The Principles

The question I get asked the most as a registered dietitian nutritionist is, “What is the ideal diet?” My answer is simple—there is none. We all need something different. We need different nutrients for different reasons at different life stages. So, where do you start then? Simply put, at the end of the day, I recommend that everyone starts with real food comprising whole, unprocessed, and unrefined ingredients. Outside of your personal dietary needs, there are some basic practices you can adopt to transform your food into medicine.

Finding Balance

In this chapter, I’ve highlighted some elementary yet significant nutritional information, including valuable details on vitamins and minerals, essential food groups, and inspiration for creating a balanced plate whether you’re an omnivore, vegetarian, or vegan.

Living Seasonally

When we override our natural rhythm, we suffer. Working night shifts long term with less exposure to sunlight, for example, has been linked to increased chronic diseases and illnesses, such as heart disease, gastrointestinal issues, weight gain, obesity, irregular eating habits, depression, and more. Or when we don’t honor the seasonal changes in our food system, both in farming practices and our diets, the environment suffers, and we can become sluggish and energetically stagnant. When we choose to live in the flow with nature and holistically support our health and happiness, we can thrive.

At Home In Your Kitchen

Creating a whole foods pantry is quite simple, and it will pay off tenfold in the long run. If you have an existing food pantry, allow yourself time to slowly transition from your current stock to more nutritious, whole foods by replacing one pantry category at a time. If you don’t already keep a pantry, use this chapter to help you establish one.

Spring

Recipes include:

• Strawberry Vanilla Almond Butter Smoothie with Bee Pollen
• Baby Spinach and Spring Onion Frittata with Goat Cheese
• Butter-Roasted Radishes with Radish Greens
• Spicy Sriracha Mung Bean Bowl with Pickled Daikon and Carrots
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Vanilla Tofu Frosting
• Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
• and more

Summer

Recipes include:

• Cultured Key Lime Cashew Yogurt
• Sweet Cornmeal Pancakes with Vanilla Roasted Peaches
• Quinoa Tabbouleh with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes
• Cucumber Salad with Honey Sesame Dressing
• The Simplest Tempeh Tacos with Whole Wheat and Flax Tortillas
• Salmon en Papillote with Seasonal Vegetable Ribbons
• Flourless Chocolate Almond Butter Brownies
• and more

Autumn

Recipes include:

• Roasted Banana and Almond Butter Breakfast Cookies
• Broccoli Salad with Pickled Cranberries and Herb Yogurt Dressing
• Tangy Italian Cauliflower Salad with Olives and Capers
• Coconut Curry Red Lentil Stew with Cilantro Lime Chutney
• Skillet Roasted Lemon Chicken with Green Olives and Garlic
• Beef and Beet Borscht with Fresh Beet Greens
• Mini Whole Wheat Apple Galettes

Winter

Recipes include:

• Chocolate and Chai Spiced Granola
• Buckwheat Breakfast Porridge with Cranberry Chia Compote
• Curly Kale and Wild Rice Salad with Sweet Fennel and Garlic Vinaigrette
• Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Honey Miso Glaze and Cilantro
• Yellow Pumpkin Curry with Toasted Cashews
• Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Sautéed Kale and Onions
• Dark Chocolate Banana Bread with Toasted Almonds