The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook

Including Options for Low-Sugar, Low-Fat, Low-Salt, Gluten-Free, Lactose-Free, and Vegan

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Pub Date 23 Nov 2018 | Archive Date 21 Apr 2019

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Description

The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook is a comprehensive listing of thousands of ingredients from the familiar and commonplace to the exotic and hard-to-find, plus all the available substitutes for each particular entry.

Whether looking to replace a missing component, seeking a healthier or leaner equivalent, or merely wanting a cheaper alternative, you won’t be disappointed.

Are you a budding baker, recipe maker, or culinary risk taker? Look no further. There are ideas aplenty to stir the imagination. Plus, a wealth of options to satisfy your creative spirit

Whether you have food allergies, dietary restrictions, or ethical dos and don’ts, this book has you covered. Also, it’s one you’ll turn to time and time again. Because: choosing the right swap can sometimes spell the difference between a recipe’s success and a recipe’s failure.

Why are you waiting?

Order your copy today.

The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook is a comprehensive listing of thousands of ingredients from the familiar and commonplace to the exotic and hard-to-find, plus all the available substitutes...


Advance Praise

“From the exotic to the ordinary, it’s hard to think of a more helpful, useful culinary handbook that applies to every part of the world, every walk of life, and almost every situation you could find yourself in where a substitution becomes necessary.” ―The US Review of Books

“From the exotic to the ordinary, it’s hard to think of a more helpful, useful culinary handbook that applies to every part of the world, every walk of life, and almost every situation you could find...


Available Editions

ISBN 9780997446494
PRICE $5.99 (USD)

Average rating from 77 members


Featured Reviews

Comprehensively useful

Wow, this book is jaw-droppingly comprehensive both in breadth and depth of coverage.

It includes for example substitutions and equivalences for herbs and spices, and for making up herb and spice blends and dressings and sauces. The entry for thyme includes equivalences for sprigs, fresh leaves and dry as well as thyme substitutes and the amount of lemon zest to add to make lemon thyme.

As another example, the entry for oats spans oat bran, oat bran flour, oat flour, oat milk, how to make instant oats from regular oats as well as forms of oats and their substitutes.

The cover price could quickly be recouped substituting rather than buying obscure ingredients.

Measures are American I.e. cups and ounces, but it is simply a matter of having something that measures in cups.

As an eBook it works well. Chapters are letters of the alphabet.

There is an equally comprehensive bibliography.

Strongly recommended for all cooks.

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This is a really handy reference book for any cook. We’ve all been in situations where we haven’t taken the time to ensure we have all of the ingredients for the recipe and this guide is a really useful tool for substitutions for both familiar and some more obscure ingredients.

It’s simple to follow and a great reference for every kitchen!

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This title is a must-have for any kitchen! It has a list of any ingredient that you may ever need to replace in a recipe with multiple options to fit as many diets as possible. The ingredients are alphabetical which allows for easy searching and I honestly couldn't recommend it enough for home cooks or even professional chefs.

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These days so many people have food allergies or sensitivities. Others are on special restricted diets. Still others want to cook ethnic dishes that use uncommon ingredients that are hard to find. This book is a God-send for all these people.

It's arranged alphabetically, by the ingredient. More unusual and foreign names might have a short description in parentheses after the name. Under the name they will list possible substitutes, but for many ingredients they also have instructions for making your own. These simple recipes include item such as hot cocoa mix and homemade nut butters.

For cooks wanting to avoid processed food, this is a great resource.

This isn't a cookbook to read, but an invaluable reference that belongs on every cook's shelf.

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Have you ever wanted to try a new recipe, but after reading the ingredients you may be missing one or two. It calls for baking powder, but you have baking soda on hand. With Jean MacLeod's, “The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook”, no problem. Jean's book is like a Dictionary, Thesaurus and a Bible for the Kitchen, all wrapped up into one. It has all the answers. It has the substitution for every food or spice from A to Z. If you need Allspice for instance, Jean gives the ingredients that make up allspice and the proportions. I enjoyed just reading through it, to learn the difference in Chilies. What they could be used for and what I could substitute if I couldn't find a certain kind. There are recipes included too. If you want to make your own Bisquick Mix, now you can. My family always tells me I am a good cook, now I can be even a better one. Anyone that likes to bake, cook or just learn more about certain foods and ingredients, this is the book for you. Every serious cook needs a copy of Jean's book in your kitchen.
I received a copy of this book from BooksGoSocial through NetGalley. The opinions in this review are my own.

