Super Natural Cooking
Within hours of receiving Heidi Swanson's new book, Super Natural Cooking (Ten Speed Press, 2007), I was elbow-deep in espresso-banana muffin batter, eager to try the recipe so beautifully pictured in the cookbook. As it turns out, Swanson is not only a fantastic photographer—she's a great chef to boot. But the book isn't just any other cookbook; it's meant to inspire and educate, utilizing natural and native ingredients and worldly flavors. The premise of the book is not deprivation or conforming to a rigid idea of what to eat. Instead, recipes build on natural ingredients like teff flour, lentils, fruits, and vegetables, creating an entirely new meal repertoire. While some recipes are a bit time consuming, many are designed to be weeknight meals, including the Red Indian Carrot Soup. Chapters are divided by topic and include Build a Natural Foods Pantry, Cook by Color, and Know Your Superfoods, she even provides a recipe for the acai berry since many of us don't have a clue how to use it. Super Natural Cooking is a great addition to your culinary library as you expand your definition of healthy cooking.
