The Earthbound Cook - Review

The Earthbound Cook
by Myra Goodman
Published by Workman Publishing
461 pages

ISBN: 978-0761156345

Amazon $13.02

The Earthbound Cook is a wonderful book that I received just before Christmas and then promptly left at my sisters (3 hours away from home).  I just received the book back today.  My sister pulled it out while she had it and loved the recipes she tried.  

The Earthbound Cook contains 250 recipes and is all about cooking healthfully, mindfully, and deliciously.  You'll find great sections such as: how to protect yourself (and your family) from unhealthy pesticide residues, cooking primers, sidebars and spotlights with tips to educate home cooks on how food choices, appliance use, preparation habits and clean up affect the environment.  It's a guide for how to help protect the planet with easy-to-follow tips as well as ideas that make cooking from scratch easy. 

The salad chapter I have to admit looked the most delicious to me.  The ones that I can't wait to try are:  Heirloom Lettuce Salad w/ Strawberries, Walnuts and Goat Cheese (minus the cheese, thank you!); Romaine Salad with Snow Peas, Oranges and Almonds; Cobb Salad (I LOVE Cobb Salad - fat and all!) and Mixed Baby Greens with Roasted Red Peppers, Walnuts and Feta.  I'm not a big raw vegetable or salad fan but these salads are so colorful and look so good.

There is also a wonderful section with Vegetarian Entrees.  I thought the Spinach, Mushroom and Gruyere Crepes looked wonderful although I'd make them with Broccoli instead.  I've never had Gruyere Cheese before - but even the cheese looks good!  LOL  You'll find recipes like Leek and Feta Risotto Cakes; Homemade Veggie Burgers (!) - it has bulgur wheat, pinto beans and lots of great seasonings along with a red onion & cucumber Yogurt Sauce.

Anyone hungry yet?

Here's my review via my sister Tara.  Tara pulled out this cookbook since I left it at her house and like me she loves her breads and desserts.  She found a recipe for Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins which she actually made twice in a month.  The WHOLE family loved 'em!  She also babysits and while the older kids eat at home before they come to her house till they go to school - the older boys wanted to try them.  Then they asked for seconds, then thirds - she had to put the brakes on or the 3 boys (including my nephew Brett) would have eaten them all.

The Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins was supposed to make 18 muffins but she was able to get about 26 out of the recipe.  She didn't tell me if she made small muffins (the picture in the book shows small muffins) - but the recipe does go a long way.

I strongly recommend this cookbook for anyone trying to cook more nutritiously for their family.  The recipes for the most part are everyday recipes like goulash, soups, breads, turkey chili, chicken enchiladas, herb-marinated chicken breasts, etc.  You shouldn't have any trouble getting your family to eat these dishes - they all look wonderful!

About the author: Myra Goodman founded Earthbound Farm in 1984 with her husband Drew.  She is the author of Food to Live By and the inspiration behind Earthbound Farms farm stand cafe.  She has written for and been featured in several national magazines publications, including Bon Appetit, Health and More, and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show, Live with Regis and Kelly, and on National Public Radio.  She lives with her family in Carmel, California.