Review: The Naked Foods Cookbook: Easy, Unprocessed, Gluten-Free, Full-Fat Recipes for Losing Weight and Feeling Great by Margaret Floyd, James Barry

SUMMARY FROM GOODREADS.COM:

Why go out to eat? Cooking at home is easy, healthy, delicious, and affordable—and with the right techniques and ingredients, preparing a home-cooked meal can be quicker than picking up take-out. Cook Naked, the anticipated follow-up cookbook to Margaret Floyd’s Eat Naked, shows readers how they can create whole, organic, and fresh “naked” meals that maximize the natural nutritional value of food. Unlike commercially available prepared foods and restaurant dishes, naked meals contain no harmful additives, preservatives, or empty-calorie fillers. Because cooking naked is well-suited to people who need energy for busy lifestyles, this cookbook is organized around the time it takes for readers to prepare each type of dish: “in a rush” recipes take ten minutes or less, “every day” recipes take twenty minutes or less, and an “impress the neighbors” section offers more time-intensive recipe selections. Readers who seek to control the quality of ingredients and nutrients in their food will turn to this cookbook time and time again for affordable, naturally delicious meals they can feel good about eating and serving to others.

MY TAKE:

Getting this book was no-brainer for me because it combines the two goals that I've been trying to accomplish for a long time: eat healthier and learn to cook something other than fried food.

What does it mean to "eat naked"? Basically, it means eating "clean, whole, unprocessed food". Sounds like a tough order in today's world wherein we don't really have a lot of time and money and the most convenient way to get a meal is by ordering takeout or having someone else cook it for you.

The Naked Foods Cookbook is not just a cookbook; it's also a guide to the naked foods lifestyle. Aside from explaining the basics, the book also teaches you how to stock your refrigerator and kitchen. For beginners, there are also descriptions of cooking techniques and there are tables to help you tell how "naked" the food you are eating is.

Some of the concepts discussed in the book, like local produce being good because it tends to be fresher and buying it helps the local economy, are already familiar to me. I did learn a few new things, though. For example, it turns out that freezing is probably the best way to preserve food because it's the least damaging and easiest way to preserve food.

The recipes are divided according to what type it is (breakfast, entree, etc.) and it is indicated at the heading of each recipe how quickly you can expect to finish each recipe.

I thought about trying one of the recipes and posting the results here, but for most of the recipes, I either didn't have all the ingredients or I didn't have a needed equipment. There's one recipe I have tried before, though. My family has its own variation on the coconut milk recipe, but it's pretty close to the one found in the book.

One thing's for sure. This book makes me want to go ahead and grow vegetables in our garden.

Thanks to NetGalley and New Harbinger Publications for providing me with an e-copy. Publication date for The Naked Foods Cookbook is on May 1, 2012.

THE GOOD:

1. The recipes are divided by meals (breakfast, lunch, etc.) and there are weekly menus, so it's easier to look for recipes you want to try.
2. There's a condiments section. Make your own condiments! :)
3. It's indicated how long/easy each recipe is.

THE BAD:

1. Some ingredients may not be readily available.

FAVORITE QUOTE/S:

If you're like us, then you know: If it's in the kitchen, you'll eat it.

READ IT IF:

1. You want to start eating healthier.
2. You have no time for food that takes a long time to cook.
3. You're curious about "naked foods".

RATING:

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