Vegetarian Recipes

The demand has increased so much for more mainstream vegetarian recipes that many non-vegetarian cookbooks feature vegetarian sections. Here are some of my newly released favorites.

• "The Vegetarian Five Ingredient Gourmet," by Nava Atlas (2004, Broadway Books, $15.95): This offers really simple, nourishing recipes, along with nutritional information. From chapters such as "Essential Soy" to "The Zen of Grains and Beans," there are many creative vegetarian and vegan recipes from Atlas, the author of eight vegetarian cookbooks. The "Streamlined Salads" section has a wonderful recipe for Israeli Salad, one of my favorites. There is also a great recipe for Avocado and Ricotta Soft Tacos.

• "The Artful Vegan, Fresh Flavors from the Millennium Restaurant," by Eric Tucker (2003, 10 Speed Press, $24.95): This is a really creative paperback with beautiful photos from one of San Francisco's most innovative vegan restaurants. It features 140 recipes with global influences. It's more a coffee-table production than a practical cookbook, but if you are a serious vegetarian cook, you will attempt some of the recipes. Most dishes are complicated but entertaining to read about. Consider this: Chanterelle and Stinging Nettle Ravioli with Sorrel Puree, Saffron Aioli and Candy Cap Mushroom-Balsamic Reduction. Whew.

• "The Native Foods Restaurant Cookbook," by Tanya Petrovna (2003, Shambhala, $16.95): I really enjoy the tone and humor that permeates this vegan collection from Native Foods, a California restaurant group. Petrovna offers a glossary and basics section that makes vegan-cooking look easy. This book makes the regimen seem approachable and delicious. Chapters on soy protein, seitan and tempeh help to demystify alternative protein sources and are useful for everyone. Recipes are simple to prepare and tasty. The "Snacks N' Apps" chapter is fun without being cutesy. The Mecca Azteca Salad is a wonderful chopped salad with jicama, avocado, quinoa and mango.

• "Little Foods of the Mediterranean," by Clifford A. Wright. (2003, Harvard Common Press, $21.95): Simply put, I love this book. Wright is the author of nine cookbooks including "A Mediterranean Feast" (Morrow, 1999). This book includes 500 recipes for appetizers, snacks, finger foods and street foods found in Spain, Morocco, Greece and Turkey. There is an amazing collection of both vegetarian and nonvegetarian items from sips and spreads to frittatas, stuffed vegetables and kebabs. Grilled Chiles With Yogurt is simple and awe inspiring; the Anatolian Creamy Eggplant and Almond Spread is a new favorite of mine.

• "A Passion for Desserts," by Emily Luchetti (2003, Chronicle Books. $35): A beautiful hardcover book with practical recipes. Luchetti also is author of the "Stars Desserts" (HarperCollins, 1991) cookbook. This new book is a collection of both traditional recipes such as Peach Melba with a twist to Corn Crepes with Blueberry Sauce and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Even the semi-inspired cook can easily make most of the recipes. I could happily be locked in a room for three days with just the Milk Chocolate Cheesecake.

• "A Beautiful Bowl of Soup," by Paulette Mitchell (2003, Chronicle Books, $19.95): Mitchell offers everything from nondairy creamy soups to chilled soups and even dessert soups. The spicy Green Bean and Potato Stew makes a heart-warming meal, even in July. All the recipes in this book are very simple and require no special ingredients.

• "Flavor," by Rocco DiSpirito (2003, Hyperion Books, $35). I'm usually not a fan of celebrity chef cookbooks because usually they are based on a formula and ghostwritten. But I like this hardcover book for its format, ease of recipe preparation and the results you get. Although it is not a vegetarian cookbook, it offers many vegetarian dishes along with theme menus for events such as Valentine's Day, Christmas and meeting the in-laws. Recipes include prep time, cooking time and difficulty level. It also offers wine pairing information. I tried the Cauliflower Bisteeya with Spiced Eggplant Puree. It's fabulous.

• "Vegetarian Walt Disney World & Greater Orlando," by Susan Shumaker and Than Saffel (2003, Globe Pequot, $13.95): I include this travel book because so many visitors ask me if I know a vegetarian restaurant in Orlando. This guide tells you where to get vegetarian meals from small restaurants to major hotels. More than 300 restaurants are reviewed here and advice on getting meatless kids' meals is included.

There are several diet books, which advocate predominately vegetarian, very low fat eating plans. Most of the books focus on weight loss, but can be used by those interested in vlf diets for other reasons.

I don't recommend any particular diet and feel that those who are most successful at following a very low fat diet plan (for whatever reason) are those who read these recommendations with a critical and skeptical mind and then design their own personal plan based on the principles they've learned and their own situation. I will say that the diet that I am most impressed with is that recommended by Terry Shintani.

The diet summaries included here are based on the published works of each author. I recommend that if you find you are particularly interested in one or more of these diets that you purchase their books -- they contain much greater detail on implementing the diet, nutritional information, and recipes.