Review Advance Praise for Simple Recipes for Joy"This beautiful book will transform your life. Sharon Gannon has helped countless people achieve a dramatically new level of health and wellness. Now, you can put her wisdom to work as she guides you to using the power of food in ways you may never have imagined. Over many years, our research has established the surprising power of plant-based diets to help people regain their health and vitality. Sharon Gannon brings you everything you need to put that power to work."—Neal D. Barnard, M.D., President, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, Adjunct Associate Professor of Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC "Sharon Gannon infuses love and spirit into every one of her incredibly delicious dishes; eat her food and feel good in your body and soul!”—Kathy Freston, New York Times bestselling author of Veganist and Quantum Wellness "Sharon is my Guru—I like eating anything she’s dishing out. Her teachings on yoga and veganism have positively transformed my life. She is not only an example of someone who walks the talk, but she excels in so many areas, teacher, philosopher, activist, artist, musician and cook, showing us all that through devotion to God one can become a divine instrument and with God’s great love all is possible."—Russell Simmons, philanthropist, New York Times bestselling author of Success Through Stillness "All one needs to do is be around Sharon Gannon for mere moments to realize that she's figured out the secret to happiness. Sharon glows with good karma, optimal wellness, and a joyful, blissful life. Therefore, whatever she is eating, doing, teaching—we must perk up and take notice. How and what we eat is not only integral to health, but to what life brings us energetically. This cookbook is a call to tasty karmic eating, to revitalize our dulled taste buds and get our depressed palates in shape. Whole foods, fresh foods, foods alive with rich vitamin properties—these are the keys to turning our life around from the inside out. Unlike many vegan cookbooks, Sharon's recipes aren't riddled with substitutions for meat and ice cream. Sharon serves us healthy realness, the truth behind what our bodies really need (one look at hers tells us to listen up!) and what will fill us and warm us in the long term. Sharon's recipes are simple, tasty, and most importantly, recipes you will make again and again. Sharon keeps her ingredient lists short, which makes life for busy moms (like me!) committed to healthful family eating easier. This is a book all vegan-curious, committed plant-eaters, and anyone looking to up their health ante and notice a quick difference should have handy. You don't have to be a patchouli-swinging back-bender to eat these foods; any novice or mom next door can learn endless nutritional truths and tips with this book within reach. If you could live healthfully without resorting to pharmaceuticals, help the environment by eating sustainably, be in fabulous shape, feel wonderful, and be committed to ahimsa—to not participating in the brutal treatment of animals on factory farms—non harming... why on earth wouldn't you? This is the truth in Sharon's message. It's a simple decision to make. Try this diet. Eat this delicious food. The transformation in your body and mind will be dramatic, and you'll ride the sexy changes deliciously on this treasure tomb of plant powered tastiness!"—Chloé Jo Davis, Eco Spokesmama & GirlieGirlArmy.com Founder  “Super Green Salad, Love Smoothie, Green Machine…All enlargements of the soul with the intrinsic beauty of Sharon Gannon, the most impassioned and truthful vegan chef and yogi alive today on Mother Earth.”—Joe Sponzo, Personal chef to Sting and Trudie Styler, and author of The Lakehouse Cookbook "Sharon Gannon's beautiful book lies at the untapped intersection of cooking, yoga, and ahimsa practices, demonstrating that preparing and consuming life-giving—rather than life-taking—food is the foundation of a conscious and compassionate life."—Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, bestselling author of The Joy of Vegan Baking and The 30-Day Vegan Challenge. "Simple Recipes For Joy proves that a compassionate and healthy vegan diet leaves zero to be desired. If you've ever considered leaving animals off your plate, this easy cookbook by one of yoga's masters has a lot to offer. Full of simple yet incredible meat-free recipes that don't rely on soy products, Sharon's recipes are based on wholesome, unprocessed foods that bring us health and vitality. She cooks from the heart, always keeping the well-being of others in mind—both human and animal. She is a tireless voice for the voiceless—and a great cook too!"—Jenny Brown, Founder & Director Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary and Author of The Lucky Ones: My Passionate Fight for Farm Animals "Buying a vegan cookbook is usually an expression of interest. Buying this one is a declaration. The activism known as peace springs from your plate—and thanks to Sharon Gannon, it’s a delectable beginning."—Kevin Archer, author of In Lieu of Heaven "Sharon's food nourishes AND enlightens. As a long time devoted fan of her Jivamuktea Cafe and her yoga teachings, I can't wait to experiment with her alchemy at home. She's finally given up her secrets."—Darren Aronofsky, award winning film director—Noah, Black Swan and The Wrestler "With Simple Recipes for Joy, Sharon lets us in on the inner sanctum of her alchemical kitchen. I have had the privilege of sitting at her table since 1979, being personally served by her and eating her delicious cruelty-free meals—and can attest to the fact that they are filled with nourishment, presented with graciousness and plenty of magic. Her cookbook provides insightful ways to improve our health, the Earth’s wellbeing, our relationship to our fellow animals and make positive changes in our diet that will affect the whole world and could possibly save it."—Dr. Andrew Lange N.D., author of Getting at the Root: Treating the Deepest Source of Disease Read more About the Author Sharon Gannon is a twenty-first-century Renaissance woman, an animal-rights and vegan activist, and a world-renowned yogini, author, dancer, poet, musician, and producer. She lives in Woodstock, New York. Read more See all Editorial Reviews
S**K
A little bit of magic, a whole lot of love.
