Readers Digest - Readers Digest Plant Base Cooking for Everyone

Readers Digest Plant Base Cooking for Everyone

150 Delicious, Healthy Recipes the Whole Family Will Enjoy

A READERS DIGEST BOOK

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NOTE TO OUR READERS

The information in this book should not be substituted for, or used to alter, medical therapy without your doctors advice. For a specific health problem, consult your physician for guidance.

Eating eggs or egg whites that are not completely cooked poses the possibility of salmonella food poisoning. The risk is greater for pregnant women, the elderly, the very young and persons with impaired immune systems. If you are concerned about salmonella, you can use reconstituted powdered egg whites or pasteurized eggs.

N EWS FLASH! MOM WAS RIGHT. Eating more vegetables is good for you. But its not just vegetablesfruit, nuts, seeds, beans, grains and pretty much any food that comes from plants are good for you. Now, finally, people are listening to their mothers. Theyre cutting back on meat, poultry, seafood and other animal foodsor giving them up altogetheras they move toward a plant-based diet of whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables.

What started as just another food trend continues to grow and appears as though its here to stay. Approximately 39% of Americans are trying to eat more plant-based foods (according to a 2017 NielsenIQ Homescan survey). Approximately 40% of millennials identify as vegan, compared to 21% each of Generation X and baby boomers. And it turns out that these foods benefit not only our own health, but the health of the environment, our local economies and the animals we use for food.

Of course, there have always been individuals and communities of vegetarians and other people who eat little to no meat or dairy for economic, ethical, religious, health and other reasons. But the numbers are growing as researchers give us more and better reasons why everyone benefits from including more plant foods and fewer animal products in every meal. What they continue to discover is that plant foods in general are super nutritious and that plant protein, specifically, is healthier and more sustainable than animal protein.

Harvard University researchers, for instance, found that those who consistently follow a healthy plant-based diet may reduce their chances of experiencing a stroke and cardiovascular disease, even if they are genetically at risk. According to the Mayo Clinic, studies comparing the effects of diet on cancer have shown that those who follow a vegan diet have the lowest rates. And a study from the University of Eastern Finland found that those who rely on plant and egg protein, rather than meat protein, have a significantly lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Thats why plant-based eating is more than a trend. The popularity of the recent Readers Digest book Plant-Based Health Basics was the impetus for this follow-up cookbook. Our editors worked with registered dietitians Susan McQuillan and Peggy Woodward to ensure that the recipes and recommendations in this book reflect the latest science on the health benefits of plant-based foods.

Food manufacturersbig and smallare making it a priority to develop more plant-based foods and ingredients that are better tasting and better for you than ever before. Take a look around any big supermarket and youll find everything from vegan mayonnaise and chicken-free chicken broth, to dairy-free ice cream, plant-based sausage and ground-meat substitutes. Restaurants, including fast-food places such as Burger King and fast-casual chains such as Panera, are likely to have multiple vegetarian and vegan offerings on their menus.

With so many new foods and ingredients on the market, it can be very easy to pick up processed food products that may not be as good for you as they sound. For example, a frozen breaded cutlet can be overloaded with breading and fatwhether its coating a piece of chicken or a piece of soy protein that resembles chicken.

As with all food products, try to compare different brands of similar foods to make sure youre getting the most nutrition for your money. Keep snack foods and sugary desserts to a minimum. The goal isnt simply to avoid meat and eat any foods sourced from plants, but to eat a varied, well-balanced, whole-food, plant-based diet that is rich in protective nutrients and phytonutrients. Given the wide range of whole foods and ingredients available in markets today, its not a hard goal to reach.

Because plant-based options are not as readily available in restaurants as in supermarketsand those that are available may be higher in fat and sodiumcooking at home makes following a plant-based diet not only easier but also less expensive. Another bonus: You control the type, source and amount of the ingredients that go into your meals. Plus, you can customize them to your taste.

Whether you are just now discovering the many benefits of a plant-based diet or youve been incorporating more plant foods into your diet for as long as you can remember, youre sure to find solid information, helpful tips and new recipe ideas in the pages that follow. Youll also find sample meal plans to help you put it all together. Feeding yourself and your family wonderfully delicious and highly nutritious meals and snacks has never been easier.

Although a plant-based diet focuses on vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes and other non-meat foods, it doesnt necessarily mean that theres no meat in it at all. In fact, the term plant-based means different things to different people and can take many forms that include or exclude different types of foods. Here are descriptions of common types of plant-based eating plans:

Whole-Food Plant-Based (WFPB), also known as Plant-Forward: Focuses on eating a wide variety of whole-plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds; may include some meat, poultry, fish, shellfish and eggs, but avoids most processed foodseven those that are plant-based