Bittman Bread by Mark Bittman

Bittman Bread
by Mark Bittman

ISBN-13: 9780358539339
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Mariner Books
Released: November 16th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
75 to 85 recipes plus essential information and advice for making delicious and nourishing whole-grain bread (and more!) from best-selling author Mark Bittman

From best-selling author Mark Bittman comes the ultimate guide to perfect homemade bread—starting with a wholesome, nourishing, no-knead recipe that’s actually easy for the at-home baker (and also happens to set you up with a sourdough starter for future loaves). Plus, recipes for every taste and any grain, with all the techniques and tips to bake delicious bread at home. You’ll also find baguettes, mixed-grain loaves, sandwich bread, soft pretzels, cinnamon rolls, focaccia, pizza, waffles, and much more. Like all of Bittman’s cookbooks, these recipes are straightforward—no frills or overcomplications—and get right to the heart of how to make bread, making it great for beginners, but also, with Bittman's innovative techniques and unique insights, essential for bakers of all skill levels.


My Review:
Bittman Bread explains his techniques for making whole-grain bread using a variation on no-knead bread and a sourdough starter started from commercial bread yeast. He explained his no-knead technique and how to make the sourdough starter and keep it alive. There were step-by-step pictures showing the process. He also included other bread recipes that use this starter. He explained the process with enough detail and troubleshooting tips that I feel confident that I can make this starter and bread. However, it takes a lot of time and effort. I was also somewhat confused by why the sourdough starter was done with white flour. It seemed based on the assumption that you're currently using white flour, but I don't have any in the house, so hopefully whole grain will work well. Overall, I'd recommend this to fans of whole wheat bread and/or no-knead bread.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Plant-Based Bean Cookbook by Katherine Green

Plant-Based Bean Cookbook
by Katherine Green

ISBN-13: 978-1648769726
Paperback: 126 pages
Publisher: Rockridge Press
Released: May 18th 2021

Source: review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Beans are an adaptable, inexpensive protein you can integrate into almost any meal. This bean cookbook is full of nutritious recipes that highlight black beans, pinto beans, green beans, chickpeas, split peas, and more. Whether you already follow a plant-based diet or are looking to add more plant-based dishes to your rotation, you’ll discover the health benefits of enjoying beans and learn to easily prepare dishes from scratch with just a few varieties of canned or dry beans in your pantry.

Check out profiles for the most popular beans, along with a chart of cooking guidelines for making beans on the stovetop, or in a pressure cooker or slow cooker. Explore a bean cookbook that includes recipes for snacks and spreads, sides and salads, soups and stews, suppers, and even sweets. Nutritional information is included for each recipe, along with tips for adapting recipes for vegetarian and omnivorous diets.


My Review:
Plant-Based Bean Cookbook is a vegan cookbook that focuses on using a variety of different beans. She explained the basics about cooking and using 18 different common types of beans. In the recipes, she mainly used whole foods or minimally processed foods (like pasta, tofu, plant-based milk). The recipes were healthy and didn't contain a lot of oil or sweetening but used spices to add flavor. Many recipes were not overly hot/spicy, but some did use hot sauce, jalapeno peppers, or other hot peppers.

Most of the recipes served between 4 to 6 people and took around 20-60 minutes to make. Most of the ingredients in the recipes should be easy to get. She included 12 recipes for snacks and spreads, 15 recipes for sides and salads, 16 recipes for soups and stews, 20 recipes for bean suppers, 7 recipes for staples and sweets.

The recipes provided the preparation time, cooking time, how much is made, ingredients, instructions, and cooking tips. Recipes were labeled if gluten-free, oil-free, quick, no cook, five ingredients, freezable, nut-free, soy-free. Each recipe included "per serving" information on calories, total fat, protein, carbohydrates, fiber. There was only one picture of a finished recipe per each section of recipes.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Authentic Homemade Pasta by Carmella Alvaro

Authentic Homemade Pasta by Carmella Alvaro ISBN-13: 978-1647397449 Paperback: 266 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: October 20, 2020

Source: review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
With high-quality ingredients and just the right amount of care, you can create delicious homemade pasta in your own kitchen. Authentic Homemade Pasta is a comprehensive homemade pasta cookbook filled with 100 tried-and-true recipes for noodles, pasta dishes, sauces, and fillings so you can make classic Italian meals you’re proud to serve. Get step-by-step instructions for mixing pasta dough by hand and with a machine, rolling out and shaping dough, and storing or cooking the finished results.

Inside this unique homemade pasta cookbook, you’ll find master dough recipes for egg pasta, whole-wheat flour pasta, and more. Explore “Learn and Make” recipes that teach you dough-shaping techniques with step-by-step photos and instructions for cut, hand-shaped, stuffed, and extruded pastas, as well as gnocchi and gnudi. Then move on to recipes for sauces, fillings, toppings, and complete pasta dishes.


My Review:
Authentic Homemade Pasta teaches how to make your own handmade pasta. The author started by explaining the different supplies needed and then provided several different pasta dough recipes (including one for gluten-free pasta and for pasta that has herbs or spinach, etc. in it). She then had sections for cut pasta, shaped pasta, stuffed pasta, and a small section on machine-extruded pasta. For each section, there were one or two pastas that had a step-by-step, how-to demonstration with six pictures. The rest of the section was a variety of Italian recipes, but many of these recipes had pasta variations that were slight modifications of those taught in the demonstration. Most of these were simple enough to understand, but most did not have a picture. I wasn't sure I understood the instructions on some of the more complex pastas that had no pictures.

