For Turning Your Kitchen Into a Health Food Restaurant (No Incense Required)

PART Y IN YOUR KITCHEN THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR TURNING YOUR KITCHEN INTO A HEALTH FOOD RESTAURANT (NO INCENSE REQUIRED)

PARTYINMYPLANTS.COM @PARTYINMYPLANTS CONTENTS 1 Get Pumped for the Plant- Party In Your Kitchen 4 2 Equipment & Actions 5 3 Ingredients 18 4 Tricks Of The Trade 27 5 How to Eat Like A Professional Plant-Partier 33 6 Stock Your Bookshelf, Too 36 GET PUMPED FOR THE PLANT- PARTY IN YOUR KITCHEN

nce you start to really care about your health and happiness, it’ll be surpris- ing how much more time you start to spend in your kitchen. Forget bars, hotels, Opools, banquet halls, Chuck E Cheese’s...parties in your life start to take place primarily in your kitchen. Why? Because once it starts to really matter to you what you put into your mouth each and every day, you realize that restaurants aren’t particularly skilled in making these energy-boosting, health-supportive, digestively-friendly meals. (And if the restaurant is good at making such food, your wallet probably isn’t good with parting with all the bills required to pay for it.) Becoming more comfortable in the kitchen pretty much goes hand-in-hand with adopting a more healthy diet. And if you’re not particularly kitchen savvy, or you’re only savvy at making the unhealthy stuff, this might feel a wee bit frightening. Or overwhelming. Or even discouraging. Totally understandable! Becoming your own personal chef is a big, new role for you to take on, which is why this guide is designed to help you adjust to your new job title with ease, fun and little to no stress. Learning to feel cool, calm, collected and confident waltzing into your kitchen (or kitchenette) to whip up something that pleases both your palate AND your body is going to improve your health, happiness and waistline leaps and bounds! It’s really the #1 thing you can (and really; MUST) do in order to take your life to the next level. So let’s intro- duce you to this whole kitchen thing and let’s show you how a plant-partier loves to party in the kitchen. FYI, I’m really going to break things down here. Like maybe a little too down. So if things seem really obvious, just shout out a big fat “DUH” and move on. K?

KEEP ME IN THE LOOP! I WANT TO KNOW ALL YOUR DEETS.

PARTYINMYPLANTS.COM @PARTYINMYPLANTS [email protected] EQUIPMENT (STUFF YOU’LL USE A LOT.) AND ACTIONS (HOW YOU’LL USE THAT STUFF.)

hink back to your foreign language class Smoothies are an absolute vital part of healthy in high school. What was one of the first eating - they’re incredibly rich in nutrients, they T things you learned? (Aside from your can be superbly filling, they’re a wonderful mini- name, the homework policies and how to say meal or meal replacement if weight loss is what “may I please go to the bathroom?” in that lan- you’re after, they’re easy and they’re a simple guage.) VERBS! Right? Those action words. way to up your plant-consumption BIG TIME. Because they’re used so frequently (like in, ummm, every single sentence). And because But it’s not just smoothies you’ll be blending up. there are a few common ones that you use over Plant-partiers love to puree soups in a blender, and over and over again in each language. And, whip up mouthwatering dressings and sauces, really ‘cause, well, they’re that important. creamify puddings and, of course, make beloved banana ice cream. So, like starting Spanish 101 with verbs, I figured we’d be best starting Kitchen Party 101 with the Trust me, your high-speed actions you’ll be doing oh-so-frequently once you blender is about to become start spending more quality time in your kitchen. that one thing that you can’t live without. Maybe even more than your cell phone. Or your boy- #1 TO BLEND. friend. v. to pulverize in an electric object called a blender. > You’ll want to have… It is absolutely ESSENTIAL (yes, you read that - ESSENTIAL) for you to get a high-speed blender A BLENDER in your kitchen ASAP. Even if this means saying »»Nutribullet bye bye to HBO (I’m sure you have a friend’s »»Vitamix HBO GO login info anyway), not buying those rad new sneakers to add to your sneaker collection or skipping a few monthly pedicures in order to afford one, you’ve got to seriously prioritize getting your mitts on a great blender.

for you to get at least comfortable with a knife #2 TO CHOP, CUT, DICE, MINCE. and the different types of cuts. v. to make smaller, to separate into more manageable pieces. Doing this > You’ll want to have… requires a knife and a cutting board. Almost everything that you’ll do in the kitchen KNIVES starts with some chopping, cutting, mincing or It’ll be best for you to get a legit good “chef’s dicing of something or other. knife” (those big murder-weapon-looking knives) AND a sharp “paring knife” (those little guys that You’ll cut fruit and veggies to blend or juice (or fisherman seem to carry around). Trust me - you’ll just eat). You’ll dice veggies to throw in salads, use both: A LOT. roast for dinner or sauté for a soup. You’ll mince garlic and ginger to throw into smoothies, sauces Here are my favorites superbly sharp objects: or stews. You’ll chop nuts to throw on oatmeal »»A Paring Knife (and then chop a banana to throw on, too). »»A Chef’s Knife Option »»Another Chef’s Knife Option While nobody’s asking (or expecting) you to have »»A 3rd Chef’s Knife Option Top Chef caliber knife skills, it’ll definitely be good

A CUTTING BOARD #3 TO WASH. Because what else will you cut on? v. to rub with water, to clean the sur- face of, to rinse. THE CUTS Even though you’ll want to buy as much organic Chop: Typically means small chunks or pieces, produce as possible, you’ll still want to WASH that but could be big pieces (i.e. “chop the apple into organic produce. Just because it’s supposedly 4 pieces” - those pieces would be rather large). pesticide-free doesn’t mean it’s boogers, floor, or cough-free, you feel me? A lot of people handled that produce before it got into your possession, so you’ll want to wash off all its memories from its previous owners.

ALSO, in a bunch of fruits and veggies, dirt likes to hide out in secret places. Like kale. Kale can be really “sandy.” If you don’t wash it, your smoothies Dice: Really small pieces. and salads will taste like you brought them to the beach and sprinkled some sand into them.

So wash everything!

Except for anything with super thick peels that you won’t be eating (obviously). Like:

»»avocados »»pineapple Mince: Teeny tiny pieces, pieces so small you »»bananas »»watermelon can’t even see that they’re pieces. > What you’ll want to have… A COLANDER Use to rinse chunky things like pasta, peas, and broccoli.

FINE MESH STRAINER Use to rinse smaller things like quinoa.

#4 BOIL/STEAM. ...nice if you don’t like v. to use high heat to bring water to a boil and to then cook food within that eating a salad bowl full boiling water or using the hot steam of wet soggy lettuce that comes off the top of the boiling water to heat the food. This simple, stress-free, effective cooking method A SALAD SPINNER is used a lot - for just those reasons. Boiling is This isn’t required, but it’s great extra credit. Think pretty much a hands-off approach to cooking, of it like a blow dryer for your hair. I mean, your and is thus really easy to do. I mean, why do you hair can dry fine without it, but it’s going to take think the infamous joke in every rom com ever is much longer, and make your shirt awfully wet in that the sexy but not kitchen savvy character can the process. Same with greens. A salad spinner only cook pasta (or oatmeal)?! Cause ANYONE essentially takes the greens that are all wet from can do it. Maybe even your dog. when you dosed them in water, and whips them around really fast to essentially “spin” off all the You’ll be boiling things like quinoa, pasta, oatmeal, water and make them perfectly dry and clean for beans, frozen veggies and soups on the reg. your salads. (Which is nice if you don’t like eating a salad bowl full of wet soggy lettuce.) You’ll be steaming things like greens (i.e.. kale and spinach) and root veggies (like sweet potatoes and squashes).

