Cookbooks and Healthy Eating ... part one ...

THE VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK contains “More than 50 Recipes for Young Cooks” so it has some nice, basic information about kitchen rules and measurement conversions, clearly labeled pictures of equipment, and a well-illustrated discussion of healthy eating and food groups. The first set of recipes, Brilliant Breakfasts, includes choices like avocado mash, scrambled eggs, and crunchy, sweet pancakes made with grated carrots and sultanas. Other sections highlight Super Snacks, Lovely Lunches, Delicious Drinks, More-ish Main Meals (plenty of pizza ideas), and Sweet Stuff. EVERY recipe has multiple pictures which is perfect for the budding chef. Nutritional information is provided at the end, with a helpful glossary and index. Enjoy!

DASH FOR WEIGHT LOSS by Jennifer Koslo presents “An Easy-to-Follow Plan for Losing Weight, Increasing Energy, and Lowering Blood Pressure.”  I like the emphasis on exercise as well as meal planning. Koslo begins by explaining the various stages of hypertension and offers some ideas for preventive measures (e.g., reduce sodium, increase potassium, become more active, etc.) She includes practical suggestions for eating out (choose baked or grilled options, dressing and toppings on the side, drink water) and weight loss (downsize your plates, keep a food diary). Overall, she tries to make following the DASH diet easy and reasonable, with plenty of charts and explanations, all of which takes at least a fourth of the book. Recipes themselves are grouped by meal type and main ingredient and include nutrition information. The pictures are colorful although there could be more.  This seems intended for a more experienced cook. Ingredients tend to include some unusual ones (flaxseed meal, coconut milk) and preparation involves several steps. 

THE HEALTHSPAN SOLUTION by Raymond J. Cronise and Julieanna Hever also has a health focus since it presents “How and What to Eat to Add Life to Your Years.” Again, a significant portion of the book is devoted to explanation, charts and graphs.  The recipes are divided between Soups, Salads, Sides, and Sweets, plus Sauces and Seasonings.  Filled with appetizing pictures, they often combine selections like Eggplant Rollatini which utilizes Tofu Ricotta, Grandma Marie’s Tomato Sauce, and Cashew Parmesan Sprinkle.  Prep and cook time are estimated, but nutritional information is not included with each recipe.

 

THE 5-INGREDIENT FRESH AND EASY COOKBOOK by Sheila Thigpen contains “90+ Recipes For Busy People Who Love to Eat Well.” Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it? Thigpen keeps it simple with recipes grouped by meal (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), adding some extras (Veggies/Sides, Snacks and Dessert). Nutrition information is included (as well as descriptors like nut-free or vegetarian).  A big plus is that the recipes do tend to be fairly easy, with a limited number of generally common ingredients.  Unfortunately, though, only a few include pictures. Thigpen posts many more images on her blog called  Life, Love and Good Food, but that is also pretty saturated with advertising. 

More reviews of upcoming Cookbooks soon ...