The Simply Vegetarian Cookbook: Fuss-Free Recipes Everyone Will Love

As a longtime vegetarian who likes simple quick and easy to make meals 90% of the time- this book is great and lives up to its title. Yes some recipes are very simple but when thinking of lunches for work- it’s still helpful to flip through this and I often use the index to figure out what to do with extra produce etc and that’s where a simple wrap using the same produce comes in handy. I’ve really enjoyed the fruity broccoli salad, the quinoa salad that also used grapes, the cheddar broccoli sweet potatoes and I just made the Mexican tortilla soup which is tasty and a breeze. Lots of no cook and salads that make lunch prep really easy and it’s simple enough that you can easily make swaps or additions to keep things interesting.

The subtitle to Susan's cookbook is "Fuss-Free Recipes Everyone Will Love." She's too modest to do so, but she could have claimed "Fuss-Free and Fabulous Recipes...". I found the organization of the book appealing in its simplicity - there are eight chapters, including 'no cook', 'thirty minutes max', 'one pot & skillet', 'sheet pan & baking dish', and 'kitchen staples.' I skipped over the slow cooker section because, well, I don't have one. But she does give conversions for slow cooker recipes to the stove top as well as pressure cooker to stove top. I did't try the adaptations, but I will. In addition to being fuss-free and fabulous, her recipes are also flexible. At the end of her introduction, Susan writes, "There are enough things to be stressed about in life. Dinner shouldn't be one of them" (pg. xiii.). I agree! But, my biggest compliment to a cookbook author is: It got me off the couch and into the kitchen! It inspired me to actually cook. Seriously. I have so many beautiful, even well-written cookbooks, but if they don't inspire me into the kitchen, I just can't rave about them. This book has clearly written recipes, a few beautiful photos of completed dishes, and lots and lots of tips about adding more vegetable-based meals to your table. It's not a cookbook for vegetarians alone. It's a cookbook for everyone who is interested in some fuss-free, fabulous ways to get more vegetable on their plates.

I bought this book because I’m trying to eat healthier and many of the recipe names appealed to me. I like that the recipes use “normal” ingredients and the author provides variation instructions for vegan or flexitarian, etc. Good variety of recipes. I do wish there were more pictures. Only thing I found concerning is that the majority of the recipes are VERY high sodium, which is not great for me trying to cook for my husband with heart issues. I did appreciate the author including the nutrition info. Certainly for $0.99 the book was well worth it. I will try to modify some of the recipes to lower the sodium content.

The Chapter rundown is as follows: Chapter 1 - Meatless Made Easy Chapter 2 - No Cook Chapter 3 - 30 Minutes Max Chapter 4 - Five Ingredients Chapter 5 - One Pot & Skillet Chapter 6 - Sheet Pan and Baking Dish Chapter 7 - Slow Cooker and Pressure Cooker Chapter 8 - Kitchen Staples The first chapter offers a wealth of general information about vegetarianism which I found helpful. Also, I have tried some of the recipes from Chapter 4 - "Five Ingredients" and will keep several of those in my repertoire (especially the mushroom and polenta dish!). The instructions for the recipes I tried were straightforward and the results were tasty. I think anyone who wants to add meatless meals to his/her diet would benefit from the general information and the recipes contained in this cookbook.

Nearly every recipe in the book contains cheese. Many contain eggs or sour cream. Her definition of vegetarian appears to be dishes that contain no physical meat product. The recipes look tasty and I am not a strict vegetarian so I will keep the book, however I do want to warn people who are actually vegetarians and they are not ovo lacto vegetarians, this is not the book you want. I assumed the type of book it was because there are eggs featured on the cover but for those who don’t make that connection, heads up!

I think this is a great little cookbook. Its only downside is the lack of photos, but since we're not talking haute cuisine here, the lack of photos isn't a big deal for me. It has simple recipes that use readily available ingredients and seem, at least according to my cooking experience, like they will be very tasty. Being simple, the recipes lend themselves to creative modifications, which is how I tend to use recipes anyway. If not everyone in your family is vegetarian, this cookbook gives you many ideas on how to please everyone without making multiple dishes. This would also be a terrific 'transitional' cookbook for someone morphing from omnivore to plant-forward or flexitarian. Don't be misled by "A User's" negative review, in response to which I posted a comment. The book's description is accurate, and if you like what you read there, I don't think you'll be disappointed with this simple, accessible, cookbook. I'm very glad I bought it.

I bookmarked about a dozen recipes the first time I sat down with this cookbook. I’m a “mostly” vegetarian, basically because I prefer veggies over meat. But I don’t want to box myself in to any one diet. This is really one cookbook that has easy to make, nutritious recipes that also gives substitutes for both vegans and meat eaters. I’m also a cook that likes excellent meals that don’t take much effort, or exotic, expensive ingredients that will get thrown away a year after you bought them and used them twice. I noticed a few ingredients I don’t usually have, but there are several good recipes that use them. This is a rare cookbook that I really use.

Many of the recipes are American and use ingredients not easily available in Europe. This is not made clear

The cook likes it

This has become my absolute 'go to' vegetarian cookbook. My teenage daughter has decided to go meatless, but the rest of the family, not yet. Almost every recipe has a 'Flexitarian' option to make everyone happy. It is also one of the few cookbooks I have found that doesn't base everything on beans and grains. The recipes use every day pantry items and "WOW", what flavor! This book is a hit with my whole family!

Being a beginner vegetarian who hates tofu and soy, I was worried what kind of recipes I would get. So far EVERY recipie I have tried from this book has not only been easy to make but is made from foods already in my pantry and fridge. And did I mention they are DELICIOUS. I can't wait to try the rest!!

I love all the helpful tips which is great for a beginner cook like me. The recipes are so easy and yummy, very happy with this book.