A Must Read!

Mom reads to me a lot and sometimes I listen but most of the time I don't. It's not that I'm not interested in what she's reading, it's just that all that listening really cuts into my nap time. And nothing comes between me and my naps except maybe Popeyes. When Mom picked up this book from the library last week, I didn't expect to be so caught off guard with how good it was despite the fact that it's about food. But the book is about so much more than food.

Do you guys remember The Conscious Kitchen mini challenge I did a few weeks ago? I had lots of fun doing it and I learned lots too. That challenge and this book are from the same author. The challenge was just a brief intro into the world of what it means to have a conscious kitchen and even if you didn't take the challenge, this book is a must read. A must buy even because there's so much great info in it that's like a reference book. I like to think of this book as a beginner's guide to eating consciously. Some of you are beginners, some experts, and some on the fence. No matter where you fit into the range of conscious eating, you'll learn a lot from this book.

The introduction of the book has the conscious commandments and while I won't list them here, I will tell you that part of one of them is to use reusable bags when shopping. You see, you can't have a conscious kitchen with plastic bags lying on the countertops. It just doesn't work that way because there's nothing good about them. They are just plain bad. Period. Oh, and another commandment speaks to saying no to bottled water. Again, bottled water in the kitchen is a no-no unless you live in a community, in a developing country that lacks access to clean drinking water. No exceptions!

Mom is telling me to calm it down a bit so back to the book. There's a list of essential terms you need to know and while this may sound a little dumbed down for some, a refresher course is never a bad thing. Just when you think you know it all, new terms or new definitions pop up. Life is dynamic and you have to roll with the changes.

Chapter one is all about what kind of food to buy while chapter two is about where to shop. I know many of you will immediately think the author is going to recommend only buying organic and you would be right. She explains in detail, in laymen's terms why organic (in most cases) is the best option. She even provides a sliding scale from best to worst when detailing each food group. Again, a great reference to have on hand when faced with the overwhelming amount of food decisions you must make each day.

The part of the book Mom loves the most are the reference features. I'm referring to the many websites the author provides to enable you to gain additional information on the given subjects she discusses. These websites are littered throughout the book and there are many that Mom wasn't even aware of. There are even some books, reports, and movie recommendations for those wishing to further their conscious kitchen education.

The part of the book I love the most are the author's own eating and purchasing habits. She goes into details about what, where, when, why, and how she buys her food. There's a lot to be said with being the so called expert and putting yourself on the line but she does a great job explaining her reasons for doing what she does. And she does this without an elitist attitude. She's just a regular person who is trying to do right by herself, her family, and the planet. Is it asking too much for everyone to think and act this way?

But it seems that even with a great book like this one, Mom has issues with certain parts. Like with the seafood section. And even a little with the meat section. The author is not a vegetarian but she does her best to eat local, organic and sustainable meat. I see nothing wrong with that but Mom feels that if you were to do right by the planet, you wouldn't eat meat. I do right by the planet and I eat meat but Mom doesn't hold that against me because I'm a dog. Whew!

Mom is only halfway through the book and can hardly put it down. She still has to read about drinks (you can bet bottled water will not be the only thing discussed), packaged foods, pots and pans, appliances, cleanup, and my personal favorite waste. Yes, having a conscious kitchen means dealing with waste (organic and inorganic) in the best way possible for maintaining a healthy planet. There are so many elements to having a conscious kitchen that most people never think of and that's another reason this book is so great. It gets you thinking, way outside your comfort zone. It also gets you questioning your food purchases and even yourself. And I don't think those are bad things.

Mom doesn't really buy books but she's really thinking about buying this one. If she doesn't buy it for herself, I think I'm going to surprise her with it for Mother's Day. What better way to say I love you than with a great book?