Absolutely stunning plant based cookbook, full of exciting and very unique recipes! Some recipes are perhaps more complex than I would probably dabble with typically, however I will definitely be cooking from this, and recommending to my audience.

A big thank you to Lauren Lovatt, Quarto Publishing Group, Leaping Hare & NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Really interesting cooking techniques for someone who enjoys the art and pleasure of cooking.
Likely someone who has the time to recreate some of these delicious sounding recipes.
Not a book for someone looking for quick and easy recipe ideas.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone experienced cook who’s not afraid to try anything new, and looking to expand their knowledge of plant based cooking techniques.

What an exciting cookbook to enter the scene! This book covers absolutely everything from bases to full blown meals and is so comprehensive with an immense amount of attention paid to the details of being plant based. It covers so much content in detail that I genuinely believe you could become basically self efficient with this cookbook alone - it is that good!

I love how gloriously innovative and creative the recipes were and to be honest I was infinitely impressed by how exciting these recipes were. I would've preferred more fuller meals, which is the only thing that robs this book from being a 5 star read. However, I still see it as a staple for any plant based cooks.

There was also the inclusion of incorporating adaptogens which I felt was a really fun and interesting way to add an edge to this book whilst informing the reader of another aspect of nutrition that they can incorporate into their plant based living.

I really love looking through vegan cookbooks for inspiration to eat more plant-based foods, and this one had some really delicious-looking foods. The recipes sounded fairly simple to follow, although some of the ingredients would be a little bit harder to come by.

This is an in-depth cookbook for plant-based foods. Unlike your classic cookbook which is choc-a-full of recipes this one hones in more on techniques and food science which is certainly very informative and interesting. It aims to develop more skills, techniques and foundational elements that one can expand on and incorporate into their own recipes and experiments. I have definitely learnt a lot of new things after reading this!

The book is sectioned into stocks and sauces, nuts and seeds, beans and legumes, grains and pseudograins, fermented foods, vegan cheese, desserts and even a section on plating at the end. I also enjoyed the section on the history of veganism and Lauren’s story in the world of plant-based cooking.

Whilst there are certainly more straightforward recipes in the book, there are also some which are more technical and probably a bit better suited for someone who has some experience in the kitchen. There are also some great foundational recipes including for stocks and sauces and recipes for anyone wanting to try their hand at making nut milks and creams and vegan cheese from scratch. Most recipes are accompanied by lovely vibrant photos. With the recipes there are a few nods to Mexican and Asian influences but this book is primarily based around Western plant-based cooking. There is a part on adaptogens and recipes incorporating these for health benefits; one adaptogen mentioned being CBD with a recipe for CBD salad. As a health professional, that part did rub me the wrong way as quality evidence in the area is still limited and any potential longer term side effects from regular use remains to be fully elucidated. However I’m at least glad there was a note to discuss with a health professional regarding incorporating CBD and other adaptogens into food especially if one has a health condition.

Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking at expanding their repertoire of plant based dishes.

This was not exactly my taste. The photos were beautiful and I appreciated the emphasis on technique and aesthetic. As someone who loves to cook and who collects cookbooks, I’m not sure that I would add this one to my collection. The recipes seemed difficult, and the Descriptions were extremely lengthy. If you’re looking to venture into higher end and fancy vegan/plant based foods, this is probably exactly what you’re looking for. Although, there are only 3-4 recipes per category. I was hoping for something a bit more casual. Thank you for the opportunity!

This is a very detailed plant based/vegan cookbook that is broken down into a lot of categories that makes it super easy to follow and search through. My favorite section is probably the raw desserts, I can't wait to try one of the recipes!

I received an ARC of this cookbook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful cookbook. It's filled with interesting, delicious recipes!

Lauren Lovatt’s Plant Academy: The Cookbook is an excellent guide to plant-based cooking, whether you’re fully vegan or just looking to add more plant-based meals to your routine. The book stands out because it doesn’t just focus on recipes, it also teaches you techniques, like how to ferment foods, build deeper flavors, and make plant-based versions of staples.

The recipes are easy to follow, even if you’re not an experienced cook. I especially enjoyed the stovetop flapjacks and saffron oats, which were simple to make but still felt unique and full of flavor. Lovatt’s approach is practical, and she includes lots of helpful tips on prepping ingredients and experimenting with flavors.

What I really appreciated was how the book is laid, it’s not overwhelming and gives you all the tools to try out plant-based cooking at your own pace. Even if you occasionally eat animal products, like I do, it’s still super accessible and doesn’t feel preachy.

Overall, it’s a great cookbook for anyone curious about plant-based meals or looking to try something new in the kitchen. It’s educational, but also approachable and fun to use.

