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jennie_cole's review
3.0
Anti-Inflammatory diets are all the rage and their goal is to lower inflammation within the body via one's diet. This type of diet can be helpful for many aliments. This cookbook focus on the use of this type of diet for the whole family. The authors spend the first third of the book going through what this is, the things to avoid and the things to add, as well as making this an entire family way of eating. One of the items I found helpful is the food pyramid on page 37ish. First pictures are very helpful but especially in this case since an anti-inflammatory food pyramid is a little different than the US government one. This diet really focuses on fruits & vegetables followed by herbs and spices. We so often forget how important spices are for our body and not just as a flavoring on our food. The other big difference with this pyramid it that it breaks out plant based sources of protein (i.e. tofu, beans, legumes) from the other sources of protein and carbs categories. It is important to do this because animal products should be minimized as part of this diet.
After about 90 pages you get to the recipe section of the book. The nice thing that these authors have done is they put their spice blends and sauces as the first chapter. These items are used throughout the recipe bank so it is helpful to have seen them before looking at all the other items. So often these types of things are relegated to an appendix section meaning I see a recipe earlier on that I might like but I won't know until later if that sub recipe in it is something I can eat. Like I said earlier spices are an entire category in the anti-inflammatory food pyramid so it is nice that they take center stage. Some of the big spices in this diet are turmeric, cumin, and ginger. These spices might not be ones that the average American has in their cabinet but they should be. Besides adding that great color or hidden pop to your food, or spice to your Asian delicacies they are great for your body.
Now since this is a family geared cookbook the recipes should be kid friendly. I think some of them hit the bill. We have scrambled eggs and muffins as well as chicken tenders and pizza. Now these are a little different than the standard recipes. Instead of oily breading on formed ground chicken these are piece of chicken breaded in a nut mixed from the first chapter. And the pizza will be different to. These are vegetable pita pizzas. Now that doesn't sounds too kid friendly but think of it this way, pitas aren't very big so each person gets their own and can put what they want on it. I think after a while of eating items like these your kids will actually learn to crave the fresh foods since the salt, fat, and sugar intakes have been lowered and the cravings for them have lessened. Now that is not to say that these item are not in here, they are, they are just different. The recipes focus on healthy fats, sugars from natural sources like maple syrup and fruit. There is an entire dessert chapter that I think everyone will love. The other unique thing about this book is that almost all recipes have a baby food blurb. This will tell you how you can turn this into food for your littlest ones or it might say that this one is not recommended. The nice things is it gives guidance.
After about 90 pages you get to the recipe section of the book. The nice thing that these authors have done is they put their spice blends and sauces as the first chapter. These items are used throughout the recipe bank so it is helpful to have seen them before looking at all the other items. So often these types of things are relegated to an appendix section meaning I see a recipe earlier on that I might like but I won't know until later if that sub recipe in it is something I can eat. Like I said earlier spices are an entire category in the anti-inflammatory food pyramid so it is nice that they take center stage. Some of the big spices in this diet are turmeric, cumin, and ginger. These spices might not be ones that the average American has in their cabinet but they should be. Besides adding that great color or hidden pop to your food, or spice to your Asian delicacies they are great for your body.
Now since this is a family geared cookbook the recipes should be kid friendly. I think some of them hit the bill. We have scrambled eggs and muffins as well as chicken tenders and pizza. Now these are a little different than the standard recipes. Instead of oily breading on formed ground chicken these are piece of chicken breaded in a nut mixed from the first chapter. And the pizza will be different to. These are vegetable pita pizzas. Now that doesn't sounds too kid friendly but think of it this way, pitas aren't very big so each person gets their own and can put what they want on it. I think after a while of eating items like these your kids will actually learn to crave the fresh foods since the salt, fat, and sugar intakes have been lowered and the cravings for them have lessened. Now that is not to say that these item are not in here, they are, they are just different. The recipes focus on healthy fats, sugars from natural sources like maple syrup and fruit. There is an entire dessert chapter that I think everyone will love. The other unique thing about this book is that almost all recipes have a baby food blurb. This will tell you how you can turn this into food for your littlest ones or it might say that this one is not recommended. The nice things is it gives guidance.
