Full disclosure, I’m a fan of Jamie Oliver, he was very influential on me growing up, his cooking style was very appealing, simple, stripped back cooking which was big on flavour and heavily influenced by Italian rustic style. Over the years I have also respected his commitment to improving school food standards, he has been campaigning for over 20 years and has been instrumental in bringing about real change in the UK food system.
This book piqued my interest as a Nutritionist, I’m always on the look out for recipes that are nutritionally balanced but also exciting and creative, this seemed to tick those boxes, so I ordered it as soon as it was released, it did not disappoint!
The book is nicely organised into recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, weekend, healthier sweet treats and drinks, the really impressive part is that every recipe within each category provides a specific number of calories, at least one portion of fruit and veg and is low in saturated fat and salt. For example, breakfast recipes provide at least one portion of fruit & veg and are under 400 calories, lunch/dinner/weekend recipes provide at least two portions of fruit and veg and are under 600 calories, sweet treats are under 250 calories. This is fantastic as it makes it really easy to devise a meal planner that fulfils a balanced diet. Further nutritional breakdown of each recipe is given at the back of the book which is handy if you want to check for certain nutrients, you might be lacking.
To make things even easier, there is a two-week meal plan included which is very clearly outlined and contains recipes that are quick to prepare. There are also lots of extra information regarding how to balance your plate and portion sizes, two commonly confused areas.
The recipes themselves are varied, creative and packed with fruit and vegetables, there are meat and fish options which also include a plant-based swap for most. I liked the inclusion of a weekend section that includes recipes that although take longer to prepare, result in a more indulgent feast that is perfect when you want a leisurely evening of guilt-free dining.
What I like most about this book is it’s simplicity, exactly what I first liked about Jamie Oliver in the Naked Chef years. In a world where we are bombarded with so much misinformation, unnecessary trends, over-complicated diets and generally a lot of contradictory and confusing information about food, this is like a breath of fresh air. I will be using it myself and recommending it to clients as a fantastic recipe book and also a great guide for living a healthier life.
MLT Nutrition 