The Sonoma Diet Cookbook
Author:
Genres: Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Health, Fitness & Dieting
Book Type: Hardcover
Author:
Genres: Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Health, Fitness & Dieting
Book Type: Hardcover
Kathy J. (KathyJ) reviewed on + 60 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 1
The diet is basically whole grains and fresh whole foods, based loosely on the Mediterranean way of eating. Shunned foods are saturated fats, sugar, and refined flour products. Red meat is ok, as long as it's lean and within the percentage of the entire meal. It's based on the latest discoveries about nutrition, health, and weight loss. Meals are planned to maximize the body's absorption of essential nutrients and includes liberal use of Power Foods. Ten Power Foods are considered to be the backbone of the diet: -Almonds, Bell Peppers, Blueberries, Broccoli, Grapes, Olive Oil, Spinach, Strawberries, Tomatoes, and Whole Grains.
Portions are controlled and calculated for the best balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Low-fat and Low-carb diets upset that balance.
The Cookbook has 184 total recipes under the following headings: Breakfast, Soups, Salads & Sandwiches, Beef, Pork, Chicken & Turkey, Fish & Seafood, Meatless, Side Dishes, Snacks & Desserts, Holiday Favorites, and Taste of Sonoma that has recipes from area chefs. Each recipe in the cookbook includes the appropriate Wave; the time it takes to prep, start to finish, cook or bake; oven temp; the # of servings; nutritional info and exchanges; and wine pairings. The ingredient list isn't in bold in this one, but the recipe is in a slightly bigger font than in the Diet book, though still not that large.
Some recipes do include the use of low-fat, reduced-fat or non-fat commercial products (which I'm trying to get away from), but most just take advantage of fresh ingredients (which is what I was looking for), including fresh herbs. So, I guess I better follow
through with my plans for an herb garden! I also noticed they use kosher salt if salt is called for in a recipe.
One thing I wish they had included with the recipes is the season for the vegetables. Since they are in California, most ingredients are available year-round to them (and to me), but winter tomatoes and zucchinis just don't taste the same as when they are in season. They did have a list of in-season fruits and vegetables in the Cookbook, but just don't include the information with each recipe.
Recipes sound very good and not at all would one would expect from a "diet" book. Recipes from the Cookbook that caught my eye are: Canadian Bacon and Egg Pockets, White Bean and Squash Stew, Curried Chicken Wraps, Grilled Beef with Chimichurri Sauce, Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce, and Pork with Apples in Cider Sauce.
Portions are controlled and calculated for the best balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. Low-fat and Low-carb diets upset that balance.
The Cookbook has 184 total recipes under the following headings: Breakfast, Soups, Salads & Sandwiches, Beef, Pork, Chicken & Turkey, Fish & Seafood, Meatless, Side Dishes, Snacks & Desserts, Holiday Favorites, and Taste of Sonoma that has recipes from area chefs. Each recipe in the cookbook includes the appropriate Wave; the time it takes to prep, start to finish, cook or bake; oven temp; the # of servings; nutritional info and exchanges; and wine pairings. The ingredient list isn't in bold in this one, but the recipe is in a slightly bigger font than in the Diet book, though still not that large.
Some recipes do include the use of low-fat, reduced-fat or non-fat commercial products (which I'm trying to get away from), but most just take advantage of fresh ingredients (which is what I was looking for), including fresh herbs. So, I guess I better follow
through with my plans for an herb garden! I also noticed they use kosher salt if salt is called for in a recipe.
One thing I wish they had included with the recipes is the season for the vegetables. Since they are in California, most ingredients are available year-round to them (and to me), but winter tomatoes and zucchinis just don't taste the same as when they are in season. They did have a list of in-season fruits and vegetables in the Cookbook, but just don't include the information with each recipe.
Recipes sound very good and not at all would one would expect from a "diet" book. Recipes from the Cookbook that caught my eye are: Canadian Bacon and Egg Pockets, White Bean and Squash Stew, Curried Chicken Wraps, Grilled Beef with Chimichurri Sauce, Beef Satay with Peanut Sauce, and Pork with Apples in Cider Sauce.
