As you will see the recipes are all very simple and quick to prepare. I believe it is important to eat well on a daily basis, and in order to be able to do this realistically in our busy lives, cooking cannot be an ordeal. We have to learn to put together a healthy, well-balanced meal in a half hour with a few fresh ingredients, and without having to give up taste or resort to lifeless, chemical, or processed foods. I hope my contribution to this book will help you accomplish this.

The size and number of pots and pans you need depend upon how many people you are serving. The following basic collection should take care of up to 12 people. The materials I prefer are stainless steel (Durotherm), cast iron, glass, Corningware, and enamel.

• one 1-quart saucepan
• one 2-quart saucepan
• two 3-quart saucepans
• one 9-inch skillet
• one soup pot
• one pressure cooker (could be same as soup pot)
• one 3- or 4-quart covered, ovenproof baking dish
• two shallow lasagna-style baking dishes
• two glass pie plates
• one cookie sheet
• six wooden stirring spoons of various sizes
• one set of measuring cups
• one set of measuring spoons
• two rubber spatulas
• one grater
• one hard brush for scrubbing vegetables
• one wire whisk
• two paring knives
• one good knife for chopping vegetables. This is the most important purchase of all. Make sure that the weight is comfortably distributed and that the blade is thin so that it cuts easily. It may take several purchases to find "your" knife. My favorite is a Mac knife.

Grains: Short grain brown rice, millet, wild rice.

Quick cooking grains: Couscous, polenta, rolled oats.

Noodles: Whole wheat veggie spirals or other noodles; wheat-free alternatives include corn elbows, quinoa pasta, or soba noodles.

Breads and flours: Sprouted whole grain breads and tortillas, unyeasted breads, wasa crackers, Essene or manna bread, whole wheat pastry flour.

Beans: Pinto, aduki, mung, garbanzo, navy beans.

Quick cooking beans: Lentils, red lentils, split peas.

Soybean products: Tofu—plain and marinated; tempeh—plain, marinated, and tempeh/grain mixtures; tofu and tempeh burgers.

Sea vegetables: Kombu, agar-agar, nori, arame or hijiki.

Oils: Extra virgin olive oil, toasted sesame oil, safflower oil, corn oil. Brands of known quality include Spectrum, Eden, and Sciabica olive oil.

Condiments: Tamari, miso, brown rice or other vinegars, mustard, soy mayonnaise or a tofu or eggless mayonnaise, tahini, gomasio, kuzu, miso.

Herbs and Spices: Thyme, marjoram, basil, oregano, parsley, garlic, ginger, cayenne, scallion (green onion), cilantro (coriander), chili pepper, garlic, cumin, curry powder.

Sweeteners: Maple syrup, date sugar, honey, apple butter, rice syrup.

Snack foods: Mochi, rice cakes, various rice crackers, dried fruit, grain-sweetened cookies, apples, carrots, celery, raw nuts (especially almonds or walnuts).