The sauce part of the recipes used a lot of vegetable, herb, meat, and dairy. There were also some basic sauce recipes at the end of the book. While the recipes are based on regional Italian recipes, the ingredients looked like they can be found in America. Personally, I'm more interested in learning how to make pasta than in having a bunch of recipes, so I was disappointed that there weren't more pasta-making demonstration pages with illustrative pictures. Still, I'd recommend this book to those interested in learning to make handmade pasta.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Naturally Fermented Bread by Paul Barker

Naturally Fermented Bread by Paul Barker ISBN-13: 9781631599132 Hardcover: 160 pages Publisher: Quarry Books Released: October 13th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Learn to bake healthy, gut-friendly loaves and sweet fermented buns using wild yeasts cultivated from fruits, flowers, vegetables, and plants. To bake naturally fermented bread—fruit, vegetables, plants, or flowers are submerged in water and left for a few days to a few weeks to ferment. Yeasts living in this newly fermented water, or botanical water, will, like a sourdough starter, raise the dough more slowly than commercial fresh or dried yeast resulting in a more flavorful and gut-friendly bread.

You can use this technique to make traditional long-fermented loaves and also a range of sweet fermented buns that showcase the subtle and surprising flavors of your own botanical starters. Recipes include: Tomato and Basil Pizza Dough, Cucumber Burger Buns, Chocolate Orange Brioche, Botanical Laminated Pastry, and much more!


My Review:
Naturally Fermented Bread is a cookbook that describes how to use wild yeasts found on fruit and vegetables to make bread. The author started by describing how to culture these wild yeasts found on various fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and flowers. He then gave step-by-step instructions on how to make your own breads using this instead of prepackaged yeast. The breadmaking part is basic enough to help those not used to baking as well as those simply not used to working with higher hydration doughs or wild yeast cultures.

Most of the book was recipes for yeast breads and sweet buns that included tips on making that ferment (using raisins or figs or whatever) and things like how to modify the hydration levels as well as the recipe for that type of bread. Each recipe included a picture of the finished loaf. The author also included some recipes for sourdough breads. Overall, the author made naturally fermented bread making sound relatively easy and doable, and I will soon try making some bread using apples. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in trying this process.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook by Linda Ly

The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook by Linda Ly ISBN-13: 978-1558329973 Hardcover: 192 pages Publisher: Harvard Common Press Released: April 7th 2020

Source: Review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Learn how to make the most of the edibles in your garden or the farmer's market bounty! The No Waste Vegetable Cookbook will help you cook your way through greens, beans, roots, and herbs with seasonal recipes that utilize every edible part of the plant. Author Linda Ly shares a wide variety of recipes and techniques from her popular CSA Cookbook, from creative pickling (think watermelon rind) to perfect pestos. Chapters and recipes include:

Tomatoes and Peppers: Spicy Minty Tomato Sauce Infused with Tomato Leaves, Spicy Fermented Summer Salsa, Ginger-Spiced Chicken Soup with Wilted Pepper Leaves, Blistered Padron Peppers and White Onions

Leafy Greens: Kale Stem Pesto Spring Bulgur Salad with Kale Buds, Stuffed Collard Greens, Potlikker Noodles with Collard Greens, Broccoli Green and Baked Falafel Wrap

Peas and Beans: Pea Shoot Salad with Radish and Carrot, Pan-Charred Beans with Bean Leaf Pesto, Yardlong Bean Curry with Wilted Spinach, Fava Leaf Salad with Citrus, Feta, and Walnuts, Charred Fava Pods with Parmesean

Bulbs and Stems: Fennel Front and Ginger Pesto, Kohlrabi Home Fries with Thyme Aioli, Leek Green, Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Crostini, Scallion Soup, Green Onion Pancake with Spicy Soy Dipping Sauce

Roots and Tubers: Carrot Top Salsa, Beetza Beetza, Quick-Pickled Sweet 'n Spicy Radish Pods, Savory Sweet Potato Hummus, Creamy Sweet Potato Soup with Maple Syrup, Hasselback Potatoes, Vietnamese Carrot and Daikon Pickles

Melons and Gourds: Watermelon Rind Kimchi, Stir-Fried Watermelon Rind, Gingered Butternut Bisque, Four Ways to Toast Pumpkin Seeds, Sicilian Squash Shoot Soup, Drunken Pumpkin Chili, Pan-Fried Cucumber in Honey Sesame Sauce

Flowers and Herbs: Chive Blossom Vinegar, Nasturtium Pesto, Cilantro Pepita Pesto, Chimichurri, Marinated Feta with a Mess of Herbs, and "All In" Herb Dressing Whether you're excited to make the most of the farmer's market or use every bit of your garden's bounty, this is the book that keeps the food on your table and out of the trash can (or compost bin)!


My Review:
The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook is a cookbook focused on using all parts of the vegetable in a recipe. The author described how you can use the leaves on many vegetables, like tomatoes, peppers, peas, beans, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, etc. I already knew a lot of this, and that you don't necessarily have to peel vegetables. That part probably is best for someone who doesn't have a lot of experience in the kitchen and is unaware of just how much of the vegetable you can use. The author also included recipes that use these various vegetable greens, though I was surprised that some of these recipes were simply for leafy greens or used herbs. I was interested in the many different ways one can make pesto and a few of the other recipes. Overall, I recommend this book to beginners interested in learning more about this topic.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Artisan Kitchen by James Strawbridge

The Artisan Kitchen by James Strawbridge ISBN-13: 978-1465499363 Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: DK Publishing Released: September 8th 2020

Source: review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Rediscover traditional culinary skills made accessible for the creative, contemporary cook. This cookbook is for people who like to escape to their kitchen and plan a new culinary project; who would be proud to feed their sourdough starter, culture their next batch of kefir, salt and hang their curing sausages; who are happy to leave their chutney to mature and their home-brewed wine to mellow; who are up for the challenge of building their own smoker and rigging up a turning spit to roast over an open fire.

