Easy Cooking

Author(s): American Heart Association
Publisher: Clarkson Potter
Publication Date: 2001-11-13
Pages: 288
Review: Great book, well organized with the shopping list in the intro and the meals are very good and fast. This is a very helpful book with vivid pictures. The Recipes are very easy and not to time consuming. I wish that there were more for sither a single or double portion. At any rate, it is a very good book!The recipes in this book are so delicious that it is hard to believe that they are healthier for you.This book has really great ideas, but you need to remember to watch the amount of carbs… The American Heart Association does recommend a diet that is higher in carbs…The recipes I have tried have been wonderful, and fast and easy. The Fitness Flan has become a family favorite
Price: $15.95   Buy This Book

Author(s): John A. McDougall, Mary McDougall
Publisher: Plume
Publication Date: 1999-04-01
Pages: 336
Review: The recipes in this book are simple and delicious, which is why this is, hands down, my favorite cookbook to give as a gift to friends and family who desire better health and don’t know where to start. In addition to wonderful, well-tested recipes with inexpensive, easy-to-find ingredients, every third page or so features an explanation of one aspect of nutrition, so the reader learns what wrong with cow’s milk; why oils are not healthy; foods that are filling without being fattening, and much more. Dr. McDougall’s recommendations on nutrition are based on published research, and his website offers free newsletters and an outstanding archive of past issues, all of which include the citations for those who care to know about the research upon which his recommendations are based. Like one of the other reviewers, I read “The China Study” and it changed my life and led me here. After first checking out this book at the library, I decided to purchase it. This is truly an easy Vegan cookbook with meals that can be prepared quickly and with groceries you typically have on hand. There are also some recipes which include ingredients (like Quinoa) that may help you “grow” if you are a beginner. Highly recommended addition to your cookbook library.I am a very busy mom with a very picky (meat-eating) husband. Surprisingly, we both really enjoy the recipes. The meals are simple, quick, and leave virtually no clean-up. What I love most about this cookbook is ALL the facts and tidbits McDougall includes that support eating a plant based diet. Who knew that cooking without oil and meat could be so easy and flavorful. McDougall rocks! I think Dr. McDougall has the answers to our health problems and reading all of his books, even the ones that are out of print or hard to find is so worth the effort. If you want to see your blood pressure go down, your cholesterol drop and your aches and pains go away - you’ve got nothing to lose by giving his program a try. You quickly become accustomed to a change in your diet. If you want to stay away from the doctor, get rid of your prescriptions and chuckle at the commericals for medications - you need to begin McDougalling. Life changing!I’ve known about the McDougall program for many years and have had another of their cookbooks for years and use it often. This cookbook is now a new favorite of mine. The recipes all come together quickly with (in many cases) just a few simple ingredients. Great for those nights you haven’t planned anything for dinner!
Price: $25.00   Buy This Book

Author(s): Arthur Agatston
Publisher: Rodale Books
Publication Date: 2005-10-07
Pages: 320
Review: I love this book, I think I have made every recipe in this book book was in good condition when recieved There are so many good recipes in here. Sometimes you get a cook book and there are 2 or 3 really good ones. Our whole family has liked what I made so far. I really like how they are simple, few ingredients and fast! I highly recommend, even a great for beginner cooks.I have used this cookbook to cook for my entire family and the recipes I have tried are quite good.These recipes really are quick to prepare. I like the way most of them taste, and will say these recipes are an improvement from the recipes in the original book. Being from New Orleans, my taste buds are hyper-critical and I can’t say that they are absolutely deliciously wonderful. But by eating healthy I’ve dropped 14 pounds in 3 months and only have 3 more to loose before I reach my goal and start phase 3. I use this book almost daily and I have other South Beach recipe books that I bought and use. And if I want to eat a fried shrimp poboy, dressed, with mayo and hot sauce, I know that I can, as long as I choose wisely the rest of the month!Ilove this cookbook. I use it all the time, I actually like it better than the summer foods one but they are both great. Certainly worth the money
Price: $27.95   Buy This Book

Author(s): Betty Crocker Editors
Publisher: Betty Crocker
Publication Date: 2002-08-29
Pages: 432
Review: LOVE this cookbook. We have many “family favorites” from this book. I was looking for a cookbook to use after the kids left home and this was the winner of all of them that I bought. Great EASY recipes that are quick to whip up after a log workday. Easy to double for company also. The Lemon Dill Chicken is “to die for” and incredibly easy. We have given away many to workmates and family–everyone gets one!I just started cooking and looking for new and easy recipes in the last few months.

This book was exactly what I was looking for! It actually makes cooking more fun, …and easier. It really gets the creative juices flowing! I’ve already got many recipes marked that I wanna try. The recipes are simple,and can be adjusted to suit what you want. They’re actually practical, too. This is stuff people actually eat, it’s not just for looks, y’know?

