Veggie Blog

Book Description
Greek cooking offers a dazzling array of greens, beans, and other vegetables-a vibrant, flavorful table that celebrates the seasons and regional specialties like none other. In this authoritative, exuberant cookbook, renowned culinary expert Diane Kochilas shares recipes for cold and warm mezes, salads, pastas and grains, stews and one-pot dishes, baked vegetable and bean specialties, stuffed vegetables, soups, savory pies and basic breads, and dishes that feature eggs. Brimming with classic dishes, regional favorites, and inspired innovations, The Greek Vegetarian pays tribute to one of the world’s most venerable and healthful cuisines.

What kinds of recipes does it include?

The recipes include cold and warm mezes, salads, pastas and grains, stews and one-pot dishes, baked vegetable and bean specialties, stuffed vegetables, soups, savory pies, basic breads and dishes that feature eggs. Because some dishes feature eggs, check the Amazon page if you avoid eggs.

What is The Greek Vegetarian about?

The Amazon description says Greek cooking offers a wide array of greens, beans and other vegetables, and that the book celebrates the seasons and regional specialties.

Who wrote it?

The book is credited to Diane Kochilas, who the description calls a renowned culinary expert in the title.

Everything above comes from the book description on its Amazon page.

What makes Greek vegetable cooking different?

Greek cooking relies on seasonal vegetables, greens, beans, olive oil, lemon and herbs, as the description suggests. These ingredients form the core of the traditional Mediterranean pattern the Harvard Mediterranean diet review describes: mainly plants, with olive oil as the main fat.

Seasonal cooking is practical: produce is cheaper and tastes better when it is in season. The Harvard vegetables and fruits page advice to eat a variety of colours matches the Greek table of greens, tomatoes, aubergines and peppers.

Cooking greens and beans in olive oil makes them filling, but oil is energy-dense, so measure it if you are watching weight. Feta and other cheeses add salt, so taste before adding more. If you have heart disease or diabetes, ask your doctor how such a diet fits your plan.

Related on this blog: Eating to Lower Cholesterol: Oats, Fruit, Beans and Healthy Fats and Diet and Fitness: How Carbs, Fat and Protein Fit Together

Book: The Greek Vegetarian by Diane Kochilas
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Book Description
Bountiful with Dionysian flair, Hot Knives Alex Brown and Evan George dish up condiments, sauces, and meals with swagger and the knife skills to match. Paired with beer selections and soundtracks, these recipes rely on hearty tubers, root vegetables, and bushels of other ingredients readily available during the winter months. Imagine a rice bowl that echoes Primal Scream’s decadent psychedelia; mushrooms with the musty umami of early Rolling Stones; squash ice cream as sweet and tangy as Os Mutantes. The Hot Knives Vegetarian Cookbook: Salad Daze celebrates virtuous veggies in the name of health, sustainability, and, most importantly, over-the-top flavors and good times.

What is The Hot Knives Vegetarian Cookbook about?

The Amazon description says Alex Brown and Evan George serve up condiments, sauces and meals, paired with beer selections and soundtracks.

What is the music connection?

The description compares dishes with music: a rice bowl that echoes Primal Scream, mushrooms with the umami of early Rolling Stones and squash ice cream as sweet and tangy as Os Mutantes.

What kinds of recipes does it include?

The recipes rely on hearty tubers, root vegetables and other ingredients that are readily available in the winter months.

Who is the author?

The authors named on this page are Alex Brown and Evan George. The description says the book celebrates vegetables in the name of health, sustainability and flavor.

This summary is based on the book description on the Amazon page.

How should I handle sauces and condiments?

Homemade condiments and sauces can lift simple food, but they are also where salt and sugar creep in. The FDA Nutrition Facts label guide helps you compare store-bought versions, and the WHO salt-reduction page advises adults to eat less than five grams of salt a day, so taste before you season.

For safety, treat fresh sauces like any perishable food. The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service guide to leftovers says to refrigerate within two hours and to eat within three to four days. Use clean spoons, and label jars with the date.

Knife skills make prep faster and safer. Keep knives sharp, use a stable board with a damp towel underneath and curl your fingers away from the blade. Pickles, hot sauces and dressings can keep for longer if acidic, but follow tested recipes for preserving and use clean jars.

More on this blog: Diet and Fitness: How Carbs, Fat and Protein Fit Together and Eating to Lower Cholesterol: Oats, Fruit, Beans and Healthy Fats

Book: The Hot Knives Vegetarian Cookbook by Alex Brown and Evan George
View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you)

Book Description
Here is a collection of Louie’s pieces from her “New York Times” column, “The Temporary Vegetarian,” which features savory vegetarian dishes from a wide variety of chefs. Readers don’t have to be full-time vegetarians in order to enjoy meat-free dishes several times a week; Louie provides delicious and easy-to-pull-together meals that work well for families.

Which dishes does the description mention?

The meals are described as delicious, easy to pull together and suitable for families.

What kind of book is The Occasional Vegetarian?

According to the description, it collects Elaine Louie’s pieces from her New York Times column “The Temporary Vegetarian”, which features savory vegetarian dishes from a wide variety of chefs.

