Blissful Bites

August 1, 2011

Morgan, who blogs at TheBlissfulChef.com, has written an upbeat introduction to the world of meat-free macrobiotic living. Meal courses are subdivided into the seasons of the year to take advantage of local produce. Icons indicate whether recipes are raw or prepared with living ingredients, soy free, require little or no oil, or take fewer than 45 minutes to prepare. Nearly all are gluten free; one exception is a delicious barbecue sandwich with easy-to-prepare homemade seitan. Morgan's health-related concerns about garlic and onions are unconvincing in the face of the documented benefits of alliums, but she encourages readers to experiment once they've mastered the basics. Seasonal menus and kid-, lunch-, and potluck-friendly menus are listed in the resources section. In addition to the usual list of books, DVDs, and websites, Morgan includes schools (some online) that teach macrobiotic cooking classes. VERDICT Recommended for gluten-free and macrobiotic cooks and for larger vegan cooking collections.--Mary Schons, Hammond P.L., IN

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2011
Any chef who launches a cookbook with a quote from Julia Child (The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude) has enough moxie and savoir faire to succeed. Although readers may disagree with this chef-author's rather radical approach to the vegan way of life, such as the glories of garlic and onions and abolishing microwaves, there's no mistaking her passion. She does set the stage well, with lots of very organized information about space, pantry stocking, and preparation. Her more than 175 recipes are, as is to be expected, sorted first by type of dish (appetizers and soups, sea vegetables, compassionate proteins, and others) and then by season. Few require as much prep as those in a Child tome, yet many do demand a host of new ingredients. Every trick, tip, definition, and variation are preceded by the adjective blissful. (Her branding does tend toward the irritating.) On the other hand, there is a clear acknowledgment that complete conversion to a plant-based diet happens over time.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)