Brave New Meal: Fresh as F*ck Food for Every Table: A Vegan Cookbook

by Bad Manners, Michelle Davis, Matt Holloway

The New York Times bestselling authors of the Bad Manners cookbook series are back with a message for you (yeah, you): Eating less meat, saving the planet, and cooking at home don’t have to be so f*cking boring—or expensive. If it feels like everything’s so f*cked that you just wanna lay down and let the earth reclaim your body, we understand. A global pandemic forced all of us back into the kitchen but our fridges were full of by-products and fake flavors. It seems like half the ingredients and produce we buy goes in the trash while people starve, the planet burns and also somehow floods. And our culinary chaos is partly to blame. This sh*t isn't sustainable.  Enter Brave New a chance for food to be not just different but better. Because here’s the dirty little secret about eating vegan (or plant-based, meatless, flexitarian, whatever the hell they’re calling it this week): done right, it’s the cheapest, healthiest, most environmentally friendly, and tastiest (did we stutter?) food you could possibly put into that temple you call a body. Brave New Meal shows you the   • 100+ life-changing vegan recipes including Orange Peel Cauliflower, Beeteroni Pizza, Nashville Hot Shroom Sammie, Jackfruit Pupusas, and Plum-Side-Down Cake • Killer photos so you’ll know for sure you didn’t f*ck it up • Tips on how to stretch your budget, limit food waste, and incorporate every edible piece of the plant into your meals (or finally find a use for that wilted kale in your fridge)• Shortcuts and substitutions for when the grocery store is sold out or you need help getting dinner on the goddamn table already • A produce glossary that breaks down everything you probably never knew (but most def should) about all the fresh stuff in your market Look, we’re not asking you to go vegan. We’re not even asking you to give up bacon (do whatever you gotta do). But just be real honest when you answer this What do you have to lose?

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Nonfiction, Cooking, Vegan

246 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 9, 2021

Reviews

[Veronica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Divertente e a tratti un po' volgare, ricette carine, totalmente vegetariane. Non ci sono ricette che muoia dalla voglia di provare, ma di sicuro è un buon libro per aprirsi a nuove possibilità di preparazioni. Unico punto un po' così, è che alcuni ingredienti sono un po' strani e non trovabili dappertutto.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this cookbook. Recipes are entirely vegan and encompass everything from breakfast to soups, salads, main dishes, snacks and desserts. Some of my favorite recipes were a Brussel sprout hash, figs in a blanket, teriyaki jackfruit with noodles, and a green grape pie. The recipes are all very unique and unlike anything I have seen before. Most recipes are accompanied by a photo, cook times are listed for all recipes, and recipes are also marked if they are gluten free, one pot dishes, freezer friendly, or suitable for leftovers. Dishes are uncomplicated, easy to make, and contain familiar ingredients that most people have on hand. If you like vegetables and are looking for some novel dishes then this is the book for you. The only negative thing about this book is the excessive cursing. There is so much cursing in this book that you become immune to it very early on. I can see how this could be a problem for some readers but I would recommend that you try not to let that stop you because there are some really delicious recipes within.
Disclosure: I received a free copy from Rodale Books in exchange for a free and honest review.

[Darlene Messenger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book from Rodale Books, for review, as part of their ambassador reading program and all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Note: received in 2021, reviewed, now rereading.
Crude language within the book must be overlooked in order to read and take in all the excellent information. Illustrator, Nick Hensley, has done a beautiful job of design elements worthy of framing for your pantry. Recipes provide a plethora of good eating with fresh ingredients and the information provided about ingredients is to be highly regarded as a reference.
I will not be keeping this book for my personal collection but will write out a few recipes prior to passing it on.

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

After finding out the truth of who was behind Thug Kitchen, I was disappointed (though still loved some of the recipes from their prior book). This one had some good recipes, but nothing I was dying to make. Could be useful and of interest to vegans, but as a vegetarian, I just didn't have the same drive.

[Astrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book in the franchise that I will probably purchase. If you can manage to ignore the constant 4-letter bombs, this has some excellent recipes and really uses mostly unprocessed food stuffs. No "impossible" burgers or vegan sausages used in any recipes here. I appreciate that, even though I could do without the constant potty mouth.

[Jana Eichhorn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Worth the wait. I'll revisit this rating after I cook a few meals from it, when it will most likely go up to 5 stars. The first three Bad Manners cookbooks are much loved in my house, so it has its work cut out for it.

[Jeremy LaLonde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven't tried any of the recipes in this book yet, but as a fan of their previous books, this was a must buy. The information inside about food is worth the price itself. If you're interested in eating plant-based this could be the best intro.

[Carrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great recipes I’m definitely going to try. But ngl, some of these are beyond my skill (and/or lack of laziness) level. Good explanation of techniques and flavor profiles. Just generally entertaining to read.

[KathleenB · Rating 4 out of 5]

First new installment under long overdue new name. I like the look of most of the recipes, although a bit more artichoke than I’d like.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will update when I’ve made more but loved recipe #1 and have a bunch more to make! Don’t care about the schtick but the food is excellent. Love the lack of faux meat/dairy!

[Kristen Britt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and straightforward cookbook. They explain food basics along with giving optional ingredients for many of their recipes. Demystifying plant-based cooking.

[Carol - Reading Writing and Riesling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great easy to make plant based recipes.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book but there were just too many ingredients I would never find and too many flavors I just can't get interested in.

[Mariah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dang, I only read a few recipes and I know I need to buy this book. It made me so hungry just reading about the dishes. Mmm need it now!

[Katie D'Angelo · Rating 4 out of 5]

A way more grown-up version of their earlier cookbooks - the recipes are a bit more complicated than some of their OG recipes, but their also more diverse in flavour and overall just way better!

[Joanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Green Grape Pie
pgs. 155-156
3/27/24 5/5 stars
This is delicious. I was immediately intrigued and since I’m on vacation I went to the store right away and got the ingredients. The only really expensive thing was the walnuts but it only takes barely a cup.

[Miss✧Pickypants ᓚᘏᗢ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a surprisingly good vegan cookbook despite the "bad manners" schtick. Be warned though, if you cannot stomach the word f*ck, steer clear of this book as the word is peppered throughout and included on every page.

There are a few Bad Manners cookbooks, this one is post-COVID and addresses how cooking changed since most people were cooking more meals at home during the pandemic. Along with the proliferous use of "f*ck", this book tries to show the reader how to cook what they already have in their pantry and how to make substitutions so that they can prepare tasty vegan dishes. They've included a nice produce glossary at the back of the book, also heavily laced with profanity.

Recipes are easy to follow and the instructions are well written, but pictures of finished dishes are scant.