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This is a great recourse book for anyone who cooks and is looking for substitutions.
The Complete Food Substitutions Hand book a food encyclopedia that gives common substitutions for familiar ingredients that most people have laying around their houses. As well as other substitutions you might not have thought would work.
This is a great addition for anyone who cooks in the kitchen and hates to constantly look up on line what exchange you can use. This is a must have in everyone's kitchen.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Jean B. MaCleod The Complete Food Substitutions handbook.

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This is a brilliant resource for any kitchen. The organisation of the book is perfect, alphabetically, which allows you to look up any item you need or want a substitute for. The author gives so many different options too which is so good. I was a bit worried about it been for the USA market only but it definitely isn't there are some listing that will never be relevant but all the ones you need are there too. I like the way the book does exactly what it set out to do without frills or padding. A great resource - thank you

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Possibly the most useful book for my kitchen. I use a lot of online recipes that usually have ingredients and spice blends I'm unfamiliar with and are hard to get. This book tells me very clearly what can be substituted and often how to make it myself. The format is a simple and perfect to use A to Z listing. An essential resource.

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I cannot believe I have never found a reference book like this before now. This is a life saver. I can see this book getting many dog-eared pages. Anyone who knows someone who loves to cook, this will make a perfect gift. I found so many ideas for substitutions that I had never thought of before. So much research and time has been put into this book. Over 300 pages of foods to use to substitute in recipes as well as how to just plain make the ingredient yourself. Example: Use any of these items for BBQ sauce or make your own with these ingredients. Another example: No time to make dumplings, use 1 8oz refrigerated buttermilk biscuit dough.

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This is the first book I have come across that contains all of this information in one book. I have many books, pages torn out of magazines or cards cut off boxes that I've collected over the years to get the information that EVERY successful cook needs to insure quality results. Jean Macleod has now saved many people the aggravation of trying to track down the information when they need it. Whether you are a beginner or expert cook, you need this book in your collection!

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This is a brilliant book, I love it. I am one of the new year new you brigade and have spent way too much time in the past trying to find all sorts of weird and wonderful ingredients which will, obviously, change my life when, in fact, all I needed was this book. Don't have any low fat milk, no problem, there are 16 alternatives recommended. Granted very few of us have a ready supply of camel's milk but not everyone has cow's milk either!

My husband used to be a chef and I have to admit to using the book a bit like a quiz sheet, testing his knowledge, he didn't do too badly! Yesterday I needed rice milk for a recipe, which isn't available locally I had to order it online; if the end result works I now know how to make my own next time, not something I would have considered without this little gem.

I was able to read a copy of this book thanks to Netgalley and the publishers and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys cooking and increasing their culinary knowledge as well as all the 'new yearers' who have far more enthusiasm than supplies!

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This is the handbook that you wanted but didn't know it until you saw it. In short, it's an extremely comprehensive list of substitutions for every kind of food that you can think of plus some. My reason for the four, rather than five stars is that I'm English and this is aimed towards the American market so there was plenty of foods and food substitutions that I have never heard of in here nor would never find in the UK. Otherwise, this book is going to be continually put into use.

Many thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this ARC for which I have given my voluntary and unbiased review.

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I really enjoyed reading through this book. It is a reference book and organized in alphabetical order. This makes it easy to reference the ingredient you are looking to replace. It has great suggestions and even has recipes for foods like pastes and spices. Essential for any cook/baker and an excellent source for us moms who forget ingredients and need a replacement on a pinch!

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This title is a must have for all kitchens! I have been left so many times almost through a recipe without the last ingredient I need. This book is so helpful and wonderful when you are caught in those pinches.

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This title is a must-have for any kitchen! It has a list of any ingredient that you may ever need to replace in a recipe with multiple options to fit as many diets as possible. Love using this as a tool in my cooking!

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The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook
by Jean B. MacLeod
BooksGoSocial

I'm so glad I found this book. My partner is a bit of a finicky eater, this book has helped in finding substitutions for the things he does not like. There are also some great ideas for homemade salad dressing that are yummy and something I love. This book is packed with information, both for the novice and the pro alike. It's a great book if you love cooking and trying new things. I also like that all the ingredients are alphabetical. This is a book that you will use over and over again.

