Introduction My goal in accepting the challenge of developing a strictly vegan recipe and resource book was to design recipes so good that everyone who enjoys food -- non-vegan and non-vegetarian cooks included -- would scramble to make and taste them. As a creative food writer, culinary herbalist and cookbook author, I work with food and develop new recipes on a regular basis and I am always striving for tempting dishes that are bold, innovative, fresh and easy and above all deliriously delicious. It is a tall order for all cooks. For vegans, it can be overwhelming. I am not a vegan. I am not even a strict vegetarian. I would characterize my eating style as flexitarian. That is, I enjoy organic fruits, vegetables, herbs and dairy products on a regular basis but include a small amount of organic lamb, chicken, beef and fish once or twice a week.

It doesn't necessarily take a strict vegan to develop fine vegan recipes. In my view, one needs to love food and have an intuitive understanding of how to create really good-tasting food before one can begin to work within the limits of a vegan regime. My recipes are based on honest ingredients with no "imitations." For example, I do not attempt a vegan angel food cake, because that beautifully light confection relies on a dozen egg whites for its very existence. Instead, I am pleased to present Spiced Apple Cake -- a dessert classic that happily satisfies vegan guidelines while finishing off a meal in style. This book takes away the worry of trying to make non-vegan recipes work. That is because the dishes herein are not simply non-vegan recipes reworked. They are original recipes that hold the divineness of plant foods at their core.

They are spanking new with a new perspective and a healthy respect for today's sophisticated palates. And they celebrate the very best of organic fruits, herbs and vegetables. Eat well -- Be well, Pat Crocker www.riversongherbals.com.