Joy at Home Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 I have been thinking a lot about this lately. We have tried to simplify and become more self-sufficient, have farm animals, started gardening, etc. However, I've been changing from focus lately on what we can PRODUCE, and not what we can use from our animals. For all the feed it takes to keep our cow in milk and raise pigs and chickens, I could feed our family a healthy grain/bean/vegetable based diet and probably be much healthier. I don't know if I'm ready to go completely vegan, but just feel like I may be taking a different path on our road to self-sufficiency. The recent thread on Food, Inc. (I think that's what it was called - I haven't seen it) has got me thinking as well. Just wondering if there are any great books/resources where I can further read about where I want to go with this. Anyone? Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MariannNOVA Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Michael Pollan's IN DEFENSE OF FOOD dh and I read it, and then listened to him speak at Wegman's. I think that dh was able to find the book at the library. It's an excellent starting point. It made it easier for us to know where we were going if we understand from whence we had come.;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 You don't need to commit to being 100% vegan to take their philosophy on board. Go read their stuff, and the raw foodie literature and see what you think of it. Figuring out your philosophy on soy will probably be important too. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deanna in TN Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 For me, two books that were keys to my changing to veganism are Eat to Live by Joel Fuhrman and The China Study by T. Colin Campbell. Deanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 All the Moosewood cookbooks. We are not exclusively vege but love them and use them often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MSNative Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 You don't need to commit to being 100% vegan to take their philosophy on board. Go read their stuff, and the raw foodie literature and see what you think of it. Figuring out your philosophy on soy will probably be important too. Rosie :iagree: Mainly because I want to be able to say I have a philosophy on soy. :) There are tons of great sites with vegan/vegetarian recipes. Here are a couple that I like. http://www.simpleveganrecipes.co.uk/ http://www.theveggietable.com/recipes/easy recipes.html Last bit of advice - start small. Maybe meatless Monday, or meat every other day. My family is very resistant to giving up meat, so I haven't been able to get them where I'd like to be. I'm trying to meet in the middle. I use smaller quantities of meat in our dinners, try new vegetarian recipes (usually as a side and then as a main if they like it), etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Margaret in GA Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 All the Moosewood cookbooks. We are not exclusively vege but love them and use them often. I love Moosewood cookbooks, but they are not vegan at all. I get rather frustrated at how much dairy she uses. Yes, I admit that she will sometimes say in the margins "just leave out the cheese for a vegan version" as if it will remotely be the same dish. sigh. We don't do dairy because my son is sensitive to it, but lately I've been going mostly plant and very few carbs in my own diet. I don't have a fav cookbook, so I'm eager to see what others recommend.:bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 We've had some fun with miso cookbooks and I really like Donna Klein's books. We have the Italian and Mediterranean copies. If you're a low carb, one pot wonder kind of girl, there will be too many carbs, though. We tend to make stuff out of there, serve an appropriate serving size of the carbs and fill the rest of our bellies with salad. We are definitely grain people around here though. Too much gives me insomnia, but not enough will give me insomnia too, as I prowl around the kitchen looking for something to eat! Rosie- who's philosophy on soy is that fermented is good, un-fermented is icky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Rosie- who's philosophy on soy is that fermented is good, un-fermented is icky. That's my philosophy too! But I have a weakness for occasional marinated fried slabs of tofu...so my philosophy doesn't always match my reality :) I think we have a huge advantage in Australia, though, over the U.S., when it comes to soy. In the U.S. they can't guarantee any soy is not GM. Wheras here in Australia, we still have organic, non GM soy. As for books.. raw food books can give you lots of ideas and recipes and inspiration, and they are mostly vegan...and there are no raw food police to come check if you are doing more or less raw. You can just get inspired. The books I have on my shelf and use regularly, are: The Sunfood Success System by David Wolfe Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine by Gabriel Cousens The Art of Raw Living Food by Doreen Virtue and someone else. Sorry, I can't seem to get links to work anymore. Not sure what I am doing wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 Thanks for those links Peela. My budget is waiting to be allowed to burst in the vicinity of online shopping ;) Are those books any use for people who don't have uber-juicers or dehydrators? I find that the tricky thing with picking raw food books. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiver0f10 Posted April 3, 2010 Share Posted April 3, 2010 (edited) http://drmcdougall.com/ Here is a direct link to his books http://drmcdougall.com/store_books.html Edited April 3, 2010 by Quiver0f10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 Thanks for those links Peela. My budget is waiting to be allowed to burst in the vicinity of online shopping ;) Are those books any use for people who don't have uber-juicers or dehydrators? I find that the tricky thing with picking raw food books. Rosie Yes and no, Rosie. There are always some/many recipes in them that don't need powerful blenders or dehydrators. But many do, too. If you have a normal blender, it is good enough for many things, too, like making salad dressings, pates etc. There are now zillions of raw food books, and here in Perth there is a raw food revolution happening so our main health foodstores- the ones that stock organics food rather than the small ones that only sell vitamins and protein powders- now stock many raw food books, as well as products. So, I look through the books, and when I decide I want one, as long as my delayed gratification button is on, I wll go home and look it up on the Book Depository and order it :) Much cheaper that way. Also- try your inter library loan system. Even one raw food uncookbok can keep you going for a whle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted April 4, 2010 Share Posted April 4, 2010 Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingslover - it is not vegan more locavore (local products) but inspiring and has recipes. Mark Bittman has a couple vegetarian cookbooks. For more about the growing part - Living on an Acre The Backyard Homestead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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