Christina Pirello turned to a whole-foods diet after being diagnosed with terminal leukemia at age 26. To the shock of her doctors, and without any medical treatment, she went into complete remission. She was surprised herself, as she'd been a vegetarian for more than 10 years and wasn't convinced that cutting prepackaged foods, sugar, and dairy from her diet would make that much of a difference to her health.

Pirello says, "Macrobiotics is an understanding that that food is energy, that everything we eat becomes part of us and helps create who we become." With this philosophy in mind, she advises how to plan menus, shop for quality ingredients, and combine foods for optimum energy. She then jumps right into her collection of more than 500 recipes, among them Fresh Corn Chowder, Béchamel Sauce, and Chocolate Hazelnut Torte. They should appeal to entire families; beans, tofu, and sea vegetables do figure prominently in many dishes, but rarely have these much-maligned ingredients sounded so tantalizing. Pirello's sassiness, adventuring spirit, and lust for life are readily apparent in these recipes, and her book should certainly help make the transition to a whole-foods lifestyle a smooth one. --Erica Jorgensen


From Library Journal
Fifteen years ago, Pirello was diagnosed with terminal leukemia and given fewer than six months to live; with no other real options, she reluctantly listened to a friend who introduced her to macrobiotic cooking. She eventually adopted that diet and within months was in total remission?so it's understandable that she has become a champion of macrobiotics. She and her husband run a cooking school in Philadelphia, and this cookbook is a companion to her new PBS series. Pirello's recipes demonstrate that there's more to a macrobiotic diet than brown rice, and her exuberance and sense of fun show that macrobiotics doesn't have to be dreary. It's too bad that the headnotes often refer to various healing and other properties of certain foods without explaining the basis of such beliefs. Nevertheless, subject and other large cookbook collections will want Pirello's natural foods guide.Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

ANNOTATION

In this collection of 500 recipes, Pirello takes the mystery out of preparing whole foods and adds a liberal sprinkling of fun. Along with great recipes, Cooking the Whole Foods Way offers menus, meal-planning tips, wit and wisdom, and a simple philosophy which discusses why we choose the foods we eat. National media publicity. Online promo. 17,500 print.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Christina Pirello takes the mystery out of preparing whole foods and adds a liberal sprinkling of fun. Out with processed and chemically enhanced food. Out with dairy, sugar and meat. In with whole grains, vegetables, fruit, beans and fish. From savory soups to innovative entrees and delectable desserts, Christina includes more than 500 recipes and ideas to make wholesome eating an everyday event. Along with great recipes, what this cookbook is really about is changing the way you think about the foods you choose. More than simple substitutions - brown-rice syrup instead of sugar, brown rice instead of white - Christina offers a cookbook that can change your life and how you live it day to day. With menu examples, tips on meal planning, a shopping guide, product-resource list and extensive glossary, Christina makes healthy eating a most delicious adventure.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

Diagnosed with terminal leukemia in 1983, Pirello opted against conventional medical treatments, choosing instead macrobiotics. Fourteen years later, she presents herself as a glowing testimony to a macrobiotic diet-one rich in grains, land- and sea-grown vegetables, fruits, beans and bean-based products-and will promote it in a forthcoming series for Public Television. With these 500 recipes-ranging from stews and salads to breads, pastas and desserts-Pirello and her husband bring macrobiotic eating into mainstream cuisine, devising such accessible dishes as Roasted Vegetables & Corn Chili and Polenta-Topped Kidney Bean Casserole. Although Pirello opposes eating any sort of animal food, she does include recipes for fish, which serves as a weekly supplement to the otherwise vegetarian cuisine. Beginning with a helpful glossary to explain such specialty ingredients as kombu and nori, sea vegetables, and the fermented soybean flavoring miso, the collection offers something for everyone-from twists on familiar favorites (Kasha with Noodles; Mushroom-Leek Risotto) to dishes featuring tofu, tempeh and seitan. Some notable recipes include Corn-Squash Pudding, Poached Flounder with Citrus-Leek Vinaigrette, Penne with Black Beans and Mangoes, Rice Kayu Bread and Chestnut Cream Pie. (Mar.)

Library Journal