Giada De Laurentiis

I’ve been a fan of Giada for a long time but I have to say, of all her books this one is my least favorite. I own Everyday Pasta and have checked several of her other cookbooks out from the library. I was looking forward to this new cookbook.

Before I get into my personal pros and cons on the book let me say it’s beautifully photographed and has many healthy recipes. It’s just not for me.

This book isn’t merely a collection of recipes but also includes Giada’s daily living tips for show more exercise, eating well and beauty regimens. There is a reason Giada looks younger than her 40+ years. She has a dedicated routine of VERY healthy eating, exercise and yoga. I will list what I liked and what I didn’t about this book.

Pros:
The recipes have icons to indicate which dishes are vegetarian, vegan, gluten free or dairy free.
There is detailed menu chart for a month of “feel good meals”
Lovely photography, well laid out and short personal stories with each recipe

What didn’t thrill me (Again, this is my personal taste and opinion):

Combinations of spinach, ginger and apple in smoothies (or kale, cucumber and apple combo). I like spinach.
I like apples…and ginger and cucumbers. But somehow the combination of those tastes and textures makes my stomach roll. The violent lime green coloring of a kale smoothie certainly raised my eyebrows as soon as I clapped eyes on the photo. Giada states she drinks these as a cleanser (or detox for the body) and they should be served cold. I imagine the warm taste of liquefied kale would detox you in a heartbeat.

Some people embrace the healthy offerings of kale, bulgur wheat and chia but I am not inclined to do so mainly because, I just don’t like the taste. In the case of bulgur I don’t like the taste or texture.

The use of brown rice in dishes is certainly a healthier choice but to be honest, I like white rice better. Some of that is a texture thing and in the right mood, the nutty flavor of brown rice can be good mixed in a salad.

*(Please keep in mind I am not a dyed-in-the wool meat and potatoes kinda woman. I had adhered to a vegetarian diet for several years during two separate times in my life. From the age of 18 to 22 I kept with a strict vegetarian diet. Then again in my thirties I opted for a vegetarian diet for health reasons. This is shared to let you know I am not turning my nose up at uber-healthy fare without the benefit of previously ingesting it. )

In addition to the recipes and beauty tips she gives suggestions on healthy choices when eating dinner in a restaurant. If they don’t have a decent choice for an entrée, order one or two appetizers or salad with dressing on the side. She has an entire section of smoothie recipes (in mind blowing colors), talks about acupuncture, skin care and her detailed morning routine.

Recipes that looked appealing to me were:
Frittata with tuna and tomatoes
Lemon mustard potato salad
Stuffed bell peppers
Garlic Roasted Chicken and root vegetables

My food blog ought to be renamed A Roasted Chicken because we have so many of them on the dinner menu. This is what I choose to cook from Giada’s book, Galic Roasted chicken.

As usual, I am pleased our local library acquires the latest publications so I may browse before I buy. This book isn’t one I would buy per personal preferences. It was fun to flip through but after this chicken dish, I am done with the book. Yes, I wish I had Giada’s skin tone and tendency towards dedicated exercise….but I am not eating bulgur again. Been there, done that. show less

Super cute, easy read! I read this to fill some time and it was a surprisingly cute story of two siblings (Emilia and Alfie) who are magically whisked away to Hong Kong where they meet Ying and her family who are about to open their own restaurant. Told from Alfie's perspective, he two siblings learn about Chinese foods, cooking, Chinese New Year traditions, and the importance of family and hard work. I loved all of the small details that allowed me to imagine Hong Kong and the intricate yet show more simple descriptions of food flavors. I also really enjoyed the look into Chinese culture and family life. Overall, a very cute middle grade novel! I'll definitely be looking out for the rest of the series! #weneeddiversebooks show less

The author was late to the knowledge that if you don't eat healthy food, you're not going to be healthy. The first quarter of the book describes Giada's poor diet and how she physically felt by eating junk food, fat-laden comfort food, etc. Then she had her aha moment and changed her diet, learned how to prepare healthy food so that it is delicious and satisfying, and explained how this changed her life. I already have this knowledge but nonetheless read through her explanations of food, show more nutrition, shopping, and preparation. You never know if you'll learn something new. It wasn't until I read her recipes (with beautiful full-color photos) that I really began to enjoy the book. Not all the recipes were things I would make, but many of them were tempting. I liked that she had a lot of gluten-free options. But no nutrition facts (calories, carbs, protein, etc.) which surprised me since she was so conscientious about other healthy issues. This is Giada's personal journey to healthy eating, and the recipes often include a personal note of encouragement. This would be a great book for someone who wants to improve their food choices and eat healthily without sacrificing flavor. show less

If you are a pasta lover, treat yourself and purchase this book. The recipes aren't complicated, ingredients are usually in your pantry and the comfort food factor is high. I have quite a few photos of meals prepared from this book....better get on to downloading them soon!

Most of Giada's books are fun to flip through but this is certainly one of my favorites.