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Book Review: The Vegan Family Cookbook

Posted May 30th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Katie Drummond

Section: Motivation, Books, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Vegetarianism, Special Features, TFS Reviews

the vegan family cookbook 2 If you’ve ever tried converting a favorite recipe to suit a particular dietary need – from gluten-free to diabetic– you know the challenge of modifying ingredients to make it taste like the “real thing” you and your family have come to know and love.

For longtime chef Brian McCarthy, the transition to a vegan diet 10 years ago meant taking on the task of transforming the mac and cheese, birthday cakes, and turkey dinners he and his family were accustomed to enjoying. McCarthy brings his experience and know how to The Vegan Family Cookbook, a collection of over 400 recipes that offer vegan options for every event, from a speedy dinner to a traditional holiday meal.

The book is divided into 10 sections, each featuring an impressive variety of dishes. The recipes themselves are easy to follow, and McCarthy offers helpful tips on combining different recipes (like homemade breadsticks with marinara sauce) or adding variety by mixing up the ingredients (four different adaptations for his hummus recipe will add flair to this traditional dip). Readers will likely recognize standard fare, like vegan versions of chili, banana bread, and coleslaw, but McCarthy adds more exotic items as well – mushroom and wild rice crepes are far from a “traditional” family dinner, but may soon join pizza and burgers on your family’s list of favorite meals.

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Book Review: “Thrive” by Ironman Triathlete (and vegan) Brendan Brazier

Posted May 22nd, 2007 at 9:50 AM by Katie Drummond

Section: Motivation, Books, Nutrition, Healthy Eating, Vegetarianism, Special Features, TFS Reviews

Brendan Brazier Climbing rocks Ironman triathlon champion, overall elite athlete … and vegan? Anyone who still thinks a vegan lifestyle can’t support intense athletic training hasn’t met Brendan Brazier. A professional athlete who consistently places at the top in international Ironman triathlon events, Brazier is a formidable example of the potential for a plant-based diet to yield impressive athletic results.

In his bestselling book, “Thrive: A guide to optimal health & performance through plant-based whole foods”, Brazier goes beyond merely guiding readers through the world of vegan nutrition, and instead offers an entirely new way of seeing food: as the fuel necessary not only for sports, but for overall wellness.

Thrive_by_brendan_brazier Brazier argues that stress – whether physical or emotional – has a powerful connection to eating, exercise, and attitude. According to him, stress can be beneficial; the right balance of exercise can strengthen the body, clear the mind, and promote natural healing. However, Brazier rightfully points out that the North American lifestyle is a magnet for negative stress: from our unhealthy eating to our sedentary exercise habits, Brazier offers studies that support what so many already know – Americans are overworked and unhealthy, and our bodies and minds are suffering as a result.
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Book Review: Dr. Kerrie Saunders’ “The Vegan Diet as Chronic Disease Prevention”

Posted May 21st, 2007 at 8:51 AM by Katie Drummond

Section: Motivation, Books, Nutrition, Vegetarianism, Special Features, Health & Fitness, TFS Reviews

For the average American, dinner probably means sitting down to a plate of meat, rounded out with sides like white bread and potatoes, and polished off with an after-dinner bowl of ice cream in front of the television. If this sounds familiar, Dr. Kerrie K. Saunders has written a book you need to read. A practitioner of integrative medicine, Dr. Saunders penned The Vegan Diet as Chronic Disease Prevention to argue that a diet based on “the new four food groups” can prevent or cure the epidemic ailments, from obesity and diabetes to cancer, that are increasingly prevalent across North America.