LIKE many people, I have half a dozen tried and trusted dinners I can rustle up without too much time or effort after a long day at work.

It's fair to say, I can also get a bit bored of my go-to Bolognese, Miso noodles and root vegetable curry - so from time to time I decide to browse some vegan websites, or even better, the cookery section in a bookshop, looking for inspiration.

I always like the ones with beautiful pictures - and Richard Buckley's Plants Taste Better is just the ticket of you like swooningly lush photographs of herbs, vegetables and fruit, as well as tantalising images of the finished dishes. Quite how photographer Kim Lightbody makes a snap of three bags of flour look like a painting by Vermeer I am not quite sure, but it is certainly a joy to see.

This substantial tome is also one to check out because Richard Buckley is a local-ish chef. He runs the award-winning Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen in Bath. Raised a vegetarian, he worked in a series of top plant-based restaurants before taking the role of head chef for Demuth's. It's fair to say Acorn, in North Parade Passage, is for diners with deep pockets - two courses on the set menu will cost you £29.90 and three courses is £38.95 - but golly, the food sounds good. How about starting off Broham beetroots, herb-steamed and served with a hazelnut cream, pickled blackberry and charred sweetcorn? Or a main course of butternut squash terrine with pine nut risotto, charred broccoli and pickled squash?

Well now you can conjure up some Acorn magic in your own kitchen, thanks to Richard's book. He's written sections on snacks, soups, pates and light lunches, salads, main courses, desserts and breads. What's immediately evident is the range of vegetables he uses, the useful tips on preparing extras such as garnishes (curried candied pecans anyone?) and the care and artistry in the presentation. These are meals to delight any dinner guest.

It's described as a 'literary cookbook' and I can see why. Richard's writing style (perhaps reflecting his degree in English literature) is sensuous and elegant, yet spare and precise. He is evidently passionate about his craft and keen to encourage us to use diverse parts of plants - from root to shoot - in our cookery. I'm immediately tempted to try the walnut tortellini - but first let me look at the pictures a while longer. Plants Taste Better, published by Jacqui Small, retails for £25 in hardback.