Screw the Diet...

My life seems to have two main chapters. BF and AF: Before Food and After Food. Before food became my occupation and passion, my life consisted of aimless years of depression, drug abuse and dissatisfaction as a computer salesperson. After my recovery in the controversial Synanon community, I chose a new life empowered by baking bread and expanded into a rich career of inventing desserts. I knew nothing about what I was doing but I loved the journey and created a life filled with a new kind of pleasure and passion.

My career began afresh at age 40 and has included owning two bakeries and being the CEO, chairman and Chief Food Inventor at Real Foods Baking that has served some of America's top restaurants. Along the way, I have learned the value in taking risks, trusting your intuition and doing what truly makes you happy.

I'm writing this biographical cookbook to give people some amazing recipes and to hopefully inspire others to live life fully. I have a catalog of over 1500 recipes that people have been begging for me to share for years. This cookbook includes some of my favorite baked goods from whole-grain bread, muffins, cookies, brownies, scones and cakes. My hope is that you will enjoy savoring the recipes and be encouraged to live the sweet life.

Quote from Christmas Spirit Pays Dividends for Couple Who Started Broke:

"You don't usually come across many true success stories about ex-addicts. About the best you can hope for in many cases that they haven't been thrown in jail lately. By any standard, however, Bob Deal qualifies as one of those who's managed to beat the odds."

"The first thing is to step out of character. Be willing to take a chance. Take a road where the end is unknown. Don't play it safe and try to hold on to your old job. That's like saying you think you're going to fail." - Bob Deal on how to start a business