SuperNatural Thoughts

I got one of the loveliest cookbooks I've ever laid eyes upon this year for Christmas. Super Natural Cooking (Heidi Swanson) was lovingly bestowed upon me by my sister-in-law, Jennifer -- and I've been yearning to delve into its contents for months now. Not only are the photographs absolutely gorgeous, but the food is absolutely worth eating (colorful, healthy, and uber whole-grainy -- all things I love). The book also seems to be a great resource when it comes to sources for hard-to-find products (like whole grain Asian noodles).

Now, I have to admit that I gush a little bit whenever I'm around this book. You've got to be a fan of Heidi Swanson. Photographer, cookbook author, and designer, she seems to have her stuff TRULY together. I've been a big fan of her work since I happened upon chickclick.com -- one of the most progressive "girl-centric" sites available on the Web at that time. Little did I know that our lives would converge again in the world of food many years later. She has two sites that I frequent -- Mighty Foods (a collaboration with Rachel Cole) and 101 Cookbooks (her recipe journal) -- both a wealth of information if you're at all interested in natural foods and cooking.

Anyhow, I've been glancing at the book (mostly from afar) for quite a while now. But tonight I'm going to try my first recipe. I've got a pound of lovely spring asparagus in the fridge (not exactly local, but I was having a craving). So, I think I'm going to tackle the asparagus pesto with pasta for dinner tonight.

What could be better than a pesto made with asparagus, baby spinach, garlic, and olive oil?