Storey Publishing, who published a book we formerly reviewed called Keep Chickens!, generously sent me three more books to review, so you can expect to hear more about this green publisher.
The Healthy College Cookbook is the book I wish I’d had when I was a freshman in college. My story is a common one: I arrived at my new campus home with a car full of clothes, books, a bike, and some office supplies. Yes, I had two cookbooks in there. But I didn’t know how to cook, and university life left me busier than I could have imagined. Plus, I was on a budget. I made cornbread a few times, and pancakes during sleepovers. I knew how to boil pasta. And once I baked a birthday cake for my friend. That accounts for a grand total of four recipes, so I can’t say I got much use out of those cookbooks.
I was inspired to cook a few other times but soon grew frustrated when I didn’t know the difference between “dice” and “chop,” when the cost for ingredients was twice the amount I would have paid had I gone to a restaurant, and when I ended up spending two hours on a meal I’d hoped to have done in thirty minutes. My idea of a quick meal at home became a salad (ingredients: lettuce, dressing) and noodles (ingredients: noodles, broth), which wasn’t very interesting, and certainly wasn’t flavorful.
Having graduated, things have changed. Between working and commuting, I have even less time available. When I open one of the few cookbooks I have these days, it takes me half an hour just to find something I have the ingredients and vocabulary to be able to make.
Now that I’ve set the scene and established my clear need for some basic cooking guidance, I can honestly say that this cookbook is exactly what I was looking for. It is well-organized for quick-reference, including icons to indicate which meals are vegetarian, vegan, super quick, and dorm room favorites. The recipes are simple with clear instructions, so I don’t get lost in a page of text. I especially appreciate Chapter 1 on “Getting Started in Your First Kitchen,” which includes a list of essential items and quick references that hopefully will keep me from leaving a hot stove in order to look up basic cooking information on the internet. The chapter’s vocabulary list helps me understand the difference between beat and blend. The section on herbs and spices gives me great ideas beyond adding rosemary and basil – my default spices – to everything. Substitutions and measurements charts are also valuable.
I was very pleased with the first pasta I made from this book because it tasted great and, true to the subtitle, it was “quick, cheap, easy.” While I did not think the recipe turned out perfectly, I had a very clear idea of how I would make it better next time – which is still a vast improvement from my usual bewilderment as to why my creation doesn’t look like its picture.
Overall verdict? I have stained some of the pages with some kind of ingredient, which means I actually use this cookbook; in other words, it’s my new favorite recipe book. I have never before been able to so quickly find a recipe that sounds appetizing, lies within my skill set, and uses ingredients I have on hand. What’s more, I don’t feel like I’m reading an encyclopedia when I use this cookbook. The best part is the fact that I actually feel like I can cook with this book.
Storey has published “books for country living since 1983.” All of their titles emphasize do-it-yourself lifestyles that draw from principles of environmental responsibility and bring us closer to nature. They began publishing gardening guides and have since added books for crafters, animal enthusiasts, brewers, and other DIY folks who want to improve their homes and nourish their bodies. While buying sustainable products is a great step toward being green, Storey Publishing can help you go further by enabling self-sufficiency.
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I too wish I had a book like this in my years of full-time study. The way (some) students go about, you’d think “college” and “healthy” are contradictions in terms. Hope more students take this up and realise that you can eat cheap, on the quick and be healthy!
Very awesome, I love diy projects. I have learned a huge amount through doing my very own DIY projects through the years, and saved a bunch of money as well ; )
It’s easy to create your own healthy and downlike homemade Denny’s hot cakes with this easy-to-follow Denny’s flapcake recipe with healthy ingredients, such as Graham Flour and Canola Oil, served with a dollop of cream cheese and utter maple syrup or honey , or create your own healthy flapcake toppings.