From the award-winning champion of conscious eating and author of the
bestselling Food Matters comes The Food Matters Cookbook, offering
the most comprehensive and straightforward ideas yet for cooking easy,
delicious foods that are as good for you as they are for the planet.
The Food Matters Cookbook is the essential encyclopedia and guidebook
to responsible eating, with more than 500 recipes that capture Bittman's
typically relaxed approach to everything in the kitchen. There is no
finger-wagging here, just a no-nonsense and highly flexible case for
eating more plants while cutting back on animal products, processed
food, and of course junk. But for Bittman, flipping the ratio of your
diet to something more virtuous and better for your body doesn't involve
avoiding any foods--indeed, there is no sacrifice here.
Since his own health prompted him to change his diet, Bittman has
perfected cooking tasty, creative, and forward-thinking dishes based on
vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Meat and other animal products are
often included--but no longer as the centerpiece. In fact the majority
of these recipes include fish, poultry, meat, eggs, or dairy, using them
for their flavor, texture, and satisfying nature without depending on
them for bulk. Roasted Pork Shoulder with Potatoes, Apples, and Onions
and Linguine with Cherry Tomatoes and Clams are perfect examples. Many
sound downright decadent: Pasta with Asparagus, Bacon, and Egg; Stuffed
Pizza with Broccoli, White Beans, and Sausage; or Roasted Butternut
Chowder with Apples and Bacon, for example.
There are vegetarian recipes, too, and they have flair without being
complicated--recipes like Beet Tartare, Lentil "Caviar" with All the
Trimmings, Radish-Walnut Tea Sandwiches, and Succotash Salad. Bittman is
a firm believer in snacking, but in the right way. Instead of packaged
cookies or greasy chips, Bittman suggests Seasoned Popcorn with Grated
Parmesan or Fruit and Cereal Bites. Nor does he skimp on desserts;
rather, he focuses on fruit, good-quality chocolate, nuts, and
whole-grain flours, using minimal amounts of eggs, butter, and other
fats. That allows for a whole chapter devoted to sweets, including
Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies, Apricot Polenta Cake, Brownie Cake, and
Coconut Tart with Chocolate Smear.
True to the fuss-free style that has made him famous, Bittman offers
plenty of variations and substitutions that let you take advantage of
foods that are in season--or those that just happen to be in the fridge.
A quick-but-complete rundown on ingredients tells you how to find
sustainable and flavorful meat and shop for dairy products, grains, and
vegetables without wasting money on fancy organic labels. He indicates
which recipes you can make ahead, those that are sure to become pantry
staples, and which ones can be put together in a flash. And because
Bittman is always comprehensive, he makes sure to include the
building-block recipes for the basics of home cooking: from fast stocks,
roasted garlic, pizza dough, and granola to pots of cooked rice and
beans and whole-grain quick breads.
With a tone that is easygoing and non-doctrinaire, Bittman demonstrates
the satisfaction and pleasure in mindful eating. The result is not just
better health for you, but for the world we all share.
