Sophisticated, home-cooked vegetarian meals without the fuss. Is that too much to ask? Absolutely not.

True to his roots as a restaurant chef, cooking teacher, and family man, award-winning vegetarian chef Peter Berley has a passion for meals that taste incredible, salute the seasons, and are easy to prepare in under an hour. In <em>Fresh Food Fast</em>, he provides forty-eight meals -- twelve for each season -- including recipes, a shopping list, an equipment list, and a game plan that takes you step-by-step through the menu.

Included are substantial, satisfying meals that will bring pleasure to vegetarians and omnivores alike:

Spring<br /> bibb lettuce and radish salad with crème fraîche citronette braised spring vegetables with grits, poached eggs, and chives

summer<br /> spicy corn frittata with tomatoes and scallions cucumber salad

fall<br /> pasta with spicy cauliflower, chickpeas, and cherry tomatoes pan-grilled radicchio salad with honey- balsamic glaze over frisée

winter<br /> balsamic-roasted seitan with cipollini onions garlic mashed potatoes and parsnips

Berley also provides delectable dessert recipes for each season, including spring's Warm Honey Lemon Curd over Strawberries, summer's Blueberry-Nectarine Crisp, fall's Roasted Grapes with Red Wine, and winter's Caramelized Bananas with Blood Orange and Pistachio.

In a world where fast food is generally prepackaged and second-rate, Peter Berley teaches us how we can live without compromise and enjoy fresh, wholesome meals any night of the week as we connect with family and friends.