Transition Nutrition: For Those Who Want To Eat Less Meat or Stop Completely.

Cj Swaby is a Coach, Nutritional Therapist, Speaker, and Health Magnet. He is the creator of The WPU Method and The 5 Pillars of Health. His mission is simply to show you the joy of feeling amazing, while getting deeply and profoundly connected to your body and who you are.

Elisabeth Haljas is top notch vegan chef who's creativity in the Kitchen is matched only by her passion for making nutritious and unique plant based delicacies accessible to everyone. Ever in demand, Elisabeth has showcased her culinary expertise at various expos including Vegfest. She has also helped breathe life into the menu of several start ups in the UK. Including he internationally acclaimed Rawligion in central London.

Cj Swaby

Elisabeth Haljas

First published by Cj Swaby 2017

(c) Cj Swaby 2017

Cj Swaby and Elisabeth Haljas asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sytem, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the authors. Got it? Listen, our lawyers are pretty badass and they will come for you. So just don't!

NB While the authors of this book have made every effort to ensure that the information contained in this book is accurate and up-to-date as possible at the time of publication, medical and pharmaceutical knowledge is constantly changing and the application of it to a particular circumstances depends on many factors. This book should not be used as an alternative to medical professional advice, and it is recommended that readers always consult with a qualified medical professional for individual advice before following any new diet or health programme. Do your due diligence. The authors cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may be found in the text, or any actions taken by the reader. Recipes and content of this book is taken entirely at the reader's own risk.

Contents Why makes this book different?

Nutrition 101 Plant Based Fundamentals (it's not all about the protein)

Smoothies Mains Puddings

Useful Resourses Final thoughts

Different?

What Makes This Book

Not Just Another Recipe Cook Book!

What makes this book different? What you have here is not just another recipe book filled with food porn and step by step guides instructions on how to pimp your plate with plant based deliciousness.

But fret not, because between these pages your hunger for quick, simple plant based recipes will be duly satisfied.

Yet this bite sized book goes way beyond that.

If you are looking for something that goes beyond the typical, "Here's a bunch of recipes, now crack on!" then

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Transition Nutrition is what you've been looking for.

I don't believe in fad diets, and I'm big on making lifestyle changes that actually stick. This book makes no value judgement on whether you are a vegan, vegetarian, plant based or a full on meat eater. Our simple goal is to help you get healthy, based on the latest science, combined with some freaking awesome recipes.

With health in mind, Eli and I decided to include a section on nutrition (everything you need to know) and also how to thrive on a plant based diet (in case you wanted to eliminated meat completely or already have and wanted a bit of guidance to help safe guard against any potential health issues.

What else makes this book different? Well, it was created by people who walk the walk. No 5 minute celebrity chefs here. Together, Elisabeth Haljas and I are Nutritionists, and Nutritional Therapists whose combined skills together are chefs, former athlete, coach and down to earth people who love good food.

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Our aim is simple - to demystify plant based nutrition and to get you truly inspired so that you will make as many of the mouth watering recipes contained within these pages as possible, and start you own personal plant based cooking adventure, as you explore other books, blogs and videos online, and maybe even join us for cooking classes in London. For convenience, the plant based recipes in this book are labelled as follows,

V

Vegetarian

V

Vegan

Nutrition 101

What Do You Really Need?

Nutrition can be a minefield. Research often arrives at conflicting conclusions, the latest book or news article can blow research out of proportion, sending you completely on the wrong track. But there is one important variable that all diets fail to take into condiseration.

What is that variable? Well, that variable is you. More specifically, your unique biochemistry and environmental factors. So here's what we're going to do. In the next few pages I'll give you the essentials to build a solid health foundation, and from there you can adapt it to meet your

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own individual needs.

But when it comes to nutrition there are some fundamental things that you need to know, and that's what we are going to share with you.

You ready? Then lets get started.

Creating A Balanced Diet Our bodies are created and maintained by the food that we eat. Not just in terms of providing energy for us to go about our day to day life, but every function from producing hormones, fighting disease, nerve function, sex drive, fertility, how our heart and other organs function and even brain health. Pretty impressive right?

