Healthy Heart Healthy Planet: Delicious Plant Based Recipes and Tips to Reduce Heart Disease, Lose Weight and Preserve the Environment

by Rajiv Misquitta, Cathi Misquitta

After a brush with a deadly illness at the age of forty, physician Rajiv Misquitta and his pharmacist wife, Cathi, set out to find ways to change their lifestyle to ensure they lived long enough to see their children grow up.

Learning that roughly six hundred thousand people in the United States die annually from heart disease, Rajiv researched the medical literature and discovered that a low-fat vegan diet can actually reverse heart disease as well as help people lose weight—not to mention have a positive impact on the ecosystem.

Finding existing vegetarian and vegan cookbooks less than satisfying, Cathi developed her own vegan recipes. Compiled and presented here is a bountiful collection of more than one hundred heart-healthy, eco-friendly, everyday vegan recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner—and even snacks. Inspired by cuisines from around the world, the recipes include plenty of protein-rich grains and legumes as well as seasonal variations for a balanced diet that’s in tune with nature.

In addition, the book provides advice on transitioning to a vegan lifestyle, and each chapter offers an eco-friendly kitchen tip. And with weekly sample menus and grocery lists, Healthy Heart, Healthy Planet delivers both inspiration and empowerment for anyone who desires to live a healthy life and ensure a healthy planet.

Praise for the book

Dr. Cathi Misquitta and Dr. Rajiv Misquitta have combined their expertise in an outstanding book not only for patients with heart disease but for the health of the planet as well. The recipes are easy to follow, contain NO oil and help show how delicious plant based eating can be.

--Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D.
author of Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease

What is good for the health of your heart is also good for the health of the planet—and taking care of both is worth the effort. Doctors Cathi and Rajiv Misquitta show you how it’s done in their new cookbook Healthy Heart, Healthy Planet. Paging through the book and looking at all of the delicious recipes, you can’t help but want to get into the kitchen and start cooking. Don’t suppress that urge. Get the book and get going. These recipes might save your life, and they’ll surely help save the environment.

--Neal Barnard, M.D.
Nutrition researcher, New York Times bestseller author and health advocate

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking

190 pages, Paperback

First published November 11, 2014

About the author

Rajiv Misquitta was born in India where he lived until the age of 13. As a first generation immigrant, he grew up in  New York. After completing a liberal arts education at Hamilton College, he spent a summer doing research at the National Institutes of Health. He also spent a year working at a Massachusetts General Hospital research lab in Boston. He attended medical school at the State University of New York in Brooklyn. He  completed a residency in Internal Medicine at the University of California at Davis where he also served as a chief resident. He was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society, which is the only national medical honor society in the United States. He has been working as a physician in the community for the last 15 years. He currently serves on the Local Medical Society board. He is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. After suffering from a heart attack at the age of 40, he dramatically changed the trajectory of his life and now seeks to help others transform theirs. During his journey, he  obtained certfication as a personal trainer and yoga instructor. He now volunteers his time to teach a yoga class twice a month. He has been actively speaking on the topic of plant-based foods for the last few years.

Reviews

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book through the Goodreads First Reads program.

Healthy Heart Healthy Planet keeps an upbeat, positive outlook as it guides its readers in choosing plant-based dishes for the good of the Earth and their own arteries! Most of the recipes are simple and don't use a lot of unfamiliar ingredients that may confuse those new to this way of eating.

I do have a bit of concern about the frequent use of agave nectar, which some health conscious people are avoiding because it contains even more fructose than HFCS. A different natural sweetener, such as maple syrup or stevia, could be used instead. In addition, I spotted another recipe calling for Worcestershire sauce, which traditionally contains anchovies. The recipe only notes that this is unsuitable for vegans, but in fact, it is neither vegetarian nor vegan. I didn't catch any more concerns of this nature.

I have already made one recipe; a toasted eggplant sandwich, and it was simple and easily as delicious as veggie sandwiches I've ordered in mid-level restaurants in my area. It's also much cheaper to make on my own!

The one thing that could have improved this book were color photos of the recipes. Who doesn't love looking at photos of delicious food? However, I realize this would have significantly added to the cost of production.

[Marilyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good resource.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

After giving about a half a dozen recipes in Healthy Heart, Healthy Planet: Delicious Plant Based Recipes & Tips to Reduce Heart Disease, Lose Weight & Preserve the Environment we are looking forward to giving more recipes a try. The tips to change eating habits are helpful and easy to follow. The book is organized by breakfast, lunch and dinner with a section for snacks too. I found this one of the best books for giving practical ideas to change eating habits and lifestyle to become healthier.

My thanks to Cathi & Rajiv Misquitta, authors and Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for my copy of Healthy Heart, Healthy Planet: Delicious Plant Based Recipes & Tips to Reduce Heart Disease, Lose Weight & Preserve the Environment that I won in the Giveaway.

[Hillary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is great! The recipes are definitely ones I'm excited to try, and the explanation and understanding of health benefits in coordination with these recipes and lifestyle changes are clear and helpful. I think it's really important for us to take care of ourselves and of our planet, and this book takes massive strides to direct us to the right path. These recipes look so delicious. With half of my family vegetarians, I can tell they'd enjoy this book as well!

I got this book for free from Good Reads first reads!