Eating the Alkaline Way

Ever since I first read up on alkaline diets while on the Crazy Sexy Diet cleanse two years ago, I've been off and on obsessed with trying to eat as many alkaline foods each day as possible. Of course, I go through plenty of vegan junk food phases. But when I'm trying to get back in line, I reach for alkaline-forming veggies and fruits.

Alkaline food is easier than acidic food on the digestive system since it matches the pH of the blood. And it's believed that cancer cannot live in an alkaline environment, so the more fresh veggies and fruits you're eating, the better. Of course, it's all about balance. Acidic foods, like beans, nuts, and wine, have health benefits too. But it's all about the balance.

And balance is what Eating the Alkaline Way by Nastasha Corrett and Vicki Edgson is all about. This vegetarian cookbook (it's not totally vegan) kicks off with helpful articles and charts listing alkaline foods and acidic foods. There's a great piece on kicking bad habits, and there's even an "Honestly Healthy Cleanse" readers can follow with meal plans and lists of foods to avoid for the entirety of the cleanse (it ranges from 5 days to 3 weeks, depending on your preference).

But the best part of this book are the recipes! The book is full-color and loaded with gorgeous photos of fresh juices, raw summer spring rolls (with nori wraps), eggplant and pesto rolls, avocado mango dill salad, and butternut squash risotto (made with brown rice). After much deliberation, I finally settled on trying the Mixed Vegetable & Soybean Hotpot.

That's a miso soup with butternut squash (substituted for pumpkin in the recipe), carrots, potatoes, zucchini, bell pepper, and cubed tofu. It was light and refreshing, and I just felt so darn healthy eating it. I have to admit that I did add more tofu than the recipe called for. Tofu is closer to the middle on the alkaline scale, but it's not as acidic as say, sunflower seeds or rice.

There are so many more recipes in this book I want to make. And although they aren't all vegan, most are easily veganizable. Some call for goat cheese or feta as a topping. But that can be left off without affecting the dish (and in my opinion, leaving those nasty things out make it so much better for you and better-tasting).

Even desserts can be alkaline! There are recipes for raw mango coconut balls, raw chocolate mousse, and chocolate superfood ganache!