Our body requires about 50 individual essential nutrients to function optimally. Each one of these nutrients plays an important role in the body, some we need just in small amounts, others a lot more.

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Our body can make some of these nutrients if it is given the other chemical building blocks to make them, others cannot and must be consumed through our nutrition, giving them the term, "essential".

So lets take a look at the 6 main nutrient groups that are essential for survival. Every nutrition plan should contain a balance of the following nutrient groups, which you may have heard of.

Essential Nutrient Groups For the best chance of health, these six nutrients must be consumed in the correct amounts for balance nutrition.

Carbohydrates (including fibre) Protein Fats (including cholesterol) Vitamins Minerals Water tsriF htlaeH :noitirtuN noitisnarT

Now you may already be familiar with healthy eating guidelines, such as those published by the UK Department of Health and The Food Standards Agency.

These guideines are often presented in the form of "The Eatwell Plate."

These guidelines are based on research and suggest levels that will not cause either deficiencies or toxicity, and will not contribute to progression of disease for most healthy people. These guidelines do not take into account your own unique biochemical individuality.

A Balanced Diet?

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The energy in our food comes mainly from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Now alcohol also contains energy but is not considered an essential nutrient (but there are many who consume it like it is!)

But back to The EatWell Plate. Remember it is a guideline for the general public, and not always applicable to health goals, this includes fatloss or event sporting performance.

There are other versions by organisations such as British Association of Nutritional Therapists (BANT) which we will look at in a moment, but first......

The Calorie Myth There has been a lot backlash about The calorie myth, how weightloss based on calorie restriction results in weight being gained in the long term .

Clearly all calories are not created equal.

Yet there are some guidelines we can use to help us to maintain health. Significantly reduced calories are also associated with nutrient deficiencies, which can impact your health, so that's worth keeping in mind too.

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In the UK there are a set of dietary reference values (DRV's). Put simply, DRV's are a series of estimates of energy and nutritional requirements of groups of healthy people within the population.

But remember they are not recommendations or goals for individuals. Published by the British Nutrition Foundation, the DRV's were set by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA).

Lets take a look at some of these nutritional requirements.

Nutritional Requirements The energy in our food is measured in calories. The energy in our diet comes from carboyhdrates, protein, fats and alcohol.

Individual energy requirements can vary depending on a number of factors including bodyweight, activity levels, health status, performance level, and goals.

Here are some interesting figures for you

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Carbohydrate Fat Protein Alcohol

Calories

4 9 4 7 (Calories per gram)

So how does this fit into the bigger picture according to DRV's? Let's take a look.

British Nutrition Foundation DRV's 2016

These UK energy requirements are based on the average energy required for people who are moderately active and a healthy weight. Energy can be measured in calories (Kcal) or in Joules (MJ).

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Remember that these figures are not presecriptive, and do not take into account your own unique needs, bodyweight or physical actitivity levels, but are a useful reference point.

By now you should be getting a clear picture of how this whole nutrition thing fits together. But what about your fruit and vegetable intake? Way ahead of you! Read on my friend. Read on...

Beyond Your 5 A Day Here in the UK The 5 A day message is based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) which recommend on eating 400g of fruit and vegetables to lower the risk of serious health problems such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

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But did you know that in Australia the government's adivce is 2 Plus 5 A Day? That's two fruit and 5 portions of vegetables a day. Remember how earlier on we looked at "The Eat Well Plate" and said that while a useful starting point it has its limitations? So too has the 5 A Day. It can be the difference between surviving or thriving.

A great reference point is BANT (The British Association of Nutritional Therapists).

"Eat food, Not too much. Mostly plants, especially leaves."

- Micheal Pollan, Food Rules.

(c) BANT

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The Wellness Solution by BANT is a less conventional template, yet is focused on getting you to thrive. Clearly, animal based proteins will be off the menu for us!

