Anna Jones’ cookbook has some great ideas on how to source and use local produce for easy, tasty recipes.
I came across this book a couple of months ago while looking for a new, climate-friendly way of cooking and consuming food, so One Pot, Plant, Planet: A greener way to cook for you, the family and the planet came at just the right time. So, without further ado, here’s my cookbook review.
Structure
The material is divided into 9 chapters or sections, including the introduction, which tells the reader how to use the information in the book. Anna Jones begins with why she started writing One Pot, Plant, Planet in the first place and gives readers a good overview of the entire discussion around food production, consumption and waste. Most importantly, she explains why every individual effort in using more climate-friendly practices can make a difference, especially since our food system has the biggest impact on the climate.
Recipes are divided on the basis of the equipment used to cook them, namely, pots, pans and trays. A “Quick” section has easy recipes for when you are short of time. Jones’ recipes are based on cuisine from all over the world, which, she says, she has been exposed to living among the diaspora of many countries in England.
Easy recipes
One Pot, Plant, Planet has instructions on how to make a late summer corn and tomato curry, a Persian noodle soup, green chickpea pancakes or banana pudding and so on. While the book does not have exclusively gluten-free recipes, it has many dishes, which use a variety of gluten-free substitutes.
I found this YouTube video with Jones demonstrating one of her recipes from the cookbook:
My favourite section is the one called “One Veg” that has lists of making dishes with only one vegetable as the ingredient. It’s very practical for when I have no time for shopping and only a couple of things in the fridge. So, the section “Ten simple broccoli ideas,” for example, has five-line recipes for fiery broccoli, quick broccoli gratin, broccoli pasta and so on.
Summing up
The book has all vegetarian recipes and also a good collection of desserts, including sticky dates, figs halva and sundae and so on. There is also a section on making quick, non-dairy milk. Jones also elaborates on the best way to reuse food waste and ensure we consume most of the food we buy.
What I liked most about the book is Jones’ moderate approach : She does not profess buying only organic food, although that would certainly help, but suggests manageable steps to move towards a more environment-friendly way of consuming and cooking. It’s also good to read or follow cooks who understand that most of us cannot afford the best organic food in the market.
One Pot, Plant, Planet, the edition that I have, has been written for audiences in the UK and also has recipes with wheat. This means I will have to adapt the recipes and ideas according to what is available locally in Germany and also use gluten-free substitutes in wheat-based dishes. Altogether however, I think I’ll be using the cookbook every now and then for its recipes and tips on consuming sustainably.
Check out these four tips to make more sustainable food choices
This soup made with dried peas is a gluten-free AND climate friendly dish that makes for an easy weekday dinner. Just make sure to soak the peas overnight or cook them longer!