The Blue Zones Kitchen Cookbook

Walking Girl

Well-Known Member
Messages
314
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
If you are looking for some new, but simple, ways to prepare your veggies, the new cookbook by Dan Buettner is a great option, IMO. He breaks down recipes into geographic zones: Sardinia, Okinawa, Nicoya, Ikaria, Loma Linda. As is typical of Blue Zone recipes, they are mainly vegetable based, but with a few bread, pasta, rice dishes in addition. A number of legume recipes. It’s full of lovely photos and easy to follow directions. Fair warning, there are a few recipes from Okinawa that use a little fish - for the dashi, but he does provide a vegan option.

so far, I’ve made the hearts of palm ceviche and the 10-minute veggie Champura. Both simple and delicious. I have a pot of spiced beans on now.

If you are not familiar with his prior work, as is typical of Dan Buettner, he talks about foods that cause a lower insulin release and the low glycemic index as being a possible part of the health of the Blue Zones diets. In this book he also mentions fasting as healthy, but it’s a quick blurb since this book is specifically about food. The recipes stay true to this belief, which I appreciate because dodging the copious pasta dishes in most vegetarian cookbooks gets tedious. But he floats an idea that (as far as I can remember) a first for his books. - is eating fewer foods (he mentions rotate same 20ish ingredients) as being healthful - I guess the idea being you challenge you immune system less with limited foods. Something to look more into.

anyway, so far I’m a happy owner of the book and looking to make more items from it.

~ in no way connected with the author, just a fan.
 

Little Bird

Well-Known Member
Messages
110
If you are looking for some new, but simple, ways to prepare your veggies, the new cookbook by Dan Buettner is a great option, IMO. He breaks down recipes into geographic zones: Sardinia, Okinawa, Nicoya, Ikaria, Loma Linda. As is typical of Blue Zone recipes, they are mainly vegetable based, but with a few bread, pasta, rice dishes in addition. A number of legume recipes. It’s full of lovely photos and easy to follow directions. Fair warning, there are a few recipes from Okinawa that use a little fish - for the dashi, but he does provide a vegan option.

so far, I’ve made the hearts of palm ceviche and the 10-minute veggie Champura. Both simple and delicious. I have a pot of spiced beans on now.

If you are not familiar with his prior work, as is typical of Dan Buettner, he talks about foods that cause a lower insulin release and the low glycemic index as being a possible part of the health of the Blue Zones diets. In this book he also mentions fasting as healthy, but it’s a quick blurb since this book is specifically about food. The recipes stay true to this belief, which I appreciate because dodging the copious pasta dishes in most vegetarian cookbooks gets tedious. But he floats an idea that (as far as I can remember) a first for his books. - is eating fewer foods (he mentions rotate same 20ish ingredients) as being healthful - I guess the idea being you challenge you immune system less with limited foods. Something to look more into.

anyway, so far I’m a happy owner of the book and looking to make more items from it.

~ in no way connected with the author, just a fan.
Hi Walking Girl, I too am a fan of Dan Buettner and Blue Zones philosophy. I have made several recipes on the Blue Zones website and found them really delicious. I have been considering buying the new recipe book but wasn't sure how many of the recipes are the same as those on the website. Having got the book yourself what would you say?
 

Walking Girl

Well-Known Member
Messages
314
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi Walking Girl, I too am a fan of Dan Buettner and Blue Zones philosophy. I have made several recipes on the Blue Zones website and found them really delicious. I have been considering buying the new recipe book but wasn't sure how many of the recipes are the same as those on the website. Having got the book yourself what would you say?

hi Little Bird - as with any cookbook, some of the recipes I will never make. There are some dessert, bread and pasta or rice dishes that will likely never work for me. But the majority of the recipes are vegetable-based. They are also, fair warning, very simple preparations. That’s actually what I like about it. Sometimes I enjoy making a 20 ingredient recipe, but usually these days I lean towards simple. Most of the dishes have 3-5 ingredients. Last week I made Glazed Okinawan Greens. I used mustard greens, my own home grown pea shoots, add lime juice, white miso and mirin. I would never have thought of miso paste on greens, but it was delicious topped with sesame and macadamia nut costed tofu (my recipe)
 

Little Bird

Well-Known Member
Messages
110
hi Little Bird - as with any cookbook, some of the recipes I will never make. There are some dessert, bread and pasta or rice dishes that will likely never work for me. But the majority of the recipes are vegetable-based. They are also, fair warning, very simple preparations. That’s actually what I like about it. Sometimes I enjoy making a 20 ingredient recipe, but usually these days I lean towards simple. Most of the dishes have 3-5 ingredients. Last week I made Glazed Okinawan Greens. I used mustard greens, my own home grown pea shoots, add lime juice, white miso and mirin. I would never have thought of miso paste on greens, but it was delicious topped with sesame and macadamia nut costed tofu (my recipe)
Sounds like a really good book. Like you I wouldn't be able to eat some of the carbier recipes too often but simple veggie based dishes would suit very well indeed. Your sesame and macadamia tofu recipe sounds fabulous, maybe share it with us?Thanks Walking Girl you're a plant based diabetic pioneer and revolutionary!