Book excerpt: New York Times and USA Today Bestseller "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants." With these seven words, Michael Pollan—brother of Lori, Dana, and Tracy Pollan, and son of Corky—started a national conversation about how to eat for optimal health. Over a decade later, the idea of eating mostly plants has become ubiquitous. But what does choosing "mostly plants" look like in real life? For the Pollans, it means eating more of the things that nourish us, and less of the things that don’t. It means cutting down on the amount of animal protein we consume, rather than eliminating it completely, and focusing on vegetables as the building blocks of our meals. This approach to eating—also known as a flexitarian lifestyle—allows for flavor and pleasure as well as nutrition and sustainability. In Mostly Plants, readers will find inventive and unexpected ways to focus on cooking with vegetables—dishes such as Ratatouille Gratin with Chicken or Vegetarian Sausage; Crispy Kale and Potato Hash with Fried Eggs; Linguine with Spinach and Golden Garlic Breadcrumbs; and Roasted Tomato Soup with Gruyere Chickpea "Croutons". Like any family, the Pollans each have different needs and priorities: two are vegetarian; several are cooking for a crowd every night. In Mostly Plants, readers will find recipes that satisfy all of these dietary needs, and can also be made vegan. And the best part: many of these dishes can be on the table in 35 minutes or less! With skillet-to-oven recipes, sheet pan suppers, one pot meals and more, this is real cooking for real life: meals that are wholesome, flavorful, and mostly plant based.