Month: May 2011

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Chickpea Soup for the Soul

This is a food blog, not a life blog.  I try very hard to keep this a positive space and to maintain some separation between my life and what I post here.  Although I will use a personal story or anecdote to lead into a recipe sometimes, this is not a space where I air my private feelings.  And while I don’t plan to start now, I will say that I’m aware of the idea that food bloggers’ lives are perfect and we all live in a storybook land of sun-filled kitchens and dreamy apple pie aromas.  Not so.  I’m a real person with feelings, and I hit rough patches like everyone else.  I was recently on the receiving end of some very hurtful remarks and while I’m trying to bounce back, it’s not easy.

I’ve never been a “comfort food” person.  In fact, if you were to ask me what my personal “comfort food” is… well, I don’t actually know.  I’m not one to drown my sorrows in a bowl of mac ‘n cheese or a pint of ice cream.  If I’m upset you’re far more likely to find me at the mall (holla back, DSW!).  But I do know that in times of trouble, it’s especially important to take care of yourself.  My Chickpea Soup for the Soul is a great way to start the healing process.  It’s full of nutrients and fiber, with a great protein hit from the chickpeas.  Because when we’re at our lowest points, that’s when we’re most in need of good nutrition.  After all, we need to be strong so we can stand up for ourselves.

Food is just food.  It’s not a hug or a friend.  Fortunately for me, I have hugs and friends aplenty, and I’ll be fine in the end.  In the meantime, I’m being kind to myself by giving myself chickpeas and leafy greens.  Not because they’re comforting, but because they’re giving me fuel while I try to shake it off, smile, and get back to the business of being my best self.

Chickpea Soup for the Soul

4 stalks celery
3 carrots
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallot (optional)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon Better Than Boullion vegetable base*
1 cup vegetable stock
4 cups water
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
3 cups chopped kale
salt and pepper to taste

  • Prep celery and carrots: thinly slice celery, peel and dice carrots.
  • Heat olive oil in large stockpot until shimmering.  Add celery and carrots and shallots (if using), stir to coat, and saute briefly until veggies are beginning to soften.  Sprinkle with thyme and stir well.
  • Add broth, water and vegetable base.  Simmer all together for 15 minutes.
  • Add chickpeas and kale.  Stir to wilt kale and simmer soup together for 15 more minutes.  Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary (you probably won’t need salt because the vegetable base is salty, but you may want some pepper).

*If you don’t have Better Than Boullion vegetable base, you can substitute 5 cups of vegetable broth instead of 1 cup of vegetable broth, 4 cups of water and the vegetable base.  I just did it this way because I only had 1 cup of vegetable broth in the house!  But you can feel free to sub some or all of the water.

Source: Covered In Flour

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Veg Load Your Life

If there’s one thing I think we should all be doing, it’s eating more… more fruits and vegetables, that is.  Produce should be the cornerstone of our diets, and the vast majority of our food should be whole fruits and veggies in as close to their natural states as possible.  I think you’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t think that veggies and fruits are healthy, or who thinks that we shouldn’t be eating them.  But often we load up on processed carbs, sugar, and meat instead of nutritious and satisfying veg. 

Why do we do this?  Well, it’s my personal belief that we have evolved to prefer higher energy (read: calorie dense and sugary) foods because our ancestors needed to load up on those foods when they were available, to sustain them during famine times.  Of course, most of us don’t experience famine anymore.  Still, many of us are socially conditioned to crave things like bread, steak, cupcakes and pasta with meat sauce… because that’s what we grew up eating.  The good news is, we can retrain our bodies to crave nutrient-dense (not calorie-dense) foods like fresh veg and fruit.  And the even better news is that nutrient-dense foods are often lighter, low-calorie options… so we can eat MORE of them in one sitting.  More crunchy raw veggies, more fresh greens, more fruits?  Awwwww, yeah.

