Johnston - Chia, quinoa, kale, oh my!: recipes for 40+ delicious, super-nutrious superfoods

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Copyright 2015 by Cassie Johnston

All photos by Cassie Johnston, unless otherwise indicated on page 286

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages.

ISBN: 978-1-581-57274-2
ISBN: 978-1-581-57627-6 (e-book)

Published by The Countryman Press,
P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091

Distributed by W. W. Norton & Company, Inc.,
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110

Book Design by Natalie Olsen, Kisscut Design

Chia, Quinoa, Kale, Oh My!

THE FOOD YOU EAT CAN BE EITHER THE SAFEST AND MOST POWERFUL FORM OF MEDICINE OR THE SLOWEST FORM OF POISON.

Ann Wigmore

I used to not put much thought into what I was eating. I had heard that veggies were good for me and that maybe I shouldnt eat so much fast food. But in my day-to-day life, I just didnt think it mattered that much. So I kept hitting up the drive-thru, scoffing at salads, and using speed dial to order from my favorite pizza place. After all, how bad could it be if I was still walking around feeling okay? I didnt have any major health problems. I was able to get out of bed in the morning. I felt fine. How much could my diet be affecting me if I couldnt feel it?

Over the years, as I gained more and more knowledge about nutrition, my food philosophy shifted. It wasnt overnight, but as I made more changes to what I put in my body, I started to notice that I actually had felt bad beforeI just didnt know it. I had never known what good felt like and without that frame of reference, Id thought my daily crash at 2 p.m., my acne-covered skin, and my brittle hair and nails were totally normalwhen, in fact, they were signs of my body crying out for nourishing, healthy food. I thought I was fine, but I didnt realize how unfine I was until I started actually feeling good.

Now, Im not immune to the appeal of a good slice (or two) of gooey, cheesy pizza, but I try to put those kinds of foods into my diet with a sense of balance. I want to keep feeling great, and that means including foods that nourish my bodynot just fill my empty stomach and satisfy my taste buds.

As I became more and more interested in deeply nourishing foods, I started to learn more about the concept of superfoodsfoods that are more nutrient-dense than other items on the grocery store shelves. I loved the idea that you could really, truly give your body what it craves nutritionally by focusing on a select group of superstar foods (many of which are readily available in most areas of North America). It really helped simplify healthy eating to me. Learning where to start when overhauling your diet can be incredibly overwhelming, but by focusing on packing your meals with a handful of superfoods that you and your family love to eat, youll begin on solid footing.

This book is filled with over 100 recipes that spotlight some of my favorite superhero foods. Ive tested (and tasted) each of these recipes in my very own home kitchen, and think Ive come up with a collection of dishes that are not only super nourishing, but also super delicious. Just because theyre packed with healthy ingredients, it doesnt mean all the recipes are low in calories, fat, or carbsin fact, some of them are quite indulgent! What it does mean is that with each bite of these dishes, your body will thank you for giving it a hefty dose of the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients it craveseven if thats in the form of ice cream.

Thank you for letting me into your kitchen!

We all know that the best way to nourish our bodies is to eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, but what if we could take a nutritious diet beyond just the standard finds at the grocery store? What if there were foods so nutritionally dense that they went above and beyond the regular definition of healthy? What if there were foods that have been proven to prevent cancer and reverse heart disease? What if there were foods whose health benefits were so powerful that they could be deemed super?

WHAT IF THERE WERE FOODS WHOSE HEALTH BENEFITS WERE SO POWERFUL THAT THEY COULD BE DEEMEDSUPER?

Superfoods are just thatfoods that are so nutritionally dense that they go above and beyond the regular definition of healthy. They arent just foods that are low calorie, high in vitamins, or packed with fibertheyre foods that have been shown in study after study to make the human body healthier and stronger. Theyre foods that fight many of the common ailments that inflict our society today. Theyre foods that satisfy our hunger and satisfy our health.

While the term superfoods is thrown around to cover a large number of foods, there is no one definitive source on what is and isnt considered a superfood. In this cookbook, youll find recipes for over 40 of the most commonly agreed-upon superfoods. And while every doctor, nutritionist, chef, and home cook may be able to list what they consider superpowerful foods, your list might not look anything like theirs (or the one found in this book). The best recommendation: Figure out what foods make you feel great and make you feel superthose are your personal superfoods.