Use vibrant, whole ingredients. Cross the globe with flavor.
Here is modern, morning-to-night vegetarian fare suited to our times—globally inspired, boldly flavored, and full of today’s most appealing ingredients. Veteran cook and author Alice Hart showcases ebullient vegetables, fruits, and grains in inventive, reliable dishes that surprise through delightful contrasts—hot and cool, crisp and soft, spicy yet herbal. Thoughtfully organized chapters—“Thrifty,” “Raw-ish,” “Mornings,” and more—help you find the right dish for any time of day, craving, or occasion.
Alice Hart is an exciting, authoritative, new voice who loves to share her culinary knowledge. For her, food is about fun. She is a food stylist, food editor and the author of many cook books. Her food is inspired by her travels around the world and she always cooks with fresh, seasonal produce. She lives in London.
I received an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
I'm a vegetarian and spend a lot of time each day preparing my meals (as well as non-veg but still healthy food for my family). I am constantly on the lookout for new, interesting recipes. I feel like I have tried every iteration of every vegetable known to man - seriously. In other words, I'm a tough critic when it comes to vegetarian cookbooks. Please don't give me "new" recipes for hot multigrain cereals with fruits and nuts. I guarantee that everyone has already tried these ideas. They are not ground breaking or earth shattering.
Now, having moaned and groaned in the previous paragraph about the general state of cookbooks, let me reassure you that "Good Veg" will be a welcome addition to anyone's collection (vegetarian, vegan, or otherwise). I tried the "Cress, Millet, and Beet Salad" on my first day. It was super yummy and filling. Have I ever eaten roasted beets before in a salad? Of course, I have. But this recipe had an interesting combo of grains and herbs that required no thought on my part. Something I love about this book is it's easy encouragement to be the extravagant with herbs and other flavorful ingredients.
Other things I loved: - easy substitutions for difficult to find ingredients - lovely introductions to each recipe and each section. - emphasis on protein. Being a seasoned Vegetarian cook, I don't worry about protein as much as she used to, but I do always have it on my mind. It's so important to make sure that I'm getting a full spectrum of all the nutrients that I need. - really clever condiments section (pickled sour cherries, homemade spiced mustard, roasted tomato and pickled lemon relish - all so delicious).
How-to's: Scattered throughout the book are a series of how-to's that I really appreciated: - nut butters - jams (super easy and I made the basic recipe) - how to sprout seeds (I've always wanted to know how to do this and then store the results). - some really interesting dressings (the basic ones are very basic but others are great). - how to pull together grain bowls. - how to cook perfect lentils. I really appreciate this one because my lentils (before this book) were always a little unsatisfactory.
Illustrations: The illustrations in this book are lush and make me eager to try each recipe. Yes, I will use the term - food porn. I get hungry just looking at them!
Conclusion: So many yummy recipes in this book (Farro and Squash Kafka; Brown Rice Congee; Cress, Millet and Beet Salad; Turkish Peppers are some I tried). Vegetable centered eating doesn't have to be boring or unsatisfactory as proved by this book. I will definitely be buying a hard copy when it comes into print (my early reviewer copy doesn't have final page numbering, etc.).
I'm a sucker for a pretty cookbook. And this one is beautiful. It is definitely aimed at the more proficient cook, as there is little in the way of basics presented. The recipes are well explained and the directions clear.
As a vegan, it is not always easy to use a vegetarian cookbook. Good Veg, while utilizing dairy and eggs in many recipes, has a large number that are vegan or can very easily be accommodated).
I appreciated the varied and international recipes. There are many unique combinations, which can be tough to find in large numbers. Usually, I 'll find 2-3 per cookbook. This one features them throughout. Many recipes do require specialty ingredients rather than things you might have or commonly use. This isn't bad, but it is important to note and might prevent some from trying the recipes. I am looking forward to the Thai Green Sweet Corn Soup and Tarka Dal Soup, which look simple but delicious.
Full disclosure - I received a copy of Good Veg from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I love cookbooks. I consider myself a collector. Cookbooks fall into two categories for me. The first category is useful, those cookbooks I actually cook from and use. The second is reading material, those cookbooks that are a joy to read, but not practical for regular use for me. Good Veg falls in the reading material category for me. It is a really beautiful cookbook. The photos are lovely. The recipes are quite diverse, some simple, but many more complex with gourmet ingredients.
Full Disclosure--I received a free copy of this book from netgalley for my review.