Still, for many, it’s hard to get their full daily allotment of veggies.  Maybe people don’t think about veggies, or they don’t believe they like them, or they think produce is too expensive… but for whatever reason, many of us aren’t eating enough fruits and veggies.  We’re filling up on meat and processed garbage instead of the foods Mama Earth always intended for us.  If this is you, and you know you need to get more veg into your diet, here are some tips and tricks:

  • Drink your veg.  Fresh vegetable juices made in a juicer or high-speed blender (like a VitaMix) are full of nutrients – and fiber too, if you use a blender instead of a juicer.  I’d advocate using both and alternating, because sometimes your body needs a little break from fiber, even though it’s usually great.  And don’t overlook the justiably popular smoothie option!  I love to make myself a protein smoothie for breakfast and include a couple of handfuls of spinach.  I know, it sounds scary – but the spinach doesn’t alter the taste of the smoothie one bit (it’s far too mild in flavor) – so trust me, it tastes good and knocks off a couple of servings of veg right there.  A great resource for green smoothie recipes is The Green Monster Movement.
  • Salad it up!  Pack yourself a gigantic salad for lunch.  Throw together a few cups of a nutrient-dense green (like spinach, massaged kale, or baby romaine) with chopped raw veggies from your crisper drawer – mine is overflowing at the moment, so a salad may be on the menu for lunch! – and top with beans, smoked tofu, seeds, or even your leftover dinner (have you ever tried veggie chili over greens?).  You’ll get several servings of vegetables in and if you include some protein and healthy fats, it will keep you going all afternoon.
  • Load up your sandwiches.  If you’re not feeling a salad for lunch and you really want a sandwich, you can still pile the veg on.  Load your sandwich up with greens (like romaine hearts, my fav!), sprouts (unless my hubby eats them all), tomato slices, crunchy cukes… the possibilities are endless.  And that turkey and cheese sandwich will pack a healthy load of fiber and nutrients that you otherwise wouldn’t have gotten.
  • Get fruity.  Maybe it’s the kid in me, but one thing I absolutely cannot resist is fruit salad.  Seriously, I love that stuff like I love my pillow.  Now that I’m a grown-up, I control the grocery list and as a result, I have fruit salad several times a week.  Mind you, I’m not talking about the sugary, syrupy stuff from the can.  I’m talking about fresh mango, melon, berries, and citrus that you buy whole at the grocery store and chop up yourself.  Yes, it’s a little more work, but it’s so worth it.  Many mornings, if I’m not having a protein smoothie (see above), I’ll start my day with a simple fruit salad of sliced banana, orange, and whatever other fruit I have in the house (usually strawberries, mango or grapes).  I pack it up and eat it at my desk at work – it’s a great way to show myself a little self-love at the start of a long day.  And even though I know I’m knocking off a good chunk of my fruit requirements for the day, I feel like I’m getting a treat.  Win-win.  Win.
  • Doctor up your soups.  While I think homemade soup is da bomb diggity (’90s flashback, holla!), sometimes you just don’t have time for that.  But it doesn’t mean you can’t make canned soup healthier.  In a pinch, I love Amy’s lentil soup, which I bulk up by sauteeing onion, carrots and celery, and sometimes corn, in the pan before I add the soup.  And if you do have some extra time, a big pot of veggie stock or soup, minestrone, or Tuscan ribollita is a great way to use up veggies that might otherwise go sad and limp in your fridge.
  • Vegify your pasta night.  Spaghetti with marinara sauce – cheap and easy dinner, right?  Well, here’s a way to dial it up: grate up a bunch of veg (like carrots and zucchini) and add them right into your sauce.  They’ll cook through and you’ll have a tasty, nutrient rich, fiberrific dinner.  Or whip up a batch of Roasted Vegetable Pasta Sauce – you’ll use up your veggie stash and have an intensely flavorful meal.
  • Freeze your assets.  If cash is your concern, you can still get your veg allotment in the form of frozen veg.  Those bags in the freezer aisle are often cheaper than the produce section, and here’s a little secret – most of the time, they’re fresher, too!  Instead of making the long trip on trucks and languishing in piles in the produce section, these veg are frozen right at their peak of ripeness and flavor.  They can be more convenient, too – why waste your time shelling peas when you can buy those tasty nuggets right out of the freezer case?  So if time or cost is your concern, head straight for the freezer section and load up there.  You’ll have reserves for sauces, soups, and stir-fries, all on a (yummy) budget.
  • Invest.  Time, that is.  Here’s an example: I love to crunch on things.  I know that when I am overwhelmed, I am going to want to chomp down on something crisp.  I could eat pretzels and chips… or I could eat cucumber rounds, sliced green peppers (my absolute favorite!) and carrot sticks.  But let’s face it – crunchy veg are not convenient.  They require time to cut them up and wash the knife and cutting board.  Still, I promise, if you put that time in up front (say, after you get home from your weekly grocery run), you will reap the benefits in the form of a big Pyrex container full of crunchy chopped fresh veg.  Maybe I’m seven years old, but snacking on veggies is infinitely more appealing when they are cut up for me and kept in a pretty glass container in my fridge.  And yes, they lose some nutrients from being cut up and stored in the fridge, but better to eat fresh veggies with slightly fewer nutrients than to eat potato chips (which are not veggies, and I don’t care what your little brother says).
  • Get inspired.  Grow a garden.  Visit the farmers market and ogle the piles of leeks.  Pour over cookbooks and foodie blogs.  Watch Giada eat a gorgeous salad on Food Network.  Keep putting yourself in the position where you enjoy veggies, and I promise you will start to crave them.

