Book Review: 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking

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It can be a challenge to discern which foods really do form a healthy diet, let alone how to prepare them into delicious dishes without too much time, fuss, and expense. 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking offers the solution. Vastly different from a diet book, this simplified, five-step approach to healthy eating is holistic and flexible. This is healthy cooking from a very different perspective: because it is first and foremost a cookbook, not a diet book, it begins and ends with enticing, easy-to-prepare recipes that make the five principles simple and doable.

Camilla has been involved in the world of food for more than 16 years, including catering specialty desserts in the San Francisco Bay Area, writing cookbooks and freelance food articles, and developing recipes for national food companies. Further, she has won several of the country’s top cooking competitions, including the $100,000 National Chicken Cook-Off, the $50,000 Build a Better Burger Contest, and the Food Network’s $25,000 Ultimate Recipe Showdown (Cookies Episode).

• Choose Fresh, Whole Foods
• Eat Mostly Vegetable and Fruit-Based Foods
• Opt for Healthy Fats and Proteins
• Select Superfoods (Nutrient-Dense Foods)
• Eat More Whole Grains

This is not rocket science but people who have lived their whole lives on fattening, processed foods will easily be able to look at their grocery store selections and see if it falls into one of these 5 categories. There is also a very detailed list of nutritional terms and ingredient list to help stock your pantry. I really liked that it went into ‘The Dirty Dozen’ and had a short section on interpreting organic food labels. The recipes themselves are divided into serving suggestions; Breakfast, Snacks, Salads, Soups, etc. all the way through to deserts. The one thing I noticed that was missing was beverages. I might have liked to see some healthy drinks. Each recipe has a simple ingredient list and directions, offers suggested accompaniments, tips, and tells you specifically which of the 5 Healthy Eating Steps it will fulfill in your diet. There is also nutritional information to go with each recipe as well. There is a nice selection of recipes ranging from simple oatmeal all the way to frittatas, chili, and quiche and everything in between. Here are a few of the recipes you will find in this book:

• • Quinoa-Cashew Power Balls, Spicy, Crispy Roasted Chickpeas
  • Tuna and Asparagus Frittata, Spicy Salsa Joes
  • Soba with Shrimp, Lime and Cilantro
  • Braised Baby Bok Choy, Thai Curry Pumpkin Soup

• Sweet Potato Bisque with West Indian Spices

I was impressed with this cookbook. I usually prefer a few more photos in my cookbook but there are a few color images here or there. If you are trying to get started on a healthy diet, I think this cookbook would make a great addition to your kitchen library!

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Diane Hoffmaster

Diane is a professional blogger and nationally certified pharmacy technician at Good Pill Pharmacy.  She earned her BS in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire and has worked in cancer research, academics, and biotechnology. Concern over the growing incidence of human disease and the birth of her children led her to begin living a more natural life. She quickly realized that the information she was learning along the way could be beneficial to many others and started blogging and freelance writing to share this knowledge with others. Learn more about her HERE.