I’d had my eye on this book for a while (I defy you to look through it and not think the meals inside look delicious), so you can imagine my delight when I found it cheap in the January sales. It has since become one of my most used cookbooks. Whether it be a slight variation on a breakfast favourite, a tasty lunchtime treat, or a full out dinner, this book has some seriously good recipes.
Split into sections for food to fit each season, this book will encourage you to eat healthy, fresh food all year round (I can’t wait to get growing in my allotment this year). There have been a couple of recipes that I haven’t been overly keen on, but with a few adjustments make perfectly tasty meals. On the whole the meals have been fantastic, and I have discovered new foods, giant wholewheat couscous being a favourite thus far. There’s a recipe for each meal of the day for every Monday of the year, complete with ideas for sides, so whether you’re a seasoned veggie, or just trying it out, you won’t be stuck for ideas.
The only slight issues I have with this otherwise fantastic book is that some of the ingredients required are a bit obscure, and on the expensive side, but this can easily be combated with some slight changes to recipes depending on budget and availability (most of the ingredients can be found in somewhat more expensive/ health conscious shops). In saying that there are plenty of recipes that can be made relatively cheaply. My other qualm is the length of time it takes to prepare and cook some of the recipes. An hour and a half on a packed lunch, or a few hours on dinner after a day at work is a little excessive, but these recipes can always be kept for days off (and, let’s be honest, are tasty enough to make the effort worth while!).
All in all, a brilliant book that I would recommend to vegetarian, and meat-eater alike. There are still so many more tempting recipes to try out, and I’m happy to say it’s helped get 2012 off to a healthy start.