There is certainly no end of eco-friendly cookbooks on the market. Some cater to vegan and vegetarian palates. Other cookbooks focus on organic, seasonal and local food. There are even cookbooks which are specific to famous farmers or well-known celebrity eco-activists. In fact, there are so many environmentally-friendly cookbooks on the market that it is hard to muster up any enthusiasm when another one hits our doorstop. However, Big Green Cookbook: Hundreds of Planet-Pleasing Recipes & Tips For A Luscious Low-Carbon Lifestyle by Jackie Newgent is truly a fresh take on the now familiar eco-cookbook.
Designed to lessen your carbon footprint in the kitchen, Big Green Cookbook features more than 200 sumptuous recipes that have the added benefit of incorporating local, organic, seasonal, low impact food while still managing to appeal to everyone who is carbon-conscious from strict vegetarians to meat eaters.
The basic premise is simple: find ways to reduce cooking time (no recipe exceeds twenty minutes of ‘on’ cooking time) while remaining extremely conscious of ingredient choices and attempting to reduce animal based products. Sounds simple enough, but what is so intriguing is how author Jackie Newgent has so thoroughly deconstructed the carbon footprint of every aspect of the cooking experience, sharing with readers how to incorporate low-carbon cooking techniques into her delicious recipes.
Low-carbon cooking techniques can range from reducing cooking time to choosing smaller appliances (although I don’t personally agree with using a microwave even though it can reduce energy use by roughly two-thirds compared to a conventional oven according to Newgent), to cooking multiple dishes at one time or cutting food into smaller sizes so it cooks quicker.
The Big Green Cookbook is arranged according to season, with each section featuring recipes that are designed to use fresh, local produce (and the occasional ‘green-sized’ portions of animal products) while also ensuring that the reader learns to prepare some delectable recipes. Although we haven’t worked our way through the cookbook yet, early staff favourites include the Sugar Snap Pea Tzatziki, Guacamole Studded With Fresh Strawberries, Sweet Potato Soup, Cumin Accented Wild Mushroom Spread and Chocolate Fudge Brownies with Star Fruit.
Each recipe also comes accompanied by Little Green Cooking Tip: simple suggestions for eco‐friendly cooking, Use It, Don’t Lose It: ideas for preventing food‐related waste, Go Local: tips for choosing locally‐produced foods and A Planet Friendly Bite: interesting environmental facts related to each recipe. The environmental carbon factoids are well researched and move well beyond what you can expect in the typical green cookbook.
Big Green Cookbook by Jackie Newgent is a beautifully designed, well written and a mouth-wateringly addition to the green cooking movement and if you decide to buy one cookbook this year, make it this one!
Order this book on Amazon.com - Big Green Cookbook
Visit: www.biggreencookbook.com
Publisher: Wiley
Pages: 400
GreenMuze Rating: 
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