Simple Feel Good Food: 125 Plant-focused Meals to Enjoy Now or Make Ahead

by Jeanine Donofrio

THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES AND TORONTO STAR BESTSELLER

Love and Lemons is back with make-now and make-ahead vegetarian recipes for every kind of cook.

Over the years, Jeanine Donofrio’s wildly popular Love and Lemons recipes and her bestselling books have become the go-to gold standard for incredibly simple, deeply flavorful, and nourishing vegetarian meals. From the feedback she’s gotten from her enormously engaged online community, she’s sussed out that her fans all love her fast, veggie-first approach to recipes that fit into their busy lives and make them feel good. But they also fall into two camps of those who keep a folder of go-to recipes they can easily make right now, and those who like to plan ahead. Love and Simple Feel-Good Food caters to both ( and those of us who toggle back and forth).

Each chapter—Breakfasts, Salads, Soups and Stews, Dinners, and Desserts—is divided into two one for recipes you can make with minimal prep and ingredients and the second for food you can prepare ahead of time, like the perfect lasagna (with ideas for changing up the layers) and packable salads. Every recipe is supplemented by Jeanine’s trusted tips and flow charts that offer easy visuals on how to mix and match ingredients for fresh, must-eaes, whether you’re reusing ingredients or not. With recipes for Eat-the-Rainbow Blender Soups, a Mix-and-Match Tahini Cookies section, charts for satisfying grain bowls, and 3-in-1 recipes (three dinner dishes to make with one whole vegetable), Love and Simple Feel-Good Food is a treasure trove of inspiring and easy ways to get delicious food on the table.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Health, Vegetarian, Vegan

272 pages, Hardcover

Published April 25, 2023

Reviews

[Martine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adding this cookbook to my top favorites. Beautifully laid out with yummy and healthy recipes 😋

[Courtney Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a stunning cookbook! I can wait to get into the kitchen to test all of the recipes. The tough part will be choosing which one to start with as they all look incredible! Love this indulgent, but healthy cookbook. I can tell if will be a fav.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

A couple interesting recipes, but the majority are just so generic and reiterations of ones I've seen years ago. Not a very innovative or inspiring cookbook.

[Miss✧Pickypants ᓚᘏᗢ · Rating 4 out of 5]

From a purely design perspective, this book is breathtaking. The layout is visually appealing and kudos to Eva Kolenko for the gorgeous photography. I wish the plant-focused recipes were as stellar as the book's design.

With this book the author, who is also the creator of the Love & Lemons blog, presents recipes that you can make on the fly with just a little prep along with ones that require some more advance planning. As noted, there are lovely photos of all the dishes and the instructions for preparing the food are easy to follow. The section on 3-in-1 meal planning that walks you through how to plan three meals centered around one main ingredient (broccoli, cabbage, zucchini, brown rice, white beans and lentils) was done very well.

It may not come as a surprise that many recipes involve use of lemons, not that I have anything against lemons, I too am a big fan. But the repeated use of lemons and a few other staple ingredients, while great for the 3-in-1 sections, made for a less inspiring cookbook than I had hoped for.

Even though I didn't find much inspiration from the recipes, I did enjoy the layout and pictures. My sense is the book is better suited for less experienced cooks looking to expand their plant-based repertoire but I really do think anyone who enjoys cookbooks will appreciate the book design.

[Jessica Hicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I felt so lucky to get a copy of Love and Lemons latest cookbook! It’s another book that actually FEELS fancy. I love the thick, high-quality paper and beautiful photos. I got extra excited about this book and cooked more than I normally would for a cookbook review post. It’s nice to WANT to cook healthy foods!
🍋
Here’s what I made:
⭐️ Spring Pea Fritters with Whipped Feta: Delicious. I was surprised that my kids actually liked them too! Loved the dipping sauce.
⭐️ Shakshuka- This recipe has several flavor variations and I went with the basic one and it tasted like eggs with marinara sauce. I’d try a different flavor next time.
⭐️ Butternut Squash and Feta Muffins- this flavor profile sounded so interesting but it tasted like a fall-themed loaded baked potato to me 😬
⭐️ Raspberry Lemon Pancakes- wow! These were really good!! Make sure to eat them with real maple syrup so you can still taste the bright fruit flavors of the pancakes. Love!
⭐️ Lasagna- there are 4 seasonal varieties and we chose spring. The veggies and cheeses go together really well and it wasn’t too hard to make. Yum!
⭐️ Freezer Fudge- we chose the chocolate almond raspberry and it was really good and super healthy too! Impressive!

[T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dinging it on having some super fussy recipes with lots of steps and lots of ingredients that may be difficult to source/too expensive. Despite both negatives, I’m still contemplating purchasing a physical copy of this for my own unwieldy collection.

[Lata · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.
Gorgeous photos, and plentiful tips and tricks peppered the pages. Oddly, I actually preferred the first book put out by this author.

[Katie Spaulding · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great cookbook! I love the layout and the fact that they help you use your whole vegetable (ex- broccoli and it’s stems, several recipes for red cabbage used in a few ways, etc) and it shows you how long everything will last in the fridge and freezer. There are a lot of fun ideas for recipes that are helping me to feel refreshed! I have been getting bored of more traditional vegetarian meals and it’s good to shake it up with this book.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 stars. While I loved this author's first 2 cookbooks I was really excited to get my hands on this one because it included "plant focused" meals. As a plant based eater, I buy/eat so many vegetables and fruits each week Whole Foods should name their produce section after me. Unfortunately there are scarce few recipes here that don't include eggs, butter or cheese. I was looking forward to actual healthier recipes. Sure I can use my handy plant based hacks for those ingredients and do it all the time but had hoped for something better from this book. I also wasn't inspired to jump in to try these dishes. I have used her other 2 books on so many occasions and am grareful for them. There just wasn't that exciting appeal for me here that her other books held. I'm afraid this book will be a library donation.

