Rodale Family—Organic Food Leaders—Feature 1,000-Plus Recipes In Cookbook

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“Farmers’ markets, supermarkets, and natural food stores today offer a wealth of wholesome ingredients that even a decade ago were considered unfamiliar and exotic. From quinoa to spelt flour, to agave nectar and shitake mushrooms, natural whole foods have come into their own as the cornerstone of a healthy, varied diet,” say the authors of the most recent edition of The Rodale Whole Foods Cookbook.

The Rodale family, who many consider to be the founders of organic food production in America, remains one of the leaders in the organic, sustainable, biodynamic and regenerative agricultural movements of today. This latest edition of their cookbook features more than 1,000 recipes for choosing, cooking and preserving natural ingredients, and especially those that come from your own home garden.

“Packed with information for purchasing, storing and serving the full spectrum of whole foods, The Rodale Whole Foods Cookbook is an all-in-one kitchen resource for cooks who want to introduce a wider range of ingredients into their meals,” the authors continue, “This exhaustively-revised edition of Rodale’s original natural food cookbook contains more than 1,000 recipes—almost a third of which are brand new—and updated guidelines for making the most of fresh meats, produce, and pantry essentials, soup to nuts.

“Here’s all you need to know to make spectacular soups, stews, salads, baked goods, and more, using whole foods,” they note, “You’ll find dozens of casseroles (many of which can be made ahead and frozen for no-fuss weeknight meals), quick-and easy sautés, plenty of meatless main courses, and crowd-pleasing favorites for casual get-togethers. Best of all, these recipes are naturally healthful, showcasing the versatility of wholesome whole grains, natural sweeteners, seasonal fruits and vegetables, and other fresh, unprocessed foods in all their delicious variety.”

The authors add, “Also included are valuable primers on such essential kitchen topics as making stock; putting up jams and preserves; baking yeast breads; choosing cookware; sprouting seeds; making yogurt; and canning vegetables; with helpful charts and glossaries on herbs and spices, cheeses, sea vegetables, seasonal produce, roasting meat and fowl, freezing foods safely, and more. A trusted, timeless classic thoroughly updated for the way we cook today, The Rodale Whole Foods Cookbook is sure to become an indispensable resource for health-conscious cooks.”

To utilize your home-grown bounty from the vegetable garden, here is just one of the more than 1,000 Rodale recipes that we think you’ll enjoy:

Roasted Root Vegetables With Thyme (Makes 6 Servings)

Ingredients:

• 2 medium Chioggia beets, peeled
• 2 medium unpeeled white turnips
• 2 medium unpeeled Yukon Gold potatoes
• 2 medium carrots, peeled
• 3 medium parsnips, peeled
• 2 small yellow onions
• ¼-cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves, stems reserved
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
• Salt and pepper

Preparation:

“Cut the beets, turnips, and potatoes into 6 wedges each. Halve the carrots and parsnips length-wise and then cross-wise. Cut the onions into quarters.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small skillet, combine the oil, thyme stems, and garlic. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard the thyme stems and garlic.

In a large bowl, toss the beets with 1 teaspoon of the oil mixture, 1 teaspoon of the thyme leaves, and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a large baking pan and arrange in an even layer. Roast for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, use the same bowl to combine the turnips, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions, 2 tablespoons of the oil mixture, the remaining 2 teaspoons thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the vegetables to the pan with the beets in an even layer and stir to combine. Continue to roast for 30 minutes, turning the vegetables once, until tender.

Transfer the vegetables to a serving platter. Drizzle with another 2 teaspoon of the oil mixture (you will have some left over), and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.”