From the award-winning champion of culinary simplicity who gave us
the bestselling
How to Cook Everything and
How to Cook
Everything Vegetarian comes
Food Matters, a plan for
responsible eating that''s as good for the planet as it is for your
weight and your health.
We are finally starting to acknowledge the threat carbon
emissions pose to our ozone layer, but few people have focused on
the extent to which our consumption of meat contributes to global
warming. Think about it this way: In terms of energy consumption,
serving a typical family-of-four steak dinner is the rough
equivalent of driving around in an SUV for three hours while
leaving all the lights on at home.
Bittman offers a no-nonsense rundown on how government policy,
big business marketing, and global economics influence what we
choose to put on the table each evening. He demystifies buzzwords
like "organic," "sustainable," and "local" and offers
straightforward, budget-conscious advice that will help you make
small changes that will shrink your carbon footprint -- and your
waistline.
Flexible, simple, and non-doctrinaire, the plan is based on hard
science but gives you plenty of leeway to tailor your food choices
to your lifestyle, schedule, and level of commitment. Bittman, a
food writer who loves to eat and eats out frequently, lost
thirty-five pounds and saw marked improvement in his blood levels
by simply cutting meat and processed foods out of two of his three
daily meals. But the simple truth, as he points out, is that as
long as you eat more vegetables and whole grains, the result will
be better health for you and for the world in which we live.
Unlike most things that are virtuous and healthful, Bittman''s
plan doesn''t involve sacrifice. From Spinach and Sweet Potato
Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing to Breakfast Bread Pudding, the
recipes in Food Matters are flavorful and sophisticated. A month''s
worth of meal plans shows you how Bittman chooses to eat and offers
proof of how satisfying a mindful and responsible diet can be.
Cheaper, healthier, and socially sound, Food Matters
represents the future of American eating.