Who is The Occasional Vegetarian meant for?

According to the description, readers do not have to be full-time vegetarians to enjoy meat-free dishes several times a week.

Who wrote it?

The book is credited to Elaine Louie in the title.

Everything above comes from the book description on its Amazon page.

What does a flexible, part-time vegetarian diet look like?

You do not have to be a full-time vegetarian to benefit from cooking vegetarian dishes. A part-time approach might mean meatless Mondays, vegetarian lunches or choosing a vegetarian dish when you eat out. The MedlinePlus vegetarian diets entry describes semi-vegetarian eating as a diet that includes some animal foods while emphasising plants.

Reducing meat means replacing it with something filling. The Harvard Nutrition Source page on protein lists beans and nuts among healthy protein sources. Dishes from restaurants and chefs can show you how to build flavour with spices, roasted vegetables and umami ingredients such as mushrooms and miso.

A varied part-time approach seldom needs special supplements, but if you notice fatigue or other concerns, ask your doctor about iron and B12 tests. Start with one dish that appeals to you. Keep a few staple ingredients so that meatless meals are easy.

Related reading on this blog: Eating to Lower Cholesterol: Oats, Fruit, Beans and Healthy Fats and Diet and Fitness: How Carbs, Fat and Protein Fit Together

Book: The Occasional Vegetarian by Elaine Louie
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Book Description
The author of Almost Vegetarian presents the one book that full-time and part-time vegetarians need on their shelves–a book that contains more than 600 contemporary low-fat recipes and invaluable nutritional and culinary information about the vegetarian way of life. 500 line drawings.

What does The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook cover?

According to the description, it comes from the author of Almost Vegetarian and contains more than 600 contemporary low-fat recipes.

Who is behind The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook?

The title credits Diana Shaw as the author.

Who is this book written for?

It names full-time and part-time vegetarians. The description calls it the one book they need on their shelves, which is the description’s wording.

What will I learn from it?

It also contains nutritional and culinary information about the vegetarian way of life, and 500 line drawings.

This summary is based on the book description on the Amazon page.

Is low-fat eating always better?

A recipe collection that stresses low fat reflects a time when fat was the main concern. Current advice is more nuanced. The Harvard page on types of fat says the type of fat matters: unsaturated fats from plants such as olive oil, nuts and seeds are the healthier choices, while saturated and trans fats should be limited.

The MedlinePlus dietary fats page adds that all fats are high in calories, which is a reason to measure oil even when using a healthy type. Fat also helps your body absorb some vitamins and makes food satisfying.

A practical approach is to roast, steam and grill, use non-stick pans, measure oil with a spoon, add flavour with herbs, spices and citrus, and include nuts, seeds and avocado in modest portions. If you have a condition such as high cholesterol or pancreatitis, ask your doctor what fat level is right for you. Small changes you can keep are better than strict rules you drop.

More on this blog: Antioxidant Foods: Why Colorful Plants Beat Supplements and Diet and Fitness: How Carbs, Fat and Protein Fit Together

Book: The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook by Diana Shaw
View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you)

Book Description
This is the perfect book for kids who want to try their hand at creating their own tasty meatless dishes, and for parents who want recipes that are nutritious and easy to prepare. Drawn from children’s cooking classes given by the author, these recipes are kitchen tested by kids for kids. As a bonus, Suzanne Havala, R.D., nutrition advisor to The Vegetarian Resource Group, has written a section for parents on how to be sure their child’s vegetarian diet is healthy.

Who wrote it?

The author named in the title is Dorothy R. Bates.

Is there anything for parents?

Yes. The description says Suzanne Havala, R.D., nutrition advisor to The Vegetarian Resource Group, wrote a section for parents on how to be sure a child’s vegetarian diet is healthy.

What kind of book is Kids Can Cook: Vegetarian Recipes?

The recipes are drawn from children’s cooking classes given by the author and were kitchen tested by kids for kids.

Who is this book written for?

According to the description, it is for kids who want to create their own meatless dishes, and for parents who want recipes that are nutritious and easy to prepare.

This is a summary of the book description, not medical advice.

How can children help in the kitchen safely?

Cooking with children builds skills and curiosity, and it works best with simple jobs matched to age: washing vegetables, stirring, measuring, tearing herbs and spreading fillings. Older children can use a blunt knife on soft foods, and adults should handle hot pans and sharp blades.

Start with clean hands. The FDA guidance on selecting and serving produce safely says to wash hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and warm water, and to wash produce under running water. Children can scrub vegetables with a brush, which they usually enjoy.

Teach them not to taste raw batter or dough made with raw eggs or flour, to keep a clean spoon for each taste test and to tell an adult if they are unwell. Check for allergies before sharing food with friends. Let them choose a recipe and make a shopping list, so they own the meal.

More on this blog: Diet and Fitness: How Carbs, Fat and Protein Fit Together and Antioxidant Foods: Why Colorful Plants Beat Supplements

Book: Kids Can Cook: Vegetarian Recipes by Dorothy R. Bates
View this book on Amazon (affiliate link: we may earn a commission at no cost to you)