I have been eating at the JivamukTea Cafe in NYC for years, in fact, that was the place I decided to go vegan eight or so years ago. I have always loved the food, and it always seemed to be a bit of a magical place. Something out of Alice in Wonderland. Judging from the cover... I think I was on to something! I am an avid home cook as well, but the food there just always seemed to contain a bit of magic... I could never quite figure out why their mustard vinaigrette was so much better than mine, or what the magic ingredient was behind the poached "eggs" on toast. I'm really looking forward to making all of my favorite recipes at home and finding out all of the secrets to Sharon's cooking!Also, the book itself is gorgeous! Beautiful binding... LOTS OF PICTURES (a must for a cookbook in my opinion)This will make awesome gifts this season!
A**R
Get this cookbook! It's my favorite! My "Joy of Cooking."
I wish I'd had this cookbook a long time ago. I've been on and off vegan/vegetarian for several years now; I could never find a way to stop missing soft cheese and macarons and I hated spending a long time in the kitchen trying to cook a really tasty vegan meal and I hated spending lots of money on ingredients. I purchased this cookbook originally for it's cover, which looks bohemian and whimsical (right up my ally).First, let me say, this is one of the most beautiful cookbooks I own. The hardcover edition is very sturdy, lays flat right away, and underneath the jacket, the cover of the book itself is a beautiful green. The photography inside makes me very happy too. Throughout the book there are photos of the finished product of recipes, some recipes have pictures of the step-by-step process, and there are also lots of photos of Sharon Gannon herself, dressed in various fun outfits, hanging out with animals.Now the recipes: I've tried many, many recipes. They are all very easy, very tasty, and very quick. This is what I needed a long time ago. There's tons of different soup recipes of all kinds-- hot, cold, raw, noodle soups, Thai soups, lentil soups, Indian soups, chunky soups, etc. Sharon's salads are delicious and she has a chapter on sauces and dressings to whip up. There's a chapter on grain dishes that was an absolute life-saver. There are other reviewers that complained that Sharon has ridiculously simple "recipes" for things like making brown rice or steamed potatoes, but I am so happy she did. I'M the exact person who had no clue how to cook rice properly, but with Sharon's instruction I no longer am eating burnt or undercooked rice. Plus, I think having those type of recipes in here just highlight how simple vegan cooking can really be.The desserts are so delicious. I really, really recommend the chocolate mousse and my husband loved Sharon's carrot cake. I've yet to make it, but I can't wait for Thanksgiving this year so that I can try out Sharon's pumpkin pie.Not only are the majority of the recipes very simple, easy, and quick, I personally appreciate that there's so much variety in seasonality here. My husband and I try our hardest to eat what is in season, & though this cookbook doesn't have an emphasis on that, I can certainly look at the recipes and see that Sharon does not try to combine ingredients grown in different seasons. Also, in the notes of some recipes she does tell you when a particular ingredient grows.The large majority of ingredients are ones that you will be able to find at any grocery store. You may need to go to a health food store to find a few things here or there, but I find that my shopping trips there are far and few in between, and I primarily cook from Sharon's recipes now. The ingredients are also pretty cheap. You're not going to break the bank buying special health food here. Because of this my husband and I have been able to afford to go mostly organic.In the back of the book, Sharon has a few resources. The first is a section of 30 sample menus. I love when cookbook authors include something like this. It is incredibly helpful to me when I want to make an extra special meal for myself or others. I've cooked two menus, and noticed the flavors were all perfect together. There's a menu I have my eye on for the fall when I need to make myself a Thanksgiving meal.The second section is on cleansing diets and I owe it entirely to my success in finally going vegan and sticking to it. Sharon gives you two different 21-day cleansing diets to choose from, cooked or raw. The guidelines are very simple, you eat very similar meals, but there's still a little variety so you aren't entirely miserable eating the same thing over