The Artisan Kitchen is a compendium of culinary projects, each explored in three stages to spark your creativity: "The Science" explains the science and technical know-how; "The Practice" gets you started on an enticing recipe, with action shots of tricky techniques; and "The Possibilities" provides further recipe ideas plus the tools and inspiration to devise your own recipes.


My Review:
The Artisan Kitchen explained how to do various traditional cooking skills like fermenting, breadmaking, curing, and smoking. For each skill, there was a page explaining the science (chemical reactions and such), one or more recipes teaching how to do the skill along with expert tips, then two pages exploring possible variations on the ingredients. The skills taught were how to do or make: sour-fermented pickles, vinegar pickles, chutney, jams, jellies, and syrups, fruit curds, dehydrating, vinegar, fermented soft drinks, alcoholic cider, flavored spirits, yogurt, butter, cheese, sourdough, flat breads, confit, potting, dry curing, wet curing, sausages, cold smoking, hot smoking, campfire cooking, spit roasting, and wood-fired oven. The information was not difficult to understand, and there were many pictures that helped to show the process (though these weren't full step-by-step illustrations). Overall, I'd recommend this book to those interested in learning these skills.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Whole Food Vegetarian Cookbook by Ivy Stark

Whole Food Vegetarian Cookbook by Ivy Stark ISBN-13: 978-1646118847 Paperback: 3063 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: August 25, 2020

Source: Review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Amazon:
Vegetarian cooking has never been so nutritious and delicious. The Whole Food Vegetarian Cookbook makes it quick and easy to cook up tons of fresh and tasty meals every day that will boost energy levels and optimize your overall health.

From Vegan Sloppy Joes to Vegan Macaroni & Cheese, this complete vegetarian cookbook gives you everything you need to get started, including the holistic health benefits of vegetarian cooking, tips for stocking your pantry, kitchen and prep essentials, and more. Switching to a plant-forward diet and a healthier lifestyle will give you lots of flexibility so you can fit it into your active, everyday schedule.

The Whole Food Vegetarian Cookbook includes 135 Tasty recipes―Discover dozens of delicious vegetarian cookbook delights made with natural, whole-food ingredients. Explore essential information on prep time, cook time, and nutritional information. Learn substitution tricks to make these flavorful meals vegan, gluten-free, and nut-free.


My Review:
Whole Food Vegetarian Cookbook is a vegetarian cookbook that focuses on using minimally-processed, whole-food ingredients. She used dairy and eggs, but she also included recipes for making your own soy or nut milk, dairy-free soft cheese, nondairy yogurt, butterless butter, eggless mayonnaise, as well as tips in the actual recipes for making substitutions for eggs and dairy. She occasionally used ingredients like tempeh bacon or vegan cheese. I was disappointed that she did not warn to avoid GMO soy, canola oil, corn, and other GMO ingredients though she did mention avoiding rBGH in dairy. She tended to make the dishes spicy, and so far I haven't really cared for the spice combinations even when I greatly reduce the amounts to levels that my family can tolerate. Others may enjoy them, though.

Most of the recipes served between 4 to 8 people and took around 20-70 minutes to make. Most of the ingredients in the recipes should be easy to get, but there were a few ingredients I've never even heard of. She included 18 recipes for staples and snacks, 17 recipes for sauces and dressings, 15 recipes for breakfast, 14 recipes for sandwiches, burgers, and handheld, 18 recipes for bowls, salads, and sides, 15 recipes for soups and stews, 25 recipes for dinner mains, and 14 recipes for drinks and desserts.

The recipes provided the preparation time, cooking time, how much is made, ingredients, instructions, cooking and substitution tips. Recipes were sometimes labeled gluten-free or dairy-free. Each recipe included "per serving" information on calories, total fat, carbohydrates, fiber, protein, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, and zinc. There were only two or so pictures of finished recipes per each section of recipes. At least one picture was paired with the wrong recipe.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

150 Food Science Questions Answered by Bryan Le

150 Food Science Questions Answered by Bryan Le ISBN-13: 978-1646118335 Paperback: 198 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: July 21, 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Amazon:
Does cold water come to a boil faster than warm water? Why does fat taste so good? What makes popcorn pop? Most of the processes that occur during cooking are based on principles found in biology, chemistry, and physics. 150 Food Science Questions Answered is an intriguing look into the science of food, from the eyes of a food science Ph.D. candidate and recipient of the James Beard Legacy Scholarship.

Learn food science―how controlling heat, moisture, acidity, and salt content can magically transform the way flavors are developed and perceived. Understand the food science behind the few hundred milliseconds that creates our sense of taste. With increased knowledge will come increased mastery, no matter what you’re cooking.

