Appetite for Reduction_ 125 Fast and Filling Low-Fat Vegan Recipes - Isa Chandra Moskowitz [2]
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!
My decision really was a personal one. My knees were achy, my periods were irregular, and my energy levels were low. I needed to change what I was eating—less fat, less sugar—and I needed to get more active. Would that lead to weight loss? I really wasn’t sure! There are hundreds of books dedicated to the subject of long term weight loss, and if those tomes don’t produce many conclusive answers, I am definitely not about to attempt to do so. What I can tell you is that when I eat low-fat, plant-based meals I feel better, weight does come off, and, unless I skip breakfast or something, I never feel hungry. It’s become a sustainable way of life for me! I still enjoy a cupcake now and then, and I still cook and eat more decadently a few times a week. Although I’m sure there are ways to make myself lose weight faster, I am also sure that it would come right back on. Call it a “diet,” call it a “lifestyle change,” whatever! The most important thing is enjoying food, enjoying life, and doing what makes you feel good, and not just for the moment. (Ice cream is so love-‘em-and-leave-’em; I’m looking for something more stable.)
So, yes, I wrote this book for me—but of course I hope that it rocks your stove top, too. Low-fat cookbooks can be a war zone for women. I wanted to create something fun and positive, something that would empower you in the produce aisle and give you a reason to sport that cute vintage apron. I want you to love your kitchen, love yourself, and, yeah, maybe to love tofu just a little bit, too.
With love and raised spatulas,
Isa Chandra Moskowitz
But this book isn’t only about reducing fat and calories. Appetite for Reduction also means...
Reducing unhealthy ingredients: Get ready to become the mayor of the produce aisle! When you start cooking with an appetite, the snack product aisle becomes an old flame you can’t believe you were ever into. You don’t know what you ever saw in those not-even-foods! A whole new world of fun, colorful ingredients will open up to you.
Reducing your environmental impact: We’ve all heard the term ecological footprint. Well, it’s not just black-wearing college students who claim you should give up animal products to save the world. A 2009 United Nations Report states that a shift toward a vegan diet is necessary to save the world from hunger, poverty, and the worst impacts of climate change. The carbon emissions and methane from an animal-based diet are not sustainable for our planet. Switching to a whole-food, plant-based diet will also cut down on the amount of packaging you use. Keep eating those fast-food burgers and there won’t be a planet on which you can eat those fast-food burgers! You’ll just be floating in space with the burger, I guess.
Reducing your grocery store costs: Just as it’s a myth that it takes chewing gum seven years to digest if you swallow it, it’s a myth that plant-based diets are more expensive. If you’re eating mostly whole foods, you’ll see a dramatic drop at the cash register. Beans and grains are cheap as, well, beans! You’ll spend a little extra on fresh veggies, especially