Not Just for Vegetarians: Delicious Homestyle Cooking, the Meatless Way

Monika Rohlmann is an environmental consultant in Victoria, B.C.

Geraldine Hartman was a meat eater most of her life. It wasn’t until
1990 that she switched to an ovo-lacto vegetarian diet. Inspired by
information detailing the environmental and personal health benefits of
a meatless diet, Hartman pursued her new diet by turning
family-favourite recipes into meatless triumphs. Born into a family of
cooks, she found support not only for writing this cookbook but also for
sharing her knowledge and skills through lectures, demonstrations, and
cooking classes.

Three of the book’s seven chapters focus on recipes for muffins and
breads, salads and sauces, and desserts. The remaining four chapters
include recipes for snacks and appetizers, soups, main dishes, and
family-favourite re-dos. Colour photographs displaying several of the
dishes on one page are scattered throughout the book. There are just
enough to inspire without intimidating.

Having been raised an ovo-lacto vegetarian myself, I know first-hand
the challenges of creating delicious, appetizing meals without meat. A
constant concern is whether a combination of ingredients creates a
complete protein. Hartman’s recipes do this without relying on exotic,
difficult-to-find ingredients or unfamiliar taste combinations. In our
age of enlightened living, where food is not only nourishment but also
medicine, every family should be rotating this cookbook through their
weekly meal schedule.