Summary

"How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" is a comprehensive guide to meatless cooking, offering a wide array of techniques and recipes suitable for both novice and experienced home cooks. Mark Bittman emphasizes the growing trend towards flexitarianism and vegetarianism, driven by health, ethical, and environmental concerns. The book steers clear of strict dietary definitions, instead focusing on incorporating more plant-based meals into everyday life, whether occasionally or daily.

Bittman highlights the importance of home cooking for better nutrition and flavor, contrasting it with the often less healthy options available in restaurants and supermarkets. The book looks at vegetarian cooking from the ground up, providing detailed instructions for cooking every vegetable, fruit, grain, and legume readily available, offering a broad range of recipes from salads and soups to main courses and desserts. The goal is to make vegetarian meals appealing and satisfying, regardless of how frequently they're chosen.

The book also delves into essential cooking techniques such as measuring, measuring utensils, and measuring techniques, , offering detailed instructions for working with ingredients like nuts, grains, and legumes. Bittman provides detailed explanations on essential topics such as preparing fresh produce, and offers a comprehensive list of various types of grains, flours, and oils. The chapter on sauces and dressings, from fresh salsas to rich hollandaise, showcases the versatility of non-meat based cuisine.

The book offers a variety of dessert recipes that align with the overall goal of creating great-tasting recipes that are less meat-dependent or entirely meat-free. The recipes are easy to follow, use a range of techniques and can be scaled to accomodate a range of serving sizes. These recipes provide a wide array of meal ideas that can be made in various kitchens with readily available ingredients.

Throughout the book, the emphasis remains on simplicity, straightforwardness, and delicious flavors, rather than complex preparation or strict dietary rules. With a wealth of information and inspiration, "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" empowers readers to make vegetarian cooking an integral and enjoyable part of their lives.