When I first received this book I was delighted. I thought, this just might be one cookbook Im actually going to use and not just read and set aside! Six weeks passed and for once, my prediction proved accurate. Since the day Healthy in a Hurry arrived in the mail, every weeks meal plan has featured at least two recipes from this book. The Healthy in a Hurry concept is a great one for modern mothers struggling to prepare wholesome meals with little time to spend in that short window between the end of the workday and the 6:30pm soccer (or whatever) practice. As the books subtitle states, the recipes are appropriate for quick and simple everyday suppers. There isnt much here that youd want to serve for special occasions, but the book features an almost endless variety of tasty weekday meals that can be whipped up in minutes. Author Jim Romanoffeditor of EatingWell magazinetakes his inspiration from a wide variety of culinary traditions. Meals are inspired by Southwestern, Thai, Japanese, Korean, Middle Eastern, Italian, Indian, Greece and North African cuisines. About two thirds of the 150 recipes are accompanied by beautiful full-color photos. Each recipe provides prep and cook time and nutrition information, as well as stating whether the recipe is high in fiber, low in carbs, or appropriate for a healthy weight lifestyle. Nutrition Bonuses are provided for recipes that contain 15% or more of the daily value of specific nutrients such as vitamin A, folate or iron. Healthy in a Hurry features more than just recipes. The book is divided into helpful sections that can be useful in meal planning such as stocking your pantry, seasonal menu suggestions and vegetarian meals. Three sections provide ideas, not strictly recipes, for sauces, sides and desserts in a hurry. Special indexes help you to select recipes for kid-friendly, healthy weight and 30-minutes-or-less meals. A few of the recipes we have enjoyed are: Adobo Pork & Potato Packets, Vietnamese-Style Beef & Noodle Broth, Grilled Eggplant Panini, Turkey with Blueberry Pan Sauce, Chipotle Flank Steak Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Tangerine Veal Medallions. Just a few of the delicious recipes that I have yet to try are: Korean-Style Steak & Lettuce Wraps, Spiced Pork Chops & Peaches, Grilled Filet Mignon with Vegetable Kabobs, Shrimp Enchiladas Verde, Turkey & Balsamic Onion Quesadillas and Express Shrimp & Sausage Jambalaya. In my extensive cookbook selection there are some books that I return to repeatedly for good recipes for Sunday supper or special occasions. Others I just love to read, dreaming over the time-consuming recipes featuring expensive or exotic ingredients that Id love to trysomeday. But there are very few that I use regularly for my weekday dinners. Healthy in a Hurry has proved to be one of them and as such I recommend it as a valuable addition to anyones collection. |
