2024 the best vegetarian meals review

Price: $27.50 - $14.59
(as of Nov 01, 2024 17:25:09 UTC - Details)

Learn to eat well with more than 100 approachable and delicious meatless recipes designed for everyone—vegetarians, vegans, and meat-eaters alike—with substitutions to make meals special diet–friendly (gluten-free, dairy-free, and egg-free) whenever possible. 

The path to a healthy body and happy belly is paved with real food—fresh, wholesome, sustainable food—and it doesn’t need to be so difficult. No one knows this more than Kathryne Taylor of America’s most popular vegetarian food blog, Cookie + Kate.

With brand-new, creative recipes, Taylor inspires you to step into the kitchen and cook wholesome plant-based meals, again and again. She’ll change your mind about kale and quinoa, and show you how to make the best granola you’ve ever tasted. You’ll find make-your-own instant oatmeal mix and fluffy, naturally sweetened, whole-grain blueberry muffins; hearty green salads and warming soups; pineapple pico de gallo; healthier homemade pizzas; and even a few favorites from the blog. Of course, Love Real Food wouldn’t be complete without plenty of stories starring Taylor’s veggie-obsessed, rescue dog sous-chef, Cookie! Taylor celebrates whole foods by encouraging you not just to “eat this,” but to eat like this. Take it from her readers: you’ll love how you feel.

