Table of Contents
Introduction
What an exciting time to be gluten free and vegan! The tides have shifted as more and more people grow increasingly aware of the impact food has on their bodies and on the world around them. Information and support are abundant, as well as carefully manufactured food products geared toward your pleasure, ethics, and safety. No longer do you have to fend for yourself in order to prevent an accidental consumption of gluten or animal product. Labeling laws have simplified your purchasing concerns, and restaurants are alerted to the seriousness of food allergies.
Chance and luck are not dictating why this revolution is occurring. Instead, there has been a large increase in gluten and other food intolerances in recent years. After decades of indulging in a diet based on highly processed, refined, junk, and fast foods, our bodies are catching up and rebelling. Although the majority of intolerances are not due to celiac sprue or allergy, a huge chunk of the general population now suffers with discomforting and painful symptoms. Thus, between all intolerant origins (including allergy and celiac sprue), a vast bulk of people need to focus more carefully on the foods they consume at each meal.
Fortunately, gluten free and vegan is not a taste bud death sentence. On the contrary, a flavorful world exists, reaching far beyond what you may have imagined. Together, with our nutritional and culinary expertise, we are thrilled to offer you more than 200 recipes that will tantalize your palate and provide you with creative and delicious options you can easily create at home. From appetizers to desserts and breakfast to dinner, we take you on a culinary excursion through unique dishes you may never have seen before, to classics you probably thought you needed to part with forever. Get ready to open your eyes and lips for a gluten-free vegan extravaganza!
How This Book Is Organized
This book is divided into six parts, devoted to showing you how easyand delicious!a gluten-free vegan diet can be:
Part 1, Living Gluten Free and Vegan, offers a comprehensive course in gluten-free and vegan basics, explaining the health advantages of omitting gluten and animal products from your diet and providing you with guidelines to help you do so. We show you how to easily substitute plant-based and gluten-free ingredients to make any recipe you like, and help you equip your kitchen so you can be ready to create whenever the mood strikes.
Part 2, Off to a Good Start, lays the foundation for starting off your day right by providing you with recipes for quick and easy breakfast, as well as a few classic brunch selections. You also learn how to make several gluten-free and vegan sweet and savory baked goods, breads, buns, and pie and pizza crusts. We end this part with a DIY guide to making your own vegan cheeses.
Part 3, Snacks, Sauces, and Spreads, features recipes for healthy snacking options, fantastic appetizers, and other finger foods. We then move on to savory spreads, hummus, pts, and everyones favorite guacamole and salsa, all of which are perfect for pairing with crunchy dippers. We finish up with an array of sauces, and weve got you covered whether youre in need of some gravy; pesto; or a sweet, spicy, or creamy sauce.
In Part 4, Ready for Lunch?, we show you how to grow your own sprouts, mix up some crunchy veggie-packed slaws, make two types of potato salads, and pull together delicious and nutritious tossed and leafy green salads. We also teach you how to make, bake, and steam your own meatless meats and provide ideas for utilizing them in filling and hearty sandwiches. And forget about opening up a can because our soup, stew, chili, and chowder recipes are far superior in terms of flavor and ingredients used than those tinned varieties.
Part 5, Exceptional Entres and Side Dishes, contains main and side dish recipes youll love to serve your family and friends. Whatever your mood or appetite, weve got something in these chapters thats sure to appeal to you, whether you want pizza, pasta, Mexican, Asian, or Indianor enough-for-an-army casserole. And to nicely round out your dinner plate, weve also included an endless array of tasty grain-, bean-, and veggie-based side dishes.
Part 6, Divine Desserts, shows you how to make and bake some delectable and divine desserts. You learn how to make scrumptious cookies, brownies, and bars, plus pies and tarts, puddings, tasty toppings, assorted cakes and cupcakes, and cheesecake. Whatever your sweet tooth is craving, youll surely find something to your liking in this part. Plus, theyre all guaranteed to be divinely delicious, gluten free, and vegan!
In the back of the book, weve included a glossary filled with the definitions sprinkled throughout the book as well as some other technique, item, and equipment terms. Finally, we share some wonderful resources you can use to further your gluten-free vegan journey.
Extras
Throughout the book, youll find sidebars, there to guide you along and offer additional information.
DEFINITION
These mini-dictionaries define terms, ingredients, and techniques you may not be familiar with.
MEATLESS AND WHEATLESS
These helpful hints expound upon certain facts and ideas presented in the text.
AGAINST THE GRAIN
Be sure to heed the warnings shared in this sidebar.
CORNUCOPIA
Read these sidebars for some fun, miscellaneous ideas and related reflections.
Plant-Based Dietitian Recommends: Being a gluten-free vegan can be challenging enough all on its own. Because some of you may be transitioning your diet to include healthier choices, weve included many recipes in this book that are oil free. On the flip side, for those who are taking a moderation approach, weve also included recipes that contain nonhydrogenated margarine or various types of oils, refined vegan sweeteners, and a couple other processed foods. To include everyone, weve added Plant-Based Dietitian Recommends notes throughout recipes containing those ingredients. Julieanna, your plant-based dietitian, is looking out for your optimal health choices and provides you with alternatives to keep your diet 100 percent whole foods. If you have any chronic health conditions or are trying to lose weight, we advise you to follow these suggestions.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank several people for all their help and assistance in writing this book: Tom Stevens, Christy Wagner, Marie Butler-Knight, and the rest of the Alpha Books team who helped bring this book to fruition. Much appreciation to Marilyn Allen and her team at Allen OShea Literary Agency.
