Eating healthily and well isn't about a pinch of calcium here and dose of Vitamin C there, it's about eating whole foods that are rich in nutrients, and no type of food has more readily accessible nourishment than whole, unprocessed foods that are close to nature. Nutritious, inexpensive, tasty and underutilized, legumes like beans, lentils, nuts and seeds are more flexible than their reputation suggests. Vegetarians have been in on the secret for a long time, but everyone should benefit from the nutritional impact of these small wonders. Legumes can be incorporated seamlessly into familiar foods like granola and chili, your morning oatmeal, and the crust on tuna or lamb chops. Include more legumes in your diet with recipes like: Apricot Ginger Granola Beets with Spicy Goat Cheese and Pumpkin Seed Pralines Tortilla and Tomatillo Soup with Lime-Chia Yogurt Maple Glazed Lamb Chops with Brussels Sprout-Apple Slaw You do not need to follow a different eating plan for weight control, heart health, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes or many other health concerns. The very same eating plan -- more whole foods, less processed foods, and more home cooking -- is recommended for anyone who wants to be healthy. This book provides dozens of delicious, approachable recipes made with wholesome beans, nuts, seeds and lentils. On the 2017 Taste Canada Awards shortlist in the Health and Special Diet Cookbooks category Nettie Cronish is a vegetarian chef, culinary instructor and cookbook author. For the past 25 years, she has been teaching at supermarkets, community colleges and gourmet and health food stores. She works with dietitians and develops and tests recipes for the business sector. She is the chair of the Women's Culinary Network and a board member of Fair Trade Canada. She lives in Toronto with her husband and three children. Cara Rosenbloom is a passionate foodie and a Registered Dietitian. She was the dietitian at Canadian Living for six years and makes regular appearances on Breakfast Television, CTV News, and The Morning Show. She holds a literature degree from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Food and Nutrition from Ryerson University. She lives in Toronto. Introduction ABOUT THE BOOK Cara : Every time we met, Nettie and I inevitably discussed food. We found we shared a mutual adoration for vegetarian protein sources like beans, lentils, nuts and seeds. That's where this book was born. We wanted to pay homage to these nutrient-dense plant foods that are underutilized in most diets but are so good for you! We set out to create a book that has a bean, nut or seed in every recipe but still includes familiar foods. It's our way of infusing the goodness of these whole foods into the diet by introducing them to foods you already enjoy. While the book is filled with many vegetarian ingredients, it's not a vegetarian cookbook. We both live in households with meat eaters, so we wanted them to love the recipes too. Meat, chicken, fish and seafood all make an appearance alongside vegetarian and vegan recipes—so there is something for everyone! And the best news? An eating plan that's based on whole, unprocessed food is the recommended diet for preventing obesity, heart disease, high cholesterol, dementia, cancer, hypertension, diabetes and other health concerns that may be on your mind. Eating real food made from recognizable ingredients is great for whole body health! Our hope is that this book gets you into the kitchen to cook. These recipes use nutritious whole food ingredients. With every bite, you're making better choices for a healthier lifestyle. HOW THIS BOOK CAME TO BE Nettie : I first met Cara six years ago at a Women's Culinary Network meeting. This network is an organization of culinary professionals, and we organize events themed around food. I was introduced to Cara, a culinary dietitian, as a new member who specialized in educating the public about healthy eating. But Cara was no ordinary dietitian. She is a passionate gourmand who cooks daily and follows the latest food trends. Cara gave me a huge smile and asked me half a dozen questions about sourcing and cooking ingredients central to my vegetarian diet. I felt respected, appreciated and thankful. Here was a person I could work with and learn from. Coming from a vegetarian, plant-based perspective, I come across a lot of alternative dietary information that makes health claims without any merit. Being able to reach out to Cara for her expertise and knowledge has made me a better chef and culinary instructor, and allows me to share ingredient information with a nutritional focus based on fact and not popular opinion. When the opportunity came to write my next book, I knew that Cara was the right partner. We wanted to balance the culinary perspective with a sprinkling of nutrition, and ensure there was no junk or bunk. Everything is evidence-based, and because of Cara's background in communi