Straight Up Food

by Cathy Fisher

Veteran cooking instructor Cathy Fisher guides you in preparing delicious meals made from the most health-promoting ingredients on the planet! Her recipes call for 100% plant foods: vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, and contain no animal-derived ingredients: meat (beef, pork, fowl, fish, seafood), eggs, honey, or dairy products (cow's milk, cream, butter, cheese, yogurt). They are also gluten-free and "SOS-free" (made with no added salt, oil, or sugar).

These are dishes that most of us have been eating all of our lies - they'e just been given a makeover! Although Cathy emphasizes whole foods instead of overly processed foods, flavor is not sacrificed: her recipes simply call for more healthful sources of sodium (salt), richness (fat), and sweetness (sugar).

This is not a complicated gourmet cookbook to be admired on the bookshelf, but rather a "let's make really good food so we can feel and look really good" cookbook filled with recipes you will make on a regular basis:

• Oil-Free Hash Browns • Pesto Pasta
• Blueberry Muffins • Mushroom Risotto
• Creamy Coleslaw • Ranch Dressing
• Split Pea and Yam Soup • Minestrone Soup
• Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce • Spicy Black Bean Salsa
• Curried Sweet Potato Salad • Carrot Cake

(Description from the back of the book)

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Vegan, Nonfiction, Health, Nutrition, Reference

251 pages, Spiral-bound

Published January 1, 2016

Reviews

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Happened across this book/author and thought I'd give the recipes a try since I'm a plant based eater. This book is a little different than most. No fancy or unusual ingredients here. No salt, oil or sugar (dates are the sweet source here). There are several recipes that use white potatoes. Not a fan of the white spud. Several of the recipes I had an issue with time and temperature. I had to throw out the Cornmeal/Quinoa bread twice. The first time even after the correct oven temp and the 15 minute cooking time left me with nothing but a tan gooey mess. Putting it back in the oven another 15 minutes still produced a tan goo. Not the glowing crispy bright yellow goodness pictured in the book. A 2nd try left with me a crispier version of tan (after 40 minutes) but still a little doughy in the middle and very inedible. And yes, I used an oven thermometer to check the temperature on my relatively new oven. This one was just a bust.

There were some winners. I liked the granola recipe and the oatmeal cookies. I might have tweaked them a bit but still I'll make them both again (plus tweaks).

I applaud the author's message in getting plant based eating made easy out to the masses. However, this book was too simplistic and too bland for me. If you enjoy easy, simple recipes with granulated garlic and granulated onion as opposed to using the actual vegetables and you love white potatoes...this book is for you.

[Donna]

Here is a crash course in WFPB (whole food plant based) diets without S.O.S. (salt, oil, sugar). The diet seems extreme, but this book makes it accessible with a quick only read and a trip to a local farmers market. The discussions on ingredients, cooking methods, shopping, and labels are helpful; the recipes appear doable for all levels of home cooks; and the Resurces section provides links for supplies and more.

[John Warner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Getting hold of this book was hard but the content was worth it. I put post-it notes on pages of recipes that are either a) look interesting to cook or b) are keepers (recipes that go into the collection) - this book has interestingly loads of the latter which I have garnered from blog sites etc. and some really interesting ones too. Nice book and I like the spiral binding too.

[Beth Nieman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have already tried several of the whole-food plant-based (WFPB) recipes in this book (Beefless Stew, Oatmeal Raisin cookies, etc.). My husband and I both really enjoyed them. If you are looking for a “go-to” cookbook with ingredients that are healthy, easy to buy, inexpensive, and free of added salt, refined oils, and refined sweeteners, this could be the one for you! The methods of cooking are not difficult.

Features include nutrition information, tips for WFPB eating, details of the author’s personal health journey, and a handy lay-flat spiral binding. Lovely full-color photos of the completed dishes inspire me to try the recipes!

This recipe book makes WFPB eating feel very doable in our heavily-processed food-rich environment. I’m very grateful for the effort and care the author took in preparing this attractive, healthful, informative collection of recipes!

[Diane Holcomb · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're looking for yummy foods that are plant-based and free of salt, oil, and sugar (SOS), look no further than this book. The photos alone were enough to motivate me to want to sprint to the kitchen and grab a pot or pan. I checked out the book from the library and ended up buying a copy because it's that good. The author shares her versions of plant-based, SOS-free versions of pizza and pasta and tuna (or enchilada) casserole, cornbread, pie, potato salad, meat loaf, and SO MUCH MORE...all made easy, healthy, and delish.

[Glenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Straight-forward guide to health-promoting, delicious food with simple ingredients. Love the practical spiral binding and the friendly advice sprinkled throughout! This color-filled collection of recipes continues to be a go-to for weeknight or weekend cooking for my family. Love this cookbook, and I have several shelves full of cookbooks. This is a standout for whole food plant-based cooking.

[Angie Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author has a website with additional recipes.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent plant-based resource. Working my way though the recipes, all very straightforward and uncomplicated. Favorite so far is the Beefless Stew. I do add salt to most of these recipes though, not a lot, but am not worried about it in my diet.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best whole-food, plant-based vegan cookbook I ever read...and I own quite a few. The recipes are very simple to make, and delicious. This will be my go-to vegan cookbook.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information, beautiful pictures. Can’t wait to try out more of these recipes.