jin662's review
5.0
I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. Im not normally one to read and review a cookbook but some health issues this year resulted in a diagnosis of Hashimotos disease and the beginning of my journey on an anti inflammatory diet journey. This book is a wealth of recipes for those of us who are limited in what we can eat. Having so many new options that are easy, tasty, and well detailed make it so much simpler to plan my weekdays and what we will cook now. I would caution that not all recipes are fully AIP compliant. Many are not suitable during the initial elimination phase but there are a ton of options that are and a wealth of them that fit for those of us beginning to test add items back in.
There is also a great amount of info in the beginning to help you understand the why behind this diet and what works and what will not. I am really glad I got this book and plan on recommending it to several people I know.
There is also a great amount of info in the beginning to help you understand the why behind this diet and what works and what will not. I am really glad I got this book and plan on recommending it to several people I know.
annieb123's review
4.0
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The Anti-Inflammatory Family Cookbook is tutorial guide and recipe collection with family friendly recipes to reduce inflammation and support gut health. Due out 3rd Feb 2021 from Simon & Schuster on their Adams Media imprint, it's 256 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
This book is a nice resource, especially for family dinners where one (or more) members are trying to adhere to a special diet, in this case inflammatory conditions or auto immune diseases as well as having a very strong emphasis on starting kids off with healthy and wise food choices from an early age (babies - toddlers).
Approximately the first 30% of the book is a (mostly) layman accessible discussion of the body's inflammatory physiological responses to stress and irritation. There are a number of useful charts and lists of food additives and their possible effects on the body (and where to find them as well as how to avoid them). The recipe notations include codes for gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free etc. The recipe section is arranged thematically: spice blends & sauces, breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, snacks, desserts, and beverages.
Each of the recipes includes an introductory description, ingredients listed in a bullet point sidebar (US measurements only, though there's a conversion chart in the back of the book), step by step instructions, as well a sidebar with nutritional info. I would estimate roughly 10% of the recipes are accompanied by photographs. The photos provided are high quality and clear and serving suggestions are attractive and appropriate.
The recipe ingredients themselves are easily sourced and will be available at most well stocked grocery stores. There are a very few ingredients which might be a little more difficult to source, but definitely nothing that is 'way out there'.
One way this collection distinguishes itself is in the chapter notes and appendices. There's an impressive amount of peer-reviewed research linked supporting the conclusions and recommendations in the text. Readers can certainly simply utilize the recipes without any need to dig deeper, but the keenly curious reader will find a wealth of extra information for further study. The book also includes a cross referenced index, but no recipe or ingredient index apart from those integrated into the main index.
All in all, very well written, beautifully presented food, made from (mostly) unprocessed raw ingredients which are easily sourced and taste good.
Four stars, we'll be revisiting this cookbook. For families with young children or toddlers, this one would have more relevance.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The Anti-Inflammatory Family Cookbook is tutorial guide and recipe collection with family friendly recipes to reduce inflammation and support gut health. Due out 3rd Feb 2021 from Simon & Schuster on their Adams Media imprint, it's 256 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
This book is a nice resource, especially for family dinners where one (or more) members are trying to adhere to a special diet, in this case inflammatory conditions or auto immune diseases as well as having a very strong emphasis on starting kids off with healthy and wise food choices from an early age (babies - toddlers).
Approximately the first 30% of the book is a (mostly) layman accessible discussion of the body's inflammatory physiological responses to stress and irritation. There are a number of useful charts and lists of food additives and their possible effects on the body (and where to find them as well as how to avoid them). The recipe notations include codes for gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free etc. The recipe section is arranged thematically: spice blends & sauces, breakfast, lunch, dinner, sides, snacks, desserts, and beverages.