Nota Baker: I’m not a nutritionist or dietician.  I’m just a regular girl who loves veggies.  Please don’t take my words as Gospel truth.  Talk to your doctor!

Have you gone from veg-hater to can’t-get-enough-green?  Share your tips and tricks for veg loading your diet!

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Tamari Chickpeas

Chickpeas are one of my favorite vegetarian power foods.  They are loaded with protein and fiber and they soak up whatever flavorings you cook them in.  Versatile, delicious, and healthy – who could ask for more?  This dish combines two of my favorite things – tamari and chickpeas.  Holy Yum.  I love to bake it up and serve it as a finger food for little parties, but it would also be great over salads or stews, or even mashed roughly and spread on crostini.  Hmmmm… I think I know what I’ll be doing with the leftovers…

Tamari Chickpeas

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup tamari
pinch sea salt
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon dried thyme

  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a small casserole dish, mix together all ingredients except thyme, until well combined.
  • Bake for 25 minutes.
  • Remove and allow to cool slightly.  Mix in dried thyme.  Serve as a snack bite or sprinkle over salads, soups or stews.

Source: Adapted from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan by Dreena Burton

  • Drain off remaining liquid
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“Forks Over Knives”

Yesterday hubby and I had a special date: a trip to the movie theater to see Forks Over Knives.  I’d been waiting for months to see it, and hubby very nicely agreed to go with me.  For those who don’t know, Forks Over Knives is a documentary that describes how several doctors and scientists are spreading the word about the health benefits of a whole foods, plant-based diet.  The film’s tagline is: “WARNING: THIS MOVIE COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE.”  And it could.  It really could.

The film focuses primarily on Dr. T. Colin Campbell, who conducted the groundbreaking China Study and consolidated his findings into an absolutely eye-opening book, and his good friend, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a former heart surgeon who has achieved stunning results for a group of patients by placing them on a whole foods, plant-based diet.  Dr. Campbell and Dr. Esselstyn describe their backgrounds growing up on farms and their gradual awakening to an understanding of the importance of eating plants.  Both visionaries explain the fundamentals and results of their groundbreaking studies in a way that makes the science easy for the audience to understand.

The sciency parts of the film were interspersed with more personal segments following the filmmaker and two “guinea pigs” who tried a plant-based diet and got some spectacular results.  I loved seeing these people go from simply existing to living vibrant, healthy lives with the help of veggies.  And there were quick scenes focused on a few veggie role models – a vegan martial artist who described the great effect eating a plant-based diet has had on his training (shorter recovery times, which I learned about in Thrive) and Dr. Esselstyn’s son, Rip Esselstyn – triathlete, firefighter, and author of The Engine 2 Diet, the book that proves that real men eat plants.  Oh, and Rip chanted that mantra over and over while climbing up a fireman’s pole without using his legs.  No big deal.

After the film ended, hubby and I couldn’t stop talking about it. A few of our major takeaways:

