Silverstone spends the first part of her book tackling the
extensive nutritional, ethical, and environmental topics inherent to any
discussion of a vegan diet, delineating the difference between the “kind,” i.e.
plants and the “nasty,” or all animal products. In a voice that sounds a lot
like Cher from Clueless, Silverstone brings the spotlight to important questions
we have generally ignored and reveals the hypocrisy and deception inherent in
the omnivorous lifestyle. This is not to say that eating animal products
requires participating in the cycle of cruelty perpetuated by our current
agricultural system. Only that not participating in it requires constant
vigilance over what is on your plate and where it comes from, necessitating
innumerable questions about your food. These questions are obviated when you
choose a plant-based diet.
The rest of Silverstone’s book focuses on the food
obviously. She divides her discussion into three categories. The first, the Flirt, is perfect for people who want to
test the waters without making a serious commitment. Silverstone advises moving
toward vegetarianism, checking out local health food stores and experimenting
with unusual ingredients. Flirting is supposed to be fun, and flirting with
food should be the same! This has been my favorite part of my food adventure;
opening my mind and my kitchen to things I had never tried before, even things
that irrationally scared me, like seitan. Silverstone even helpfully provides
photos of cute vegan boys in this section to inspire you. The second category
is the Vegan, and her final is the Superhero. The Superhero plan is based on the idea of a macrobiotic diet,
emphasizing whole grains, greens, and minimizing processed foods as much as
possible. One of my favorite Superhero
recipes is Arame with Carrots and Onions. When I moved home I was craving
seaweed madly and this recipe was my first experience cooking with sea
vegetables. It’s a mild way to incorporate these magical greens into your diet.
In honor of Alicia
and her book, I made her Moroccan Couscous with Saffron loaded with
zucchini, carrots, sweet potatoes, and cashews alongside her Sicilian Collard
Greens with Pine Nuts. Topped off with a glass of Rosé, this was a perfect
summer meal!
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