Feeding the Hungry Ghost: Life, Faith, and What to Eat for Dinner

A Huffington Post Meatless Monday columnist, Kanner is on a mission to share healthy international foods, along with a heaping dose of hospitality, to harried, stressed, overworked Americans who want a deeper connection to what they eat. The result is part cookbook, part self-help manual, part inspirational guide. Kanner’s vegan recipes are heavy on lentils, barley, and beans; many also require hours of simmering. Along the way, we hear about Kanner’s Jewish upbringing, her lapsed Lutheran husband, her Buddhist inclinations, and the couple’s trips to Morocco and Japan. Kanner approaches life and food with humor and ease. Her writing is intelligent but folksy; her bits of wisdom sincere and heartwarming. She delights in the flavors of Asia and the Middle East, spicing her hearty fare with heaps of cardamom, cumin, turmeric, and the Moroccan spice blend ras el hanout. If she is a bit too ebullient, it’s because she strives to be a kind of healer, dishing communion and world peace around her table. (Feb.)