Almost Meatless: Recipes That Are Better for Your Health and the Planet

Despite its title, almost every recipe in this book uses meat, fish or eggs. A collaboration between Manning, a former vegan, and Desmond, an unabashed meat lover, the aim is to help Americans, who they believe eat far more meat than is healthy or good for agricultural sustainability, compose meals that are both tasty and filling without having a slab of meat as the overbearing star ingredient. Instead, meat appears in smaller quantities supplemented by “layers of flavor” in the form of additional savory ingredients that should keep people who usually expect lots of meat from noticing the difference. In a burger recipe, for example, black beans and bulgur are mashed together with a minimum of ground beef to make a patty that is full-size, fully delicious and less meaty; similarly, a recipe for gyros uses a small amount of lamb amped up with tzatziki sauce and fava beans fragrant with lemon, garlic and fresh herbs. Manning and Desmond encourage preparing meat more healthfully, as well as substituting lighter forms of meat or even tofu in some cases, and many of the recipes can be made vegetarian. Overall, Desmond’s meat-loving side often seems to win out, which may disappoint readers looking to make bigger changes, but the baby-step approach is likely to be much more palatable for many others. (Apr.)