Plant-Based Diet Cookbook For Dummies

Jenn Sebestyen is the mastermind behind the popular blog veggieinspired.com. She is author of The Meatless Monday Family Cookbook and coauthor of The Meat-Free Kitchen. Jenn’s work has been featured in media outlets like Better Homes & Gardens and the Washington Post. She is a mom of three and lives with her family in Illinois.

• Introduction 1About This Book 2Foolish Assumptions 3Icons Used in This Book 3Beyond the Book 4Where to Go from Here 4Part 1: Getting Started with A Plant-Based Diet 5Chapter 1: What Is a Plant-Based Diet? 7What Does Plant-Based Mean? 7Getting to the Root of a Plant-Based Diet 9What’s included 9What’s off limits 12Common Questions and Answers about a Plant-Based Diet 13Can I get full eating only plants? 13How will I get protein? 14What about calcium? 14How do I get iron? Won’t I become anemic? 14Does eating a plant-based diet help people lose weight? 15A Quick Guide to Making a Plant-Based Diet Part of Your Everyday Life 15Chapter 2: Seeing the Benefits of a Plant-Based Diet 17Eating According to a Plant-Based Food Guide 17Feeling Good with Food 19Managing your weight 20Having energy and vitality 20Getting better sleep 20Becoming a Wellness Warrior 21Cancer 21Diabetes 22Gastrointestinal illnesses 23Heart disease and high blood pressure 24Osteoporosis 27Other conditions that benefit from a plant-based diet 28Chapter 3: The Macro and Micro Essentials of a Plant-Based Diet 31Making the Most of Macronutrients 31Pondering protein in the plant-based world 32Considering carbo-riffic plants 34Eating fatty plants: Gotta love ’em, gotta have ’em 42Meeting the Micronutrients 47Vitamins and the plants you can find them in 47Minerals and the plants you can find them in 48Chapter 4: Packing an Extra Punch with Power Foods 53Enriching Your Diet with Super Nutrients 54Celebrating Superfoods 54What they are and what they do 55Raw foods: The ultimate superfoods 57Considering Sea Vegetables 58What they are and what they do 58How to use them 60Favoring Phytonutrients 62What they do 62Where to find them 63Biting into Bioflavonoids 63What they are and what they do 63Where to find them 64Acknowledging Antioxidants 64What they are and what they do 65Where to find them 65Part 2: Converting Your Kitchen 67Chapter 5: Taking the Plunge into a Plant-Based Diet 69Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet 69Going cold turkey 70Going plant-based gradually 72You Can’t Do It Alone: Leaning on Others for Support 75Surrounding yourself with others who support your lifestyle 75Enlisting the help of a nutritionist, naturopath, or medical doctor 76Overcoming Common Pitfalls 77Having little or no experience in the kitchen 77Feeling intimidated by new foods 78Feeling like the odd man out 78Fighting food fatigue and boredom 79Chapter 6: Looking at What’s on Your Plate 81Thinking about Your New Plate 81Keeping it whole 82Choosing organic over nonorganic 82Dishing it up in the right proportions 82Consuming calories that count 83Maintaining proper hydration 85Getting Organized 86Meal planning 86Making your plant-based grocery list 87Exploring sample meal plans 88Modifying Your Favorite Recipes to Be Plant-Based 92Chapter 7: Overhauling Your Kitchen Contents 95Cleaning Out Your Kitchen 95Stocking Your Plant-Based Kitchen 97Fresh produce 97Refrigerated items 98Frozen foods 98Pantry staples 99Finding Alternatives to Common Ingredients 100Milk 100Eggs 101Meat 101Cheese 101Thickeners 102Getting the Must-Have Equipment 102Handy utensils 103Helpful appliances 105Chapter 8: Being a Savvy Shopper 107Conquering the Grocery Store 107Picking up produce 108Dipping into the interior aisles 110Seeing what’s lurking in the freezer 110Shopping