(c) BANT

Now you may already be familiar with "5 A Day" but as you can see, BANT go above and beyond that with their wellness solution. The 7 A Day blueprint recommends 2 fruit and five vegetables.

There is evidence to support this, but I would sugggest that you be flexible with this. Remember its a recommendation. This should be your foundation not your limit.

Some of the smoothie recipes in this book contain 5 portions of vegetables and fruit in them, does that mean you would suddenly stop eating for the rest of the day? Of course not!

Will you suddenly drop dead if you eat more than

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two portions of fruit a day if you lead a healthy and active lifestyle? Higly unlikely.

Listen, use the recommendations in this book as a starting point, but find what works specifically for you.

If you are still unsure, get in touch with a suitable nutrition professional. You can also get in touch with either one of us. Our contact details and links to my nutrition services can be found in the resources section of this book.

(it's not all about the protein)

Plant Based Fundamentals

But where do you get your protein from?.....

So if you are already a plant based oficionado, then like me, at some point you have been asked the question, "But where do you get your protein from?" then rolled your eyes, and looked to the heavens, asking for strength to explain this myth one more time.

Now if you are not a plant based oficionado, chances are that this is a real and genuine concern for you. It's understandable, everywhere in the media, the "protein myth" is perpetuated by so called experts, hammering home our need for protein (which we do - but probably not as much as you think) and you've probably been led

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to believe (by those with partisan interests) that the only viable source of protein is from animal products (which is a lie - but we won't go into that in this book).

Let's just cut to the chase. To keep it simple and so that we can move swiftly on, you will find on the next page top sources of plant based protein. This will be your reference point, your guide, the queller of fears, your one- stopshop for all things plant based protein. If you are tracking your macronutrients, this will help you with which combination of sources will be best for you.

Plant Based Proteins Lets get this chapter started right, and make sure that we are on the same page. Why do we need protein? Well, the final breakdown product of proteins are amino acids, of which there are 9 that the body cannot synthesise itself and has to be consumed through your nutrition.

Ok, but what do they do? Amino acids are often referred to as "the building blocks of life" . While most most people associate protein intake with building muscle tissue (as this is in part true), Proteins and amino acids play a much larger role.

Amino acids are involved in many metabolic processes, from the creation of hormones, transporting oxygen in your body to the development of neurotransmitters. In short, they do a lot!

You need them to live. But how much is enough and how much do vegans or plant based people need?

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There is a myth that plant proteins are incomplete proteins. This is not true. What is true is that these plant proteins may not contain high volumes of essential amino acids. In 1970, Fancris Moore Lappe popularised the notion of combining plant proteins to get a "complete" protein in her book; Diet For A Small Planet.

This was to ensure that adequate amounts of the essential

amino acids Lysine and methionine were consumed at each meal.

Protein requirements can change with age, health status and physical activity level. For the general population (98%) the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance is 0.8g per kg of body weight daily. There is also an E.A.R Estimated Average Requirement for protein which is 0.66g /kg bodyweight for 19 - 50 year olds.

Plant Based Proteins Now this clearly doesn't take into account your healthy status. nutrigenomics (how nutrients interact with our genetic make up), or our physical activity level.

In 2009 The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), The American Dietetic Association, and the Dieticians of Canada recommended higher intake for athletes (not too sure what was up with the Brits at this time). Here's what the rest of clan decided,

Endurance Athletes: 1.2 - 1.4g /kg/day Strength Athletes: 1.2 - 1.7g / kg/day Vegetarian Athletes: 1.3 - 1.8g /k/day

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Now there were a couple of caveats. Those who resistance train regularly may actually need less protein (or towards the lower end) due to more proficient protein use.

The other thing was that the studies were based on nitrogen balance which can indicate whether adequate protein is being consumed and used, but the amount of studies conducted on actual vegans is minimal.

What is clear, is that the research indicates that lysine and methionine are the main amino acids which a vegan diet may struggle to get adequate amounts. Which are vital for various processes within the body, including metabolisim itself.

