Clean Start: Inspiring You to Eat Clean and Live Well with 100 New Clean Food Recipes

"Clean Start" by Terry Walters is a fantastic book. I bought it quite some time ago now and can't quite recall what first inspired me to buy it. Probably the promise of clean, simple food that tastes wonderful, as I am not a `junk-food' vegan but a particularly health conscious one. Sometimes eating `clean' can leave you feeling uninspired, I mean as much as I love a bowl of rice, steamed kale and baked sweet potatoes I can't eat it every night. So enter Walters book "Clean Start" where she more than delivers on her promise of clean, healthy food that tastes amazing. The recipes are pretty downright easy, and most utilize common ingredients I typically have on hand, or can easily acquire. Of course some of the ingredients like the gluten-free flours, brown rice syrup, mirin, and ume vinegar may be new to people - certainly I was a novice at gluten-free baking myself when I first purchased this book - but a quick internet search can explain each of these ingredients to you, and even where best to locate them. Here's a tip - check out health food stores and you can't really go wrong, online sources are also a sure bet, but I digress. Aside from the simplicity of the recipes I also love the beautiful photography and the layout of the book. The pictures are both mouth-watering and inspiring, and I like how the book is divided into seasons. I like that each season breaks down in an order of dips, soups, salads, entrees, and desserts, and that each section has it's own table of contents. It's an interesting way to lay out a book, and I especially appreciate the emphasis on organic, and local foods. The dividing of recipes by season really helps to remind us what we should and shouldn't be eating in any given month. I also appreciate all the time and energy Walters put into the introduction of the book. The first fifteen pages or so break down basic information for you about cooking, ingredients, and living a clean lifestyle. While none of this is new to me, I think it would be very helpful to the average person who isn't used to this sort of living and eating. As far as the recipes go, I have not yet had time to try them all but here are the ones I have made, and my thoughts on them. Spring - Avocado Dip with Chives - pretty good Spicy Black Bean Dip - pretty good Creamy Split Pea Soup with Myer Lemon Zest and Thyme - LOVED IT Kale, Sweet Potato and White Bean Soup - pretty good Asparagus with miso lemon dressing and marcona almonds - LOVED IT Seared Artichokes with Lemon and Capers - LOVED IT Cannellini Beans with sun-dried tomatoes and ramps - LOVED IT Maple Mustard and Tahini glazed carrots - LOVED IT Polenta Pizza - LOVED IT - tried both variations that she gives and both were amazing Asian Spinach with Peanut Ginger Sauce - LOVED IT Sweet Brown Rice with Leeks Ginger and Garlic - LOVED IT Seared Tempeh with Dried Cherries and Pine Nuts over Arugula - LOVED IT Summer - Daikon Salad with Cilantro and Peanuts - Loved it Fingerling Potatoes with Red Onion and Sage - Loved it Veggie Kabobs with Smokey BBQ Sauce - Pretty good Grilled Peaches with Raspberry Syrup - LOVED IT Black Current Plum Crisp - LOVED IT Blueberry Tart - LOVED IT Fall - Carrot Cashew Miso Spread - LOVED IT Red Lentil Soup with Turnip and Parsley - Loved it Tomato Saffron Soup - Loved it Ginger Shiitake Soup with Cabbage and Edamame Beans - LOVED IT Parsley Walnut Pesto - LOVED IT Green Beans, Figs and Pistachios in Balsamic Reduction - Loved it Pan-Seared Sweet Corn - LOVED IT Cabbage Saute with Tart Cherries and crisp Apples - Loved it Sauteed Greens with Leeks and Garlic - LOVED IT - a definite `go-to' of mine! Pinto Beans with Stewed Tomatoes and Spinach - LOVED IT Sesame Forbidden Rice - Loved it Winter - New Years Soup - Loved it Sweet Root Casserole with Dried Fruit - Pretty good Sesame Miso Tofu with Asian Greens - LOVED IT Kabocha Squash and Sprouts with pears and pomegranate - LOVED IT Wild Rice with Lemon Fennel and Dried Plums - LOVED IT Deep Dish Greens with Millet Amaranth Crust - Loved it Sauteed Kale with Red Onion and Cannellini Beans - LOVED IT Pear Cake - LOVED IT Cocoa Brownies - LOVED IT Overall I've had great success with this cook book, and several of the recipes I've made again and again and they have become - `go-to' recipes for me when I want something quick, nourishing and satisfying. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to embark on a healthier way of eating, whether they're vegan or omnivore. However it's probably not for the adventurous palate, nor is it for the lazy cook who doesn't care to venture into a health food store for a couple of `alternative ingredients.'

