Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver is a beautiful and heart warming true story about a family who decides to move from dry Arizona to the fertile lands of Appalachia.  Over the course of the book, we follow the family’s eating habits as they commit to growing all the food they eat.  As each season changes, they have to adapt to eating the in-season crop as well as prepare for winter months.  From the first shoots of asparagus in the spring, to teaching the turkeys to mate,  to being creative with an abundance of tomatoes, to traveling and having parties on this diet you will be inspired.  Also included, Kingsolver’s daughter contributes some amazing recipes that I have tried and love.

This is a great way to learn more about the food you put in your mouth.  It will make you a more conscious eater.  How far away did this food have to travel to get to your plate? How much energy did it take to produce that food?  Its a great time with so much more awareness of our footprint on the earth, to learn about how small changes in your food habits can make a difference.  This book is not about making you feel bad for your food choices, it will make you more empowered to make better decisions.  Once you know better, then you can do better.

I have found myself making different food choices effortlessly since I read this book.  I buy meat and eggs directly from farmers or from butchers that have grass fed meats.  I also instinctively buy food that is in season and grown locally.  And I make more of an effort to grow a few vegetables myself on my small Vancouver parcel of land.   I now make these decisions because I am more educated about how my choices impact on my health, the health of the economy, and the health of the planet.  And the bonus is that reading this book keeps eating FUN!  The most important part.

www.animalvegetablemiracle.com/org/net