Just Enough: Vegan Cooking and Stories from Japan's Buddhist Temples

"A collection of traditional recipes from Japanese Buddhist monasteries and temples, along with reflections on the philosophy that inspired them"--Provided by publisher.
Drawing on her years of working in monastery kitchens, a Buddhist nun applies the philosophy of oryoki, or “just enough,” to this part cookbook part food for thought that nourishes and delights the body, mind and spirit. Original.
Recipes and teachings for spiritual seekers and culinary adventurers of every kind
Fresh out of college, Gesshin Claire Greenwood found her way to a Buddhist monastery in Japan and was ordained as a Buddhist nun. Zen appealed to Greenwood because of its all-encompassing approach to life and how to live it, its willingness to face life’s big questions, and its radically simple yet profound emphasis on presence, reality, the now. At the monastery, she also discovered an affinity for working in the kitchen, especially the practice of creating delicious, satisfying meals using whatever was at hand — even when what was at hand was bamboo. Based on the philosophy of oryoki, or “just enough,” this book combines stories with recipes. From perfect rice, potatoes, and broths to hearty stews, colorful stir-fries, hot and cold noodles, and delicate sorbet, Greenwood shows food to be a direct, daily way to understand Zen practice. With eloquent prose, she takes readers into monasteries and markets, messy kitchens and predawn meditation rooms, and offers food for thought that nourishes and delights body, mind, and spirit.