The Flexitarian Table: Inspired, Flexible Meals for Vegetarians, Meat Lovers, and Everyone in Between

Ever since I heard the word 'flexitarian,' I knew that described my eating style. But of the rest of us, if you have a vegetarian in your life, or just simply love good food, this book is for you.Are the recipes easy? No of course not, this is James Beard award winning chef Peter Berley. The trade-off for most of the recipes being complex and nuanced is that you get depth: of flavor, of variety, of techniques and seasonal ingredients. I am always amazed with these menus, really how many vegetables are included in each. You will be getting a nutritional power house and spoiling yourself with the luxury of a meal that took time to prepare with the freshest ingredients. Also, you will spend a lot of money on olive oil, but oh so, so worth it. (Where permitted I do cut back on some of the oil.) You will also learn about techniques and ingredients that you can add to other parts of your cooking repertoire.That said, I also have hacks/favorite recipes from this book. I have made the Charmoula Chicken/tempeh at least 5 times, because the marinade is so easy and tastes delicious, and then finish it under the broiler. Definitely pull this book out to impress your dinner guests, or to have a meal that you actually will savor, enjoy, and remember.

I was looking for a way to reduce my meat consumption and increase the amount and variety of vegitables that I eat for overall health and wellness. The recipes in this book are quite good, but what really makes it shine is how it is organized. Instead of listing sections for particular food groups or courses, the cookbook is divided seasonally, with multiple menues in each season. This takes all the guesswork out of balancing the meals so they are complete and complimentary while highlighting the seasonal produce. Although the meals do take time to prepare, and are fairly “fancy” I haven’t had much difficulty finding ingredients in my grocery store. It could benefit from some greater options that are faster to prepare and simpler as has been mentioned by other reviewers. However, at its present level of complexity I’m enjoying adventure of working with flavors, ingredients, and foods I’ve not had as much opportunity to explore before. In that regard I think it strikes a good balance between sophistication and functionality, however it would be difficult to implement regularly in a busy household (at least until some recipes have been tried and become familiar, with perhaps a few modifications). Although not everything has been a hit (usually do to something I messed up or just a taste preference, but that’s part of tying new things), I’m steadily cooking my way through it and really enjoying doing so. If you are looking for a way to recognize the balance of foods your plate, I think this is a great choice.

I made a couple of the recipes so far and they are fantastic. I'm trying to do my part to reduce greenhouse gases and global warming by incorporating more plant-based foods in my diet, in place of red meat. This cookbook gives me great dinner ideas that satisfy my hunger and yet are environmentally friendly.

I'm a big fan of Fresh Food Fast by the same author, and had high hopes for this book, but sadly it falls flat. Menus are uninspired, "flexible" options lack imagination, and with few exceptions I don't even find myself wanting to try these recipes. So do yourself a favor (if you haven't already) and get Fresh Food Fast instead.

As a vegetarian, who sometimes cheats and eats fish, and who cooks for a house of omnivores, this book seemed like an answer for my 'please-let-me-think-of-something-for-dinner' prayers.I loved the idea of pre-planned meals that fit the way my family eats. I loved the mouth-watering photos, and the yummy-sounding recipes. I loved the seasonal menus.But in the two months I've had this book, I've used it twice and I'm not dying to cook out of it again. Both times, some of the recipes were hits and some were misses. Mostly, though, the recipes are just a little too involved, take a little too much time, and use too many ingredients to rely on for weekday meals. And with only a handful of menus for each season, there really aren't that many things to try in a three month period if you want to cook seasonally.I'd love to see a second version with a similar concept, but greatly simplified menus and more menus per season. I don't want Rachel Ray - I want to cook from scratch - but I do need something I can throw together in a little closer to 30 minutes.

My neighbor Lola and I have a great thing going. She cooks for both families on Tuesdays and I cook on Wednesdays so that we each get the luxury of a good meal delivered to our door one night a week. We both rely on fresh, organic whole foods, but Lola's family is vegetarian and my family eats meat. I was first drawn to this book because Peter Berley provides easy menus that incorporate both meat and vegetarian options. Once I began cooking his amazing recipes, however, I discovered that my own family enjoyed the vegetarian dishes as much as they did the meat. Instructions are straightforward and intelligent and so far I have received nothing but rave reviews for every dish I have cooked from this book, including the Risotto-Style Fregola with Chard and Feta Cheese, the Mache and Pea Shoot Salad with Baby Beets, the Spicy Lentils with Pumpkin and Greens over Couscous, the Spicy Roasted Winter Squash, and the Toasted Millet Pilaf. Berley cooks the way we like to eat: big flavors, and lots of greens, grains, and vegetables, with cheese and dairy used in moderation to add punch to a dish. Although my kitchen shelves are packed with terrific cookbooks, these days I find myself turning to the Flexitarian Table again and again.

I have included many servings of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant foods to my diet and I enjoyed adding the author's recipes and variations of it to my collection.

This is the best cookbook I know, and i used it so much i need to buy another copy. The menu's are so perfectly combined and delicious. I have never tried the meat options but i assume what ever you are you will love these recipes.

This is probably the most useful cookbook I have ever bought. Full of real pointers on cooking as well as excellent recipes, all of them very novice-friendly. I could never cook and eat beans before I read this cookbook, and I have a whole book about cooking beans! Knowledge is best when shared...

Concept intéressant pour tous ceux qui partagent leur vie avec quelqu'un qui suit une diète différente. Très créatif et délicieux.