CONTENTSIntroduction ....................................9The Beauty Kitchen ................................19Morning Starters ...............................31Supercharged Snacks ...........................55A Cup of Comfort ...............................77Salads and Slaws ..............................103Entrées and Mains .............................131Sweet Endings ................................157Sipping Pretty ................................175Homemade Provisions ..........................193Resources and Further Reading .......................215Acknowledgments ................................219Index ........................................221NourishAndGlow_txt_final.indd 711/2/17 1:40 PMNourishAndGlow_txt_final.indd 811/2/17 1:41 PMI nt r od uct I on9INTRODUCTIONA life of beauty begins one nourishing meal at a time. I grew up around the kitchen table. For my family, food was every-thing. My father owned and managed several restaurants, while my mom worked as a chef in some of the most prestigious international hotels. Together, they instilled in me a deep appreciation for whole foods and the dining experience. Between the frequent dinner par-ties they loved to host and the quality of food they chose to serve, they taught me that the best food involve basic techniques, fresh ingredients, and a whole lot of love.While my interests have long gravitated toward natural healing modalities, integrative nutrition, and a holistic approach to well-ness, I also spent many years working in the service industry, and my approach to food will always be as a passionate foodie, first and foremost. In fact, most people who know me would surely attest that I care passionately about what goes into my body yet refuse to eat food that simply isn’t delicious. It is with this simple philosophy in mind that I’ve written this book, taking care that each recipe is easy to make, healthful and nourishing, and always bursting with flavor. NourishAndGlow_txt_final.indd 911/2/17 1:41 PMI nt r od uct I on10In our busy, digitally driven lives, preparing and sharing a small, thought-ful bite that brings us back to something pure and tactile is a beautiful way to nourish both body and soul.It is with much love in my heart that I present this collection of revitaliz-ing, beautifying, and truly guilt-free plant-based recipes to help you celebrate your truest expression of beauty.A WORD ABOUT YOUR SKINAlthough most of us would surely agree that our character and personal-ity play a much more significant role in our overall attractiveness, our skin speaks volumes on our beauty as well. Physical glow is, after all, a direct reflection of our inner health. Yet very few of us truly take the time to recog-nize the control we actually have over our own physical, mental, and spiritual beauty. It is time to take back our glow.The deepest, most profound change we can make to our health, beauty, and overall well-being starts in the kitchen. The foods we eat support our body’s beautifying processes, breaking down into molecular building blocks and directly impacting the glow of our skin, the shine of our hair, and the radiance emanating from our very being. The root of most illnesses is stagnation of the body’s pathways and impac-tion of waste matter in its cells and tissues. Stagnation of the body’s path-ways creates a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses to thrive, triggering illness. Our skin is often the first place to show signs of this distress.Processed, refined, and artificial foods are extremely difficult and often impossible for the body to break down, remaining in our system to occupy clean, healthy cells. Plants, on the other hand, absorb the powerful life force from the sun in the form of chlorophyll and bring that powerful energy into every cell in our body.The foods we consume on a daily basis can either deplete us or invigo-rate us. Pack your diet with nature’s most powerfully beautifying foods and deeply transform how you look and feel. NourishAndGlow_txt_final.indd 1011/2/17 1:41 PMNourishAndGlow_txt_final.indd 4811/2/17 1:44 PMM orn I n G S t a r t er S49buckwheat pancakes with mixed berry compoteDespite its name, buckwheat contains no wheat. In fact, it is technically a seed—a nutrient-packed, gluten-free seed high in both protein and fiber.These delicious, nutritious pancakes are low on the glycemic index and high in the phytochemical rutin, a special beauty nutrient that has regener-ative antiaging properties. Rutin also strengthens blood vessels, which can prevent varicose veins.ServeS 2 to 4Pancakes1 cup almond milk2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar1/2 cup buckwheat flour1/2 cup certified gluten-free oat flour 1 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon sea salt1 banana, mashed1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1 tablespoon coconut oil, plus more for grilling2 tablespoons pure maple syrup(continued)NourishAndGlow_txt_final.indd 4911/2/17 1:44 PMn o u r I S h & G L o W50compoteMakeS 1 cup1 cup mixed berries1/4 cup water1 tablespoon pure maple syrup1 tablespoon fresh lemon juiceTo make the pancakes:Mix the almond milk and vinegar together in a bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.Stir the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the banana, vanilla, coconut oil, and maple syrup as well as the vin-egar mixture and stir together until fully blended. For best texture and flavor, let the batter sit for 15 minutes.Lightly oil the bottom of a nonstick skillet with coconut oil and heat over medium heat. When the oil is hot, pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of batter into the skillet. Cook until small bubbles form in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook for about 2 minutes more on the opposite side. Repeat until all the batter is used, adding oil to the skillet as needed between pancakes.To make the compote:Combine all the compote ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring to dissolve the syrup. Simmer for another minute, until the berries have softened. Remove from the heat and let cool.Serve the pancakes topped with a generous dollop of berry compote.NourishAndGlow_txt_final.indd 5011/2/17 1:44 PMNext >