I am not a vegetarian but I do cook vegetarian at least a couple times a week, though never vegan; thus, I cannot attest to the favors using vegan alternatives, such as vegan sour cream (though I am sure if you are vegan you already enjoy the vegan substitutions). I can comment on the recipes as a sometimes vegetarian cook-- I enjoyed Ms. Michaels use of ingredients and spices. The book would be an excellent first cookbook for a new vegetarian/vegan convert. The recipes are clear and concise. The only criticism I have are the pictures. They are very generic and one set of pictures in the salad section shows dishes with meat on them. ( )