We are what we eat

Dare I say it? I think I have just found my newest favourite cook book!

Our busy lifestyles these days make it difficult to prepare a wholesome and healthy meal for yourself, let alone your family. For me, nothing is better than sitting cross legged on my couch, chatting about my day with my family and listening to them talking about their days while we eat our evening meal. Yes, I know, for those who love to sit at a dining table and chairs I am probably breaking with the ‘done’ thing, but my family are older, we have had our time of sitting up to a table and using perfect manners. The learning time is long over in my household, it is now time to catch up and enjoy each other’s company whenever we can, and sitting on the couch with a bowl of wholesome food is not only about eating, it’s a social experience.

When it comes to ‘bowl food’, sure, you can cook a roast dinner and chop it up before piling it into a bowl to eat with a single utensil, but really, that’s not what bowl food is about. Bowl food is about nourishment that is beautifully presented, easy to eat and incredibly delicious. It is an added bonus if that food is good for you, and when it’s whole food.

Foodie and author of Whole Food, Bowl Food, Anna Lisle believes that a whole food diet is simply about enjoying real food – ingredients in their most natural state such as whole grains, full fat dairy, lean meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables.

Anna is a food writer, lifestyle journalist and passionate cook. Her first cookbook, Bowl & Fork, was launched internationally in December 2015 and the response from this book had Anna feeling humbled and realizing that she wasn’t alone in her love of bowl food. Anna grew up on a sheep and cattle farm in rural Australia where she was passionate about eating and would devour everything in sight.

Now living in London, where she works as a food writer and recipe developer, Anna has compiled a selection of recipes and created a book that is a must for the modern cook who loves to try new recipes that are super tasty, healthy and just a little bit different. All the recipes are gluten free (and many are sugar and diary free), so the whole family can enjoy.

Thankfully, in my family, there is only one person who needs gluten free food, but we will all be enjoying delicious gluten free bowl food such as Bacon and Egg Breakfast Ramen, Smoky Barbecued Squid with Papaya and Tamarind Salsa, Crunchy Cauliflower Salad with Mango, Lime and Jalapeno Dressing, and Sticky Pomegranate Chicken with Iranian Jewelled Rice.

If we are what we eat, the recipes in the book will have you looking and feeling great. With over 100 creative and inspiring recipes from Anna’s real food kitchen, get ready to become a healthier and happier you.

All you need is a love of food and the comfort of eating from a bowl. Each dish combines flavours and textures and they are easy enough to prepare on a busy weeknight, but special enough to be recreated to impress your friends.

Whole Food, Bowl Food is published by New Holland Publishers in hardback format – RRP AU$45.00