The Naked Cookbook

by Tess Ward

Overview

A transformative approach to healthy eating that strips back one's diet to simple, clean, and pure foods that cleanse, restore, and nourish the body, featuring 60 recipes and a chapter on detoxing.

In The Naked Diet, author Tess Ward shares her personal prescription for renewal: a collection of deliciously simple yet flavorful recipes composed of the most nutrient-rich and simple foods. This is not a deprivation diet but an achievable lifestyle where food is enjoyed and celebrated in its purest form. Lamb Meatballs with Rhubarb Sauce, Smoked Tofu Panzanella with Figs, Hot and Spicy Seafood Soup with Crispy Shallots, Soba Noodle Salad with Cucumber and Mango--these delicious dishes support and fuel the body while encouraging optimal health.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607749950
Publisher:	Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
Publication date:	05/17/2016
Sold by:	Random House
Format:	eBook
Pages:	128
File size:	98 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

London-based food blogger TESS WARD is a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef and has worked in the kitchens of River Cottage and The Ritz. She develops recipes for the Grazia restaurant column and for brands such as Le Creuset.

Read an Excerpt

introduction 7
naked basics 8
pure 18
raw 30
stripped 46
bare 58
nude 76
clean 88
detox 112
the naked pantry 118



introduction

Over the years the word “diet” as we understand it has changed. The Naked Cookbook's interpretation is based on the Latin origins of the word, diata, meaning “way of life.” To me a diet is exactly that—not a quick fix, but a sustained way of eating that naturally supports our overall health and happiness.

Few people I know would claim that they follow their ideal diet, although this seems to be what everyone aspires to. Many of us still subscribe to the idea of “diet” in the short term, and its promise to change, help, or improve us. Lose the tummy, have slimmer thighs or a tighter butt, because it will make us happier, right? Why else diet other than to improve our quality of life in some way? So many of these unrealistic regimes claim to do this, and they may well succeed in the short term. But anything beyond the initial “starve yourself for a few weeks and lose weight” goes uncovered. In fact, any form of longevity is pretty much ignored, meaning dieters ultimately end up at the bottom of the heap, feeling worse than they did before they started. Too many diets are based too heavily in theory and not in practice. What works for one person is completely different for another. The area of nutrition and diet is full of contradictory information and evidence. There simply isn't a “perfect diet” or “one diet that fits all”; instead, it’s about finding the best balance in one’s own body.

The most important thing is to have a balanced understanding of what your own body truly needs. The Naked Cookbook moves away from processed and refined foods, unrealistic diets, and fad regimes; instead, it is about eating food in its most naked form.

A year ago, a restricted diet was something I was all too familiar with. Not for weight, but for health reasons. At age eighteen, I’d spent a month traveling in India. Along the way I picked up a parasite that I was to live with for the next five years. Over this period there were repeat visits to doctors and specialists. I was diagnosed with postinfectious irritable bowel syndrome, given more antibiotics than a dairy cow, and put on a restrictive diet. It wasn’t until I met Humphrey Bacchus, a clinical nutritionist and medicine practitioner, that my problem was finally diagnosed.

The recipes in this book are a compilation of the foods I have uncovered and created on my journey back to full health. The recipes have been designed to support and fuel your body, encouraging optimal health through simple, delicious, and stripped-back recipes.

To clarify, this book is not strictly oriented toward any specific health-related diet. The recipes are naturally low in carbohydrates, free from processed food, and contain no refined sugar, but they are not gluten-free, dairy free, or vegan (although many can be adapted to accommodate these diets).

This book is all about eating food in its purest form. The Naked Cookbook celebrates creativity in cooking, and all the recipes are efficient, practical, and packed full of taste. They have been inspired by all the wonderful chefs I have worked with and the countries, cuisines, and restaurants I have enjoyed. I hope you find my naked dishes as pleasurable to make, eat, and use as I have found discovering and creating them. Cook naked, eat happy, and you’ll never have to do the dreaded “diet” again.



mackerel ceviche in ponzu sauce
Serves 2

Ponzu is a citrusy soy sauce, which works in perfect balance with oily mackerel. Fresh, sushi-grade fish is essential for this recipe. Serve cool, but not refrigeratorcold, as a simple appetizer, or with steamed bok choy and sticky brown rice for a more substantial meal.

5-ounce sushi-grade mackerel, filleted and pin bones removed, skin on
Generous ⅟ 3 cup tamari
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 red Thai chile, thinly sliced, for garnish
A few fresh mint leaves, minced, for garnish
1 to 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

1 Wash and dry the mackerel gently but thoroughly. Mix the tamari, orange juice, lime juice, and vinegar in a bowl. Strain through a strainer and set aside. Slice the mackerel into pieces 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.

2 If eating immediately, serve the mackerel slices sitting in a pool of the sauce sprinkled with the chile, mint, and sesame seeds. If serving later, store the fish and sauce separately in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, let both warm for a bit at room temperature before plating.

Editorial Reviews

"No, these aren't recipes for dishes you make in the buff (though you certainly can, if that's your thing). These are simplified recipes designed to nourish our bodies and souls, built with nutrient-rich ingredients."
—Grant Butler, The Portland Oregonian 

From the Publisher