As a child I grew up eating a traditional American diet  that was heavy on meat and potatoes(mostly fried).  After three heart attacks I became acutely aware of the need to actively use my diet to heal the damage done to my body, which means eating a healthy, mostly plant based diet.   I’ve always loved to cook and to garden, so I approached this change as a kind of culinary adventure in learning new ways to prepare foods that I was already familiar with, as well as trying new and different fruits and vegetables.  It’s been a surprising journey.  Many of the foods I expected to miss have actually been pretty easy to give up, and I’ve also deveoped new favorites along the way.  As I used more and more fresh produce in season, I also discovered that foods not only tasted better, but my grocery budget slimmed down along with my waistline.

Plant based cooking also means that the character of my kitchen changes with the seasons as I try to enjoy the foods that are freshest and most affordable, and I’ve also learned to use some old and new fashioned preserving techniques to save money and bring out of season foods to the table all year round.

I’ve included a few traditional, non-vegetarian recipes along with the vegetarian plant based recipes, but for the most part I found that the vegetarian recipes are my favorites. My move toward a plant based diet didn’t happen overnight, and I discovered that vegetarian eating isn’t just avoiding meat.  It’s a whole new way of planning and preparing foods.  I hope the dishes on my blog will appeal to others hoping to bring a healthier way of eating to their family table.  Please let me know what you think of the recipes and feel free to share your own versions of how to use the main ingredients.

Elaine…in the Kitchen.