b'such a large operation. At lunch, all are welcome to share theIn these fast-paced and chaotic times, a growing number gourmet vegan meals created by Diane and her sous chef, of people are becoming aware of the importance of social Valerie Augustine. bonds, seeking a way around the isolation they feel. We Like so many creative individuals before her, Dianebelieve that respect, care, and love of all living things and eventually gave in to Tom and Pattys coaxing to join thean awareness of our interconnectedness provide a good group full-time several years ago. The garden crew, Janeantidote. Polcovar and Sara Gast, were recruited to help prepare theNot surprisingly, our lunch table is often filled with friends. food. Other lunch regulars include Andrea Barrist Stern, theAnd this feels just right. But our table is not large enough to head gardener, who is also a professional photographer;accommodate everyone no matter how hard we try . . . and and Ronnie Shushan, an editor/designer working on a bookwe do try.about the creation of the Spiral House. In retrospect, it seemsFor Goodness Sake enables us to share a sense of our inevitable that this merry band would begin turning Dianesloving community and its appreciation for a wholesome recipes into a cookbook, making it truly a group labor of loveand compassionate lifestyle with others beyond our circle. from this kitchen and our table to yours. We hope you will enjoy these recipes in good health and at Before coming to the Spiral House and inspiring this book,a table where you, too, are surrounded by the warmth of Diane studied at the Culinary Institute of America and otherfamily and friends. Patty Livingston and Tom Gottsleben cooking schools, operated her own catering business, and wasand the crew at the Spiral Housethe chef at various restaurants and spiritual retreats. HavingSaugerties, New York, October 2015cooked professionally to satisfy a wide range of personal tastes, Hagedorn brings an exacting standard to the vegan dishes she prepares at the Spiral House. And although most in the group are vegans, some are not, so we have inevitably created a completely plant-based cookbook that is well-suited to a broad spectrum of the public: vegans, vegetarians, and meat-eaters who are seeking to add more plant-based food to their diet. Many in the group are also gluten-free, and so most of the dishes in our book are gluten-free as well.Turn the pages and youll find recipes based on newly popular ingredients like microgreens and quinoa alongside traditional holiday dishes, the kinds of comfort foods from childhood that some of the vegans among us had assumed were a thing of the past, and a variety of scrumptious and inventive dishes.10 For Goodness Sake'