Every week I plan out my meals. I’m not strict with it but I like to have the ingredients for at least 5 dishes and then I can pick and choose between them throughout the week. Over the last couple of months I’ve been using recipes from In The Mood For Healthy Food by Jo Pratt. This book was kindly sent to me by Nourish Books and I immediately took out my labels and marked the recipes I wanted to try first. I always do this and once I’ve made a recipe enough times that it comes naturally to me I swap the label ’round to something else.
In The Mood For Healthy Food is filled with simple, easy to follow and delicious recipes. As you can imagine from the title the recipes are focused towards people who want to incorporate healthy food into their lifestyle. Jo has picked healthy alternatives to ingredients and cooking methods. There isn’t a diet or food restriction element to this book, it’s aimed at helping the reader to create a well-balanced lifestyle. I’m always looking for healthy alternatives and I love to cook new meals on a weekly basis. It can get very boring if you’re cooking the same old dishes week after week. I’ve found lots of veggie options within the book which have really suited my current tastes but there’s an all-round mix of dishes to suit everyone. The Coriander and Coconut Chicken Curry is next on my list.
At the very front of the book you’ll find a list of everyday foods to keep stocked up on. I always find these types of lists handy. I can stock up on anything I don’t have and I know I’ll be ready to go ahead with most of the meals in the book, aside from fresh produce of course. I haven’t come across any hard to find ingredients within this book. If you’re looking to invest in some popular healthy foods at the moment (chia seeds, quinoa etc) then I highly recommend Healthy Supplies to my UK readers. I always by these types of foods in bulk and Healthy Supplies makes this much more affordable.
The book is filled with beautiful photography. Jo is also a food stylist so you’d expect no less. I really like the soft blue and pink colour scheme that filters through the book. This book looks lovely on my shelf and it already has splashes of soup on the pages (a sign of a well loved book).
I’ve made a few dishes from In The Mood For Healthy Food including; Pear & Cinnamon Porridge, Roast Squash and Garlic Soup and the Spiced Lentil and Sweet Potato Soup. There’s also a fab selection of sweet treats within the book. Jo has pushed refined sugar to the side and focused on natural sources of sweetness from dried fruits, honey and maple syrup. I think I’ll make the Dairy-Free Vanilla and Blueberry Cheesecake for my birthday in April.
The spiced lentil soup is a personal favourite, I’ve made it every other week over the last two months. I really enjoy making soups. They’re quick and simple and there’s always a couple of batches left over for lunch throughout the week. Aside from the spiced lentil soup tasting delicious I also found that I didn’t need any bread with it, it’s such a filling and satisfying soup.
Throughout the book you’ll spot Jo’s waste not, want not tips. These are designed to ensure you make the most of leftover ingredients as well as offering alternative ideas to switch up the recipe. It’s almost like Jo’s whispering over your shoulder to give you a little reminder. I think this gives the book a real personal touch and also reminds us that a recipe does not need to be followed strictly – not keen on apples? Try using pears instead.
This book is amongst one of my most used at the moment. I pick recipes from it each week along with a few from Everyday Super Food and Jerusalem. I tend to stick to 3 recipe books each month and try to make a wide and varied selection of dishes from them. As I mentioned before, the book offers lots of healthy dishes which are very easy to follow. I think this is important when it comes to making healthy food. Recipes need to be quick and easy to throw together after a long day at work. This cookbook would be ideal for anyone trying to incorporate more healthy food into their diet.
Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat (pgtdaisy) to find out when I make more dishes from the book.
Have you tried any of Jo Pratt’s books?