The Self-Care Cookbook Digital BLAD

A Holistic Approac h to Cooking, E at i n g , and Living Well

130 recipes c overing

10 dimensions of welln es s

The

Self-Care Cookbook DR. FRANK ARDITO

Contents Introduction

| XXX

Chapter 1:

Physical Wellness | XXX

Chapter 2:

Spiritual Wellness | XXX

Chapter 3:

Emotional Wellness | XXX

Chapter 4:

Environmental Wellness | XXX

Chapter 5:

Intellectual Wellness | XXX

Chapter 6:

Nutritional Wellness | XXX

Chapter 7:

Protectoral Wellness | XXX

Chapter 8:

Social Wellness | XXX

Chapter 9:

Occupational Wellness | XXX

Chapter 10: Index

Financial Wellness | XXX

| XXX

About the Author

| XXX

Introduction I call this book The Self-Care Cookbook because most cookbooks are, at their core, essentially about cooking for other people— about feeding your family, getting dinner on the table for your spouse or partner, hosting holidays or celebrations, or exploring a different culture. While all of that is a part of this book, I wanted to underscore that this cookbook is about you.

It is, first and foremost, a cookbook. If your current feelings about your personal wellness are that you just don’t have the bandwidth to even think about it, but you love great food and want to add new dishes to your repertoire, this book is still for you. You can skip the rest of this introduction and go straight to the recipes and enjoy the variety of delicious options that await you.

But if you want to support your interest in wellness through food and cooking, then I hope you’ll be as excited as I am by this new, culinary approach to self-care.

What I s Wel l nes s ?

Health is not always a choice.

Wellness, on the other hand, is always a choice.

These days, concepts regarding well-being are everywhere. We are inundated with the words—wellness, health, dieting, weight loss, exercise—but the definitions of each are vast. Of all of these, wellness wins the prize for the most misunderstood. A “wellness visit” can mean a doctor’s appointment, a spa treatment, or checking in on someone elderly during a weather crisis. Dog food? There’s a line called, “Wellness.” Even funeral homes use the word wellness to describe after-life care. All of this begs an important question: What is wellness really?

At its core, wellness does indeed have an important meaning. The easiest way to wrap your head around it is to consider the difference between wellness and health. Health is an outcome—sometimes the result of choices, good or bad; sometimes the result of benefit or misfortune; sometimes the result of positive or negative genetics. Blood pressure, weight, and cholesterol levels are all examples of “markers” to help define one’s health. Health is not always a choice. Wellness, on the other hand, is always a choice. It is

INTRODUCTION 9

T H E S EL F - C A R E CO O K B O O K 14

Chapter 1:

1

Physical Wellness

Snacks, Soup s, and Sal ads

Classic Hummus | XXX Chilled Cucumber Yogurt Almond Soup | XXX French Carrot Salad with Parsley | XXX Mains

Wild-Caught Salmon Steaks with Asian Marinade | XXX Poached Chicken Breasts with Broccoli Pesto | XXX Marinated Flank Steak with Kale Salsa Verde | XXX Roast Loin of Pork with Pomegranate Salsa | XXX Oatmeal, Peanut Butter, and Banana High-Protein Shake | XXX Chickpea, Farro, and Pumpkin Stew | XXX Sides

Quinoa Pilaf with Walnuts | page XXX Cauliflower Mash | XXX Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips with Pears | XXX Dessert

Greek Yogurt No-Bake Cheesecake with Balsamic Berries | XXX

PH Y S I C A L W EL L N E S S 15

Photo- Skirt Steak

T H E S EL F - C A R E CO O K B O O K 64

s k ir t s t eak Lef tovers

Second Day Fajitas S erves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, halved and sliced 1 poblano pepper, seeded and thinly sliced 2 leftover Skirt Steaks (page XXX), sliced into 1/2-inch strips across the grain 2 tablespoons leftover Shallot Chimichurri (page XXX)

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro8 steamed wheat tortillas, for serving Shredded Chihuahua cheese or crumbled queso fresco, for serving Sour cream, for serving Sliced avocado, for serving (optional)

Heat the oil in a skillet set over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the onions and pepper and sautĂŠ until they begin to develop a good char. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Toss the steak strips with the Shallot Chimichurri and cilantro.

Add everything to the hot skillet and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is heated through and the steak slices brown a bit. Transfer to a bowl.

To serve, place some slices of steak and some of the onions and peppers into each of the tortillas. Garnish with the cheese, sour cream, and avocado, if using, and serve.

