When college students themselves come up with 200+ recipes that are nutritious, easy-to-prepare, tasty and inexpensive, then, you have the most effective solution to the freshman 15 problem!
The first edition of The Healthy College Cookbook appeared in bookstores more than 10 years ago. That has been revised and expanded to include more recipes that basically teach you to prepare gastronomic delights from inexpensive but nutritious ingredients – and you won’t have to spend hours in the kitchen either!
The Healthy College Cookbook overview
To call this a cookbook is to miss the point. More than a book, this is a guide to healthy eating.
The first chapter is a quick introduction to the basics of healthy cooking. You learn more about the equipment you need for cooking. The chapter also explains basic cooking terms, lists important ingredients that must always be at hand and explains substitutes that you can depend on in case of emergencies. In short, after this chapter, you won’t have any trouble in stocking up your kitchen for a gourmet meal.
This is followed by recipes for every need – breakfast, poultry, vegetarian, desserts, seafood and so on. The recipes are not typecast. In fact, they vary so widely that you can easily find the right food for any occasion, regardless of whether you want a quick fix or a more elaborate meal.
No college student can do without snacks. The cookbook contains a wide assortment of snacks that you can whip up in a jiffy.
As far as foodies are concerned, the book’s unique take – and indeed its greatest strength – is the care that has been taken to give specific details, like metric and standard units of measurement and the nutritional information of each recipe.
The Healthy College Cookbook review
College life is a totally new experience for students. It is fast paced to the point of being giddy. It is full of pressure because there is the compulsion to excel. It is also full of fun because students are exposed to a gamut of experiences that they have never enjoyed before. In the middle of all this, it is easy to forget all about food.
The Healthy College Cookbook shows students that they do not have to depend on delivery service or on fast food to keep their tummies full. In fact, they can make a more delicious meal for much less and within minutes!
The recipes included are nutritious and varied. The best tribute to the book is this: many readers find themselves coming back to these simple recipes even after they have left college!
The only drawback of the book is the lack of pictures. But, that could perhaps be a purposeful act of omission considering that the book is aimed at students and not for pros.
Pros:
- Inexpensive recipes
- Easy to make
- Nutritious
- Detailed, specific information
- Also contains vegetarian recipes
- Encourages the basics of healthy cooking like meal planning and sharing
- Although targeted at college students, it may be used by anyone
Cons:
- No pictures
In conclusion
Many of these recipes are gems. For instance, the vegetarian lasagna, carrot cakes, mushroom pasta sauce and mushroom parmesan are recipes that you can come back to time and again. If you love time efficient, healthy and tasty cooking, then The Healthy College Cookbook is for you – college student or not!