Off the Beaten Path 111Farmers markets 111CSA programs 112Health-food stores 112Organic and GMO: Figuring Out What It All Means to a Plant-Based Diet 113Knowing what organic means 114Getting clear on GMOs 115Part 3: Plant-Based Recipes for Success 117Chapter 9: Brilliant Breakfasts 119Wakey, Wakey, No Eggs and Bakey 119Easy to Make and Easy on the Go 120Chapter 10: Soups and Salads 141Making a Meal of Salads and Soups 141Making your fridge a salad bar 142Falling in love with soup as a meal 144Chapter 11: Lovable Lunches 175Rethinking Handheld Lunches 176Discovering the Joy of One-Pot Dishes 187Chapter 12: Super Suppers 191Rethinking What Your Dinner Plate Should Look Like 192Chapter 13: Simple Sides 215Adding Variety with Sumptuous Sides 215Chapter 14: Appetizers and Snacks 231Boosting Your Metabolism with Healthy Snacking 232Choosing Sweet or Savory Snacking 233Chapter 15: Sauces and Dressings 255Seeing the Benefits of Whipping Up Your Own Sauces and Dressings 255Fixing Unbalanced Flavors in Sauces 257Chapter 16: Dreamy Desserts 267Getting to Know Alternative Sweeteners 267No Eggs, No Dairy, No Problem! 269Part 4: Plant Based for All Stages of Life 293Chapter 17: Navigating Restaurants and Special-Occasion Dining 295The Ins and Outs of Dining Out: Being a Proactive Plant-Based Eater 296Finding plant-friendly establishments 296Navigating menus 297Asking for what you want 299Eating Delivery and Takeout, Veggie Style 300Chinese 301Japanese 301Italian 302Mediterranean 302Mexican 303Thai 303Celebrating Holidays and Special Occasions 304Being a gracious guest 304Being a host with the most 305Showing People Just How Fun Veggie Dining Can Be 306Chapter 18: Raising Children on a Plant-Based Diet 309Nurturing a Plant-Based Baby 310Understanding why breastfeeding is essential for your baby 311Loading breast milk with nutrients 312Understanding the ins and outs of formula 313Starting on solids 313Whipping up your own baby food 315Navigating the Toddler Years 316Introducing a variety of foods 317Choosing nutrient-dense foods 317Raising Healthy Kids and Teens 319Overcoming resistance 319Providing balanced meals and snacks 321Handling occasions outside of your control 322Chapter 19: Getting Older, Getting Wiser about Your Plant-Based Diet 325Knowing How Plants Contribute to a Longer Life 326Pondering how plants protect your cells 326Slowing down diseases 327Ensuring That You’re Getting the Right Nutrients 329Getting enough of special nutrients 329Figuring out nutrition shakes 330Training caregivers on the plant-based approach 331Preparing plant-based foods for easier consumption 331Working with Prescriptions and Diet 332Taking fewer pills, getting more health 333Recognizing dangerous interactions between medicines and foods 334Part 5: The Part of Tens 337Chapter 20: Ten Foods That Are Surprisingly Not Plant Based 339Bread 339Veggie Burgers or Sausages 340Worcestershire Sauce 340Alcoholic Beverages 340Noodles and Pasta 341Dairy-Free Cheese 341Granola 341Boxed Cereal and Cereal Bars 342Orange Juice 342Veggie Soups and Curries 342Chapter 21: Ten Plant-Based Foods That Boost Your Immunity 343Garlic 343Onions 344Ginger 344Cayenne 345Squash 345Almonds 345Citrus Fruits 346Green Tea 346Miso Soup 346Mushrooms 347Chapter 22: Ten Bad Things about Eating Meat 349Meat Production Wastes Natural Resources 349Meat Isn’t as Rich in Nutrients as Plants 351Animals Are Fed Poor-Quality Feed 351Meat Is Acidic 352Meat Is Loaded with Toxins 352Meat Is High in Saturated Fat 353Eating Meat Can Increase Your Risk for Cancer and Osteoporosis 353Eating Meat Impacts Climate Change 354Eating Meat Is Cruel 354The Meat Industry Is Getting Worse 355Appendix A: Metric Conversion Guide 357Index 361