I recently received a review copy of a new gluten-, dairy-, soy-, and egg-free cookbook entitled The Healthy Gluten-Free Life by Tami Credicott. Now I am typically not a cookbook-type person – sure I have a few that I have received from friends and family but they tend to sit on the shelf in my kitchen rather than seeing any use. I often find that cookbook recipes, particularly those that are gluten-free require a range of items that I just do not typically keep in my kitchen and require more advanced planning in the shopping department than I am willing to commit to. That advanced planning just doesn’t typically fit into my lifestyle but I have to say, just looking through this cookbook, the first thing I noticed is, I can actually do that.
Not only is the book well-written and full of 200 recipes, but it is beautifully photographed with the food photos looking real and not over stylized which is most welcome. If I am going to attempt something, I’d like a real idea of what the end product is supposed to look like. The book is the most well organized that I have come across from an information organization standpoint. It is organized into the traditional meal-type categories along with a standard index at the end but also has the fantastic addition of a pictorial index at the end also arranged by meal-type category. Oh, and for those of you outside of the United States, each recipe also includes the metric equivalent for measurements making them even more intuitive.
While I do have multiple food allergies I can eat soy, dairy, and egg but I do hear quite often from my readers that they or their family members while Celiac also have issues with soy, dairy, or egg. Unlike most gluten-free cookbooks this one fits the bill for a range of dietary restrictions and is truly one-stop shopping for those with a range of dietary needs.
While I mentioned earlier that the recipes seem so manageable and utilize normal, everyday ingredients, they also feature recipes that look to incorporate items that might be leftover from previous night’s dinner – like the Chicken Salads (two varieties), Pork Tacos, or the breakfast quinoa dishes (which I really cannot wait to try because I have always really thought of quinoa as more of a lunch or dinner item). I am also itching to give some of the dips and small bites a go at my next cocktail party — so stay tuned for those results.
So yes, for what I believe is the very first time, Gluten Free Mike is actually going to recommend a cookbook. You can purchase the book right on Amazon or Barnes & Noble and have it in your kitchen in no time.
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