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Rating: 
Summary: Some MAJOR omissions make this less than "essential"
Review: I agree with most of the comments made by Amazon.com reviewers about this book. As someone who made the transition from meat-eater to 99% vegetarian over the past 10 years, I appreciate Diana Shaw's non-dogmatic approach and welcoming attitude, as well as all the information on foods ("what to eat, where to get it, how to prepare it") and nutrition that she provides. Overall, I think she has done an excellent job in these areas, and has provided a useful, well-written book with plenty of excellent recipes. So...why am I only giving this book 3 stars? Well, because this is supposed to be the "essential" VEGETARIAN cookbook, and what do many vegetarians eat? Well, at least in the case of this vegetarian, lots of tempeh, tofu, and seitan, all of which my wife and I LOVE (in stir fries, particularly), and which I presume are pretty popular, since they (certainly tempeh and tofu) are sold in almost all the supermarkets I've been to around here. So what does the author have to say about these nutritious, delicious foods? Tempeh: "looks like an allergic reaction," and "fermented soybeans aren't the most mouth-watering concept." Tofu: "unwilling to embrace it" or "to dismiss it altogether." And Seitan? Well, I guess the author must REALLY hate this vegetarian staple/meat substitute (it really does taste a lot like chicken -- I love it!) because, as far as I can tell, she never mentions it ONCE in her whole book!! Now, obviously, the author has the right to her opinions -- it is HER book, after all -- but unfortunately, because of her personal dislike of these three foods, she has ignored them almost completely in what she touts as the "essential" cookbook for vegetarians. Number of recipes for seitan Shaw provides? Zero. For tempeh? One. For tofu? Six. That's it -- seven total recipes for three of the main staples of many vegetarians' diets! To me, this is a major flaw and seriously diminishes the usefulness of the book. Also, I'm really surprised, almost shocked, since these are great foods which are easy to cook in all kind of delectable ways. Very strange... In sum, this book has many good things going for it, but also some MAJOR omissions for something that claims to be the "essential vegetarian cookbook." As a result, I find it a helpful, but ultimately limited, reference.
Rating:
Summary: Some MAJOR omissions make this less than "essential"
Review: I agree with most of the comments made by Amazon.com reviewers about this book. As someone who made the transition from meat-eater to 99% vegetarian over the past 10 years, I appreciate Diana Shaw's non-dogmatic approach and welcoming attitude, as well as all the information on foods ("what to eat, where to get it, how to prepare it") and nutrition that she provides. Overall, I think she has done an excellent job in these areas, and has provided a useful, well-written book with plenty of excellent recipes. So...why am I only giving this book 3 stars? Well, because this is supposed to be the "essential" VEGETARIAN cookbook, and what do many vegetarians eat? Well, at least in the case of this vegetarian, lots of tempeh, tofu, and seitan, all of which my wife and I LOVE (in stir fries, particularly), and which I presume are pretty popular, since they (certainly tempeh and tofu) are sold in almost all the supermarkets I've been to around here. So what does the author have to say about these nutritious, delicious foods? Tempeh: "looks like an allergic reaction," and "fermented soybeans aren't the most mouth-watering concept." Tofu: "unwilling to embrace it" or "to dismiss it altogether." And Seitan? Well, I guess the author must REALLY hate this vegetarian staple/meat substitute (it really does taste a lot like chicken -- I love it!) because, as far as I can tell, she never mentions it ONCE in her whole book!! Now, obviously, the author has the right to her opinions -- it is HER book, after all -- but unfortunately, because of her personal dislike of these three foods, she has ignored them almost completely in what she touts as the "essential" cookbook for vegetarians. Number of recipes for seitan Shaw provides? Zero. For tempeh? One. For tofu? Six. That's it -- seven total recipes for three of the main staples of many vegetarians' diets! To me, this is a major flaw and seriously diminishes the usefulness of the book. Also, I'm really surprised, almost shocked, since these are great foods which are easy to cook in all kind of delectable ways. Very strange... In sum, this book has many good things going for it, but also some MAJOR omissions for something that claims to be the "essential vegetarian cookbook." As a result, I find it a helpful, but ultimately limited, reference.
Rating: 
Summary: I disagree!! This is a must-have
Review: I am no hardcore vegetarian but do enjoy meatless meals. I love cooking and experimenting different foods. I particularly enjoy dishes that include beans, tofu and grains (as in, I'm not a huge fan of having to eat a big platter of steamed broccoli and carrots for dinner...) Well,I have to say that I was rather disappointed in this "essential" vegetarian cookbook, for it almost contains none of those recipes I was hoping for! Mostly she introduces "weird" meals that require mail-ordered foods. Well, not too handy if you ask me! I have however tried a few recipes, mainly muffins (very nutritious and healthy) but all the recipes seem faulty...! I am an experimented cook and all I've tried to bake in this book so far did not turned out. I leave muffins and breads in the oven for hours and they do not cook in the centre etc. Have those recipes ever been tested??? This being said, I have to say that few cookbooks offer such appealing descriptions (too bad the actual recipes don't match the mouth watering introductions) and such complete nutritional information. If you think you were a bunny in a past life and don't care what your food tastes like, then this might be great for you. As for me, this book is on its way to a charity!