Plant Based Proteins Here are the essential amino acids,

AMINO ACIDS Isoleucine Leucine Valine Histidine Lysine Methionine+Cystein Phenayalanine+Tyrosine Theronine Tryptophan

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Now, some of you maybe thinking, ok great, but what should I actually be eating? What does that look like as real food! It's pretty simply really, legumes, pulses, nuts, soya, tempeh, and other sources such as broccoli, chia seeds, quinoa, spirulina, brown rice, peas. you can also supplement with a vegan/ plant based protein powder if you want too, or BCAA's (branched chain amino acids).

Other things to keep in mind....

Vitamin B12 Iodine

Vitamin D Iron

Magnesium

Omega 3

Selenium Zinc

These are just some of the key nutrients that you should maek sure that you are getting sufficient amounts of.

It's easy to just stick to our favourite 30 or so foods if we become plant based, but we want to make sure that we've got all our bases covered from a health standpoint if we want to thrive ( I don't know about you, but I sure do!)

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To go into each one is outside the scope of this book, but a great resource for you to do your own research that I highly recommend is www.veganhealth.org.

In case you missed it....

WWW.VEGANHEALTH.ORG

SMOOTHIES

The Truth About Smoothies An easy way to hit your fruit and vegetable intake.

Delicious.

Shouldn't taste like you are licking a football pitch!

Packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and does a body good.

No need for expensive mass made ones at your food store - simple to make at home

The Hulkster V

1 stem of celery 2 handfulls of spinach 1 frozen banana 1 pear 1/2 Green bell pepper a little fresh ginger (crushed) 1.5 cups coconut water /water

Makes 2 Smoothies

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Chocolate Berry Bliss V

Makes 2 Smoothies

Blueberries x 1 handful Raspberries x 1 handful Banana x 1 (chopped) coconut milk x 1.5 cups Cacao x 1 teaspoon

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Why not pimp your smoothie out by adding two tablespoons of your favourite nut butter?

Your're welcome!

Banana Mint Chocolate Chip V

Makes 2 - 3 Smoothies

1 - 2 frozen bananas 1 cup almond milk 0.5 cups of coconut water 2 tbsp raw cacao nibs 3 tbsp hemp seeds 1 tbsp chia seeds

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1 tbsp nut butter of choice (allergy permitting) Chopped fresh mint (to taste)

Strawberry Dream V

Makes 2 - 3 Smoothies

2 cups of strawberries (fresh or frozen) 1 handfulls of spinach (chopped) 1- 2 frozen bananas Coconut water /Water x 1.5 cups

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Mango Lushness V

Makes 2-3 Smoothies

Mango x 1 - 2 cups frozen mango Avocado x 1/2 Coconut water x 1 cup / 1 cup water 1/2 lime juice Fresh ginger Pure maple syrup to taste (optional)

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"Fire in the hole" Spicy Smoothie V

Makes 2 - 3 Smoothies

1 cup coconut water / water x 1 cup 1 stem of celery (chopped) 1 tomato (chop that bad boy up) Medium carrot (peel it, dice it) 1/2 cucumber (chopped) 1 medium avocado (pitted, peel it and slice it up like a pro!)

1 clove garlic (peeled and smashed)

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3/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt Pinch of cayenne pepper (or a little more if you live life dangerously!)

1/2 cup ice cubes

"Jump to the beet" V

Makes 2 Smoothies

Beetroot x 2 (peeled and chopped) Carrot x 1 (peeled and chopped) Conference pear x 1 (chopped) A little ginger (peeled and smashed) Coconut water x 1.5 cups

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Mains

The Truth About Main Meals They can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be.

Start with simple, build your confidence in the kitchen, then get creative.

Good idea to make a batch so that can double up for lunch or dinner later that week.

Great for intolerances.

Homemade means you can control what goes in them.

Nutritious as F*ck!

