Brenda Ponichtera is a registered dietitian and the author of a cookbook but it is so much more than a cookbook. “Quick and Healthy: Volume II More Help for people who say they don’t have time to cook healthy meals”.
Designed for busy people with lots of good intentions and little time to cook. Perfect for anyone wanting to lose weight or anyone with heart disease or diabetes.
This cookbook provides Recipe Notes to discuss briefly six important aspects of what the content of the recipes are and why they are important.
Brenda gives Dinner Menus for those of us who run out of ways to put meals together. The menus are listed by week and include a shopping list. There is a column in the right margin to list breakfast and lunch foods you may want to add to your shopping list.
There is also a list of breakfast and lunch menu ideas. In this section Brenda offers suggestions for what foods can be considered for breakfast and lunch and what might go well with that food.
One of my favorite sections is the “Change Recipes… to Reduce Fat, Sugar, and Calories”. For example, her chart on page 35 gives suggestions for changing from frying and the alternative ways to cook.
There are tips for eating out and even a Salad Bar Guide.
You can use the chart on page 45 to determine your healthy weight and calorie needs. Many people want to live a healthy lifestyle and with so many programs and diets it is easy to get confused about one’s own individual needs. This chart makes it crystal clear as to what you need! There is a food chart that is blank so one can track what they are eating currently.
Brenda has thought of everything!
Now we finally get to the recipes!
Here is the list of the types of recipes included in “Quick and Healthy: Volume II More Help for people who say they don’t have time to cook healthy meals”.
- Appetizers and Sauces
- Breads
- Soups and Stews
- Vegetables
- Salads
- Potatoes, Rice, Beans, and Pasta
- Sandwiches
- Meatless (woohoo!)
- Poultry
- Seafood
- Beef and Pork
- Ground Beef and Sausage
- Desserts
Each recipe has a Nutrient Analysis listed to show what nutrition is in it.
Finally, at the end there is an Index. If you have a particular food in mind you can simply go to the index and look up the food and find a recipe for it.
Having this cookbook is like having your own personal dietician beside you as you plan and cook for the family.
Ponichtera’s books have been recommended in publications such as “O” The Oprah Magazine, Cooking Light, Miami Herald, Shape magazine, and USA Today, as well as by health care professionals, and busy cooks across the country. Ponichtera has sold over 700,000 copies of her Quick & Healthy cookbooks.