This seems like a great book but it’s really a manual for creating fantastic, restaurant looking (and tasting) dishes. This was a bit out of my scope. However, I found it inspiring and enjoyed reading about their journey and career path. I’m sure my family would say I should pay more attention to its section on plating! The two things I thought I could attempt were the Romesco and the molasses seed loaf. Who knows where that will lead.

I'm vegetarian, so was looking forward to some inspiring plant based recipes. There are definitely some in here (nut butter bars and cookie sandwiches are the ones I'm most keen to try), but otherwise the book isn't really what I was expecting - it's not a traditional recipe book.

The photography is lovely, and the book provides a very detailed and thorough introduction to plant based eating and cooking - would be ideal for anyone new to a plant based diet and lifestyle who wants to be educated in a wide variety of topics and cooking techniques ("academy" in the title is accurate). There are lots of tips even for someone who is an experienced cook and I definitely found it an interesting and useful read.

This is great for some basic staples - making your own milks etc., but some 0f the recipes are a bit uninspiring / give off a 'healthy' vibe that may put off new veggies/vegans. I would definitely try a few of these recipes.

I really like the style and picture in this cookbook. Easy to understand and follow the recipes. I would of liked more recipes and more complete meals

Very creative recipes. The photos for each recipe are lovely. This book would make a nice gift for your plant eater in your life.

I was attracted to the beautiful cover of Plant Academy: The Cookbook, and hoped to pick up a few vegetarian recipes to add to my rota. Well, the first thing I learned was that there are various categories of plant based eating, including vegan, vegetarian, and plant based, which in many ways is stricter. This is more of a culinary introduction to a way of eating, rather than a cookbook.

I can tell this is a five star book if you are truly interested in plant based diet and the techniques to get you there. For me, who is not even a vegetarian, it was a bit too deep and involved. This is not at all a bad thing, it just wasn't what I expected.

So, if you want a beautiful textbook in how to do plant based eating, and want to add some great tricks and recipes to being able to carry this out, this is your book! If like me, you wanted a couple of vegetarian recipes to add to your weekly cooking, then not so much. This is not a criticism of the book, just my wrong expectations of what it was.

Final rating, five stars for true plant based cooks, four star just as insight into a type of eating I was unfamiliar with.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lauren Lovatt, and the publisher for allowing me a look at this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4/5 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Quarto Publishing Group -Leaping Hare, and Lauren Lovatt for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve been vegetarian for almost a decade now and was vegan for most of that time, so I’m always looking for new cookbooks with recipes to try. This book reads almost like a textbook. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, just something to note. I do think it is a very good book for people who are new to plant-based diets and want to really dive into it on a whole food level. That’s very key here because not everyone has the time or inclination for that. Which is fine! You don’t have to make your own nut milk or fermented cheeses to be a good vegan/vegetarian, but if you want to try it out…grab a book like this.

I do enjoy that it’s very descriptive about techniques and equipment because there’s a lot of new stuff involved when you transition over and not everyone will be familiar with it unless they’ve either worked in a kitchen or have cooked a lot. The recipes are interesting and varied. I have some ideas that I want to incorporate into my daily life from this book which is honestly how I usually use cookbooks most anyway. The savory granola knocked me sideways. I don’t know why I hadn’t thought about that because I LOVE savory oatmeal. I literally screamed out loud when I read that.

If you’re looking for plant-based recipes, this would be a good fit, especially if you are new to the transition. If you are looking to expand your horizons it would also be a good fit because there are some interesting takes in here and some genuinely good information. Like I said, it reads like a text book…but one that accompanies a class that you are really excited about and paid money to go to during a vacation abroad. It’s fancy and memorable, but still very informative.

This book is very technical in nature so Plant Academy is an accurate name. It is technique focused rather than recipe type. It has sections on adaptogens and plating and cold vs hot smoking. It’s for a more adventurous cook than I am, bit it’s interesting to read even if I don’t ever see myself making bean butter. Very informative.

As someone very familiar with plant based cooking, this book appeared intriguing. It did not disappoint. I really appreciated learning new techniques and even a few flavor combinations I had never thought to try before. Though some of the dishes are a bit time consuming, they are worth it in the end.

Thank you to the publisher and net galley for my advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I found this book to be very useful. It has tons of great tips and recipes. I love the essential stocks, aquafaba mayo, cashew sour cream, harissa sauce, plant cream, nasi campur, and caramels are all fantastic! Gave me a lot of new ideas and food to make, which is what a cookbook should be all about!

Very few cookbooks are both plant based cooking focused and so nuanced and balanced.
Very useful information about sauces, seeds and soaking time and fine dining dishes.