It’s been a long established fact, no research needed, that an attractive plate of food beckons us to lift our forks and begin the process of enjoying dining. No, we do not need to be at a restaurant in front of a four-star chef to have this experience. Bright colors arranged lovingly on a plate will hold the same attraction whether we are eating in our kitchen or at a chef’s table.
That’s the premise of so much of what we do: Attractive presentation wins whether the board room or the dining room. Our eyes are our first taste buds. Now couple that with the alarming fact that so many of us ignore fruits and vegetables and focus on the high-protein, starch-based universe, and you have the premise of a recently published cookbook, Color Me Vegan.
Stop, don’t panic, you do not have to subscribe to the Vegan lifestyle. In some respects, I think the title is misleading as the appeal is far greater, but the author, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau has written other Vegan books and is the founder of Compassionate Cooks. The book has a universal appeal as it is filled with overall food information. Yes, it has recipes for the plant-based lifestyle, but any of these can as easily be adapted for any type of eater. The emphasis is on information and explanation as colorful food displays can appeal to all diners.
It’s called color-intense meals. That’s an important aspect of overall cooking presentation. If you just stand in front of a large vegetable display, you might select the same tried and true performers, but if you follow the color palate, you’ll add more vitality to your meals. Look at the blue-purple section (my personal favorite colors), and you’ll put a little spice into your food repertoire right away. There’s the familiar purple cabbage salad but you could as easily focus on purple cauliflower soup and chilled blueberry mango soup. Now the eyes are talking and no one has even mentioned healthy terms like antioxidant or fiber-rich!
This is a fun, new book that slides easily into the spirit of springtime rejuvenation and appreciation for our local growers and farm market vendors.
Change your palate and open the basic white dinner plates to a new colorful, healthy set of food tips and recipes.
There were plenty of starter plants, both vegetables and herbs, for the home gardener to purchase and plant but minimal in the just-picked category.
making.
Deep in the throes of preparation, it’s time to think of all we are thankful for. More on that later, but now a focus on how fiber-rich the upcoming food holiday is.
Not just Delicious Apples, but all apple varieties excel at orchards and farm stands at this time of the year. Personally I’m in love with the Fuji, but there are so many to try. It’s like welcoming the first fruits of spring rather than ending a season.