Juicy rib-eye steaks are just a memory for Alan Roettinger. And that’s OK with him.

Roettinger, a former personal chef for high-profile clients, wasn’t practicing a vegan diet when he accepted a contract to write “Speed Vegan — Quick, Easy Recipes with a Gourmet Twist.”

“I had written the ‘Omega 3 Cuisine’ cookbook,” the Monument author said. “I asked the publisher if they had another project. They suggested a cookbook for vegan recipes that could be done in five minutes.”

Roettinger accepted the job but faced a challenge: He didn’t like to rush his cooking — and he wasn’t a vegan.

“My motive for cooking has always been to create something extraordinary, something that thrills and delights the palate,” he said. “As I started working on recipes for this book, I decided to try a vegan diet for a while. My cholesterol went from 289 to 208 in three months, and then to 130 in another three months.

“I had so much energy and felt so good that I haven’t looked back. Everything that’s green my body loves. It says, ‘Thank you, you get it.’”

Veganism is a type of vegetarian diet that excludes animal products such as eggs and dairy foods. Some who go the vegan route are seeking the health benefits.

Here’s a recipe from Alan Roettinger, author of the forthcoming “Extraordinary Vegan:”

Napa Cabbage and Tuscan Kale Slaw

1 medium napa cabbage, thinly sliced

1 bunch Tuscan kale, ribs removed and thinly sliced

1 red pepper, cut lengthwise into thin strips

1 bunch green onions, thinly cut on a sharp diagonal

1 can coconut milk

1 cup mint, packed

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic

¼ teaspoon sea salt

3 tablespoons raw almond butter

1 fresh green chile, seeded and finely diced (optional)

Combine the cabbage, kale, red pepper, and half the green onions in a large bowl. Put the coconut milk, mint, lime juice, ginger, garlic, and salt in a blender. Process for about 1 minute, or until smooth. Add the almond butter and process until thoroughly combined. Pour over the vegetables in the bowl. Toss thoroughly. Divide among 4 plates. Top with the diced chiles, if using, and the remaining green onions. Serve immediately.