by Sara Tercero
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Photography © 2021 Darren Muir. Food styling by Yolanda Muir. Author photo courtesy of Photo by Erb/Dufault Photography.
Cover: Sweet Potato, Kale, and Red Cabbage Salad with Creamy Avocado-Lime Dressing, page 85
ISBN: 978-1-64876-833-0 | eBook 978-1-64876-253-6
R0
I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO MY PRECIOUS FAMILY:
DAVID, MIA, EZRA, AND ALEXA,
WHO MAKE MY STORY UNIQUE AND
GIVE ME PURPOSE.
Contents
INTRODUCTION
PART 1 The Plant-Based Diet Primer
Chapter 1: Why Go Plant-Based?
Chapter 2: Preparing Your Plant-Based Kitchen
PART 2 The Meal Plan and Recipes
Chapter 3: 30 Days to Plant-Based
Chapter 4: Meal Plan for Days 1 to 7
Peanut Butter and Strawberry Jam Oatmeal
Tempeh “Bacon,” Tomato, and Avocado Toasts
Strawberry, Banana, and Granola Yogurt Bowls
Smashed White Bean Salad Sammies
Brown Rice and Black Bean Veggie Burgers
Quick Creamy Herbed Tomato Soup
Hearty Black Bean and Corn Soup
Tofu and Zoodles Dinner Salad with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Roasted Root Vegetable Hash with Yogurt and Avocado
Butternut Squash and White Bean Mac and Cheeze
Creamy Curried Potatoes and Peas
Chickpea and Cauliflower Fajitas
Plant-Based Chocolate-Chunk Cookies
Chapter 5: Meal Plan for Days 8 to 14
Zucchini Bread Oatmeal
Blueberry and Peanut Butter Parfait Bowls
Sweet Potato Toasts with Avocado Mash and Tahini
Spiced Tofu and Potato Breakfast Burritos
Loaded Chickpea Noodle Soup
Spicy Butternut Squash Bisque
Chickpea Curry Salad Sandwiches
Tempeh and Lentil Sloppy Joes
Fettuccine with Creamy Cashew Alfredo
Vegetable Korma Curry
Roasted Cauliflower Bowls with Spicy Garlic-Tahini Sauce
Tempeh and Walnut “Chorizo” Tacos
Chocolate Tahini Muffins
Chapter 6: Meal Plan for Days 15 to 21
Choco-Nut Smoothie
Peaches and Cream Overnight Oats
Tofu, Mushroom, and Spinach Scramble
Chickpea and Mushroom Breakfast Bowls
Sweet Potato, Kale, and Red Cabbage Salad with Avocado-Lime Dressing
Creamy Chickpea and Avocado Salad
Lemony Quinoa Dinner Salad
Black and White Bean Chili
White Bean, Butternut Squash, and Kale Soup
Black Bean and Quinoa Burrito Bowls
Portobello Mushroom Burgers with Arugula Pesto
Lentil Bolognese
Apple Crisp
Chapter 7: Meal Plan for Days 22 to 30
Dutch Apple Pie Oatmeal Squares
Overnight Pumpkin Spice Chia Pudding
Green Goodness Smoothies
Avocado Toast with Tomato and Hemp Hearts
Tofu Rancheros
Warm Lentil Salad with Tomato Vinaigrette
Mushroom Barley Soup
Chickpea Coconut Curry
Spiced Eggplant and Hummus Sandwiches
White Bean and Kale Linguine
Pulled Jackfruit Tacos
BBQ Tempeh Succotash Skillet
Meatless Meatballs with Quick Marinara Sauce
Rainbow Shepherd’s Pie
Chickpea, Butternut Squash, and Herb Stuffed Peppers
Chocolate Pudding with Raspberries and Mint
Chapter 8: More Recipes for Plant-Based Living
Breakfasts and Smoothies
Baked Flaxseed-Battered French Toast
Gluten-Free Blueberry Blender Pancakes
Superseed and Nut Breakfast Cookies
Stuffed Breakfast Sweet Potatoes
Plant-Based Mango Lassi Smoothies
Snacks and Sides
Loaded Sweet Apple “Nachos”
Zingy Melon and Mango Salad
Plant-Based Queso Dip
Sweet Potato Fries with Maple, Mint, and Tahini Dipping Sauce
Herbed Smashed Potatoes with Lemon Aioli
Tangy Cabbage and Kale Slaw
Oven-Roasted Dijon Veggies
Crispy Baked Chickpeas
Garlic Hummus
Sheet-Pan Garlicky Kale
Hearty Bowls and Handhelds
Black Bean Tortas
Quick and Easy Falafel Pitas
BBQ Jackfruit Sandwiches
Green Power Rice Bowls
Beet Sushi and Avocado Poke Bowls
Sesame Soba Noodle Salad
Main Attractions
Lemony Herbed Lenti
l Soup
Broccoli and “Cheddar” Soup
Split Pea and Sweet Potato Soup
Beefless Irish Stew
Tofu and Vegetable Fried Rice
Spiced Kidney Bean Curry
Berbere-Spiced Red Lentils
Lazy Lasagna Baked Ziti
Sweets
Creamy Fruit Salad
Acai and Granola Smoothie Bowls
Peanut Butter Cookies
Coconut and Tahini Bliss Balls
Vanilla Nice Cream
Condiments, Dressings, and Staples
Super-Simple Guacamole
Pico de Gallo
Jalapeño and Tomatillo Salsa
Nutty Plant-Based Parmesan
Nut Milk
Oat Milk
Spicy Italian Vinaigrette
Plant-Based Mayo 3 Ways
Sugar-Free Ketchup
BBQ Sauce
Strawberry Chia Jam
Raw Date Paste
Crispy, Crunchy Granola
REFERENCES
MEASUREMENT CONVERSIONS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chickpea Coconut Curry
Introduction