To boil something: you either add that “something” to a pot of water, put it on the stove, turn up the heat, and watch until the water in the pot starts to bubble, then turn down the heat a bit so it keeps bubbling but doesn’t bubble too hard and bubbles over or add that “something” to a pot that already has water boiling in it and let it bubble a bit for a bit.

To steam something, you’ll want to use a steamer basket, which is a ridiculously cheap piece of kitchen equipment.

> What you’ll want to have… A STEAMER BASKET This simple, stress-free, To use a steamer basket, you’ll open it up and effective cooking method is used put it in a pot. You’ll then add some water to a pot a lot - for just those reasons - enough so it’s just about coming through the basket (often you’ll need to add too much and then pour some out to get the optimal amount). You’ll turn the stove onto high heat, and once you hear the water boiling and you see steam liter- A BIG POT ally wafting up through the holes in the steamer To boil pasta and make chilis and soups. basket, you add your veggie, secure the lid on the pot and let the steam soften that veggie. A SMALL POT (AKA SAUCEPAN) To boil things like oatmeal, sides of quinoa, and small portions of pasta and veggies.

to making veggies actually taste....good. (Roasting #5 SAUTE. also rocks - we’ll get to that in a sec.) v. to cook in a pan, often using oil for flavor and non-stickage purposes. You’ll be sautéing things like greens, onions, proteins (tempeh, tofu, fish? eggs?) to make them To soften or firm up a food (or foods) taste so much less blah and so much more “voila!” using medium to high heat. Unlike boiling/steaming, sautéing requires a bit To sauté, all’s you’ll do is take a sauté pan (clev- more hands-on attention. This is one stove-cook- erly named, huh?), add that splash of oil, heat it ing method that has its own special tool. Spatulas up, toss the cut, chopped, diced or mined veg- are your sautéing best friends. gies or proteins with a pinch of salt and crunches of pepper into the pan, and use that spatula to Real cooks sauté quite a bit, as it really makes move everything around frequently so it cooks things deee-lish. Using a splash of olive or coco- evenly. Prettty simple. nut oil, a pinch of salt and a few crunches of pepper to add flavor to while also drawing flavor > What you’ll want to have… OUT from foods is really the not-so-secret-secret

A LARGE SAUTE PAN (AKA 14” SKILLET) For sautéing large batches of things! (Can double as a pancake A FEW GOOD SPATULAS making pan.) UNREFINED COCONUT A SMALL SAUTE PAN OIL & EXTRA VIRGIN (AKA 7” OR 8” SKILLET) OLIVE OIL For sautéing small The 2 best oils for batches of things. sautéing - they don’t become toxic or harmful when heated really high.

just involves heating a batter that already has oil #6 ROAST/TOAST (or a fat) WITHIN it. v. to make crunchy or crispy using really high, dry heat. This can take So all you do to “roast” is take your ingredient(s), place in a toaster, and oven or a, what- season them with a sauce, oil, herbs, salt and tya know: toaster oven. pepper, etc. spread onto a baking sheet (yes, it’s called a “baking sheet” not “roasting sheet” - Roasting and toasting is your healthy replace- roasting sure got the shaft on that one), and place ment for deep-frying. It’s what’ll get your kale into your oven which will be turned up to at least chips, tortillas or sweet potato fies nice ‘n crispy. 400 degrees F. Then you let those babies make It’s what’ll make your bread, chickpea snacks, your kitchen smell divine. Just make sure you or broccoli nice n’ crunchy. And it’s what’ll make take them out early enough that you don’t make your squash, nuts and proteins (veggie burgers, your kitchen smell unpleasant. tempeh, tofu) mouthwatering. What you’ll want to have… The difference between roasting and baking > (which we’ll address in a sec) is really just related to temperature. Roasting happens when you turn A ROASTING PAN (MAYBE IN A FEW SIZES) the oven to a higher temperature (at least 400 degrees F) and baking maxes out at around 375 degrees F.

Also, roasting usually requires adding oil on TOP of whatever it is you’re putting in the oven, baking

It’s what’ll get your kale, tortilla or sweet potato fries nice ‘n crispy

is dirty and you’re lazy (though see #10 below). #7 BAKE You’ll basically just pour the batter that you mixed v. to use medium to high heat to, up moments earlier into (or onto) said baking pan essentially, suck the moisture out of and then pop into the oven (or onto the stove if a food or dish and cook it. To spread you’re making pancakes). Then you’ll finish up heat throughout the food, ingredient that Scandal episode and press pause when your oven timer goes off and you get up to remove or dish. your baked treat from the heat. Baking is a biggie in healthy eating. One, because everyone loves baked goods. Two, because it’s What you’ll want to have… almost impossible to find HEALTHY baked goods > in restaurants, bakeries or stores, so you’ll really need to make your own healthy treats. BAKING PANS! (COOKIE SHEET, MUFFIN TIN, BREAD PAN, CAKE PAN) But fear not! Baking is one of the easiest kitchen Buy a set: activities. The cool thing about baking (in my opinion), is that it’s really challenging to screw up. Baking is very direction-specific. Meaning: it’s important that you follow the directions very specifically - this includes ingredients and their amounts. If you can do that (and not get too dis- tracted watching Scandal to remove your treats from the heat) you’ll be a great baker. No prob- lemo.

You’ll be baking things like pancakes, waffles, granola, muffins, breads, cookies and cakes. Let me rephrase: you’ll be HEALTHFULLY baking things like pancakes, waffles, granola, muffins, breads, cookies and cakes. Yes, it’s possible to make these things super healthy using the ingredients we’ll get into later on.

To bake, you’ll use a baking pan/sheet, a particularly-shaped pan like a muffin tin or a cake pan or maybe even a sauté pan if your baking pan

need liquid to get the job done. A food processor #8 PROCESS doesn’t. Which is important because you proba- v. to wildly chop, puree extremely or bly don’t want to have liquid-y pesto. massively break something down well beyond what a knife and your hands or While it’ll be a fabulous treat to have a full-size a blender could do on their own. food processor (ahem Christmas or Hanukkah gift list item or graduation or birthday present to Having a food processor in addition to a blender hint about), you can happily get by with a baby is a luxury, perhaps, but something that’ll make processor (a cheaper, smaller appliance). If you’re your culinary and healthy life SO much easier. just making food for yourself, or yourself +1, a Like your car having heated seats in the winter, small processor will be all you really need. And, if your workout top having thumbholes or your you’re processing more than your baby proces- feet having rain-boots in the rain. The absence of sor fits, you can always easily do the job in two or those things won’t kill ya, but doesn’t their pres- three batches. ence make your life better, easier and more comfortable? Such is the story with a food processor. > What you’ll want to have… What differentiates a food processor from a A FOOD PROCESSOR (EITHER LARGE AND SMALL, blender is the blade. A processor’s blade is designed for chopping, a blender’s blade is OR BOTH) designed for…blending. »»mini food processor Each excels at things the other struggles with. »»large food processor

For example, a food processor can chop up perfect salsa, while a blender will make your salsa a gazpacho.

