Mollie Katzen - Natural mastery: profiles of Natural Health

Natural Health, March, 2004 by Gail Hudson

Work: Artist and author of The New Enchanted Broccoli Forest, The New Moosewood Cookbook, Still Life With Menu Cookbook, Sunlight Cafe and Vegetable Heaven.

Home: Berkeley, Calif., with daughter Eve, 12, and son Sam, 19.

Mind/body: I can't think or write well unless I exercise first in the fresh air, so I hike for an hour every day. Before I go to bed, I stretch for 15 minutes and do a little weight lifting, which helps me sleep.

Diet: People are surprised that I'm not a vegetarian. I enjoy a little high-quality meat as much as my tofu. When I was on a typical vegetarian diet--low fat, low protein and high carbohydrates--I had problems with irritability and sleeplessness. Now I eat lots of protein, fruits and vegetables and a small amount of whole grains. As soon as I changed my diet, I had more energy, was in a better mood and slept better. I'm also a huge fan of nutritional oils, such as flaxseed and borage; I pour them on greens and whole grains.

Culinary inspiration: Early on, I discovered that the food that looks the most colorful and beautiful also tends to be the food that's good for you. That's how I started coming up with my recipes. Now science is showing that the elements that make food colorful--the pigments themselves--are the nutrients. For instance, the reds in strawberries and pomegranates or the blues in blueberries all contain antioxidants.

Spirituality: My spiritual practice is personal, quiet and solitary. I practice mind-calming techniques and visualizations. My chapel is the redwood grove in the park down the road from my house.

Creativity: Like most people, I am visited by uncertainty and concern about the world, my children or myself, and yet I also experience what I call "large moments" when I feel flooded with optimism and clarity. Embracing these moments--through painting, drawing, writing or creating a recipe--transforms my anxieties into something soothing and meaningful.

Role model: Frances Moore Lappe's Diet for a Small Planet. I know Frances now, and she's still vital, independent and courageous.

Splurge: Traveling to places rich in landscape, music, food and art, such as India, Italy, Greece and Cuba.