself to others, this should be enough."
As a personal self-evaluation for the author and memoir this would make a good book/diary but in terms of delivering what it says to the general public, it simply wasn't enough.
August 2, 2019
Endorsements:
“This book is refreshing . . . a welcome reassurance that we may yet find a way to save what is precious.”
— from the foreword by Tamar Adler, author of An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace
“Just Enough brings some Zen into your life with monastery-inspired vegan recipes, Buddhist sensibility, and a little sass too. Gesshin Claire Greenwood serves up just enough.”
— Ellen Kanner, author of the award-winning book Feeding the Hungry Ghost: Life, Faith, and What to Eat for Dinner — A Satisfying Diet for Unsatisfying Times and SoulfulVegan.com
“Some years ago, I found myself astonished by the blog postings in That’s So Zen. They were written by a young American woman living and training as a Zen priest in Japan. Then she wrote her first book, Bow First, Ask Questions Later: Ordination, Love, and Monastic Zen in Japan, part memoir, part pointer to the Zen way, and I knew I was witnessing something rare. Gesshin Claire Greenwood brings her whole being to the project, leaving nothing out. Now, with her second book, Just Enough, she shows her continuing depth. And she invites us along. Here we get a taste of ancient Japan, monastic Buddhist Japan, Zen Japan, as embodied by a young twenty-first-century woman. East meets West. With nothing left out. Want a peek at the great way? Look at this book. Oh, and you get some very good recipes along the way.”
— James Ishmael Ford, author of Introduction to Zen Koans: Learning the Language of Dragons
“This book is refreshing . . . a welcome reassurance that we may yet find a way to save what is precious.”
— from the foreword by Tamar Adler, author of An Everlasting Meal: Cooking with Economy and Grace
“Just Enough brings some Zen into your life with monastery-inspired vegan recipes, Buddhist sensibility, and a little sass too. Gesshin Claire Greenwood serves up just enough.”
— Ellen Kanner, author of the award-winning book Feeding the Hungry Ghost: Life, Faith, and What to Eat for Dinner — A Satisfying Diet for Unsatisfying Times and SoulfulVegan.com
“Some years ago, I found myself astonished by the blog postings in That’s So Zen. They were written by a young American woman living and training as a Zen priest in Japan. Then she wrote her first book, Bow First, Ask Questions Later: Ordination, Love, and Monastic Zen in Japan, part memoir, part pointer to the Zen way, and I knew I was witnessing something rare. Gesshin Claire Greenwood brings her whole being to the project, leaving nothing out. Now, with her second book, Just Enough, she shows her continuing depth. And she invites us along. Here we get a taste of ancient Japan, monastic Buddhist Japan, Zen Japan, as embodied by a young twenty-first-century woman. East meets West. With nothing left out. Want a peek at the great way? Look at this book. Oh, and you get some very good recipes along the way.”
— James Ishmael Ford, author of Introduction to Zen Koans: Learning the Language of Dragons
June 17, 2020
Barely any recipes, but did save a few that looked good. Was going to write just ‘must be nice!! not having a soy allergy!!’ then she has a weird go at the food allergic somewhere in the chapter about landing in San Francisco which I thought was sort of unnecessary? The book is mostly essays, and I hate to be this person, but she’s pretty negative. One really wishes she’d gone to some kind of monastery for cultivating a sense of humour and didn’t have a weird attitude about food allergies instead. Also she has the actual weirdest interlude about ramen in LA, saying she tried to find good ramen but was besieged by hip restaurants with bars and djs and... here’s the thing - I ate literal hundreds of bowls of ramen in Los Angeles during the same time she presumably did and I did not encounter a single one of these alleged establishments, and I was a DJ AND a cocktail FIEND so trust me when I say I would have suffered substandard ramen to enjoy one of these outlets. I think what she meant to say is that there are a lot of overhyped ramen places in LA (daikokuya wasn’t good in the 90s and still isn’t good with an hour-long line, I don’t like the style they serve at Tsujita (sorry!!) and I’ve waited both 3 hours and 15 minutes for it, i never went to shin sen gumi because I don’t like that style and there’s always a crazy line sorryyyyy) but her claim that she never found like authentic Japanese food that felt homey or good ramen is just like ??? how ??? There are literally dozens of Japanese restaurants that haven’t changed since the 60s and not in obscure, secret places, either!! (Ok, the best ramen is in Arcadia and I know going to the SGV for ramen sounds counterintuitive but TRUST ME, it’s good AND Au79 is in the next strip mall over) Even that ramen place on Sawtelle with the ipads is good!! (Curry House (rip 😭😭😭) was better but not ramen but whatever, there was a SUPER cute guy who worked there and the decor was an 80s DREAM and nothing will ever top the katsu curry) Basically once she said that and went off on this like LA takes good things and makes them hip but devoid of soul or whatever thing, I just couldn’t take anything she said seriously any more.
