INTRODUCTION

While plant-based and vegan eating have become popular in recent years for being both healthful and compassionate, there has been little representation of this lifestyle for parents and families. My husband and I have been eating a plant-based diet since 1995. I’ve nurtured three pregnancies with plant foods, and we are now raising three daughters on this healthy diet.

Eating plant-powered means eating healthful, whole plant foods that are nutrient-dense. As parents, this is particularly important, as we model dietary choices for our “weegans.” Diet is learned. So let’s teach our children early about real, wholesome, delicious plant foods!

Our own girls have certainly grown with plant-power. They are strong and vibrant and have robust immune systems and an authentic appreciation for good, real food. They also understand more about our food system than their peers do, value home-cooked food and fresh produce, and have compassion for living beings beyond domestic animals.

From infancy to toddlerhood to school and teen years, our family has had the plant-powered experience. It’s been a journey from day one with our daughters. If you are new to this journey as a parent, I understand the transition can be challenging. There are so many compelling benefits that come from eating plant-powered, yet the dietary change can feel overwhelming. I’m often asked, “Isn’t it hard to raise children on a vegan diet?”

One thing I’ve learned in over a decade of parenting: It’s not the vegan part of parenting that’s difficult. It’s the parenting part. I hope to help you with any challenges you feel moving into a plant-powered diet (see how I took the easy piece?).

This collection includes new creations that I think you will find exciting yet easy to prepare! Plus, I’ve squeezed in some tried-and-true recipes that have been favorites with readers for years, but now made easier, healthier, or with allergy-free ingredients for this book. These are recipes you can love at any age, and they can become go-to staples for years to come.

With help from my friend and colleague Heather Nicholds, RHN, I also provide sample meal plans and nutritional guidance for some of the most frequently asked questions about eating plant-powered (particularly that vegan trifecta of protein/ calcium/iron).

This book has largely been crafted from your requests and feedback. You’ve emailed and reached out online asking for more of my healthy, easy, family-friendly recipes using plenty of whole foods ingredients like beans, grains, nuts, and seeds. You’ve also asked for allergy-free options for some of my most popular recipes. I’ve dug deep to deliver nut-, soy-, and gluten-free options, as well as a bundle of new whole-foods creations! These are an expression of my gratitude to you for inspiring me daily to share my plant-powered food creations. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as my family does. From my plant-powered kitchen to yours . . . enjoy!