John Mackey - The Whole Foods Cookbook

Do you want to know the secret to changing your diet and sustaining a new lifestyle over the long term? Cooking.

Preparing your own meals, in your own kitchen, gives you control over what you eat and a connection to your food choices that is hard to achieve any other way. Weve helped guide thousands of patients, Whole Foods Market team members, friends, and family through the transition to a whole foods, plant-based diet, and weve concluded that the willingness and confidence to cook may be the key to success.

If you want to give yourself and your family the best chance of reaping the health benefits of diet change, the revolution needs to start in your kitchen. Thats not to say theres anything wrong with having a special dinner out once in a while, or getting takeout on occasion when youre just too tired to do anything else. And, happily, its getting easier to find healthy, real food on restaurant menus. But if you eat out, order in, or choose premade meals too often, youll find yourself making countless small compromises that, over time, will add up to poor health. And too many families are doing just that. Research has shown that Americans today spend half as much time cooking as they did fifty years ago, and less time cooking than any other nation in the world. Meanwhile, sales of prepared foods have risen steadily.

If youre someone who loves to cook, and youre blessed with the time to prepare delicious, nutritious meals for yourself and your family, you may not need much encouragement to roll up your sleeves and get cooking. But for many people, its a daunting prospect. Im not much of a cook is a common reaction. I dont have time is another, as are Im too tired and My kids dont like the food I make.

As busy professionals, we sympathize with those sentiments. We know what its like to come home after a long day at work and feel like the last thing we want to do is put on an apron. We know how picky children can be. And we know how challenging it is to learn new ways of preparing food when weve spent our whole lives doing it the way our parents taught us. But we also know it doesnt have to be as hard as it seems. With some basic techniques, a few simple ingredients, and a dash of creativity, you can prepare meals that will satisfy you and your family without taking too much time out of your day. Cooking doesnt have to be complicatedit just takes a little confidence. And kitchen confidence is developed through rolling up your sleeves and trying new things! The one thing we can tell you without a doubt is that your investment of time and energy in the kitchen will be repaid many times over in the health dividends youll enjoy every day.

How to Use This Book

Those who are familiar with the principles of whole-food, plant-based eating may be ready to jump ahead and start cooking. If thats you, bon apptit! Jump to part 2, , for recipes. If youre new to this way of eating, or just need a refresher on the basics, read on for a short overview of the Whole Foods Diet. In part 1 of this book, we will:

Review the key guidelines for the Whole Foods Diet

Introduce the Essential Eight foods to eat as often as possible

Share tips and best practices for successfully making the transition and simplifying your day-to-day cooking experience

In part 2, chefs Chad and Derek Sarno of Wicked Healthy, plus a few of our whole foodie friends and family, will present more than 120 carefully designed recipes. Following their simple, step-by-step guidelines will guarantee a delicious result every time. But because you dont want to always be dependent on recipes, theyll also teach you foundational techniques for preparing foods, developing flavor, and constructing your own mealssmoothies, breakfast bowls, soups, salads, sauces, dressings, entres, and more. Youll learn basic principles for mixing and matching your favorite ingredients and shortcuts for making quick and easy family feasts.