Quick Meal Solutions

February 26, 2007
The most useful parts of this slim book are up front: five chapters explaining the government's revised 2005 dietary guidelines, providing meal planning solutions and outlining the sacrifice of America's healthy eating habits at the altar of busyness: "Often, dinnertime approaches before anyone realizes there's nothing to eat." To stave off the inevitable pizza delivery, the authors provide dozens of simple recipes that working parents or even kids can turn out with just a few pantry staples. Some of these recipes, like savory Skillet Paremsan Chicken and Rice Dinner and Crispy Oven-Fried Fish are more sophisticated than they first appear and, even better, can be made quickly and reliably by inexperienced cooks. But too often these quick-and-easy recipes are dull, unappetizing and even dispiriting. Quick Tomato Rice Soup is simply canned soup mixed with garlic powder and instant white rice. Ravioli Lasagna is little more than packaged ravioli layered with shredded mozzarella and jarred sauce. Handy nutrition information attached to each recipe proves their healthful credentials, but the portions are quite small; one serving of a Mini Pizza Bagel will leave one longing for a visit from the pizza delivery guy.

March 12, 2007
The most useful parts of this slim book are up front: five chapters explaining the government's revised 2005 dietary guidelines, providing meal planning solutions and outlining the sacrifice of America's healthy eating habits at the altar of busyness: "Often, dinnertime approaches before anyone realizes there's nothing to eat." To stave off the inevitable pizza delivery, the authors provide dozens of simple recipes that working parents or even kids can turn out with just a few pantry staples. Some of these recipes, like savory Skillet Paremsan Chicken and Rice Dinner and Crispy Oven-Fried Fish are more sophisticated than they first appear and, even better, can be made quickly and reliably by inexperienced cooks. But too often these quick-and-easy recipes are dull, unappetizing and even dispiriting. Quick Tomato Rice Soup is simply canned soup mixed with garlic powder and instant white rice. Ravioli Lasagna is little more than packaged ravioli layered with shredded mozzarella and jarred sauce. Handy nutrition information attached to each recipe proves their healthful credentials, but the portions are quite small; one serving of a Mini Pizza Bagel will leave one longing for a visit from the pizza delivery guy.

Copyright 2007 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.