Nutrition

What made you want to start writing cook books?

Dietitian's Love for Food Inspires Best-Selling Cookbooks

What made you want to start writing cookbooks? Well, as a registered dietitian, I realized, you know, partway through my career that no matter how effective of an educator I was, and or how good the advice I was giving to my clients to help them use food as part of the diet therapy for their newly diagnosed disease or their general health, no matter how good that advice was or how effective my communications were, they really want to know what to eat. And, you know, I'm mixing up a big bowl of meatballs right now. So I love to cook. I love to entertain. I love to feed people good food. I have an Italian heritage, so food was a central part of my life. My mother was an excellent cook. And today I'm making some lentils for the new year, along with some little mini meatballs, and I'm gonna saute that with cabbage. So food is more than just nutrition, and it also does support health. So I thought, I'm not a chef, but I grew up cooking and eating a lot of food, and I know some basic techniques. I like making things easy for people, and that's why I started to write cookbooks.

I wanted to start writing cookbooks because I love cooking and food, I have an Italian heritage, and I wanted to make it easier for people to eat nutritiously.

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What made me want to start writing cookbooks? Well, as a registered dietitian, I realized that no matter how effective I was as an educator or how well I communicated advice to my clients about using food for their health, they ultimately wanted to know what to eat. Cooking has always been a passion of mine. I love entertaining and feeding people delicious food. Coming from an Italian heritage, food has always played a central role in my life, with my mother being an excellent cook.

I believe that food is more than just nutrition; it also supports overall health. While I am not a chef, I have a strong background in cooking and have learned various techniques over the years. I enjoy making things easy for people, which is why I decided to start writing cookbooks. Currently, I'm preparing lentils with mini meatballs and cabbage, a dish that combines tradition and flavor.

Are there any recipes that focus on zero-waste cooking?

Discover the Art of Zero Waste Cooking: Recipes, Tips, and Substitutions

Are there any recipes that focus on zero waste cooking? There certainly are. I wrote a whole book, Zero Waste Cooking for Dummies, and there are a hundred recipes in there. But, and people like recipes, and that's why I'm happy to provide them. However, I think that an important part of zero waste cooking is learning how to not depend on a recipe all of the time. To start picking a few things that you like to make on a regular basis that everyone in your household enjoys and learning how to make small substitutions in recipes and use the recipe as a guide. You don't always have to purchase every ingredient. That's what leads to waste. You want to cook what you like to eat because you're going to consume it and use ingredients that you have on hand. So that might be substituting an herb for a different herb or a spice. Maybe you have plain yogurt and you don't have sour cream. You can make that substitution. A great thing to always Google is what can I substitute this for that with and you'll find answers. But yeah, I wrote a book, Zero Waste Cooking for Dummies. There's lots of recipes in there and it's about using what you have, getting a little creative, not being afraid to experiment a little. You know, when those basic cooking techniques are there, you can substitute different vegetables, herbs, spices, you know, even protein sources into different recipes based on what you have. Don't run to the store every time you read a recipe and literally think you need everything on that list.

I wrote a book called Zero Waste Cooking For Dummies which has 100 recipes, but the key to zero waste cooking is learning how to make small substitutions in recipes and use the recipe as a guide. Don't be afraid to experiment with different vegetables, herbs, spices, and protein sources to create dishes that you like.

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There are indeed recipes that focus on zero waste cooking. I've written a book called Zero Waste Cooking for Dummies, which features a hundred recipes centered around this concept. However, while recipes can be helpful, an essential aspect of zero waste cooking is learning to rely less on them. Instead, it's about finding a few dishes that you enjoy and that your household loves, and then making small substitutions and adjustments based on what you have available. The key is to cook what you like to eat and use ingredients already on hand to minimize waste. For example, you can substitute one herb for another or use plain yogurt instead of sour cream. A quick Google search for ingredient substitutions can provide useful answers. The book I wrote does contain numerous recipes, but the focus is on utilizing what you have and getting creative in the kitchen without being afraid to experiment. Once you have a grasp of basic cooking techniques, you can easily substitute different vegetables, herbs, spices, and protein sources in various recipes based on what you already possess. It's important not to feel compelled to purchase every item listed in a recipe; rather, embrace the opportunity for resourcefulness with the ingredients at your disposal.

Unlock the Secrets of Zero-Waste Cooking!

What is zero waste cooking? Zero waste cooking is a strategy to reduce food waste. So this means that the goal is to use everything you purchase or grow and throw less food away. This can help you save money. It may even improve the quality of your diet. It'll make you feel good because it doesn't feel good to throw food away. And ultimately, wasting less food in your household means less food waste goes to your local landfill. And that is better for the planet. There are several other questions about this topic, so I'm going to continue to add more to this zero waste cooking discussion.

Zero waste cooking is a strategy to reduce food waste. It involves using all the food you purchase or grow and throwing less away, which can save money and help the planet.

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Zero waste cooking is a strategy aimed at minimizing food waste by using every part of the ingredients you purchase or grow. The goal is to throw away less food, which can lead to financial savings and potentially improve the quality of your diet. It also contributes to a sense of well-being, as throwing away food often feels wasteful. Additionally, reducing food waste in your household has positive environmental impacts by decreasing the amount of food that ends up in landfills. Stay tuned for more insights and information on this topic as I continue to expand on the discussion of zero waste cooking.

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Rosanne Rust,MS,RDN answers your Nutrition questions. See all the advice Rosanne Rust,MS,RDN has and get answers to your own Nutrition questions.

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Rosanne is a registered dietitian with 30+ years of experience in clinical and outpatient nutrition, long-term care, teaching, and consulting. She's written textbook chapters and journal articles, and been quoted in magazines and newspapers, as well as authored and co-authored several diet and nutrition books. She has a Master of Science degree in Nutrition from the University of Pittsburgh and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Indiana University of Pennsylvania. A member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, she has held positions on the boards of Local, District, and National Nutrition and Dietetic Associations.

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