and over again. When I first received this cookbook in the mail I chose to start with the 21-day cooked cleansing diet. The first two days my body felt awful. I was tired, hungry, moody. Day three I started to feel better. By the end of the first week my energy was amped up and my body felt amazing. Light, but strong. Around maybe day 10 or 12 I noticed that my cravings for cheese and cookies and cheeseburgers was gone. After the whole cleanse my body felt amazing. I'd lost a few pounds, my acne had cleared up, I had lots of energy, my cravings were gone, I felt incredibly satisfied with my meals. It was like my body had totally reset itself. Since then, I've been eating fairly clean because I primarily use this cookbook as my source of recipes for meals, but whenever I feel like I need to reset I might cleanse a few days on one of the cleansing diets.I highly recommend this cookbook to any person who wants fast, cheap, easy, quick vegan recipes in their arsenal. I own many vegan cookbooks, but as I've mentioned, this one is my primary go-to cookbook. It's my "Joy of Cooking." I hate to be that person, but this book has truly changed my life. I am now vegan and happy and very healthy. My skin looks awesome, I'm losing weight, I have extra energy, extra money to eat organic. I feel like I understand my food and my body better now and Sharon has basically taught me how to cook. & I ordered this cookbook on a whim just because of the cute picture on the cover.Get this cookbook! Try it out!
P**G
More than a cookbook...
This is way more than a simple cookbook, though it contains over 200 simple recipes for delicious dishes. As a whole, including the extraordinary foreword, introduction and cooking tips, this book is a teaching about how to make cooking and eating a spiritual practice that can lead to lasting peace and happiness. It is a revolutionary book, not because the recipes are all vegan, which is not uncommon these days, but because it recognizes the interconnectedness of all life, including even the lives of the plants that make up the ingredients of the recipes. Those who have transitioned to veganism for ethical reasons know the joy that comes from letting go of the deeply conditioned view that humans are superior to other living beings and thereby have the right to utilize others to stimulate our taste buds, make clothes and shoes for us to wear, provide us with entertainment and serve as research subjects. Seeing oneself as a full and equal member of the global community of living beings with no hierarchies and no intentions or efforts to exploit others is a true recipe for joy. When one knows that kind of joy, one cannot help but share it with others. Sharon Gannon knows the joy of spiritualizing her relationship to food, and with this book, she invites the reader to experience that joy for him/herself and offers the means to attain it.
V**I
Inspiring, accessible and empowering
This book nourishes body and soul, inspiring the possibility to live in a joyful and delicious way. I've eaten at Jivamuktea Cafe many times and with all the choices in New York it's my can't miss restaurant. The recipes are easy to follow, the ingredients accessible, and vegan or not everyone loves them. And the writing is so beautiful, meaningful and empowering that we realize that we can make a powerfully positive change in our world.
L**R
Simply fabulous
Simply fabulous. I've taken many, many yoga classes with Sharon over the years and always find her instructions clear, effective, empowering and compassionate. She brings that same energy to the recipes in this book. It’s a thrill to make these dishes, as well as to behold the beauty of the photographs and the design. Whether you are vegan or not, this book is a must have. I'm particularly fond of the kitcheri (pg 59) and Gopal's gluten free crackers (pg 262).
T**E
This book is going global!!!
I just got this book shipped to Japan and couldn't be happier.we are what we eat. so why not make ourselves out of joy?this book has so many ideas and recipes and can't wait to try moreright here in Tokyo.今日、注文した本が届きました。日本ではマクロビの料理本が多い中、この本はヴィーガンとしての切り口で書かれており、レシピ通りに作るのが非常に楽しみな一冊となっております。
P**A
Delicious vegan recipes
I'm new to cooking Vegan and this book was recommended to me by my yoga instructor who has been Vegan for 15+ years. So far every recipe I have made out of this book has been truly delicious. I've made about 10 of the recipes so far and all of them have been simple and fun. My hubby has even declared the meals I've made as "the best food he has ever had," hooray!
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