A food processor can chop up your nuts for granola, while a blender might burn itself out and turn your nuts into dust.

Where they overlap is in their ability to puree liquid or moist things. A blender and a food processor’s abilities to make soup creamy, make banana ice cream soft or make a sauce smooth are pretty much equal. But a food processor’s ability to make a perfect pesto far exceeds a blender’s ability to do the same. Basically - blenders

#9 MASSAGE #10 CLEAN v. to rub. To soften using one’s hands. v. to make not dirty. To remove filth. To To sooth. To relax. eliminate mess. This might sound like a silly (or naughty?) kitchen While you’ll be doing lots of washing (see #3 activity, but you WILL be massing a few things above), cleaning refers to the dreaded dish-wash- every now and again so it’s worth preparing for. ing. Yep, you’ll be doing lots of it. It’ll be extremely rare for a meal or snack that you prepare to be Massaging food is different, though not that much a dish-washing-free excursion. It’s kinda a rough different, from a spa massage. You still need oil, reality, but one you must come to terms with. still use hands and your aim is still to soften the thing which you’re massaging. (Ambient music and incense not necessary.) It’ll be extremely rare for a

The most common thing you’ll massage is kale. meal or snack that you You’ll just throw pieces of kale (which you ripped, prepare to be a dish-washing- with your hands, off the stem) into a bowl with free excursion a little oil, salt and maybe lemon juice and then massage the heck out of. You’ll be blown away by how the kale transforms from this chalky, rough, bitter, tough leaf into a soft, moist, delicious treat. If you’re fortunate enough to have a dishwasher (I mean an appliance, not a person), thank your You can also massage batters for certain baked lucky stars. If not, get used to making dish wash- goods, which just means you’ll use your hands to ing a relaxing process. Crank up your favorite make sure all the ingredients are well-incorpo- tunes and belt out the words while you scrub rated. almond butter off your spoons.

You can also massage kelp noodles - a type of FYI - plant-based cooking means you’ll not be seaweed that looks and acts like a noodle and using any raw chicken or meat, little to no raw can be used in pasta dishes with sauces and eggs and fish, and primarily vegetables and pestos. Massaging it makes it softer and more like fruit. This means that plant-based dishwashing cooked pasta than crunchy strands. requires much less...accuracy/attention/anal-re- tentiveness than animal-based dishwashing, where you can risk old, raw things sticking around to make you sick. A little old, raw romaine never killed anyone, I promise.

Then you add this fresh, alkalizing, cleansing, #11 SQUEEZE CITRUSES immune-boosting, health-saving, superfood-like v. to extract the juice from the insides lemon juice to recipes galore. Drinks, sauces, of a citrus fruit like a lemon, orange or dressings, baked goods...you’ll use fresh lemon grapefruit. juice on the reg. Totes. By far one of the coolest, oldest kitchen inven- What you’ll want to have… tions it the lemon-juicer. It’s really one of the only > kitchen “appliances,” (if it can even be called that), that can be an actual heirloom - I say that A CITRUS JUICER because I use my grandmother’s.

While there are a few ways to extract the juicy goodness from lemons, like using a juicer, a reamer, one of these things (with the two han- dles) or your hands and a fork, my all-time favorite is the citrus juicer glass reamer.

It’s both easy to use and effective. And cheap

It’s both easy to use and effective. And cheap. Especially if you steal it from a family member. To use one of these beloved gadgets, all you do is cut open your lemon, press it (juicy-side- down) against the pointy part, and push, turn and squeeze until the juice is no longer in your lemon.

ODDS AND ENDS YOU’LL ALSO WANT TONGS Makeshift hands to use when what you’re grab- TO HAVE! bing will burn your real hands MEASURING CUP - WET A PEELER For measuring liquids To peel your fruits and veggies MEASURING CUP - DRY A GRATER For measuring flours and powders To zest your ginger or your lemon or lime rinds, and to shred carrots or apples or other things for MEASURING SPOONS fun recipes For portioning extracts, spices, herbs, oils and other flavorings A TEA KETTLE For making tea A MIXING BOWL - SET »»For the stove To mix or serve anything you’re making »»Electric

NOT NECESSARY STUFF, BUT FUN A SPIRALIZER For turning zucchini (and other veggies) EXTRA STUFF into noodles: A SHAKER CUP For “blending” (aka shaking up) healthy drinks on the fly For turning zucchini A JUICER (and other veggies) For making divine, energizing, healing, slimming into noodles juices at home A NON-STICK GRIDDLE For making filling, protein-rich pancakes

ack to our Spanish 101 analogy for a sec: a sentence must have a noun, right? A per- Bson, place or thing that verbs are done to/ on/for/with? Well same goes for our kitchen party. All the above kitchen verbs have to be done to/on/for/with SOMETHING. And we’re pretty lucky because as plant-partiers, we’ve got lots of delicious and nutritious nouns to choose from.

I’ve separated the lists in a few ways. First, into three categories: ingredients to be stored in the fridge, the freezer and in the “pantry” (or any inch of extra space in or around your kitchen area, with the top of fridge, floor and counter not off-limits).

Second, into essentials versus “would-be-nice- ables.” Those things that you really MUST have on you at all times versus those things that really would be awesome for you to have on you at all times but won’t ruin your day if you don’t have.

Also, the things that are starred (*) are the things that you should MOST DEFINITELY try to buy organic. The non-starred things, for one reason or another, are less necessary to consume organic versions of.

ESSENTIALS

FRIDGE: make them creamier, mixing into dips to make »»lemons for dressings, sauces and in your morn- them thicker and smoother, adding to salads ing lemon water drink. for sustenance, and even whipping up the most insanely decadent chocolate pudding ever. »»almond milk (unsweetened or make your own - the best dairy-free “milk,” which is made from »»almond or coconut yogurt (unsweetened, blending almonds with water and straining the plain): for breakfasts and snacks galore! great to leftover bits): for smoothies, cereals, sauces, mix with crunchy granola and berries for break- lattes, baked goods, oatmeals, puddings….basi- fast - great to mix with protein powder and ber- cally: A LOT! ries for a snack or dessert, great to drizzle - ok, dump - on pancakes/waffles in place of maple »»apples* for snacking! plain or with nut butter syrup and great for topping oatmeal for an added and cinnamon will do creamy texture.

