Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure
Photos by Ditte Isager

In October 2008, best-selling author Dr. Andrew Weil, with James Beard Award–nominated restaurateur Sam Fox, opened the first True Food Kitchen restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona. Their goal was to create a menu of freshly imagined meals centered on the principles of Dr. Weil’s Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid.

The restaurant has garnered the reputation of being one of the country’s healthiest, and it has become known for its use of organic and locally grown products as well as seasonal menu changes. Since its launch, True Food Kitchen has opened six additional locations — in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Texas, with the goal of a national roll-out, with locations in many other cities to open over the next few years.

Want to Partake Without Leaving Home?

Dr. Weil, Sam Fox (pictured here, left, with Dr. Weil), and executive chef Michael Stebner have collected more than 125 recipes from their restaurant in “True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure” (Little, Brown and Company; Oct. 9, 2012; $29.99).

At-home cooks now have an expert guide to preparing a wide array of healthy, delicious dishes, including:

• Curried Cauliflower Soup
• Kale Salad
• Spicy Shrimp and Asian Noodles
• Bison Umami Burger
• Chocolate Icebox Tart
• Pomegranate Martini

In addition to these easy-to-follow recipes, “True Food” features accompanying essays on relevant topics, ranging from farmers markets and proper proportions to identifying true whole grains and the lifelong benefits of following an anti-inflammatory diet.

Heartily endorsed by food gurus Alice Waters and Marion Nestle, “True Food” reinforces the restaurant’s mission of preparing mouthwatering food that promotes personal and emotional well-being and demonstrates that it’s easier than you think to nourish your body, mind, and spirit right in your own kitchen.

Scroll down for some of Dr. Weil’s favorite recipes. And click here to read our Q&A with the man who TIME magazine named one of the 100 Most Influential People in 2006.

Bon Appétit!

Andrew Weil’s Curried Cauliflower Soup

Ingredients:

⅓ cup raw cashews
¾ cup water
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 14-oz can light coconut milk
2 tablespoons curry powder (hot curry powder if you want to spice it up)
1 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. evaporated cane sugar
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salt

Directions:

1. Put the cashews in a blender and blend until finely ground. Add ¾ cup water and blend for 2 minutes.
2. Pour the cashew mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon. Discard the solids.
3. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the onion and sauté until golden.
4. Add the cauliflower, coconut milk, strained cashew milk, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, sugar, cinnamon, and salt as needed. Add enough water to cover.
5. Bring to a low boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 10 minutes.
6. Allow the mixture to cool for 20 minutes. Pour the soup into the blender. Start on low speed and blend until the soup is smooth.
7. Return to the pot and reheat if serving hot. If using an immersion blender, you do not have to wait for the soup to cool down.
8. Garnish with the caramelized onions and cilantro before serving. The soup can be served hot or cold.

Kale Salad

Kale is among the most nutrient-dense commonly eaten vegetables. One cup provides 1,327 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin K, 192 percent of DV for vitamin A, and 88 percent for vitamin C.

Ingredients:

4-6 cups kale, loosely packed, sliced leaves of Italian black (Lacinato, “dinosaur,” cavolo nero), mid-ribs removed
juice of 1 lemon
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, mashed
salt & pepper, to taste
hot red-pepper flakes, to taste
⅔ cup grated Pecorino Toscano cheese (Rosselino variety if you can find it), or other flavorful grating cheese such as Asiago or Parmesan
½ cup freshly made bread crumbs from lightly toasted bread

Instructions:

1. Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and a generous pinch (or more to taste) of hot red-pepper flakes.
2. Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well.
3. Add ⅔ of the cheese and toss again.
4. Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes. Add bread crumbs, toss again, and top with remaining cheese.

To buy the cookbook, click here.