This was my bible when I began to cook vegetarian dishes. It is a great beginner's cookbook, especially for those with a limited budget and limited pantry space. Because it is by one person, rather than a collective like the Moosewood series, key ingredients (spices and staples) are utilized throughout the book. Recipes include cheese and eggs, but not sugar.

The most popular of vegetarian starter books, this does include dairy. Buying the spices does add up $.

A great starter for raw food prep; it includes a glossary to help build a pantry, base recipes for parts that later create an entree. Some recipes need: juicer, dehydrator, food processor and/or a blender.