  • One thing that has disturbed me for quite some time, and continues to disturb me, is the resistance shown to the plant-based life by the medical establishment, government, and even NGOs.  One of the “guinea pigs” who tried a plant-based diet under Dr. Esselstyn’s guidance relayed a conversation with her “regular diabetes doctor,” who was horrified by the diet and literally said, “What is this guy trying to do, take you off all your meds?”  Um, YES!  The movie mentioned, but did not linger on, the extent to which both Dr. Campbell and Dr. Esselstyn were marginalized by the research (Campbell) and medical (Esselstyn) establishments.  As the movie explained, there’s no money in healthy people, and there’s no money in dead people.  The money is in the middle: in sick people.  It’s in the interest of Big Pharmaceutical to keep America sick and dependent on drugs.  Yeah, no thanks.  I’ll take a carrot instead.  (I do think there are doctors out there who are truly interested in promoting health – my doctor is extremely supportive of my vegetarian diet.  But the odds are against them.  We need to change the system.)
  • Hubby was appalled at what he learned about dairy.  After learning about the connections Dr. Campbell found between casein (the major protein in dairy) and cancer, hubby has expressed a desire to cut way back on dairy.  We’ve agreed that while we will still enjoy eggs and very good cheese on a very infrequent, “special treat” basis, we’re going to see if we can do without milk, yogurt and mediocre cheese.  I’m not much of a milk drinker myself, but hubby likes his cereal in the morning.  So we added a variety of non-dairy milks to our grocery cart this week for hubby to sample.  (I’m a soymilk person because I love the protein content, but hubby is more interested in the texture and taste with his cereal, so he picked up a few varieties of almond and oat milk to start.  You should see our pantry.  It looks like a hippie convention.)
  • The film’s explanation of The China Study – its background, hypotheses, and findings – was particularly well done.  I’ve read the book several times and never fail to learn something.  But I thought the film did a wonderful job of distilling the mind-boggling amount of data into main points.  The difference between traditional “Eastern” diets – of mostly rice and vegetables – and the Western or “Standard American Diet” – of meat, dairy, refined carbs and sugar – was stark.  The movie illustrated the major data with graphs and diagrams and really made the study very easy to comprehend.  As a result, it was impossible not to see the truth: in rural China, where little to no meat is consumed, the rates of Western diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes are virtually nonexistent.  It’s clear that we can take control of our health by moving to a whole foods, plant-based diet.  I was really inspired by this (information I already knew!  It never hurts to see/hear it again…).  Since seeing the film, I’ve had three meals.  Two of them have been fabulous, filling salads packed with fiber and nutrients.  I already ate fairly clean, but now I am more motivated than ever to cut things like crackers and pretzels out of my diet and substitute crunchy raw veg and sweet fruit.

Hubby and I both enjoyed Forks Over Knives.  I found it incredibly motivating and validating of my lifestyle choices and left the theater with a huge smile on my face and a renewed commitment to seeking health in every aspect of my life.  Hubby was motivated as well and also reported that he learned a great deal.  If you haven’t seen it, go!  The warning is true: Forks Over Knives really might save lives.

Did you see Forks Over Knives?  What did you think?

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Tofu Curry with Soba Noodles

One of the best things about being a vegetarian, for me, is how easy dinner is these days – and often, how fast.  Of course, I’m not saying you have to be a vegetarian to make fast meals.  Rachael Ray would have my head on a platter (roasted up in under 30 minutes!) if I tried to claim that.  And perhaps it wouldn’t make any difference to a more organized, less forgetful person.  But for me, as an omnivore, I can’t count how many times I forgot to defrost the chicken or salmon for dinner, only to come home and stare at a pantry that was jammed full but lacking in concrete dinner ideas for me.  Being vegetarian has removed defrosting from the equation.  Tofu and tempeh don’t need to be frozen – they can chill in my fridge (pardon the pun) until I’m ready for them.  And if I’m not in a soy mood, there are always canned beans in my pantry.  These days, even if I come home and I’m not feeling whatever was on my meal plan, I know dinner is not far away and I have ample options at my fingertips.

This one-pot meal is a perfect example of that.  I had planned on coconut milk-braised tofu with soybeans over brown rice for dinner.  Well, I got home after a hectic Monday and I had the same problem that I often have when rice is on the menu – I was hungry now, not 45 minutes from now.  I also wasn’t really in the mood for soybeans, although tofu still sounded good.  Two quick swaps – soba for rice and peas for soybeans – and I was in business.  Dinner was on the table 20 minutes later and hubby and I were two happy people.  More importantly, perhaps, we were two people who didn’t eat six servings of cheese because dinner was an hour away.  I really can’t complain about that.

