THE TRAVELING GOURMAND SERIES

      1. The Gluten-Free Way: My Way, by William Maltese & Adrienne Z. Milligan

      2. Back of the Boat Gourmet Cooking: Afloat—Pool-Side—Backyard, by Bonnie Clark & William Maltese

      3. William Maltese’s Wine Taster’s Diary: Spokane/Pullman Washington Wine Region, by William Maltese

      4. In Search of the Perfect Pinot G! Australia’s Mornington Peninsula: William Maltese’s Wine Taster’s Guide #2, by A. B. Gayle & William Maltese

      5. Whole Wheat for Food Storage: Recipes for Unground Wheat, by Michael R. Collings & Judith Collings

      6. Even Gourmands Have to Diet: It’s Just Food, People!, by Bonnie Clark and William Maltese

      7. Dinner with Cecile and William: A Cookbook, by Cecile Charles and William Maltese

      8. The Pot Thickens: Recipes from the Kitchens of Writers and Readers, edited by Victor J. Banis

      9. Get-Real Vegan Desserts: Vegan Recipes for the Rest of Us, by Christina-Marie “Sexy Vegan Mama” Wright and William Maltese

      COPYRIGHT INFORMATION

      Copyright © 2013 by Christina-Marie Wright and William Maltese

      Cover Art by Christina-Marie Wright

      Published by Wildside Press LLC

      www.wildsidebooks.com

      DEDICATION

      CHRISTINA-MARIE—

      For my mother, Melody, at whose knee I learned to bake (yes, I know how clichéed that sounds), who always answers the phone when a cake collapses or a frosting flops, and without whom this book could not have been written. Thanks, Mom, for holding my hand throughout my vegan journey. I’m privileged to walk with you.

      WILLIAM MALTESE—

      To my co-author, Christina-Marie “Sexy Vegan Mama” Wright, without whose expertise there’s no way this book could/would have seen the light of day.

      AUTHORS’ NOTE

      This book is not intended to provide medical advice. Proper diagnosis of food allergies, sensitivities, cholesterol levels or any other medical conditions needs to be sought out from the appropriate medical professionals. When choosing a vegan diet, consult with a nutritional expert to evaluate your personal dietary needs. All contents of this book are the personal experiences and opinions of the authors.

      * * * *

      All organizations, businesses and product names mentioned in this book are the property of those individual organizations and businesses. In this day and age of the internet when so many organizations, businesses, and products are so often made mention of without their attending trademark designates ™ ®, it’s difficult to know when or if to provide these indicators. Even specific searches of U.S. Trademark Department files can often be confusing. So, more often than not, the authors have erred on the side of inclusion, rather than exclusion. If mistakes have been made, we shall make every attempt to make sure they’re corrected in any subsequent editions of this book.

      CHAPTER ONE: BEFORE WE VEGAN

      What Veganism Is, and What This Book Is Not

      vegan:

      a person who does not consume, use or eat any animal products; a supporter of veganism

      veganism:

      the practice of eating neither meat nor other animal products, such as fish, milk and milk products, eggs, and honey; a way of life which strictly avoids use of any kind of animal products and services that are based on exploitation of animals (Source: http://en.wiktionary.org)

      Christina-Marie’s goal in collaborating with William on this cookbook is to create a simple, realistic tool for busy parents, those new to a vegan diet, people with egg or dairy allergies, folks watching their cholesterol, and traditional foodies who would consider a vegan diet if only it weren’t so intimidating.

      The first vegan cookbooks Christina-Marie purchased were filled with bizarre-sounding ingredients like xanthan gum, agar agar, agave nectar, and other things she couldn’t find at her local grocery. Of course, that was almost fifteen years ago, and large retail supermarkets have come a long way in stocking natural foods and vegan options since then. Even in her very rural area, she can usually request special orders through her grocer and small natural foods store. See Chapter 4 for tips on getting your local store to stock vegan products.

      Choosing a vegan diet is a personal decision for every individual, and each has his or her own reasons. Some are allergic to eggs, dairy, or animal proteins. A doctor may recommend a vegan diet for patients with high cholesterol, because cholesterol is only found in animal-sourced foods. Many call themselves “ethical vegans,” citing a personal desire to reduce animal suffering and exploitation. Some choose a vegan diet for environmental reasons, declaring that the raising of livestock contributes to air and water pollution. Still others believe a global shift toward a vegan diet can solve the world hunger problem, claiming plant-based agriculture makes better use of natural resources and produces more food per square foot than the raising of livestock.

      Veganism, for many, is about more than food choices. “Abolitionist vegans” strive to end the exploitation and killing of all animals by the food, clothing, entertainment and other industries.

      While several vegans share their personal reasons for enjoying a vegan diet in Chapter 3, this cookbook is not intended to decry or condemn anyone’s food or lifestyle choices.

      In fact, this book is NOT…

      …intended to be misconstrued as medical advice.

      …a handbook or manifesto on abolitionist veganism. The views expressed by interviewees or recommended resources are those of the individual, not of the authors.

      …a diet or weight-loss book. With these rich desserts? Are you kidding?

      …full of weird or hard-to-find ingredients. Most can be found at any large supermarket. Get tips on finding vegan ingredients in Chapter 4.

      …for expert chefs only. Indeed, Christina-Marie has no formal baking experience or training, outside hanging around her mom’s bakery as a young teen. Even then, she was pretty much just waiting for cute guys to come in and buy doughnuts. Christina-Marie, that is. Not her mother.

      …a very large advertisement for any particular company or product. If we name a product, it is only to identify a brand that may be widely available or easy to obtain for those not living in large metropolitan areas. It’s not because they’re lining our pockets to pimp their product.

      …an endorsement of any company’s practices, ethics or manufacturing processes. If abolitionist veganism is a lifestyle you embrace, please research each manufacturer to determine if their policies align with your personal beliefs. If you have significant food sensitivities, please contact individual companies to ascertain whether cross-contamination is possible during the manufacturing process. Just because a product is egg-free, for example, doesn’t mean the equipment it is manufactured on isn’t also used to process ingredients containing eggs.

      …a stale, old-school-recipe book. We aim to inform and entertain. We believe food should be a celebration. Let’s get the party started!

      CHAPTER TWO: HISTORY OF VEGANISM

      The Garden of Vegan—and Beyond

      According to Wikipedia—and we all know that anything found on Wikipedia is almost true—“the avoidance of meat can be traced to India, and to the Pythagoreans and Orphics in ancient Greece.” Indeed, the common term for a diet free of fish and meat was “The Pythagorean Diet” until the word “vegetarian” was coined in the nineteenth century. Pythagoras and his followers chose their diet for religious and metaphysical reasons. Namely, they believed souls could transmigrate from one