Product Review: The Plant Power Way; New book by Rich Roll and Julie Piatt
Original Date May 7, 2015
I was hesitant to purchase yet another cookbook. I have spent many hours going through my books, and limiting my belongings in an effort to live a simpler life. When Sharon Gannon’s new cook book came out, I looked it over, considered, (it is a gorgeous book) but ultimately I did not end up buying it. I was drawn to the family encouraging recipes, and tips for how to have kids enjoy a plant based diet. Sharon did not have that going for her in that new cookbook- my kids just will not eat Nettle Soup or Spirulina Millet. Nope. Not happening. The before market reviews of the book were incredible, and I love anything that Rich Roll and Julie Piatt produce, so I bought it despite my reservations to add another book to our household.
I LOVE this book! It was worth every penny. It was a great price for a such a beautiful book, and I love leaving it out on the counter. I have used the book every day since its purchase. As a mother, I appreciate that Rich and Julie are also cooking plant based for their children, and I enjoy reading about which recipes their own kids love. My kids LOVE “Abuela’ Glazed Banana’s”, and the Pad Thai recipe. They know how to feed a family. I have enjoyed “Monk’s Blend” Smoothie every day since purchasing the book. The pictures are fun, and the recipes accessible.
What makes this book different from other cookbooks out there is the way they created different “paths” folks can take on a plant powered diet. We often hear that as long as its whole food plant based, you can eat as much as you want, but I have found this advice to be unhelpful. Every body needs a different set of requirements, and it all CAN be done on a plant based diet. Julie and Rich offer 3 different eating paths (which remind me of the Ayurvedic Dosha’s, and understanding Julie’s background in yoga and ayurveda, it makes sense to see it divided this way). These are as ways to organize your eating and offer more insight into the recipes. The Three paths: Vitality is a simple, almost spiritual way of eating, recipes not as dense but still nourishing. Performance is created for the person, like Rich, who needs to maximize their physical capacity with dense nutritious foods. The Transformation path is form someone coming off of a high fat and meat diet, someone who needs to loose weight and change their health, and have some serious transformation on the plant powered path. These paths are only recommendations. You can just use the scrumptious recipes without the paths, but if you are looking for transformation and a powerful way of eating that works specifically for your needs, each recipe has a “key” to help you understand how it fits within these models. I like the paths because it ends up being more than just another collection of recipes, it really is a whole way of life and a lifestyle.
One thing I truly enjoy about Rich Roll is his ability to thrive, almost beyond what we think is humanly possible, on a fully plant based diet. Its easy to think that eating only plants, no eggs, fish, meat, dairy, cheese, yogurt, nadda, will give you enough energy to be active. Rich blows this idea out to the moon. He is an ultra man athlete, completing a wild 500 miles in just days of biking, swimming, and running. And he does it on a fully plant based diet.
I highly recommend this book and think it should be on everyone’s kitchen counter. He only eats plants to do it, proving it is possible to have enough energy on this kind of diet, when you eat the right kinds of foods that provide nourishment and sustenance. Its not just about eating salad folks! Veggie eating is seeds, fruits, legumes, grains, tubers, and of course, salad! I believe this diet to be the one that is kindest to our own bodies, and to the planet body. A book like the PlantPower Way is a lifestyle support system. I fully endorse the book, and encourage others to pick it up. Today.
