Foodie Fridays: Happy Herbivore Abroad
After a whole lotta holiday overindulging, it’s no wonder so many people’s New Year’s Resolutions revolve around the way they eat. As long-time readers will know, I eat a mostly plant-based vegan diet. That’s not to say I don’t indulge in some cheese or will turn down a cookie made with butter and eggs, but where I can, I eat vegan food – I’ve truly found some serious health benefits from the amount of energy I have to the way I feel on a daily basis to a less-stressed digestive system to a slimmer & trimmer body. Beyond that, it also helps your pocketbook (meat being so expensive) and the planet to go for a whole foods, plant-based diet. One of the big things I always have to overcome in conversation, however, is the perception that vegan food is tasteless, bland, or boring. In fact as I sit here writing this post and munching on a vegan Christmas sugar cookie, you’d be stunned at how delicious vegan food is, and how ubiquitous.
And herein lies today’s way-cool gift idea + generally awesome cookbook from blogger-turned-author Lindsay S. Nixon: Happy Herbivore Abroad. A new collection of over 135 fat-free & low-fat vegan recipes based on dishes the author herself has tasted and loved in her worldwide journeys (many of which are documented in the book through photos and anecdotes). The Happy Herbivore series of cookbooks are among my very favourite because not only are they super healthy (she includes a nutritional breakdown for each dish), they’re also usually very simple and quick to prepare as well. If you follow her shopping list at the beginning of the book / have a generally well-stocked pantry to begin with, you can easily dip your toe into the book for meatless Mondays or everyday dinners without having to scour the grocery store shelves.
But what of the book itself? Well it’s divided up into your standard categories – from legume dishes to soups, stews & chilis – it’s pretty easy to navigate through each section. The layout of the book has been refreshed from Nixon’s earlier volumes, with tips and a back story for each recipe intertwined with tons of photos + the country of origin for each dish. That latter point is notable because it makes it easy for you to craft a multi-culti dish: simply pair up a few Thailand dishes for a better-than-takeout experience. The reason why this is such a genius take for a vegan cookbook is the fact in many other non-Western cultures, meat is hardly a staple. Suddenly dishes you’re already familiar with come into sharp perspective: it’s foods you know and love like crepes and kale (and exotic dishes you’ve probably always wanted to try like curries and stir fries) but without the meat (or the dairy). Some countries definitely have more dishes than others – Mexico, Spain, and Thailand all feature heavily – but overall this is a pretty diverse book, with a good ol’ American section in the book to feed your everyday cravings.
Like I mentioned above, this is the third book in the Happy Herbivore series, and they are honestly some of the most basic and healthy vegan recipes around – making them one of my top recommendations for someone hesitant to indulge in some plant-based, whole foods eatin’. Plus they’re paperback, which makes them mighty affordable – each book retails between $15 and $17 on Amazon (or about $25 in stores). If you’ve got a friend vowing to eat less meat this new year, consider gifting them one of these lovely books.
That being said, if you’re simply curious to try one for yourself, I’ve got two copies of Lindsay S. Nixon’s newest cookbook, Happy Herbivore Abroad, to give away to two of you lovely people. Here’s how to enter:
1) Leave a comment by January 12th with your New Year’s health & food-related resolution. Is it to start meatless Mondays? Cut back on the sodium? Work out five times a week? How are you pledging to better yourself this year?
2) Entries are limited to one per person / per email address / per household (or more if you score bonus entries). A random draw will be conducted on or around January 13th to select the winner, who will have 48 hours to respond before another winner is chosen in their place.
3) Entries are limited to Canadians that have reached the age of majority in their province. Quebec is not eligible to participate in this promotion.
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Last year my New Years resolution was to eat vegan for 3 months, now it’s an everyday habit. I really like these books they look so interesting! This year my New Years resolution is to just get back into a routine, I’ve been off work for the last 3 months and to get back to something regular will be helpful. Happy new year!
I don’t eat a lot of meat, but still manage to put on a few pounds over the holidays. I like to spend a little more time in the gym, up my water intake and eat more vegetables as a resolution.
Get back into my workout routine and eat healthier. More vegetables, less fried foods, less sodium.
I’ll adopt a “meatless” Monday and I shall workout 3x/week. Thanks.
Happy New Year.
I intend to eat more veggies & fruits and consume fewer sweets.
In 2013 I want to cut back on the white stuff, sugar, flour etc.
I’d really love to do meatless Mondays, need to convince my hungry meat ‘n potatoes man! I also want to get more regular with my excercise routine. Liked Happy Herbivore on FB. Thanks
I want to get alot of this extra weight off by eating healther and sugarfree
Liked and commient on their FB page.
My resolution is to have at least 9 servings of Fruit and vegetables everyday and to start my day with a smoothie!
I liked her on FB and commented my FB name is Holly Hill. The name of my subdivision.
I want to try more gluten free recipes instead of limiting myself to a handful. I would love to try more vegetarian fare too!
Drink less to none diet pop
I want to eat a lot less sugar this year!