From the Publisher

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Rodale Books (May 16, 2017)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 272 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1623367417
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1623367411
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.45 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.2 x 1 x 10.2 inches
Reviewer: Garysgal888
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Loving REAL Food
Review: I happened upon this blog through some other sites I visit often and I saw she was releasing a cookbook. Looked good so I pre-ordered. I didn't stay long on the site but just waited for the book to arrive. Well it did and I've recently vowed to not write a review until I've tried recipes out of the books I'm purchasing. To many times, folks write reviews never sharing the actual recipes and success/failures of actually cooking through a recipe. I'm trying to change that.First, I was blown away by the overall layout and awesome pictures for almost every recipe. Pictures are expensive, so kudos to Kathryne for producing a wonderful book full of what her recipes should look like. I try recipes most often based on pictures so I like lots of pictures. Some other stand outs: Nice intro on how she got interested in whole foods and their importance. And a great explanation of how to use the cookbook. Also, most recipes have a section at the bottom of each sharing how to make it gluten free, dairy free/vegan, egg/nut free and soy free so she's made her recipes very versatile to every kind of eater. Lastly, I appreciate that her ingredient lists use common, basic staples found in supermarkets across America. I haven't come across anything weird, however, if it's slightly unusual she explains where to find or how to substitute for it.Now for the first recipe - Southwestern Roasted Veggie Salad with Chipotle-Balsamic Dressing(pg 64). For starters this recipe will take some time because of the roasted veggies - BUT IT'S WORTH THE TIME --- trust me. I picked a awesome first recipe to try!!!! I did not have red pepper or broccoli. I substituted onions and Brussels sprouts. Roasting took about 30-40 min. Salad: Make sure you roast the pepita (pumpkin seeds) and don't sub these. Also, I wouldn't sub the feta cheese. The combination of these with the dressing it what REALLY makes this salad. Dressing: OMG - this is so very good. Make sure you can get the chipotle in adobo sauce (buy many cans - she uses this in many recipes). It's smoky spicy subtle heat with the hint of sweetness from the maple syrup is perfection. Everything about this salad makes it all work to deliciousness. After I had it for lunch - I made another one to take for lunch. Will make again and again. Can't wait to try the next recipe.UPDATE: 5/26/2017 Banana Pecan Shakes: Who doesn't like shakes for breakfast. I couldn't wait to make this recipe so had it for breakfast instead of dessert. It's very simple to make IF you have a high powered blender i.e. vitamix. (Side Note: every kitchen should have two things - a great food processor and a high powered blender. Invest in these and you won't regret it) My bananas were frozen solid - hence the vitamix and super sweet. Therefore I only use three dates instead of the four called for. Don't forget to roast the pecans and add the scant salt - doing this will really enhance the flavor of the shake. Also, the portion size for this is perfect - about a cup for each serving. Just right for a dessert or in my case breakfast. Can't wait to try this with peanuts and peanut butter.Easiest Honey Whole Wheat Pizza Dough (pg 171): Okay - this is a first for me. I made my own pizza dough and it came together just as Kathryne said. She suggest white whole wheat flour - I used whole wheat flour . It was super easy because the food processor does all the work. Produced two beautiful 12" doughs- I rolled it to about half inch. I can see this being my go to dough and never buying store bought again.Heirloom Tomato Pesto Pizza(pg 167): The pesto recipe for this pizza is delicious. I used fresh basil from my garden. It's easy to put together in the food processor. Once I had the dough rolled, assembling was fairly straight forward. I didn't have heirloom tomatoes but I did use tomatoes grown from my garden 🙂 - And because I LOVE spicy food I added a fresh sliced jalapeño. I think the key to the success of the pizza was cooking it at 500 degrees. The crust was crisp and pizza was cooked through in about 11 min. With the other dough I made a pepperoni pizza for the hubby. He loved it!UPDATE 5/27/2017: Best Ever Guacamole w/ Toasted Pepitas and Chipotle Sauce (pg 111): There are many variations of guacamole out there and your always looking for a way to change it up a bit. Kathryne did just that with this recipe. Her love of pepitas and chipotle are evident again in this recipe and I loved it. This is a basic guacamole recipe with a twist of toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and adobo sauce from the chipotle peppers.Butternut Squash Chipotle Chili (pg 83): Butternut squash is the star in this chili. The onions, bell pepper and black beans take a back seat but really add a nice mouth feel when you take a bite. However, the spices are what make this soup though. I did add one secret ingredient that I thought really brought out the smoky, zing of the "chili" flavor and that was about 2TB of maple syrup. It doesn't make the soup sweet, it just really enhances the flavor all the spice from the adobo and chili powder. Did not make my own chips and of course added the avocado, cilantro and squeeze of lime. Another winner Kathryne!UPDATE 6/3/17: Moroccan Roasted Carrot, Arugula and wild rice salad (pg52): This salad is dynamite!! I sub some things but it really worked: Instead of wild rice, I had left over wheat berries which provided the same chewy texture that the rice would have. I used roasted pumpkin seeds instead of pistachios, feta instead of goat cheese, and dark raisins instead of golden.... all okayed by Kathryne in the recipe. What really makes the recipe pop!!!.... the spice on the carrots (cinnamon and chili powder), the raisins and the dressing!!! It all works together to really make a happy pleasure in your mouth. Since the carrots are the star of this recipe, make sure you buy really high quality organic. I had a pack that was tri-colored that many stores are selling these days. Will make again and again.UPDATE: 7/8/2017 Okay I've owned this book for a little over two month and I'm still loving cooking out of it. I just made the granola this morning and I absolutely love it. I made half by her suggestion and half with my own flair and twists (added coconut and cranberries). Had it on yogurt and right out of the pan. Came together quickly and does get crunchy as it cools... just like Kathryne said. Sending some to a friend.Clearly by all the five star ratings this is a must "whole food" cookbook that anyone should be happy to cook from because the food is so dang delicious and simple to make. Can't wait for book two!

