"How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" news and stories

The cookbook shelf of a former vegetarian. Photo: emdot, Flickr.

Whether you're a full-fledged veg or a pro-greens protein fiend, vegetarian cookbooks are the door to a world where beans, greens and grains are celebrated. These books will introduce you to a whole new pantry of ingredients. Just as a meat eater might strive to make use of the entire animal, vegetarian cooks grab inspiration from far and wide and turn every bit of edible, natural earth into a grand culinary experience.

What follows after the jump are five vegetarian cookbooks that any veggie lover must have, covering the staples of meatless cookery -- secret recipes from restaurants, classic culinary bibles, respected names and haute vegetarian food. Which do you think will reign supreme?

Author Mark Bittman has a new book out, How To Cook Everything Vegetarian, sort of a sequel ot his hit How To Cook Everything (or, more accurately, the next book in the series), and in this interview with Publisher's Weekly, he says that even though he eats meat, he finds himself eating less these days, and thinks more and more people will eat this way.