Better Than Vegan

by Del Sroufe with Glen Merzer. This cookbook contains recipes based on food that is good for us. Del is one of the new breed of chefs that understand what nutrition science tells us: to live a long and healthy life we need to eat whole plants and avoid not only animal products (vegan) but also avoid added oils and go light on the sugar and salt (better than vegan). Sadly most old-school chefs seem to be stuck on their training that incorporates flesh, butter, cheese, and oil into everything. Not Del.

In this book, we learn of Del’s battle with obesity, even while on a vegan diet. Only when cutting out the oils and high-sugar content foods was Del able to lose weight. Chapter 2 clearly spells out what should and shouldn’t be eaten and touches on the motivations of restaurants and the misleading nature of the FDA Daily Values. In Chapter 3 Del shares his chef’s training advice on how to set up your kitchen with tools and basic food stocks. And then there are the recipes. Wow. From basics like burgers, tacos, and pasta to more exotic dishes like curry, mushroom bourguignon, and bibimbap, this cookbook has it all. Del focuses on flavors and textures individually and in combination throughout these recipes, making life- and health-promoting food a joy to eat.

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