Cooking from the Spirit: Easy, Delicious, and Joyful Plant-Based Inspirations

by Tabitha Brown

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Voted the Favorite Vegan Cookbook of 2023 by  VegNews Tabitha Brown, the #1  New York Times  bestselling author of Feeding the Soul , presents her first cookbook—full of easy, family-friendly vegan recipes and stories from the spirit, inspired by her health journey and love of delicious food. Sometimes people say to Tabitha Brown, “I’ve never eaten vegan before.” As Tab says, “Have you ever eaten an apple?” After living with a terrible undiagnosed illness for more than a year and a half, Tab was willing to try anything to stop the pain. Inspired by the documentary What the Health, she tried a thirty-day vegan challenge—and never looked back. Wanting to inspire others to make changes that might improve their own lives, she started sharing her favorite plant-based recipes in her signature warm voice with thousands, and now millions, of online fans. Tab’s recipes are flexible, creative, and filled with encouragement, so you trust yourself to cook food the way it makes you happy. If you’re already a “cooking from the spirit” sort of person, you’ll love how much freedom Tab gives to make these delicious vegan dishes your own. If you’re newer to cooking—or to vegan cooking—Tab will help you get comfortable in the kitchen and, most important, have fun doing it! In this joyful book, Tab shares personal stories, inspirational “Tabisms,” and more than eighty easy, family-friendly recipes, Cooking from the Spirit is for anyone interested in plant-based eating and all lovers of food, plus anyone who wants a little warm inspiration in their lives. As Tab says, “Honey, now let’s go on and get to cooking from the spirit. Yes? Very good!”

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Food, Cooking, Vegan, Biography

208 pages, Hardcover

Published October 4, 2022

Reviews

[Miss✧Pickypants ᓚᘏᗢ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Its strange how so many cookbook authors will say "Avoid processed foods!" but then in their books they will tell you use certain products that would be considered processed food. In this vegan cookbook the author gives that advice but then provides a number of recipes using processed vegan products, and she does disclose she is also a brand ambassador for one of these products.

So I wasn't a fan of that, nor was I a fan of the lack of measurements in the majority of recipes. This is the second cookbook I've come across with this philosophy (Cooking at Home by David Chang was the other) and I hope it's the last.

This book has nice color photos of finished dishes but good luck recreating them without any measurements.

[debbicat *made of stardust* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tab is my gal! Lots of great recipes here. I buy her products at Target when I can find them. The potato salad, mushroom ravioli, popcorn are all goodies I can recommend. I haven't been in the mood to cook much this summer but I have tried a few recipes in the book and am well pleased. I can highly recommend it!

[Lisastrawberry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes, I read a cookbook. She's a wonderful human being and I fully intend to try some of her recipes before I have to return this to the library. She doesn't put measurements in her recipes since she cooks by feel, or as she says "spirit" so that might be an issue for me because I have no idea how much to add. I need specific direction. There are a few recipes that are more forgiving (stews) so I will try those.
She gives me warm and kind "mom" vibes and she's a vegan who isn't preachy about it. I dig her and have for the past several years.

[Tina Sabolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this cookbook. Everything I’ve cooked from it was fantastic and the carrot dog with pecan chili recipe alone is worth the cost of the book. If you’ve ever watched Tabitha on social media, it definitely reads in her voice and personality. There aren’t many real measurements, which is fine with me, but could be frustrating to people who aren’t familiar with cooking and flavors. The recipes are pretty simple with easy to find ingredients and it’s easy to find substitutes for the items that you either can’t find or have (for example I’m gluten free).

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been following Tabitha Brown on social media for about a year, her energy for life and all around positivity are delightful. However, the recipes presented are extremely basic with a surprising emphasis on meat replacement products in many of them. I didn’t lean much, but I did enjoy her commentary and the beauty of the book. I also appreciate that she cooks intuitively based on flavors she likes with no measurements of anything. I often cook the same way.

[Sita · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tabitha has a lovely personality, but I cannot use a cookbook that has no measurements for the recipe ingredients. For that alone this cookbook is a no for me. I’m relieved I got this book from the library instead of buying it.

[Ela M · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars: Tabitha Brown’s voice puts me in such a good mood! Her book encourages a vegan diet without any judgement whatsoever (“that’s your business”) and simply attempts to inspire us to eat fresher. She constantly reminds us to make recipes how we would like them with a focus on what we want instead of following recipes to a T. Her recipes are original and interesting without being overly difficult, and I looked forward to her cute inspirational quotes at the end of each chapter..

“TSA: Don’t allow a bad dream to ruin your day. Release those negative thoughts right now and know that you and God are in control of your life and all is well.”

“TSA: Drink or eat something raw, pure, or green today and be excited about what it’s going to do for your body.”

