As a vegetarian I am always looking for new recipe books that let me cook tasty meals that appeal not only to me but to the non-veggies in my life (aka my husband and daughter).  They are quite will to go non-meat for a meal or more but they need it to be substantial enough for them to feel like they aren’t just eating sides.

I haven’t come across the Happy Pear recipe books before (Recipes for Happiness is the third) but I have to say I’m a convert and so is my family.  It is chock full of recipes that don’t just feel like an add on to a main course. 

So far, I’ve only made a few but the Chickpea Tikka Masala was probably my favourite (replacing another chickpea curry recipe – I am a bit of a creature of habit).  I’ve also been tempted by the creamy tomato pasta, which I know other people who’ve reviewed the book have raved about too.  With easy to follow instructions which take you step by step through what to do to create tasty dishes for any time of the day or year, you can’t go wrong.

I also like the Flynn brother’s philosophy: if you eat healthier food, you will become healthier and healthier people are happier (I’m paraphrasing there – they are much more eloquent).  By cutting out meat, they say, you can lose weight, sleep better and have more energy – all things I want and need.  I haven’t tried enough of the recipes to say if this works yet – or the two weekly healthy reboot that’s included with the book – but I’m keen to try.  Once I do, I’ll let you know how it goes.  In the meantime, I’m off to do some more cooking.

Emma x

About the book…

Though they have written two No 1 bestselling vegetarian cookbooks, David and Stephen Flynn, the twins behind the Happy Pear cafés and food business, know it can be challenging to juggle everything and still feel inspired! And being busy dads themselves they also know the pressure of getting delicious healthy meals on the table every day.

So Recipes for Happiness is very close to their hearts. And it does what it says on the cover: it is crammed with recipes to make you happier – including a huge section of economical easy dinners that can be rustled up in 15 minutes (chickpea tikka masala, thai golden curry, one-pot creamy mushroom pasta); gorgeous hearty dishes (goulash, Greek summer stew, an ingenious one-pot lasagne that’s cooked the hob); a selection of plant-based alternatives to family favourites (burgers, hotdogs, nuggets, kebabs), and irresistible treats (summer fruit bakewell tart, double choc brownie cake).

For nearly 15 years David and Stephen’s mantra has been Eat More Veg!. They have seen fads come and go and they know that what works – for themselves, their families and the thousands of people who eat the Happy Pear way. Cook from Recipes for Happiness and you too will definitely be well on the way to making your life healthier and happier!

Publisher: Penguin Ireland
Publication date: May 3rd, 2018
Genre: Non-fiction, Cookbook
Number of pages: 293
Rating: 5 out of 5

Find on: Goodreads / Amazon UK / Amazon US

Note: I received a copy of this book in return for a fair and honest review.  All thoughts, feelings and opinions are my own.