Introduction I'm going to be straight with you - I'm not a vegetarian. Are you going to put the book down and run away? I hope not, because the principles of a vegetarian lifestyle can easily be incorporated into any diet - vegetarian or not. If you're an Eat-Clean Diet® veteran you know this lifestyle is based on eating a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein sources. But not all of the protein needs to come from animals. In fact, it's more healthful, beneficial and wallet-friendly to limit your intake of meat and stick to a mainly plant-based diet. This is especially true with the plethora of hormone-injected, antibiotic-ridden, unnaturally fed meats currently filling our grocery store shelves, not to mention how expensive good-quality meats can be. In fact, vegetarianism and The Eat-Clean Diet make a perfect pair! This must be why so many of my readers asked for it. After attending countless trade shows and meeting tons of Eat-Clean Diet fans I found many were asking the same thing: "When, oh when, Tosca, will you have a vegetarian cookbook?" I decided to bite the bullet and delve into the project. What I learned throughout the process is that vegetarianism can be an extremely healthful lifestyle choice, but it can also be harmful if not followed properly. I was shocked to learn about the countless vegetarians who think that simply cutting out meat makes you healthy. Not so - especially if you are surviving on little but pasta and bread (more common than you might think), thereby avoiding important vitamins and minerals and overloading your blood-sugar handling. Vegetarianism is a lifestyle choice that needs to be adopted carefully and thoughtfully. I have done my best throughout this book to clarify the most important aspects of a healthy vegetarian lifestyle and discuss how they can be incorporated into your life, all while offering gorgeous, delicious food that satisfy all your needs. Don't forget to talk to your healthcare provider for more information and to make sure you are taking good care of yourself. There are many different ways to eat vegetarian food, whether you're choosing simply to eat a few vegetarian meals each week (this is what we do in my house) or choosing to avoid all animal products as a vegan. Ultimately, the point is to eat clean, healthy, whole foods. So, as a non-vegetarian, I present to you The Eat-Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook entirely dedicated to plant-based Eat-Clean Diet meals. It's heavy on vegetables, heavy on love and heavy on helping hands around the kitchen! Need more? Don't forget to visit my team, tons of other Eat-Clean Diet followers and me on Facebook and Twitter, at eatcleandiet.com or toscareno.com, and on the Kitchen Table (our virtual support system) at eatcleandiet.com/kitchentable. Sincerely, Tosca Reno How to Use This Book The term "vegetarian" can mean different things to different people. One person will eat no animal products whatsoever, another will consume dairy and another still will eat dairy, eggs and even fish sometimes. Of course we have other concerns when cooking too - do any of our guests keep a gluten-free diet? Do we need something fast to make after a long day of work? Will our kids eat it? I want to make sure this book is as easy as possible for you to use, and so I've come up with some handy symbols. Simply look at the top of each recipe and you'll be able to tell in seconds whether the dish is right for your needs. Baking Powder Biscuits PREP: 10 minutes | COOK: 15 minutes | YIELD: 8 biscuits Biscuits are a popular Southern breakfast accompaniment, but they're usually full of fat. These biscuits have been Cleaned up, but you wouldn't know it by biting into one. Y'all try them out now, y'hear? 2 cups (4.0 ml) whole wheat flour 1 Tbsp (15 ml) baking powder ¼ tsp (1.25 ml) sea salt 1 Tbsp (15 ml) raw virgin coconut oil at room temperature or refrigerated (do not melt) ¾ cup (180 ml) + 2 Tbsp (30 ml) plain, low-fat kefir or a combination of plain soy yogurt and almond, soy, hemp or other milk subsitute Additional kefir for brushing the tops of the biscuits Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and sea salt until thoroughly combined. Using your fingers, break coconut oil into very small pieces and work it into the flour. Stir in kefir until dry ingredients are just moistened. Transfer dough to a floured working surface, keeping some flour handy for additional dusting to prevent sticking, as needed. Use your hands to bring dough together, pressing it into a ball. Knead it once or twice before using a rolling pin to roll it into a disk that is eight inches across and about one inch thick. Using a round biscuit cutter, cut dough into eight circles. Or, for complete use of the dough, use a chef's knife to cut the dough into eight wedges. Place biscuits on a baking sheet and brush the tops with kefir. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes or until puffed up and lightly browned. Serve hot with a little pure honey or unsweetened jam, if desired. NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER BISCUIT: Calories: 122 | Calories from Fat: 19 | Protein: 5 g | Carbs: 25 g | Total Fat: 2 g | Saturated Fat: 1 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Fiber: 4 g | Sodium: 127 mg | Cholesterol: 2 mg Green Energy Whole Food Smoothie PREP: 10 minutes | COOK: 0 minutes | YIELD: 4 x 10-oz servings We all know how important it is to fulfill your fruit and veggie quota, but it can be hard to squeeze enough servings into one day. Why not blend them up and enjoy them all in one delicious drink? 1 kiwi, peel on ½ baby zucchini, peel on ¼ pineapple, peel removed 1 cup (240 ml) green or white grapes 4 kale leaves, stemmed 4 fresh strawberries, including green tops 1 thin slice of lime, peel on ½ peeled orange ½ peeled banana Small handful wheatgrass 1 Tbsp (15 ml) spirulina 1 Tbsp (15 ml) kelp granules 1 Tbsp (15 ml) flaxseed 1 cup (240 ml) cold water 1 cup (240 ml) ice, or more To a whole foods blender, add all of the ingredients starting with fruits and vegetables, then spirulina, kelp and flaxseed. Lastly, add water and the ice. Start the machine on low speed and gradually increase speed until machine is whirring nicely and smoothie ingredients are moving freely. Blend for about 1 minute. Stop machine to check smoothie temperature and consistency. If not cold, add more ice. If not super smooth, continue to blend for 1 to 2 minutes, adding more ice if necessary to keep smoothie cold as the blender processes. Pour into a glass and serve. ON THE GO This smoothie will keep overnight in the fridge. Just seal it in a portable container so you can wake up, grab it and go. Note: The flaxseed might cause the smoothie to thicken slightly as it sits. EQUIPMENT TIP If you don't have a whole foods blender, such as a Vitamix® or Omega blender, don't worry! You can still make this recipe by breaking down the ingredients in a food processor and then transferring them to a blender. PREP TIP When making a whole foods smoothie, it is best to use organic fruit, since many of the peels will be blended. Remember to wash your fruit thoroughly, too! NUTRITIONAL VALUE PER SERVING: Calories: 132 | Calories from Fat: 11 | Protein: 3 g | Carbs: 25 g | Total Fat: 1 g | Saturated Fat: 0.2 g | Trans Fat: 0 g | Fiber: 6 g | Sodium: 39 mg | Cholesterol: 0 mg Excerpted from Eat Clean Diet Vegetarian Cookbook by Tosca Reno All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
