The Self-Care Cookbook: Easy Healing Plant-Based Recipes

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Luckily the days of a few beans mashed together as a ‘burger’ are long gone and, whether you’re eating out or staying in, dropping the V word is no longer a barrier to enjoying culinary delights. Stir the tamari, thyme and parsley through the pulses mixture and spoon it into a large pie dish (remove the bay leaves if you can find them! To help support the growth of healthy bacteria,” she continues, “we need to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fermented foods.

A plant-based chef and mum of two with her own Brighton food brand, Gem’s Wholesome Kitchen, Gemma Ogston has amassed a solid fan base of food lovers who love her nourishing, flavour-packed Nourish Packages to takeaway. Again, I found myself in the kitchen because no one else wanted to cook and people were often more relaxed around food. I did a degree in addiction counselling and a good way of encouraging people to turn up was by offering free food. With her focus on nourishing yourself, she knows the importance of practising what she preaches, and utilising her self-care activities.Eating well is a vital part of good health, and yet so many of us are not fuelling our bodies in the right way. She avoids using phrases like ‘guilt-free’ and tells me it’s more about taking care over the food you’re eating, and making it a pleasurable experience. We at Penguin Random House Australia acknowledge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the Traditional Custodians and the first storytellers of the lands on which we live and work.

Her latest, Easy Speedy Vegan, is all about saving time – the 100 recipes are easy to prepare and quick to cook, using readily available ingredients (take that, Ottolenghi! I like cooking impressive dishes when I have the time and energy, but usually impressive means making special grocery trips. Having worked as an addiction counsellor in women’s projects for more than a decade, Gemma has an in-depth understanding of treating yourself with compassion, especially while in recovery.Gemma's pantry closely resembles mine and her colorful, healthy, plant-based dishes show you can cook simply with stunning results.