I just want to cook more. I often turn to convenience foods and I want to invest more in trying new recipes and healthier choices!
Oh, I was doing so well……until December rolled around! My resolution is to get back on the no white sugar, flour, rice diet
Like HH on facebook
Anne Taylor
My new years resolution when it comes to food is definitely to cut back on the amount of meat my family and I eat. We’ll be aiming for at least two nights a week of meatless meals 🙂
I also liked and commented on Happy Herbivore’s fb page, Same name.
Eat more veg & fruits 🙂
My new years resolution is to cut back on cow’s milk products and eggs. Not to become a vegetarian or a vegan, but I guess what you would call a flexitarian – eat less animal products overall. I already skip meat products a few days a week. I also want to cut back on refined sugar products.
I can eat anything and never gain weight. Not so my husband. So I’d really like some help with some delicious vegetable dishes for him.
Plenty more homemade smoothies in 2013 as they’re a great way to tackle hydration (water) and fruits and veggies respectively. Very affordable too.
My New Year’s health & food-related resolution is to try & learn how to cook more nutritious meals rather than always eating leftovers.
Bonus Entry: LIKED & commented https://www.facebook.com/HappyHerbivoreBlog/posts/448773145190427
Thank you.
I need to eat more vegetables.
I liked the Happy Herbivore facebook.
I’m going to stick harder to my no processed, packagaed food resolution from last year
I have been planning my new year, new healthy way for a month now. I plan to eat healthier, smaller portions, and get some exercise. I would also LOVE to get some good tips to replace meat a few times a week. I could never become a total veg though. My problem is that take out and fast food is convenient too convenient ! I have purchased a bunch of containers, and plan to premake my dinners for the week, and also bag veggies etc, so its easy to grab for work, Working 2 part time jobs plus going to school, and a single mom to a 17 year old, is stressful, and a bag of chips is much more easy to sit and munch on, then a plate full of veggies !! Getting the desire to want to go for a walk after working 8 hours, and a class is going to be hard, but i am determined like never before !
liked them on facebook (heather holmberg) thanks for this article, this is another tool that will help my new healthy outlook starting in a few days !! I will be looking into them more ! As always a great informative piece !
I want to cut back on my meat intake and eat more fruit and vegetables.
I’ve already started back to the gym after a slight injury. I have also included more dark green veggies to my diet and less white bread/sugar.
I’ve been striving to reduce the amount of meat I eat in general. I like the idea of Meatless Monday’s. This book would be a great start for me to kick my meat heavy diet!
I “liked” the Happy Herbivore on FB too 🙂
I need to better myself by not taking things too personally.
Liked Happy Herbivore on Facebook and left a message
I am SueSueper Sue on FB.
Sounds like a real interesting book, love recipes
I’m going to start a food journal and keep track fo how many calorie I eat every day.
I’m hoping to only eat sweets on special occasions (birthdays etc.)
Eliminate the “white” Stuff!
I’m not much of a meat eater, but I need more balance of protein and iron in my diet. It’s time to work in lentils and beans. But, the most important thing I need to do is eat slowly and eat less.
This year, I want to eat more foods high in iron and low in sugar.
I want to actually try and follow the Canadian Food Pyramid for a month, see if it’s useful.
I’m actually trying a low-gluten diet for the first time this year. I have a slight gluten intolerance and I want to see if this will help. I think vegan cooking might help too.
I pan to continue with my healthy habits that i established last year and lose another 20lbs. I lost 50lbs last year.
I hope to cut back on mindless snacking in the evenings
My New Years resolution which I never do, is this year to eat WAY more vegetables. I am a total foodie and cookbook collector, I read them like novels. My husband will eat any new recipe I try. We do a few meatless meals with lots of herbs and spices. I resolve also to learn to cook either Moroccan or Indian in 2013 and it isn’t for lack of these cookbooks, I have many.
I plan to eat more fruit and veggies.
My resolution is to not eat any sugar. I can eat still eat maple syrup, honey, and coconut sweetener, but no cane or beet sugar.
To start each day with a healthy breakfast.
I’m going to run my first marathon this year
My resolution is to learn more about vegan cooking.
To add nuts and seeds as an item in my diet on a biweekly basis.
My healthy New Year’s resolution is to get more exercise!
my resolution is to eat healthy balanced meals and to plan ahead so that those healthy choices are readily available
I am trying to cut back on carbs
I had a baby in December so I’d like to lose some of the weight by getting out to do some short hikes later this month. I also want to cut back on my sugar intake.
My goal for 2013 is too consume less salt. Also, because my son is vegetarian with a preference towards veganism, I would really like some new ideas to cook healthy vegetarian/vegan meals….I’d also love to cook with him and try new foods together.
My resolution is definitely to cut back on the sodium. Gonna be a difficult one though. Given the choice between a sweet treat, like chocolate or something salty…salt wins everytime hands down. Think if I add more herbs and spices and a non-sodium substitute it may be a more tolerable a feat.