True Food is a "how to" book. How to eat healthier. How to shop healthier. How to cook healthier. It takes you through an eight-step process that, if you follow it through, will result in you becoming a healthier person who understands the connection between plate and planet.
Step one is eating local food. By doing this you not only eat healthier because the food is fresher, you help the planet by reducing the environmental impact of food by not trucking it halfway across the country to your table. This step also encourages people to plant their own gardens and preserve their own bounty including root cellars, canning, freezing, drying and blanching. It talks about what's in season in different parts of America at different times of the year.
Step two is eating a variety of foods. This step helps encourage seed diversity but also includes a broader range of nutrients in our diets. This chapter also discusses genetically modified crops and seed saving. As an added bonus, there are lots of yummy recipes in this chapter including one for sweet potato & pecan salad that I want to try soon.
Step three discusses aiming for organic. It's not only good for you, but it's good for the environment as well. This chapter addresses pesticides in foods, natural pest repellents, growth hormones and a variety of other eye-opening topics. Again, there are a number of must try recipes including a Late Summer Chili that I'll be trying once summer actually arrives here in Vermont.
Step four talks about eating lower on the food chain. It explains good and bad fats and explains how to form a complete protein without eating meat. Recipes include how to make an alternative to dairy cow's milk (horchata), how to make your own hummus and a tasty sounding Fried Tilapia recipe.
Step five discusses the benefits of eating fresh food versus frozen, canned, etc. Foods that are transformed into food products contain less nutrients and more fats. Their production also causes polution. The chapter also includes a guide to nuts and seeds, how to cook an artichoke and a guide to mushroom varieties. I also enjoyed the guide to salad greens and the guide to squash. This is an extremely informative chapter and I particularly enjoyed the guide to herbs and eating flowers safely. I can't wait to try the cream of dandelion soup recipe!
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