| The Healthy Hedonist: More Than 200 Delectable Flexitarian Recipes for Relaxed Daily Feasts
Myra Kornfeld
My posting record has been spotty over the past few months, holidays and trips combined with the doldrums of winter have left me feeling I don't have much to post about. But that isn't to say that I haven't been cooking, or eating, or reading! In fact my cookbook consumption has been at record high levels all year long - a red alert may need to be issued. So I thought I'd review a few of the more interesting books I've encountered along the way, starting with The Healthy Hedonist: More Than 200 Delectable Flexitarian Recipes for Relaxed Daily Feasts, by Myra Kornfeld.
Flexitarian, apparently voted the most useful word of 2003 by the American Dialect Society, means a person who eats a mostly vegetarian diet but does not entirely omit meat. Kornfeld defines it a bit more specifically as those that include a bit of fish and chicken in a diet high in whole foods: fresh vegetables, whole grains, eggs, fruit, etc. This describes my preferred method of eating pretty well, although I would add pork to my ideal flexitarian diet. I say ideal because the reality of cooking for Jim and the two boys means I end up cooking more meat based meals, but left to my own devices I tend much more towards veggies, legumes, and fish.
Kornfeld's recipes are immensely appealing and fairly straightforward - she includes many that are Mediterranean, Mexican, Indian, or Asian inspired - and healthy without adhering to any particular dietary doctrine (low-fat, low-carb, etc.). She also includes a yummy dessert section that thankfully is not so healthy.
Some recipes that caught my eye include: Onion-Rosemary Fig Jam, Cardamom and Coconut Basmati Rice, Indonesian Corn Chowder, and Halibut Burgers with Basil Mayonnaise.
This book definitely made my to-purchase list, and I would recommend checking it out if the flexitarian approach appeals to you.
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