Feeding the Healthy Vegetarian Family [Paperback]

In Feeding the Healthy Vegetarian Family, author Ken Haedrich emphasizes family. This cookbook is intended for folks who have kids--and all the mealtime challenges that incur as a result. In compiling these recipes, Haedrich recognized the wide range of variations that exist in his target audience: there are families who have raised their kids on a vegetarian diet since day one and others who are only now considering the change. There are people who eschew all animal products, from butter to shoe leather (vegans), and others who include dairy products in their diets (ovo-lacto vegetarians). Some readers might be dedicated to a meatless way of life, while others are looking only for the occasional meatless meal. Whatever the requirements, there's something for everyone in Feeding the Healthy Vegetarian Family.

Haedrich states his philosophy early on: when it comes to feeding children, flavor is all that matters. Kids won't care if there's meat in the spaghetti sauce or the chili, so long as it tastes good. These recipes might not make it into the pages of the glossy gourmet magazines, but they'll have even the most picky eaters asking for seconds. The book includes recipes for snack foods, sandwiches (both hot and cold), salads and soups, main dishes, casseroles, quick breads, desserts, and much more. So whether you're looking to supplement your vegetarian diet or hoping to introduce your family to a new and healthier way of eating, Feeding the Healthy Vegetarian Family offers both helpful advice and great recipes to get you and your kids off on the right foot.

"Eat your vegetables!" That once dreaded parental directive is given a deliciously new spin by Haedrich (whose Home for the Holidays won a 1993 Julia Child Cookbook Award). Haedrich has devised over 200 appealing starters, entrees, side dishes and desserts to please the confirmed?or occasional?vegetarian family. From positively inspired Salad Burritos (kids roll their own) to Sesame Peanut Noodles and savory enchiladas, frittas, pizzas, gratins, curries and quesadillas, dishes are not only attractive to kids but also flavorful enough for the discriminating adult. Some, like Mom's Squash With Applesauce, have few ingredients and can be quickly put together for family suppers; others, such as multi-step Neoclassical Polenta Lasagna are meant for special occasions. Kids are invited into the kitchen to help, and Haedrich, father of four, understands their food foibles and deals with them humorously (slipping them, say, Deliciously Disguised Mushrooms, sauteed, pureed and tucked into risotto). Haedrich is an expert baker and his recipes for breads, tortillas and cakes are especially notable; "Food for Thought" sidebars offer valuable tips and advice. Food and philosophy are first-rate here, and Haedrich proves to be a warm and amusing kitchen companion.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Haedrich (Simple Desserts, LJ 8/95) says that few of the many vegetarian cookbooks around are "grounded in the reality of family life," but his new book should remedy the situation. His four children have grown up on a vegetarian diet, and there are lots of kid-friendly recipes here, as well as advice on feeding a family with different likes and dislikes. Some of the recipes include variations or options for grownups only, and although Haedrich isn't a strict vegetarian, his partner (as he identifies her) is, and she's contributed some vegan recipes and alternatives. Any parents who are committed to a vegetarian diet should be interested in Haedrich's new book. Lemlin, who has written a number of excellent vegetarian cookbooks (including Main-Course Vegetarian Pleasures, LJ 4/15/95), is less concerned with avoiding dairy products, chocolate, and so forth than Haedrich is, but she is no less aware of the time constraints facing busy family cooks. She offers an attractive collection of quick and easy recipes, often with make-ahead suggestions. With its simple but fairly sophisticated recipes, Lemlin's latest should appeal to "sometime" as well as "all the time" vegetarians. Recommended for most collections.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Haedrich answers the question of why another vegetarian cookbook by providing more than 200 recipes and happy, informative narratives about the experiences of family and friends. Some of the more useful information appears in asides--a short introduction to various recipes, for instance. Another example is the "food for thought" sidebar that might deter people from eating certain foods (for instance, sauteed onions are easier to digest than large chopped pieces). And the tips for eating out meatlessly are almost a rerun of Jack Nicholson's diner scene in Five Easy Pieces humor with a definite point. The recipes are variations on favorites--asparagus and Havarti quiche, for example, or potato and eggplant hash--and will enlighten those generally disdainful of vegetarian cuisine. Barbara Jacobs

In this book, Ken Haedrich shows that it is not only very possible, but also easy, fun and utterly scrumptious to raise your family on an entirely meat-free diet. The father of four (ages 6 to 14), Haedrich is the master of the vegetarian family menu.



The emphasis here is on family, and Haedrich offers over 250 recipes that consider such important issues as: Does it taste good? Will my family eat it? Can I prepare this in a reasonable amount of time? Are the ingredients easy to find? And, is it healthy and balanced? The book also features special sections designed specially for kids. Written in Haedrich's warm, endearing style, the book is filled with little anecdotes, family jokes and traditions, special recipe contributions from his kids, hints, secrets and tips which make it inviting, appealing and completely accessible. Ken Haedrich welcomes you into his family and into his kitchen to help introduce your family to vegetarianism. Yes, it is possible to raise a healthy, happy, well-fed vegetarian family. And in this book, Ken Haedrich shows you how to do it with easy-to-follow instructions, fun for the family and undeniably delicious results.