Dietician and nutritionist McKel Hill shares her “whole lifestyle” approach to wellness and happiness in print with her new book Nutrition Stripped released last week by William Morrow. Based on Ms. Hill’s popular healthful living website, Nutrition Stripped is “the cookbook for anyone looking to enjoy the amazing benefits and incomparable flavor of whole foods—nature’s true heathy bounty”, according to her publisher. Ever true to her mantra of paring down food and wellness to their simplest forms, the book is chock full of whole-food, plant-based recipes which are gluten-free, dairy-free, and entirely free from processed food.
Over the years, I’ve continued to learn my body, how it changes, and what it needs daily to feel balanced and amazing.
“In my early journey to find a balanced way of living, I used to consume ‘health’ foods that weren’t the best for my body, mind, or spirit. They were heavily processed, quick fixes, and full of ingredients I could barely pronounce. These ‘health’ foods never made me feel well physically, and I felt like I didn’t look my best. This trickled into feeling off balance in other areas of my life as well, ranging everywhere from managing stress, sleep and work, my relationships, everything! I envisioned what feeling balanced was and went cold-turkey making changes in my lifestyle. I started by cutting out processed food, refined sugars, dairy, and gluten, and I began eating whole foods that I knew were nourishing and energizing. Within days of replacing foods I was sensitive to and changing my lifestyle, I noticed a radical shift in my health and wellbeing. I felt balanced, my digestion improved, my hair grew longer and stronger, and acne breakouts started to clear, I had immense energy and my athletic performance increased.”
Employing gorgeous imagery throughout the pages of Nutrition Stripped, Ms. Hill weaves in the deep inspiration nature provides – the turning of the seasons, the world of plants, nutrient-dense foods, and other hidden gems. From “small bites to keep you energized” to more hearty suppers “when it’s time to unwind and dine”, the author takes great time and attention to share her concessions both visually and verbally, connecting all the dots. For example, in her Acorn Squash Rounds with Dill-Cashew Cream (pictured below), she is not just tossing ingredients at the reader… “Rich in fiber and vitamin A, acorn and delicate squash have similar texture to the flesh of butternut squash, with an edible skin similar to zucchini, making iit the perfect vehicle for delivering the dill-cashew cream.” In this particular “small bite” she then goes on to suggest that the Dill-Cashew Cream makes for an ideal replacement for mayonnaise on sandwiches.
My mission is to strip away the confusion about how to live your healthiest life, give you ways to enjoy simple and delicious food, and empower you with the tools you need to feel and look your best. The field of nutrition is shifting and ever-changing.
The book makes for a beautiful extension to Ms. Hill’s website where her teachings live on. Particularly timely is her “formula” for a healthy (back-to-school) lunch which she shared with her readers this week. You can check out this simple equation for staying fueled through the author’s blog.
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