Inside 150 Food Science Questions Answered you’ll find: Can you control garlic’s intensity by the way you cut it?―Garlic’s signature burn is released when its cell walls are cut into. Whole garlic will impart mild flavor; garlic crushed into a paste will deliver the strongest punch. Does alcohol burn off when cooked?―Quick processes like flambé eliminate only about 25% of alcohol, while long-simmering can remove almost all of it. Does searing a steak seal in the juices?―No, but it does develop delicious flavors through a process called the Maillard reaction.


My Review:
150 Food Science Questions Answered answers common questions people have about cooking and baking. The author took a common question, then described the science behind it and how to apply this information in your kitchen. He covered the categories of cooking basics; flavor basics, meat, poultry, and fish; eggs and dairy; fruits and vegetables; baking and sweets; food safety and storage. The science was not so deep that it should lose the average cook. The application of the science does help the reader to get the desired result, like tasty browning of food by knowing the ideal temperatures and other tips. As a "health nut," I felt like he sometimes missed the point of the question. For example, he says that preservatives "in moderate amounts" are safe (he does not say what moderate amounts are), whereas food without preservatives can make you very sick if it goes bad. True, but one can have foods without either the artificial preservatives or bad microbes. Anyway, overall, I'd recommend this interesting and informative book to those interested in the science behind cooking and baking.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Healthy Vegan Air Fryer Cookbook by Dana Angelo White

Healthy Vegan Air Fryer Cookbook by Dana Angelo White ISBN-13: 9781465493316 Paperback: 160 pages Publisher: Alpha Books Released: September 1st 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Wondering what your air fryer can do? How about quickly making foods that use less oil than deep frying and thus have less fat than their traditional deep-fried counterparts? With this book, you can go even further by making foods that contain only vegan ingredients. Plus, every recipe has nutritional data to show you how low in calories and fat each meal is. You can make pizza, tacos, and, yes, even cake--all without compromising your eating habits and without needing to submerge your food in unhealthy oil.

Not only can this appliance fry foods, but it can also bake, roast, and grill. So if you were hesitant to use your air fryer before, now you can put it to good use by making all your vegan favorites quickly, easily, and healthfully. This cookbook features 100 vegan recipes with low calories, low fat, and with detailed nutritional data for every recipe, including calories, fat, carbs, fiber, and sodium.


My Review:
Healthy Vegan Air Fryer Cookbook is a vegan cookbook that focused on recipes that use an air fryer. The book was mainly recipes as it contained only a brief introduction to air fryers and vegan eating. The author used store-bought vegan butter, vegan cheese, vegan mayonnaise, etc., in many of the recipes. She often used canola oil, which isn't healthy, especially if you use a GMO canola. Basically, the author didn't always choose healthy ingredients. She also sometimes had you cook several servings in a row when it didn't all fit in the air fryer--and using an oven would make more sense. While I can use some of these recipes, I'll have to modify them a lot.

She included 18 recipes for breakfast, 25 recipes for main dishes, 17 recipes for sides, 24 recipes for snacks and salads, and 17 recipes for desserts. The recipes provided the preparation time, cooking time, fryer temp, serving size, ingredients, instructions, and tips. Each recipe included nutritional data for calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbs, fiber, sugar, and protein. There was usually only two or three pictures of a finished recipe in each section of recipes.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Ultimate Pasta Machine Cookbook by Lucy Vaserfirer

The Ultimate Pasta Machine Cookbook by Lucy Vaserfirer ISBN-13: 9781592339488 Paperback: 208 pages Publisher: Harvard Common Press Released: August 4th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Making pasta by hand at home lets you create and enjoy dozens and dozens of different flavors of noodles. Cooking teacher and food blogger Lucy Vaserfirer explains the methods of master chefs in simple-to-follow, step-by-step instructions that let home cooks cook like the pros. Lucy shows you how easy it is to use a sheeter, extruder, and cavatelli maker of any type, manual or electric, to create tasty pastas that will please everyone from grown-up gourmands to picky kids who want pasta at nearly every meal.

Lucy shares in these pages terrific purees that you can make, using a blender or a mixing bowl, that you then can turn into all sorts of flavored pastas, from the familiar tomato or spinach pastas to noodles flavored with herbs like basil or chives, spices like pepper or saffron, and other flavors, such as beet, sweet potato, corn, and even, surprisingly enough, chocolate. She teaches you how to make every kind of pasta shape with your pasta machine, including ones you can't find in stores. She includes durum and semolina pastas, the most common kinds, as well as buckwheat and ancient-grain pastas. She even shows how to make Asian noodles, such as udon, soba, and ramen, with your pasta machine. There are recipes, too, for fillings for ravioli, tortellini, and other stuffed pastas, as well as a feast of sauces for finished pasta dishes.

Whether you are a first-time owner of a pasta maker or a seasoned pro looking for exciting new ideas, this book has more than 100 splendid recipes, plus loads of clever tips and tricks, that will make you love your pasta machine and use it often.


My Review:
The Ultimate Pasta Machine Cookbook explained how to make a variety of pastas using three different types of pasta machines: a sheeter pasta machine, an extruder pasta machine, and a cavatelli pasta machine. The author talked about tools, equipment, and ingredients for making pasta. She included many recipes for different types of pasta dough (egg dough, chocolate dough, spinach dough, etc.), pasta fillings, sauces, and even completed dishes. This is a useful, informative book about using these pasta machines.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Essential Vegetarian Air Fryer Cookbook by Linda Larsen

Essential Vegetarian Air Fryer Cookbook by Linda Larsen ISBN-13: 978-1646115358 Paperback: 158 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: June 2, 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Amazon:
Just because you’ve switched to a meat-free diet doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy deep-fried delicacies. You can still feast on fantastic fried food while staying healthy—The Essential Vegetarian Air Fryer Cookbook shows you how. Featuring more than 75 delicious recipes, this is your go-to guide for whipping up your favorite veggie-based meals using one appliance—your air fryer. You can use your air fryer to sauté, steam, simmer, stir-fry, bake, and so much more. Loaded with yummy favorites like Apple Fritters and Crispy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites, this is the air fryer cookbook you need to add a little versatility to your kitchen game.

