With so many people starting the year with healthy eating goals, I thought this was a good time to kick off a series of cookbook reviews. Before changing my eating habits, dinner was almost always centered around meat. Veggies were (at best) an afterthought and there were many meals of just meat and grains. Removing the central ingredient in every meal was intimidating to start, which is where cookbooks and food blogs really helped me.
Let me be clear – eating a plant-based diet is actually very easy and delicious! BUT, when you’re just starting out and coming from a meat-centric eating style, it’s very different. It’s about learning how to plan your meals differently. That’s my hope for this series – to help you build a list of resources that will help you learn a new way of eating OR introduce you to a few books that you haven’t tried yet.
My first cookbook purchase was Peas and Thank You. Whether you’re transitioning to a plant-based diet, trying to reduce the animal products in your diet, or just looking for some delicious meals that your family will love – I highly recommend this cookbook. The author, Sarah Matheny, is known as Mama Pea and you’ll see her recipes popping up all over. She is also the creator of the blog of the same name – Peas and Thank You.
I have cooked a LOT of meals from this cookbook that have been featured on the blog:
Tofu Mini Frittatas (p. 17)
Soft Pretzel Twists (p. 98) Tempeh Bacon Reubens (p. 68)
Green & Red Lentil Enchiladas (p. 154) Lulu’s Mac and Cheese (p. 181)
& Tofu Fun Nuggets (p. 131)
Pea Daddy’s Jambalaya (p.186)
One recipe that my co-workers ask for at work (which I don’t seem to have a picture of) is the Life’s Not Fair Blueberry Scones (p. 13) – they are fabulous and obviously a crowd pleasure. Mama Pea’s recipe for Tofu Scramble (p. 45) was my first and I use her seasonings as the base for many of my recipes today. You can drool over the full table of contents here.
The recipes in this book are generally quick (less than 45 minutes from start to finish, not counting pressing/marinating time), with easy to find ingredients, and a lot of information to get you started. She’s included definitions of ingredients that may be unfamiliar to you – like nutritional yeast. If you haven’t tried nutritional yeast yet, it’s like crack – but legal. It’s a strange taste the first few times you try it, then you want more…and more…and more!
The only negative that I can think of is there are a lot of faux/processed foods in these recipes. Lots of tofu, vegan sausage, seitan, & non-dairy Cheese. If that’s something that you try to avoid, this might not be the best source. Now there are many recipes that don’t include these ingredients, but most recipes do contain one. Faux meats & cheeses are great for people who are getting used to a plant-based diet, but I try not to eat faux meat & cheese products every day now. In moderation, I definitely don’t have a problem with it (I use faux meat & cheese in many of my own recipes).
Since buying the book for myself, I’ve purchased 4 additional copies: one for my mom, my mother-in-law, my sister, and for a previous giveaway. I have never purchased so many copies of anything that I can think of – it’s that good!
Of all the cookbooks I’ll be reviewing over the next few weeks, this one is the best. If you only have the budget for one – get this one. It’s bound to be a cookbook that you pull out again and again, I know mine is stained, wrinkled, and very well-worn already.
Full Disclosure - I purchased all copies of Peas & Thank You with my own money and have not received any compensation for this review. I’m simply a fan of Mama Pea, the Peas & Thank You Blog, & Cookbook. All opinions are 100% my own!
Do you already own Peas & Thank You Cookbook? If so, what’s your favorite recipe? If not, what recipe would you like to try?
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
The enchiladas sound like a delicious dish! The cookbooks sounds great but I don’t eat tofu/anything soy-based, so I’ve been shopping around for a Vegan/plant-strong cookbook that has more non-soy recipes.
I have purchased Engine2, Forks Over Knives, and Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease – all of which have a ton of recipes…just need to start making my way through!
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I have several cookbooks to review that aren’t as dependent of soy-based products – so stay tuned!! =)
Excellent – looking forward to them. We should compare notes sometime.
Nicole recently posted..Paula Deen – An Opportunity for Education
Absolutely! I’m always looking for new suggestions – although I need to get back to creating new recipes more often too. :)
Mama Pea rocks! I was lucky enough meet her and try one of her dough balls at FoodBuzz. They were amazing.
So jealous! I’ve made her dough balls, but never had one straight from the source. :)
It’s one of my favorite cookbooks. Jason, who eats meat, really likes it too.
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Same with Kirk – it’s a great way to introduce meatless meals into anyone’s diet! :) I should have mentioned everyone I bought the book for eats a traditional diet.
I haven’t tried any of her recipes but have heard so many great things. I definitely want to look into her website and cookbook more! Thanks for the reminder.
Oh you HAVE to try it – she’s got so many delicious recipes to choose from to!
Love Mama Pea and I can’t believe I don’t have her book yet, I’ve been meaning to grab it but just never have.
Alayna @ Thyme Bombe recently posted..About a book
I highly recommend buying a copy (obviously) – it’s not too expensive and I have seen it go on a sale off and on at Amazon.
Very good to know about the faux ingredients in the recipes…curiously, though, do you view some of the condiments like EB margarine, Naysoynaise (sp?) mayo, etc. to be in the same category as the meats/cheeses?
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I personally don’t view those the same, but I know others do. To me, it’s no different than using regular margarine, mayo, etc in cooking. I don’t use mayo much anyway though. :)
Hey Heather! Great post! I find it interesting that you lump tofu and seitan into the “faux/processed foods” category: “The only negative that I can think of is there are a lot of faux/processed foods in these recipes. Lots of tofu, vegan sausage, seitan, & non-dairy Cheese.” While it is true that tofu is processed, it’s way less processed than vegan sausage and Daiya. Same goes for seitan – I do not buy packaged seitan because it is so easy and relatively inexpensive to make at home out of whole foods. So, I don’t consider tofu and seitan faux/processed foods. Tell me more about your reasoning!
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I would agree with you if you make your own – I have made seitan too – but I think it’s fairly processed when you buy it off the shelf. When I was in China and they sold the big blocks of tofu at the market, that was probably pretty whole food stuff, but my understanding is what we get in most of the boxes isn’t quite as wholesome. I could be wrong here though!!
I have actually read that buying tofu fresh in blocks at the market like that presents a health risk. Sadly I cannot find the link right now! I will let you know when I do. But that’s why I do not buy fresh tofu at the Buford Highway Farmer’s Market, for instance. Instead I rely on the Soy Shop’s tofu. The Soy Shop is based in Decatur and can be purchased throughout Atlanta. I buy it by the case at the Dekalb Farmer’s Market. However you swing it, though, tofu is a very minimally processed food, very unlike soy chorizo, hotdogs, or other products. While I agree that anything that has to be produced and sits in water in a plastic tub is processed to some extent, it is a healthy whole food, especially when bought locally and/or organic. I am not a big fan of buying national brands of anything when I can get lovely local products.
adriennefriend recently posted..beyond organic
Good information – thanks Adrienne! I eat plenty of tofu, processed or not, but I’ll have to look into the Soy Shop’s one that you mentioned. Haven’t seen that one at Whole Foods. If you stumble across the one about blocks at a market – send me that link. I’d be very interested to read that!
I most certainly will!
adriennefriend recently posted..beyond organic
I agree! It’s my favorite too!
Great minds think alike! ;)
when i get back to the states, i am definitely getting this. Her recipes are great and i love supporting!
A great purchase, I love supporting Mama Pea too – always amazing results!
I love the Peas and Thank You cookbook as well! So far every recipe I’ve tried from it has been delicious. I still need to try her scones and jambalaya.
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I should have asked – do you have a favorite that I need to try, since you love the cookbook too? =)