I am going to try the pumpkin salad tho. My potato salad recipe is a Teutonicised (it’s a word now) version of one I ate at a zen monastery ten years ago and a totally different but also temple-descended take sounds like it could really be my party.
I am going to try the pumpkin salad tho. My potato salad recipe is a Teutonicised (it’s a word now) version of one I ate at a zen monastery ten years ago and a totally different but also temple-descended take sounds like it could really be my party.
March 31, 2020
A better title might have been “Just Enough: Reflecting on my time as a Buddhist nun after leaving the monastery”
The title (and description on the back) really misrepresents the purpose of this book.
“Vegan Recipes”: yes. Lots of vegan recipes, but vegan almost simply because of a decision the author made about the recipes she would include, because before several of the recipes she talks about very non-vegan meals, never really stating why the recipes listed are vegan even though the meals she describes enjoying aren’t. I love food memoirs of all types but it was strange for the cover and recipes to state “vegan” but go into zero topics concerning veganism.
“Stories from Japan’s Buddhist Temples”: No. She discusses her experience in 1-2 temples during her 6 year stay in Japan.... but the majority of this book takes place after she leaves, gets married, and lives in California.
Not a bad story... just sort of disjointed and not at all the book it appears to be.
The title (and description on the back) really misrepresents the purpose of this book.
“Vegan Recipes”: yes. Lots of vegan recipes, but vegan almost simply because of a decision the author made about the recipes she would include, because before several of the recipes she talks about very non-vegan meals, never really stating why the recipes listed are vegan even though the meals she describes enjoying aren’t. I love food memoirs of all types but it was strange for the cover and recipes to state “vegan” but go into zero topics concerning veganism.
“Stories from Japan’s Buddhist Temples”: No. She discusses her experience in 1-2 temples during her 6 year stay in Japan.... but the majority of this book takes place after she leaves, gets married, and lives in California.
Not a bad story... just sort of disjointed and not at all the book it appears to be.
July 8, 2022
The recipes look good and I plan to try them. However, this book didn't sit right with me in how it portrayed Buddhism and Zen Buddhism, especially to readers who may have little knowledge of Buddhism. The subtitle "Vegan Recipes and Stories from Japan's Buddhist Temples" was misleading because much of the story content was about her: falling in love, getting engaged, her wedding, struggles with life and grad school, etc. I thought the stories would be more related to Zen Buddhist teachings rather than just this one person's life. The description says the book is based on the philosophy of oryoki, but I don't see how that applies to her Western wedding, her need for an expensive engagement ring, multiple degrees, and her desires to buy ALL things related to bento (books, accessories, boxes). I think it was just a misleading subtitle and description.
March 7, 2020
Interesting read, but a bit too high and mighty for my taste...
August 21, 2021
Light, a bit disjointed, wanted more time in the monastery. Made miso soup, cucumber salad and tempeh hash - all were ok
October 23, 2021
Big yikes.