»»sprouted grain bread or gluten- »»eggs* and egg whites* (if you eat ‘em) - for pro- free bread and tortillas: for wraps, toasts, sand- tein pancakes - veggie scrambles or omelettes, wiches and even pizzas. baking; you know the deal. »»leafy greens* (kale or spinach primarily; aru- FREEZER: gula, bok choy and Swiss chard are fun too): »»frozen edamame: for thawing and adding to for smoothies, scrambles, stir fries, sides, sand- sautéed veggies, popping into salads, mixing in wiches and salads. with grains or just having as a high-protein side »»ginger an incredibly healthy and delicious root: dish on its own. for sauces, dressings and smoothies. »»frozen fruits* (blueberries, pineapple, straw- »»fresh berries of all kind* (blue, rasp, straw, berries, raspberries, + any other fruit you fancy): black…): for snacking on, smoothie-making and frozen just when ripe (meaning: all their nutrients for making breakfasts extra special - like by mix- are in tact), these pre-bagged fruits found in the ing with coconut or almond yogurt or adding to freezer section are essential for making healthy cereal/oatmeal/overnight oats. smoothies.

»»garlic: for pretty much any non-breakfast and »»frozen bananas (ripe ones should be frozen in non-dessert dish that you make at home! soups, your freezer at all times, plus fresh ones should sauces, dressings; they all call for garlic for a say out on your counter): you’ll use them in healthy boost and a spectacular flavor. smoothies and banana ice cream.

»»avocados (they start out on the counter until »»veggie burgers - this is my favorite kind and they ripen, then they go in the fridge - more these are my top 10 favorite ways to use them, deets here: for spreading on wraps, sandwiches including in salads, sandwiches, and loaded and toasts, blending in smoothies and sauces to sweet potatoes.

PANTRY: veggies you have on hand. They’re great when »»nut butters (unless you’re allergic, absolutely you want to have a crunchy, high protein snack to have almond butter; peanut, cashew, and any munch on while you’re watching TV, at your desk, other funky ones if you particularly adore them): traveling or at a movie theater. (Yes, I’m talking where WON’T you use nut butters?! ok, a few about roasted chickpeas.) places, but you will use them a heck of a lot in »»quinoa (and its offsprings like quinoa pasta and smoothies, in your breakfast oats, on fruit for quinoa flakes -Ancient Harvest makes ‘em all): a snacks, on toasts for more snacks, out of the jar must-have in any healthy kitchen, quinoa is that with a spoon for even more snacks... awesome-textured, high-protein, gluten-free carb »»chia seeds: these low-cal, high-fiber, com- that makes all other carbs look lame. It’s as versa- plete-protein, loaded with Vitamin C, iron and tile as can be - cooked quinoa can be seasoned Omega 3’s, funky little guys are great for throw- sweetly for breakfast or savory for lunch or dinner. ing into smoothies and overnight oats, but more Just try to pronounce it right, ok? It’s keeeen- importantly: making incredible mind-blowing chia wahhh. puddings and muffins. »»bananas for snacks, in pancakes, on top of oat- »»cans of beans* (chickpeas/garbanzo beans, meal or cereal, on top of toast and potentially in a black beans, any other beans you enjoy): the bees nut butter and banana sandwich. knees for when you’re starving and have very »»rice pasta: the best-textured gluten-free pasta little time, money and very little other groceries. if you ask me. Or anyone I’ve ever cooked for. Use You can easily just sauté them in a bit of coconut instead of gluten-full pasta and you’ll feel a hell of or olive oil, sprinkle some spices, and add to any a lot better after a pasta meal.

»»stevia: super-sweet sweetener staple. Stevia’s »»baking soda: if you wanna bake, you’re gonna my go-to dry sweetener for smoothies, cocktails, need baking soda to make things rise. cereals, grapefruit and snacks. It’s essentially sug- »»baking powder: if you wanna bake, you’re also ar-free sugar. More on that here. gonna need baking powder to make things puffy »»maple syrup: the healthiest, tastiest and and fluffy. least-processed of the “wet sweeteners,” which »»coconut oil spray: you’ll use this for lightly you’ll use in a ton of things - oatmeals, overnight spraying a pan for baking, a griddle for pancakes, oats, baked goods, dressings, sauces, granolas... a pan for omelets, or in a pan to just sauté some- »»vanilla extract: for when you want to make thing in very little oil. sweet things (like breakfasts and desserts) taste »»coconut oil: your go-to oil for almost all baking even better. and sautéing. »»pink or sea salt: for seasoning...everything. »»extra virgin olive oil: your go-to oil for dressings, »»freshly ground black pepper: for seasoning...a sauces and also sautéing. lot of things »»rolled oats (and steel-cut if you like them, too): »»cayenne pepper: for making things super spicy how else will you make your oatmeal, overnight and for zapping colds quickly by adding it to your oats and some baked goods? morning lemon water. »»dates (medjool): truly mother nature’s candy; »»cinnamon: for seasoning virtually every sweet dates are not only a sweet treat, but they’re super thing you make - smoothies, baked goods, oat- healthy and good for you, too. You’ll pop ‘em in meals, oats, banana ice cream, you name it. And smoothies, raw desserts, homemade protein bars for making your morning ACV drink, of course. and balls, and of course, straight into your mouth!

teas (a variety is good - some caffenieted like Runa or yerba mate, and some herbal like Sleepy Time, Happy Belly, Calm, etc.): Where would we all be without tea? Probably colder and unhappier. Teas almost seem magical, like a witch’s secret potion, because there’s a tea for literally every single ailment imaginable! The best advice I can offer: explore the sea of teas at your local health food store and find some that make you warm and cozy inside. (Or hyper and jazzed up if that’s what you’re going for.)

»»flaxseed meal* (basically just a bag of already- ground-up flaxseeds): you honestly never know plant-based (vegan) when you’ll need some flax meal; whether it’s for baking or smoothie making, they’re good to have protein powder on hand (and stored in your fridge). (my favs are Vega, SunWarrior and Garden »»✓RAW apple cider vinegar (with “the mother”): of Life): this may be slightly unusual for a Great by itself in water to boost digestion and fat “must-have” list, but if you want to lose or burning daily and it’s perfect in sauces and dress- maintain your weight, stay mentally alert, ings, so yeah - you’ll want to use it a lot. feel calm and not have dramatic crashes in blood sugar (which lead to cravings and »»balsamic vinegar: when your salad, sauce or binge/overeating), then you’re going to side dish is lacking flavor, add a splash of bal- want to have plant- samic vinegar! You’ll be using this one a lot, too. based protein powder »sweet potatoes*: sweet potatoes are about around. I sneak this stuff » as much deliciousness as you can have without into everything I possi- eating something unhealthy. Sweet potato fries bly can -blended into or wedges compliment a veggie burger perfectly, smoothies, whipped into mashed sweet potato makes a wonderful side yogurt, mixed in oat- dish for any entree, and stuffed sweet potatoes meals, baked in baked are basically the greatest thing on earth. More on goods, processed into sweet potatoes here. homemade protein bars… any way I can make a »»almonds: for granolas, smoothies, trail mixes snack or treat fill me up and sweet creams! more.

»»walnuts*: the best “toasting” nut - great for processing into pesto and throwing on top of oatmeal

»»cashews*: your go-to “dairy-free-faux-dairy” nut. When blended with some liquid, they become a creamy texture, perfect for making “cheeses” (like this nacho one!) and “creams.”

»»raw pumpkin seeds (aka “pepitas”): a healthy way to crunch; pumpkin seeds add great texture to salads, sweet potatoes, plain quinoa, baked granola and even pasta dishes.