Two of Tabitha’s recipes I want to try:

Who Made The Potato Salad?: Add Yukon gold potatoes to a large pot with salt and garlic powder, and add water to cover. Boil potatoes until soft (when you can easily poke them with a fork) then mash up with a spoon as much as you like. Mix vegan mayonnaise, mustard, chopped white onion, chopped celery, sweet pickle relish, garlic powder, a little bit onion powder, black salt, a pinch of sugar, sea salt, and pepper. Sprinkle with smoked paprika.

Kale Raspberry Salad: Wash kale and remove stems, tear leaves into small pieces and place in bowl. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice enough to moisten leaves, add a pinch of salt and pepper. Use your hands to massage kale for ~5 minutes. Add raspberries, sweet onion, red bell pepper, diced avocado, and toss gently to combine.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a person who likes to read cookbooks from cover to cover. I thoroughly enjoyed this one! Tabitha Brown has a delightful personality and it really shines through in this book. The fact that the recipes don't have exact measurements doesn't bother me in the least because I usually just get ideas from cookbooks anyway. This book though, has several of the recipes marked now--ones I definitely want to try! I would describe the recipes as having a southern flair, but there are several Mexican type recipes too.

[Demetrius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Appreciate the energy and voice of Ms Tab. Would be more excited to cook from this book with ingredients quantified in recipes.

And that’s definitely a me thing as I’m often wanting any given recipe to know how to stay on the road to making XYZ vs going way off road or being in the ocean

[Doug · Rating 1 out of 5]

I had never heard of the author until her frozen vegan entrees began appearing in Target stores, but apparently she has a huge Instagram/social media following. So as a dedicated vegan/WFPB eater and Certified Plant-Based Nutritionist I wanted to see what her cookbook (and I use the term extremely loosely) was like. It's a hot mess!

First - there are NO measurements at all in any of the 'recipes' - you are just supposed to intuit how much of each to use. This is not so much a cookbook, teaching you how to create delicious and healthy no-meat meals, as it is an 'assemblage-book'. She lists her prepackaged ingredients and tells you how to assemble them into a meal. As if any idiot couldn't figure that out for themselves!

Secondly, there is a preponderance of highly processed 'ingredients' used, along with a huge amount of oil and fat (many recipes call for 8 TABLESPOONS of vegan butter!) - so if you wanted to eat vegan to become healthy - fuhgeddaboudit! The fact that she constantly name-drops products she uses makes me believe she's getting hefty kickbacks for her endorsements - which is again ... problematic.

And lastly - her groupies apparently clamor for her affirmative proclamations - which I found nauseatingly trite and syrupy - of the 'You do you!' variety. It's great that there are now a number of POC cookbook authors promoting a vegan lifestyle to that populace - but I would opt for Charity Morgan or Pinky Cole over this nutritional nightmare! Luckily, I got the book from the library before actually purchasing it.

[Amanda Weiford · Rating 1 out of 5]

I love Tabitha and she is very positive and you feel like you have known her for years. I like her style and the cookbook has nice pictures and I like the layout. She does not use measurements hence “cooking from the spirit.” I was able to successfully re-create some of these recipes without measurements such as the Jackfruit Pot Roast, Carrot Dogs, and Potato Salad. I was not able to succeed with the burgers. She instructs in the recipe that “if it is too moist to add the flour until you get it right.” Well I did this but since I ruined it by clearly adding the many ingredients without measurement, they would not turn out right. I Air Fried them like instructed but they were so difficult to get to form and even with flour, they would not get done on the inside. I will still remain a fan of her but some recipes, especially vegan ones you have never made need actual measurements as that is the point of buying a cookbook. Was disappointed that I wasted food and money as expensive as everything is these days.

[Kelley Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun spirited way of cooking vegan from media influencer Tabby Brown. In this recipe packed book you will find vegan versions of tried and true meals from everyday life. It is broken down into sections and easy to follow steps in preparing these dishes with familiar ingredients. There is no measuring so if that throws you off keep this in mind. She also gives a little blurb of how the dish relates to her life pre vegan. At the end of the recipes are little affirmations and uplifting words to engage your spirit. There are definitely some unique ways of turning regular meals into vegan alternatives. I definitely will be preparing a few of these versions. As a mostly plant based individual this cookbook gets high marks from me. Who knew pecans could be used as a meat alternative?

[Little · Rating 2 out of 5]

Brown's book is very focused on substitutes for meat and cheese so that vegans can continue to eat hamburgers, scrambled eggs, pizzas, and other typical American foods, just without animal products in them. If I was a vegan, it might be helpful for me to explore the ideas collected here. I am not vegan, however, so when I eat vegan food, it's food that's always vegan, rather than a vegan substitute for a non-vegan meal. My hamburgers are just made of ground beef, and my pizza is just topped with cheese. So there wasn't a lot in Brown's book that was useful for me.

