The Low-Carbon Cookbook Reduce Food Waste and Combat Climate Change with 140 Sustainable Plant-Based Recipes

by Alejandra Schrader

Use your kitchen to help combat climate change.

When you go to the supermarket to buy groceries, you probably don’t think about how everything got there: from the farmers and harvesting machines to the delivery trucks, stockers, and countless other people who are involved in delivering goods to your local market. But many real costs are involved—and most of them involve impacts to the environment more than to bank accounts.

Food production contributes to one-fourth of our global greenhouse gas emissions. This is a significant number that’s part of the climate change conversation. But you can take a few small steps to help lower that number—and The Low-Carbon Cookbook will show you how. Chef extraordinaire Alejandra Schrader offers science-backed information on how to make the most climate friendly choices—from examining the impact of the supply chain for the foods that end up on our plates to evaluating the carbon footprint of various plant-based options we have.

The Low-Carbon Cookbook also includes these features:
• 140 plant-based recipes made with fresh, wholesome, and seasonal ingredients that can help you lower your carbon footprint and foodprint
• Seasonal and regional ingredient swaps you can make to allow you to create every dish in this book no matter where you live or the time of the year
• Expert advice and tips on how to shop wisely, cook smart, and plan your meals as a way to help you save money and reduce your food waste

If you’re looking for a way to combat climate change from your kitchen, this book will help you with your goals.

Genres: Cooking, Food

256 pages, Hardcover

Published June 8, 2021

Reviews

[Sasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is worth the money just for the amaranth pancakes alone. It includes a great variety of ingredients, most of which are available (and if they aren't, there's a substitutions index at the end of the book). these recipes are interesting and different from the standard set of recipes I see in most vegetarian cookbooks. These are great for your health, happiness, and your conscience.

The author also finds delightful ways to use parts of veggies that we normally discard. Enter purple potato gnocchi with carrot top pesto, fava bean pod bollitos, and veggie burger-worthy broccoli stalk cakes. It even offers a use for the avocado pits.

But first, amaranth pancakes with apple compote.

[Maddy Addison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Environmentalist cookbook & action plan will make waves

Posted on May 9, 2021 by michellelovatosbookreviews, world's first book color commentator, book reviews with a twist

This cookbook is truly one-of-a-kind when it comes to the subject matter. I’ve never seen a cookbook dedicated to protecting the environment. Introducing the Low Carbon Cookbook & Action Plan: Reduce Food Waste and Combat Climate Change With 140 Sustainable Plant-Based Recipes.
Wow. I’m not sure how to react to this idea.
First, this is an excellent effort from author Alejandra Schrader. She took the problem of climate change and provided an action plan for an answer.
Second, I never thought that what I ate was a problem with how hot I would be next summer or how hot my great grandchildren’s summers would become in the future.
Third, I’m confused by the entire climate-change idea, to begin with, and I’m on the fence about the subject and about someone else telling me what I can and cannot eat. Of course, isn’t that the definition of a diet?
The Low Carbon Cookbook & Action Plan begins with an introduction to its author. It then moves into the definition of climate change and how its negative aspects are affecting our climate.
Basically, Schrader writes that we humans are misbehaving so badly that we are destroying the atmosphere for future generations. On one side, Holy Crap! We better all hold hands in a big circle and decide to do better for each other. On the other hand, Holy Crap! These climate people think we humans are so important that we could actually change the weather! Only God changes the weather, and we are not God. At least those are the two polar ends I’ve heard.
Once again, I sit on the fence. Maybe I’ve been a reporter too long. You know, unbiased middle party reporting both sides without opinion. But I could go either way, though never to the extreme.
To me, taking care of the environment is critical because I care about the earth God created for me and my fellow living beings on which to thrive. I like plants in the first place, so this will be a straightforward message to swallow. But I don’t believe for a split second the world’s population, which in my opinion is generally rotten to the core, will jump on this Ferris wheel and circle around to a new lifestyle.
Bottom line: If you like plant-based menus, the Low Carbon Cookbook is a great resource. If you are a climate-aware individual, you will like these plant-based menus. If you are a person who just rolled your eyes at this column, you might want to pass on this book.
I applaud these authors for their effort in this book. Their explanations are clear, understandable, and concise enough that I didn’t feel like I was listening to a lecture in a foreign language. Those explanations were, however, plentiful. If you want a complete picture of why folks are dedicated to this idea, the Low Carbon Cookbook & Action Plan provides a well-rounded summary.
As for the recipes? Yum. Fava Bean and Avacado Soup, Spiced Pumpkin Soup, Spicy Chayote & Tomato Casserole; I’m up for these recipes.
Low Carbon Cookbook & Action Plan: Reduce Food Waste and Combat Climate Change With 140 Sustainable Plant-Based Recipes will make waves in our society. I’m pretty certain about that. But, then again, isn’t that what climate change is about?

BoutiquePublishingService@hotmail.com
BoutiqueBooks@hotmail.com
Happy are those who respect the Lord and obey him. You will enjoy what you work for, and you will be blessed with good things. Psalm 128: 1-2

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Low-Carbon Cookbook is a philosophical look at climate change and reducing readers' carbon footprint by incorporating more local foods and adopting a plant based diet. Released 8th June 2021 by Penguin Random House on their DK imprint, it's 260 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats.

This is an expository monograph on climate change with recipes. The emphasis is on local food, reducing food waste, and choosing plant based foods over animal based. About 25% of the content includes information on climate change, what a low-carbon diet and lifestyle encompass, and an action plan for making changes. The following chapters include the recipes arranged thematically: breakfast, small bites, salads, sides, soups & stews, main dishes, beverages, desserts, sauces dips pickles & more, and some info on meal planning and make-ahead dishes.

Recipes include a description, ingredients in a bullet list sidebar (measurements are given in US standard with metric in parentheses (yay!)), followed by step-by-step prep instructions. Tips and alternative presentations are provided in footers at the end of each recipe. Nutritional info is not provided. Ingredients will be mostly easy to source locally for most of North America. Many of the recipes are quite appealing and are inspired by a wide variety of world cuisines. Roughly 25% of the recipes have photos. Serving suggestions and food styling are appealing and appropriate. I wish there were more photos since many of the recipes are somewhat complex (for me) and I like seeing what recipes "should" look like before I get overwhelmed.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Amelia R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely recipes, with beautiful pictures. I really like the stuffed shiitake mushrooms and the king oyster mushroom arepas. The recipes introduce a lot of ideas from Venezuelan cuisine. Alejandra has put a lot of thought into both the cultural and the environmental side of food. Highly recommend.

[Tamzen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm glad I got to read The Low-Carbon Cookbook & Action Plan; that said, it wasn't what I had expected. I thought it would be more cookbook based, and it was for the second half of the book. The first half of the book was important information about climate, agriculture, the need to be thinking about these things, etc. Though it was good information and I very important to understand and learn, it was very thick mentally. Perhaps if the book title had been worded more like, "The Need for a Low-Carbon Lifestyle & an Action Plan Cookbook" (Too wordy, I know, but hopefully you get my drift,) I would have been more eager to dive into statistics and research before getting to the recipes.

We made a few of the recipes (plantain chips, pineapple frozen yogurt, and berry and banana sorbet) and they were awesome! Granted, we stuck to the fruit/dessert section of the cookbook, and I'll explain why-quite a lot of the recipes require ingredients that are either hard to find or very pricey. Now, they do make this stipulation at the beginning of the book. Low-carbon eating requires a lot of sacrifice. But, many of the recipes are inaccessible to the general population, which gives me pause to give too high praise for the recipes. There are still quite a few I intend to try out, but with various substitutions that may end up negating the low-carbon intention. Progress over perfection, I guess.

If you are in a town well-stocked in less common groceries and have few dietary restrictions and an open palette, and are wanting to make a good environmental impact, you may consider this book. If you are tight on money, are a somewhat picky eater or have dietary restrictions, you may want to give it a once-over before purchasing.

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Johanna Sawyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everyone knows a plant based diet will help lower your carbon footprint and give you a healthier life. That being said the author opens with how to reduce food waste and combatting climate change for the front half of the book. The last half has some pretty intense vegetable based recipes.

