Roth Regatta

Here is what reviewers from both the US and UK Amazon sites had to say about Gordon Ramsay’s Healthy Appetite. This 2008 book has received overwhlemingly positive reviews, with most scoring it a four of five out of a possible five in both the United States and the United Kingdom.

If you love a full English breakfast, this is still the book for you……but if a Herb Omelette with Cherry Tomatoes is more you…….the good news is…..that is here, too. Based on that, I think, it would be fair

to say that ‘Healthy Appetite – Recipes from the f Word’ is unlikely to disappoint many!

‘After all, a big part of living a good life is the enjoyment of food’ …. and you can’t say fairer than that! Gordon isn’t the first and he won’t be the last to quote:- ‘What you are is what you eat’ or words to that effect…

From the introduction:- `Healthy eating is a topic close to my heart. I’ve been passionate about leaving a healthy lifestyle for many years now…

Now let me clarify

: this is not a diet book. Those who know me know that I don’t believe in faddy diets. I do, however, believe that I can prepare and serve healthy food without jeopardising taste and flavour, or drastically changing my style of cooking. Whether it’s an elegant dinner party or a simple mid-week supper, a few simple adjustments are all that’s needed to make our favourite meals that bit more balanced…lower in fat and calories yet rich in energy-giving nutrients.

Choosing the right ingredient

s is the core of healthy eating. It’s not just a matter of selecting the leanest cuts of meat and reducing the amount of fat we consume, it helps to know which ingredients are at their peak at any given time, both in terms of flavour and nutrition.

When it comes to putting a healthy dish together, balance and moderation are key. It’s not simply a matter of putting the right types of food on a plate. How the food is cooked and seasoned and how the whole menu comes together are just as important. And I don’t advocate cutting out butter and cream completely, just using a little here and there where it will really enhance the flavour of a dish….’

An eye-catching book in its own right, with bright lime green covers and white titling…..(see above image – if you would rather not have GR peeking out over the top of his leafy greens on the dust-jacket)…..opens to 256 high quality matt pages split over 9 chapters:-

Healthy breakfast

Healthy brunch/lunch

Healthy working lunch

Healthy Sunday lunch

Healthy barbecues

Healthy suppers

Healthy kids

Healthy entertaining

Healthy desserts

Plus an introduction, which includes a `Healthy Cooking Techniques’ section, a `Healthy Basics’ section, finishing with a concise index and a page of acknowledgments.

Over 125 recipes laid out in the familiar GR format as seen in his other best sellers, `Fast Food’ and `Sunday Lunch’, where this book follows on from. The useful `5 ways with’ sections are here, e.g. :- ‘Oats’, ‘Tomatoes’ along with useful information sections, e.g.:- ‘Omega-3 boost’, ‘Avoid the bad fats’ and ‘Getting the right balance’.

Each recipe is clearly laid out with the title, the number of servings, a list of ingredients and the clearly presented method. The majority have a photograph(s) and more often than not a useful note or two, e.g.:- ‘Melon and Berry Salad’, ‘Rich in Vitamin C to boost your immunity’.

There are a number of `on location’ shots, also.

A taste of the other recipes within:-

Berry and yoghurt smoothie

Seeded honey loaf

Cod and tomato chowder

Smoked trout, orange and wild rocket salad

Spinach and goat’s cheese soufflé

Spaghetti vongole

Borscht

Mango, avocado and smoked chicken salad

Roast chicken with baby vegetables

Sticky baked chicken drumsticks

Spicy beef curry

Venison pie with sweet potato topping

Glazed gammon with pineapple salsa

Lamb kebabs with peppers and tomatoes

Four cabbage coleslaw

Glazed ling with sweet `n’ sour shallots

Steamed prawns with black bean sauce

Vietnamese beef and noodle soup

Braised pork with leeks and pak choi

Calves liver with caramelised onions

Penne primavera

Lunchbox dips and dunkers

Stir-fried duck in lettuce cups

Mixed fish sashimi

Pot-roast sirloin of beef with root vegetables

Vanilla pannacotta with blueberry sauce

Spiced apple cake

Pavlova with roasted rhubarb fool

Poached pears in mulled wine

Lime mousse

Chocolate mousse – `a l