WHAT'S COOKIN' GOOD LOOKIN'?
TASTYBABY CHATS WITH ANN GENTRY OF REAL FOOD DAILY

 
- Liane Weintraub, Editor-in-Chief

UPDATE: We have been a big fan of Ann Gentry ever since we met her!  She is the epitomy of "healthy living" and her delicious vegitarian cuisine has made her quite popular in and around the LA area.  We just wanted to share how proud we are of Ann, who just recently went on the Today Show to share some of her tasty vegetarian recipes.  You can watch the fabulous video clip here:

If you happen to be one of thousands of dedicated vegans living in Los Angeles, chances are that you’re well acquainted with Real Food Daily, the two organic, vegetarian eateries located in Santa Monica and West Hollywood.  12 years ago, Ann Gentry decided to give up acting in order to focus on her culinary talents (prodigious!) and philosophy (ultra-healthy).  What it all boils down to is  “real food.”  Considering LA’s reputation as home to healthy living, she was surprised that there weren’t many places offering wholesome, vegetarian food here.  “Believe it or not, there still aren’t.  I’m one of the only games in town – not that I’m complaining!  I’ll take the business!”


 
Spending time with Ann is a unique experience.  She’s part dishy girlfriend, part health guru.  You find yourself bouncing between topics ranging from high fashion to unethical farming practices, all in the same sentence.  She’s bubbly, whip-smart, and downright cute.  To hear her tell the love-story of how she met her husband, Rob, would put a smile on even a hardened cynic’s face.  It’s not hard to imagine that, had she not decided to focus on cuisine, Ann Gentry could have been quite the Hollywood starlet.


 
Born in Memphis, Tennessee (and she sill has the accent to prove it), Ann grew up surrounded by strong women who loved to cook.  But she didn’t develop her own passion for food until she moved to New York and got sick.  Several rounds of “traditional Western antibiotics” didn’t help, so she changed her lifestyle and eating habits – and hasn’t looked back since.  Ann’s nutritional standards are high.  She is committed to balanced food, an east-meets-west philosophy which incorporates the Chinese 5-element theory, eating “with the seasons,” and above all, fresh, organic ingredients.


 
“When we first opened, the word vegan was out there on the fringe,” she observes.  “But today, vegan ideals are much more accepted.  Nutrition science backs up the healthfulness of meatless diets and, more important, the growing number of people who enjoy vegan meals – at least occasionally – is indisputable.”
 
And who wouldn’t enjoy Ann’s delicious recipes?  The offerings at Real Food Daily are satisfying and nutritious.  There are stand-by favorites that, if ordered from a standard menu, would elicit feelings of guilt.  But at RFD, things like “Better with Cheddar Nachos” (made with non-dairy, “cashew cheese”) or “Total Reuben with Thousand Island dressing” (made with tempeh & tofu ricotta cheese) are not only guilt-free, but remarkably enjoyable.  It’s hard to believe these are sinless!


 
Two years ago, Ann put some of her best-loved recipes into “The Real Food Daily Cookbook,” so that die-hard fans could try their hands at making “real” food at home.  



Here, Ann shares one of her (and her children’s) favorites, Chocolate Pudding, which is not found in her book.  Read on for a Tastybaby exclusive!


Real Food Daily’s Chocolate Pudding



36 ounces    extra firm silken tofu
1 ¼ cup    cocoa powder
¾ cup     maple sugar
½ cup        maple syrup
¼ cup           coffee substitute grains or powder
1 Tbsp    vanilla extract
¼ tsp        sea salt

Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and creamy.
Refrigerate for at least two hours.  Serve chilled with a sprinkle of chocolate powder.

Reprinted with permission from "The Real Food Daily Cookbook: Really Fresh,
Really Good, Really Vegetarian" by Ann Gentry. Copyright 2005
Ten Speed Press, Berkeley CA.