Book Review: A Good Food Day by Marco Canora

A Good Food Day by Marco Canora is a wonderful example of how healthy food can be simple, delicious and fulfilling. Unlike many healthy cookbooks that greet you as you enter your local bookstore, A Good Food Day is not a collage of recipe redos but an homage to all foods and how they are healthy as is. He does a wonderful job breaking down each recipe and extolling the health benefits of various nutrients, while providing options within each based upon taste and preparation differences. As a nutrition expert, I was pleased to see science-based recommendations throughout the book. From the benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids to understanding labels, this is more than just a collection of recipes. I enjoyed reading his intro to each recipe where he explains why he loves the particular dish and how the dish is both palate-pleasing and healthy. I did find a few areas that oversimplified the nutrition facts (glycemic index and glycemic load) and would have liked to see a nutrient analysis for each recipe. From a culinary standpoint, the recipes were written so that an average home chef with basic cooking skills could easily prepare them. Some of the ingredients would require a trip to a natural foods or higher end grocery store, but many can be found at most local stores. Overall, I enjoyed reading the book and look forward to trying out many of the recipes within it.

I received this book from the Blogging for Books program in exchange for this review.

 

 

Book Review: In Her Kitchen by Gabriel Galimberti

As I was browsing the cookbook section at my local bookstore, a cover caught my eye. It pictured an elderly woman in a beautiful scarf sitting cross legged in front of a spread of fresh vegetables and fish. I have a passion for food, especially from different cultures, so I picked it up.
In Her Kitchen is a beautiful look into the kitchen and cultures of over 50 different grandmothers from around the globe. The author spent 18 months chronicling the lives and stories of how these matriarchs have lived in their homes and he highlights a special meal that they prepared for him with a picturesque display of ingredients, followed by the recipe.
This is a must read for anyone who loves cultures, food, and how the two intertwine. I can’t wait to try out a recipe!

You say Pummelo, I say Pomelo…

At a recent trip to the grocery store, I ran across this gigantic fruit that I had never seen before. My kids were equally impressed and begged me to buy it. Now, I am truly adventurous when it comes to food, and I make it my mission to at least try every food out there, so I bought it.
Once I brought it home, I looked it up in my trusty, “UC Berkeley Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition”, my one stop resource for the history, use, preparation and nutrition facts for just about any food you can imagine. It describes a pomelo as “an ancestor of today’s grapefruit…a melon-sized, slight-pear-shaped citrus fruit. It originated in Southeast Asia, and today is grown in China, Japan, and California. The flavor ranges from very tart to very sweet.” Let’s hope I got the very sweet one!
As you can see in the photo, which I took next to an average sized avocado, pomelo’s are HUGE! After cutting into it, I noticed it looks like a grapefruit, but with much thicker membranes separating the segments. Unlike its grapefruit relative, this membrane is inedible, so be sure to remove all of the white pith.

The flavor was extremely juicy and sweet. No sugar necessary…this fruit was delicious! Like many other citrus fruits, pomelo’s are very high in Vitamin C, and given it’s size, one fruit (about 1 cup) provides over 120% of the RDA at about 72 calories. It’s also a great source of potassium.
Pomelo’s are great as is, but if you want to try something different, here is a recipe for Thai Pomelo salad.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog, “Feeding Body and Soul”. I chose this title because I truly believe in the power of food in our lives, and not just the nutrition it provides our bodies, but the emotions associated with it.
My goals for this blog may change over time, but I think of it as a means of empowering people to become healthier, happier and more informed about food and its influence in the world.
I hope to offer resources for anyone looking for how to grow food, how to prepare food, how to get food, and how to help others get food. I truly believe that information is the key to equality.
Thank you for visiting and check back soon for updates!