Michael Pollan-style life?

[ncage1974]

Hey guys just got done reading "Food Matters" by Micheal Pollan wow what a great book it was. I really believe in a lot of his principles but of course thats all they are is principles. I need some training to learn how to cook in this way. I mean i know the basics by keeping plenty of fresh fruit and veggies in the house and eat mostly plants and only a little meat but i have to reprogram myself. Like what to make sure i always have in my pantry. The stables if you know what i mean. I also need to learn how to cook more in this style of cooking. I'm wanting a good book of course. I don't want one that pretty much reiterates what Pollan has already said. I thought maybe "Food Matters" & "How to cook everything vegetarian" would be a good start? Or maybe a Mediterranean diet cookbook? Id prefer kindle books if possible (i don't have a kindle but i have a kindle reader on my pc) because it saves the clutter of all the books around the house and is a "greener" solutuion. Any help would be appreciated.

thanks,
Ncasge

[LaurenV]

I think I saw a documentary with the same title? Or maybe I have this book on my wish-list...I have been watching/reading so much on this topic lately!

I was a vegetarian for 10 years but at that time hated cooking. There is a book called "Pure Vegetarian" that you might like, but I believe the best option is searching recipe websites online. I found that with most vegetarian based cookbooks I bought only a few recipes really appealed to me in each one.

[Robo410]

recipes that use real food rather than "open a can of soup and add..." are what you are looking for. Good places to start are: Joy of cooking, America's test kitchen cookbook, and any regional or ethnic cookbook dealing with countries and cultures you are interested in be they Spanish or Greek or Indian, etc.

Then it becomes your choice to put together meals from recipes you like and that satisfy your goals.

But you become the careful and aware shopper for the food you want. (No cookbook does that for you) SO if a recipe calls for chicken, don't buy chicken parts; buy a whole chicken and cut it up yourself. use the carcass to make broth or soup etc. You are in control of the food you eat. (ps, a chicken from a farm or a butcher will be a better bird than one pre wrapped, possibly prebrined, certainly slimy from the packaging and near freezing it goes through. But you will pay more, but you are ready for that and understand why etc etc.

[babetoo]

on the other side of the coin. don't buy a book that says "take one ox and???lol

[Andy M.]

Many of the cuisines of other countries focus more on vegetables as well. Asian cultures focus on vegetables and starches with a little protein added in. Many Indian recipes are traditionally vegetarian. Also look into Mediterranean and Middle Eastern recipes. (Just to name a few)

Keeping fresh fruits and vegetables in the house is easier if you shop several times a week.

[Silversage]

You might want to take a look at Alice Waters' "The Art of Simple Food".

She and Michael Pollan are in the forefront of the movement to eat fresh, eat locally, eat in season. They each published a book, but I think hers has more recipes and specific ideas than his.

If you are interested in trying to work toward those objectives, the 2 books together would provide quite a roadmap.