Ecological Cooking: Recipes to Save the Planet

I bought this book 7 years ago when I was first living on my own and learning to cook. Not only was I new to vegetarianism, but I was also new to cooking for myself. The recipes are easy to make (fool-proof, really) and most of the recipes draw from the same group of ingredients. Once you have most of the recommended pantry items on hand, you can whip up just about anything. The ingredient dictionary is terrific for new vegetarians; I otherwise may have never found out what "seitan" and "tamari" are! I really can't recommend this book enough!!!

This is the cookbook I recommend to people getting started with vegan cooking. As well as a huge range of recipes, Stepaniak and Hecker give a guide to setting up the vegan kitchen, and oodles of inspiring quotes on vegan ethics. Most of the recipes use "normal" ingredients; less familiar ingredients are explained in a glossary. While I will admit I didn't like every single recipe here, most of them are tasty, filling, and have become a regular part of our family's repertoire. I particularly like Basic Muffins, Teriyaki Salad, Indonesian Rice Salad, and Spicy Vegetable Bean Stew.

This cookbook is very useful, as not only does it have many great recipes, it includes information about the environment and how to live more in tune with the earth. Also included is information about feeding your animal friends. There are some recipes that aren't terribly exciting, and a few that I didn't like at all, such as Indian Cabbage and Peas and the Millet Stew. But overall, this is a great cookbook. there are tons of recipes (included in this book are OVER 500 recipes!) that ARE good, especially the Banana Nut Bread recipe, and the Brown Rice and Tofu Stir-Fry. There are some very imaginative dishes, like the Greek Rice Special, that were pleasantly surprising to me. My only complaints are the lack of nutrional analyses, and some recipes call for margarine. I just substitute Spectrum Spread with great results.

I highy recommend any cookbook by Joanne Stepaniak. The books not only have delicious, easy to prepare recipes, but also contain a wealth of knowledge for those just getting started in plant-based food preparation. Try this and any other book by Joanne and you will not be disappointed. Cooking without animal products have never been easier and more rewarding.

I like this cookbook because it requires no substitutions like some other cookbooks. It uses all natural ingredients like Sucanat and no questionable ones like liquid smoke. I keep referring to this cookbook because it has a higher percentage of recipes that I like and a number of them are absolutely delicious (e.g., the Cheeze, Vegetable & Barley Bake in the Casserole and Savory Pies section). The only (minor) complaint that I have is that a few of the recipes have Spike, Vegesal, or margarine as ingredients.