Reviewer: LS
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: This book is such a steal! The recipes are delicious and the ingredients purposeful.
Review: I remember when I came across this book, I thought there was no way it could be a hardcover cookbook, with high quality photos, AND be under $15. But it was. So far I would say my favorite recipes are:1. Thai-style Mango Slaw (pg 55, photo #2 sans rice) It tastes like a Thai version of a Mexican mango Pico de Gallo. Can be made with or without rice. We substituted quinoa in it once. It's super easy to make and very fresh tasting. A perfect summer dish!2. Green Goddess Kale Salad (pg 67) I'm not a radish fan, but I end up craving everything in this recipe including the finely sliced radishes. She describes it as crispy, chewy, and zingy and she's not wrong! It's a very filling salad while still remaining bright. And it's very simple. Kale, radishes, carrots, cucumber, and sunflower seeds (plus the dressing.) I LOVE curly kale salads. Not sure what it is but the texture of curly kale is so wonderful- especially when the dressing makes its way into the edges so you can taste it in each bite.3. Quinoa-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (pg 144) This is the perfect fall dish! It tastes like autumn on a plate. Between the sugary sweet potato, the chewy quinoa, savory chickpeas, creamy goat cheese, crunchy pumpkin seeds, and the freshness that the lemon, garlic, onion, and parsley add, well, you're in for a treat! Pair this with a salad (if you can even fit anything else in your belly!) and you're good to go.4. Roasted Cherry Tomato and Brown Rice Risotto (pg 172) This is more of a side than a meal, but wow is it good! So creamy in a way that reminds me of a warm bowl of oatmeal- except a dinner version. And I love anything with tomatoes. Perfect for a cold night! I paired it with shrimp once and loved it.5. Roasted Broccoli, Bell Pepper, and Tofu Bowl with Peanut Sauce (pg 175) My boyfriend and I made this but substituted rice for noodles. Mmm mmm this hits the spot. The crispy tofu, crunchy broccoli, rich and spicy peanut sauce. You can't go wrong!6. Banana Pecan Shakes (pg 207, photo #1) Dead. I got the bug to make this recently- I normally don't go for these types of flavors as they seem too sweet. But I made it, I drank it. I died and went to heaven. This tastes like a milkshake I used to get at Carls Jr but better.Kathryne has photos for every single recipe. If she has a photo "out of place", she references the recipe and the page it's on which is incredibly helpful. I have some cookbooks without photos, but I like to see what it is supposed to look like, so I kind of know I'm on the right track. I'm a visual learner so the pictures really help. I like that she has substitutes, pairings, tips and tricks woven throughout the book. She also has extra bonuses like salad dressings, pizza dough, whipped cream- the accessories to meals. I like to eat as much plant based food as I can, as I don't often crave or care for meat. There are still plenty more recipes I have yet to try in here. This book is a success for me! And for the price, you really can't go wrong. I have yet to find a cookbook that has as much included as this one at such an affordable price. I hope she comes out with another book!

Reviewer: Galloway’s
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Great Source for Easy, Healthy Recipes
Review: I love to cook and have decades of experience expanding upon family recipes, recreating favorite restaurant menu items and adventuring into a variety of cuisine. But when my husband and I made a conscious decision to eat a less meat, more plant-based diet, I needed some inspiration. Thankfully I stumbled on this excellent collection of recipes from Kate. I was delighted to find I had already accessed her blog “Cookie & Kate” for various recipes and this book reads like a “best of” her popular blog.Kate makes healthy eating delicious and easy. We don’t miss having meat. In fact, we prefer her spin on burgers, tacos and heavy cream based sauces so much it would be hard to eat those less healthy options again.So far I’ve made at least a dozen recipes from this book and every one has been a success. Plus now I have a new arsenal of techniques to riff off of and create my own variations. The photos are lovely, ingredients readily available in most regular grocery stores, and instructions accurate and easy to follow. The only exception I’ve found is the timing /temperature of roasting kale. (425 degrees for 10 minutes was too long!) So far our favorite recipes are the granola, carrot cake cookies, arugula and roasted carrot salad, green goddess hummus, sweet potato, black bean enchiladas, roasted tomato risotto, taco salad and the veggie burger! Plus Kate’s technique for crispy baked tofu is a game changer. Yes, many of these recipes are on her blog, but I love have a book to pour over, study and —best of all — keep open while I cook. Highly recommend this book even if you’re a carnivore!

Reviewer: Trent Olson
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Great quality, loads of good recipe options with high quality pictures and quality book. The Books front cover corners were bent but not a big deal and it did seem packaged well in bubble wrap, probably just a delivery issue

Reviewer: Natalia
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: One of our go to books for recipes. Love the granola and the soups. It’s just such a heartwarming book. It obviously was written with love

Reviewer: Alex de Sousa
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Óptimas receitas de comida muito saborosa e muito saudável

Reviewer: Lulu
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: Sólo lo compré para comer más saludable. Recetas deliciosas, de dificultades que van de principiante a media. En mi caso, soy maaaala en la cocina y he logrado preparar cosas ricas. Los ingredientes son fáciles (o no muy dificiles) de conseguir en México 🙂 lo recomiendo a cualquiera que quiera hacer más ensaladas o comida saludable.Tengo la versión electrónica y se lee muy bien en kindle o en las aplicaciones para computadora y celular.

Reviewer: Mellisa Michael
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title:
Review: love this cookbook, great recipes easy to follow and healthy