Tag Archives: Books

Books

Essential reading

The following books are essential for understanding the fundamentals of WFPB nutrition and the evidence behind it:

The China Study
By T Colin Campbell & T. M. Campbell (2017 rev ed). This landmark book is essential reading for a comprehensive study of nutrition and health. For many people, reading this book was the turning point in them taking up a plant-based lifestyle.

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How Not to Die
By Michael Greger, MD (2015). An in-depth look at the evidence supporting a whole food plant-based diet. Dr Greger reviews the nutrition research and presents it for each chronic disease common to Western diets.

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Whole: Rethinking the science of nutrition
By T Colin Campbell & H. Jacobson (2013). This is a must read for anyone interested in scientific research, nutrition and health. It provides an excellent analysis of how reductionist science dominates nutrition research and how a focus on individual nutrients leads to flawed conclusions. If you are wondering why the WFPB nutrition message is not more widely known, read this book.
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The Healthiest Diet on the Planet
By Dr John McDougall (2016). Presents the evidence for the healthiest diet and exposes the flaws in low carb diets; includes the Color Picture Book and recipes by Mary McDougall.
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Introductory books

The following books are excellent for getting started with a whole food plant-based diet. They contain information about the health benefits of WFPB, details of what to eat, how to transition and recipes to get you started:

UnDo It!
Dean Ornish, MD (2019)

 

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The Vegan Starter Kit
Neal Barnard, MD (2018)

 

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The China Study Solution
By Thomas Campbell, MD (2016). Originally published as The Campbell Plan (2015).  Dr Campbell, co-author of The China Study, provides a practical guide to transitioning to whole food plant-based living. He answers the common questions people ask when shifting to a plant-based diet. It is written in a delightful style, accessible, fun but methodically accurate.

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The Starch Solution
Dr John & Mary McDougall (2012). If you want to buy just one book to understand how a starch-based diet can prevent and reverse many common diseases as well as gain practical tips for how to go about it… this is the book for you.

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Forks Over Knives Plan
By Alona Pulde & Matthew Lederman (2014). A great introductory book for whole food plant based eating.

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Forks Over Knives Family
By Alona Pulde & Matthew Lederman (2016). A guide to raising healthy, happy kids on a whole food plant-based diet. Includes recipes.

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Recommended reading

These books all advocate a whole foods plant-based diet to prevent, manage and reverse chronic diseases.

The Pleasure Trap
By Doug Lisle & Alan Goldhamer (2006). Explains the Motivational Triad: the pursuit of pleasure, the avoidance of pain, and the conservation of energy. We are designed to seek out the highest calorie foods (greatest pleasure for the least effort) and the food industry knows this!! This is a must read book if you are struggling with losing weight or making healthful dietary changes.

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Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease
By Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., MD (2007). Essential reading for anyone with heart disease. Contains low-fat “plant-perfect” recipes at the back.

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Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes
By Neal Barnard, MD (revised edition 2018).

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Power Foods for the Brain
By Neal Barnard, MD (2013)

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Foods That Fight Pain
Neal Barnard, MD

 

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The Alzheimer’s Solution
Drs Dean and Ayesha Sherzai

 

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Page last updated 7 November 2019

Recipes

This page links you to free recipes on websites and blogs written by people following a whole foods plant based (WFPB) diet. There are also some excellent recipe books you can purchase. These recipes differ from standard vegan resources in that they are all advocating a whole foods low-fat/no added oils diet.

Christmas recipe ideas

Australian WFPB recipe websites

North American WFPB recipe websites:

