Chantal Coolen started experimenting in the kitchen in the face of limited options for her vegan and gluten-free lifestyle. She learned a lot, and baked even more.
"When I suddenly found myself unemployed, I thought, 'You know, I bet there are people out there who are just as frustrated as I was when I first went gluten-free,' and I thought about all my kids' friends with food allergies, and I wanted to help," says Coolen of her business. "And I had become really passionate about veganism, and wanted to show people how easy and delicious plant-based eating could be."
Eager to share her knowledge with the public, she started selling her creations as The Kind Cookie at the Seaport Farmers’ Market (1209 Marginal Road) about three years ago, earning a following thanks to her cookies, muffins and bars (and those heavenly peanut butter balls). While her dedicated customers bugged her to turn her blogging into a book, it wasn’t until Ablesense Publishing approached her that Cook With Kindness came to be.
“I've included a few of the more popular recipes from the blog, and my family—well, mostly my kids—helped me choose the rest,” says Coolen of the 150 recipes. “This cookbook really gives you a look inside my kitchen. This is what we eat. These are my kids' favourite dishes."
Get your copy of Cook With Kindness at The Kind Cookie booth at the market this Saturday, or next week at your closest Chapters.
