Health-Promoting Meals from the TrueNorth Kitchen
SOS-Free (No Sugar, Oil or Salt)

by Ramses Bravo

I had the pleasure of meeting Chef Ramses Bravo and sampling some of his delicious recipes a few years ago. The 2010 NHA Healthy Living Conference was held at the Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa, California, just a few blocks away from TrueNorth Health Center. Chef Bravo, the executive chef of TrueNorth, provided some of his delicious recipes for our conference meals. In addition, conference attendees had the opportunity to sample some of his tasty snacks when we toured TrueNorth. So I was very excited to review his new cookbook and share it with you.

“How do you make simple, natural, vegan recipes that look and taste good without adding unhealthful sugars, oils, and salt?

What makes this cookbook so unique? All ninety-seven vegan recipes are made without sugar, oil or added salt. All the recipes in Bravo! are not only tasty but healthy!

As Dr. Alan Goldhamer points out in the preface, this book was written to make it easy for you to prepare delicious meals that will help you begin to build optimal health. It consists only of recipes healthful enough to be served at TrueNorth Health Center.

Dr. Colin Campbell, co-author of The China Study, explains in his foreword, “Providing people with the kinds of recipes that achieve the amazing benefits that are routinely produced at TrueNorth is a great way to get this information in the hands of the public. I highly recommend this book and its recipes – it can save your life.”

Chef Bravo provides a large variety of incredibly appetizing, creative recipes – soups, salads, dressings, vegetable, bean and grain dishes, entrГ©es, glazes and sauces, as well as ideas for breakfasts and desserts. In addition, he includes kitchen tips and tools, two weeks of daily menus and much more.

Eating vegan, even without adding oil, sugar and salt, doesn’t mean giving up your favorite dishes! You’ll find endless possibilities in this book such as Polenta Crust Bravo Pizza, Lasagna (with cashew cream sauce for cheese), and Black Bean-Tamale Pie. As Chef Bravo says, “My approach with all of these entrГ©es was simple. I identified dishes that everyone loves and recreated them in vegan versions that taste as good – if not better – than the originals.”

Do you like cornbread? He includes a recipe for Blue Cornmeal Loaf. What about scalloped potatoes? Try his recipe for Boulangere Potatoes. If you enjoy French toast, there’s a recipe for Oatmeal French Toast. Serve your family and guests delicious desserts without added sugar like Apple-Pecan Cobbler, Orange-Cinnamon Rice Pudding or Mango-Banana Pie.

Whether you’re a long-time vegan or new to vegan cooking, there is something in this book for everyone’s taste. I highly recommend it!

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