b'introductionFOOD: A BUILDING BLOCK OF HEALTHT he students at Pacific Quest gain an appreciation of a meals jour-ney from garden to plate. Taking active roles in the cultivation, preparation and consumption of delicious and healthy food is a daily event for our staff and students. Learning how to prepare food is a form of self-nourishment which we hope will continue beyond Pacific Quest.Recipes in this cookbook call for fresh and nutritious ingredients. Whether you have a home garden or not, we encourage you to focus on quality, local and organic ingredients to create the best-tasting and nutrient-rich meals. This cookbook emphasizes organic, whole foods that are anti-inflammatory and hypoallergenic.Organic foods are free of chemically laden pesticide residues and contain more nu-trients than non-organic foods. Whole foods, very simply, are foods that appear as they do in nature and are minimally processed and free of artificial flavors, colors, and preservatives. A whole foods diet includes a variety of fruits and vegetables as well as adequate fiber, clean protein and healthy fats. A varied, whole foods diet is crucial to the physical and mental health of any individual. A depressed person has stressed physical and emo-tionalsystems and they require even more of these necessary nutri-ents. Nutrient deficiencies can contribute to mood disorders; mood disorders can be a factor in making poor food choices. This can be a vicious cycle, which can be stopped with the knowledge and motiva-tion to feed the body nutritious and good tasting food.Inflammation in the body contributes to disease processes. An anti-inflammatory diet is high in essential fatty acids, and organic THE PACIFIC QUEST COOKBOOK3'