Vegetable Chilli 6 servings 1 tbsp vegetable oil 1 red onion 1 red pepper 3 garlic cloves 1/2 tbsp chili powder Liberal sprinkle of smoked paprika 1 tsp cumin 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1 kg canned tomatoes 384 grams lentils 480 grams kidney beans 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp ground black pepper 1 Chopped sweet potato 1 Chopped courgette

V

V

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In a large pot heated to medium, chop then sautĂŠ the onion in oil for about 2 minutes until soft and fragrant. Chuck in the red pepper and cook for another minute or so. Add the spices and stir to combine, sautĂŠing for another 2 minutes, once you've done that, add in minced garlic and stir.

Reduce heat to prevent the garlic from burning. Add a small amount of the crushed tomatoes SautĂŠ this for another 2 minutes. Add in the remaining crushed tomatoes, lentil, kidney beans, courgette, sea salt, and ground pepper, smoked paprika (and the optional chopped sweet potato). Stir to combine, cover with a lid, and simmer for 20 minutes. You can cook longer for a richer, deeper flavour.

Top with vegan sour cream, chopped green onions, and more ground pepper. Now kick back and enjoy that beautiful bowl of deliciousness.

Thai Green Curry V

V

Serves 2 - 4 people

2 Carrots (halved and chopped length ways) 1 Courgette (halved and chopped length ways) 2 handfuls of Mushrooms of choice (chopped into quarters) 1 Red Sweet potato (chopped into cubes) Pak Choi (I used the whole packet) 1/2 Butternut Squash (chopped into cubes) 1 can Coconut milk 1.5 tbsp Thai green curry paste 1 tbsp Coconut oil 1 Lemon grass stalk

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Heat the oil and chuck in the carrots and the butternut squash.

Sautee for 4 - 5 mins. Add the coconut milk. Stir in the thai green curry paste. Smash the lemon grass and cut into about 3 parts and throw it into the mix. Turn the heat down and leave to simmer for 10 - 15 minutes Add the chopped mushrooms, sweet potato, courgettes, and pak choi to the pan. Stir in thoroughly. Cover the pan and leave to simmer for a further 15 - 20 minutes or until the butternut squash is now tender.

Take the lid off the pan and allow the curry to reduce to desired consistency (as the water content from the vegetable will have made the consistency thin).

Remove from the heat and serve. I like to eat the thai green curry by itself, but you can serve it with an accompanying dish of your choice. Jasmine or coconut rice, or even quinoa works well - get creative, I dare you!

Falafel Serves 2 - 4 people

V

V

2 tbsp Coconut oil 1 Small onion chopped 2 Garlic cloves minced 120g cooked chickpeas 1/2 tbsp Ground cumin 1/2 tbsp Ground coriander 1 tsp Black pepper 3 tbsp Fresh chopped parsley (none of this dried stuff you hear?)

3 tbsp Fresh chopped coriander (I think you know the drill) Salt to taste 1/2 tbps bicarbonate of soda/baking power Breadcrumbs or equivalent substitute (optional) seasame seeds to coat (optional) Oil - to fry or you can try and bake them too.

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Put the oil, onion, garlic, chickpeas, black pepper, cumin and ground coriander into a food processor (use the bowl). Blitz until you have a smooth and thick paste. Remember not to over do the processing (we're not making soup people!).

Put the mixture into a bowl, add the chopped parsley, coriander, salt and baking powder .

Time to get involved! With your hands turn the mixture, adding the breadcrumbs if it's too wet. You should easily be able to bind the mixture without it being too sticky.

Once you feel you have the right consistency, roll the mixture into about 8 - 10 balls. Then set aside onto a plate lightly dusted with flour (of your choice). Cover these bad boys and refrigerate up to about an hour (depending on time available).

In a medium sized saucepan heat some oil (enough to deep fry but not to drown!). Coconut oil is a great choice here.

When the oil is hot enough drop the falafels in and cook until golden brown. This should be about 3 - 4 minutes but keep an eye on them.

Drain on some paper towel. These can be enjoyed hot or cold.

Alternatively you could bake them and then toast them under the grill. Serve them with some hummus, salad, or whatever your heart desires!

