Indian Food Cuisine

Here is what reviewers from both the US and UK Amazon sites had to say about Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetite. This 2008 book has received overwhlemingly positive reviews, with most scoring it a four of five out of a possible five in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

If you love a full English breakfast, this is still the book for you......but if a Herb Omelette with Cherry Tomatoes is more you.......the good news is.....that is here, too. Based on that, I think, it would be fair to say that 'Healthy Appetite - Recipes from the f Word' is unlikely to disappoint many!

'After all, a big part of living a good life is the enjoyment of food'.... and you can't say fairer than that! Gordon isn't the first and he won't be the last to quote:- 'What you are is what you eat' or words to that effect...

From the introduction:- `Healthy eating is a topic close to my heart. I've been passionate about leaving a healthy lifestyle for many years now...

Now let me clarify: this is not a diet book. Those who know me know that I don't believe in faddy diets. I do, however, believe that I can prepare and serve healthy food without jeopardising taste and flavour, or drastically changing my style of cooking. Whether it's an elegant dinner party or a simple mid-week supper, a few simple adjustments are all that's needed to make our favourite meals that bit more balanced...lower in fat and calories yet rich in energy-giving nutrients.

Choosing the right ingredients is the core of healthy eating. It's not just a matter of selecting the leanest cuts of meat and reducing the amount of fat we consume, it helps to know which ingredients are at their peak at any given time, both in terms of flavour and nutrition.

When it comes to putting a healthy dish together, balance and moderation are key. It's not simply a matter of putting the right types of food on a plate. How the food is cooked and seasoned and how the whole menu comes together are just as important. And I don't advocate cutting out butter and cream completely, just using a little here and there where it will really enhance the flavour of a dish....'

An eye-catching book in its own right, with bright lime green covers and white titling.....(see above image - if you would rather not have GR peeking out over the top of his leafy greens on the dust-jacket).....opens to 256 high quality matt pages split over 9 chapters:-

Healthy breakfastHealthy brunch/lunchHealthy working lunchHealthy Sunday lunchHealthy barbecuesHealthy suppersHealthy kidsHealthy entertainingHealthy desserts

Plus an introduction, which includes a `Healthy Cooking Techniques' section, a `Healthy Basics' section, finishing with a concise index and a page of acknowledgments.

Over 125 recipes laid out in the familiar GR format as seen in his other best sellers, `Fast Food' and `Sunday Lunch', where this book follows on from. The useful `5 ways with' sections are here, e.g. :- 'Oats', 'Tomatoes' along with useful information sections, e.g.:- 'Omega-3 boost', 'Avoid the bad fats' and 'Getting the right balance'.

Each recipe is clearly laid out with the title, the number of servings, a list of ingredients and the clearly presented method. The majority have a photograph(s) and more often than not a useful note or two, e.g.:- 'Melon and Berry Salad', 'Rich in Vitamin C to boost your immunity'.

There are a number of `on location' shots, also.

A taste of the other recipes within:-Berry and yoghurt smoothieSeeded honey loafCod and tomato chowderSmoked trout, orange and wild rocket saladSpinach and goat's cheese soufflSpaghetti vongoleBorschtMango, avocado and smoked chicken saladRoast chicken with baby vegetablesSticky baked chicken drumsticksSpicy beef curryVenison pie with sweet potato toppingGlazed gammon with pineapple salsaLamb kebabs with peppers and tomatoesFour cabbage coleslawGlazed ling with sweet `n' sour shallotsSteamed prawns with black bean sauceVietnamese beef and noodle soupBraised pork with leeks and pak choiCalves liver with caramelised onionsPenne primaveraLunchbox dips and dunkersStir-fried duck in lettuce cupsMixed fish sashimiPot-roast sirloin of beef with root vegetablesVanilla pannacotta with blueberry sauceSpiced apple cakePavlova with roasted rhubarb foolPoached pears in mulled wineLime mousseChocolate mousse - `a lighter version of my cook-along recipe'

My only criticism is that I do miss the quick reference recipe list at the front, but this is just habit from my very regular use of Gordon Ramsay's Fast Food: Recipes from "The F Word"!

Another reviewer wrote Healthy doesn't always mean diet!,

Gordon Ramsy's healthy Appetite is a must have for those who want great tasting food without all the calories and fat. It seems some have been put off by the fact that this is not a diet book. No one ever said it was. Rather, it is a healthy approach to eating without blowing your entire way of living out of the water. What Ramsay wants to make clear (I believe) is that there are several factors involved in healthy eating: proportion, moderation, seasoning, and the right combination of foods, just to name a few.

Highlights for me include the "Four Cabbage Coleslaw," the "Penne Primavera," and the "Pot roast sirloin of beef." Other may warm to the "Glazed Gammon with pineapple Salsa," which I haven't tried yet but will soon.

While the recipes are the main thing, there's also chapters on the "bad" fats and getting the right balance of things on the plate. Overall a great cookbook, on the same par for me as Delia's How to Cheat and The Kitchen Diaries. Anyway you slice it, Ramsay has it going on, hands down!

Another Customer told that this was his favoyr GR cookbook, I have quite a few Gordon Ramsey books and I consider myself to be a more than competent cook at home. Modest I know. I like to cook for people and I have a strong interest (some would say obsesession bordering on fetish) in food, where foods comes from, breeds, varieties, seasons etc. However, I do find that a lot of cook books out on the market, particularly from chefs yet alone Michellin starred chefs go too far. They seek to give tangible copies of the fantasy of their restaurants in your home, initially in hard back.

This is the first of his books that I have found myself using almost daily. I have a girlfriend who is on WeightWatchers at the moment and if any of you are going through that experience of looking at ingredients, trying to manage your points, you don't believe that X ingredient can be tasty etc then this book is really an asset in order to see what combination work well and do not compromise taste. What I like about this book is that I think it really reflects that kind of things that I eat for myself anyway and it either provides a different way of making/presenting things or it just simply gives me new ideas.

Ramsey is very clear that this is not a diet book as discussed by another reviewer. It is not a diet book. Not at all. But it is a book to keep close to you when you have seen things in supermarkets and you're either not sure what they are or you would like to know what to do with them. I am not a baker but I have made so many of his muffin recommendations since I have bought the book much to the delight of my housemate and, again, said girlfriend.

I would highly recommend this book over many of his others if not for the fact that it is far more practical and I would encourage anyone to have a crack at some of the recipes in it. I do raise an eyebrow at the dessert section of any book claiming to be healthy but I think that again he has made an admirable effort here and should be commended for it.

Other quick reviews commented thatJust what I was looking for!, This book is perfect as a present for someone who wants to eat healthy food, but doesn't necessarily know where to start! Particularly good for people who like meat dishes and the recipes will not scare off an inexperienced cook!

Healthy Gift, - I bought this book as a gift for my son-in-law. He enjoys cooking and specifically asked for this book for Christmas as the idea of getting healthy appealed to him. He has used it for many recipies and his family and I have enjoyed the food he has cooked, which is a good thing as his family can all be a bit 'picky'. Good choice.

We've only made the muffins at the moment, but great so far. This is a very much loved book. I think it's a must for any cooks book-shelf.

Easy to follow book, - Had this book a week, already made 5 recipes out of it and the instructions were quite easy to follow. Even got me baking, which I have never done but the results were spot on.

In short, this book should definitely be on everyone's bookshelf!

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