50 Best Plants on the Planet: The Most Nutrient-Dense Fruits and Vegetables, in 150 Delicious Recipes

by Cathy Thomas, Angie Cao (Photographer), Cheryl Forberg MD (Foreword by)

Overview

This encyclopedic guide to cooking the 50 most nutritious fruits and vegetables in the world comes from Melissa's Produce, the largest supplier of specialty produce in the United States. Cooks of all skill levels will love these 150 recipes for simple sides, breakfasts, dinners, and healthful desserts that make the most of fresh, accessible produce, from memory-boosting blackberries to antimicrobial chili peppers to vitamin A–rich watermelon. Featuring health and nutritional information, tips for buying and storage, quick recipe riffs, and gorgeous shots of finished dishes as well as photographs of individual fruits and vegetables, this impressive package is an indispensable resource for home cooks looking to put more fruits and vegetables on the table every day.

Customer Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781452127699
Publisher:	Chronicle Books LLC
Publication date:	04/02/2013
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	204,427
File size:	16 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Cathy Thomas is the award-winning food columnist for the Orange County Register. She lives in Huntington Beach, California.
Angie Cao is a food and lifestyle photographer based in San Francisco, California.

Editorial Reviews

Food columnist Thomas (Orange County Register) reworks the concept behind the 2010 Melissa’s Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce for this equally delicious, keep-it-simple collection of recipes for meals (meat, fish, pasta, vegetarian), desserts, and beverages, which are all based on 50 nutritional-powerhouse fruits and vegetables. (The family-owned Melissa’s is the largest supplier of specialty produce in the U.S.) Using principles Thomas developed as nutritionist on NBC’s The Biggest Loser, the dishes, she says, will help readers make every calorie count for better health and a slimmer waistline, and will also free them from counting calories, although such counts, along with a breakdown of fats, fiber, protein, etc., accompany each recipe. The alphabetical listing includes familiar favorites (cabbage, asparagus, and strawberries), the more occasionally encountered (mustard greens, gooseberries, and guava), and a few rarities (chrysanthemum and cactus leaf). From a truly sweet and very crunchy mixture of caramelized brussels sprouts, dried cherries, and pistachios to “pita pizzas” decked with nectarines, almonds, and blue cheese, to pork tenderloin with apple-raisin stuffing and guava sauce, surprising combinations, textures, and global flavors and cooking styles abound. Experts contend that most Americans eat a fraction of the amount of fruits and vegetables recommended each day, but the fare offered here will likely tempt even produce-phobic champions of the Standard American Diet. (Apr.)

Publishers Weekly

Working alphabetically from arugula to watermelon, Orange County Register columnist Thomas explains how plants with a high ratio of nutrients to calories can benefit your health. As you sample outstanding recipes like shrimp and grapefruit salad (with a zippy ginger-infused vinaigrette), you'll learn how cactus can soothe a hangover, how kiwis can improve digestion, and how snap peas can support heart health. The book includes nutritional analysis for each plant and recipe but lacks category indexing. Readers will need to judge whether recipes suit their diet (e.g., low-fat, gluten-free) or should be avoided. VERDICT Thomas's simple, fresh dishes will appeal to farmers' market lovers, meat-free Monday participants, vegetarians, and fans of substantial salads.

Library Journal