As a vegetarian (ok, pescetarian), this cookbook has been one of my "go-to" books for years. Many recipes have become tried and true for me, and I'm still exploring some of the others.

Don't want to use heavy cream to thicken a soup? Use navy beans or lima beans. Great advice.

Many recipes contain heat like chilies. I like flavor, not hot spices in my food. I just skip them and add other spices. But if you are a vegetarian, check out this book. The various eggplant recipes alone are worth reading this cookbook.