Real Food for Healthy People won in the Nutrition category of the 2017 IndieReader Discovery Awards, where undiscovered talent meets people with the power to make a difference.
Following find an interview with author Carol D’Anca.
The name of the book is Real Food for Healthy People: A whole food recipe and resource guide. It was published in January, 2016.
What’s the book’s first line?
“Somewhere close behind the need for air and water is the need for food”
What’s the book about? Give us the “pitch”.
The book is about the benefits of dietary change, organizing the kitchen for efficient whole food plant based cooking, basic culinary skills and contains 65 elegant and delicious whole food recipes that are beautifully photographed. The hard copy could easily be a coffee table book.
The author, a board certified and licensed nutritionist, offers her own personal story about wanting to avoid chronic illness while providing sound researched nutritional information about the benefits of adapting a plant based diet.
As the title suggests, it is much more than a recipe book. It is a helpful resource guide for the beginning plant based cook while offering interesting and helpful tips for even the “most seasoned” of cooks.
What inspired you to write the book? A particular person? An event?
As a result of seeing clients and speaking to groups around the country I realized that just presenting about the benefits of whole food plant based cooking was not enough to really help others.
Many people needed more guidance and as a result I began developing healthful and delicious recipes that were easy to prepare. Eventually I began offering cooking classes in my home for those wanting to learn how theory paired with practice. I always had a full enrollment.
After offering cooking classes for three years as both a chef and nutritionist, I better understood what others were searching for and the guidance needed to not only get started, but to stay on track. I also knew the limitations of what I could provide within the space in my own home. Authoring a book for everyone was the next best step for reaching out to the broader population needing help. Repeated requests for recipes and guidance, the need for creativity and variety and the desire for meals that are not only healthful but delicious have collectively led to the creation of this book.
What’s the main reason someone should really read this book?
The information provided is based on sound scientific nutritional advice and not a trend or fad. Additionally, it will save months of trial and error for new plant based cooks while providing interesting tips for those already following a plant based diet. Simply put, it offers a deeper level of insight and information on plant based nutrition.
When did you first decide to become an author?
Five years ago when I realized the compelling facts about we can prevent and reverse chronic illness with interventional dietary change.
This is the second book I’ve written. The title of the first book is Food not Meds.
What do you do for work when you’re not writing?
I host an annual lifestyle and culinary trip to Italy; I’m a public speaker, national blogger and I keep a small private practice.
Would you go traditional if a publisher came calling? If so, why?
I’m not sure I would go with a traditional publisher as I like having control of my own book.
I think my mission statement communicates well what motivates me: “Raising nutritional awareness, inspiring dietary change and improving the health of the nation.”