  • Forks Over Knives – Provides hundreds of recipes from various plant-based chefs and cooks. Download the Forks Over Knives Recipe App to your phone – contains more than 400 recipes and includes shopping lists. Also a Forks Meal Plan subscription available.
  • Dr McDougall’s Health & Medical Center – Links to hundreds of free recipes prepared by Mary McDougall. See the Printable McDougall Recipe Cards and the McDougall Newsletter Recipes.
  • Straight Up Food – Cathy Fisher’s website is one of the best for sugar, salt and oil-free whole food, plant-based recipes. Cathy works with the McDougall program and at TrueNorth Health. Her cookbook is excellent for newbies and if you want to avoid shipping costs you can purchase a digital version. See also on Facebook.
  • PlantPure Chef – Kim Campbell, author of PlantPure Kitchen and PlantPure Nation Cookbook. Includes her Blue Cheez Dressing
  • T Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies – has many recipes contributed by graduates of the Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate, various plant-based chefs and by members of the Campbell family.
  • The Culinary Gym – Katie Mae is a cooking instructor at TrueNorth Health and for the McDougall program so her recipes are all sugar, salt and oil-free. She has a mix of free and ‘premium’ recipes on her website. If you sign up for her monthly or annual subscription you receive her eBooks, all recipe content including video demonstrations.
  • Happy Herbivore – The Happy Herbivore, aka Lindsay Nixon, writes a regular blog featuring low-fat vegan recipes and includes Q&A’s about plant based eating, and has great tips for getting started. She has US$5 meal plans for sale, and is the author of five bestselling cookbooks. See also on Facebook.
  • FatFree Vegan Kitchen – Has a great recipe index. See also on Facebook.
  • Plant Strong – Rip Esselstyn (son of Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., MD).
  • Chef AJ Unprocessed – Under the tab ‘The Chef and the Dietitian’ there are many cooking videos that include lots of helpful tips for plant-based eating. See also her YouTube channel and Facebook page
  • Jeff Novick  is a dietitian who posts useful nutrition and cooking tips on his Facebook page. He also has a website but he updates his Facebook page more often. He has produced several nutrition information and cooking DVDs which you can purchase from VegSource.

For Kids:


Recipe books

Whole Food Plant Based on $5 Day
By Emma Roche, an Australian author (2017). This is an excellent introductory book. It has meal plans and lots of useful advice for those new to eating this way. Available as an eBook and as a printed book (we always have copies for sale at our events). There is also a Summer eBook edition – you can link to all these versions on the PlantPlate website.

 

Straight Up Food
By Cathy Fisher (2016). This is our favourite recipe book. It is expensive to have shipped to Australia and most of the recipes are freely available on Cathy’s website, but if you were only going to buy one whole food plant-based recipe book we recommend having this one in your kitchen. The recipes are salt-oil-sugar free and full of flavour, and the book is full of useful tips for transitioning to a WFPB lifestyle.
Order from Straight Up Food website (US$35 + shipping).
NB Available on kindle or from Apple or Google Play

Spud Fit Cookbook: A wholefood potato-based guide to eating and living.
By Andrew ‘Spud Fit’ Taylor (2019)

 

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Forks Over Knives Flavor
Darshana Thacker (2018)

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How Not To Die Cookbook
By Dr Michael Greger, Gene Stone and recipes by Robin Robertson (2017). This book has some exciting recipes and is packed with nutrition hints.

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The PlantPure Kitchen
By Kim Campbell (2017). Kim’s second cookbook is becoming everyone’s favourite.

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The PlantPure Nation Cookbook
By Kim Campbell (2015). A companion book to the film PlantPure Nation.

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Better Than Vegan
By chef Del Sroufe (2013). Delicious low-fat plant-based recipes. An excellent book for those trying to lose weight.

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The China Study Quick & Easy Cookbook
By chef Del Sroufe (2015). Delicious, simple whole food plant-based recipes. Includes meal plans.

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Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook
Ann Crile Esselstyn & Jane Esselstyn (2014). Over 125 healthy plant-based, oil-free, nut-free recipes that follow the Esselstyn “plant-perfect” diet for reversing heart disease. Contains some unique recipes written in a fun style.
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The McDougall Quick & Easy Bookbook
By John & Mary McDougall (1999). Over 300 low-fat whole food plant-based recipes with some great tips throughout. Recipes use ingredients readily available in Australia
(NB cilantro=coriander).
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The Happy Herbivore Cookbook
This is the first of four books by Lindsay Nixon, aka Happy Herbivore. Recipes are low-fat, plant-based and she includes recipes such as Cheddar Cheesy Sauce (vegan), Tofu Scramble and Black Bean Brownies – useful for those looking for substitutes for their old dietary ways.
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See also Everyday Happy Herbivore

Happy Herbivore Light & Lean
This book is great for those wanting to lose weight. It contains calorie and macronutrient breakdowns for each recipe.

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Happy Herbivore Abroad (not pictured)
Features recipes from many countries around the world.
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Forks Over Knives: The Cookbook
By chef Del Sroufe (2012).
Contains over 300 plant-based recipes.

 

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Plant-Powered Families
By Dreena Burton (2015). Over 100 kid-tested, whole foods vegan recipes. Includes tips for pleasing picky eaters and school lunchbox solutions.

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See also: Introductory WFPB Books that include large recipe sections.

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Page created 8 January 2013
Page last updated 16 August 2017