Thank You to Netgalley & BooksGoSocial for there ARC in exchange for my honest opinion

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This was a very complete food substitution guide from A to Z. I was amazed at the content and the list of substitutions. I especially liked the gluten free options. With this book in hand, I no longer have to waste time googling different options.
Very highly recommended!

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I have cooked from 'scratch' all my life. Many times I found recipes I wanted to try but discovered I lacked one or more ingredients or sometimes had no idea what an ingredient was. This comprehensive book solves every question regarding that dilemma.

I was delighted to see that Ingram Book Company already stocks The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook and at a regular discount. I can't wait to order several copies on my next book order. I am excited to begin telling my customers about this great book. It is a MUST HAVE for any store that sells cookbooks and/or gourmet foods.

BEST cooking ingredient reference I've ever found.

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I needed this book for few ingredient substitutions in cooking.
Let me tell you, this book is a must for every kitchen!

It has substitutes in each ingredient plus a recipe how to do things too!
Example:
BUTTER, FRESH - 8 oz (1 cup / 2 sticks)
*8 oz or 1 cup canned butter such as Red Feather (expensive)
*4 oz (1 cup) powdered butter plus 1 cup water .... *plus more substitute list*
Make your own: Blend or whip 2 cups heavy cream until butter forms, 5-8 oz, strain, rinse in cold water until clear, then knead or press to extract the remaining buttermilk. Store refrigerated up to 3 weeks.

Now that is a book that Will educate you and eliminate google search!

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This has to be the most comprehensive list of food substitutions. There are items from all diets and ethnic foods that if you were looking for something you would probably find it. This is a must have for any adventurous chef.

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This book is going to be so useful to have in the kitchen. I like the way the book is written, with everything listed alphabetically. Although it shouldn't make too much of a difference, there is a small difference in the US cup measurement and that of the UK. Cups are not really a popular way to measure here in the UK. However, i do recommend this handy book.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review.

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The Complete Food Substitutions Hand book is a fantastic food encyclopedia that gives commonplace substitutions for ingredients that most people already have in their kitchens, as well as other substitutions you might not have thought would work. This is a great resource for cooks wanting to avoid processed food and for anyone who cooks and is looking for substitutions. Advance reader copy was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

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You might need this on your shelf.

When cooking, either under time constraints that leave no room for another trip to the store, or with diet requirements, figuring out substitutions for items in a recipe can halt the process. You can go to Google or Pinterest, but we all know that leads you down a zero world problem rabbit hope of distraction and doubt whether or not to believe some food blogger.

This author has done her research (see multiple page bibliography) and provides multiple, measured substitutions for hundreds of food items. The book is simple: alphabetical order of ingredients with volumes of substitutions for those items. You'll read the names of foods you never knew existed.

The text doesn't identify which substitutions provide the vegan, low sugar, dairy free, etc option. One needs to know which of the substitutions from the list fulfills one's requirements.

Simple, but possibly an invaluable kitchen resource.

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More like a dictionary... I was expecting more of a book... very interesting...very detailed. I look forward to more and would like to get more books regarding health

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I'm trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle and this book has great recipes and tips for that and I plan to use this as a reference for the future.

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I took a short class on food substitutes and learned a bit about using healthier ingredients, so this book sounded like something I would like. Actually, that is an understatement, because this is one of the greatest reference guides to have if you cook often. How many times did I run to the store for one missing ingredient, not knowing that I had an ingredient that I could use as a substitute (answer: too many to count).

This Book is arranged from A to Z and lists multiple options for many items. The class I took was on baking substitutes, and an example from this guide is oil, vegetable, for baking. I knew you could substitute unsweetened applesauce, but how about vegetable shortening or mayonnaise or what if you're out of pastry cream? Well, how about using vanilla pudding mix, custard powder, or vegan pudding mix.

The suggestions are great for healthier options, dealing with food allergies, or just not having to make another trip to the store. This book doesn't waste time on anything but the ingredients and substitutes. I can see myself using this often and I highly recommend.

I received a DRC from Books Go Social from NetGalley.

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The Complete Food Substitutions Handbooks is a seriously good book for any cook. It provides a comprehensive listing of ingredients, with substitutes that can be used for each. The book is well-organized, comprehensive, easy to use, and the ultimate reference for ingredients and their substitutions.

