Whole Foods to Thrive by Brendan Brazier (+Giveaway!)

My Thoughts

When I first agreed to feature Whole Foods to Thrive I had no idea how pertinent and useful the book would be to my life. Right before the book arrived in my mailbox I was diagnosed with celiac disease and lactose intolerance. As you can imagine, a diet without gluten (wheat/barley/rye) or dairy is extremely limited and after about 7 years as a vegetarian I started to incorporate a small amount of meat into my diet. Brazier's book is packed full of plant, nutrient-dense, recipes that do no contain the most common allergens- and yup, that includes dairy and gluten- which means not only can I eat them, but they are a healthy way to treat both your body and the environment well.

Whole Foods to Thrive begins with several chapters explaining Brazier's philosophy behind the book, including informative figures and stats about the environmental cost behind some of the foods we love. He explains how to get important nutrients like iron into your diet without relying on processed foods. The majority of the book is helpful and delicious recipes divided by meal and which use little symbols to help the reader if the food is raw or not, as raw food means that the healthy nutrients so many foods contain are not cooked away at high heat. Each recipe is clear and informative, containing not only the time needed to prepare, but a couple sentences explaining what it can be used for like a pecan and dill pate that can be used to replace the rice in sushi rolls. The recipes are from top-tier chefs and come from all over the country, so no matter where you live you can find one filled with local and delicious ingredients. After having to abandon my many gluten-filled recipes, I already know that Whole Foods to Thrive will be a book I am revisiting many times in the future.

From The Book

Sacha Inchi Baked Apple Cinnamon Cereal (pg 137)

Brazier has offered to share a delicious smoothie recipe from Whole Foods to Thrive.

Ginger Pear Smoothie with Sunflower Seed Hemp Milk

The riper the pear, the sweeter the smoothie. If you’d like it even sweeter, add one or two fresh or soaked dried dates. Since ginger is a natural anti-inflammatory, this is an ideal choice for a post-workout snack.

Time: 2 minutes • Makes about 3 cups (2 servings)

1 banana
½ pear, cored
1 cup water
1 cup Sunflower Hemp Seed Milk (see p. 126)
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tbsp hemp protein powder
1 tbsp peeled, grated ginger

• In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.

Chocolate Goodness Smoothie (pg 135)

Giveaway (Canada Only)

One prize pack contains six Vega smoothie mixes (either Shake & Go Smoothie mixes or Complete Whole Food Health Optimizer mixes) in an assortment of flavours like Vanilla Chai, Bodacious Berry, and Choc-a-Lot. Canada only. To enter you must be a follower, and leave a comment with a health tip and your e-mail address. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my e-mail or a new one will be selected. Giveaway ends June 1st at 11:59 pm MST. Good luck!