If all the talk about buying locally grown, Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food, community supported agriculture, farmer’s markets, yard sharing, and community gardens hasn’t got you on the sustainable food, homesteading bandwagon yet, then this revised and updated classic will.

The Rodale Whole Foods Cookbook takes you from market to table, with sections on choosing health-supportive and organic ingredients, tips on selecting the best cookware and equipment, stocking your kitchen with staples, canning and preserving, and, recognizing that key ingredients may be missing from your pantry, provides a simple substitutions list.

With over a thousand recipes, home cooks will satisfy every palate, whether serving staunch vegans (baked peppers stuffed with favas and bulgur), hardcore foodies (osso buco), the health-conscious (spicy baked salmon), or satisfying your own sweet tooth (saucepan mocha brownies).

If this sounds intimidating, it’s not. Many of the recipes are simple, like this one.

Baked Acorn Squash
Try this with golden acorn squash, or a combination of golden and regular green acorn squash.

3 medium acorn squashes

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup apple cider

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup hulled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted and coarsely chopped, for serving
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the squashes in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Arrange the squashes, cut side down, in an 11 x 15-inch shallow baking pan and add 1/4 inch of hot water to the pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the butter.

Stir in the maple syrup, cider, cinnamon, and ginger. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove the squashes from the oven. Pour out the liquid from the baking pan and turn the squashes cut-side up. Sprinkle the squashes lightly with salt and pepper. Brush the butter mixture over the cut sides of the squash and then pour the rest into the cavities. Bake, basting occasionally with sauce, for 20 minutes, or until the squash is completely tender and the cut sides are nicely browned.

Served sprinkled with the pepitas.

Makes 6 servings

The Rodale Whole Foods Cookbook: With More Than 1,00o Recipes for Choosing, Cooking, & Preserving Natural Ingredients

Hardcover: 752 pages
Publisher: Rodale Books; Rev Upd edition (December 8, 2009)
ISBN: 13: 978-1605295435