...because the recipes are the best part of this book. I'm not particularly fond of the writer's style, though one could admire the honesty and candor in her writing. To me she seems just too self-righteous, and I'm not too fond of any book where meat-eaters get unnecessarily criticized. If I choose not to eat meat, why in the world would I want to bash those who do? What? Does it make ME look better? Make THEM feel stupid for their choices? To me that doesn't really accomplish anything, and only pushes people further away. She has a real take it or leave it attitude ("here's what I cooked. Eat it. If you like it, good. If you don't, go get it somewhere else.") Well, it's pretty easy for her to have that attitude, because she and her husband eat the same way...she can afford to make that statement without great risk. I just wasn't feeling her attitude in this book, but to her credit, her recipes are great. Nothing is too time consuming, and everything is healthful and all natural...just the way I like to eat. If you want to create food that's simple, close to the earth, and fast and easy, without much fuss or muss, or if you just plain old hate to cook, then this IS the book for you...read it and enjoy...

I borrowed this book from my local library. Not being able to sleep one night, I picked it up and dug into page one. At 2 am, I finally set it down, reading the entire volume in one entranced sitting, eagerly anticipating the next morning when I could try some horse chow for breakfast rather than my usual cooked oatmeal glop. A handful of raw oats, a banana, some nuts, a few raisins, and a splash of soy milk was all it took that morning for me to become addicted to a way of eating that makes so much sense, it's amazing to think of mind-numbing habits that contribute to the dismal American diet. I love the author's no-nonsense approach, writing for "the rest of us" that don't relate to the idea of spending three hours in the kitchen to make a meal that will be gulped down in twenty minutes. I recommend it to anyone wishing to slow down and simplify in this diet-crazed country of ours.

If you Hate to cook but really want to be healthy, this is your book. A good value. You get a lot of ideas from this book. It encourages good thinking. Not for people who Love to Cook. This is for the rest of us. Enjoy!