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Parsnip & Apple Soup Serves 3 - 5 people

V

V

2 onions 2 stalks celery 1 carrot 2 tbsp olive oil 1 kg parsnip 4 cloves of garlic 4 apples Salt, pepper, cumin 1 tin coconut milk (cream + water) (optional) 1-2L water

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Clean and roughly chop the onions, slice the celery, peel and slice the carrot.

Fry them with the olive oil until the onion is crystallised. Add minced garlic and fry for another minute together with a large pinch of salt, pepper and cumin.

Peel and chop the parsnip, core and chop the apples. Together with parsnips and apples, add about a litre of water, together with the tin of coconut milk.

Cook until the vegetables are tender as a ballad by Alecia Keys.

Using a hand blender, blend the soup into a puree. Add more water and/or spices as preferred. Serve and devour!

Butternut Squash & Chickpea Tagine Serves 2 - 4 people

V V

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300g Butternut squash cut into 1-inch pieces 1 can of chickpeas drained (or can soak and boil your own) 3 tbsp of coconut oil 1 medium onion, finely sliced 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped 2 tbsp of chopped fresh ginger 1 tsp ground cumin 2 tsp ground corriander 1/4 tsp tumeric 1/4 tsp of cinnamon 1.4 tsp hot chilli powder 1/4 tsp chilli powder 1/4 tsp tomato puree 1/4 tsp of sea salt to taste (optional) 400ml vegetable stock 50g pitted dates 20g blanched whole almonds Pinch of fresh coriander, chopped.

Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan. Add the onions and ginger and cook until the onions have softened and the water has evaporated.

Now add the dry spices and cook for 3 - 4 minutes on a low heat so that the flavours infuse and release - like there's a party going on in the pan and all the flavours are invited.

(it's at this point I usually put on some music and have a little shimmy around the kitchen) Add the butternut squash, chickpeas and tomato puree, stir well and cook with them covered on a low heat for 5 minutes.

When the squash has started to soften, whack in the vegetable stock, the dates and the almonds.

Simmer for a further 15 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the dates and almonds have lost their inhibitions and released their full flavours, getting it on with the chickpeas and butternut squash.

Remove from the heat and serve. Sprinkle your creation with a little fresh coriander, sit back and marvel at the taste sensation you have just created!

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Kelp Noodle Asian Fusion V

V

Serves 2 - 4 people

1/2 red onion (thinly sliced) 1.5 cups Shitake mushrooms (sliced) 1 Red pepper (thinly sliced) 1/2 Cucumber (thinly sliced) 1 tbsp Thai basil leaves (chopped) 1 tbps Chopped mint leaves 1 tbsp Chopped coriander leaves 1 handful Baby spinach leaves 350g Kelp noodles (soaked for 20 minutes and drained)

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1 tbps of tamari soya sauce juice of 3 limes 1 tbsp of xylitol 1 chilli (deseeded and finely chopped) 1 clove of garlic (minced) 1 tbsp Chopped Coriander

Mix together all the dressing ingredients in a bowl, then chill in the fridge until needed (not you - the dressing).

Place the onion, mushrooms and pepper in a bowl and toss with the dressing. Leave for 10 minutes to soften.add the rest of the ingredients, mix well. Serve it up!

Raw "Potato" Salad" V

V

Serves 2 - 4 people

1 swede ½ bell pepper (yellow/red) ½ red onion ½ cup olives ½ cob of corn 1 apple 1 stick of celery Salt, pepper.

The Dressing

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1 avocado ½ lemon’s juice tbsp tahini Small bunch of basil, coriander, parsley Peel the swede and onion, clean all the vegetables. Finely chop the onion, celery and apple, chop the pepper, swede and olives.

Remove the corn from the cob. Mix all together in a bowl.

Mash/blend the avocado with the lemon juice and tahini until well mixed and creamy. Chop the herbs and mix in the dressing.

Now take that dressing and toss it with the salad. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Deserts

The Truth About Deserts They can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be.

Start with simple, build your confidence in the kitchen, then get creative.