Rating:
Summary: easy and great-tasting-- truly
Review: I have a shelf full of vegetarian cookbooks, but this is by far the best. Comprehensive, clear, packed full of helpful definitions and clear descriptions, this book is a virtual necessity in the vegetarian kitchen--the one cookbook I would not want to be without.
Rating:
Summary: easy and great-tasting-- truly
Review: I usually don't write reviews but this is such a good cookbook that I just felt it was my duty to pass on my recommendation to others. I am an awful cook who has been trying to go vegetarian, and have bought a million vegetarian cookbooks this year. Most of the recipes either take WAY too long and come out tasting only so-so (like deborah madison's) or they're easy and good for you but don't taste great (like cristina pirello's) or they have a ton of cheese and all the recipes are fattening (moosewood cookbooks) ANYWAY, so far the recipes I've tried in this book taste really good AND they're easy. The author tells you how long each dish takes to prepare, and gives you a nutitional breakdown with calories, vitamins, etc. on each recipe.
Also, as the other reviewer noted, they are all pretty low fat without tasting that way-- you don't have to even think about this issue when choosing what to make. All the ingredients are commonly available at any supermarket, even if you live in the middle of nowhere, like I do.
Also the book is 600 pages long-- i hate it when you buy a cookbook and find out only a few of the recipes are any good. I've tried a different random recipe from this book all this week, and they were ALL GOOD! You really could just cook all year from this one book and not have to eat the same thing over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: it is as good as they say
Review: This book is filled to the rim with information on how to store food, prepare food properly, and how to choose the best types of foods and products for cooking. This book also offers great daily menus for different lifestyles and nutrtional information about the recipes. The only negative thing about this book for me was the fact that a lot of recipes were too time consuming for my lifestyle (I'm a student!). I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about food, even if you are not a vegetarian!
Rating: 
Summary: this is a WIEGHT LOSS book NOT a vegi book
Review: This book is not a vegetarian cook book it is a weight loss book that takes great dishes and then removes all the fat and spice until they taste like low sodium card board. Diana Shaw authors this book as one of those naive middle aged ladies who assumes if you are a vegetarian you are on a weight loss diet. Her refusal to use the words cream, cheese (other then cottage) and butter, other than to scold the use of these ingredients, and her annoying placement of "nonfat" in front of the word yogurt made me draw a habit and a ruler over her book jacket photo. The only 2 reasons you should buy this book are A) to deprive yourself of real food in an effort to lose weight or B) to avoid having to buy spices, because she uses close to none. If you want a good veggie cookbook stick to the Moosewood series or Madhur Jaffrey or any thing other than this book.
Rating:
Summary: this is a WIEGHT LOSS book NOT a vegi book
Review: This book is not a vegetarian cook book it is a weight loss book that takes great dishes and then removes all the fat and spice until they taste like low sodium card board. Diana Shaw authors this book as one of those naive middle aged ladies who assumes if you are a vegetarian you are on a weight loss diet. Her refusal to use the words cream, cheese (other then cottage) and butter, other than to scold the use of these ingredients, and her annoying placement of "nonfat" in front of the word yogurt made me draw a habit and a ruler over her book jacket photo. The only 2 reasons you should buy this book are A) to deprive yourself of real food in an effort to lose weight or B) to avoid having to buy spices, because she uses close to none. If you want a good veggie cookbook stick to the Moosewood series or Madhur Jaffrey or any thing other than this book.
Rating:
Summary: This is THE vegetarian cookbook to buy!
Review: This is THE cookbook to buy if you're making the big change from carnivore to herbivore. Written in a friendly, light manner with lots of tips and helpful information, The Essential Vegetarian also offers tasty recipes that don't call for exotic or unusual ingredients. Before offering the recipes, Dianna Shaw provides several types of menus for different lifestyles. For example, there are menus for athletes, pregnant or nursing women, diabetics and even one for people who want to lose weight. The menus are well-balanced and interesting and offer tips on how to incorporate healthier eating into a busy lifestyle. My main complaint about other vegetarian cookbooks is that many of their recipes would not be considered by the average American because of the ingredients or length of time required to prepare the dish. This is an important consideration a vegetarian cookbook author should keep in mind, especially if he or she wants to win over more people to vegetarianism. Shaw's recipes are fun and unique, without daunting the novice cook. She includes a few that present more of a challenge to the more experienced cook and even changes a few familiar recipes to provide a new twist, such as her Kidney Bean Hummus. Shaw leaves little to chance. In her Breakfast section, she gives easy-to-understand and concise instructions on how to create the perfect poached egg. Her recipes for hot cereals, such as oatmeal and cornmeal mush, are clever and helpful, particularly if you're someone like me, who often has trouble avoiding lumps in the cereal. I strongly recommend this book to vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike. Shaw is not a preachy author. In her introduction, she talks about craving and eating meat voraciously during her pregnancy and makes no apologies. She prefers vegetarianism, but does not come across as a religious zealot. I think even members of the National Cattlemen's Association would like this book. Her other book, Almost Vegetarian, is another good read with great recipes.
Rating: 
Summary: Essential
Review: This may be a very essential book for hard core cooks who have a lot of money to buy the grocery's needed. I read it and made one recipe from it. The book has been sitting on my shelf ever sence. There are many other, books out there that are better then this one.
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