Fast, Fresh & Green has an enjoyably holistic yet relaxed approach towards preparing food, with advice as to how to get into the cooking "zone" and a general sense of openness where recipes are concerned, working with what vegetables (preferably local and fresh) happen to be available or in season, and personal preferences for spices and combinations. And what kind of mood you're in when you start to put together a meal, such as being more inclined toward no-cook recipes, regular or "walk-away" sautéing, grilling, braising, or the more in-depth "Slower But Worth It" gratins category.
Explanations of basic techniques and how to stock a good-and-ready pantry make Fast, Fresh & Green a nice option for novice cooks, but the recipes themselves are creative enough to intrigue those who already know their way around the kitchen. Such as Caramelized Plum Tomatoes in an Olive Oil Bath (so simple but so good), Smoky Spanish Carrots and Fennel with Toasted Hazelnuts, Double Lemon Ginger Carrot Salad, Heirloom Tomato, Summer Peach and Fresh Herb Gazpacho Salad, Colorful Chinese Kick-Slaw, Southwestern Butternut Squash Sauté, and Golden Mushroom and Potato Gratin. And plenty more, including an awesome citrusy Japanese Dipping Sauce for broccoli and/or shrimp, and the savory Thyme-Dijon Butter (for grilled green beans). All in all making vegetables definite standouts at the table -- and maybe even able to totally steal the show.