EN V I R O N M EN TA L W EL L N E S S 65

[[Photo- Avocado]]

T H E S EL F - C A R E CO O K B O O K 90

Avocado Stuffed with Homemade Ricotta Serves 4

Making cheese at home is less complicated than you might think, especially if you stick to fresh, easy cheeses like this ricotta. Once again, stressing new processes in your cooking positively impacts your brain health. Any new skill is great for keeping your brain working at the top of its game, and many doctors believe that exercising your mind by learning new things can help ward off dementia and Alzheimer’s. Avocados are a brain-health booster, helping protect the brain from oxidative stress almost as well as blueberries, as well as impacting blood pressure, which can keep cognitive functions working smoothly. The combination is a wonderful lunch or appetizer, and once you discover how easy it is to make your own ricotta, the store-bought, gummy version will be a thing of the past.

Ricotta 2 quarts whole milk 1 cup heavy cream 3 tablespoons white vinegar 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Assembly 2 ripe avocados, halved and pitted Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Zest of 1/2 lemon

To make the ricotta, heat the milk and cream in a medium pot set over medium heat until surface is foamy and steamy but not boiling; a candy or meat thermometer should read no more than 185°F. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the vinegar, stirring for 30 seconds to combine. Add the salt and stir for another 30 seconds. Cover the pot with clean towel and let the mixture sit, undisturbed, at room temperature for 2 hours, until you can see that there is whey on the top and small curds have formed; it will look a bit like coral under water.

Line a colander with several layers of cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl or in the sink. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the curds to the prepared colander. Close the cheesecloth with rubber band and let the bundle rest in the colander for 30 minutes, occasionally squeezing gently to press out the whey, until you have a fluffy and only slightly moist curd; it will look a bit like dry cottage cheese. Be sure that the colander is suspended and that the bottom is not sitting in the whey, where it can get reabsorbed.

Reserve 1 cup of the ricotta. Transfer the remaining ricotta to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for a future use. It will keep for up to 4 days.

To assemble, season the avocado halves with the salt and pepper. Pour 1/2 tablespoon of the oil and 1/4 tablespoon of the balsamic vinegar into each of the four pit holes. Gently place 1/4 cup of the reserved ricotta onto each avocado half.

Garnish with the lemon zest and serve.

I N T EL L E C T UA L W EL L N E S S 91

The

Self-Care Cookbook

A H O L I S T I C A P P R O A C H T O C O O K I N G , E AT I N G , A N D L I V I N G W E L L DR. FRANK ARDITO

Written by health and wellness expert Dr. Frank Ardito, this book explores the intersection of cooking, eating, health, and wellness by offering 130 recipes designed to help readers improve every aspect of their lives.

Unlike most diet and health cookbooks, The Self-Care Cookbook acknowledges that eating well means sometimes eating “bad.” Dr. Ardito doesn’t believe in bad food, restrictions, or denial. As it relates to food, true wellness—complete wellness— entails covering both ends of the spectrum: fresh, light dishes that fuel and strengthen our bodies and wonderful indulgences that feed our souls.

The first of its kind, The Self-Care Cookbook is divided into 10 chapters, each of which focuses

on one dimension of a reader’s personal wellness: physical, spiritual, emotional, environmental, intellectual, nutritional, protectoral, social, occupational, and financial. Each chapter includes beautiful full-color photography and 13 recipes— from starters to mains to desserts—that support well-being through carefully selected ingredients and cooking methods.

The Self-Care Cookbook encourages readers to prepare these recipes by themselves, for themselves, as a way to create a sense of wholeness and satisfaction they may otherwise lack. A balanced life includes both celebratory and health-supportive foods, and this book helps readers decide which they most want or need at any given moment.

PROMOTION THROUGH HEALTH/WELLNESS ORGANIZATIONS | NATIONAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN | PREPUBLICATION BUZZ CAMPAIGN | SELECT AUTHOR APPEARANCES | BEA PROMOTION | EXTENSIVE BOOKSELLER MARKETING CAMPAIGN | LIFESTYLE/COOKING/HEALTH CROSSOVER | SPECIAL PREPUBLICATION MAILINGS

Dr. Frank Ardito has been a professor of the health and wellness sciences for over 25 years. His contributions to the field have included numerous publications, presentations, and the development of acclaimed products and programs. Dr. Ardito was recently inducted to the National Wellness Institute’s Circle of Leadership for his global contributions to the field and is the founder of The Wellness Registry, provider of the world’s first consumer wellness certification, the CWA—the wellness equivalent to CPR.

NOVEMBER 2017 | TRADE CLOTH | 978-1-57284-229-8 | 7 × 9.75 | $26.95 | 280 PAGES

For more information, contact Jacqueline Jarik at 847.475.4457 ext. 4# or jarik@agatepublishing.com.

Please supply two tear sheets of any published review. | 1328 Greenleaf St., Evanston, IL 60202