Oh, and it comes in a binder-fashion cover, making it easier to look thru, since you don’t have to hold your place. Every page has some sort of little hint or tip, too. Each recipe also includes the nutritional information; calories, carbohydrates etc. There are also several pages that list foods with a shelf life, kitchen gadgets(and what they actually do), 1-step recipes, microwave solutions, a glossary of cooking terms, and time-saving cooking tips.

I especially like that I can take the basics of a recipe, and make it into what I want.

I would recommend this cookbook to beginners and experienced cooks alike.

Are you busy? Do you want to eat something other than fast food from a drive-thru? Well, this cookbook might be for you!

I picked up this book at my local library, and will be adding it to my collection. No, it is not Martha Stewart. But, included in this colorful cookbook are over 300 recipes to put dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less. Yes, the recipes do contain canned goods, frozen vegetables, and packaged side dishes. However, if you are looking for a quick meal with items from your freezer and pantry, give some recipes a try. Most of the recipes have full color photographs (a big bonus for any cookbook!), a spiral binding that easily lays flat, and information on prep time and bake time. Another thing that this book includes (which many cookbooks lack) is nutrient information including calories, fat grams, sodium, and Diet Exchanges.

Some of my family’s favorites include: Ramen Stir-Fry, Countryside Pasta Toss, Orange Teriyaki Beef with Noodles, Easy Cheesy Vegetable Soup, Key Lime Fruit Salad, and Tex Mex Pizza. Enjoy!

I really love this cookbook! There are 11 sections of recipes, including pasta/pizza, chicken/turkey, fish/seafood, vegetarian main dishes, and grilling, and most (but not all) have full color pictures on the facing pages. Each section also has a list of 10 one-step recipes or variations, such as Honey-Citrus Topping for cookies or bananas, or adding fresh raspberries, almonds, and raspberry vinaigrette dressing to a grilled chicken salad.

The ingredients lists are manageable and the steps are simple and written clearly. I have been known to run for McDonald’s when I open a cookbook with recipes that require pounding chicken to .78 inch thickness, or long lists of obscure and expensive ingredients.

The recipes provide lots of variety for our family, and they really are quick and easy to prepare. There is a nice range of healthy choices, and some indulgent options as well. Nutritional information, including calories from fat/saturated fat, is provided for each recipe per serving, in addition to Diet Exchange information (number of starches, vegetables, meats, etc.). Most of the recipes are marked for 4 servings.

The format is also user-friendly. Ingredients are listed at the top in bold, and cooking steps are clearly separated from each other, so you can quickly check directions as you go. Since the book has a 5-ring binder format, you get the benefit of having the recipe lay flat, no matter what page you’re on.

The section divider pages, which list all the recipes for that chapter, are stored in the back, away from the actual chapters and behind the index, which is rather inconvenient. Fortunately, you can move them if you like, since it’s a binder.

Also, while this book offers plenty of great family recipes that you could also use for entertaining, it’s not about the unique and gourmet.

While many other books have similar recipes to these here and there, this is the best collection I’ve found. The pictures and steps make it highly accessible to busy families, and I recommend it!
Price: $27.50   Buy This Book

Author(s): Deh-Ta Hsuing
Publisher: Lorenz Books
Publication Date: 2008-11-25
Pages: 512
Review: I’ve had this cookbook now for about 6 months and have made at least 25 recipes from the book. Each has been a huge success! The book has a detailed section on ingredients and the recipes are well illustrated. After cooking with this book I no longer have the need to visit Thai restaurants to obtain that authentic Thai flavor!Beautiful well organized cookbook. Almost like an encyclopedia of information. Lots of pictures. Excellent recipes. Arrived in just a few days.I am a cook with a strong horticultural background, with a masters degree in Horticulture and many years of growing all sorts of vegetables in home gardens, so I have a special interest in the ingredients used in cooking worldwide. I was a bit disappointed that this relatively new book, which has a large section on ingredients, seemed to skimp on or simply be wrong about a number of important components.

Take the entry on “Snake Beans/Green Beans” for example. In the West, these are mostly sold as “Yard-long Beans”. The book says they are available in “two varieties”, a pale green and a dark green; yet any casual search of online seed sources (such as Baker Creek or Kitazawa) will quickly turn up numerous “varieties” that are mottled lavendar/pink, bright red and dark purple, some of which keep some of their color on cooking, and with seeds from white to red to brown or black, adapted to grow from temperate Japan to tropical southern Thailand and beyond, under dry or extremely humid conditions. Clearly there are far more than “two varieties”, and flavor is dependent on more than color or thickness of the pod (which can also vary depending on growing conditions).

