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Cooking General

Eat More Plants

Over 100 Anti-Inflammatory, Plant-Based Recipes for Vibrant Living: A Cookbook

by (author) Desiree Nielsen

Publisher
Penguin Group Canada
Initial publish date
Aug 2019
Category
General, Vegan, Quick & Easy
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9780735235717
    Publish Date
    Aug 2019
    List Price
    $32.00

Classroom Resources

Where to buy it

Description

National Bestseller
Restore and energize your health with this stunning collection of plant-based recipes chock-full of powerful, anti-inflammatory foods that heal.

Revolutionize your approach to a healthy diet with the power of plant-based foods and follow one simple rule--eat more plants. Whether you are vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, or meat-eater, we can all benefit from eating more plants for vibrant living. Eat More Plants shows you how to transform your diet with powerful anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense plants, and to create delicious meals to support your immune system, gut health, fight disease, reduce stress, and restore balance.

In Eat More Plants, registered dietitian Desiree Nielsen shows you a myriad of ways to add the most healthful gluten-free, plant-based foods to every meal. Packed with more than 100 anti-inflammatory recipes to meet the demands of modern life, including Blackberry Ginger Muffins, Edamame Hula Bowl with Almond Miso Sauce, Socca Pizza with Zucchini, Olives, and Basil, Creamy Pasta with Smoked Tofu and Kale, Green Machine Burgers, Tahini Date Shakes, Pineapple Ginger Cream Tart, and Cocoa Cherry Brownies. Along with expert advice on understanding inflammation and the power of plants, the book includes a 21-day meal plan to help you eat more plants!

About the author

Desiree Nielsen is a registered dietitian who blogs at desireerd.com. She has been recognized by Dietitians of Canada as a leader in nutrition and business and has appeared on various television shows as a consultant or expert. She is regularly quoted in Canadian Living, Chatelaine, Flare, Glow, Best Health, and Fresh Juice magazines. She’s also the spokesperson for Nature’s Path cereals and Bio-K+ products. She resides in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Desiree Nielsen's profile page

Awards

  • Winner, Taste Canada Awards - Health and Special Diet Cookbooks

Excerpt: Eat More Plants: Over 100 Anti-Inflammatory, Plant-Based Recipes for Vibrant Living: A Cookbook (by (author) Desiree Nielsen)

I really like to eat. I also like to cook, so I can eat the food I enjoy the most— healthy, energizing, and so delicious that there is no talk of compromise.
I have been a vegetarian for twenty years. I wish I could say I had noble intentions around making the change, but really, I did it to impress a boy I liked! True story. It is funny how life works; that short-lived teenage crush was the origin of a transformative shift for me. Becoming vegetarian led to a lifelong love of mindfulness, yoga, and of course, nutrition. Back then, I thought mac and cheese was the height of sophistication and health. Vegetarian eating meant no meat, but that did not necessarily equate to eating many whole plant foods.
Shortly after I became vegetarian, I tried a brief and somewhat disastrous stint with totally plant-based eating that left me hungry because I did not really know how to craft a nutritious plant-based meal. But times have changed. I am now a plant-based eater, but I did not get here overnight. It was a slow transition that felt positive and joyful at every step. Moving toward a more plant-based, anti-inflammatory eating plan is probably one of the most transformative actions you can take for your health. It will help you feel more energized and resilient in your everyday life. It will also help you prevent chronic illness and support you in healing.
It takes time to unlearn the hyper-processed eating pattern that is so common in our world. When you break rank with the status quo and dip your toe into plant-based living, it might feel foreign. It might even taste foreign (which is ironic, since by definition artificial sweeteners and colours are the foreign ingredients). However, when you explore it with a sense of play—free of absolutes—you will discover that this plant stuff is actually delicious. Of course, it is all in the approach. Go ahead and add a bit of extra salt or maple syrup to your meal if you need it to help you transition your taste buds. Have fun exploring plant-based versions of your favourite meals. Do not force yourself to eat foods you hate or attempt to cook tofu for the first time without a recipe, or you may think this healthy eating stuff isn’t worth the price of admission.
By putting this book in your hands, you are on the right track. When you cook and eat these recipes, you may feel a bit peppier and want to feel that way again. It does not matter if you want nachos on a Friday night (and I have a queso recipe to help with that!). Just eat plants the rest of the time.