Each of the recipes includes an introductory description, ingredients listed in a bullet point sidebar (US measurements only, though there's a conversion chart in the back of the book), step by step instructions, as well a sidebar with nutritional info. I would estimate roughly 10% of the recipes are accompanied by photographs. The photos provided are high quality and clear and serving suggestions are attractive and appropriate.
The recipe ingredients themselves are easily sourced and will be available at most well stocked grocery stores. There are a very few ingredients which might be a little more difficult to source, but definitely nothing that is 'way out there'.
One way this collection distinguishes itself is in the chapter notes and appendices. There's an impressive amount of peer-reviewed research linked supporting the conclusions and recommendations in the text. Readers can certainly simply utilize the recipes without any need to dig deeper, but the keenly curious reader will find a wealth of extra information for further study. The book also includes a cross referenced index, but no recipe or ingredient index apart from those integrated into the main index.
All in all, very well written, beautifully presented food, made from (mostly) unprocessed raw ingredients which are easily sourced and taste good.
Four stars, we'll be revisiting this cookbook. For families with young children or toddlers, this one would have more relevance.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
mashockn's review
4.0
The Anti-Inflammatory Family Cookbook is a wealth of important information for those beginning down the anti-inflammatory, healthy eating journey for their family. The recipes are a mix of classic favorites, easy to make, and a few that require a few more skills. The best part of the book for me was in the beginning when the authors were recognizing the cultural issues that occur, not only within the publishing industry, but with food bloggers, chefs, and cookbook authors. I whole heartedly appreciated their viewpoints and their explanations of this and who they are with their background. Because of their due diligence with this, I will happily promote their book when I can.
ifthebook's review
4.0
I’m still not totally convinced that an anti-inflammatory diet works, but that’s definitely not the fault of this book. The authors seemed credible and I appreciated that they acknowledged their positionality. Regardless of the changes these recipes may or may not bring about in my body, I’m excited to give them a try!
Full review on my blog.
Full review on my blog.
mikaiya's review
4.0
This cookbook is full of recipes that I can't quite imagine my son eating (he is the pickiest of picky eaters) but I appreciated the information on how to help him overcome some of that pickiness through gradual and consistent introduction of foods. Nothing shocking, but written in a different way which was helpful! I appreciated the plethora of healthy and immunity-boosting anti-inflammatory recipes that actually sound good. I've been searching for new breakfast ideas that will not just give my son and me a sugar rush, and these look attainable, fast, and delicious. I also think the dessert section is strong- but am less convinced by some of the main meals. I will just have to try more of the recipes to see! Four stars for a great entry into any family's repertoire with a solid front-matter of information and good-looking recipes.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for this unbiased review.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for this unbiased review.
shereadstales's review
4.0
Thanks to NetGalley and Adams Media for the digital proof of this book.
Before you get to cooking, this book will tell you all about inflammation and how the anti-inflammatory method works to help ward off disease and help decrease health problems. It breaks down common food additives (think high fructose corn syrup and MSG) and offers tips for avoiding. There’s a whole section on sugars and artificial sweeteners as well as the different types of fats, which are good and bad, and how to cook with them. Like many cookbooks, the next section explains the kitchen you’ll need (aka what types of foods you’ll find in the recipes) and tips for finding the highest quality items of each food. Since this is a family cookbook, there is a section about getting your kids on board with anti-inflammatory eating, as many kids can be super picky (I know I was).
Before food recipes, there are several spice blend recipes. I may be a white girl, but I do love a good spice blend and am always looking for ways to add more flavor to the basic “good for you” foods. Tahini is one of my favorite things, and it’s used in several of these blends. Forget the recipes. I’m super excited to try some of these spice blends.
Once you’ve got the spices down, the rest of the book is divided up like a regular cookbook with recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, sides, snacks, desserts, and even beverages. A minimum of 95% of these look delicious and actually like things I could try in my own kitchen. Plus, there’s a handy US/Metric conversion chart in the back which is a good tool to have not only for this book, but for online recipes as well.
This one’s out in February, so if you’re trying to be healthier, curb chronic pain and illness, and ensure that your kids eat well, check this cookbook out.
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