The Essential Vegetarian Air Fryer Cookbook teaches you all the basics for getting the most out of this ultimate cooking machine. All of the recipes in this air fryer cookbook include easy-to-find ingredients and helpful cooking tips that get your meals on the table faster. Discover dozens of recipes designed for pure vegetarians, flexitarians, and even multiple-diet households.


My Review:
Essential Vegetarian Air Fryer Cookbook is a vegetarian cookbook where the meals are cooked in an air fryer. The recipes use eggs and dairy. The ingredients in the recipes should be easy to get. She included 15 recipes for breakfast and breads, 15 recipes for snacks and bites, 16 recipes for side dishes, 15 recipes for main dishes, and 15 recipes for desserts. These recipes included dishes like a roasted salad, fruit in blankets, granola, several types of pizzas, and cinnamon coated balls. Some could as easily be cooked in other ways, but the point is to find new ways to utilize your air fryer.

Many of these recipes serve around four people and take under 45 minutes to make. Each recipe included prep time, cook time, how much is made, frying temperature, ingredients, instructions, cooking tips, substitution tips, and recipe variations. The recipes were labeled with: fry, bake, grill, roast, five ingredients, 30 minutes, family-friendly (which uses common ingredients and should appeal to adults and children), and gluten-free. Each recipe also had nutritional information per serving: calories, protein, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugar, sodium, and fiber. There was usually only one or two pictures of a finished recipe for each section of recipes.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Vegan Soul Food Cookbook by Nadira Jenkins-El

Vegan Soul Food Cookbook by Nadira Jenkins-El ISBN-13: 9781646117215 Paperback: 178 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: June 16th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
101 tasty recipes for vegan soul food―100% plant-based recipes. If you love classic soul food but are hungry for healthier meat-free and dairy-free options, the Vegan Soul Food Cookbook will help you make mouthwatering, plant-based meals that are sure to surprise and delight your whole family. From Cajun Fried “Chicken” to Barbecue Riblets, this complete soul food cookbook delivers loads of satisfying flavor without relying on butter, sugar, and meat. These vegan recipes will tantalize your taste buds, and you’ll be eating smarter and healthier every day.


My Review:
Vegan Soul Food Cookbook is a vegan cookbook that focused on making dishes with similar tastes and textures to favorite southern recipes. She generally used whole food or minimally processed ingredients, but the focus was on replicating meat dishes (without the meat) so she used textured vegetable protein, vital wheat gluten, store-bought vegan butter and mayonnaise, etc. She briefly mentioned that you should buy organic corn and soy products due to the GMO issue. Almost all of the ingredients in the recipes should be easy to get.

Most of the 101 recipes served 4 to 6 people and took around 20-60 minutes to make. She included 9 recipes for breakfast, 10 recipes for salads, 10 recipes for soups and stews, 21 recipes for appetizers and sides, 21 recipes for main dishes, 12 recipes for sauces, seasonings, and dressings, 8 recipes for breads, rolls, and biscuits, and 10 recipes for desserts. The recipes provided the preparation time, cooking time, serving size, ingredients, instructions, and substitution tips. She labeled if a recipe was gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, oil-free, or 30 minutes or less. There was usually only one picture of a finished recipe for each section of recipes.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Budget-Friendly Vegan Cookbook by Ally Lazare

The Budget-Friendly Vegan Cookbook by Ally Lazare ISBN-13: 9781646119172 Paperback: 216 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: June 2nd 2020

Source: review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Looking for vegan cookbooks with healthy meals that are full of flavor but won’t empty your wallet? The Budget-Friendly Vegan Cookbook is here with satisfying dishes full of easy-to-find, protein-rich ingredients. Most recipes take 30-45 minutes or less―so your schedule stays as stress-free as your budget.

Get advice you won’t find in other vegan cookbooks on stocking your pantry, maximizing food purchases, and avoiding waste. Discover cost-effective everyday ingredients you can use for a variety of vegan dishes. Whether you’re a new or longtime vegan, find fresh recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and desserts. This budget-friendly choice in vegan cookbooks includes 145 recipes focused on plant-based proteins like lentils, tofu, beans, and chickpeas. Recipes like Sweet Chili Mango Tofu, Mushroom and Green Pea Farro Risotto, Maple Pecan Sautéed Brussels Sprouts, and many more.


My Review:
The Budget-Friendly Vegan Cookbook is a vegan cookbook that focused on using cheap ingredients. For example, she used canola or vegetable oil in most of the recipes. Unfortunately, she didn't point out that canola, corn, soy, and some other ingredients are GMO's (which can be harmful to health) unless these ingredients are certified organic or Non-GMO Project Verified. Oddly, she suggested using store-bought versions of vegan "dairy" (butter, cheese, milk) even though this is more expensive than making your own. The author used soy (especially tofu) in practically every recipe: 103 out of 145 recipes used soy. A large number of recipes were labeled nut-free. She also used a lot of hot spices: jalapenos, red curry, red pepper, hot sauce, etc.

