Vicki Rae Chelf - Vickis Vegan Kitchen: Eating with Sanity, Compassion & Taste

Welcome to Vickis Vegan Kitchen!

Come on in. Theres always room for anyone who wants to experience the pleasures of vegan cooking. After all, its no secret that dishes made with fresh local ingredients that are properly prepared are absolutely delicious and the healthiest that the planet has to offer. As Dr. T. Colin Campbells comprehensive China Study has shown, there is an undeniable link between a vegan diet and the prevention of serious health conditions, including heart disease, cancer, type II diabetes, and autoimmune diseases. And as you are about to discover, Vickis Vegan Kitchen is the perfect cookbook to support this healthy dietary lifestyle. In it, author Vicki Chelfcooking teacher and decades-long follower of the vegan dietshows you just how easy it is to prepare divinely delicious plant-based foods.

Warm and welcoming

Get ready for a warm and welcoming friend in the kitchen. Covering every category of vegan fare, Vickis Vegan Kitchen is a Joy of Cooking for the 21st century.

Nava Atlas

Best-selling author of Vegan Express and The Vegetarian Family Cookbook

Fool-proof, easy-to-prepare

With Vicki Chelfs treasury of fool-proof, easy-to-prepare recipes, vegan cuisine has never been more delicious.

Cherie Calbom

Best-selling author of The Juice Ladys Turbo Diet

Healthy choices

Whether you want to go vegan or simply add healthy choices to your menu, Vickis Vegan Kitchen shows you just how easy and tasty it is.

Dr. Susan Smith Jones

Best-selling author of Recipes for Health Bliss and The Joy Factor

Once you step into Vickis Vegan Kitchen you wont want to leave. Along with enjoying the delicious, satisfying food it offers, you will ultimately enjoy the radiant health that it brings.

C OVER D ESIGNER : Jeannie Tudor

C OVER P HOTO : John Revisky (www.JohnRevisky.com)

E DITOR : Marie Caratozzolo

T YPESETTER : Gary A. Rosenberg

I NTERIOR A RT : Vicki Chelf

Square One Publishers

115 Herricks Road

Garden City Park, NY 11040

(516) 535-2010 (877) 900-BOOK

www.SquareOnePublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Chelf, Vicki Rae.

Vickis vegan kitchen : eating with sanity, compassion & taste / Vicki Chelf.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-0-7570-0251-9

1. Vegan cookery. I. Title. II. Title: Vegan kitchen.

TX837.C4528 2011

641.5'636dc22

2010004114

Copyright 2011 by Vicki Chelf

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contents

Foreword

Welcome to an amazing guide that will make you absolutely love vegan cooking. When people make the transition to a vegan diet, they often say that this new and exciting way of eating makes them want to spend more time in the kitchen to explore new foods and try out new recipes. They find themselves becoming more comfortable and connected with what they are cooking and eating, knowing that foods from plant sources are better for their health, for the animals, and for the environment.

Our research at the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine has shown that by following a plant-based diet and eliminating unhealthy fats and cholesterol that come from animal products, you can maintain a healthy weight, tackle blood pressure problems, and stay on the path of good health. In fact, our research has shown that a vegan diet can reverse type 2 diabetes; it has also been effective in helping many people with diabetes eliminate their need for medication.

Whether you have been following a vegan diet for years or youve just decided to dive in and try this healthy way of eating for the first time, Vickis Vegan Kitchen is the perfect guide. In it, talented natural foods chef and cooking teacher Vicki Chelf takes you on an enlightening tour of the wealth of delicious plant foods and shows you how to turn them into delectable, satisfying dishes. Her extensive glossary of ingredients not only describes the whole foods that are common to a vegan dietfruits, vegetables, beans, grains, and morebut also presents their nutritional value, as well as guidelines for incorporating them into your meals.

As you turn the pages of the introductory chapters, youll feel like you have your own personal chef to answer all of your cooking questions. Whether you want to know where to shop for the best ingredients, how to make the most of your food budget without compromising quality, or which cookware and appliances are recommended, Vicki will answer these questions and a great many more.

After the introductory chapters, Vicki shares an amazing treasury of her favorite vegan recipes, while encouraging you to become more than a cook-by-the-book chef. A firm believer in creativity in the kitchen, she shows you how to experiment with different herbs and seasonings and use ingredient substitutions to stretch your culinary capabilities, so you can prepare foods exactly the way you like them. Through easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, youll also learn how to grow fresh sprouts, bake your own bread, make homemade pasta, create nori-maki sushi rolls, and prepare a wealth of delicious dishesranging from everyday favorites to gourmet specialties.

Whether you start with the savory Summer Squash and Coconut Curry Soup, the rich Chocolate Macadamia Nut Mousse, or any of Vickis other delectable choices, youll quickly find yourself getting more comfortable and creative in the kitchen, making more meals from scratch, and sharing your love of vegan dishes with friends and family.

Through her book, Vicki Chelf invites you into her kitchen to savor the flavorful taste of whole foods cooking. I hope you enjoy all the valuable advice and fabulous recipes she has waiting for youand that you invite others into your own kitchen to cook and share wholesome vegan meals together.

Neal Barnard, MD

Founder and President

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Best-selling author of Breaking the Food Seduction

Acknowledgments

It is a beautiful June day, and I am sitting in my Florida home enjoying the beauty of the lush tropical fruit trees that surround me. As I admire this natural setting, I feel truly blessed; and yet I cant help but think of less-idyllic surroundings, such as those caused by global warming or created by such devastating environmental disasters like the Gulf of Mexico oil leak. Such man-made problems have compromised much of our lands natural beauty as well as the existence of countless creatures great and small. And although these catastrophes have also caused me great sadness, it has always been my hope that they will also become catalysts for creating a better future.

All over the world, there are people who dream of a making this world a better place, and work towards that end. Whether they are activists, business people, scientists, artists, spiritual teachers, gardeners, or parents, they share certain commonalitiesthe desire for a vibrant and engaged community, a high quality of life, and a healthy environment. This book is my way of thanking them. I realize that when it comes to preserving the health of our planet, many things are out of our control. Following a vegan diet, however, is one step anyone can take toward a kinder, healthier planet. And I wish to thank everyone who has the courage and commitment to follow this dietary path.