I actually checked this out from the library and after checking out a few recipes bought it from amazon. I was surprised at the $12.99 price from Amazon for a good hardcover version. Walters spends a few pages in the beginning explaining some of the benefits of a plant based diet as well as including some helpful tips for stocking a nice vegan friendly pantry. If you have been vegan for longer than a few months, much of this is basic. If you are someone interested in moving towards a plant based diet, then this section is full of great information. The recipes are all vegan and gluten free. They are not all intended for the 'Clean Program' so don't mix the titles up. The Clean program doesn't allow nightshades (tomatoes, eggplant, cashew) but it is a completely different program. Walters uses 'clean' to indicate farm fresh, organic, and whole foods without animal product or gluten. Just wanted to point that out in case you are on the Clean Program and thought this might contain recipes allowed while on the program (some recipes in this book may be used, others can't). The recipes are brilliantly sorted by season. Not only does this mean that the recipes are geared towards a particular weather (warmer and heartier dishes in winter, cooler and lighter dishes for summer), but this is also great because of what produce is in season. Currently I have four go to cookbooks and one amazing online blog that will soon become a cookbook: The Happy Herbivore Cookbook: Over 175 Delicious Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes Everyday Happy Herbivore: Over 175 Quick-and-Easy Fat-Free and Low-Fat Vegan Recipes Let Them Eat Vegan!: 200 Deliciously Satisfying Plant-Powered Recipes for the Whole Family Viva Vegan!: 200 Authentic and Fabulous Recipes for Latin Food Lovers And the online blog is "Oh She Glows" whose author actually recommended this book. So I have added this amazing cookbook to my "Highly recommended vegan recipe books" along with the aforementioned. There are a few others that I own, but these seem to be the best for making vegan dishes without massive amounts of 'meat substitutes' and with ingredients that I actually have on hand, or regularly buy. There are 100 recipes, but there are not many recipes for spreads, vegan mayo, frosting, and dressings which many other vegan cookbooks throw in to up the recipe #. Instead there are a few simple recipes that are fun and unique such as: tomatillo and yellow plum salsa, shallot fig spread (amazing!), and various simple soups and salads but with inventive recipes. There is a recipe for polenta pizza which should not be missed! I'll list the summer recipes so you get an idea of what to expect (and I purchased this book in summer and have been making these recipes, so I figured I would start there). >> tomatillo and yellow plum salsa / grilled salsa verde / zesty jicima / chilled chikpea, tomatillo, and avocado soup / peach gazpacho with heirloom tomatoes / golden beet soup (a winner!) / summer squash with lemon cilantro pesto / warm beet salad with red onion, mint and pistachios / cucumber mint salad / daikon carrot salad with cilantro and peanuts / grilled pattypan and peanuts with green chile sauce / polenta with portobello mushrooms, greens, and tomato vinaigrette / chopped salad with blackberry shallot vinaigrette / edamame succotash / sesame scallion brown rice salad / fingerling potatoes with red onion and sage / green and yellow beans with garlic and herbs / veggie kebabs with smokey barbecue sauce / tempeh with apricots and capers / seared lemon pepper tofu / penne (optional gluten free if you choose) and roasted vegetables with basil sauce / energy squares / grilled peaches with raspberry syrup and toasted almonds / black currant plum crisp / blueberry tart. As you can probably tell by this list, most are veggie centric. Even the desserts seem to have less sugar than other vegan recipes I have seen. The blueberry tart is amazing and you can cut back on the maple in the filling and it will still be quite sweet just with the blueberries. The one drawback of this book as compared to the Happy Herbivore books is that this book does not list nutritional information. I do understand that the vast majority of cookbooks don't, but with the overall healthy nature of these recipes (less oil, less sugar, etc...) I feel that the nutritional information wouldn't be too frightening. But it would help for those of us on a vegan diet to plan protein levels, carbs, and fats. But most ingredients used can be easily researched for average nutritional amounts, so it's a minor issue at worst. If you are planning a plant based diet, this is a great recipe book. A few recipes call for some odd ingredients such as grapeseed mayo or ume plum vinegar, but I would say 75% are made with pretty ordinary ingredients. Plus, once you buy a particular oil, spice, or vinegar, they last a long time. I eat at home 95% of the time (tough finding many vegan friendly brewpubs!) so I do have a pretty nicely stocked pantry and spice rack. If you are a vegan or someone who enjoys plant based recipes then this is a great addition to the kitchen library. Highly, highly recommended!

