Hello Holistic | Flourishing After 40 | Perimenopause and Beyond

About the book

Fellow Nutritionist/Dietician Karlene Karst wrote This Kitchen is for Dancing, which she dedicated to her husband and 3 children. It is full of over 100 real food recipes that are nourishing and make cooking fun. Karlene warns her readers that she won’t be teaching you how to cook in this book because she believes there is no right or wrong way to do it! Instead, she assures us that, if you love your family enough to feed them healthy food, you will cook well.

Why this Nutritionist loves it

Karlene got her cooking inspiration and skills from her mother who, while growing up on a farm in Saskatchewan, instilled in her strong family and food values. Today, Karlene infuses in these skills, along with what she picks up from her Italian husband’s family. She finds chopping, prepping, and stirring very fulfilling and stress relieving. To Karlene, cooking is like a dance…try a few moves, learn some steps, gain confidence, gradually get better, and it becomes fun!

This book is not just full of beautiful photos and recipes. Karlene adds ways to find gratitude, practice mindfulness, optimize nutrition, and establish a routine for overall wellness. Tips like what to look for when selecting produce, reading product labels, choosing animal products, meal prepping, getting your kids involved in the cooking process, and deciphering between sugar substitutes are all helpful resources in this book.

On page 35, you will find a glossary of ingredients in the “Real Food Pantry”. Karlene lists all the healthy flours, super grains, flavour and nutrient-boosters, she breaks down the oils and vinegars, spices, nuts and even essential kitchen equipment. This is helpful for anyone with dietary restrictions who want to make healthy alternative choices in a recipe.

Best of all, all of the recipes in this book are created by a Nutritionist so you can ensure each will produce the healthiest meal possible. No recipe is overcomplicated, so even those new at cooking can get something great out of this book.

Nine must-try recipes

From the Breakfast section:

1. Ricotta-pumpkin Pancakes, page 71
2. Tropical Granola, page 83
3. Baked Eggs in Spicy Tomato Sauce, page 89

From the Soup and Veggies sections:

1. Vegan Cream of Mushroom Soup, page 133
2. Slow Cooker Tortilla Soup, page 143
3. Strawberry Fennel Salad & Lemony Chia Dressing, page 163

From the Weekday and Sunday Dinner section:

1. Peanut Butter Pasta, page 217
2. Fish Tacos, page 221
3. Oven-roasted Chicken and Vegetables, page 257

Buy it here

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