I like to try new and different recipes but sometimes I don’t have a particular ingredient – usually due to the fact that it is unusual or seldom used in my kitchen. In the future, this will be my go-to book to determine a reasonable substitute for that missing ingredient. It is a geat resource!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book to review.

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Great reference that is easy to use. Liked that you can sort through quickly to find what you are looking for. The book had great suggestions and substitutions.

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BooksGoSocial and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook is an A to Z reference guide, as food items are listed in alphabetical order. In order to allow all eaters to benefit from this book, the author has included, where applicable, low-sugar, low-salt, gluten-free, low-fat, lactose-free, and vegan options as substitutions.

I particularly liked when recipes for making your own ingredient were included, such as the recipes for Almond Butter and Almond Milk. I also liked how precise the substitutions were, with exact proportions given. I do wish that the author had included photographs or drawings of some of the ingredients, especially those that may be unfamiliar to most. The most comprehensive handbook for substituting ingredients, including exotic and unique ones, The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook is a reference book that would be ideal for those readers who like to adapt recipes to their own eating preferences.

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I was surprised by the content even though it said that it was a substitution guide. I still expected some kind of more lyrical book. This book it good if you want to know which substitute yo use when you're cooking and you cannot find the right ingredient at the store or if you are allergic or have food restrictions like gluten and lactose free food. It also contains some brief recipes for some things like almond milk/paste. Good thing to have but not a super thrilling read 😉

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THIS IS ONE OF THOSE RARE BOOKS WHICH STIRS THE IMAGINATION AT THE SAME TIME INTRODUCING YOU TO NEW CONCOCTIONS INTO YOUR LIFE AT THE SAME TIME AVOIDING FOODS THAT YOU ARE ALLERGIC OR HAVE A INTOLERANCE WITH.

ABSOLUTELY FASCINATING AND A MUST READ BOOK.

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When the title says "Complete", believe it. It is an exhaustive compilation of anything and everything that could be used as a substitution. There were things I'd never heard of, and other things that I never knew even had a substitute.

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An excellent book that everyone should have a copy of in their kitchen. This book has substitutions for everything you could think of. It is written as a reference book which I really appreciate, instead of a book that you have to sit down and read to understand. The substitutions are written out clearly and concisely. I think this book would be especially helpful for people who have food allergies.

Thank you to Netgalley, Jean B. MacLeod, and BooksGoSocial for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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A difficult book to review since I didn't sit down and read it in its entirety. I browsed through, the book, choosing random items to read and basically the book does what it says in the write up "Thousands of replacements for common, uncommon, and hard-to-find ingredients" and I came to the conclusion that this would indeed be a welcome addition to my cookery book shelves.

No matter what your cooking skills, there are always times when you want to find a healthier, leaner or simply a cheaper alternative and this book seems to have an endless list.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a preview e-copy.

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The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook is a comprehensive listing of ingredients with substitutions for the every-day cook, the baker and even the more culinary inclined. Here are thousand of entries from commonplace ingredients like cornstarch to the more exotic ingredients like Brillat-Savarin. It’s a handy guide to keep in the kitchen. I found the substitutes for sweeteners, spices, flours and thickeners most useful. If you or someone you know has food allergies or would like to make a dish with hard-to-find ingredients, this book is useful. I took one star off since many of the substitutes are simply nearly the same item as that which is being substituted (example: Broccoli. Substitute with broccoflower or Romenesco broccoli. I would think if you don’t have broccoli, you definitely would not have broccoflower or Romenesco broccoli). Other substitutes are quite useful such as the recipe for almond paste.

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The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook by Jean MacLeod is like a dictionary for food substitutions. The book gives instructions how to substitute or make your own ingredients. In many instances the author will explain the origin of the ingredient (i.e. Mango Powder is an Indian souring agent) The amount of research in this book is incredible. If you are a person who loves to cook and can't always find the ingredients you need or want to make your own ingredients like almond paste, this book will become your new best friend. This book, to me, is essential to have in any cooks kitchen. How many times have your started a recipe and realize that the ingredient you thought you had is nowhere to be found. The substitutions here are from the exotic to the basic. This is a wealth of information needed in anyone's kitchen who love to experiment with food and enjoys cooking. Well Done!

