Retreat: The Joy of Conscious Eating

Retreat: the joy of conscious eating 
by Daniel Jardim

It's a cook book with a conscience: a book of vegetarian recipes that takes you on a journey of seasonal eating using local ingredients. Following on from this the book is divided into Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter and inspiresmthe reader to see the act of cooking as a celebration - a form of meditation rather than a chore - in Daniel's own words "despite the fact that we all have to eat daily, we have become a culture in which the sensation of hunger and the act of cooking are bothersome interruptions in the frantic pace of life. There is nothing new or radical about eating consciously. It is simply about taking the time to return to the art of cooking from an age not too long ago, where food was integral to the way we connected with nature, with our loved ones and with ourselves."

Some recipes sound absolutely magnificent  like the Sprouted Chickpea Pan Breads:

and the Brinjal and Pecan Burgers:

But others like the Chickpea and Wild Rocket Salad and the Smokey Breakfast Skewers left me wanting more.

The recipes require you to engage with your food and celebrate healthy, nourishing ingredients which I love - it's a great book for any vegetarian friends you might have and with an eclectic mix of Moroccan, Thai and Indian influences. There are some wonderfully inspiring flavour combinations and turning through the pages makes one feel healthier through simple osmosis. My only real gripe is that I prefer cook books with a focus on 'finished product'photography and this book has a strong focus on photography of ingredients and process.

Look out for it an Exclusive Books near you.