Blissful Bites (3 page)

There is something for everyone in this book, whether you are vegetarian, vegan, eating mostly raw foods, or trying to stay clear of gluten, soy, or oil. Almost all the recipes are gluten-free by default, and most of them use hardly any oil, if at all. Icons next to a recipe indicate whether it has low or no oil, is gluten-free, soy-free, and/or raw, and if it takes less than 45 minutes to prepare. Sprinkled throughout the book are tips on living a sustainable and blissful existence that transcends your diet.

As the seasons change, the produce that is available locally changes as well. If we take our cues from nature regarding what foods we should eat during each season, we can take pleasure in the bounty Mother Nature provides. Throughout this book, keep a lookout for different font colors to signify each recipe's season. Keeping order with the earthly seasons, the recipes flow from spring (green), to summer (maroon), to autumn (orange), and finally to winter (blue). After winter, because some recipes are pretty neutral, I have also provided you with an “anytime” section (brown).

Eating seasonally with produce grown in your region is not only the best way to be in balance with your surrounding environment, but it also lessens our dependence on fossil fuels. Your food isn't traveling long distances to get on your plate—making it the freshest it can be and friendly to the environment. You aren't contributing to the carbon crisis, which should make you feel a little warm and fuzzy inside.

I'm not saying you have to give up those delicious tropical fruits like coconuts and mangoes completely. You'll even find some of them in this book. But think about the traveling they do, when they are out of season, to get to your grocery store. We can always make little changes to our daily diets to help nourish the planet.

GLUTEN-FREE •
If you have an allergy or sensitivity to gluten, look for recipes with this symbol.

SOY-FREE •
It is possible to eat plant-based if you are trying to avoid soy. Granted, not all soy is created equal, but if you are allergic to soy sauce, tempeh, tofu, edamame, miso, or any other soy-derived product, you'll want to look for the recipes with this symbol.

LOW OR NO OIL •
At least half the recipes in this book contain no oil and the others almost all contain less than a tablespoon of oil. Oil is optional in the recipes that call for it, so you can leave it out of most recipes if you are watching your oil intake.

LESS THAN 45 MINUTES •
My recipes are loved because they are simple yet delicious. Some take longer than others, though, so if you are looking for a quick meal that can be ready in under 45 minutes, including prep time, look for recipes with this symbol.

CHEF FAVORITE •
Since these are my delicious recipes, I took it upon myself to notify you of my personal favorites.

FAN FAVORITE •
My friends, clients, and recipe testers love all my recipes, but I've asked them to tell me which ones are their favorites. The recipes that an overwhelming number of people like are marked by this icon.

Now that you know what the icons and the colors represent, I will help you create the ideal kitchen space with an equipment list of essential cookware, a pantry basics list so you know what to buy for your blissful kitchen, and prepping tips to make cooking easier and faster. After you accomplish those steps you will be on your way to making blissful meals and feeling great!