The Authors

Vesanto Melina, MS, RD          Jo Stepaniak, MSEd          Dina Aronson, MS, RD

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Vesanto Melina, MS, RD

Vesanto Melina is a Registered Dietitian and co-author of the nutrition classics The New Becoming Vegetarian and Becoming Vegetarian, and of Becoming Vegan, Raising Vegetarian Children, and Healthy Eating for Life to Prevent and Treat Cancer. She has taught nutrition at Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington and the University of British Columbia. She is co-author of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada's Position on Vegetarian Diets (2003) and Manual of Clinical Dietetics, 6th edition, 2000. From her west coast office Vesanto works with patients and clients all over North America. She is a nutrition consultant to major food manufacturers and various levels of government. Vesanto has first hand experience with her own allergies and those of family members. From adolescence she was hospitalized with lung conditions that continued for several decades, along with continual sinus problems and headaches, until she removed dairy products from her diet. She had atopic eczema in reaction to wheat and eggs, discovered that her lung and skin reactions were stress-related, and became skilled at stress management. She discovered that certain foods (plants in the nightshade family, such as potatoes), trigger symptoms of osteoarthritis. Her son Chris (Xoph) had colic and allergies as a baby and continues to have allergies to tree nuts, several raw fruits, and seafood, however he survived all this and turned into a wonderfully tall and strong young man. Her friends and neighbors, including many with sensitivities to gluten and lactose, have appreciated the testing of recipes in this book. You can visit Vesanto's Web site at www.nutrispeak.com.

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Jo Stepaniak, MSEd

Jo Stepaniak is the author of over a dozen books and hundreds of articles on vegetarian cuisine and compassionate living. She has been a vegetarian for more than forty years and a vegan for over half that time. Her own struggles with allergies, and the successful creation of the recipes in this book, served as inspiration for this book. Her husband, Michael, has been a tremendous support through the process, giving excellent feedback on recipes. Jo has endured and overcome numerous food sensitivities, so she knows firsthand the challenges and frustrations of living with dietary restrictions. One of her greatest gifts to us, and to you, is the versatile baking mix you will find on page 182. With this, those of you with wheat or gluten sensitivities can have your cake and eat it, too (without fear of adverse reactions). Jo is based in western Pennsylvania; you can visit her Web site at www.vegsource.com/jo.
Here is a list of the books that Jo has authored. Click on the title to learn more:

     The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook
     Raising Vegetarian Children
     Compassionate Living for Healing, Wholeness & Harmony
     The Vegan Sourcebook, Second Edition
     Being Vegan: Living with Conscience, Conviction, and Compassion
     Vegan Deli: Wholesome Ethnic Fast Food
     The Saucy Vegetarian
     Vegan Vittles: Recipes Inspired by the Critters of Farm Sanctuary
     The Uncheese Cookbook
     Table for Two: Meat- and Dairy-Free Recipes for Two
     Delicious Food for a Healthy Heart
     The Nutritional Yeast Cookbook
     Dairy-Free & Delicious

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Dina Aronson, MS, RD

Dina Aronson is a Boston, Massachusetts-based dietitian whose specialties include chronic disease prevention, vegetarian/vegan nutrition, and lifestyle management. She is the founder and director of NutraWiz.com, a nutrition consulting company. Dina, a nationally recognized writer and speaker, is co-author of Minerals from Plant Foods: Strategies for Maximizing Nutrition, and an editor for the Vegetarian Resource Group's magazine, Vegetarian Journal. Her work has appeared in various publications including Journal of the American Dietetic Association, Today's Dietitian, VegNews, Natural Health, and Body & Soul. Dina has been interviewed for numerous television and radio programs and publications such as Reader's Digest and The Boston Globe. Dina regularly consults with groups and individuals--with and without food sensitivities--who want to improve their health and well-being by moving towards a more whole-foods, plant-based diet. Dina is a consultant for food and nutrition companies, helping them improve effectiveness via creative marketing and evidence-based information. Dina also gives lectures to various organizations of nutrition professionals and the general public about nutrition and health. Active in many nutrition organizations, Dina is the Nutrition Advisor for both the Boston Vegetarian Society and for vegfamily.com. She also was the state representative for the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group for many years. Dina is the recipient of the American Dietetic Association's Recognized Young Dietitian of the Year Award in 2002.

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