Most of the recipes served 4 to 6 people and took around 20-60 minutes to make. Almost all of the ingredients in the recipes should be easy to get. She included 20 recipes for sauces and dressings, 20 recipes using tofu and other soy, 20 recipes using beans and seeds, 25 recipes using fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, and more, 25 recipes using quinoa, millet, and other grains, 20 recipes for snacks and sides, and 15 recipes for desserts.

The recipes provided the preparation time, cooking time, how much is made, ingredients, instructions, cooking and substitution tips. She labeled if a recipe was gluten-free, soy free, or nut free. Each recipe included "per serving" information on calories, total fat, carbohydrates, fiber, protein, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron, and zinc. There was one picture of a finished recipe for each section of recipes.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Healthy Vegan, Happy Body by Tess Challis

Healthy Vegan, Happy Body by Tess Challis ISBN-13: Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Berkley Prime Crime Released:

Source: review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Go healthy vegan! When you have the foods you love every day, eating healthy is hassle-free. Reap the many benefits of a healthy vegan diet--extra energy, reduced inflammation, and even financial savings! Healthy Vegan, Happy Body can help you discover the uniquely satisfying flavors of a plant-based diet with recipes like Pad Thai, World’s Healthiest Mac and Cheese, and Mint Chocolate Chip Nice Cream. With go-to information on a healthy vegan lifestyle and recipes that minimize salt, oil, and refined flours and sugars, becoming a healthy vegan using vegan cookbooks has never been so easy or tasty.

Inside one of the most comprehensive vegan cookbooks, you’ll find: Make the transition to healthy eating fast and simple using the included tips to set up your kitchen with pantry essentials and nourishing staples. Find the perfect dishes for you with clearly marked labels to show whether recipes are gluten-free, leftover-friendly, fast to prepare, and more. Look for numerous recipes that eliminate salt, oil, sugar, and other processed foods, plus tips for making other recipes WFPB-friendly.


My Review:
Healthy Vegan, Happy Body is a vegan cookbook that focuses on healthy, tasty recipes. The recipes used minimally-processed, whole-food, plant-based ingredients. She started by talking about how to make plant-based foods that are tasty and fulfill your nutritional requirements. She also talked about the health benefits of eating this way and some basic vegan cooking information, like making nut milk and cooking grains or beans. She didn't use white flour or refined sugar and generally used minimally processed ingredients. She did use some high quality, healthy oils to add flavor, but she didn't use excessive amounts of oil, salt, or sugar. I found a lot of recipes that I'm interested in trying that look both healthy and tasty.

Most of the recipes served 4 to 6 people and took around 20-60 minutes to make. Almost all of the ingredients in the recipes should be easy to get. She included 13 recipes for smoothies, juices, and shakes; 16 recipes for breakfast; 16 recipes for snacks and sides; 15 recipes for salads; 12 recipes for soups and stews; 13 recipes for rolls, tacos, and wraps; 16 recipes using noodles or rice; 9 recipes for special occasions; 15 recipes for deserts; and 14 recipes for staples (sauces, dips, seasonings).

The recipes provided the preparation time, cooking time, how much is made, ingredients, instructions, cooking and substitution tips. Each recipe was labeled with one or more of the following: 30 minutes or less, plan ahead, gluten-free, leftover friendly, nut free, wfpb (no salt, oil, or refined sugar). Each recipe included "per serving" information on calories, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, protein, sodium, and iron. There were only two or three pictures of finished recipes per each section of recipes.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Botanical Kitchen by Elly McCausland

The Botanical Kitchen by Elly McCausland ISBN-13: 9781472969453 Hardcover: 272 pages Publisher: Bloomsbury Absolute Released: April 28th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Elly McCausland guides readers through cooking with botanicals, looking at their culinary history and diverse uses over the years. Weaving through this compelling text will be 90 delicious recipes including relishes and bakes, salads and soups, noodle bowls and breads and everything in between, offering unique and insightful flavour pairings. With chapters including fruits (tropical, Mediterranean and orchard), leaves, flowers, seeds and berries, this beautiful book places botanical ingredients at the fore and showcases exactly how plants can transform your food.


My Review:
The Botanical Kitchen is a cookbook using bought ingredients, some of them potentially hard to find. For some reason, I thought the focus was going to be more on the leaves and flowers (like how to prepare and use them) than on recipes that happen to throw in some herbs, spices, seeds, fruit, or flowers. She did spend a couple of paragraphs on each of the focus botanicals explaining how to know when a fruit is ripe, where to find some of the more exotic ingredients, some cooking tips, and some history of the fruit or herb or a personal recollection about using it. I'm an American, so I will point out that her recipes use milliliters and grams and her oven temperatures are in Celsius. She also referred to some ingredients in a way that will be unfamiliar to Americans (like linseed instead of flaxseed or rapeseed oil instead of canola oil).

Her recipes note how many it serves or makes, and many recipes included a full-color picture of the finished dish. She included some recipes for salads and such or meat dishes (fish, duck, pork, chicken, beef, etc.), but there were also a lot of recipes for tarts, crumbles, cakes, cookies, and ice cream. She used a lot of dairy.