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If Jean B MacLeod who can stand against her?! I was interested in this book, but having looked at it, I confess that I'm wasn't sure how to review it. The problem isn't that there is anything wrong with it, it's that the book is quite literally what the title says. It is the complete book of food substitutions! It is an alphabetized list of a huge number of food items, many of which I have never heard of, with alternative items that you can replace them with in recipes, if you don't have the original or if you want to change it out for whatever reason. The book covers the globe with entries from literally every continent except Antarctica, which admittedly isn't known for its vegetable or meat products!

So without tasting a significant sampling of the recipes, all I can say is that the author has done some serious work here, and that from the substitutions I recognize, it looks like they will work just fine. That's not to say a substitution is always meant as an exact replacement. Sometimes the substitution is so close to the original that it's an obvious replacement and shouldn't really affect anything, but other times the replacement food is different or even quite different, so the aim is more to replace the texture or effect of adding this particular ingredient rather than replace the taste. The thing is that this book gives you choices so you can maybe find a cheaper ingredient, or one you're not allergic to, or one that fits your dietary requirements. The choice is yours! And that's the point! Most items have several options, so you can readily play with them to find something you will like.

Once again, I think the book was designed as a print book because there is very little use made of electronic linking. It's in alphabetized sections, so you can tap the letter in the contents and go to the start of that particular letter's entries, and you can tap from that same letter header for any section to return to the contents page, but one thing I noticed is that quite a number of items in the list will say something like BITTER ALMOND OIL See OIL OF BITTER ALMONDS, and there is no link to tap to go there. That would have been a nice feature.

Given that people sometimes put fake entries into lists like this so they can prove it if someone copied their list, I half wondered if, under 'FIG LEAVES' it might say, 'See LOIN CLOTHS', but it didn't! I was a little disappointed in that, but fig leaves are a legitimate food item here, so that would have meant missing an entry and thereby making the book rather less complete! So I understand, really I do! Maybe the author has an even more sneaky one hidden away somewhere else!

But overall, I liked this book, and I commend it as a complete food substitutions guide.

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An extremely comprehensive reference volume, which will be helpful for cooks who find themselves short of an ingredient for tonight's dinner, or anyone trying to work around food allergies. Exhaustive alphabetical list with multiple alternative suggestions for most items. As someone who lives in a rural area where obscure ingredients aren't available at local stores, this will be very handy!

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Here are thousands of substitutions ranging for the most common ingredients to the most exotic. Definitely a hand book to have in the kitchen.

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What a super book, really useful! It’s American so have to remember the American terms for some foods or think about cups and pounds for measures more.

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“For Elizabeth and Pamela, for which there are no substitutions” what a touching and clever tribute!

Anyway, this book is a one-stop shop for literally everything you’d ever need to make something yourself or find a substitution that fits your unique dietary needs/restrictions (vegan, dairy free, low fat, soy free, etc..)
It’s organized alphabetically making it incredibly user friendly!

Truly a must have in every kitchen!

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This book is set up like a dictionary: alphabetical, with short definition on foods you may not know. This is a great reference tool as you are cooking and don't have something. And this books covers pretty much any food substitution you can think of. In fact, there were many i had never heard of.
As for learning about substitutions, this isn't the book for that. I would have liked to see a sections about different types of substitutions. Like id you want to cut out dairy or meet. Even an index that put you reference the page numbers.

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If you are looking for an ingredient substitute that is NOT included in this book, I'm not sure what it could be.  The author has included everything from substitutions for different cuts of beef to jackfruit - not to mention tons of different butter substitution options.  Does your recipe call for jalapeño jelly, hummus, brazil nut butter or truffle butter?  Well, the author has included recipes for these and many other items.  Did you run out of dark brown sugar or decorating sugar?  Does your recipe call for demerara sugar (what the heck is demerara sugar anyway?) or turbinado sugar?  Have you been watching The Great British Baking Show and can't find any golden baking sugar?  Fear not, this book has literally pages upon pages of sugar substitutions!

The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook is sorted alphabetically, making it is very easy to find any ingredient that you may be in search of.  A very complete bibliography is included at the end for reference.  I'm planning to hit the bookstore to check out her other titles.  A fantastic reference guide for any kitchen.  5 stars!

(NetGalley ebook -  I received a complimentary advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

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Love this book! Awesome book for any questions about what you can substitute different foods for healthier ones. It has it all the different categories of a meal you could be on. Will definitely use this when meal planning!

