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Book's Description
Organized by course and main ingredient, this collection of recipes includes American and ethnic dishes, including smoky black bean burritos, pesto pasta with cranberry beans, and spicy vegetable couscous.
Customer Reviews
Not well organized ,29/09/2008
This book is not a wower, but, it's ok. Make sure you read the recipes before going to the grocery store; you'll need to find different ingredients that I would bet is not in the average kitchen.
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Practical approach fast recipes great basic book ,31/08/2006
The book has a number of strong points: the recipes are usually low in fat, there are many suggestions for vegetarian dishes but also options to add in meat, every pulse you can think of is covered and a good number of the recipes use time saving products such as already processed barbecue sauce or tomato paste etc. This has its benefits but also, in the case of some items, if you are located in Europe the suggested items aren't readily available. The book extensively covers different types of rice, grains, beans etc, and contains information on soaking and cooking times. There is a large section on deserts, rice puddings and other kinds of sweets with some original suggestions. Overall, however, few of the recipes sparkle with creative flair, many are variations of what you intuitively mix together yourself if you are moderately creative and have a well stocked kitchen. If you are an experienced cook looking for creative and exciting input, i.e. you flick through books and then assimilate suggestions to incorporate into your own cooking you might want to have a look at the Ajurvedic cookbook by Mirjam Gazin Hospodar, which also has many grain, rice etc recipes, however not low-fat and more time intensive than the rice beans and grain cookbook. If you 1) are not experimental when cooking 2) want step by step solid instructions 3) don't like spending ages in the kitchen 4)like healthy low-fat fare 5) want a good summary of grains, rice, pulses and how to treat them and don't already have a book, then this book is a very good choice for you.
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My favorite cookbook! ,16/03/2008
I have lots of cookbooks, but this is my everyday source. It's not overly dependent on cheese and other fatty ingredients, and yet Ms. Chesman doesn't shy away from them. Same with unusual ingredients--I can find quite a few recipes to choose from based on my pantry, but there's plenty of inspirational cooking here. All the recipes are simple, and use simple, healthy ingredients and every single one I've tried has turned out wonderfully. Mostly vegetarian, the few recipes that recommend meat ingredients offer vegetarian alternatives. I was looking for a cookbook like this for a long time and was so pleased when I started cooking from it and realized I'd found exactly what I was after!
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Nutritional info included! ,09/05/2008
We love this book! It has some of the best recipes that we have ever made! It is quite extensive and has broadened our tastes into grains and beans that we have never even heard of before. Finding some of the ingredients was a little tricky at first, then we started to let our fingers do the walking and had better luck finding some of the odd ingredients at the smaller ethnic stores and health food stores than the supermarkets. But definitely call first. It was a hit and miss affair. The absolute best thing about this book was that they include the nutritional value for each recipe which in invaluable for maintaining certain diets like weight watchers. Needless to say almost everything in this book is low in points because of the sheer amount of fiber in them. We LOVE this book!!! get it you won't be disappointed!
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Good primer for flexitarians and those who need more fiber ,20/09/2007
I purchased several vegetarian cookbooks at one time once my boyfriend and I made the decision to become flexitarians. This book, more than any other, has helped us make this transition. Yes, I grew up in the south and know how to cook beans & greens and vegetarian chili. This book introduced me to quinoa (my new favorite!) and got me thinking about how to approach cooking in a whole new light. Highly recommended for vegetarians, or even meat eaters who need to add some fiber to their diets. Well written, and the recipies are simple and easy to follow. I wish there were pictures - I'm just a visual person, and I tend to prefer cookbooks with photos.
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Nothing interesting ,05/09/2008
This book was a real disappointment. There was a number of fringe ethnic dishes with poor taste appeal. Too many of the same types of recipes. Don't waste your time!