Just Eat More Plants

There are few absolutes in nutrition, but every single one of us can benefit from eating more plants. Regardless of how you choose to eat, this is the one rule we all need to live by. If you love bacon, have a little less and be sure to eat more plants. If you eat a vegan diet, watch the cookies and be sure to eat more plants.
Although the dietary tribes will not always admit this, what they have in common is plants. A truly Paleo plate? A little bit of animal protein and 75 percent plants. A whole food vegan diet? All plants. Even ketogenic diets, when done well, can include many low-carbohydrate plants.
Life demands more from us than ever before. Stress, poor food choices, and inactivity are all too common, and they are saddling us with chronic inflammatory issues like metabolic syndrome, digestive trouble, and autoimmunity. Food is often a big part of our ills . . . and anti-inflammatory, plant-based eating is a big part of the solution. However, what that looks like for you is your decision.
If you want to go fully plant-based, good on you. I am all for it! It is an incredible way to live, and I have a chapter that will help guide you through the transition. However, if you cannot imagine a life without a burger, do not think that a plant-centred life is not for you. The more we pile our plate with plants, the better it is for our bodies, our ecosystem, and our pocketbooks. Eat the recipes in this book as often as you can. Start slowly and see where it takes you.
Wherever you are in your wellness journey, adopting a more plant-based, anti-inflammatory diet will help you get to where you are going. Stay open-minded and be gentle with yourself, as making change is never a straight line. There is no right or wrong here. Have fun in the kitchen and enjoy what you eat! I am honoured that you have chosen this book to help you eat more plants.

Vibrant Living
True wellness, particularly when your intention is to calm inflammation, is a way of living as much as it is a way of eating. The thoughts we think and the way we move our bodies have just as much of an impact as how we choose to eat. As you explore preparing more anti-inflammatory meals for yourself, consider how the following principles can help guide you in building a truly vibrant life.

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
There is no one right way to eat; we all need to find the way of eating that helps us feel our best. You can do that by observing how the food you eat makes you feel: physically, emotionally, and psychologically.

GET PLANT POWERED
Plant-based foods are nature’s nutrient-dense gift to you. Eating more plants is a way of nourishing your body, respecting the impact that your food choices have on others, and treading more lightly on the planet.

PRACTISE SELF-LOVE
Perfection is a myth; be gentle with your intentions to eat well and give yourself the flexibility to choose foods that nourish your soul as well as your body. There is no right or wrong. Work toward disconnecting your self-worth from your food choices. At the end of the day, it is just food.

EMBRACE AN ATTITUDE OF MORE, NOT LESS
Focusing on eating less, or choosing certain foods less often, leads to a sense of deprivation, loss, and anxiety. Instead, focus on what to do more often. Eat more plants. Drink more water. Cook more often. Make eating well a positive, joyful process.

CREATE SPACE FOR CHANGE
Making change takes effort. Create the space in your life to allow it to happen. Release commitments that are not important to you so you can shop and cook. Spend time moving your body. Carve out time for stillness and be mindful. Unplug from your screens daily and let your mind wander and be at rest. Make sleep a priority.

KEEP IT SIMPLE
Choose single-ingredient foods more often—eat real food, not hyper-processed approximations of it. Instead of ordering takeout, get your hands dirty in the kitchen. Reconnect to where your food comes from and grow something on a windowsill or patio or in your backyard. Spend as much time outside as humanly possible and breathe deeply.
FIND YOUR INNER STRENGTH
Your body has the remarkable capacity to repair and rebuild. This ability is sewn into your DNA and is an integral component of life itself. Know that no matter where you are starting from, you can support your body in healing and find a new vitality. Nourishing yourself well will help you tap into your potential in other aspects of your life with a newfound energy

Editorial Reviews

GOLD WINNER of Taste Canada Awards 2020 in Health and Special Diets Cookbooks
A Globe and Mail Bestseller

Praise for Eat More Plants:
“I've experienced the amazing benefits of a plant-based diet first hand. Eat More Plants is packed with illuminating health information and mouthwatering recipes that will encourage you to add more plants to your diet and enjoy doing so at the same time!"
—Angela Liddon, New York Times bestselling author of The Oh She Glows Cookbook and Oh She Glows Every Day

“Every single person on the planet can benefit from eating more plants. Doing so deliciously can be a challenge if you're not creative in the kitchen, but not with Desiree's nourishing and filling recipes. I can't wait to make the Lebanese Turmeric Cake!”
—Joy McCarthy, CNP and bestselling author of Joyous Health and Joyous Detox
"In this vivid collection of recipes, Desiree shows you how to enjoy life while also feeling your absolute best. Each dish is naturally delicious, beautiful, and satisfying, but also magically anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense, totally plant-based, and energizing too.
—Laura Wright, award-winning blogger and author of The First Mess Cookbook
“Desiree Nielsen is deeply knowledgeable about plant-based nutrition and skilled at creating unique, accessible recipes. With this gem of book in-hand, I know my family will definitely eat more plants!”
—Leah Garrad-Cole, author of It All Begins with Food
“Desiree's recipes tick all the boxes: nutritious, beautiful, and plant-based. Her stunning new cookbook will absolutely become a staple in my kitchen!
—Erin Ireland, Founder of ItsToDieFor.ca and It’s to Die for Fine Foods
“[Nielsen’s recipes] have got our stomachs grumbling . . . From an inflammation-fighting latte to a delightful green macaroni, eating healthy (and vegan) has never tasted better.”
The Loop

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