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I'm blown away by how comprehensive this gem of a reference book is. There is a wealth of substitutions for well-known ingredients and foods as well as a great deal that I've never heard of. Definitely a book I'd like to keep in the kitchen with my cookbooks for those days when you read a recipe and are disappointed you don't have the required ingredients or don't recognise an ingredient. Layout was easy to read with ingredients listed alphabetically. Gratitude to Netgalley and publisher for allowing me to review in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you Books Go Social for this ARC.

This is a really useful book, clearly outlining many different substitutions for foods that you may not have readily available. My only disappointment was that, living in a country where many healthy foods are not available, many of the substitutes were also not available. I would hav elites to have seen more really basic substitutes for some of the items I looked for. Otherwise a great book that certainly does offer many substitutions.

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This is a great premise for a book. Lots of substitutes for daily use items or how you can make a similar product. This is a handbook everyone should have on their shelf.

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Macleod provides handy tips to assist the cook decide which food substitute would be best for their recipe, such as simple nutritional information and budget factors. The imperial measurement system is referenced throughout this book, hence making it more difficult to quickly reference for readers who use the metric measurements system.

The handbook is a “no frills” book, presented in black and white print with no photos or illustrations to make it more aesthetically appealing to the reader. A small introduction by the author to explain why she wrote the book, would have provided a more personal nuance to the book.

However, MacLeod’s book delivers what she intended and is truly a comprehensive food substitutions handbook.

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This is a great addition to any kitchen. It provides with just enough ideas on making your meals delicious and healthy. I love the idea of having one book that is handy with all of these substitutions so that I do not have to do all the hard work.

I have tried some of the suggestions and they are great.

Highly recommend this book for anyone who is looking for that perfect cookbook.

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This is a surprisingly thorough and helpful book for cooks. It is basically a really long encyclopedia of food ingredients with possible substitutions. In many cases the substitution will be slightly different in flavor or results but they all are pretty good options. There are many options for switching out vegetarian or gluten free ingredients for traditional ingredients -- for instance, what's a substitute for anchovy paste in a recipe? Others are just substitutions in case you're out of an ingredient or it's an exotic ingredient you don't have access to. Some of the options are if you just don't have it on hand, and others are for vegetarian ingredients with a similar taste/effect in the recipe.

I was pleasantly surprised that there were wild foods listed as substitutes too. For instance, peeled burdock stems were listed as some of the possible substitutes for artichoke hearts. I've heard that they taste similar to artichoke hearts but I would not expect a traditional cookbook to know that. Wild berries and greens are also listed at times as substitutes.

The book also gives instructions on how to make your own sauces, spice mixes, etc. These are short and simple -- mix up these 5 ingredients for barbecue sauce, for instance, or melt these two things over medium heat and store in the fridge for up to a month for this kind of sauce.

MANY international sauces and spice mixes are listed, including lots that I've never heard of. This would be invaluable for cooking cuisines from parts of the world that are new to you, especially if you don't have access to all of the ingredients.

There are no photos and there isn't really text or discussion. It's just a very long book of ingredients with all kinds of substitutions for each. It's likely to be useful for many cooks. A great resource.

I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for purpose of review.

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An absolutely comprehensive list of substitutions for foods in anyone's kitchen! I wish I had this book when I first started out and am glad to have found it now!

I'll be recommending it to my inexperienced and seasoned students alike!

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Well this was a good idea waiting to happen! And worth the wait...Hats off to the author, it must have taken an immense amount of research to compile all of this information. Sure, we could all Google our queries as & when we need to know something, but there are times when it really is just so much more convenient to have it all to hand - & this book ‘fills the bill’. I am certainly happy to recommend it.

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This is an odd sort of book. It's an alphabetical dictionary of any food ingredient you might need and what to use if you don't have it, or if you need to avoid it. Thus on the first pages we find:

ACHIOTE/ACHUETE See ANNATTO OIL; ANNATTO SEEDS

ACHIOTE PASTE/RECADO ROJO (Latin American seasoning and coloring) - 1 tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon Sazon Goya Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons ground annatto seeds or powdered annatto/bijol (for coloring; lacks seasoning)
• 1 teaspoon paprika (for coloring only)

ACIDULATED WATER (anti-browning agent for certain cut fruits and vegetables) - 1 cup
• 1 cup water plus 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt (rinse well with fresh water after soaking)
• 1 cup water plus 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 cup water plus 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 cup water plus small pinch ascorbic acid granules, or 1 (250-mg) pure vitamin C pill crushed to a powder
• 1 cup apple juice (for holding prepared apples)