The "botanicals" she focused on were apples, pears, plums, cherries, peaches, quinces, figs, apricots, dates, oranges, lemons, bergamot, mango, pineapple, papaya, banana, grapefruit, persimmon, lychees, pomelo, gooseberry, strawberry, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, black currants, red currants, blackcurrant leaves, tea leaves, banana leaves, lemon and lime leaves, basil, thyme, rosemary, lemongrass, and other herbs, saffron, rose petals, chamomile flowers, lavender flowers, vanilla beans, elder flowers, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, cardamon, and nutmeg.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Healing through Nutrition by Eliza Savage

Healing through Nutrition by Eliza Savage ISBN-13: 9781641528139 Paperback: 212 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: March 24th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Natural medicine isn’t just herbs and oils―what you eat every day has the power to support your health and well-being. Healing through Nutrition is your essential guide to 50 plant-based foods packed with vital nutrients like antioxidants and dietary fibers. With this nutrition reference at your fingertips, it’s easy to integrate more plants into your diet―and invite their healing properties into your life. With details for a wide variety of superfoods―vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, herbs and spices, even coffee and tea―you’ll find resources for many common health problems.

Get acquainted with each food’s restorative powers, the medical conditions it may benefit, and how you can use it in your everyday life. 94 nourishing recipes how you to integrate each nutrition source into your life with one or two accompanying recipes, like Apple Cinnamon Ginger Oats, Chickpea-Stuffed Acorn Squash, Grapefruit Avocado Salad, and more.


My Review:
Healing through Nutrition profiled 50 different plants that are known to have healing effects through their nutritional content. The author started by briefly talking about how plants have been used historically all over the world for their healing properties and about how whole food and organic are better choices. She then profiled 15 vegetables, 10 fruits, 10 whole grains, legumes, and nuts, 10 herbs and spices, and 5 coffee, tea, and tisanes. For each plant, she talked about how it had been used traditionally, what compounds are most notable in the plant (like beta-carotene or lutein), what those compounds do, what health conditions the plant is useful for, and what I presume is a suggested serving size. (Her word choice was occasionally confusing.)

She included 1 to 2 recipes for each plant (usually two recipes). She included how many people the recipe serves, prep time, cook time, about the recipe, ingredients and instructions, suggested variations, storage tips, and per serving information (calories, saturated fat, total fat, protein, total carbohydrates, fiber, sodium). There were only a few pictures included of the recipes. These simple recipes usually used only a few ingredients and they were common and easy to find. I'd recommend this book to those new to the idea of plant-based healing.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Wildcrafted Fermentation by Pascal Baudar

Wildcrafted Fermentation by Pascal Baudar ISBN-13: 9781603588515 Paperback: 304 pages Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing Released: March 12th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from Goodreads:
In Wildcrafted Fermentation, Pascal Baudar provides all the basics needed to make creative ferments at home. From simple wild sauerkrauts and kimchis to hot sauces, savory pastes, non-dairy cheeses, dehydrated spice blends, and much more, Baudar includes over 100 easy recipes to inspire even the most jaded palate. The recipes can be easily adapted by people who buy seasonal and local produce, or who harvest from their own gardens. And step-by-step photos of processes and finished dishes will inspire the adventurous home cook to experiment with both wild and cultivated plants. Knowing the basic methods of fermentation, as well as specific techniques like how to cut and prepare different kinds of plants, provides the confidence to succeed like a pro.


My Review:
Wildcrafted Fermentation is a book on how to ferment plants that you have foraged locally. He doesn't include a plant ID guide, but he tells you how to look up this information online for your local area. The plants that he mentions in his recipes are ones that should be available throughout the United States and parts of Europe. However, he's mostly teaching what he's learned about fermenting different types of plants so that you can use that knowledge on what you find locally.

The author started off by explaining the basics of fermentation and talked about several different methods of fermentation, including your basic cabbage ferment and brine ferment. He also talked about how to make fermented sauces, soups, spreads, pastes, drinks, and plant-based cheeses. He described what he's learned about fermenting roots, leaves, leafy vegetables, stems, bark, berries, and fruit.

Some of the recipes had pictures showing step-by-step what to do so that you can understand the basic method. He included basic instructions for a type of fermentation (like fermenting mushrooms) and then included several recipes using those ingredients and different seasonings. These are recipes that he has developed that he enjoys. Since his focus was on taste rather than health benefits, sometimes he did a shorter ferment because he prefers the taste at that point. As someone who has done basic fermenting before, his instructions seem very doable and understandable. Overall, I think this would be a good book even for beginners to fermenting, but especially for people who want to expand the range of what they ferment.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Vegetarian Mediterranean Cookbook by Sanaa Abourezk

Vegetarian Mediterranean Cookbook by Sanaa Abourezk ISBN-13: 9781646113941 Paperback: 288 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: December 31st 2019

Source: Review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Mediterranean mealtime is an event, accompanied by close family and friends, where Western wellness worries are simply managed through healthy eating and living. And while it is a culture filled with fresh, farm-to-table ingredients, many Mediterranean cookbooks’ meat-centric meals leave users seeking vegetarian recipe conversions. Let The Vegetarian Mediterranean Cookbook be your guide to delectable, all-vegetarian recipes passed down from the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea—from Spain to Syria.

Whole, simple ingredients and timeless recipes are the effortless secret to the healthy Mediterranean standard of living. From recipes like Moroccan-Style Vegetable and Olive Tagine to Fresh Sauce Pasta, along with standard staples like Hummus and Basil, The Vegetarian Mediterranean Cookbook brings the region’s famous freshness and flavors into your home.


