Lighten up, Ya'll

22548034

Lighten up, Ya'll
Virginia Willis
Ten Speed Press

I love food, to the point that I have a bit of a reputation about it. However, while I do like my sweets, carbs, and dairy, I don't think of myself as a really "unhealthy" person, simply because I'm not the hugest fan of fast food or overly processed stuff. But when it comes to homemade dishes....pile on the cheese. or butter. and steak. Steak is good.

So when I saw this book- which boasted "healthy" southern recipes, I knew it couldn't hurt to try it.

I'd never heard of this chef before, but I enjoyed her writing. I haven't read through the whole book but I read the introduction and several of the recipes.

Some of the recipes in this book immediately caught my eye- mostly the sweets, such as "Old-fashioned Buttermilk Pie" and "Claire's Cream Cheese Swirled Brownies." Some I skipped over (I mean, what's the point of pepper poppers without the cheese? I'm not eating them for the actual peppers, people) and some sounded really good, like the apple, cheddar, and chicken burgers. A lot of the recipes seemed to be traditional, just with substitutions- yogurt instead of mayonnaise, low-fat cheese, etc. There are also a lot of "oven-fried" dishes as opposed to deep fried.

Well, I decided it wouldn't be fair to review this book without making some of the recipes. So, collaborating with my mom, we made Baked Zucchini Crisps and Oven-fried Chicken-on-a-Stick. Both were decent. Not amazing, but certainly more than edible. I'm just not sure the effort to make them really felt worth it: no one seemed overly crazy about the dishes. Let's just say that we had quite a bit of leftovers, and in a household with seven people, that doesn't happen a whole lot.

However, while those two recipes didn't take the cake, there are plenty more in here that I'm willing to try. (Like that broccoli mac & cheese on the cover!) The cookbook seems decent; it just didn't impress me.

Rating: 7

I received this book for free from bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for my honest review.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

In This Moment

Image
  In This Moment Gabrielle Meyer Bethany House Publishers Maggie inherited a gift from her time-crossing parents that allows her to live three separate lives in 1861, 1941, and 2001. Each night she goes to sleep in one time period and wakes up in another. Until, that is, she turns twenty-one, when she will have to forfeit two of those lives--and everyone she knows in them--forever. In 1861, Maggie is the daughter of an influential senator at the outbreak of the Civil War, navigating a capital full of Southern spies and wounded soldiers. In 1941, she is a Navy nurse, grappling with her knowledge of the future when she's asked to join a hospital ship being sent to Pearl Harbor. And in 2001, she's a brilliant young medical student, fulfilling her dream of becoming a surgeon, yet unable to use her modern skills in her other paths. While Maggie has sworn off romance until she makes her final choice, an intriguing man tugs at her heart in each era. The mysterious Brit
Read more

The Words We Lost

Image
The Words We Lost Nicole Deese Bethany House Publishers I truly had no idea how much I would enjoy this book when I picked it up. My relationship with contemporary fiction is rocky, but I'm so glad I took a chance on this one. Upon reflection, I think what really makes or breaks a contemporary book for me is the voice and writing style- and Nicole Deese passed that test with flying colors. Speaking of my past with contemporary fiction, grief seems a common denominator in the last several that I have read, and I think this one landed the best and most true for me, without being overwhelming in its depiction. After reading this, I'm not only looking forward to the next book in this series, but exploring this author's previous works as well. (and a heads up that though there is a lovely romance in this book, I wouldn't say that it is as heavily featured/relied on as the series title might suggest). I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for my hone
Read more

Everything is Just Beginning

Image
Everything is Just Beginning Erin Bartels Revell Michael Sullivan is a talented lyricist and a decent guitarist, but since he was kicked out of his band (and his apartment), he's not sure he'll ever get a record deal. Living with his loser uncle in a beat-up trailer and working a dead-end job, Michael has little reason to hope for a better future. Until the invitation for a swanky New Year's Eve party shows up in the mailbox. It's for his uncle, with whom he shares his name, but his uncle is going out of town . . . On the effervescent night of December 31, 1989--as the Berlin Wall is coming down, the Soviet Union is inching toward democracy, and anything seems possible--Michael will cross paths with the accomplished and enigmatic young heir to a fading musical dynasty, forever altering both of their futures. Award-winning novelist Erin Bartels enchants with this story of two lonely souls who have exactly what the other one needs--if they could simply turn
Read more