December 2, 2022
I generally don't like vegan content due to a horrifying experience with a vegan, so this was hard to read. But the positive credit the Buddhist community has built with me cancelled out this person's truly horrible contribution to my life. It was organized, healing, and the strength I needed. I hope I can be safe and lean into what's healing for myself and others without being triggered with the help of this book. It's not the usual toxic vegan controller/shamer/gaslighting/classist abuse whatsoever. The Buddhist community will get me through this and has been there for me. I'm constantly afraid this predator will get back in contact thinking the veganism is about him. It's made me want to be the opposite. But I can tell it's very hard for my buddhist friends. I often feel stuck between making myself vulnerable to hearing from someone I never want to hear from again and working with the Buddhist community. This book is really helping. It's really painful and triggering but I feel very safe so far and this book has helped with that.
March 31, 2022
Although Greenwood's descriptions of her time training to be a Buddhist nun in Japan are interesting, I am disappointed by her frequent use of onion and/or garlic in the recipes. My own (quite limited) experiences eating in a Japanese monastery involved vegetarian food that was specifically made without either ingredient. It was the only place I've ever eaten, in fact, where the cuisine was consistently made without meat, onions, or garlic, a combination that is very difficult to find here in the US. As a vegetarian who doesn't digest onion and garlic well, I have been searching for recipes like those I had in Japan. Unfortunately, the ones in Just Enough did not fit the bill. Ah well.
September 1, 2020
If this was a more substantial actual recipe book it would of likely got 5 stars. Some very interesting & doable looking recipes that I'm looking forward to trying, written clearly.
However, the majority of the book was more like a memoir & while the first few chapters about her time in Japan were relatively interesting once she returned to the US it was pretty dire...
However, the majority of the book was more like a memoir & while the first few chapters about her time in Japan were relatively interesting once she returned to the US it was pretty dire...
December 12, 2025
You know how you have to scroll through so many long-winded essays to get to recipes on blogs? Well imagine if those were delightful and insightful and you looked forward to getting back to the story after the recipe.
And wow did I ever make the best miso soup I’ve ever had at home. Vegan dashi for life!
And wow did I ever make the best miso soup I’ve ever had at home. Vegan dashi for life!
May 8, 2020
Zen
Good authentic vegan recipes and life wisdom in every dish. Description enough to justify not having photos. This book gives us a good insight on Buddhism and their rich tradition in communal meal
Good authentic vegan recipes and life wisdom in every dish. Description enough to justify not having photos. This book gives us a good insight on Buddhism and their rich tradition in communal meal
February 23, 2021
The recipes look pretty good, but they require some specialty ingredients that nowhere near every grocery store stocks. The narrative is an interesting (albeit not entirely orthodox) introduction to Zen Buddhism.
April 29, 2020
Fun memoir/cookbook. Good perspective for pandemic times.
July 16, 2020
1 part "Eat, Love, Pray" and 1part vegan cookbook. There were no photos of the recipes but the recipes were simple enough that they weren't hard to follow.
February 5, 2021
Thought provoking. Zen Buddhism has always intrigued me and this author has helped me understand at a foundational level what it means in daily life. Starter for ten!
March 30, 2022
Very eye opening. Interesting look into Japanese Zen monastery life. Interesting rituals & philosophy. I love how recipes are introduced in stories, the flow feels very natural and smooth. I also enjoy learning about cooking differences in zen monasteries in California vs Japan.
Read
May 8, 2022This was a gift from nearly two years ago, shame it took so long. Some parts were really interesting, and some were a bit of a miss. Excited to try some recipes now
August 8, 2025
Made me want to live more simplistic.
March 24, 2020
The mix of a story and vegan recipes makes this book a pleasant reading. I also like the down-to-earth approach of Gesshin's according to the whole zen philosophy. Indeed a gem-like cookbook.
January 10, 2024
I liked the approachable and simple- looking recipes in this book a lot. Very clear instructions.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews