Whole Foods Companion - A Guide for Adventurous Cooks, Curious Shoppers and Lovers of Natural Foods (Hardcover)

Whatever the latest trend in exercise routine, meditation scheme, or vitamin regimen, most people understand that the best way to lead a healthy, energetic, and productive life is to eat well. Instead of augmenting a diet with additives and supplements, today's food lovers want whole foods -- as fresh, unrefined, and organically grown as possible.

Yet many people who sincerely want to eat more intelligently and wholesomely feel bewildered at the variety of choices now available, even in a regular supermarket. What is quinoa or triticale or spelt? How should you prepare adukis, and how do you serve wampee and quince? How do you know if it's best to give your children sulphured or unsulphured dried apricots?

Whole Foods Companion is a complete guide to the amazing wealth of natural foods now found nearly everywhere. It includes detailed entries on hundreds of fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, herbs and spices, nuts, seeds, and oils readers can immediately begin to incorporate into recipes and meals.

In addition to extensive advice on all the basics -- how to shop for, prepare, store and preserve whole foods -- Dianne Onstad has provided tangy, interesting highlights on the origins of these foods, including the etymologies of their names and the legends with which they've been associated in traditions throughout the world. Each entry is accompanied by a table giving precise nutritional specifications, and the book offers an extraordinary depth of information on the beneficial health effects of eating whole foods.

Whole Foods Companion will be a treasure trove for both natural foods aficionados and newcomers, and an essential reference for chefs and restaurateurs, herbalists andgardeners, nutrition students and healthcare practitioners. This book will be the perfect companion to your favorite cookbooks and horticultural guides.