Lets not pretend we indulge in them because there are healthy - we indulge because they are delicious as f*ck.

Moderation my friend!

Remember never feel guilty for anything you eat (unless you stole it).

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Cookies V

V

Makes 12 - 14 Cookies

Ripe Banana x 2 1/2 Mug of brown sugar (optional) 1/2 mug gram (chickpea) flour) 1.5 Cups of oats 2 tbsp Melted coconut oil.

150g Crunchy organic peanut butter 60 grams dark chocolate (75%+) Cinnamon x 1 Teaspoon 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil Heat the oven to 180 - 190 degrees.

In a bowl mash the bananas into a pulp using a fork. Stir in the sugar, the cinnamon and peanut butter.

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Stir in the flour thoroughly, and then finally add the oats. Now add the melted coconut oil. If the consistency is still too thick you can add a little coconut milk etc to moisten the mixture.

Break up the chocolate into small pieces and stir into the mixure.

If you prefer your chocolate less rugged you can always but dark chocolate drops.

Now take that cookie dough and spoon into small round mounds on a lightly greased tray. Allow 1 - 2 cm between each dollop as it will spread. You may need to shape the cookie dough a little so that it resembles a round shape (or any shape you prefer!).

Place on the top shelf of the oven and cook for 14 - 16 minutes.

The cookies should be golden but gooey. Cool and serve.

Raw Banofee Pie

V

V

Makes One 7" Pie

The Base ½ cup coconut flakes ½ cup sprouted dehydrated buckwheat 1 cup dates

Caramel 8 Bananas 1 ½ cup dates Vanilla essence Lemon juice

Topping

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2 tins coconut milk (full fat) Maple syrup Vanilla Blend the sprouted dehydrated buckwheat into flour. Process it with the coconut and dates into a sticky mixture. Press into the bottom of a cake tin. Process 2 bananas together with the dates, a little vanilla and lemon juice into a caramel paste.

Slice the 5 remaining bananas in half lengthwise. Place them onto the base, covering the space. Top it up evenly with the caramel, making sure it covers all the bananas. Spoon out the white cream on top of the tinned coconut milk, and whip it into a smooth mixture with a little sweetness from maple and flavour of vanilla.

Cover the caramel layer. Put into fridge to set. Decorate with cacao powder or dehydrated banana chip

Raw Walnut Brownies V

V

Makes 8 - 12 Pieces

3 cups walnuts 2 cups dates 100 g sour cherries 4 tbsp cacao powder Dash of vanilla essence ½ cup coconut oil 3 tbsp cacao powder Maple syrup

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Add all the base ingredients to the food processor, process until sticky. Press the mixture into a preferred tin, even out.

Cut into the size pieces liked, separate onto a baking parchment on an even board (chopping board or oven tray).

Melt the coconut oil. Mix in the cacao powder and sweeten with maple syrup to taste. Coat the brownies with this chocolate mix.

Dust with extra cacao powder or cacao nibs if so desired

Coconut Pancakes V

Makes 14 - 18 small pancakes

2 eggs - whisked or Flax eggs 400ml - coconut milk 2 tbsp coconut oil/butter - melted 30g coconut flour 100g spelt or buckwheat flour 50g shredded/ grated coconut 1/2 tsp of salt 3 tbsp of baking powder.

Whisk up all the ingredients in the order shown. Do not add the baking powder until you are ready to cook.

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Wipe a large heavy based frying pan with a touch of coconut oil, and heat the pan to a medium heat.

Using a tablespoon, spoon a portion of the batter into the hot pan.

They should be roughly 3" in diameter. You should be able to cook about 3 at a time, depending on the size of you pan (best not to overcrowd the pan). Cook on each side until golden brown.

Eat whilst hot, topped with your favourite topping.

The great thing about these is that you can also make a batch of them and pop them in the freezer. Then toast them from frozen as and when needed. How cool is that?

