Start Simple

Book excerpt: From the veteran food writer and creator of the James Beard Award–winning Jarry magazine comes a simple yet innovative approach to vegetarian cooking. In Start Simple recipe developer and author Lukas Volger offers a radically new, uncomplicated, and creative approach to cooking that allows you to use what you already have on hand to make great meals you didn’t think were possible. He shows you how magic can happen with just a few ingredients every home cook should keep on hand: sweet potatoes, tortillas, eggs, cabbage, hearty greens, beans, winter squash, mushrooms, tofu, summer squash, and cauliflower. Instead of shopping for individual recipes, you can combine and embellish these eleven building blocks to create endless variations. A protein (tofu, beans, eggs) is a foundation. A crunchy garnish (cabbage, greens) is a finishing touch. Once these structural components of a meal are established, you can throw in your own favorite flavors—mixing, matching, and adding ingredients to customize your dishes. While Start Simple is a vegetarian cookbook—none of the recipes include meat—Volger’s approach transcends categories. Anyone can use his method to stock the pantry and fridge—and make sure they’re never at a loss for a delicious, cost-effective meal.