Claiborne - Sweet Potato Soul: 100 Easy Vegan Recipes for the Southern Flavors of Smoke, Sugar, Spice and Soul

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jenn Claiborne is a vegan chef, cooking instructor, and the creator of Sweet Potato Soul, the blog and YouTube channel. She studied at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and founded the personal chef company The Nourishing Vegan, whose clients have included India Arie, Lucy Liu, Lululemon, Soho House, Whole Foods, and many more. Her recipes and nutritional advice have been featured on NBCs Today, in VegNews, Ebony, Greatist.com, Refinery 29, BET, Well+Good, Shape.com, Laika Magazine, Vegetarian Times, Thoughtfully Magazine, InStyle.com, the Huffington Post,Readers Digest, Urban Bush Babes, Main Street Vegan Radio, and Our Hen House. She is the cocreator of Buddhalicious, an eCourse that makes it easy for people to adopt a healthy and delicious vegan diet.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Writing this cookbook was a dream come true. I am filled with love and gratitude for the people, animals, and spirits that supported and guided me through this journey.

To my ancestors who created soul food and against all odds laid the foundation for my interpretation of this American tradition. I am my ancestors wildest dreams. Unknown.

To my partner, Maxx: I can never thank you enough for your boundless support, patience, love, and words of wisdom. You are an incredible editor, recipe-tester, accidental personal assistant, and best friend. Im so grateful for the love, positivity, and peace you bring to our life together. Sweet Potato Soul wouldnt be awesome without you.

To my magical nana: The support and love youve given me every day of my life has made me the person I am today. I live in the kitchen because of you. I love food because of you. I know compassion because of you. And I follow my dreams because of you. You make me laugh and inspire me at the same time. Despite the physical distance between us, you are always in my heart. This book is for you, Nana!!

To my parents: Mommy, I think your disgust at the red meat section in grocery stores and love for animals destined me to become vegan, which has been life-changing in so many wonderful ways. Thank you for challenging me to dream big and supporting me through all of my phases: aspiring dancer, actress, designer, psychologistYouve taught me the value of hard work, how to be healthy, and to always believe in myself. For all these things, I am eternally grateful.

Daddy, youre the one who introduced me to a vegan lifestyle. I remember you telling me about your days working at SoulVeg in Atlanta and experimenting with a raw food lifestyle in Chicago. Youre an OG vegan chef!! Do you know how cool that makes you? Thank you, too, for inspiring me, supporting my many aspirations, and challenging me to be great.

To Aunt Anna: Your passion for creativity and art has made such a big impact in my life, and so has your vegetarianism. Youve shaped me in more ways than you know. Thank you for always loving and praying for me.

To Cathy Loup: One of the biggest perks of being with Maxx is getting you as my auntie. Ive learned so much about food and cooking from you, and you inspire me with every meal you serve us. Thank you for being so supportive of my journey from actress to personal chef to Sweet Potato Soul. And I thank you for your support at every stage of this book writing process: from editor to recipe-tester.

To my living grandparents: For each of you I have a food memory that I keep close to my heart. Nana: baked sweet potatoes, my favorite simple delight. Youd always tell me about your aunt Mamie, who liked to eat leftover sweet potatoes cold right out of the fridgeI do that, too. Larry and Kathy: Id never even heard of pumpkin pie until we came to your house one year for Thanksgiving. Did I eat the whole thing? Milton: Huge jars of garlic in the refrigerator. Thats what I call healthy!

To Grandma Sandra: I remember you reading your book Cuckoo Head to me and the pride you had for the childrens book that you published. I still feel that pride for you, and my first published book is in your memory.

To Diane Loup: Youre the best mother-in-love that a girl could have. Thank you for supporting Maxx and me on our vegan journey, for cooking for us, and for always being so curious and open-minded. Thank you for supporting my creative and business endeavors and experiments, and always sharing my wins.

To Eric Yu, Peter Lu, and my Peacefood family: Working at Peacefood Caf was the best job ever. Thank you, Eric and Peter, for showing us how to run an ethical and conscious business. It was at Peacefood that I learned about ethical veganism and about our power to change the world by doing good. My Peacefood friends were my first blog readers, YouTube subscribers, and client referrals. I am forever grateful for my time spent working with you.

To my mentors Bryant Terry and Latham Thomas: Even if you didnt know it, you both have been tremendous mentors to me since I began this journey in 2011. The integrity, excellence, and creativity of your work is immensely inspiring to me and so many other young black vegans.

To photographer extraordinaire Sidney Bensimon: Weve been waxing poetic about creating a cookbook together for so many years, and finally the book is here! Thank you for your enthusiasm for my work and support as Ive grown Sweet Potato Soul. Im grateful to be able to make beautiful work with my friend, for everything weve done in the past, and for everything to come in the future.

To Victoria Moran: I have you to thank for getting the ball rolling on this cookbook. I didnt even realize I could get a book deal until that day on the 3 train. Thank you for believing in me and for introducing me to Steve Troha. You are an inspiration to me, and I feel so honored to call you my friend.

To Donna Loffredo, my editor: I could tell wed work well together the first time we talked on the phone. It has been an absolute pleasure writing this book with you as my editor. Thank you for your support, your patience, and your great ideas for the direction of the content.

To Steve, my agent: Thank you for believing in Sweet Potato Soul and seeing the potential in my style of vegan soul food. Its been a long journey, and Im so grateful for your patience and expertise along the way.

To my siblings and closest friends, for your unwavering support, for recipe tasting, and for keeping a smile on my face: DeMion Claiborne, Brandon Claiborne, Collin St. Dic, Lynzee Lawyer, Alisha Phillips, Julie Civiello, Eunice Woods, Isabelle Steichen, and Kristin Esposito.

To my recipe-testers, for your support, enthusiasm, time, and insights: JoDana Johnson-Newman, Federica Norreri, Christina Keeton, Cheryl van Grunsven, Krystle Watler, Loutrina Staley, Nzingah Oniwosan, Alexandra Charlemagne, Lisa Gonzales, Tangye Ward, Veronique Daoust, Will Nunnally, Deb Rowley, Quo Vardis Thompson, Emilie Hebert, Melinda Parkhurst, Michele Hoover, Cassia Charles, Kristin Z. Black.

To my yoga studio, Unity Yoga Harlem, and my teachers for supporting me spiritually, emotionally, and physically through this practice that I hold so dear. Thank you Sarah May, Chloe Mackenzie, Argentina Rosado, and Brenda Umana.

To my readers, viewers, and clients, without whom this book would not be possible: Thank you for your love and support, your feedback, and for trusting my recipes. Youve helped me to become a better chef. You fill me with pride and joy.

To the worldwide vegan community for championing a cause built on compassion, kindness, humility, and generosity.