Chia pudding, bircher bowls, whole-grain porridge—these are just some of the nourishing recipes presented here by popular vegan chef and food writer Chaplin. While not all of the items are strictly vegan, they are vegetarian and gluten- and dairy-free, with no refined sugar. With the focus on "whole foods," some of the recipes require more unusual ingredients and/or extra cooking and prep time, but the emphasis is on regular weekday meals. One nice feature is the use of "base" recipes that can be customized for a variety of tastes. Another helpful section features ideas for menu planning and preparing food for the week ahead, with a list of resources for purchasing harder-to-find ingredients such as dried sea vegetables, beet juice powder, and yacon syrup, made from a South American tuber. VERDICT Nicely illustrated with close-up color photographs, this book encourages cooks to try new ingredients and techniques to make healthier food but may be a little advanced for some audiences.—Susan Hurst, Miami Univ. Libs., Oxford, OH

Chaplin follows up At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen with a solid collection of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free recipes. Chapters focus on specific items, like fruit compotes and no-bake seed bars, and nearly all start with a base recipe and then riff on it. A selection of soaked chia seed concoctions begins with two recipes, one grain-free and one with oatmeal and then expands options by adding cacao, mesquite, or maca powders, or orange juice and coconut yogurt. A chapter on porridge includes recipes for buckwheat and black rice options, and a chart on how to customize them. The primer on nut and seed milks is thorough, and a chart of steam-cooking times for 23 different vegetables can be utilized beyond the scope of the book. Gluten-free breads, such as a beet–fennel seed loaf, rely on psyllium husks instead of starches and eggs as a binder. Chaplin offers four shepherd's pie–like bakes—including one with French lentil and tomato and another with beet and cannellini beans—that call for a topping of pureed cauliflower, nuts, and nutritional yeast in place of mashed potatoes. Chaplin rounds out the collection with tips for preparation and meal-planning, as well as instructions for doing a broth cleanse. This dense volume will appeal to fans of Chaplin, and to those already familiar with this eating regimen. (Sept.)