Roettinger - Extraordinary Vegan

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Roettinger, Alan, 1952

Extraordinary vegan / Alan Roettinger.

pages cm

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-57067-296-5 (pbk.) ISBN 978-1-57067-898-1 (e-book) 1. Vegan cooking. I. Title.

TX837.R739 2013

641.5'636dc23

2013026301

Pictured on the cover: Quinoa with Zucchini, Basil, and Tomatoes, page 8

Pictured on the front flap: Quick Spicy Slaw (serving suggestion), page 79

Pictured on the back cover: Pears in Pomegranate Juice, page 134

Pictured on the back flap: Absinthe Ice Cream, page 128; Fresh Fig Tart in a Pistachio Crust, page 140

Calculations for the nutritional analyses in this book are based on the average number of servings listed with the recipes and the average amount of an ingredient if a range is called for. Calculations are rounded up to the nearest gram. If two options for an ingredient are listed, the first one is used. Not included are optional ingredients and serving suggestions.

2013 Alan Roettinger

Photos Book Publishing Company

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced by any means whatsoever, except for brief quotations in reviews, without written permission from the publisher.

Photography: Andrew Schmidt

Food styling: Alan Roettinger

Cover and interior design: John Wincek

Book Publishing Company

PO Box 99

Summertown, TN 38483

888-260-8458 bookpubco.com

ISBN 13: 978-1-57067-296-5

Printed in Canada

19 18 17 16 15 14 13 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Book Publishing Company is a member of Green Press Initiative. We chose to print this title on paper with 100% postconsumer recycled content, processed without chlorine, which saves the following natural resources:

73 trees

2,299 pounds of solid waste

34.340 gallons of water

6,331 pounds of greenhouse gases

33 million BTU of energy

For more information on Green Press Initiative, visit greenpressinitiative.org.

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Printed on recycled paper

In our research center in Washington, DC, we are continually surprised at the power of foods for health. A woman named Nancy joined one of our studies to see if she could lose weight and improve her diabetes. We guided her through some diet changes, and yes, she did lose a great deal of weight and her diabetes improved dramatically. But that was not all. One day, she realized that the arthritis pain that had bothered her for years had vanished too. Suddenly, she could open vacuum-packed jars with ease, she no longer winced when shaking hands, and she was able to throw her pain medicines away. A single change in eating habits had accomplished all these things in short order.

In another study, a man enrolled hoping to see if a menu change could help his chronic pain. And it did. But not only did healthy foods deliver on that promise, they also cured his erectile dysfunction!

A young woman came to our research center with terrible menstrual pains. She began a healthy diet, which not only eased her pain but also cured a hormone imbalance, leading to a sudden and surprising end to her long-standing infertility, much to her and her husbands surprise and delight.

This isnt magic. Its simple biology. When people shift to a menu drawn from healthful plant foods, animal fat and cholesterol are not in the diet anymore. And that allows the arteries to reopen, carrying blood and oxygen to all parts of the body. The bodys basic biochemistry changes too, so that the insulin resistance that is the central problem in type 2 diabetes begins to retreat and the inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis melts away. Hormones that have long been askew come back into a more normal balance. People start to feel like themselves again.

When I was in medical school, we didnt envision any of this. I was taught that diabetes, arthritis, and artery blockages were a one-way street. But surprisingly enough, all of these problems can get dramatically better. Foods give you more power than you might have imagined

Taking advantage of that power isnt necessarily automatic, however. We need help in changing the way we eat. No matter how healthy foods may be, they have to work in our day-to-day lives. Recipes have to be reasonably quick and easy, and they have to be tasty. They need to be able to seduce us away from what were eating now.

Thats where Extraordinary Vegan comes in. Alan Roettinger knows how powerful foods can be. He takes no shortcuts in delivering recipes that are extraordinarily healthful, creative, and delicious. Each one is packed with the power of good nutrition.

Extraordinary Vegan is also an immensely practical book. It gives you the tricks you need and helps you to use them smartly. You will see when to add a special ingredient to crown a new dish and when to keep things simple and familiar. Once youve made a few of these recipes, youll discover that you have acquired the art of knowing how to excite the senses and make eating a joy.

Let me encourage you then to dig into the other treasures in this book. Each one will teach you something new. See how far you can go. Youll be harnessing the power of healthful eating, and youll feel the transformation physically and mentally. In the process, youll be delighted at how great a healthy meal can taste, how great you feel, and how radiant you look.

Neal D. Barnard, MD

PRESIDENT, PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE WASHINGTON, DC

My goal is to encourage and empower
as many people as possible
to make extraordinary food.
I want everyone to feel confident
and inspired to cook and eat at home.

ALAN ROETTINGER

Above all and with great reverence, I would like to acknowledge the almighty breath, that humblest of breezes whose discreet coming and going is solely responsible for my existence. Yes, I said whose, and its no mistake, because that breath is life itself, and life is my dearest, most loyal friend. When I am sad, lonely, or agitated, and I remember to welcome that breath as it comes, everything slows down. Suddenly Im not alone but at peace and full of joy. I could never adequately describe the gratitude I feel for the companionship of this beautiful friend, but I do want to acknowledge him. Her. It.

As a close second, I want to acknowledge the first person who gave me a shot as a private chef. He is a man who truly understands what perfection is and why its so important to reach for it. Trying to hit that spot, to gratify his discerning palate, is what launched my entire career. For this, and for the kindness and respect hes always shown me, I owe a debt I can never repay.