Linda McCartney's Home Cooking - Delicious Vegetarian Recipes for Healthy Family Meals | Easy Plant-Based Meals for Busy Weeknights & Special Occasions

This a truly a wonderful cookbook and a classic. Approachable recipes that really bring the family together.I wanted the Paul McCartney connection as one of the first vegetarians of which I became aware. I wondered what his beloved wife fed her family and this is that book. It is a treasure of recipes and more. I will pass it on to my vegetarian daughter when she has someone(s) to feed. They are old recipes and that is what I liked. A bit of British fare, with foods from the worldwide travels thrown in. A Classic cookbook for middle-aged vegetarians is what I'd call it.I got this from a church thrift shop, but the copy was very fragrant and I have MCS, so I gave that one away and bought a newer one from AMAZON. ITs full of great vegetarian recipes. Chapters cover spices, nuts seeds, grains legumes, herbs, tools and chosing vegetables including when to buy, how to store beyond best cooking methods.This was published in 89, when my 25 year old was born, but information is still valid and helpful.Every fourth page or so has a full page photo of a dish. Linda is a photographer. Her marriage to beatle Paul, is not flaunted and barely mentioned. Her family was into food before her marriage so its not like her wealth gave her idle time to delve into cooking. It's downfall is that the recipes don't include nutritional content charts, but she add vitamin/mineral/protein content as a one line sentence.... "good source of vitamin A, fiber and protein" for example. The book ends with conversion tables and a good index.I've got all of Linda's books now, culminating in the one "Tour: 200 dishes from around the world.' Boy, she really had a grip on great food, taste, ease of cooking, and health in her family by showing them, "No, we're NOT going to eat our lambs." When this book first came out, I got it and she is the one who taught me, "you don't need meat to make it taste good."Her daughter, Mary, has come out with a book of her own, "Food," and it's clear "like mother like daughter." I had to get that one, too, although her 'mum's' recipes are repeated here and there.If you're new to vegetarian cooking, I strongly recommend this book. Then move on to Linda's other cookbooks. You won't be sorry. To this day, my husband would swear some of my (Linda's) meals have meat and he loves them. HA!Miss you, Linda, but we're keeping you alive here by cooking up your recipes!I have been a fan of Linda McCartney's since the late 80's. The book contains too many recipes that call for fake meat. Lots of recipes using veggie burgers. Today most nutritionist discourage the use of these products. She uses lots of dairy and eggs in her recipes as well. If you are new to vegetarian cooking, this would be a good transitional book. I have an extensive vegetarian/vegan cookbook collection and I am happy to include a copy of this book in that collection. She inspired me 25 years ago to adopt a vegetarian life-style.If Linda inspired you, consider purchasing a copy of Mary McCartney's book "Food". The book is really a tribute to a wonderful mum.First, unlike most specialty cookbooks, this one doesn't require exotic spices or anything you couldn't find at your local grocery. I have tried the Italian Sausage from Morning Star, as I wanted to try an old recipe of sausages and peppers, and I honestly could not taste any difference. I will say that the sausages are not as plump as Johnsonville Italian Sausage, but I think they were actually cheaper. TVP, which she mentions a lot, stands for textured vegetable protein. There is also a ground hamburger substitute (Boca) that I believe is roughly the same price as regular hamburger. I plan on trying this next, if only for spaghetti meatballs.If your single, busy, and don't have time to spend hours cooking, this is for you. The recipes are simple and not time consuming.I mainly bought this because I love Paul McCartney as well as his relationship withnow deceased Linda McCartney. I also wanted to become vegan and who better tolearn from than The McCartney's themselves?She writes so well and puts recipes in ways that anyone could understand.Very affordable , very rich .May she rest in peace.Love this cookbook. Easy veggie recipes, however, Linda uses dairy and eggs. Also, she uses Worcestershire sauce which contains anchovies. So, if you are a true vegetarian, some adjustments must be made. Regardless, the dishes are indeed hearty.I have several vegetarian cookbooks, including several of Linda's. Of all her books, or any of my others, this seems to be the most basic one of all because of the instructions and lack of variety of ingredients. It has sections on nutrition, equipment, and food descriptions which for a new vegetarian might be useful. However, I did not need these.The recipes seem to be centered on the heavy use of cheese, eggs, and veggie burgers or textured vegetable protein. I am not a vegan, so this isn't a problem, but I would have liked to see more lighter options with less fat or cheese. A great deal of her recipes are repeats from some of the other books I have, so this one reads more like an updated cookery book rather than a different themed cookery book from her. Also, there are a few recipes that seem to stop in mid-recipe. The victoria sponge gives the recipe for the cake itself, but no comments or details on the filling. Not even to go to the shops to buy jam or cream to fill it. But right above the recipe is a finished cake picture showing it with cream and jam in the centre. Likewise, there is a picture of someone rolling out what look like gnocchi right under a recipe for dumplings. The dumpling recipe does not require rolling and I could see where this might confuse a novice cook.On the positive side, all the recipes are appealing, if you don't mind either cheese or egg based dishes, and the photographs are nice. This cookery book would be best suited to a new vegetarian or non-vegetarian as a good place to start. The recipes are classic in theme, but not the healthier versions of old favorites that many experienced vegetarians would want to make for themselves. They would be best as once in awhile meals.Very heavy reliance on Vegetarian sausages, burgers, TVP etc. Of the 308 recipes over 50 rely on these so when you take out soups, breads, deserts and cakes there is really not a lot left.Leave this book alone, there are far better ones to spend your money on.and it is:- in the layout, the start of the book, and the fact that a number of recipes are also in her previous book. The only difference is the conversion charts are not in either the front, or the back !?!There are though quite a number of new recipes, and this book does feel heavier and bigger. The recipes do still look and sound good, and as before, I will enjoy making them.This recipe book has all the measurements in Cups so must have been made for the American Market. (I used to own the UK version which was in grams and milliliters.) I don't recall seeing this in the description but I may have overlooked it. The book itself is in good condition and was delivered promptly.No problems, thank you.