I was also somewhat disappointed by the lack of botanical designations for the plant ingredients. “Taro” and “Yam” for example are common names that can refer to a number of widely dissimilar species of plants, even different genera, and names found in grocery stores can add to the confusion - a fact not mentioned in a section on ingredient selection…
Price: $29.99   Buy This Book

Author(s): Sallie Morris
Publisher: Duncan Baird
Publication Date: 2007-05-01
Pages: 216
Review: I bought this for a friend, she’s tried recipes and hasn’t complained. Was very happy with this as a gift.I checked this book out of my local library and then I liked it so much I bought it. I recently went to Thailand and wanted to learn to cook some of the incredible food. But it’s a different world with different ingredients and spices. This book does a great job of explaining all the different vegetables and spices, how to select them and prepare them for cooking. I felt like I can take this book to an Asian market and use it as a reference. Some Thai cooking books already assume you know all this stuff. Also the photos were helpful and easy to read. All in all a great book!Easy Thai Cookbook: The Step-By-Step Guide to Deliciously Easy Thai Food at Home

I was given this book as a present. I could not wait to start cooking from it, it is well written and very easy to follow (heaps of good quality photos too). One of the best things about this book is at the back it gives you menus to use and all the timings for making the meals, you will wow your friends when using it. I use it the whole time and LOVE it. Well recommended for those either at a starter or intermediate level of Thai cooking. One of my favourites is the Mango Sorbet its so good my mouth is watering just writing this.I love just about everything about this cookbook. First of all, it is a very nice size and it has high quality, glossy paper with a beautiful photo for just about every recipe. It is spiral bound, so it is easy to flip through, and the pages lie flat while you are trying to cook and read a recipe at the same time.

At first I was intimidated by some of the Asian products that were unfamiliar to me, but so far I have been able to find just about everything that is called for. I’m still having a problem convincing myself to add ground up dried shrimp into the pumpkin soup, but it looks so beautiful and delicious that I am going to have to try it. If I had only known how easy Thai cooking really is, I would have tried it a long time ago. Who knew what a magical flavor a little lemongrass, lime leaves and chili paste could bring!

Price: $24.95   Buy This Book

Author(s): Sarah Beattie
Publisher: Ecco Press
Publication Date: 1999-03
Pages: 160
Review: This is an excellent book by someone who has obviously been to Thailand to research and to reconfirm a love of Thai cuisine. There is nothing worthy or earnest or preachy about THIS vegetarian food-writer; it’s a beautiful edition (and the pages stay open where you want them) and as either an intro or a revisit to Thai food, it is easy to follow, clear but always interesting.
Price: $21.95   Buy This Book

Author(s): Jennifer Malott Kotylo
Publisher: Adams Media
Publication Date: 2002-11-01
Pages: 304
Review: I’ve tried over two dozen recipes in this book and they all work, taste great, and are reasonably authentic Thai flavor. A book worth having if you like cooking Thai food at home.Personally I thought this was a waste of money. Majority of the recipes are Americanized, which I wasn’t really feeling.

But, on the other hand, if you’re not too picky on authenticity, or live in a smaller community where exotic produce and spices may not be available, this would make for a perfect cookbook. It’s easy to follow and has plenty of recipes. I have not yet tried any of the recipes but felt I must respond to the critic who lambasted fish sauce-how ridiculous. Does he (she) not know that all Thai and most Vietnamese dishes have fish sauce in them? Perhaps the reviewer would be happier having a Thai dish from McDonald’s or someplace similar.This book is super easy to follow and has tons of great tasting recipies. Purchased this book with high hopes based on other reviews. I was very disappointed in the fact that there are NO PICTURES at all. I am a visual person, and enjoy seeing pictures of dishes; especially ones that can be a bit complex. The substitutions of Thai ingredients completely change the dish. Ginger is not the same flavor as Galangal….I could go on and on. The authentic ingredients are not too difficult to find these days. You can order online or just go to a specialty Market. It IS worth the trip to get the right stuff to cook these dishes with. If you like more authentic books with pictures, pass on this one. Try templeofthai.com for a great website and supplier.
Price: $15.95   Buy This Book

Author(s): Panurat Poladitmontri, Judy Lew
Publisher: Japan Publications Trading
Publication Date: 2002-08-30
Pages: 88
Review: I have other cultural cookbooks that I’ve purchased in the past: Thai, Indian, Mexican, Chinese. In which, the recipes don’t come out tasting like how they taste in the restaurant. This little gem provides pictures of the ingredients, so you can go to any Thai grocer and know what to get. The dishes I’ve tried came out perfect, like in the restaurant;even my family enjoyed the recipes. It’s also perfect for first timers. Definetely get this one.The instructions are fairly easy to follow, and the recipes I have tried are great. However, the pictures of marinated dishes don’t show the marinades as mixed together, which is weird. Also, I wish the author(s) were a little more clear on exactly which cuts of beef to use on the dishes…it just says “sliced beef” or “tender sliced beef”. I’d like to know which cuts they would recommend.This cookbook is most appropriately titled: the recipes ARE quick and easy.Great Thai food is said to have an etheric, uncontainable quality…and I find that is true.

