Mind Body Spirit Book Review: The Dharma Feast Cookbook - Recipes For A Fresh Start

Dharma Feast Cookbook - Recipes For A Fresh Start
by Theresa Rogers and Tika Altemoller
Published by Kalindi Press 

Reviewed by Diane Fergurson


The Dharma Feast Cookbook - Recipes For a Fresh Start, is definitely the kind of cookbook that you are going to want to own because chances are you are going to find yourself using it all the time.  In fact, after briefly looking over the PDF for the book that I was sent for review earlier this year, I promptly placed an ordered to Amazon for a physical copy to keep in my kitchen. Clean, was the word that kept coming into my head. Clean flavors, healthy and fresh food.  Something we can all benefit from.


As you look through the book you will notice that the premise for the book draws off the best of the nutritional ideas put forth through traditional diet, vegetarian cooking, macrobiotics, and raw food cooking and acid/alkaline ph considerations.  There is a section of the book which offers a step by step guideline to help eliminate unhealthy eating habits.

This book is the perfect addition to anyone's cookbook collection, and it is especially a nice, affordable addition or gift for anyone who is vegetarian.  I was going to add this book to our Holiday Gift Picks list, but I've honestly enjoyed it so much I decided to give it a separate review.

Below is one of my standing favorites from the book...a great Tabouleh recipe using quinoa.
This is also perfect for the person, like me, who loves Tabouleh but is also gluten free.

enjoy!

~ diane

Link to the book on Amazon.

Quinoa Tabouleh

5 cups quinoa

10 cups water

1 bunch parsley, chopped very fine

1 red onion, chopped very fine

3 red bell peppers, chopped very fine

1/2 cup lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cook quinoa.  Set aside.  It should be fluffy.  If it's mushy use less water next time.

Combine vegetables in bowl.  Mix lemon juice, olive oil, and salt.  Pour over vegetable mixture and stir.  Let sit 1 hour.

Mix marinated vegetables with cooled quinoa.  Add more olive oil and lemon juice to taste.

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Apple Cake - Gluten Free and Delicious

It's summer - cookouts, dinners with friends, and
usually everyone ends up bringing a dish.  These days since I'm gluten free, one thing I have

learned early on - if I think I'm going to want dessert, I'd better bring some myself.

  This gluten free apple cake is a new addition to my collection.  I adapted if from an old apple cake recipe I had in my file box.  One of the great things about this cake is that it is not made from a mix.  People are always shocked to find out it's not only gluten free, but has buckwheat flour in it too!

  You'd never know.  It's definitely a winner!

  Enjoy!

 

1 1/4 cup raw sugar (or less)

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups peeled, diced, raw apple

1 cup all purpose gluten free flour mix (I use the mix from William Sonoma)

3/4 cup buckwheat flour

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Beat sugar and eggs together until thick and light.

  Beat in oil and vanilla, stir in apples.  Sift flours, salt, cinnamon, and fold into

the apple mixture.  Pour into oiled and floured 9 inch square baking pan.

Bake 45 minutes or until done. (time may be less).

Cool and sift powdered sugar over the top before serving.

Can also be served with ice cream.

This recipe also makes great muffins.

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Healthy Summer Spinach, Pea and Feta Salad

If you garden and are eating fresh and seasonal, then you probably know that pea season in the Northeast is just about to end.  We have had an over abundance of peas in our garden this year.  Buddy and I have been outside picking them almost every evening!

Studies have shown that green peas stand out as an environmentally friendly food. Agricultural research has shown that pea crops can provide the soil with important benefits.  Peas are also a low-fat food and are high in protein.  They also contain a unique assortment of health-protective phytonutrients and are high in Vitamin K, maganese and Vitamin C.  They also contain fiber.

Here is one of our favorite pea related recipes that I thought we would share.  It has become a mainstay in our household, particularly during the summer months when we cook outdoors.  It also goes very well with grilled Garam Masala Chicken.  With the addition of some nuts, this salad would also make a very good vegetarian entree.  Or leave out the cheese and just add nuts (and maybe soy cheese) to make it vegan.  You could also add chicken or shrimp to it very easily.  It's really versatile.

Spinach, Pea, Feta Salad is from Jamie Oliver's first cookbook,  "The Naked Chef"  copyright 2000.  A book that I believed not only changed how cookbooks are edited, styled and formatted today, but also helped and encouraged people in the US to eat fresher and healthier in a fun, enthusiastic  way! 

        









                    Spinach, Fresh Pea and Feta Salad from Jamie Oliver (paraphrased)

...take 2 large handfuls of baby spinach, wash and add 2 smaller handfuls of baby peas (raw if you get them young and fresh otherwise you'll have to blanch them).  Dress the salad at the last minute with olive oil and lemon juice dressing (below) and then sprinkle it with crumbled feta cheese.

Dressing:  2 Tb lemon juice, 5 Tb your best olive oil, 1 level tsp. salt, 1 level tsp. fresh ground pepper

enjoy!

~ diane fergurson





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