»»tahini: tahini and miso go hand in hand, just WOULD-BE-NICE-ABLES peanut butter and jelly (but funkier). Both are great on their own, but together, they make FRIDGE: heaven in your mouth. I use tahini alongside miso »»✓grapefruit, oranges: citrus fruits were just in many dressings, spreads and sauces, but I meant for snacking. I recommend grapefruit for a also use it by itself in homemade hummus and great fat-burning mid-morning treat and oranges in smoothies to create a really nutty flavor and to for an afternoon pick-me up, as they will give you add a big boost of protein. energy, hydration, Vitamin C, a shade to paint »»hummus: if you don’t want to make your own your walls... plus a whole lot of other benefits. hummus, then buy it! It’s cheap and it’s handy for »»onions*: you’ll be hard-pressed to find a soup, all sorts of spreading and dipping purposes. casserole, Mexican, Italian or Asian recipe that »»kombucha: this fizzy, sorta carbonated drink is doesn’t require onions. not only awesome tasting, but it’s awesome for »»coconut water: this delicious, sweet, hydrat- you and your belly. It’s great to drink on its own ing beverage mixes great with greens powder as a refreshing, fun beverage, but it’s also a blast for an impromptu “green juice,” tastes incredible to spike it with some vodka or tequila for some blended in a smoothie for added hydration and healthy-ish cocktails. works perfectly with a homemade cocktail for »»a dairy-free cheese (like Daiya): You won’t some sweetness and health benefits. regret having this on hand for when all you want is a lazy night with a big bowl of comfort food. A dairy-free cheese will satisfy your grilled cheese, mac n cheese or any other cheesy comfort food miso is incredibly healthy fix. [Eat in moderation.] which is awesome since it tastes »»✓tempeh: a kick-ass plant-based protein that’s so incredibly good too easy to crumble and sauté, season and bake, transform into BACON!, and then add to virtually any lunch or dinner.

»»tofu: a good, yet not as kick-ass plant-based »»miso: for me, this is one staple I truly can’t live protein (it’s a bit more processed than tempeh) without, but if you’re just starting your healthy that you can easily grill, roast, or use for texture in cooking extravaganza, you’re going to have to many things blended and baked. get used to all the fantastic ways you can use it. First of all, miso is incredibly healthy, which is »»raw sauerkraut: When you’re feeling like your awesome since it tastes so incredibly good too. gut needs a lot of extra TLC, just a dollop of this You can use it in dressings, spreads and sauces stuff’ll give you a huge boost in probiotics. Great galore. I definitely use it multiple times a week. in salads or alongside your entree.

FREEZER: »»coconut sugar - this relatively new and kinda »»✓frozen peas: a lovely (and cheap) way to boost trendy grainy sugar has some nice health benefits the nutrition and texture of grain dishes like pasta as well as a nutty, rich, molasses-y kind of flavor and quinoa. to it, which makes it perfect for baking and sprinkling on oatmeals and baked goods, if you so »»frozen acai packets: because when you crave choose. Oh and it has a very low glycemic index, an acai bowl, you better satisfy that craving. which means it’s not going to spike and then crash your blood sugar. (Yay.) PANTRY: »»loads of spices (like chili pepper, chili powder, paprika, cumin, coriander, oregano, nutmeg, cloves, »»dried fruit (mangos, papayas, figs, apricots... try make sure you buy unsweetened) - these guys curry, etc.): part of healthy cooking is starting to use are a fun little portable snack, pre workout energy seasonings to flavor the heck out of stuff. Most rec- booster, topping for oatmeal or funky addition to ipes will call for a laundry list of spices, and as you granola. Just eat in moderation because some- get more comfortable with them, you’ll start just times they upset peoples’ tummies. adding them to stuff on your own.

»»agave - this controversial liquid sweetener (which used to be considered super healthy because it comes from a cactus and then became super unhealthy because of its high fructose content) is great for pre-workout snacking. It immediately »»fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, basil, mint, rose- gives you a jolt in mary, thyme, sage…): you’ll be using these fresh energy (because of flavored leaves in so much stuff, from pestos and that high fructose sauces, to ice creams and smoothies, to pastas content), which is and other grain dishes. great if you’re about »»almond flour/meal:same difference in my to burn it all off (plus book, this course flour, made from grinding up some) at the gym. dried almonds can be found at your local health You can add it to food store, is great for gluten-free, grain-free, pre-workout smooth- high-protein baking. ies, on top of toast, in oatmeal, whatever »»other gluten-free flours (teff, buckwheat, rice, you’re eating before oat, etc.): also found at health food stores, these the gym. guys are your baking companions. If you want to

© 25 INGREDIENTS (WHAT YOU’LL BE DOING THE ACTIONS TO/ON/FOR/WITH.) feel good while you eat healthy baked goods, »»tamari (a gluten-free soy sauce): also extremely stocking up on these gluten-free flours is the way useful in flavoring sauces. to go. And how else are you going to make my »»raw honey: an enzyme-rich completely natural teff pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, my buck- sweetener that’s lovely spread on bread with nut wheat pancakes and my oatmeal raisin cookies? butter, or drizzled into tea, or eaten right off the »»canned pumpkin (if it’s in season): I couldn’t spoon…. love or recommend pumpkin more. It’s low in »»pecans: the nut that loves to be sweetened. calories and high in nutrition, like potassium, fiber, Pecans are great in granolas or just doused in a beta-carotene and tryptophan. It’s also com- bit of maple syrup, sprinkled with a pinch of salt pletely low fat, which is ironic, because you’ll be and cinnamon and roasted! using it in place of fat in recipes. For oodles of pumpkin recipes, check out my PumpCAN Party downloadable recipe book.

»»nutritional yeast: an odd-yet-amazing flakey seasoning that tastes so much like cheese it’ll blow your mind. Great for sprinkling onto salads and main dishes, as well as blending up to make dairy free cheese (like this nacho cheese).

»»veggie stock: helpful to have on hand for when you want to create super soups! »»cacao powder (raw chocolate powder, spelled »»coconut flakes: adds a nice crunch to some cacAO - not cacOA): REAL, unadulterated, RAW smoother dishes like oatmeals, acai bowls or chocolate powder! This stuff is incredible, you’ll even pancakes. use it in smoothies, pudding, and chocolate des- »»brown rice: I much prefer quinoa, but brown serts galore. rice can make some excellent side dishes as well. »»maca powder (a superfood!): great for your »»gluten-free, sugar-free granola: in case you adrenals and libido. Oh la la! Lovely to add to don’t want to make your own. smoothies.

