I believe wholeheartedly in sustainability, so it’s no surprise it defines how I cook and live. To me, sustainability means eating foods produced on farms and from orchards that apply no added chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and that employ the sorts of sensible farming practices that nurture the soil for future generations of crops as well as people. It means knowing which fish are in danger of being overfished and which are OK to eat. It means understanding that responsible animal husbandry is not only more humane for the livestock, it is also better for the land because it restores and maintains pasture health, reduces pollution caused by excessively concentrated waste, and does not depend on massive amounts of grains grown on conventional monoculture, corporate farms.   But there’s more to eating sustainably. It also means eating a wide range of available foods that are in season, like this squash-and-bean soup or this mushroom-and-shallot side dish. In my kitchen—and I hope in yours—this results in pure excitement when we work with fruits and vegetables we may not know a lot about. We also should cook with lesser-known or less-popular cuts of meat (a steer is not made up of steaks alone!) and investigate foods that may be unfamiliar, such as ancient grains or pullet eggs. Eating this way supports the health of the planet, but it’s also good for the health of our families, both physically and spiritually. Eating sustainably means cooking from scratch, starting with fresh produce whenever we can, and adding sensible amounts of animal fats, unrefined sweeteners, and salt to our dishes, relying instead on the quality and integrity of carefully grown ingredients combined with time-honored cooking methods to bring out the best flavors. When we cook this way, we know exactly what is in the food we put on the table, as well as where it came from and often who grew it. This is food that encourages families to gather for truly meaningful interactions at mealtimes. This is food that comes with countless stories that can be shared along with fond memories of growing, congregating, cooking, or all of the above. What on planet Earth can be better than that? Adapted from Sustainably Delicious, by Michel Nischan. Copyright © 2010 by Michel Nischan. Published by Rodale Inc. Available wherever books are sold.