Inspired by Mark’s personal journey two years ago toward a healthier, more environmentally friendly diet, the book is divided into two (roughly) equal halves. The first deals with the state of the average American diet today, its health and environmental consequences, and the second is comprised of a collection of health-focused recipes, with an emphasis on whole grains and vegetables. 

In the first section, Mark discusses the global impact of a meat-based diet in terms of the use of resources and its effect on climate change. He also touches on the US government’s role in the nation’s eating habits, expressing concern over the choices behind the USDA guidelines. Also in this section, Mark looks beyond the “facts” of many food studies, and debunks several health and diet myths. 

So, did any of this change the way I think and eat? Well, not really- Mark is preaching to the choir here. I already gave up meat 15 months ago for many of reasons stated here, so I found myself more heartily agreeing with him than being swayed in any way. At the very least, Food Matters has provided me with many fascinating statistics with which to guilt my friends and family. (Did you know that 40 times more energy is required to produce one calorie of meat, as to produce one calorie of grain? My parents sure do.)

After this barrage of carefully executed complaints, the “diet” angle of the book comes into play. Mark discusses what he calls “sane eating”, and introduces us to his “vegan before 6 o’clock” method. At first, this prescriptive approach put me off a touch, but I realised that in pandering to the American diet-books market (and it’s a pretty huge one, I’d wager), Bittman is widening the audience for Food Matters considerably.

The second half of the book kicks off with four weeks of sample menus, covering meals, snacks and desserts for seven days a week. This is another example of Food Matters‘ prescriptive, diet-type approach, but I actually liked this. Not that I’ll be using Mark’s meal plans, but it is interesting to see just how varied a month of eating can be using these recipes. 

The 77 recipes included here are nothing new to me. Being a huge fan of Mark’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, I was pretty sure I’d seen most of them before. Divided into chapters for Basics, Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks, Dinner and Desserts, they represent a best-of selection of Mark’s recipes; vegetarian for the most part, but some containing meat as well. It’s a great edit though, including both old favourites of mine (Anything Goes Granola, pg. 168) and new ideas I’d like to try (Crisp Nori Ribbons, pg. 227).

The recipes here have also been chosen for their simplicity, which I think goes along with the slight diet angle of the book. Practical for people who aren’t used to cooking, they rarely contain a long list of ingredients, or indeed any that are difficult to find. In that way, there’s sort of an “introduction to healthy cooking” vibe here. 

The only problem I have with the recipe section of Food Matters is that it looks like the rest of the book. That is to say, there are no photos or any visual treats to entice the reader. From a design perspective I understand this and even agree that photos would be out of place here, but from a cooking one, I’d like something to convince me that Roasted Herb-Stuffed Vegetables (pg. 272) are worth making. 

I really liked this book. As a cookbook alone it probably wouldn’t get top marks, since the recipes, though delicious, are simple in nature with not a lot of variety. Those interested in making a real leap into vegetarian cooking would do better to invest in Mark’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian instead. But as an interesting read, or a tool for anyone wanting to improve their health and the health of the planet, I would definitely recommend Food Matters.

Mark needs to stay in the kitchen, because quite frankly, I wouldn’t know what to do without him. (If you’re interested, the other two are Jamie at Home and Nigella Express, but they’re just there because they match the decor.)

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian is, at its simplest, an amended version of Mark’s bestselling and exhaustive How to Cook Everything. The chapters focusing on meat have been removed, and those about vegetarian staples like grains, legumes, and alternative proteins have been expanded on. As he explains in the introduction, Mark himself isn’t a vegetarian, but encourages a low-meat diet as one that is healthier for both Americans and the planet. The book seems to be aimed toward people who are looking to eat less meat for these reasons, but works equally well for strict vegetarians and vegans.

