Appetite for Reduction

Table of Contents

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRAISE FOR ISA CHANDRA MOSKOWITZ AND TERRY HOPE ROMERO’S

VEGANOMICON

 

“The next revolution in neo-vegan cuisine.”

—
Philadelphia City Paper

 

“Exuberant and unapologetic...the eclectic collection of dishes is a testament to the authors’ sincere love of cooking and culinary exploration.”

—
Saveur

 

“[A] slam-bang effort...making admirable use of every fruit and vegetable under the sun.”

—
Publishers Weekly
starred review

 

“It’s full of great food that anyone would love.”

—
Baltimore Sun

 

“[Moskowitz and Romero] are as...funny when kibbitzing as they are subtle and intuitive when putting together vegan dishes.”

—
New York Times Book Review

 

“The Betty Crocker’s Cookbook of the vegan world.”

—
Bitch

 

 

VEGAN CUPCAKES TAKE OVER THE WORLD

 

“Written chattily and supportively for even the most oven-phobic...reading this is like having a couple of fun, socially conscious post-punk pals over for a slumber party... Each page of this cookbook contains an irresistible delight.”

—
Bust

 

“I can’t wait to have a cupcake/champagne party so we can try them all!”

—Alicia Silverstone, author of
The Kind Diet

ALSO BY ISA CHANDRA MOSKOWITZ

 

ALSO BY ISA CHANDRA MOSKOWITZ AND TERRY HOPE ROMERO
Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar
Veganomicon
Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

Dedicated To Marlene Stewart,
My Mom and the world’s best Grandmo

Introduction

N
OT LOOKING FORWARD TO A TINY FROZEN ENTRÉE FOR dinner? Can’t bear the thought of rice cakes and diet shakes? How about a simmering pot of aromatic curry bursting with color, pasta smothered in plenty of creamy pesto, a stick-to-your-ribs chili, crispy onion rings with a juicy center, or a fully loaded lasagna?

This isn’t your mother’s low-fat cookbook. No foolish tricks, no bizarre concoctions, no chemicals, no frozen meals, no fake anything—this is cooking with real food, with a real budget, and for real life. This is cooking with an
appetite.

Healthy cooking doesn’t have to mean deprivation. It doesn’t mean restraint, it doesn’t mean willpower, and to hell with the idea of “being good.” Utilizing every plant-based food there is and inspired by cooking techniques and traditions from across the globe, I wanted to create a low-calorie, low-fat cookbook brimming with nutritious meals that are satisfying at every level, from your taste buds to your tummy. Because what’s the point of filling yourself up on foods that you aren’t even enjoying?

To save you the trouble, all of the recipes have been reviewed by a registered dietician, the talented Matt Ruscigno! All of the nutritional info has been calculated, and Matt has made sure that they are in tip-top form. The recipes are all based on pantry-friendly ingredients, and most come in under 400 calories. Some of them are even less than 200. And to sweeten the pot (almost literally), the book was designed with the busy weeknight chefin mind. The ingredients are easy to find and many of the recipes come together in thirty minutes, and the ones that don’t will give you plenty of downtime, so that while your dinner is busy cooking away, you can be off finishing your novel, doing your nails, or whatever it is you do in your spare time. A little light carpentry, perhaps?

You probably have a few reasons of your own for wanting to cook healthier, and maybe we cover them in
Mission: Nutrition
(page 5).

But I wrote this book for me!

For years I was at a weight I was happy with, but eventually (like most people) I began to pack on the pounds once again. Not that I need a good reason to gain weight, but I do have a few. I wrote a bunch of cookbooks—one dealing completely in cupcakes—and I was constantly surrounded by food. I also quit smoking (best decision I ever made) and found it difficult to keep cookies from hopping into my mouth instead. But on top of that I was diagnosed with two medical issues that are known to make it difficult to lose weight: PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal issue) and hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid gland, which regulates metabolism). So even if I wasn’t eating more than usual, my slower metabolism would guarantee I put on some extra pounds.

My decision to change my diet wasn’t an easy one. I definitely didn’t want to perpetuate all the fat-phobia in this country and the systemized berating of big girls. I don’t think fat makes you a moral failure, I don’t think fat means you’re lazy, and I definitely don’t believe that the ridiculous beauty standards that our society has created for women are good reasons to change your diet. Your weight is not your worth! And I think women have every right in the world to not worry about what they’re eating, not obsess over the scale, and not put up with all the BS that comes our way because of our weight. I believe in health at any size, or heck, even the right not to be healthy at any size!