RESEARCH INDICATES THAT PLANT-BASED DIETS ARE EFFECTIVE AT preventing disease. Chances are, if you are reading this, you are curious about how plant-based eating can help you. Perhaps you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or your doctor has warned you about prediabetes or recent weight gain. Maybe you are concerned about the environmental impact and would like to make a change toward a more sustainable future. For whatever reason you are reading, this book provides simple, straightforward information, backed by studies to illustrate the reasons that plant-based eating is your solution. It shares the basics of plant-based nutrition and debunks the myths to pave the way for you to make a successful and fearless transition to a plant-based diet. Once you understand the why, I show you how by giving you the tools, recipes, and shopping lists to begin an easy and delicious 30-day eating plan that anyone can follow. The 100 recipes in the book set you up for success by being easy to cook, tasty, and nutritionally sound, and include tips for cooking, storing, and varying the ingredients to your own personal tastes and abilities.
Before my own transition to a plant-based diet, I struggled with excessive weight gain, vitamin deficiencies, and sluggish energy levels. As a professional chef, I always had abundant food at my fingertips, and reaching for the fastest options often resulted in my overconsumption of high-fat and less nutrient-dense foods. After having three babies back-to-back, many extra pounds, and a thyroid condition, I decided to try eating plant-based for one year to see if all the hype was true. Now I am going into my third year, with no plans to turn back. In fact, I have been so profoundly affected by the change, it has become my mission to help others find an easier path to better health through eating a whole-food and plant-based diet.
I am thrilled to be sharing my simple, no-nonsense approach to plant-based eating with you, whether it becomes your permanent lifestyle change or just a great excuse to eat more delicious plants.
PART 1
THE PLANT-BASED DIET PRIMER
Baked Flaxseed-Battered French Toast
CHAPTER ONE
WHY GO PLANT-BASED?
WELCOME TO YOUR PLANT-BASED EATING ADVENTURE! My love for plants runs deep, and I’m thrilled to guide you on your journey to increased health and vitality. Thanks for taking this step, which has such enormous potential to transform your life, with me. For those who have centered their meals on animal products their whole lives, the journey to a plant-based diet might seem overwhelming, but with the right tools, anybody can do it. I promise to ease you onto a plant-based path deliciously and seamlessly with 30 days of easy, colorful recipes that will satisfy your hunger and nourish your body.
The Power of Plants
I bet you’ve heard the buzzword “plant-based” thrown around a lot lately. What was once seen as a diet for those on the fringe has now gone mainstream, thanks to documentaries, news reports, and high-profile enthusiasts like celebrities and athletes who all applaud the diet’s merits. The jury is in, and the verdict is that eating more plants is good for us. This is not just another fad diet. Plant-based eating has had devotees as far back as biblical times, and many cultures and religions have eaten this way for centuries. Even the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics states that “well-planned plant-based diets support health and are appropriate throughout all life stages, including pregnancy, lactation, childhood, and adulthood, as well as for athletes.”
What We Mean by Plant-Based
There are many definitions of the term “plant-based,” but for the purposes of this book, let’s define it as a diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and void of any animal products, including eggs, dairy, and honey. Here are a few of the main tenets of the plant-based diet you’ll follow on this meal plan:
100 percent plants: The recipes included here are all plants, all the time. Some who call themselves plant-based consume animal products in moderation but eat mainly plants, usually an 80/20 split. Although this can be a healthy and reasonable eating pattern, it’s important to learn to appreciate the rich diversity of plant-based flavors and textures and get comfortable creating meals using only plant-based ingredients before transitioning to any other long-term dietary plans.
