The Blue Zones Kitchen

The Blue Zones Kitchen

by Dan Buettner
Genres: Cooking / Health & Healing / General
Published on December 3, 2019
Pages: 304
Format: eBook Source: Library

Best-selling author Dan Buettner debuts his first cookbook, filled with 100 longevity recipes inspired by the Blue Zones locations around the world, where people live the longest.

Building on decades of research, longevity expert Dan Buettner has gathered 100 recipes inspired by the Blue Zones, home to the healthiest and happiest communities in the world. Each dish--for example, Sardinian Herbed Lentil Minestrone; Costa Rican Hearts of Palm Ceviche; Cornmeal Waffles from Loma Linda, California; and Okinawan Sweet Potatoes--uses ingredients and cooking methods proven to increase longevity, wellness, and mental health. Complemented by mouthwatering photography, the recipes also include lifestyle tips (including the best times to eat dinner and proper portion sizes), all gleaned from countries as far away as Japan and as near as Blue Zones project cities in Texas. Innovative, easy to follow, and delicious, these healthy living recipes make the Blue Zones lifestyle even more attainable, thereby improving your health, extending your life, and filling your kitchen with happiness.

I’ve heard of the Blue Zones – areas where people tend to live a longer healthy life than in the U.S. What these places have in common is a predominately whole food, plant based diet, a sense of community, and walkable towns.

The original Blue Zones are in Okinawa, Costa Rica, California, Sardinia, and Greece. This book discusses each region and give a great selection of recipes from each place.

I highlighted mostly recipes from Costa Rica. That didn’t really surprise me. I spent some time in Costa Rica (but not in the Blue Zone). That’s where I learned to love rice and beans. I was excited to see that this book had a recipe for Gallo Pinto which is traditional Costa Rican rice and beans which is served with almost every meal. I’ve never been able to make it taste exactly like I remember. I’m not sure if I’m missing some key ingredient or if it is a product of romanticizing the memory. I made the recipe in this book. It was good but still not quite what I remember.

I’m looking forward to trying the Veggie Hash with corn and onions and the Hearts of Palm Ceviche.

There is a follow up book that focuses on plant based historical diets of Native American, African American, and Asian immigrant communities in the U.S. I just got that from the library and started to flip through it. Even if you don’t find some recipes that you are going to love, these are interesting books to read for the history.