ACITRÓN (Mexican candied cactus pieces) - 4 ounces
• 4 ounces candied pineapple

On page 500 we find:

PECTIN, REGULAR, POWDERED - 0.4 ounce (enough for two 1/2-pint jars)
• 1 1/2 ounces regular liquid pectin (Add after the mixture is brought to a full boil, bring again to a full boil, and boil for 1 minute to activate the pectin.)
• 1 (0.6-ounce) packet instant powdered pectin (Reduce the sugar by half and prepare following the package directions.)
• 4 teaspoons powdered apple pectin (Add after the mixture is brought to a full boil, bring again to a full boil, and boil for 3 minutes to activate the pectin.)
• 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice, if not already included in the recipe (for jams and preserves; will also reduce the amount of sugar required)
• 1 slightly underripe quince, peeled and chopped (for jams and preserves)
• 1 crab apple or small tart green apple, peeled and grated (for jams and preserves)
• One-quarter of the fruit underripe and three-quarters of the fruit fully ripe (for jams and preserves)
• Increase the cooking time until the jam reaches the desired gel (will result in reduced volume).
PEKMEZ/PETIMEZI (thick Turkish sweetener) See GRAPE MOLASSES

PENNYWORT, ASIATIC/GOTU KOLA/GOTUKOLLE/BUA BOK - 1 bunch (4 ounces/1 cup sprigs)
• 1 cup baby arugula leaves, flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, or watercress sprigs

PEPPADEW/PIQUANTÉ PEPPERS, JARRED (South African sweet pickled Juanitapeppers)
• Pickled Italian cherry peppers or pepperoncini, plus a little sugar, agave syrup/nectar, or other sweetener added to the brine

and on the 741, final page of the list:

ZERESHK (Middle Eastern small dried berries) See BARBERRIES, DRIED

ZINFANDEL VINEGAR - 1 tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar, or other mellow red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon red wine

ZUCCHINI BLOSSOMS See SQUASH BLOSSOMS, SUMMER

ZUCCHINI/ITALIAN SQUASH/COURGETTES (straightneck, round, and baby/mixed colors) - 1 pound
• 1 pound pattypan or scallop, globe, calabacitas, yellow squash (straightneck or crookneck), Tromboncino, young Zuccheta, or Zephyr summer squash
• 1 pound young calabash/cucuzza, chayote, or bottle gourd
• 1 pound green, immature Potimarron squash (for round French zucchini/Ronde de Nice; more dense)
• 1 pound seedless cucumbers, such as Armenian, Asian, Persian, or Kirby (juicier)


That's it. A huge long list. No text. Very useful but very odd.

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Wow, this book really is a complete handbook on food substitutes! I love that this book often tells you how to make things from scratch but also recommends store bought ingredients as well, I was shocked at how many incredible substitutes this book has!

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The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook by Jean B. MacLeod has virtually anything you would need for a recipe. I chose random, unpopular ingredients and found them all in here with how to make a substitution. This book will be helpful to people who like to cook or to those trying to create dinners from ingredients they have on hand.

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This is a handy book, arranged in alphabetical order, which gives you ideas for substitutions in recipes where you haven’t quite got all the right ingredients. For example, if you want to make hummus but have no tahini, you could use smooth peanut butter instead. As a vegetarian, I’m often disappointed to find anchovies hidden away in a recipe, but now I know I can replace them with capers.
There are limits though. Often the substitutions are merely the same item in a different form eg flaked rather than powdered. The other issue for me was that although I was using a review copy from NetGalley UK, the book was plainly American and had US measurements and ingredient names. Sometimes I wasn’t sure if all the unfamiliar ingredients were actually rare foods or just ones I didn’t recognise the American words for. I hope the edition they sell in the UK is a British version, but if not, you may have to use Google in conjunction with the book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

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Such a helpful reference book! Like it because the substitutions are clear and easy - the variety is amazing. Sometimes you need to use other ingredients. You've run out of something; your food sensitivities mean you can't have certain ingredients; you're trying a restricted diet. Or you're serving a guest with restrictions.

GET THIS book if you or your family have food sensitivities. The recipes use easy-to-find and simple ingredients. The instructions are clear.

Wish I'd had it when I was vegan. Would have been such a help.

