Plan your meals. Grains and vegetables do require some preparation before cooking.

Thoroughly wash grains, veggies and beans removing any sediments. Dried beans can be soaked overnight, to soften them and reduce cooking time.

Cut veggies into bite sized pieces, if you are steaming them and sliver veggies if you are sauteing them. Be creative cutting veggies for your salads and for your prepared dishes.

Brown rice and other grains are fairly easy to cook, but they do require some cooking time and they require the proper ratio of water, grain and salt. (See our cooking chart and recipes below).

Vegetables have different cooking times, so if you are cooking several vegetables as part of the same dish, start with the longer cooking vegetables first.

You can use a variety of cooking methods including steaming, sauteing, baking, grilling and pressure cooking. Cook with the fewest ingredients possible.

Beans are time consuming to cook. If you do not have the time to cook beans, most grocery stores carry a good selection of canned organic beans. They simply need to be cooked for a few minutes and seasoned to taste.

If you use seasonings to flavor your food, use them sparingly, so the taste of your seasonings does not dominate the taste of your food.

Use sea salt, soy sauce, miso, herbs, veggie shakes and other natural seasonings in very moderate amounts.

Try not to overcook your food and destroy its nutritional value.

For cookware, always use good quality heavy pots and pans. Our preference is heavy duty stainless steel cookware, with comfortable handles. and well fitted lids.

It helps to be in a good state of mind when you cook. Food turns out much better, when good energy goes into it.

See our cooking charts and our fun recipes below.