Chef Del's Better Than Vegan:
101 Favorite Low-Fat, Plant-Based Recipes
That Helped Me Lose Over 200 Pounds
By Del Sroufe with Glen Merzer
BenBella Books, 2013
Paperback $19.95
Cookbook author and chef Del Sroufe weighed 475 pounds even though he followed a vegan diet. Quite amazing is that on a vegan diet, he has lost 245 pounds. If this sounds mysterious, it's not. "I'm living proof that, at least as far as health goes, simply avoiding animal products isn't good enough if you're eating the wrong foods. It's not enough just to be vegan," he says.
Del grew up in a family that was used to preparing the typical caloric, high-fat, greasy, standard American meals that made many of his family members obese. He became overweight as a young child and struggled with excessive pounds all his life. While working and cooking at a vegetarian coffeehouse, he met vegans, vegetarians, and raw foodists who spoke to him about the animal cruelty connected to food production.
Eventually he adopted a vegan diet and began to veganize the restaurant's dessert recipes. When he opened his own vegan bakery, his effort to eat healthier suffered greatly as he worked long hours making the bakery a success, while slowly eating his way to 475 pounds.
After many years attempting to lose weight with numerous diets, he realized he needed help. He came to Dr. Pam Popper's Wellness Forum where he learned eating a low-fat, whole-foods plant-based diet was the right path for a lifetime. He has spent the last eight years as Popper's chef and partner, developing whole-foods plant-based recipes without oil, a major change from his standard preparations.
In Better Than Vegan, people will learn 10 important food traps to avoid:
- Excessive fat of any sort
- Excessive saturated fat
- Excessive protein, especially animal protein
- Cholesterol
- Excessive flours
- Overly processed foods
- Concentrated sugars
- Insufficient fiber
- Insufficient water intake
- Insufficient phytochemical intake
Each of the ten points is thoroughly explained.
Del admits restaurant meals are a source of excessive fats and processed foods and that it's difficult to avoid eating in restaurants completely. He advocates taking responsibility "for all that will pass your lips."
A healthy kitchen needs only three knives and an inexpensive collection of pots and pans but essential is a well-stocked pantry of whole grains, dried and canned beans, peas and lentils, canned tomato products, low sodium soup stock, vinegar, plant milks, and herbs, and spices. Fresh fruits and vegetables are key ingredients to promote health.
The chef covers cooking techniques, seasoning, timing, and selecting ingredients, and explains that as people "down-regulate" their taste buds, they will begin to appreciate the natural flavors within the foods.
Invaluable in making food taste great are sauces, dips, creams, and dressings covered in the first chapter of the recipe section. He chooses these first because they are key to adding flavors and garnishes to the recipes. A particular favorite is Cauliflower Puree that begins with steaming the florets, and then, blending them with water, vegetable broth or soup stock, and sea salt. By varying the seasonings, he creates numerous flavors, sauces, and toppings to enhance other dishes.
Using Cauliflower Puree, the chef offers Chipotle Cream, Hollandaise, and Creamy Leek sauces as well as Low-Fat or Jalapeno Mayo. He brightens salads with Thousand Island or Ginger-Miso Dressing, while entrees may be topped with The Best Mushroom Gravy Ever.
The book features a few familiar items for breakfast like oatmeal with variations, but also includes a few masterful creations like Mr. Benedict and Del's Big Breakfast Casserole that look inviting enough for company.
There are appetizers galore and soups for every palate, some spicy, some creamy, and others delightfully chunky. The Wraps, Sandwiches, Pizza, and Flatbreads chapter gleams with beautifully pictured temptations like Red, White, and Green Pizza and several flatbread creations that would stir anyone's appetite.
For those special occasions Del's Stuffed Beast is an appealing entrée choice that gives cornbread stuffing a great place to nestle into layers of marinated baked tofu, a very tantalizing, innovative dish for a magnificent holiday dinner.
While desserts are often sugar-loaded, fatty, and highly caloric, this chef presents treats that are indulgent, yet made with fruits, sweet potatoes, and whole grains to offer healthier options.
Better Than Vegan takes health and art seriously, offering 101 visually exciting recipes that avoid unhealthy ingredients like processed sugars, fats, oils, and white flour. Instead, this volume contributes delicious recipes from whole, plant-based foods that enhance health. The stunning photographs and food styling are testament to the appeal of truly healthy and tasty foods. Del Sroufe and Glen Merzer have merged their creative talents to produce a memorable volume for people interested in weight loss and health improvement.
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