»»organic ketchup*: no it doesn’t count as a veg- »»spirulina (a super-high protein superfood sea- etable, but yes it’s still good to drizzle on sweet weed powder for smoothies): perfect for adding potato fries and veggie burgers. to that post-workout smoothie to pack in the protein »»mustard: helpful for adding flavor to sauces and dressings, and spreading on sandwiches, of course.

ike prepositions, abbreviations, adverbs, emoticons and slang, here are some tricks ORGANIZE YOUR ORGANICS. L that help make everything that much more Of course, the more organic, the better. For your comprehendible. health, at least, not necessarily for your wallet. To prevent spending your 401K on organic produce, try to stick to this list of “MUST-GET ORGANIC” SPEND and fudge the rules a little on the “OK TO NOT MOST OF YOUR GET ORGANIC LIST” TIME IN THE MUST-GET ORGANIC: OK TO NOT GET PRODUCE AISLE. »»Apples ORGANIC: »»Strawberries »Avocados Since fresh produce » »»Grapes »Sweet corn has a shorter shelf life » »»Celery »Pineapples than canned beans » »»Peaches »Cabbage and maca powder, it’s » »»Spinach »Sweet peas (frozen) really wise to hangout » »»Sweet bell peppers »Onions in the produce aisle. » »»Nectarines (imported) »Asparagus (You know, the colorful section filled with fruits » »»Cucumbers »Mangos and veggies.) Either make one huge trip and » »»Cherry tomatoes »Papayas stock up on a boatload of plants, or get in the » »»Snap peas (imported) »Kiwi habit of making short but frequent stops to pick » »»Potatoes »Eggplant up a bunch of kale, a single lemon, or a handful » »»The “Dirty Dozen »Grapefruit of avocados. » Plus” includes: »»Cantaloupe »»Hot peppers »»Cauliflower FREEZE YOUR NANERS. »»Kale and collard »»Sweet potatoes Get in the habit of rotating ripe bananas. What this greens means is get in the habit of letting yellow bananas sit out on your counter to ripen (aka become speckled brown). Once they become all speckled, peel them, pack them into ziploc baggies and store them in the freezer to use to make creamy smoothies and dreamy banana ice cream.

Drinking green smoothies can inch you closer BECOME A SMOOTHIE MASTER. to consuming your recommended daily dose of There’s no shortage of information out there on fruits and veggies and also inch you closer to the health benefits of drinking green smoothies. fitting into your skinny jeans! They give you a huge amount of nutritional bang for your buck, boost your energy, strengthen your The point is, life is better when green smoothies immune system, detox your body and beautify are involved. But it’s hard to make regular healthy your hair, nails and skin, too. smoothie drinking an enjoyable habit. Though they’re one of the simplest nutritious meals you can make, just one little mistake can throw off the taste or texture, leaving you with a blender full of unpleasant slush.

Here are some tips to make sure you’re dumping your green smoothie down your throat and not down your drain. FROZEN BANANAS FOR THE WIN (AGAIN) Frozen bananas are what make smoothies creamy and dreamy. They act as a perfect thickener, making it so you can’t even tell they’re accompa- nied by stringy kale or spinach. Frozen bananas also add a substantial yet mellow sweetness to smoothies, making it so you can’t even TASTE that the kale or spinach are in the same drink.

DO THIS

Peel and cut (in half or fourths) ripe (aka brown speckled) bananas. Then, throw them in a baggie and freeze them so they’re ready to grab and blend into your green smoothies.

PUNCH UP WITH NO-CAL FLAVORERS THINK OUTSIDE YOUR BASE BOX Adding herbs and spices to your smoothies is There’s no hard rule saying you have to make a fun calorie-free way to really improve their your green smoothies with a type of milk - be flavor. Herbs like mint and basil are wonderful it almond, soy, rice, hemp or dairy. How about pared with berries and tropical fruits like mangos, adding the low calorie, naturally sweetness of watermelon and pineapple. Spices like cinna- coconut water? Or the zero calorie, yet super mon, and cardamom are lovely with peaches and practical, no excuse liquid called water? Or bananas. even a lovely flavored chilled tea? You can DO THIS even go halfsies on these liquids - half coconut water and half water. Half water and half milk. The options are really endless.

DO THIS Freeze your herbs when they’re on the verge of going bad. You’ll waste less and you can use those frozen herbs to greatly enhance your smoothies. Brew a large batch of green tea, pour it into ball jars, and keep them in your fridge. Use LEAVE YOUR ICE IN THE FREEZER this chilled green tea as a base for your morning green smoothie to give you an Believe it or not, adding ice to your smoothie added boost of energy to kick off your day. typically turns it into a slushy. The texture will be way off, unless what you’re going for is a mock 711 slurpee. Instead, use frozen fruits in your smoothies! They’re a two for one deal - they add wonderful flavor and nutrients AND they act as ice, mak- MAKE IT PART OF YOUR DAILY ROUTINE ing your smoothies thicker and chilled just the way Drinking green smoothies is more of a habit you you want it. create than a craving you satisfy - at least at first. O THIS D To get yourself in the habit of drinking green smoothies, you’ve got to schedule it into your day, as you would any other habit you were trying to build. When training for a 5K you don’t just wing your practice runs, you schedule them out, prior- Tired of blending the same fruits from your itize them and plan around them. Same goes for grocery storers freezers? Try freezing ripe green smoothies. Don’t have time to blend one fruits that you cut up at home! You can buy before work? Make it a priority to drink it when a ripe papaya or cut up a perfect water- you get home during that in-between period melon and freeze them in chunks to add when you’re hungry but it’s not yet dinner time. to your smoothies.

To really reap the benefits of green smoothies, ACT LIKE A BRAT drinking them has got to become a daily habit. Just because there are endless smoothie recipes DO THIS on the web and in books doesn’t mean you have to make them all! Making a smoothie you absolutely hate is probably more likely to discourage you from drinking them than to encourage you to try a different recipe. So be a brat when it comes to choosing your smoothie ingredients. If Plan out your smoothies for the week. Plan you can’t stand the flavor of grapefruit, don’t try a out when you’ll drink them, what recipe grapefruit-based smoothie! If cucumbers creep you’ll make, and what you need to buy or you out, don’t blend in cucumbers! It’s better to freeze to carry this out. Then, stick to your find a few perfect green smoothie combinations plan…no matter what! you absolutely adore than it is to try to force yourself to chug flavors you detest. You hereby have the power to veto any ingredient that will make DE-STEM YOUR GREENS your smoothie un-drinkable, even if it’s the latest The biggest mistake newbie green smoothie superfood that everyone swears by. It’s better to makers make is not realizing the need to de-stem drink your kale, banana and cinnamon smoothie their greens! With spinach this isn’t a problem, that you enjoy, than to drink and gag over one sip but with kale, oh my. Whenever people complain of something funky you hate. about the horrible consistency of a kale smoothie, 9 times out of 10 it’s because they’re blending up DO THIS the stems. Even in a super powerful blender you’ll be better off without those harsh, thick, stringy stems. Just remove them! You (and your teeth) will be happy you did. DO THIS With great power comes great responsi- bility. You are responsible for getting some greens in your smoothies, so don’t start claiming that “greens make you gag.” This is about finding the fruits and flavors that you adore that makes your greens smooth- Save your stems! Instead of throwing them ies something you can’t live without. away, try boiling them for about 20 min- utes and then adding them to a pesto recipe. Or, try sautéing them and adding them to a medley of sautéed veggies.

