The Green Teen Cookbook ed. by Laurane Marchive and Pam McElroy

The Green Teen Cookbook: Recipes for All Seasons - 

Written by Teens, for Teens  

edited by Laurane Marchive and Pam McElroy

Published by Zest Books and distributed by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Published: July 29, 2014;144 pages; Ages 12+

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BOOK DESCRIPTION The Green Teen Cookbook: 

The Kitchen can be one of the trickiest places for young adults to navigate—add trying to be healthy, eco-minded, and budget-conscious, and things get even more complicated! Now there is The Green Teen Cookbook (Zest Books; ISBN 978-1-936976-58-4; $14.99 PB) to help guide teens through the mysteries of the kitchen and create some amazing meals. With inspiring tips on how to cut through the chaos of going green as well as master over 70 recipes, including a seasonal key that ensures optimal freshness (and a minimal carbon footprint), any teen can become a green culinary expert and learn how to: shop on a budget; get the most out of your pantry; cook more consciously; eat healthier, and more! Featuring full color photos throughout, The Green Teen Cookbook is an all-in-one guide for eating green and eating well—by teens and for teens! 

This book is for people who enjoy cooking great, seasonal food for themselves as well as for other people—on a budget. It’s a guide for customizing recipes for each season, and for learning how to appreciate the different foods available each month. And readers looking to educate themselves on the food industry will enjoy the essays about globalization, vegetarianism, imports/exports, farming in the US and abroad, and much more.

This book arrived at my house at the perfect time

Just over a week ago, while finishing up my shopping at the grocery store, I had an embarrassing revelation. I had chosen a check-out line with the fewest number of people in line and started to unload the items from my cart onto the conveyer belt. I noticed the items of the shopper in front of me. He had fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Everything that was healthy. I looked at my items and didn't have any of those things. When the clerk asked which items were his and which were mine (so she could ring them up separately), I said, "Can't you tell? Healthy, healthy, healthy." (as I waved mine hand over his groceries) "Processed, processed, processed." (as I waved my hand over mine) I commended him on his healthy choices and acknowledged that it didn't go unnoticed. I decided the next time I went shopping, I would make sure to add more fruits and vegetable and whole grains to my cart and try to purchase fewer processed foods.

I'm getting ready to write my grocery list for my next shopping trip and plan to use my copy of The Green Teen Cookbook for inspiration. While this book may be geared toward teens who may be on a budget or don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, this book isn't just for teens. It is for anyone who wants to make thoughtful food choices - in the items they purchase and where they buy them.

What I like about the book:

• The recipes are fairly simple
• Many recipes incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables
• Wide variety of dishes to make - including snacks and desserts 
• Vivid pictures accompany every recipe
• It includes and index of online sites for more inspiration and information

The Green Teen Cookbook would make a great addition to every cook's collection. I hope to share some recipes that I try over the next few months either here on my blog or on Twitter or Instagram. Please check make to see what delicious meals I've cooked up!

I'd like to thank Zest Books for providing this copy of The Green Teen Cookbook to me. It couldn't have arrived at a better time.

Readers can purchase a copy of The Green Teen Cookbook

Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Indiebound 

Check out what other people are saying about The Green Teen Cookbook on the Summer Bloggin' Blog Tour hosted by Zest Books

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Pam McElroy, co-editor of The Green Teen Cookbook, an editor and caterer living in San Francisco, California. She edits books of all genres and caters under the name Meatball Maven. She has also been involved in the food industry since she was a teen--in restaurant kitchens, as a caterer, and as an editor for dining magazines. Her hobbies include reading cookbooks cover-to-cover, shopping at farmers markets, and cooking epic and seasonal meals for friends and family.