"Plant-based burger chef-guru Lukas Volger wrote Veggie Burgers Every Which Way and created Made by Lukas, all with the aim of making vegetarian food tasty and hearty (he’s also behind Vegetarian Entrees That Won’t Leave You Hungry). Now, he’s applying that same expertise to an of-the-moment healthy food trend: bowls., with smart, simple recipes that range from Fennel Pho to Summer Squash Dumplings and a Black Rice Burrito Bowl."—Well+Good on Bowl as #7 of THE 10 MOST EXCITING HEALTHY BOOKS TO READ IN 2016 "Bibimbap fits into the current craze for bowls: grain bowls, ramen, pho and more. And I found my new favorite bibimbap recipe in a book that celebrates them all: 'Bowl,' by Lukas Volger (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2016). Bonus: Volger’s recipes are all vegetarian."—The Washington post "Whatever its magic, some of the best foods in the world come in bowls. In this cookbook, Lukas Volger explores vegetarian versions of the best bowl foods from around the globe. Chapters are divided into choice of carbohydrate: wheat noodles, rice and rice noodles, whole grains, etc. There are specific recipes in here, of course, but there are also enough individual sauce and topping recommendations for the adventurous cook to customize their bowls."—Epicurious on Bowl as one of THE 30 MOST EXCITING NEW SPRING COOKBOOKS "Lukas Volger's new book, BOWL, brims with brilliant noodle-broth ideas. Cherry-pick the toppings you like, or follow the full recipes—either way, you'll be floored by just how delicious this dorm-room classic can be."—Oprah.com "Prepare to get bowled over. 'Bowl,' a new cookbook by Lukas Volger, asserts that some of the best meals aren’t served on a plate."—amNewYork "In his new cookbook "Bowl" ($25, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; 256 pages), onetime Willamette University Student Lukas Volgersets out to create vegetarian versions of the Asian specialties, focusing on how using seasonal ingredients make these dishes more fresh and flavorful than their meaty counterparts."—The Oregonian "A gorgeous new vegetarian cookbook by author and vegetarian guru Lukas Volger"—InStyle.com "The latest cookbook from the author of Veggie Burgers Every Which Way and Vegetarian Entrees That Won't Leave You Hungry is all about one-dish vegetarian meals, from pho to burrito bowls."—Publishers Weekly in March Cookbooks Preview ★ "Remarking that David Chang's restaurant Momofuku didn't offer a vegetarian ramen until ten years after it opened, Volger (Veggie Burgers Every Which Way) devotes long overdue attention to popular Asian dishes that vegetarians are typically denied. Recipes such as vegetarian curry laksa, spicy tofu bibimbap, and kimchi dumplings can include subrecipes and advance prep work, but not more than similar titles require. Akin to Andrea Nguyen's The Banh Mi Cookbook, this title lends itself to a customized experience, in which readers can choose to make all recipe components (even noodles) from scratch, or swap some for store-bought items. Volger's flavor combinations, mostly nontraditional, are satisfyingly complex. VERDICT A go-to cookbook for Asian-inspired vegetarian soups, noodle bowls, and dumplings."—Starred review from Library Journal "Lukas Volger is a master at creating attractive vegetarian and vegan meals that are put together with a light hand but that fill you up."—New York Times "In Bowl, Lukas Volger (Veggie Burgers Every Which Way and Vegetarian Entrees that Won't Leave You Hungry) challenges the common association of ramen with cheap college fare by demonstrating how to create rich, satisfying vegetarian options. Bowl goes beyond ramen to include Vietnamese pho (with rice noodles and a heavy emphasis on vegetables), dumplings and Korean bibimbap (rice topped with pickled and fresh vegetables, protein and egg). Volger encourages home cooks to experiment freely, so he recommends the best equipment and shares where to find the most flavorful staples (like ginger, scallions, greens and herbs), noodles (ramen, rice and soba), sea vegetables (kombu, nori and wakame), soy sauce/tamari, miso and other condiments. "Basics and Components" covers not only how to make broth, but includes grain preparation and even how to boil and fry an egg. Each section begins with a very simple recipe for each type of dish and then incorporates the four seasons, "to support health and sustainability through produce-buying power" by choosing seasonal and local whenever possible. Spring Ramen highlights asparagus and snap peas, Smoky Summer Pho showcases eggplant, tomatoes and sweet peppers, and Winter Bibimbap celebrates sweet potatoes and kale. While some of the well-rounded one-dish meals may be challenging for novices, a section on grain bowls will be helpful for those nights when quick and easy is needed. Bowl covers a variety of palates and skill levels and shows how anything can be better in a bowl.—Kristen Galles from Book Club Classics Discover: These recipes for "rich, cloudy miso-based broth engulfing a tangle of tender noodles" are crafted the vegetarian way."—Shelf Awareness
★ 01/01/2016
Remarking that David Chang's restaurant Momofuku didn't offer a vegetarian ramen until ten years after it opened, Volger (Veggie Burgers Every Which Way) devotes long overdue attention to popular Asian dishes that vegetarians are typically denied. Recipes such as vegetarian curry laksa, spicy tofu bibimbap, and kimchi dumplings can include subrecipes and advance prep work, but not more than similar titles require. Akin to Andrea Nguyen's The Banh Mi Cookbook, this title lends itself to a customized experience, in which readers can choose to make all recipe components (even noodles) from scratch, or swap some for store-bought items. Volger's flavor combinations, mostly nontraditional, are satisfyingly complex. VERDICT A go-to cookbook for Asian-inspired vegetarian soups, noodle bowls, and dumplings.