My partner and I love to cook together, and this book has served as a sure starting point on which we build.

The spices are easily and cheaply available in local Asian stores and usually much cheaper than your local supermarket. Here in San Diego we shop at ‘Ranch 99′.

One suggestion for readers; Mazola oil is a great choice for the deep frying entrees. I substitute coconut oil for the other recipes.If you haven’t tried cooking with it, you might like it
Altogether a really fun, easy and inspiring book!

If you’re going to get ONE Thai cookbook, THIS is the one!

Enjoy! I loved this book. If you want to try cooking thai food. This is a great book to start. You can find most ingredients at your local asian stores. The instruction is very easy to follow and the content of this book is pretty authentic. This is a very straight forward and easy to understand book since it is mainly based on pictures. Now it is easier to buy what is needed at Asian markets, and follow their simple directions.

The only drawback is that this is a small book with not that many recipes, but I really do like the SELECTION of recipes in the book. They are the more useful ones and tend to be more of the things that I like to order at a Thai restaurant rather than something very strange or with lots of ingredients that I will never make.

Overall, this is a good book to have if you want a simple to follow Thai cookbook and I am not disappointed. It has most every recipe I really hoped for.
Price: $11.95   Buy This Book

Author(s): Jennifer Brennan
Publisher: Perigee Trade
Publication Date: 1984-06-04
Pages: 318
Review: I’m really impressed with this old-school cookbook. I can’t imagine many of the ingredients were available back in the 80s and even now probably only in major metropolitain areas.

Anyhow, I am impressed by the authentic recipes inside the book. Yeah there are substitutions, but she puts down the original ingredients for each recipe.

If you love authentic non-americanized Thai food, I’d definitely suggest this book. I have been collecting Thai cookbooks for years - and I still go back to this one. Starting eating Thai food in LA, CA - where you could get the “real” thing. It was hard to find Thai cookbooks back then and this was one of the first available. It isn’t fancy like the newer cookbooks, but I don’t buy based on them being a “coffee table book”. “Pad Thai” is like spagetti (sp), so many variations on a theme - the recipe in this book is good, and I adjust it to suit my tastes. For a real delight, try her soup recipes - wonderful!I was an exchange student in Thailand in 1975. I was lucky enough to live in two homes during that year’s stay that had outstanding cooks, one in an affluent home and one on a ranch/factory where I ate in the “executive” dining room three times a day. Meals would usually consist of 4 or 5 entrees, so during that year I sampled about every conceivable Thai recipe.

Jennifer Brennan’s book’s recipes produce the taste of real Thai cooking. If you want to cook Thai food like you get in a Thai home or on the streets in Thailand this is the book for you. Start with the Green Chicken Curry. For me this is the acid test, any Thai restaurant or cookbook that doesn’t do curry right should be avoided. Other recipes I think are great are the Combination Fried Rice, Hot & Sour Shrimp Soup, Braised Chicken in Spices(outstanding), Chicken in Peanut Sauce, Sate, Thai Beef Salad(just like a Bangkok restaurant), Sweet & Sour Cucumbers, and Chopped Beef with Garnishes.

Unfortunately, many Thai cookbooks focus on glitzy pictures and the “Thai” food that you find in American Thai restaurants. The only time I every ate Pad Thai in Thailand was on a Western Hotel’s tourist lunch buffet. If you spend the time to make your own curry pastes and cook these curries you will be rewarded. You will have authentic Thai food. This book is your guide to the real deal!I’ve had this book for years and although there’s a lot that’s good about it (and the recipes are tasty) this book has a pretty typical problem: it was written in 1981. Most experienced cooks know that cookbooks from this time period suffered from at least one of two problems: 1 (and this is not this book’s problem) the confusion that oleo or veggie oil is butter or 2 (and this is this book’s problem) a general lack of availability of authentic ingredients which leads to ridiculous substitutions which just don’t quite work. No matter how many great stories JB tells, she still substitutes ketchup for tamarind paste and as much as I love my Pittsburgher Heinz 57 Lovin’ soul, ketchup ain’t tamarind.

Otherwise, not a bad cookbook, which I do reference often, if just to read JB’s stories.Recipes would be more user-friendly if formatted to make it possible to, at a glance, peruse the steps to follow, rather than have to read through the paragraphs and try to separate out the “to do” information. We like recipes to appear on one page, if possible, or at least to lay out so that ingredients and at least most of the preparation steps appear together.

Recipes could be simplified by using–or at least pointing out– possible shortcuts making use of products available through Thai grocers. This cookbook would make Thai cooking more accessible if it informed users/cooks that these products are an option that in many cases, could simplify the recipes.
Price: $15.95   Buy This Book