With three bustling restaurants located throughout the Los Angeles area, Real Food Daily boasts a loyal clientele of ravenous vegetarian diners and health-conscious celebrities, trendsetting young hipsters and members of Southern California's culinary community at large. After 10 successful years as a cherished destination for lovers of delicious and naturally wholesome cuisine, this eclectic hot spot continues to thrive under the stewardship of its pioneering founder, Ann Gentry, who raises the standards and expectations of nutritious, meat-free cooking through her unique brand of California cuisine. In THE REAL FOOD DAILY COOKBOOK, you'll find recipes for 150 of the restaurants' most popular dishes, such as Lentil-Walnut P? t?(c); Country-Style Miso Soup; Tuscan Bean Salad with Herb Vinaigrette; Southern-Style Skillet Cornbread; Tofu Quiche with Leeks and Asparagus; Acorn Squash Stuffed with Sweet Rice, Currants, and Vegetables; and Coconut Cream Pie with Chocolate Sauce. After years of getting floods of recipe requests from her loyal customers, Ann is delivering in full force, not only to her patient fans, but to everyone who yearns for delicious, healthful, real food in their daily lives.

"When Gentry opened her first vegan restaurant, Real Food Daily (RFD) in Santa Monica, Calif., in 1993, naysayers said a meat-free, dairy-free restaurant with a focus on organic produce would never make it. But Gentry knew she could serve 'real food' — satisfying, nutritious and delicious cuisine — without animal products. Three RFD restaurants later, she presents this cookbook, a reflection of what she has learned about seasonal, organic, macrobiotic and vegan cooking. Gentry doesn't break new ground — sandwiches made with tempeh instead of meat, and nut cheeses like cashew cheddar will be familiar to most vegans — but she provides clear and comprehensive directions on how to make them more interesting and flavorful. For example, she adds tofu ricotta cheese to her Reuben sandwich and enhances Lentil-Walnut Pt with fresh basil and thyme. Gentry explains the basics without preaching or condescending to readers, and discusses nutritional benefits without unnecessary jargon. Beginning cooks and those new to veganism will find much to enjoy here." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)