Tofu Curry with Soba Noodles

1 block extra-firm tofu, cubed
1 can light coconut milk
1/2 bag frozen peas
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes in juice
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon sweet curry powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 handful soba noodles

  • In a large cast-iron pot, heat coconut milk over medium-high heat.  Stir in tofu, peas, tomatoes and seasonings and allow mixture to come to a boil.
  • Break soba noodles in half and stir into curry.  Allow entire dish to cook together for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  (Don’t ignore it, or it will stick to the bottom of the pan!  Don’t be like me!)
  • Serve in small bowls.

Source: Adapted from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, by Mark Bittman

Nota Baker: You can totally omit the soba noodles here if you are going for something less pan-Asian and more traditional Indian.  This curry would be delicious served over brown or basmati rice.  However, the soba noodles are much faster than rice and they make it a one-pot meal.  Good stuff on a weekday, in my opinion!

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Sweet Potato Biscuits

I don’t really know anything about horse racing.  I grew up not far from Saratoga Springs, NY, and we used to go to the track from time to time during racing season.  I never won anything.  (My refined technique of picking the prettiest horse never worked.  I wonder why?)  These days, I am one of the millions of people who only tune into the racing world on Derby Day, or for the Belmont if there is a chance that a horse might win the Triple Crown.  I know who Calvin Borel is, but he’s the only jockey I can name.  It’s safe to say that horse racing is not my sport – although I do love the hats, the roses and the green grass at Churchill Downs.  But if you want to hear me talk intelligently about a sport, ask me about ice hockey, not horse racing.

One thing I do know about, though, is baking.  Different people may disagree on what is necessary for Derby Day.  Some can’t do without Derby Pie; some think the day is incomplete without spiced pecans.  (I think we’d all agree on Mint Juleps, though.)  I personally must have sweet potato biscuits.  You can make these all year ’round, although I think they would also do very nicely for a Southern Thanksgiving celebration.  But I need them on Derby Day.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 tablespoons Earth Balance (or butter)
1 can sweet potatoes in syrup
1/2 cup soymilk (or buttermilk)

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the Earth Balance (it must be cold) and “cut it in” using a pastry cutter or two knives.  Work the Earth Balance until the pieces are the size of small peas.  Set aside.
  • Drain the canned sweet potatoes, but not too enthusiastically.  (A little syrup left really adds to the flavor!)  Mash with a fork.  Mix in the soymilk and stir until the soymilk and sweet potatoes are smooth.  Add wet ingredients to dry and mix with hands until dough comes together in a rough/sticky ball.
  • Roll dough or simply pat it into a disk of about 1 inch height.  (It’s so soft that you don’t really need a rolling pin unless, say, you have a lavender silicone French rolling pin that is super cute and you love to use it…)  Using a round biscuit cutter or a small glass (I went with a cordial glass I had lying around, because I actually don’t have a biscuit cutter) cut rounds and place on a silicone- or parchment-lined baking sheet.  Pat the dough scraps back into another disk and continue cutting biscuits and reshaping dough until all the dough is used up.
  • Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly and serve with…

Maple Butter

1/2 cup Earth Balance, softened or spreadable
2-3 tablespoons maple syrup

  • Using a fork, mix the Earth Balance vigorously with the maple syrup until they form a whipped consistency.  Serve in a cute bowl alongside the biscuits.

Source: Adapted from TheKitchn

Psst!  I have a secret for you – these biscuits and the maple “butter” are completely vegan!  You can always make them non-vegan by using butter instead of Earth Balance and buttermilk instead of soymilk, but I really encourage you to try the vegan version.  No one will ever guess that they are vegan – and they will be amazed when you tell them.

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Cucumber Coolers

If I ever decide to open a spa (instead of a wine bar like I’m currently planning), I’m going to serve these Cucumber Coolers to my clients.  They look and taste like refreshing cocktails, but there’s nothing in them except for whole fruits and veg.  Crisp and clean – does it get better than that?

Cucumber Coolers

1 cup water
1/2 cup mint leaves, packed
1 apple, peeled
1 English cucumber, cut into large chunks
juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon (to taste)
1 cup ice

  • Combine all ingredients, in the above order and starting with the juice of just 1/2 lemon, in VitaMix or ohter high speed blender.  Process until smooth.  Taste and decide if you need to add more lemon juice.  Serve garnished with cucumber rounds.