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So far I have only 'dipped in' (pardon the pun!) and dipped out of this book. However, it is well written and an easy reference book with the alphabetical chapters. No doubt it will be 5 stars eventually. Superb, and different

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This book rocks my world. Every kitchen needs it. It truly is a comprehensive food substitutions bible that will save you time and effort. You won’t have to run to the computer and start researching different sites for food substitutions. It reads like a dictionary. Ingredients are in alphabetical order and it’s easy to read and understand. I’m grateful Jean MacLeod created this handbook.

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I loved this book. It gave me a lot of great ideas and was easy to read. I appreciated how much information the book had. I highly recommend this book for anyone and everyone. It will become a great reference book for me to keep coming back to.

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I received this arc from NetGalley for an honest review. This book is fairly easy to use handbook that will help readers find the right substitutions for their kitchen. There are well-known ingredients and others you may have never heard of.

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Where has this handbook been for the past 50 years? I could have used it so many times I probably would have needed several due to wearing them out. It is formatted similar to a dictionary. You search for the item you need to substitute and it gives you items that can be used instead of the searched item. It truly is essential for those times when you think you have an ingredient and discover you or out. It is also necessary when a particular item cannot be used due to allergies or dislike.

Buy one for you and one for your each of your family members, all of your friends, the people at church and everyone you work with. We all need to have this book!


I received an ARC from BooksGoSocial in exchange for an honest review. This in no way affects my opinion or rating of this book.

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Wow! This is one of those books that belongs on every cook’s shelf. How many times have you been in the middle of a recipe and found you were out of a critical ingredient? The Complete Food Substitutions Handbook: Including Options for Low-Sugar, Low-Fat, Low-Salt, Gluten-Free, Lactose-Free, and Vegan. Jean B. McLeod has outdone herself with this excellent book, since it contains not only standard ingredients, but also hundreds – maybe thousands – of lesser known and specialty ingredients. This is a must-have book for those who want to convert recipes to special diets, such as vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free. It is also a must-have for when an ingredient isn’t available, or when it isn’t convenient to run to the grocery store.

The book is well-organized, and the ingredients are in alphabetical order, making it easy to locate what is needed. It includes spices, as well as cheeses, vegetables (even exotic ones used all over the world), meats, grains and flours, and seafood, to name a few. There are also definitions after most of the ingredients for those of us who aren’t familiar with them. Just perusing the book will be educational and informative.

Although this isn’t a cookbook, there are a few recipes for spice mixes, all purpose biscuit mix, and flavored vinegars – very helpful, and very easy to follow. The text in the book is concise and easy to understand and, although there may be a few things left out that none of us have ever heard of, it seems that this book includes almost every ingredient known to man.

Highly recommended, this is one to give as a gift and will be a help in every kitchen – whether for beginning cooks or advanced chefs. There is something here for everyone.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

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Wow, this book is incredibly thorough and a must-have resource for anyone who cooks or bakes! There is no introduction for this book, but rather the author jumps right in starting off with "abalone" which is something I had never even heard of. That's how specific this book is! Ingredients are listed out in chapters from A to Z, making it super easy to search for something specific. There are multiple variations of the same ingredient (i.e. almond flour, almond butter, almond extract, almond milk, almond paste, almond syrup, etc.) and many include "Make Your Own" instructions which is very helpful.

I transitioned to a plant-based lifestyle four years ago and spent a lot of time experimenting on my own and adapting my family's traditional recipes to plant-based by swapping out sour cream, butter, mayo, and more. This book would have been so helpful to me back then! My favorite substitution for mayo is actually published in this book--silken tofu with vinegar, lemon juice, and dijon mustard. I can't wait to explore this book more and then next time I start cooking a recipe and realize I'm missing an ingredient, this will be the first place I go to find a replacement.

*Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley. However, all opinions are my own.*

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When cooking and following a recipe, certain foods or ingredients can be hard to find, or you may need to eliminate certain foods from your diet. This book gives you alternatives to certain ingredients and how to implement them.

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This book is essential for your kitchen. I hate going to make something just to realize I'm missing an ingredient. Or trying to figure out how to turn a recipe I love healthier or vegetarian. The first one is usually a quick google search, the other two can often take quite awhile as I look for the right information. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves to be in the kitchen as it will save you plenty of time.

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I found this book to be very helpful as I have tried different diets and tried to fins substitutes for the foods I cook with.

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