In today’s edition of my newsletter, I am sharing something that’s on the first page of my book, Good Food, Healthy Planet. As you may know, my book is a how-to guide to help people cook and eat in a way that’s good for us and for the planet too. Along with the food, I also bring together all the proof we need: climate science with food and mood research, together with what traditional wisdom has shown us all along. It’s all about tasty, feel-good food that’s also simple, sustainable and easy to make as we go about our everyday lives. But before we jump ahead to the recipes and advice, I wanted to help people notice what’s at the very beginning, on the first page:
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Good Food, Healthy Planet is a Globe and Mail and National Post Top Cookbook of 2024
Get your copy:
🇨🇦 Amazon.ca | Indigo
🇺🇸 Amazon.com
"It's modern-day comfort when you want to nourish yourself and the planet." – Julie Van Rosendaal, The Globe and Mail
“This book was written, photographed, and produced in the area we know today as Canada. I acknowledge the historical oppression of these lands and cultures, and the original peoples. I recognize the rich history and contributions of the Indigenous Peoples who have stewarded this land for thousands of years. I am committed to ongoing learning and solidarity with them and to the healing and decolonizing journey we are on together.
This book was written, photographed, and produced with high regard for reducing waste, food and otherwise.“
Good Food, Healthy Planet is in stores!On to the press tour
On Monday, I was on CBC Radio, and one of the questions I was asked at that time has really stayed with me:
“What is the one thing that you would like people to remember when they read your book?”
First, some background – last week I did a series of syndicated interviews on CBC Radio that aired from coast to coast across Canada. There were 13 segments in total, each under 7 minutes that ran back-to-back over 4 hours, all with CBC journalists in various cities across the country. Incredible to reach such a large audience with my book, at the same time, I was conscious of the ticking clock, so I kept my answers brief. Here’s what I (sort of) said in answer to the above question at that time:
“The medical science and climate research is clear; if we consume a diet that is rich in whole grains, nuts and seeds, fruits and vegetables, fermented foods, eggs, beans, lentils, some fish, and even a small amount of meat, we can improve our personal wellbeing and support the long-term health and prosperity of our planet.”
Here’s what I wish I had also expanded to say: Our actions impact not only us but others, too. What we do every day, our daily actions, the everyday and mundane, affect us and our experience; they also affect the people around us and the larger environment. Which is incredible when you think of it, because that means when we change our daily actions, not only can we change ourselves, but also our environment. Small steps = BIG IMPACT.
This was the inspiration for Good Food, Healthy Planet. I talked about it briefly in the National Post interview last week too. So here I am, encouraging people to remember: WHAT WE DO MATTERS.
That’s it from me for now. Thank you for being here. Have a look at some of the conversations I’m having about sustainable living practices in Canadian media here. If you haven’t already, buy a copy of my green book for yourself, and for your best friend, and another one for your neighbour too.