Focused on whole foods: Most people who seek a plant-based revolution in their life do so for health reasons, so abstaining from processed foods like cheese and meat alternatives, which can contain chemicals and additives, is advised. As such, these recipes will focus on whole, minimally processed foods whenever possible. Foods like whole-grain breads and pasta, tofu, and unsweetened plant-based milks are okay in moderation and go a long way in making this lifestyle change sustainable, so they’re included in the meal plan, but the majority are whole foods.
Less salt and sugar: The standard American diet is brimming with preservatives and added salt and sugar, which has led to a culture of disease that could be helped by increasing consumption of whole foods and reducing intake of salt and sugar. I use salt sparingly throughout to allow the natural flavors to pop, but you can even omit it altogether if you’d like. When sweeteners are necessary, I choose natural versions like dates and maple syrup, which are less processed.
RELATED LIFESTYLES
As I mentioned before, there are a lot of ways to define a plant-based diet. Add to that the plethora of similar diets, and it can be hard to keep things straight. Below are a few related diets and lifestyles, explained.
Vegetarian and pescatarian: Vegetarians don’t eat animal flesh but will consume by-products that come from animals that don’t cause harm, including eggs and cheese. Pescatarians follow the same guidelines as vegetarians but also include fish and seafood in their diets. For some, the added versatility of these lifestyles can be less challenging and are often a natural gateway to a fully plant-based diet.
Whole-food, plant-based (WFPB): WFPB refers to a diet where you eat only whole foods in their most unrefined form possible. While it’s often synonymous with a “plant-based” diet, many also use this term to describe a more restrictive diet that also eliminates salt, oil, and sugar—sometimes called “SOS-free” eating.
Vegan: Veganism is more of a lifestyle choice than a dietary one. It focuses on the ethics of cruelty, which translates into avoiding all products that exploit any animals in any way. In addition to not eating meat, dairy, seafood, or any other animal by-products, vegans won’t wear clothing made from animals, including leather and furs, or use products that include animal by-products or that have been tested on animals. This also includes exploitation of “human animals” who are suffering oppression or exploitation in any form, as veganism is understood to be an intersectional route of political activism.
How Plants Can Change Your Life
The benefits of transitioning to a plant-based diet are bountiful. Here are a few ways choosi
ng plants can change your life:
Put you in a better mood: According to research by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, eating animal products causes inflammation in the body, which in turn may trigger or worsen anxiety and depression. Since plant foods are naturally high in antioxidants, which lower inflammation, people may see a boost in their mood on a plant-based diet. Also, since animal foods are higher in fat and protein, they require more energy to digest, which can leave you feeling sluggish and fatigued.
Save you money: Meat, dairy, and processed foods tend to have a higher price tag than plant-based whole foods. I was astonished at how many groceries I could buy on my food budget when I switched to a plant-based way of eating, and I’m sure you will be, too.
Manage your weight: A plant-based diet may help you lose weight. Many studies have been done on this subject. In a study conducted by the University of South Carolina of five different diets over six months, those on the vegan diet lost more weight than those who were omnivorous. For a more personal anecdote, I lost 15 pounds in my first year of plant-based eating without restricting calories.
Keep your heart healthy: Plant-based foods are low in fat and cholesterol so they’re a great choice to keep your heart healthy. Studies have shown eating plant-based not only prevents heart disease but can reverse its effects and reduce the risk of developing heart failure up to 42 percent.
Lower your risk of disease: People who eat a diet high in fruits and vegetables are at a lower risk for type 2 diabetes than those who don’t—by as much as 50 percent! And abstaining from the saturated and trans fats found in dairy products, meats, and other processed foods can help ward off cognitive diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s.
Reduce your carbon footprint: Research suggests that eggs, meat, and dairy have a much higher carbon footprint than plant-based foods. Making the switch can drastically lessen your carbon footprint.
A Balanced Plate
When transitioning to a plant-based diet, many people are nervous about cutting out meat because they assume they will be deficient in protein, iron, or essential vitamins like B12. But it’s easy to have a balanced plate on a plant-based diet, and I worked hard to keep the dishes and meal plans in this book nutritionally sound. Each recipe will have nutritional information to help you determine which will work best for needs and also to help familiarize you with plant-based nutritional breakdowns. Below we’ll dive deeper into just how this balance can be accomplished.