Creative Ideas for Pantry Cooking, But Not for Everyone

N.G. · 29 September 2025

I was really intrigued by the concept of this book—vegetarian recipes built around pantry staples—and it does deliver on that promise. The recipes are bright, bold, and globally inspired, with a strong emphasis on flavor and flexibility. I appreciated the author’s approach to using everyday ingredients in unexpected ways, and the writing has a warm, encouraging tone.That said, some of the recipes felt a bit niche or overly stylized, and not all of them were practical for my day-to-day cooking. If you enjoy experimenting and have a well-stocked spice rack, you’ll likely find this book inspiring. But if you’re looking for more traditional or family-style vegetarian meals, this might not be the best fit.Still, it’s a visually appealing and thoughtful cookbook, and I can see it being a great addition for adventurous home cooks who want to get more creative with pantry ingredients.

Wonderful, informative, delicious

h. · 25 October 2024

I am looking to adopt a more plant-based diet and ordered this book on a whim. I was pleasantly surprised with the vast amount of (easy to read and digest) information - above and beyond a typical cookbook! I’ve already learned so much about new ways to use different types of grains, beans, etc.; would recommend this book just for that aspect alone!On the recipes themselves - I am a more experienced home cook, and sometimes mainstream cookbooks are a bit too simple for me. This book strikes a wonderful balance in providing easy, approachable recipes that still feature new and interesting flavor combinations. I’ve already cooked a few recipes that came out fantastically, to much praise from others in my household (including some picky eaters). The photos are gorgeous too.Finally - I love the author’s voice. She writes as though she’s talking to a friend (but with confident authority) - for example, cautioning the reader in the notes for one recipe that while it might seem like it takes many steps, each step is quick to complete, and worth it to achieve a balanced final dish. She also writes honestly and eloquently about her relationship with toxic “diet culture,” something I think all of us who grew up in the 80s, 90s, and 00s can relate to.If you’re interested in exploring more balanced, nutritious, plant-based cooking at home, I would highly recommend this book. You’ll learn a lot and come away equipped with tons of useful tools and new ideas.

Amazing Cookbook!!!

D.P.D. · 25 October 2024

I love this book! I have been a fan of Erin’s for awhile now and often go to her website for recipe and inspiration. I am so happy to have so many of her incredible recipes in one beautiful book. This is more than just a cookbook. In addition to her easy to execute but complex tasting recipes, is a deep dive into the world of grains, beans, nuts and seeds. Always accompanied by beautiful produce that shines against the backdrop of pantry staples. This is an incredible reference book that I will refer back to again and again. I am a practiced plant based eater for almost 20 years and I have already learned so much from her new book. Her narrative is down to earth and funny which makes it a fun book to read since there is a lot of education with in it. But I think what I love most is the flexibility and adaptability of her recipes. She gives wonderful suggestions on what to use for different seasons or preferences. She breaks meals into components that allow for easy prep and endless opportunities to create riffs on ideas from the book. This book can be enjoyed by anyone who appreciates the flavors of good, its not just for us plant based eaters.

Poorly edited, but a good concept

K. · 7 October 2025

A disclaimer, first: I've been a professional cook and baker for 20+ years. I cook for myself as a hobby, I'm very interested in working with more whole grains, I love plant-focused cookbooks, and I adore creative recipes. This cookbook, conceptually, was pretty much made for me. And I do like a lot of the recipes - they're exciting and innovative and take a lot of the mystery out of how to cook some less common grains. The ones I've tried are delicious, with thoughtfully balanced flavours and creative techniques behind them.That said, this cookbook is DESPERATELY in need of an editor and/or several recipe testers. There are steps left out of recipes, ingredients listed and then not mentioned in the instructions, cooking techniques called for and then not listed. For example: there's a recipe using smoked barley, and the ingredient list gives you the page number for how to smoke barley. But that page makes no mention of this technique anywhere. In a recipe for seared bok choy, there's oil listed in the ingredients, but it's not mentioned to use it in the recipe steps when searing the bok choy, so you don't know if you should sear in a dry pan or with oil. This pattern repeats over and over throughout the recipes, in a way that's super annoying. I'm able to muddle through, because I know what I'm doing and can figure out steps, but my roommate got lost and frustrated when she tried to cook one of the recipes and gave up halfway.It's a great concept for a cookbook, and in the abstract the recipes are very solid. If you're experienced, I'd recommend buying this book, but...maybe find a cheap used copy. It's absolutely not worth the full price unless it gets revised.

A must have!

M. · 12 December 2024

This gorgeous book is a must have to add to your collection of cookbooks. Erin drops soooo much knowledge in this book. Her love for food, grains, beans, and so much more is undeniable. This is far more than a cookbook…but more of the roadmap that you didn’t know you needed. Every recipe looks mouthwatering with such gorgeous photos. You can see the love that went into each recipe and I have so many tabbed to make. My dietary lifestyle is mainly vegetarian so I was super excited to flip through each page. Trust me when I say there is something for everyone in this beautiful collection of recipes no matter what your dietary lifestyle is.