Berry Chocolate Torte V

Serves 6- 8 people

1 1/2 Cups of pecans Grated zest of 1 lemon 1/2 Cup pitted dates (soaked and drained) 3 tbsp Coconut butter (melted) 1/2 Cup cashew nuts 1/2 Cup Cacao powder 100g Dark Chocolate 85%+ (melted) Juice of 1 lemon 1 Cup Blueberries 1 Cup Strawberries (chopped)

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Chuck the pecans in a blender, and blend until finely chopped.

Mix in a bowl with the lemon zest. Now blend the dates and the coconut butter into a puree. Stir inthe pecans to form a dough.

Press into an 8 inch cake tin and chill (the base - not you!)

Place the cashews, cacao powder, melted dark chcolate, lemon juice and the blue berries in a food processor, and blitz until smooth. Fold in the chopped strawberries.

Spread the mixture over the crust, and chill for 2 - 3 hours or until set.

Tuck in my friend, tuck in!

Mango & Sharon fruit sorbet V

Serves 2 - 4 people

2 Large mango (pitted and chopped then frozen 2 - 3hours 2 Sharon fruit (chopped) 1/2 Cup Orange juice

Place the chopped sharon fruit and the orange juice into a blender and blend until smooth.

Add the frozen mango chunks and process on a high speed to create a soft creamy ice.

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Either serve and get stuck in, or you can spoon into a shallow container and freeze until you are ready to indulge in this taste sensation (but remember to take out of the freezer 15 minutes before serving so that it softens a little).

Chocolate Chia Puds V

V

Serves 2 - 4 people

Ripe avocado x 1 (smashed/ whipped) Chia seeds x 2 tablespoons (soaked in milk of choice) 75 grams of dark chocolate 85%+ (melted) Coconut oil x 2 tablespoons (melted) cinnamon powder x 1 teaspoon Strawberries x 1 handful (halved) Melt the chocolate in a glass bowl in a saucepan of boiling water. Once melted add the coconut oil and cinnamon.

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Remove the bowl from the saucepan, allow to cool for a minute or two. Now fold in the snmashed avocado and the chia seeds.

Spoon into ramekins or glass bowls of similar size. Place in the firdge and chill for 2 - 3 hours or over night when ready to eat, top with the halved strawberries and serve.

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Resources "This section features some prettycool resources to help you on your plant-based journey. From professional nutrition services, to useful food blogs, apps and websites, right down to eateries that you definitely want to visit when you are in London."

- Cj

NUTRITION SERVICES Nutritional Therapy/ Nutrigenomics Cj Swaby http://www.cjswaby.com/services.html

FOOD RELATED COMPANIES Rawligion http://www.rawligion.co.uk/

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Prepp'd (Vegan menu) http://www.preppd.co.uk/pages/vegan-menut

 BLOGS https://nutrinformed.wordpress.com/ http://www.corinaboho.com/blog http://www.cjswaby.com/

FINAL THOUGHTS tsriF htlaeH :noitirtuN noitisnarT

"Let Food Be Thy Medicine, And Medicine Be Thy Food."

- Socrates

While it's pretty clear that more and more the move towards following a plant based diet is growing, what is often not uniform are peoples reasons for doing so. Personal reasons can be as varied and colourful as the endless possibility of plant based dishes available out there.

The reason this book was created was primarily for all the health benefits that plant based nutrition brings. The potential ethical and the environmental impact that comes with healthy and sustainable plant based nutrition are a welcomed bonus.

We are keenly aware of the environmental and ethical issues, but far too often we see people eating synthetic meat and dairy substitutes, eating processed foods, and unhealthy eating practices simply in a bid to cut out meat. They will call out GM foods, but have no qualms eating franken foods created by a food scientist. Now if this is you, we're not here to judge. Go ahead, do your thing boo!

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But often these people will become nutrient deficient, and potentially have health issues a few years down the line when they don't transition correctly and make health their priority.

Our mission is pretty simple, we want to give people the skills, knowledge and confidence to feel amazing in their bodies following plant based nutrition, whatever their reasons for doing so.

In all the politics, diets, fads, research and drama around food, remember to take care of you.