Feeding the Hungry Ghost : Life, Faith, and What to Eat for Dinner — A Satisfying Diet for Unsatisfying Times

"We're hungry for more than food," writes the author. "We're hungry for connection, joy, meaning, completion, truth." The foods every culture uses to mark milestones and seasons honor this multifaceted hunger and feed the "hungry ghost," a Tao concept about restless souls still "hungry" beyond the grave. Ellen Kanner serves up vegan recipes that satisfy these cravings, including DIY Matzo, When All Else Fails Pasta, and Caribbean Christmas Pepper Pot. In a voice as appealing as her recipes, Kanner seasons her text with warm, wise stories (helping kids plant a garden; hanging out at farmers' markets; meeting Marcel, a Haitian who marks loss with soup) that show why "Often, the best way to exercise your faith and serve the world comes in choosing what you eat for dinner." A combination of writing about food and food traditions, descriptions of cultural and religious traditions where food is central (from Haiti soup night to a recipe for a dish to break the fast of Ramadan)... What do we turn to for both everyday sustenance and seasonal celebration? Food. Often, though, we’re like the hungry ghosts of Taoist lore, eating mindlessly, wandering aimlessly, and wanting more — more than food itself can provide. Ellen Kanner believes that if we put in a little thought and preparation, every meal can feed not only our bodies but our souls and our communities as well. Warm, wicked, and one-of-a-kind, Ellen offers an irreverent approach to bringing reverence into daily living — and eating. She presents global vegan recipes that call you to the table, stories that make you stand up and cheer, and gentle nudges that aim to serve up what we’re hungry for: a more vital self, more loving and meaningful connections, a nourished and nourishing world, and great food, too. Feeding the Hungry Ghost will challenge you to decide: keep reading or start cooking? A combination of writing about food and food traditions, descriptions of cultural and religious traditions where food is central (from Haiti soup night to a recipe for a dish to break the fast of Ramadan). The book is broken into parts: seeds; flowering; harvest; compost. She includes Judeo-Christian, Haitian, Turkish, Muslim, African, Mexican, traditions, both religious and secular, around food and how people use food to soothe, celebrate, commemorate, grieve, and connect with each other. The author is active in the sustainable eating movement and writes regularly for the Huffington Post (meatless Monday blog); Gourmet; and local Miami newsletters. "A food writer offers stories about the many different ways people connect, celebrate, and share with each other through food. Includes vegan recipes"-- Provided by publisher