Love The Foods That Love You Back

Growing up my family ate the standard diet. While I was really young I didn’t have any diet issues, but as I got into my preteens, I developed massive stomachs that would have me bending over in intense pain. My parents of course took me to the doctor to discern why. I listened to the doctor’s explanation of why I had stomach pain, but knew in my heart that it was not right. It wasn’t until I was in my early 20’s that I started to connect diet with the pain I was experiencing. Personally, I gleaned that I just wasn’t able to digest animal products without suffering. Plus by then, I didn’t want an animal to die just so I could live. It was then that I learned about vegetarian diets and eventually refined it to a vegan diet. I have never been happier. Now for variety, I look for new recipe books to add to my culinary collection. But, I don’t want just any recipe book. I want vegan books that offer not only beneficial recipes but tasty ones like the recently found Love The Foods That Love You Back. It completely resonates with me.

Love The Foods That Love You Back: Clean, Healthy, Vegan Recipes for Everyone

As the title, Love The Foods That Love You Back suggests, this recipe book is filled with healthy, clean, nutritious plant-based foods that will help nourish and nurture your body back to a healthy state. The majority of health issues we experience are due to us staying away from foods that have healing powers – mainly plants.

There are oodles of vegan books on the market and many are shamefully filled with unhealthy ingredients. But, the Love the Foods that Love you Back recipe book has a different vibe. As I read through the introduction, it’s clear that this book was consciously created to draw you away from unhealthy processed foods and to take you back to Mother Nature’s wholesome and healing ingredients. All the recipes were designed to bring balance back to our mind, body and spirit and to restore our nutrient-deficient selves back to health. So, what’s inside? Over 90 delicious and nourishing recipes created without salt, oil, meat, dairy or sugar.

The introduction fills you in with a lot of answers to questions you may be pondering, like protein sources, fiber benefits, seasoning your food, oil-free stir-fries, baking, glazing, and of course, what do you eat. The next step is stocking your pantry with foods and ingredients you’ll need to create the recipes. Plus, there is a list of kitchen appliances, cookware, and tools you’ll want to have on hand as well. You probably will have most on hand, but if you are new to a vegan diet, then you’ll want to invest in these items.

I get that some vegan dishes can be uninspiring, but in this book, you will learn to season dishes using herbs, spices, ferments, chilies, mushrooms, and miso instead of unhealthy and addictive options like salt, fats and sugars. Each dish will appeal to all your senses with different colors, textures, flavors, aromas and presentations. I will add that some of the ingredients were foreign to me and I could not find them in my city. But, I did find them online on various sites.

There are six sections in this book, each filled with scrumptious recipes that are easy to make, fun to share and a joy to savor the flavors. Each recipe features a full-color mouth-watering image, along with written instructions. Some include pop-up boxes that may share tips, techniques, variations and a little history about the recipe.

Some of the recipes you’ll find inside this book include: Easy Cheesy Sauce, Cucumber Raita, Silken Vegan Mayonnaise, Zucchini-Potato Fritters, Cuban Black Bean Soup, Ma Po Tofu, Potato Gnocchi, Chiucco, Pumpkin Raisin Buns, Mediterranean Sourdough Skillet Bread, Pear and Blueberry Tart and Homey Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. There is so much variety with lots of our favorite comfort ingredients in these recipes that no one will feel deprived.

The back of the book includes a conversion chart and some suggested reading if you want to look deeper into healing through foods. I have most of these books and they are all good reads. Whether you are looking to transition into a vegan lifestyle, create with more plant-based ingredients, or just add some healthier meals to your regime now and then, this book checks all the boxes and is a fantastic go-to resource. With these fresh and flavorful dishes, you’ll discover foods that are not only soul-satisfying but also good for your body. Who would think that eating healthy could be so delicious! I love this book.

Disclaimer: I received complimentary products to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own, yours may differ.