The Blue Heron Ranch Cookbook Recipes and Stories from a Zen Retreat Center

The Blue Heron Ranch Cookbook is a collection of wholesome recipes, accompanied by lively tales of the Natali family's adventure living close to the land, in the wilds of California's Los Padres National Forest. The cookbook has an assortment of delicious recipes, presented in a simple style not found in other cookbooks, where readers can easily follow the sequence of ingredients that correspond to the numbered directions, making for a presentation that is visually effortless. Each chapter opens with a distinctive account of the family's trials and triumphs at Blue Heron Ranch, followed by a particular category of recipes, arranged in seven groupings. Whimsical illustrations adorn the recipes and embellish the poignant tales that include anecdotes about raising a family in the wilderness, running a meditation centre, and facing nature's unending challenges--with the Blue Heron kitchen being the centre around which these events unfold. The book's 126 recipes include Blue Heron Ranch Potato Leek Soup, Saturday Market Quiche, Miso Pine Salmon, Ojai Bouillabaisse, Early Morning Rice Cream, Aunt Ev's Cardamom Bundt Cake, Honey Almond Chai, and many more. This book will resonate with individuals, couples, and families who dream of an alternative to this evermore complex time we live in, and offers a fresh flavour of life for those who are inspired to try something off the beaten path.

Nadia Natali is a mother, a Zen practitioner, and a long-time cook for numerous Zen retreats on Blue Heron Ranch. The stories she tells of the triumphs and tragedies of her family’s life in the wilds of California’s Los Padres National Forest and her profound appreciation for the land are at the heart of her recipes. She has an M.A. in dance therapy and is working on a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She and her husband, photographer Enrico Natali, live in Ojai, CA.