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH ALL THE IT’S ALL ABOUT THEM LEFTOVERS, GLASS JARS? BABY. You ask a very fair question here, as it’s hard to Seriously, leftovers make a world of a difference. find a Instagram photo of a smoothie that’s NOT They’re sometimes the difference between eat- in a glass jar. I’m not sure when or how it started, ing crap or eating healthy foods, or they’re the but glass jars and smoothies pretty much go difference between eating when you’re hungry, hand in hand. I mean, if you’re not drinking your or not eating when you’re hungry (and thus being smoothies out of a glass jar, it’s time to take a pleasant to be around or being a cranky pain in good hard look in the mirror, ok? the butt). The way leftovers can work is two ways: one, you make and store leftover dishes, like left- Just joking - but there is some legitimacy to this over soups, salads, pastas or whatever, that you “trend.” Glass jars are just awesome. Drinking out can just heat up (or eat cold) when you’re hungry of them feels great on your lips, cleaning them is or on the go. Two, you make and store leftover a breeze, and finding them costs little to nothing ingredients, like plain quinoa, (an old nut butter jar makes a perfect smoothie roasted tempeh, or baked cup!). You’ll find uses for glass jars beyond just sweet potatoes, that you smoothies, you know. They make great overnight can use to make impromptu oats containers, they are wonderful for storing dishes on the fly. leftover soups and sauces, and they are also quite lovely for drinking filtered water out of. [SELF] PUBLISH Bottom line - having a bunch of glass jars lying around achieves two major things: YOUR OWN COOKBOOK. I’m not saying to go out and try to become a New 1 - provides you with storages options (though York Times bestseller, I’m saying put together a you’ll probably want to buy some additional tup- collection of your absolute favorite successful perware and ziploc bag-type-things) recipes that you can rely on and reach for on the 2 - helps you enjoy your healthy beverages and regular. My favorite way of doing this is by using snacks even more! an app called “Paprika.” You just input the recipe, assign it to a category and then you can access it on any of your devices! It’ll sink to your phone, iPad, computer, you name it. So if you’re on the road and forgot to plan dinner, you can pull up one of your favorite recipes, pull into the nearest grocery store and be able to buy all the ingredients!

You can also do this the home-y and old fash- ioned way - by printing out recipes (or photo-

© 31 TRICKS OF THE TRADE (THINGS THAT HELP ENHANCE EVERYTHING ELSE.) copying, or even hand-writing) and putting them into a binder to keep at home. PLAN AHEAD. Whether it’s making sure your pantry is fully stocked on a regular basis, previewing a restaurant menu, or packing snacks for your travels, you’ve got to try to make sure you control you food circumstances, (best you can) rather than let circumstances control your food.

BUY IN BULK. A lot of the pantry ingredients from the lists above will be significantly cheaper if you by them in bulk. (By “bulk,” I mean that section of the grocery store where there are those bins that allow you scoop the ingredients into plastic baggies and label them yourself.) You’ll have to compare bulk versus packaged at your own stores, but in general, it’s usually cheaper to buy these in bulk:

»»grains like rolled oats, dry quinoa and rice »»nuts like almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc. »»seeds like pumpkin, sesame, sunflower »»dried fruits like goji berries, raisins and in general, cranberries »»random things like nutritional yeast and it’s usually cheaper to buy coconut flakes these in bulk

CREATE MEALS BY COLORS. Plant-based eaters tend to paint their plates by color. The nutrients found in fruits and veggies can often be categorized by color, which makes it oh-so-easy to create a balanced meal just by looking at the colors on the plate. Highly effective plant eaters grow to instinctively know when their mostly green plate needs something orange or their very yellow plate needs some purple.

GET PUMPED TO EAT OUT OF ONE BIG BOWL. FOR A DINNER BOWL, YOU MIGHT START WITH: Eating out of one big bowl (or “bowling,” if you »»A chopped up veggie burger (protein) will) is plant-based-perfection. To create a plant- »»Tahini sauce (moisture) based bowl meal, think of adding the following: »»Pumpkin seeds (texture) »»Protein »»Sweet potato »»Moisture »»Kale and cherry tomatoes (produce) »»Texture »»Parsley, salt and pepper (fun flavor) »»Fresh produce (veggies or fruits) »»Fun flavor BE OK STRAYING FROM RECIPES. FOR A BREAKFAST BOWL, A YOU MIGHT Eventually, you won’t have to follow recipes all START WITH: the time. Why? Because when you eat mostly »»Quinoa (protein) plants, you’re cooking mostly plants. Which »»Almond milk (moisture) means that you start to learn how you like your »»Chopped walnuts (texture) plants cooked (or uncooked if like them raw). »»Blueberries and bananas (produce) »»Cinnamon and agave (fun flavor) Once you really learn how you like your fruits and veggies prepared — massaged kale, roasted

© 33 HOW TO EAT LIKE A PROFESSIONAL PLANT-PARTIER sweet potatoes, sautéed onions, boiled eda- feels off without something green. Whether it’s a mame, for example — and you learn how to whip smoothie, a sandwich, or a side of steamed vege- up a delightful dressing or sauce by eyeballing tables, it’s best to try to make sure there’s always the ingredients, making yourself a meal will be a a leafy green involved. breeze. ROTATE BETWEEN MAJOR MEALS AND MERELY MONO MEALS There are really two ways to best enjoy a plant- based diet in your own kitchen. I believe that VARYING these two methods is the key to not being bored, frustrated, broke from eating out every night or overwhelmed with your healthy plant-based diet.

1 - REALLY COOK A MAJOR-MEAL. Like make a darn good, 3-course meal. With dessert. (But have someone else wash the dishes). It’s SO nice to sometimes spend half a day plan- IT’S OK TO EAT THE SAME MEAL ning, shopping and preparing a lovely homemade feast. It’s rewarding, it can be fun (if you don’t hate MULTIPLE DAYS IN A ROW. cooking), and your food can be perfectly adjusted If you’re ok with it, I’m ok with it. Every meal to your unique preferences and taste buds. Plus, doesn’t have to be a groundbreaking culinary leftovers ROCK! achievement. If you like something, find it easy to make AND it’s healthy, by all means, eat it as fre- I personally love getting into the kitchen once quently as you want! (Just don’t eat it enough that or twice (if I’m lucky) a week to make a legiti- you get sick of it. There’s a fine line.) mate, restaurant-quality dinner. I first plan it out, usually pulling different recipes from a variety of cookbooks, I then make a grocery list (after seeing what I already have in stock), I throw on TRY TO GET GREENS IN some comfy clothes and give myself plenty of AT EVERY MEAL. time to calmly hit up the grocery store and then Just like a margarita feels off without a lime, or I go home, blast the tunes and rock out as I cook sushi feels off without seaweed, a meal kinda something special in my kitchen.

