We have been cooking/baking many of the recipes in this cookbook for quite some time and have had many readers as of late asking for a full review. So here it is, the official Live Well 360° Gourmet Nutrition review.
Book: Gourmet Nutrition
Author: Dr. John M. Berardi, Michael Williams, and Kristina Andrew
URL: www.gourmetnutrition.com
Purpose: The Cookbook for the Fit Food Lover.
Cost: $39.99
Review
First things first, who on a diet isn’t looking for some gourmet, tasty, yet nutritious food? I mean, your standard run of the mill salads and chicken with veggies, can get old really fast. This notion is what brought us to this cookbook in the first place.
So what is a “Gourmet Nutrition” meal you ask?
The criteria for what makes the recipes in this cookbook so different are that the food:
- Must taste great
- Must contain lean, complete protein
- Must be low in sugar and processed carbohydrates
- Must prioritize healthy fats over bad fats
- Must control calorie intake and density
- Must include fresh, natural, additive-free ingredients wherever possible
- Must include carbs only if you deserve them
The book itself is very nice. It is a paperback with very clean and modern look and feel to it. The pages are thick and the food pictures are very professional looking, crisp, and clear… something I find rare in “healthy eating” cookbooks. There is an introduction written by Dr. Berardi, in which he discusses his views on food and healthy eating, dispelling the myth that health eating has to be bland and boring.
This introduction really sets the tone for the cookbook, because the vast majority of the recipes contained within the book are far from bland and/or boring. Dr. Berardi also briefly discusses the “Anytime” and “Post-workout” meal concept. This topic was discussed in full detail within the Precision Nutrition System (see review for more information). There is even a quick overview of Dr. Berardi’s eating methodology, in addition to kitchen tips, and pantry stocking lists.
Cookbook Hightlights
- 288 full-color pages
- Over 100 recipes with fantastic color photos of each
- Full nutrition data for each recipe, figured into both a large portion size (for men) and small (for women)
- Post-workout and Anytime meal classifications
- Meal plan templates
- Cooking strategies and tips
- Tools and equipment list
- Grocery list
- Food preparation instructions
For details on each of the highlights, or to read the introduction and/or download a pdf sample recipe, click here.
The recipes themselves are broken down into nine sections:
- Breakfast
- Shakes and smoothies
- Meats
- Poultry
- Seafood
- Accompaniments
- Snacks
- Salad dressings
- Condiments
As mentioned above, there are over 100 recipes in total, with photos for each and every one of them. While we have not tried every single recipe quite yet, we have taken a sampling of recipes from all sections and put them to the test. Some of the recipes we have tried are as follows:
- Quinoa, Apple and Walnut Salad with Turkey Sausage served with the Spicy Apple Vinaigrette
- Texas Thin Crust Pizza
- Baked Chicken Strips
- Pesto Chicken Pizza
- Prawn Cakes
- Pumpkin Pie Bars
- Honey Mustard Dressing
- Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
- Nutty Crunch Shake
- Coconut Cauliflower Mash
- Spinach, Feta, and Cashew Pesto
These recipes were all fantastic. Dr. Berardi is right, eating healthy food does not mean that food has to be bland and boring. I think that the idea of gourmet health food is so underplayed. There are so many ways to consistently eat whole, natural food, that tastes awesome. The fact of the matter is, many people just don’t know how to cook this way. You’ve got to think outside of the box… bag, or can (pun intended). This cookbook helps to solve that issue.
One of the main things I really like about this book is that it covers quite a bit of ground, from shakes to dressings to snacks to full meals. It offers healthy recipes for all different types of foods. I am being honest when I say that we have not tried one recipe that we did not enjoy.
I also like that the recipes give the nutritional information for both a large portion and a small, so you can easily flip through and see the breakdown and customize for your needs. However, one must be careful to stick to that plan. The thing about great tasting food, especially when you are calorically in a deficit, is that its easy to get carried away. It is important to be mindful of your boundaries and not let one nibble turn into another whole portion (been there, done this…).
It’s important to note that Gourmet Nutrition complements the Precision Nutrition System, adding a variety of additional recipes, however, do not feel like you have to buy one to understand the other. Gourmet Nutrition works perfectly fine as a stand alone cookbook.
Overall, I feel this is a great cookbook and could even compete on a mainstream level with the big dogs – I am talking William Sonoma and the family over at Food Network, only in this case, you can feel good about eating each and every recipe. I look forward to diving into many more of the recipes within.
For more information on Gourmet Nutrition, or to pick up a copy for yourself, click here.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Great review!!