Alicia Silverstone doesn't seem like an angry food activist. To my surprise, she not here to convert me to veganism. In fact, the only message she is pushing these days is that strict dietary rules, including crazy-making calorie counting, are counterproductive.
That philosophy was the inspiration for her exceptionally researched and engagingly written The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet (2009), which sets a new standard for celebrity lifestyle and cookbooks. "I want to present people with vital information in an accessible ways," she says. "I didn't fill the book with dense science, but I do offer loving, friendly advice to educate people about how to be kind to yourself and kind to the planet by making healthy, easy, and delicious food." The book reflects the ways in which Silverstone is kind to herself: She enjoys drinking wine and even eating sweets, but most of the time she sticks to vegan, macrobiotoc-influenced diet that emphasizes whole grains, vegeteables, (especially greens) legumes, and unrefined sweeteners like rice and maple syrups. "The dishes in The Kind Diet are the yummiest dishes my husband and I have made over the past 11 years.
Correction: In the December/January 2010 issue, the recipe shown on pg. 69 is Moroccan Couscous with Saffron, not Azuki Beans with Kabocha as captioned. Find both recipes and photos below.
Moroccan Couscous with Saffron
Azuki Beans with Kabocha Squash
Copyright 2010 Natural Health