My Review:
Vegetarian Mediterranean Cookbook is a vegetarian cookbook based on Mediterranean recipes. The author included many vegan recipes (often with tips on adding cheese, etc., if desired) or vegetarian recipes with tips on how to make them vegan. Most of these recipes were made with ingredients that should be easy to find locally. The ingredients were generally fresh, whole foods but she sometimes used store-bought pie crusts, puff dough, etc. The meal recipes usually served 4 to 8 people and were reasonably healthy (often using fruit rather than sugar to sweeten and not using huge amounts of butter, cream, or cheese). They usually weren't very complex to make.

She had 18 recipes for snacks and small plates; 22 recipes for soups, salads, and sandwiches; 25 recipes for meatless mains; 25 recipes for rice, grains, beans; 14 recipes for pastas, pizzas, breads; 15 recipes for staples; and 10 recipes for sweets and desert. Each recipe included preparation and cooking time and contained the nutritional information of calories, total fat, saturated fat, total carbs, fiber, sugar, protein, and sodium. She also indicated if a recipe was vegan, freezer friendly, gluten- or nut-free. There was a picture of one recipe in each section.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Cauliflower Power by Lindsay Grimes Freedman

Cauliflower Power by Lindsay Grimes Freedman ISBN-13: 9781579659011 Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Artisan Released: January 7th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
This book shows how this versatile veggie, cauliflower, can be used in all your meals to make everything from blueberry muffins and a Mediterranean salad to cauliflower-crust pizza, Buffalo wings, tostadas, and gnocchi—even chocolate mousse and strawberry ice cream.


My Review:
Cauliflower Power is a cookbook of gluten-free recipes that use cauliflower. Some of these are simply dishes that use cauliflower as a vegetable, but she also uses cauliflower in granola, dough, a veggie burger, steaks, as rice, etc. The recipes were largely meat-free, but she did use eggs, dairy, and honey. A number of the dishes used a lot of dairy – half a stick of butter, a cup of cheese, etc. Many of the recipes use gluten-free flours, but otherwise she used easy to find ingredients. She frequently has you use a food processor and/or a high-speed blender.

The instructions were clear, but some recipes were fairly complicated. As I'm not trying to avoid gluten, I see no point in spending that much time on special, gluten-free ways of making a dish (especially as these often used dairy, which I do avoid). I was mostly interested in interesting ways to use cauliflower, and there are some recipes here that I will try.

The author started by explaining the five main ways to process cauliflower: whole head, steaks, florets, rice, and meal. She included 19 recipes for breakfast, 10 recipes for lunch (salads, wraps, bread, etc.), 8 recipes for stacks, 17 recipes for dinner, 14 recipes for sides, and 12 recipes for desserts. Each recipe included the serving size. Many of the recipes had pictures of the finished dish and some had pictures of the process.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Healthspan Solution by Raymond J. Cronise; Julieanna Hever M.S., R.D.

The Healthspan Solution by Raymond J. Cronise; Julieanna Hever M.S., R.D. ISBN-13: 9781465490070 Hardcover: 256 pages Publisher: Alpha Books Released: December 17th 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Increase your lifespan and optimize your health with plant-based recipes for a longer, more vibrant life. Authors and leading plant-based nutrition experts Julieanna Hever and Ray Cronise have spent over a decade researching diet and nutrition, analyzing longevity studies, and helping their clients achieve sustainable, lasting health benefits by adopting a whole food, plant-based diet.

In The Healthspan Solution, they share the simple and effective diet that has allowed their clients to lose weight, reverse disease, reduce or eliminate medication use, and achieve optimal health. This accessible and easy-to-follow guide examines the health risks posed by typical Western eating habits and explains how a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices can lead to lower blood pressure, healthy weight management, and longer life. Their approach challenges the conventional idea of breakfast, lunch, and dinner and focuses instead on soups, salads, sides, and sweets. With 100 delicious recipes to choose from, The Healthspan Solution make adopting a plant-based lifestyle simple and sustainable.


My Review:
The Healthspan Solution talked about longevity and how diet influences longevity, plus they included 100+ whole food, plant-based recipes. They talked about things like the evolutionary theory of aging, the biological pathways of longevity, and why they suggestion eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices. I found their arrogant attitude to be rather off-putting. Rather than explain the science behind why some current eating trends are unhealthy, they would basically just say: we know better so just do what we say. The science mostly focused on the longevity aspects and was from an evolutionary viewpoint.

They also made statements like: most of the world is over nourished, so we shouldn't worry about being deficient in nutrients anymore. They don't seem to realize how much of the world is still in food poverty. Ironically, they then talk about several supplements you should take. They also assure the reader that food can create the changes that allow longevity now, but drug companies will soon have more effective interventions (basically, pills for longevity). Er, that kind of takes away one's motivation to change their diet. They also mostly focused on people who are not sick yet rather than addressing how people with health problems can use food to get better (even though eating this way does help with diabetes, cancer, etc.).

The second half of the book contained recipes, and most of the recipes had photos of the dishes. The recipes included prep time, cook time, and yield. They're aiming for awesome taste rather than ease of making the recipe, so some recipes are easier than others. Some of the recipes had long lists of ingredients, including ingredients that might be difficult to find locally. They were very specific about ingredients, like Mexican oregano rather than just oregano. They suggest getting ingredients online if you can't find them locally. They included 24 recipes for soups, 24 recipes for salads, 24 recipes for side and main dishes, 14 recipes for sweets (mostly involving fruit), and 24 recipes for dressings, sauces, and seasonings.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.