"Kids come from all over to the Imus Ranch. Some are cancer survivors. Some are still battling cancer. Some have life- threatening blood disorders, and some have lost a brother or sister to sudden infant death syndrome. You might imagine there would be a lot of sadness here, but there isn't. We welcome kids who have known too much sickness and too much death, and we give them something they urgently need: a sense of independence and purpose through healthy, vigorous living." --From "A Day at the Ranch"

To some, a vegan cattle ranch may seem a contradiction in terms--but then so would a place where desperately ill children discover their true strength by learning to ride horses and rope calves. Welcome to the Imus Ranch, 4,000 unspoiled acres set in rolling hills and mesa country 50 miles east of Santa Fe. Here good food and clean living set the stage for life-changing events.

Children who visit the Imus Ranch work alongside authentic western ranch hands; they gain a firsthand insight into life as an American cowboy. The experience refuels their bodies and their spirits, in large part because every aspect of the environment is as nontoxic as possible--from the vegan food served at mealtime in the hacienda to the paint on the walls in the barns. The children leave stronger than when they came, with a sense of accomplishment and pride in their new abilities.

In The Imus Ranch: Cooking for Kids and Cowboys, Deirdre Imus shares more than 125 recipes from the unique place that she and her husband, Don Imus, created. The dishes, from Butch's Blueberry Pancakes, Cowboy Sloppy Joes, and Buffalo Red Chili Enchiladas to Chicken-Less Pot Pie, Imus Ranch Barbecue, Walnut Chocolate-Chip Cookies, and Arborio Sweet Rice Pudding, are guaranteed to please the whole family. As Deirdre says, if kids and cowboys will eat it, it has to be good!

Packed with full-color photography that reflects the warmth and vitality of the Ranch, actual letters from the children who have visited, and a helpful pantry section, this book will enable us all to live a simpler, healthier lifestyle--one meal at a time.

100% of author revenues from this book go to the Imus Cattle Ranch for Kids with Cancer