[Allie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought this on a whim after seeing the prep now / prep later options and the section that maps out three days of different meals using a few core ingredients. What a smart way to approach meal prep! It addresses the common pain point of a lack of variety, and I love that the recipes are vegetarian and most can be made completely vegan.

Of the recipes I've made so far, the carrot cake smoothies, savory tahini yogurt bowls, and no-bake avocado tart (basically key lime pie!) are out of this world, while the vegan 'cacio e pepe' left quite a bit to be desired. Still, I'm excited to keep working through the recipes in this cookbook.

Docking one star because there are vague/inconsistent instructions in some of the recipes. In addition, some of the recipes are extremely fussy despite being part of a 'simple' cookbook, as other reviewers have noted. Probably best for an experienced home cook rather than someone just starting out.

[Carm · Rating 4 out of 5]

For me this book hovers between the 3 and 4 stars. There are some great and interesting ideas like how to stock the pantry and the 3 in 1 plant and pantry meal plans. I love the creative veggie focus but i think few of the recipes are substantial enough for a family of big eaters who need lots of protein to be full. This book doesn't provide practical meals either with few ingredients. I like the train of thought and the fondness for meat free cooking. But the Chickpea Tacos, for example, in the picture the tacos are a third full. Not everyone is going to be happy eating such a small taco. I find myself wondering why go through the effort of cooking these recipes if they aren't satisfying enough, are expensive, and fidly, and there won't be enough leftovers. I don't think i would cook often these fidly recipes with ingredients lists i find too long. Interesting and creative though so I will keep it.

[Elisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ordered some vegetarian cookbooks since one of my teens decided they are vegetarian. I had used some of the recipes from the Love & Lemons blog and enjoyed them, so, ordering this book was a fine investment for me. I use this book a lot. Not every recipe bangs for me but I make it work by like offering bacon bits as an optional topping for the meat-eaters, etc. But generally, I like it. Hence, 4 stars.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice addition to anyone's plant based cookbooks. Lots of healthy recipes with accompanying colour photographs. Most of the recipes are not complicated and the author shows you how to use the whole vegetable (carrot tops, broccoli stems) for less kitchen waste and healthier eating. There are a couple of recipes in here that will become favourites, I'm sure.

[Jaime · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first introduction to Love & Lemons! I absolutely love it. I got this cookbook from the library but before I went through the first 20 pages, I was putting it on my holiday wish list. I literally want to try 99% of these recipes. This will be my go-to for meal planning in 2024! (Also about to check out her back list cookbooks!)

[Kim Friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely gorgeous photography and layout. I love how she organized the recipes based on meal prep or cooking on the spot. She also provides several recipes if you want to cook up a big pot of rice, beans, lentils etc. to avoid eating the same thing over and over in the same week. Brilliant and beautifully done! ✅

[Hawraki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook features 125 plant-focused recipes. I would recommend it to anyone following a plant-based diet or trying to incorporate more vegetables into their meals, as these recipes can easily accommodate any type of meat. I appreciated the wide variety of options and vegetables.

🥦 Highly recommended!

[Emily Erickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I made every recipe in this cookbook in 2024. For the most part, the food was great! There were a few duds, of course. And sometimes it felt like I was doing unnecessary steps that didn't necessarily add to the dish's overall flavor, appearance, etc. But there are lots of recipes I'll return to again and again.

[Jeimy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book is divided into five sections (breakfast, salads, soups, dinner, and dessert), each section includes meals you can prepare in advance, and each recipe is complimented by a picture of the finished product. I had borrowed this one from the library, but ended up getting a copy for myself!

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like plant based recipes this is the book for you. Recipes are filled with great flavors and easy to make. I love the salads, soups and taco recipes. A fantastic simple recipe is the Lemony Celery Chickpea Salad. Good for company too!

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Incredibly unique, definitely have not seen most of these recipes before just not sure they’re for me. Good place for inspiration though and the tutorials for how to build things like grain bowls are helpful. No idea what a watermelon radish is or where to acquire one but now I know they exist

[Pamela Gunning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love and Lemons Simple Feel Good Food by Jeanine Donofrio is a gem! Well written, beautifully illustrated, this cookbook will have you cooking up a storm in no time. I made a few of the recipes - all easy to follow with great results.

[Carissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was our cookbook club choice for this month. Some of the recipes are simple and delicious while others are slightly more complicated. The sweet potato burgers were my favorite out of all the dishes cooked, but truly with the exception of one soup, everything was delicious.

[Jacqueline · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a pretty book, but the recipes aren’t great. I’ve tried several and found them lacking. They’re not bad ideas, but the instructions, amounts, and seasonings do not result in good food if followed as written. Overall not impressed at all.

[Sydna · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite to date! Will definitely be saving the tops of my leeks and carrots for broths later in the month! ❤️

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! One of the best cookbooks I have owned! The recipes are clear, concise, and very healthy! I'm looking forward to using this cookbook for years! Beautiful pictures and great content!

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I truly enjoy reading cookbooks from cover to cover but this one left me a bit disappointed. I was expecting more in-depth recipes.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Gwen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Another recipe book that doesn’t include nutritional info. 👎

[Cortney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really love the week long meal prep plans.

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good ideas and freshness in this book.