Source: Covered In Flour

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Potato-Leek Frittata

It took me awhile to come around to frittatas, but I have to admit: they might be the perfect brunch food.  They are savory and flavorful at their best, accommodate endless variations, and are delicious at every temperature.  This is the quintessential spring frittata: potatoes, leeks, and well-seasoned eggs that come together in a dish where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  It’s easy, fairly quick, and practically a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.  What better dish to serve on a lazy Sunday morning in spring?

Potato-Leek Frittata

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, cleaned and sliced (white and light green parts only)
2 russet potatoes, cleaned and thinly sliced
6 eggs
2 tablespoons skim milk
pinch salt and pepper
minced chives or freeze-dried chives (optional)

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan.  Add leeks and season with salt.  Saute until leeks are beginning to soften.
  • Arrange potato slices over leeks in concentric circles.
  • Meanwhile, beat together eggs, milk, salt and pepper.  Pour egg mixture over potatoes and jiggle pan until egg mixture fills in all crevices.  Cook until sides are just beginning to set.  Transfer to oven.
  • Bake 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.  Remove to a serving platter and garnish with chives if desired.  Serve hot, at room temperature, or cool.

Source: Covered In Flour

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Books for the Veg-Curious

When I told you all about my vegetarian journey, I teased that I had spent a lot of time reading books (both nutrition books and cookbooks) that helped me along the way.  I thought you might want to know which books I found to be particularly useful or interesting.  There are other vegetarian booklists floating around the Internetz and mine is pretty similar to those, but that’s because these books are good.  I refer back to them regularly, to clarify a point or to help me stay motivated, and of course I’ve got my nose in these cookbooks on a weekly basis.

Nota Baker: For clarification purposes, none of these books were given to me for free (except for one that was a birthday gift from my lovely mother-in-law, who is not affiliated with anyone in the publishing world).  I paid for each of them with my own money and I’m recommending them because I like them.  Also, I am linking to Amazon for convenience, but I am not an Amazon affiliate, I don’t care if you order from Amazon or by clicking the link I give you, and I think it would be pretty rock ‘n roll if you supported your local bookstore if you feel like purchasing a book on my list (or any other book for that matter).

Vegetarian Nutrition and Ethics

The China Study by Dr. T. Colin Campbell: This granddaddy of vegetarian nutrition books was the first book I picked up when I was considering trying a vegetarian diet, and it was nothing if not eye-opening.  Dr. Campbell, a respected researcher (and Cornell professor emeritus, Go Big Red!) shares his magnum opus, a study of the occurrence of Western diseases in numerous Chinese rural counties.  What Dr. Campbell discovered was that Western diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, obesity and many more were all but nonexistent in the rural parts of China where people ate almost no animal products.  Chinese-Americans, who shared the genetic makeup of the subjects of the China Study, showed no such results, indicating that the prevalence of these diseases is attributable to lifestyle (and specifically to the Standard American Diet) to a large degree.  Dr. Campbell also showed, in lab animal experiments, that it was possible to “turn off cancer” by removing animal proteins from the diet.  He devoted entire chapters to discussion of the effects of diet on many “diseases of affluence” and also described his experience with big government and NGOs, which (needless to say) were not happy to see the results of his research.  It was a fascinating book, and I’m not just saying that because this research was done at my beloved alma mater.  I learned a lot about what the Standard American Diet does to our bodies (and I even read somewhere that it was The China Study that convinced Bob Harper to go vegan… not sure if that’s true, but I think it’s awesome that Bob is out there waving the veggie banner no matter what his reasons!).

Thrive by Brendan Brazier: This is the book that proves that vegans can be just as strong and bad@$$ as omnivores!  Brendan Brazier is a vegan and a professional Ironman – how awesome is that?  Brendan went vegan when he discovered that a vegan diet dramatically reduced his recovery time, allowing him to get in more workouts and improve his racing performance; today he’s the mastermind behind the Vega nutrition line.  Oh, and he’s not some stereotypical jock – this is a smart, well-researched, thoughtful book about the effects of a plant-based lifestyle on athletic performance.  Now, I’m no elite athlete – I love to run and ride my bike, but I’m not going to be winning any races – but I was interested in Brendan’s book because I wanted to learn how I could utilize my diet to give me more energy to do my normal daily activities.  Happily, Thrive can help there too.  It was from Brendan that I first grasped the concept of alkaline v. acidifying diets and understood why that was important.  He also includes some cool recipes for homemade energy and recovery drinks.

