The food selection policies of the Alpha Nutrition Program disqualify many if not most recipes in cook books that are based on European and American cuisines. We have looked more to Asia than Europe for inspiration. In many regions in Asia, rice fruit and vegetables have a prominent role to play in meal planning. The traditional Japanese diet features fish, rice and a few vegetables. The varied cuisines of Thailand are a special inspiration because of the emphasis on fruits, vegetables and natural flavors.

Thai chef, Vatcharin, describes an ideal approach to cooking and eating:

“The taste of Thai cooking is easy to identify: lemon grass, fish sauce, coriander, garlic, sweet basil, ginger and coconut milk combine to make a harmony that is unforgettable. As is the look of the food, set out in a group of small dishes with vegetables carved as flowers, fish and meat arranged in neat patterns, tiny bowls of clear soup with subtle flavors, steaming beside a communal pot of fluffy rice. Meat, always without fat, makes up only a small proportion of a Thai meal, the largest element being lightly cooked vegetables that remain firm with all their flavors preserved. Because we believe that life should be Sanuk (pleasurable), the pleasures of eating are very important. Preparing food well and serving it beautifully is never a chore, perhaps because Thai cooking is very straightforward.”