Food Matters Part 8

Dried mushrooms. Especially porcini (cepes) and shiitakes.

Capers. Packed in vinegar or salt.

Miso. Truly one of the world's great ingredients; instantly adds depth to soups and stews, and you can use it to make quick sauces and dressings simply by adding water.

Anchovies. Packed in olive oil: best bought in resealable gla.s.s jars rather than cans.

Sesame oil. The roasted kind, sold in all Asian markets. No better way to finish a stir-fry.

Sea Greens (seaweed). Especially hiziki, konbu (kelp), and nori (laver).

Coconut milk. Easily made fresh, but far more convenient when canned. Light is an acceptable option in almost every case.

Silken Tofu. The kind in the box keeps for months in the pantry. It's a handy subst.i.tute for sour cream or other thickeners, and it is also nice slipped into a bowl of soup or tossed with Asian noodles and vegetables.

Meal Plans: A Sample Month As I've said repeatedly, the Food Matters style of eating isn't dogmatic. Beyond "Eat fewer animal products and more plants" there are really no rules, so providing meal plans feels a bit counterintuitive.

Nevertheless, there are good reasons for giving you some guidelines. For one thing, people I talk to are interested in hearing about what I eat in a normal day; once they learn that many dinners still include sausage, steak, pasta, or roast chicken, they're less intimidated. I've also discovered that many people really want to see what a typical day or week looks like before they consider a change in their dietary behavior, which makes sense. There's also an expectation that a book like this will have meal plans; that's fair enough.

So that's what the next few pages will give you: a sense of the Food Matters diet in practice. If you're someone who likes more concrete directives, these can help you get started. But even if you might resent being told what to eat when, they can still serve as an inspiration for integrating the basic concepts and recipes into your daily life on your own terms.

I've included suggested snacks-they sound formal-but remember that throughout the day, every day, you can (and probably should) be eating fruit, nuts, raw and cooked vegetables, popcorn, salads, vegetable soups, and the like.

And keep in mind that these are all suggestions, suggestions, no more: Use what you can, but make it simple and seasonal. If peaches aren't in season, make a banana smoothie instead. If the eggplant looks like it's seen better days, there's nothing wrong with zucchini and chicken Parmesan; or make paella with scallops instead of shrimp. Remember, this is all about what you no more: Use what you can, but make it simple and seasonal. If peaches aren't in season, make a banana smoothie instead. If the eggplant looks like it's seen better days, there's nothing wrong with zucchini and chicken Parmesan; or make paella with scallops instead of shrimp. Remember, this is all about what you can can eat, not what you can't. eat, not what you can't.

Week 1 Monday BREAKFAST.

Blueberry smoothie

Whole grain toast LUNCH.

Lunchtime Caesar Salad with shrimp SNACK.

Brown-Bag Popcorn with Sesame Shake DINNER.

Stuffed Chicken b.r.e.a.s.t.s with Pan-Grilled Corn

Steamed asparagus with Olive Oil Drizzle

Wild rice DESSERT.

Lemon sorbet Tuesday BREAKFAST.

Breakfast Burritos with beans and avocado LUNCH.

Asian-Style Noodles with Mushrooms SNACK.

Warm Nuts and Fruit DINNER.

Roasted Vegetables with halibut or salmon steaks

Couscous DESSERT.

Fresh orange wedges Wednesday BREAKFAST.

Breakfast Couscous with Roasted Vegetables LUNCH.

Salade Nicoise with Mustard Vinaigrette

Hybrid Quick Bread SNACK.

Banana smoothie DINNER.

Bean and Vegetable Chili

Brown rice

Fresh tomato salsa DESSERT.

Nutty Oatmeal Cookies Thursday BREAKFAST.

Fruit salad

Bulgur with maple syrup and dried fruit LUNCH.

j.a.panese Mixed Rice SNACK.

Baked Pita Triangles with spinach spread DINNER.

Eggplant and Chicken Parmesan

Farro with Olive Oil Drizzle DESSERT.

Fresh or frozen berries Friday BREAKFAST.

Granola with yogurt and mixed berries LUNCH.

Thai Beef Salad SNACK.

Brown-Bag Popcorn with Hot Curry Powder DINNER.

Easy Whole Grain Pizza with caramelized onions and mushrooms

Nicely Dressed Salad Greens with chickpeas and cuc.u.mber DESSERT.

No-Bake Apricot Fruit Tarts Sat.u.r.day BREAKFAST.

Better Poached Eggs with asparagus LUNCH.

Hummus with Pita and Greens SNACK.

Whole grain toast with carrot spread DINNER.

Savory Vegetable and Grain Torta

Mesclun salad DESSERT.

Chocolate Semolina Pudding with Raspberry Puree Sunday BRUNCH.

Fruit salad

Whole Grain Pancakes SNACK.