The 996-page, 4.4 lb book (I weighed it with my kitchen scale) is roughly divided into two parts. The introductory chapters cover the basics of ingredients, equipment and techniques. Mark discusses the complications of shopping for ingredients (even touching on the battle of organic vs. local), shares with us his list of pantry essentials, and goes into detail about choosing and using a variety of kitchen tools. Everything from what to look for in a good soy sauce, to proper knife skills, to how to season a cast iron pan is covered.

The second part of the book is given over to more specific information on ingredients. 11 chapters of information, starting with Salads and progressing through Soups, Vegetables, High-Protein Foods and Breads, to name just a few. Almost any type of ingredient you can think of is mentioned here, as well as information on how best to prepare it, appropriate substitutions, and of course a comprehensive collection of recipes. Recipes that range from absurdly basic (Cheese Omelet, pg. 172) to mouthwatering (Paella with Oranges, Olives and Saffron, pg. 523) to faintly ridiculous (Homemade Tofu, pg. 656). Most recipes are followed by several variations on the basic formula, with simple ways to change the flavour with different seasonings. Many also feature adjustments to make them vegan, if they aren’t already.

It is possibly for this reason that Bittman is a particularly polarizing food writer. Some find his style of providing a basic formula and umpteen variations unnecessary and annoying. Why not just give us one good recipe? they think. While I agree that six variations on Chickpea Fondue (pg. 615), might be pushing it just a little (in fact, chickpea fondue itself might be pushing it), I really like this style. It helps, I think, not to think of this book as a collection of prescribed recipes, but as a tool in learning to cook. Understanding how to combine flavours and adapt techniques is just as important as the ability to follow steps in a recipe, and besides, encouraging creative thought in the kitchen is rarely a bad thing.

It’s my belief that food writing (good food writing, at least), is divided into two types: the kind you read in the kitchen while preparing a meal, and the kind you read in bed (or the bath, or curled up on the couch, or whatever). Mark is definitely a purveyor of the former. His writing style is simple and straightforward, what I think of as a man’s food writer. He doesn’t wax poetic about the green of a savoy cabbage or the aroma of freshly baked bread, but he doesn’t need to: it isn’t his style, and his love of good food comes through all the same. Blessedly unpretentious, he seems aware of time and budget constraints, and unlike with some other writers, you have no problem thinking of him as an actual person.

Similarly, the look of How to Cook Everything Vegetarian is pared-down and modern. Perhaps predictably, the cover is green, as are the recipe titles, charts and lists inside the book. The two columns of text per page are printed with modern typefaces and simple graphic touches. There are no photos, but techniques (forming dumplings, rolling sushi) are illustrated textbook-style. Not the most beautiful cookbook you’ll come across, but the aesthetic suits the content and encyclopedia-like feel of the book.

Where I think this book could do more is in the Desserts chapter. The introduction makes the point that vegetarians usually eat the same desserts as omnivores, and bizarrely uses this as reason not to include these dishes, instead focusing on recipes which “contain more whole grains, natural sweeteners… [and] unexpected ingredients like vegetables and herbs”. Well, I don’t know about you, but I became a vegetarian because I wanted to stop eating meat, not cheesecake. Not that the desserts in the book don’t seem delicious (many do), just that they aren’t exactly what I’m looking for in a book that presents itself as a comprehensive guide to cooking, vegetarian or otherwise. I mean, the section on Brownies doesn’t even contain a recipe for a basic chocolate version.

All in all, though, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian is a great cookbook. Its comprehensive nature makes it a great buy for anyone just beginning to find their way around a kitchen. I think it would be a perfect choice for a young vegetarian going off to university or moving into their first apartment, for example. But more experienced cooks shouldn’t be quick to write it off; there are hundreds of great ideas in here, particularly for those looking to adopt healthier and more eco-friendly eating habits. Personally, I found this book an invaluable resource during my first year as a vegetarian, and rarely do I open it without being struck by the sudden urge to cook something new. So, for the foreseeable future at least, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian will remain at home in my kitchen.