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A Definite Winner ,26/01/2007
I (James' wife) found this cookbook in a bargain bookstore 7 years ago and found it to be a treasure chest of great recipes using beans, lentils, etc. We own many international cookbooks and I like how this cookbook incorporates international flavor without too much extra work. Most of the ingredients I keep in my pantry. Every Wednesday our family has a meal featuring beans and I have used the ideas and recipes from this book to prepare these meals. My copy of the cookbook is full of bookmarks, I have so many favorite recipes. I have since purchased many more copies of the cookbook to give to relatives and friends. I also know that many of my friends have purchased the book on my suggestion. I highly recommend this book to those who are looking for new ways to prepare beans, lentils, rice, and other unique grains. These recipes can convert the uninitiated to a love of tasty vegetarian cooking.
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Best Beans and Rice ever ,29/06/2006
Great recipes for year 'round cooking and eating. Includes the full spectrum of snacks, dips, breakfasts, lunches, and dinners.
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Easy and basic but not bland ,21/08/2006
This is the book I have been looking for. I have always liked beans and grains but what to do with them other than tabouli and chili? The recipes are for simple basic food, ingredients that can be found in most supermarkets and I don't need my french dictionary ! I had the Red Lentil Vegetable Stew for supper tonight and it was great!
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Spectacularly Healthy, Tasty and Easy Meals ,21/04/2006
This is one of the best cookbooks I own (and I own a lot of them). Chesman starts out the book by going through everything you really need to know about legumes, rice and grains -- the different types, how each should be bought, stored and used, what each is good for, what each tastes and feels like in the mouth, etc. Her shopping and storing tips are worth the price of the book alone, but the recipes take it into the realm of the sublime. The book is well organized by broad chapter, e.g., beans, or rice & beans, with a clear listing of the recipes in each chapter and then the recipes themselves. Each recipe opens with a brief description of the dish or a positive feature about it and is then followed by a very clear list of ingredients and cooking instructions that are almost impossible to mess up. Chesman also gives nutritional content info including the overall protein, fat, sodium, and fiber of each dish, as well as the percentage of calories from fat. Most of the dishes are, or can very easily be, vegetarian, but she gives instructions on how to add meat and make certain dishes more traditional, such as adding salt pork to boston baked beans. She also gives alternatives such as turkey bacon for some dishes, so that the recipes can be adapted for vegans, non-vegan vegetarians, non red-meat eaters, etc. So far I have made Mediterranean White Bean Soup with Fennel, Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Chickpeas, and Brown Rice and Lentils. All have been unbelievably great and really easy. The dishes freeze well so busy people can make a lot and freeze them in single-serving bowls, or have a party and feed a lot of friends or family without a lot of work.
This book has a lot of great ways to add vegetables and protein to one's diet and get a lot of flavor without a lot of fat. All cookbooks should be this great. I can't recommend it highly enough.
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Extraordinary book ,07/08/2007
With the exception of ONE recipe, which I found bland, everything I've tried in this book has been exceptional. I use it all of the time.
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Not a disappointment ,29/03/2008
Even though this book lacks pictures the great number of recipes more than makes up for that. There are great recipes for dips, snacks, soups, salads, side dishes, main dishes, breakfasts, breads, and deserts. I've tried several side dishes, a bean salad, and a quinoa recipe. I had to adjust the quinoa recipe due to not having an ingredient but it still turned out great. There are many recipes to choose from for someone like me who is challanged at what to do with rice, beans, and grains. I am just discovering whole grains after living much of my adult life preparing ready-made sidedishes and meals from boxes, cans, or frozen items. I have been learning how to shop at our local Whole Foods and other natural foods stores so I need all the help I can get. This book helps make my learning process easier. Yipee!
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very thorough ,12/06/2008
This book had great reviews. It is thorough. I haven't tried recipes yet but it's a great book.
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366 Delicious Ways to Cook Rice, Beans, and Grains ,10/08/2008
A very good, detailed book using these items. Perfect for when using emergency supplies. Lots of color pictures and easy recipes.
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Good, but... ,10/03/2008
I would have really appreciated carbohydrate numbers and serving sizes (1 C, 2 C, etc.). This was my major issue with this book. The recipes were interesting and varied.
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