In Sweet & Easy Vegan, Robin Asbell presents a cornucopia of healthy, guilt-free vegan treats, taste-tested and approved by omnivores, with nutrient-dense calories sure to please every palate. She includes sweet breakfast treats like coconut-banana granola and blueberry and blue corn cakes, as well as original desserts like lemon and pine nut cookies, chunky pumpkin-pear pie and chocolate layer cake with peanut butter frosting.
In Asbell's kitchen, eggs are replaced with flax seeds and butter with coconut oil; she spends 40 pages explaining how to replace artificial and refined sweeteners with alternatives rich in anti-oxidants like maple syrup. (Natural sweeteners, when combined with whole grains and healthful fats, nuts, seeds and fruit, help to stabilize blood sugar and reduce the risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes and heart disease.) Asbell also explains how to adjust traditional recipes, including resources on where to find common vegan ingredients like flaxseed, palm sugar and egg replacers. Even traditionalists will embrace these healthy alternatives to past favorites. --Kristen Galles blogger at Book Club Classics