By Bindu Grandhi, Author of Spice Up Your Life

When I told my friends, family, and colleagues that I wrote Spice Up Your Life, a flexitarian cookbook – many would look at me with a puzzled expression and say “what-a-who-ian book?” Mind you, I too didn’t know that the style of healthy eating that I adopted all these years actually had a name. “Flexitarian” is a term recently coined to describe those who eat a primarily plant-based diet (vegetables, legumes, grains, fruits, nuts), but occasionally obtain protein from lean meat, fish, poultry or dairy. To put it simply, a casual vegetarian….  Believe it or not, a quarter of Americans already fit this description, consuming meatless meals at least four days a week (according to the American Dietetic Association).

There are numerous benefits to being a flexitarian. The American diet historically has been meat-heavy. By cutting back on meat, rather than abstaining completely, may be a practical compromise that benefits our bodies, our pocketbook and our environment. This eating approach is healthful because you get all the necessary vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and it is high in fiber and protein while low in saturated fat.  Studies show that people, who follow this style of eating, generally weigh less, have lower rates of hypertension, cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes, many cancers and other serious diseases. What a great recipe for countering the skyrocketing healthcare costs in our nation. In addition, meat is the single most expensive thing Americans eat and by swapping it for veggie proteins like chickpeas and beans a few times a week, can reduce your grocery bills. Saving money this way is especially helpful during these tough economic times. Cutting back on meat is also more humane to animals and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. (FYI…The United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization reported that animal agriculture contributes 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions—more than all forms of transportation combined.)

My parents, grandparents and generations before them are all vegetarian. They embrace healthy eating as a lifestyle even as a philosophy. Even though my Mom worked, she always found time to cook delicious and nutritious meals and is a cookbook author herself – Indian Vegetarian Cooking from an American Kitchen (Random House). She made cooking look so simple, easy and fun. I also helped her in the kitchen, and we ate together as a family while catching up on the day’s events – it made us feel close to one another. I fear that in our fast-paced culture, family togetherness is shortchanged. That is one of the reason I too carried on this tradition of home cooked meals and eating together as a family despite our busy schedules. Living in the U.S., my parents encouraged me to explore the culinary delights of American cuisine and let me decide what food choices appealed to me. Naturally, I tried everything. Chicken, turkey and fish were my favorites. I tried burgers and steaks too but somehow ‘red meat’ did not appeal to me, so I don’t eat it. What I also discovered is that I enjoyed eating vegetarian most of the times and eating chicken and seafood occasionally. That is how I became a flexitarian.

I’m a big proponent of cooking more at home. People often ask me how to make time for healthy eating because of the many steps involved – buying, preparation, cooking and cleaning up. First and foremost, I don’t find cooking to be a chore because I enjoy making delicious and healthy dishes, and find it gratifying to see the grin of satisfaction on my husband and son. Cooking doesn’t consume too much of my time because I am organized and disciplined in my food preparation. For instance, I try to plan out meals for the week and purchase the ingredients accordingly. I visit the grocery store once a week and in Spice Up Your Life, I’ve provided tips about storing foods, herbs, etc. to keep ingredients fresher longer. Every day, I prepare dinner for my family and it takes me an hour at the most. I believe dinner is the most important meal of the day where our family spends time relaxing and catching up. We eat a simple and nutritious breakfast at home which doesn’t demand too much time. Lunch is either leftovers from the day before or eaten outside and we make it a point to select healthful choices (i.e., staying away from processed foods). I find food preparation very relaxing and therapeutic after a long day at work. Sometimes, I watch TV or listen to music which makes it more enjoyable. As for cleaning, it’s a cinch because my family chips in – and of course thank goodness for the amazing dishwasher! Most importantly, my family appreciates the time, energy and TLC I spend on making our meals.

It’s super easy to be flexitarian. You don’t have to be a great cook to make a healthy meal. But the more you cook, the faster and better a cook you become. Also, consider the modern appliances we have at our fingertips – cooking is so much easier and faster today than it was even a decade ago. Nowadays, grocery stores house an array of lentils, beans, peas (chickpeas, black-eyed peas), vegetables, spices, herbs and pre-packaged frozen vegetables, chicken and fish. What many folks don’t realize is that incorporating spices and herbs not only lend color, flavor but also are anti-bacterial, anti-cancer and/or anti-inflammatory agents (like turmeric). Let’s be honest, you can cook and eat healthy, but if it doesn’t taste good then you won’t stick with it. I really believe that eating a tasty and satisfying nutritional meal is exactly what our mind craves and body needs. Lastly, cooking at home is more economical than eating out. Don’t get me wrong, eating out is convenient and we do that on occasion, but a majority of our meals are eaten at home.

My dad, author of “Stop Overeating for Good,” gave me this piece of advice which has served me well throughout my life… “Accountability starts with yourself. You are responsible for eating wise and taking care of your body, especially if you expect it to serve you well.”

Life is short, take care of your health so that you can enjoy the ride!

Please visit www.theflexcook.com for more recipe ideas and other information.

Here’s one of my favorite recipes from Spice Up Your Life: Chili Chicken

To see the cooking demo for chili chicken, just click on the link below:

www.theflexcook.com/recipe 15.html

Chili Chicken

This is a spicy dish. The aroma of the sautéed green chilies combined with onions, ginger, and garlic is indescribable. I love the sweet, tangy, spicy sauce, which coats the seasoned and sautéed chicken. It is a family favorite!

Prep Time:  15 minutes          Cooking Time:  25       Serves:  4

1. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for marinade.  Add chicken and toss until chicken pieces are well coated with marinade.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

1. In a large skillet, heat oil and cook chicken for 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Remove chicken and set aside.

1. In the same skillet, add onion, garlic, ginger, and green chilies, and sauté over medium-low heat until onions are golden brown.  Add ketchup, soy sauce, white and black pepper, brown sugar and mix.  Add chicken and mix well so that chicken is coated with sauce.  Cover and simmer 5 minutes.  Salt to taste.

1. Garnish with cilantro and spring onions.  Serve with basmati rice.

Note: Chicken can be grilled and then added to the skillet.