THE SIMPLE ART OF EATING WELL  by Jessie Price & the Eating Well Test Kitchen

By Clare Langan


Caviar, prosciutto and Gruyère are three ingredients not typically associated with heathy cooking. The Simple Art of EatingWell by Jessie Price & the EatingWell Test Kitchen, adds these little luxuries back to the menu, proving that eating healthfully does not have to mean giving up taste.

The Simple Art of Eating Well sets out to satisfy consumer tastes which have become increasingly more refined while the demand grows for healthy, delicious food.  A compilation of 20 years of best recipes and techniques from EatingWell Magazine, sprinkled throughout are countless insider tips, step-by-step photos and ingredient guides. A resources section is like Culinary School 101 with quick reference charts, pantry lists, and an extensive glossary demystifying everything like harissa or hoisin.

The judges for the 2011 James Beard Foundation Awards were suitably impressed by the glossary and the 400 recipes with a decidedly highbrow approach as they nominated The Simple Art of Eating Well as a finalist in the category of best Healthy Focus book.  Says Price, “We put hours and hours into planning, recipe testing, tasting, editing, designing, photography. We love the way the book turned out. But it’s even better to have the James Beard Foundation recognize all that effort that went into the book.”

Contributors like Rick Bayless, Mark Bittman and Deborah Madison epitomize the EatingWell tagline “Where Good Taste Meets Good Health”. Full-flavor is a primary focus throughout the book – a key component in lighter recipes. Standard comfort food makeovers like meatloaf and brownies are an afterthought when Iberian-Style Sausage & Chicken Ragú and Roasted Pear Trifle tempt and inspire. Other standouts include a 383-calorie Spanish Pork Burger, amplified with green olives, Pimentón de la Vera, Manchego, Piquillo peppers and a pinch of saffron. With cocktail party fare like Country-Style Chicken Liver Mousse and Bourbon-Cherry Seltzer, clearly this is not your anticipated bland healthy cookbook.

One part educational guide and one part everyday resource, The Simple Art of EatingWell provides excellent inspiration for the culinary repertoire.