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.