I first checked this out from the library and for two weeks, made all dinners using Clean Start recipes. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy and tasty they were (with only one flop). I liked that the recipes did not include dairy or wheat, something I have to avoid. And I noticed from the start that the meals were both filling and satisfying... my usual late-night cravings stopped! Here are some of the recipes I made: Sweet Potato Cashew Soup w/Avocado Cream (delicious!); Deep Dish Greens w/Millet and Amaranth Crust; Polenta Pizza; Hearty Minestrone; Chickpea Salad w/Avocado, Pea Shoots and Orange Dressing; Quinoa w/Apricots and Orange Zest; Roasted Vegetables w/Penne and Basil Sauce; Kale, Sweet Potato, White Bean Soup; Millet in a Pot; and Blueberry Tart. For the most part, I followed the recipes, but on a few had to substitute because I didn't have certain ingredients. I also used canned beans. Besides the 'flop' I will make them all again. The Flop: Seared Tempeh w/Dried Cherries and Arugula. The Tempeh tasted terrible so I scooped it out and ate the cherries and arugula with another grain. I thought the layout (recipes according to season) was just fine. The index was thorough. Before it went back to the library, I ordered a copy of "Clean Start" from Amazon along with "Clean Food".

What sets this book apart are it's easy to prepare recipes for those seeking to eat real food, not processed, supermarket, WalMart faux food that comes in a box. It also allows you to dip your toe into changing your eating habits thus increasing the odds of success. With knowledge comes change but neither has to happen all at once. This book allows for smaller steps. We evolved from buying deals at local supermarkets to changing to free range beef, then getting veggie shares from a local organic farm to going "no added sugar, no wheat flour" and that is pretty much were we are now. 100% (well, 98%) organic veggies, free range poultry (and their eggs) and free range beef. The same goes for the garden. No pesticides and vermiculture (worm castings) is used for the for the soil. What is interesting is that when you get here you'll see that you are far from the first. There is quite a ground swell, grass-roots movement that has figured out that real food does NOT come in a box. Kraft, Kellogg, and the like should take notice. Net result for us.....lost weight, we don't diet, we feel cleaner and stronger and real food, locally grown, organically grown tastes so much better. I would recommend this book to anyone thinking about real change.

Beautiful cookbook. Great pictures and recipes categorized by season that are inspiring and easy to understand. Have given 2 as gifts and will continue to give!

I just LOVE this cook book. It has a beautiful look and feel to it, which can go sometimes ignored in the cook book world. The pages are thick and small splatters wipe clean off pages. The book is divided by seasons, which annoyed me at first, but helps find recipes that would have good quality, locally-grown produce available, so it turns out to be a plus to me. While the cook book only has 100 recipes, they are AMAZING! They are all nutritionally packed. This book is not for vegans who are still in the "meat replacement" phase, although she does have a few tofu and tempeh recipes, this is for health-conscious gluten-free vegans looking for recipes their Chronometers and their palates alike can be pleased with. So far a few of our family favorites have been the Penne & Roasted Vegetables with Basil Sauce and the Festive Quinoa with Apricots and Orange Zest.

I've loved everything I've made from this book. I have a lot of food sensitivities and miraculously this book avoids almost all the foods that I avoid!!!! It's like she made the cookbook just for me! She avoids gluten, soy, eggs, dairy, etc. I'm not sure if that is 100% true for all the recipes, but so far I've not come across a recipe that I wanted to make that I couldn't because of the ingredient list. Additionally, she is so approachable in her writing style. She seems to give exactly the right information you need and nothing more, I find it very informative and empowering. I also like the way the book is set up in the beginning. I took it with me to whole foods - bought everything she said you needed for the pantry - which was great, because from then on I've been stocked and can cook from this book freely - although I think only one recipe calls for amaranth - so maybe that didn't need to be listed as a "staple" I can't get enough of the banana date cake - made with almond flour and chick pea flour! amazing, packed with protien and so good for you - another fave is the red lentil soup and the minestrone soup - I've gotten to the point that I make these items in giant batches and still manage to eat them so fast I don't have enough to freeze! If you're looking for a truly simple, delicious approach to eating HEALTHFULLY - without a lot of preaching or yucky substitutions for GF ideas, you will LOVE this book!

My daughter loves this author and this was one book she was missing. She can’t wait to try these new recipes.