2 - SIT BACK AND ENJOY A MERELY-MONO-MEAL. (sorry I’m not sorry), I am saying there IS a way to A mono-meal is a meal consisting of one (mono, health-ify your lazy-evenings “just bring me damn meaning: one, alone, single) food. A lot of die- food” meals. hard plant-foodies do it. Like they eat a huge bowl of cut up apples or oranges for breakfast. Or For starters, you’ve gotta be wise about from a big plate of sliced cucumbers for lunch. Or an where you’re ordering. (Duh.) If you have a health entire plantation of bananas for dinner… food restaurant around you then you’re golden and you can just order and enjoy their grub in front While I certainly enjoy eating a bowl of sliced of a Netflix movie. However, if you don’t have the apples, or a bag of perfect grapes, or one of luxury of having other people prepare you healthy those Whole Foods containers of cut-up pine- food, then here’s what you can do: apple for breakfast, I’m not saying you should do this for an actual meal like dinner (unless it’s »»You can add a frozen veggie burger (that you summertime and it’s hot and humid and you’re toast at home), tofu or tempeh to a delivery/ just feeling FRUITY for Pete’s sake). take-out salad. You can also add some nuts and seeds that you might have at home, and you So instead, I came up with what I like to call even sprinkle on some nutritional yeast. the “merely-mono-meal” which is basically just »»You can order a cheese-less pizza with a BUTT throwing together 3 or 4 ingredients and enjoying TON of veggies and when it arrives, sprinkle a bit a delightfully filling, nutritious and tasty plant- of Daiya, dairy-free cheese on top of it. based dish. Aka: BOWLING - see above. »»You can get some veggie sushi. (Order “maki rolls” - less rice.) And just enjoy it as is. (Pref- This is how I eat the majority of the time, which is erably made with brown rice.) Not a bad idea why I shake my head “NO NO NO!” when people to order a miso soup, edamame and seaweed say eating healthy is hard, time consuming and salad as well. expensive. »»If you order Thai, Indian or Chinese food, FIRST, order it saying “light on the oil” and THEN use So find a balance between these two ways of eat- a slotted spoon to serve yourself you veggie/ ing. Treat yourself to some of those fabulous rec- saucy dish on a dry plate…without all those ipes in your glossy cookbooks, but really find your unhealthy sauces. (Obviously order brown rice joy in making simpler nutritious 1-bowl or 1-plate as well.) meals (you’ll have less dishes to wash, too). »»If you want to order Mexican food, try to go the route of fajitas. (And ask for soft corn tortillas if possible.) When you get fajitas, you can aug- ment them with whatever you might have at HEALTH-IFY YOUR TAKE-OUT/DELIVERY home! Extra veggies, leftover quinoa, dairy-free By no means am I justifying your daily Dominos cheese or sour creams, hell..you can even add delivery or your frequent Chinese food take-out KALE or spinach instead of romaine!

isten: learning how to cook more plants is FOR HEARTY, COMFORT FOOD MEALS YOUR both simple and not-so-simple. It’s simple in that you’re using basic, clean ingredients, WHOLE HOUSEHOLD WILL LOVE: L »»The Real Food Daily Cookbook - Ann Gentry and doing similar things to them so you don’t »»Vegan Family Meals - Ann Gentry have to learn all those master chef techniques. »»Clean Food - Terry Walters It’s not-so-simple in that you might not have ever »»Eat Clean Live Well - Terry Walters cooked with a lot of these ingredients before, so »»Blissful Bites - Christy Morgan it’s going to take some getting used to.

I’m here to help, but even myself, a profession- FOR INSANELY DELICIOUS GLUTEN, SUGAR AND ally trained plant-based chef, has multiple book- DAIRY FREE BAKED GOODS: shelves full of books and multiple bookmarks »»Sweet Freedom - Ricki Heller full of blogs to inspire and educate me on how »»Ohsheglows.com to make deliciously healthy plant-party food. So here are my favorite resources if you want to dig FOR SIMPLE, QUICK, HEALTHY MEALS THAT’LL in deep (or just stare and drool over gorgeous food photos). JUST MAKE YOU HAPPY: »»Get it Ripe - Jae Steele BEST FOR WHEN YOU WANT SIMPLE CLEANSING, »»The Oh She Glows Cookbook - Angela Liddon »»ohsheglows.com RAW SMOOTHIES, SNACKS AND MINI-MEALS: »»Choosing Raw - Gena Hamshaw »»Ani’s 15-Day Fat Blast - Ani Phyo »»Dishingupthedirt.com »»Clean Green Drinks - Candice Kumai »»simplegreensmoothies.com FOR COOL, INNOVATIVE SUPERFOOD-INSPIRED »»The Beauty Detox Solution - Kimberly Snyder MEALS: FOR WHEN YOU WANT INTRICATE RAW DISHES »»Superfood Cuisine - Julie Morris (AND HAVE A GOOD FOOD PROCESSOR AND FOR NAUGHTY, DECADENT, DROOL-WORTHY, BLENDER): PLANT-BASED FOOD: »»Raw Food Real World - Matthew Kenney and »»Minimalistbaker.com Sarma Melengalis »»Living Raw Food - Sarma Melengalis FOR FARM-TO-TABLE-ESQUE BEAUTIFUL FOOD: »»Mynewroots.com »»nutritionstripped.com

inspired by the creators of the famed raw restau- MY ALL-TIME PERSONAL FAVORITES rant, Pure Food and Wine, which is in NYC (and is having some big, sad issues at the moment). SUPERFOOD CUISINE (AKA SUPERFOOD These books are gorgeous enough to be cof- KITCHEN) – BY JULIE MORRIS fee table books, and help you create food that’s This book utilizes superfoods to MAKE super gorgeous enough to get 100 likes on Instagram (if foods! Gosh, I adore this cookbook. It’s not nec- you choose the right filter, that is). Not to mention, essarily your simple/quick/easy cookbook, but they promote the healthiest way of eating – raw I swear it’s your delicious/#winning/“omg, I feel plants. (But not in a weird, gross way.) ALIVE after eating all these recipes” cookbook. Get this book if —> You like food and you want to Get these books if —> You want to make pho- make it healthier. to-worthy recipes that call for nature’s most regarded “superfoods.” Or if you want to treat + MY ENTIRE REVIEW ARCHIVE IS ON THE BLOG. yourself to decadent recipes that make your insides feel vibrant.

THE OH SHE GLOWS COOKBOOK – BY ANGELA LIDDON Based off the wildly popular vegan food blog, Ohsheglows.com, Angela’s cookbook is a plant- based cookbook shelf necessity. I wrote a big review about it here.

Get this book if —> You like to eat plant-food. Because it’s got some of the best, simple, “make everyday” recipes around town

RAW FOOD REAL WORLD – BY MATTHEW KENNEY & SARMA MELNGAILIS LIVING RAW FOOD – BY SARMA MELNGAILIS These were two of the first plant-based books I ever owned, and I’ve made every single recipe in them. (A homemade batch of the cranberry maple granola from Raw Food Real World has been my holiday, birthday and housewarming present on numerous occasions.) The recipes are

Having a party in your kitchen may seem daunt- ing, but it’ll soon become the norm, so don’t worry! Remember when putting on eyeliner seemed like an enormous challenge? Or shaving? Or making your bed? (Ok, that one still sucks.) But just like eyeliner became something you could do in 3 seconds, and shaving can now take place in an airport bathroom, keeping a super healthy kitchen will soon become your regular, easy, breezy way of life.

Just be open to trying a bunch of new things - new ingredients, new cooking methods, new recipes, new tastes…and you’ll figure out what you love, what you enjoy and what’s easy.

And in the interim, I’m here to help you, with a glass jarred smoothie in hand!

KEEP ME IN THE LOOP! I WANT TO KNOW ALL YOUR DEETS.

PARTYINMYPLANTS.COM @PARTYINMYPLANTS [email protected]