Crazy Sexy Diet by Kris Carr: Here is the new kid on the block.  Crazy Sexy Diet just came out in January and I was so excited when it finally ended up on my doorstep.  (I had to wait awhile, because it actually SOLD OUT on Amazon!)  Crazy Sexy Diet includes a lot of information about alkalizing diets that I remembered from Thrive, and it also discusses the benefits of juicing and eating a high raw diet (salad, YUM!), plus chapters on natural beauty care, stress relief, and so much more.  It’s truly a book about how to be your best self.  Kris is like your chatty girlfriend or big sister throughout, ready to guide you to a place of peace, love and veggies.  (You may know Kris’s name from her Crazy Sexy Cancer documentary and books, and while she shares a little about how changing her lifestyle helped her to rebound from a devastating cancer diagnosis and regain her health, this book is more a book for everyone, about how to prevent these diseases before they happen.)

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer: The lone vegetarian ethics book I purchased for my library, Eating Animals is about Jonathan Safran Foer’s inner exploration of the cultural reasons why we eat meat, in the face of impending parenthood.  He describes his own experience with on-again, off-again vegetarianism, discusses America’s meat-eating history, explains the environmental and public health ramifications of our addiction to meat, and even reports from deep inside a slaughterhouse.  It also includes interviews with everyone from PETA activists to beef ranchers who are trying to raise their meat humanely.  Parts of this book are extremely disturbing – the slaughterhouse scene especially was not for the faint of heart.  But it was worth reading for me and it definitely inspired me.  The book ends, not with an exhortation to the reader to become vegan because it’s the only ethical way to live, but simply with a plea to live more mindfully and to really think about our food choices.

Vegetarian and Vegan Cookbooks

How To Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman: This tome has it all.  Bittman includes hundreds of (delicious) vegetarian and vegan recipes, of course, but what I found most helpful was the introductory sections in each chapter, which explained generally how to cook different, maybe unfamiliar, vegetarian ingredients.  I owe my love of tempeh to Bittman.  And I fed his crispy tempeh to two hungry boys (the hubs and his buddy) over spaghetti and marinara sauce, and ended up with two very happy, well-fed video-game-playing machines.  But don’t just get it for the tempeh recipes.  As I am trying to branch into cooking more dried beans and legumes, I’m finding Bittman is always there with ratios and suggestions for me.  Love that guy!

Veganomicon by Isa Chanda Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero: Yum.  Yum yum yum yum yum.  Isa and Terry, the rock ‘n roll geniuses behind The Post Punk Kitchen, present a cookbook full of vegan comfort food.  This is where Tempeh Shepherdess Pie comes from.  Their recipes are warming to the tummy and the soul and they’ve been a fixture in my kitchen all winter.  I even whipped up a Veganomicon casserole for my firm’s Thanksgiving lunch (this one) and had to come home with the very bad news for hubby that it was All Gone.  These recipes are that good.

Eat, Drink & Be Vegan by Dreena Burton: Dreena Burton is a Vegan Goddess.  Her recipes are foolproof and family friendly.  I can see them being the perfect vegan recipes to serve in a house with kiddos – they are simple and nutritious but also yummy and fun.  So far, everything I’ve made from ED&BV has been a hit with the hubs, but pasta with Dreena’s “Hide The Lentils Sauce” has become a particular favorite in our house.  We have it several times a month.  In fact, I have some sauce leftover in the fridge right now…

Love Soup by Anna Thomas: Although all of the books above are good, I’ve saved for last the one that is nearest and dearest my heart.  Anna Thomas is the fairy godmother of vegetarian cooking, if you ask me.  Back in the 1970s, Anna was fed up with the bland and boring vegetarian options she was eating, so she blessed the world with The Vegetarian Epicure, a book for vegetarians who want to eat food that tastes like food.  Love Soup is her newest effort, a book entirely devoted to soups and stews and their accompaniments (there are a couple of bread, salad and dip recipes in there to round out your soup feasts, but they are not the focus of the book).  The recipes are all vegetarian and mostly vegan (and even the non-vegan ones are easily veganified).  I love soup and Anna’s are fantastic.  I know, I know, a book about soup?  But it works.

These are not the only vegetarian books and cookbooks in my library, but they are the ones I enjoy the most and learn the most from.  Of course, I’m never done learning, so if you have great recommendations, please send them my way!