The China Study Cookbook is a recipe book you can get excited about! It is filled with quick, flavorful meals based on a whole food, plant-based diet. I have absolutely loved reading this book and trying out many of the recipes. Below you will find several I created and the photos I took. For the Giveaway information see bottom of page. The winner of this fabulous book will be available at the bottom of this post next Monday, July 29th. Thank you to BenBella books for providing this giveaway.

Leanne Campbell is the daughter of T. Colin Campbell who wrote the book The China Study and his newest book Whole. Watch for my review, post and giveaway next week on the book Whole (Rethinking the Science of Nutrition). Leanne Campbell, PhD, lives in Durham, North Carolina. She has been preparing meals based on a whole-food, plant-based diet for almost 20 years. She has raised two sons—Steven and Nelson, now 18 and 17—on this diet.

One of the really nice features of The China Study Cookbook is that the recipes contain no added fat and little or no added salt. There is also minimal use of sweetening agents. Scientific evidence shows that we should try to avoid adding additional fat, salt and sugar to our recipes. FAT: Keeping fat intake low is important, because fat adds a lot of extra calories making healthy weight maintenance more difficult. Also, high fat intake, especially from animal-based foods, increases your risk of high blood cholesterol, heart disease, some types of cancer, and-when it contributes to excess weight-diabetes and hypertension. SUGAR: Reducing our intake of sugar helps us to have more room for the foods that are good for us, full of life giving properties, instead of being life depleting. SALT: Our bodies only need about a half teaspoon of salt daily. For everyone, increased salt intake means an increased need for water to clean it out, an increased risk of bloating from water retention, and an increased risk of stomach and esophageal cancer.

In the introduction, Leanne talks about the mountain of empirical research supporting a whole food, plant-based diet. She states we can obtain images of the arteries in the heart, and then show conclusively, as Drs. Dean Ornish and Caldwell Esselstyn Jr. have done, that a whole food, plant-based diet reverses heart disease.

The Introduction has several sections that I think you will find interesting: Leanne's Journey Toward a Plant-Based Diet, Raising Children to Consume a Plant-Based Diet, The Garden Approach (Choosing a Wide Variety of Plant Foods, Harvesting the Garden (Preparing Delicious Meals), Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet, and Start Your Own Journey.

The recipes start on page 51 and the sections include: Breads & Muffins, Breakfast Dishes, Appetizers & Salads, Soups, Sandwiches, Entrees, Side Dishes and Desserts.
Below are recipes for Nutty Noodles with Vegetables and No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars. Both were fabulous and simple! I also added a picture of the the delicious Vegan Chocolate Cake I made and shared with family from out of town. They loved it! I hope you will give these recipes a try and let me know how you liked them. Also, don't forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom of the page. Good luck!

Nutty Noodles with Vegetables (Page 196)

Makes 4 Servings (25 minutes preparation time, 15 minutes cooking time)
PRINTABLE RECIPE
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti or other pasta, cooked
1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
2 cups chopped broccoli
1 large carrot, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup light tamari or soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar, unseasoned
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons agave
3 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup crushed peanuts
Sea salt to taste

1) Cook 1 pound pasta and set aside.
2) In a large skilled, add 1/4 cup vegetable broth, onions, peppers, broccoli, and carrot. Cook for 5 minutes until vegetables are slightly cooked.
3) Stir in pasta, basil, and sesame seeds. Set aside.
4) In separate saucepan, add peanut butter, tamari or soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, garlic, and agave. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth. Pour over noodles.
5) Garnish with green onions and peanuts. Season with salt.

TIPS: Snow peas and cauliflower are both great substitutes for broccoli. To make beautiful and easy julienne strips of carrot, use a vegetable peeler or julienne peeler.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars (Page 265)

Makes 9 Servings (15 minutes preparation, 1 hour chilling)
PRINTABLE RECIPE
1 cup low-fat graham crackers, crushed
1/4 cup crushed walnuts
1/2 cup reduced-fat, unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup nondairy milk
1 cup nondairy chocolate chips
5 tablespoons rice or almond milk

1) Crush graham crackers in food processor. In separate bowl, add walnuts, coconut, and peanut butter. Stir in crushed crackers.
2) Slowly add milk and mix. If mixture does not hold together, continue adding additional milk until all ingredients stick together. However, don't make it too soft, and, if necessary, use your hands.
3) Spread mixture evenly into a 9 x 9 nonstick baking dish.
4) In a saucepan, melt chocolate chips together with rice or almond milk over medium heat. Stir until smooth.
5) Spread chocolate mixture on top of peanut butter mixture. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until hardened. Cut into squares and enjoy!

TIP: These make a great holiday treat and should be used sparingly.

Vegan Chocolate Cake (Page 268)

GIVEAWAY INSTRUCTIONS:
(You can do all 3 of the items below to be entered into the drawing three times. Make sure to create a new comment for each item you do.)
DEADLINE: Giveaway will end Monday, July 29 at midnight, eastern standard time. The winner will be drawn using a random number generator and will be announced at the bottom of this post shortly after. Good luck!!
TO ENTER:
#1) Leave a comment in section below this post.
#2) Subscribe to The China Study Community Page

#3) Share this post on Pinterest. You can share one of the pictures and mention the giveaway.

_________________________________________________________________________

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED

Congratulations Holly!

(Please contact me so I know where to send your copy of The China Study Cookbook)

thehealthseekerskitchen@gmail.com

Thank you to everyone that added a comment. I wish I could send each one of you a book. Please watch for my next giveaway - WHOLE and try again to win:)