What did I like? Everybody wants to have climate change go away. The first part of the book gives you an insight on what the world needs to see reduced to help out. Plant based diet easily helps your health and has a lower impact than meat eating. The author gives you a bunch of plant based recipes and hopes you will enjoy them enough to turn to plant eating. Me, I’m not sure what I believe. The way the climate has changed now, not even crops are surviving.

Would I recommend or buy? People tend to ignore climate change because it’s too frightful to believe in a change. Realistically reducing meat eating is healthy for you, so I’m at a loss why you wouldn’t want to eat healthier. If meatless Monday’s is your thing... then kudos. Anything is better than doing nothing.

I received a complimentary copy to read and voluntarily left a review! I did want more pictures as well, seemed like a few more couldn’t have hurt.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, I did not care for this cookbook. I wish the author had chosen a gentler and less formal approach to this topic. However, the first 60 pages felt like reading a stiff textbook. I wanted to feel like I was being invited to someone's kitchen and explained how they choose to make a difference via food and cooking. All I got was a lecture. I understand climate change is a very serious topic, but it really felt like there was no soul to the introduction or the recipes.

With that being said, the recipes are really the only thing that has me rating this 3 stars. There are sooooo many that I am eager to make. Most of which, I probably won't get around to just due to the excessive amount of time they will take to prepare. It is unfortunate that this cookbook isn't very accessible. Unless you live in a very populated city with a plethora of grocery stores to visit, you will have a hard time finding some of these ingredients. Even if you go the route of shopping online, I'm almost positive it will leave a dent in your wallet.

[Catie Duckworth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate some of the more practical tactics for reducing food waste in home kitchens, and I'd even make some of the recipes. Many of the recipes are culturally relevant to the author, and it is nice to see the cultural context of the dishes.

I do have a problem with the strongly morally coded language in this book. It reeks of judgment. The earth is dying, and you aren't turning your avocado pit into a seed powder! The book is based on a way of eating that is not realistic or desirable for most people, but it is written as though individual behavior can outpace major corporations' impact on the climate. This is putting unnecessary pressure and potential shame on people where food and food choices can already be a very delicate relationship. At one point, I had to stop reading this book for a couple months because I was getting too angry, but I have finally finished it.

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an interesting book!

There's a lot of information on how our diets impact climate. The book highlights the carbon footprint that goes into raising meat and other information. The book has tips for lowering your carbon footprint from bringing your own bag to the grocery store, shopping in season, and growing your own food.

The recipes themselves are pretty straightforward. There are some pictures of some of the recipes but not as many as I was hoping for. There's a nice focus on reducing food waste. Some recipes are a bit complicated but generally seem good.

[Kimberly Tierney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let’s call this what it actually is, another vegan cookbook. Making the title to sound more eco-focused is a nice trick, but this is about changing to a vegan lifestyle and should be labeled and advertised that way. I feel manipulated into thinking that there was actually something else that could be helpful in cooking and lowering my carbon footprint while doing it, to just find another vegan cookbook.
I’m not against the lifestyle at all. I find myself adding more vegan items into my diet regularly in place of animal products. I just don’t like that the book isn’t advertised that was as it comes across as deceptive titling.

[Anne · Rating 1 out of 5]

It’s a no from me. The first 60 pages is like a boring textbook from a class I didn’t want to sign up for. That really put me off the cookbook. I’m sure some of the recipes are good, however the author definitely could have incorporated her thoughts in a different, less direct way to make the book readable. Also, I want to see photos of the recipes I’m reading about and there were way too few in this one.

[Jamie Saunders · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is pretty much a vegan cookbook. I appreciated the seasonal guide on which foods to look for. Other than that, I didn't find much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Do get a lot of information introduced at the beginning to get into a few topics. Basic recipe setup and quick tips for a lot of recipes.

[Bengali Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was not able to put too much to test but the ones I tried were decent.

Thank you #NetGalley and Alpha for giving me the opportunity to read this.

#TheLowCarbonCookbook

[Kaitlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this ebook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was not a fan of the first 59 pages being information and advice/opinions. I also like cookbooks that have pictures for every recipe, and this only has a picture for every third or fourth recipe.