It is, however, chock full of ideas for replacing meat and dairy products with vegan alternatives that are NOT soy. So if you need that, this is the book for you!

[Espie-Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is not just a cookbook, it's a window into Tab's soul! As such it's an excellent book, as a cookbook it just wasn't for me. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it! I loved reading about Tab's life, I'm just not as free as she is in the kitchen. LOL! I'm one who needs measurements. But, I aspire to be a natural cook so I'll keep trying until I feel more comfortable. 😁
This book is definitely "worth the calories", or the money .

[Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun and easy

Tabitha's personality radiates throughout the entire book. I love that she refers to the recipes as guides. Each recipe gives you as choice to use the seasoning and meat substitutes you like. I have the feeling that many of these recipe guides will become a permanent part of my vegan lifestyle.

[Mystical Enchantress · Rating 5 out of 5]

This cookbook was such a joy to read. Tabitha's colorful personality comes to life with each flip of the page. Thank you Tabitha for sharing your joy of vegan cooking for all to try. Most of these recipes are already favorites in our home and I look forward to trying a few different takes on them inspired by this book.

[Christa Van · Rating 4 out of 5]

An audio cookbook? What a crazy idea. But listening to this is just like getting a big hug from Tabitha. I'm not vegan but hoping to cut back on meat. There are lots of great sounding options here and her method is to give you an outline but YOU decide on the measurements. Use more of what you like and less of what you don't like. I'm sold!

[Chris Worthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully encouraging throughout. If you're like me, your brain will read it in Tabitha Brown's voice. And of course, the recipes are great, too - and they are done mostly without measurements, which is exactly how most people cook anyway, I think. This is a great gift for someone who is comfortable in the kitchen but maybe not so comfortable with vegan cooking.

[Laverne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited to get this book because I was looking for the items Mrs. Brown used in her recipes. Unfortunately not only does she cook like me w/out a recipe but also a little of this and a lil of that. Her recipes which call for vegan cheese will only say vegan cheese, the brand is left up to the chef/home cook. That was my only disappointment, but I understand the why.

[Samantha Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are several recipes I am excited to try! Some of the ingredients: specialty mushrooms and heart of palm may be difficult for most people to find.
Wasn't a huge fan of the raw foods and her justifications of why there are better than cooked, but other than that, there are some great salad ideas and some really interesting sides.

[Valerie Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made the cheese grits with sausage and the raw cheesy pecan tacos, both were tasty and came together surprisingly well, given that Tabitha doesn't provide amounts for ingredients. For that reason, the cookbook is more of a book of ideas than recipes, which is terrifying but seems to work. Tabitha's bright, shining personality comes through on every page.

[Vanessa L. Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Soooo good! I cooked the crab less cakes and rainbow salad for a dinner party on New Years Eve and the guests asked for seconds! All of these recipes are easy to follow and so freaking tasty! This is an iconic cookbook that will always remain in my home. 10 out of 10 🫶🏾📖 I love you Tab, can’t wait to see what recipes your next cookbook will be full of! Maybe fast food dupes?

[Lori Ingram · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who would listen to à cookbook? À Vegan cookbook? I would. Especially if the voice is that of my gurl Tabitha Brown. She has infused me with the passion and fun my vegan journey has been lacking. Bringing life back into the beautiful ingredients that I have become bored with. Thank you Tab #itsalifestyle #veganlife

[♡*WithLove, Reesie*♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the personalized stories before each recipe.

I really enjoyed the "Tabisms" at the end of the recipes.

I'm not a cook, and find it difficult to follow recipes (it rarely turns out right), but I think cooking from the spirit may work for me!

I recommend.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good! Tab’s spirit and voice comes through. All of the recipes have beautiful full color photos, but they are presented as ingredients and guidance, not exact measurements. But, I think we all follow Tab for her heart, inspiration, and ideas, not how many teaspoons of garlic to include.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love my girl Tabitha. It’s like she that auntie that you talk to once a month and she always makes you feel like a superstar. Yea, my girl Tabitha. She has some interesting vegan recipes that are simple to make. While I am not vegan, my daughter is and this will help me make some adjustments.

[Theresa Gaber · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I say that I love Tabatha Brown, I really love her. But I need measurements. I understand cooking from the spirit. But I need a base start.
This book was gifted to me. And now I don't know what to do with it.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Tabitha Brown (is she culinary equivalent of St Betty white? Maybe) but these recipes were not it for me. Perhaps it is my longstanding district of vegan cheese. Im totally gonna try the “Saved Eggs” just out of curiosity though.

[Cheryl C · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a fun read, can't wait for the first next one

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A different kind of cookbook. It has lot of stories to let you know where or how each recipe came about. There are beautiful pictures too.