Book Review: Jamie's Food Revolution

So, back in October 2013, some of my Minnesota family came to visit and stay with us for a few days. We had a great time! After they left, I received a package in the mail that was full of goodies from Trader Joe's (none are close to us here), and included a cookbook called, "Jamie's Food Revolution," by Jamie Oliver.

I hadn't heard of him before getting the cookbook, as I don't have cable. However, this book has been my wonderful companion this winter! I tried many of the recipes for my family, and we've liked all of them... some more than others, but they have all been easy to make and yummy! The best thing about the recipes is that you can buy some basic supplies and be set with most of the recipes! He even gives you a list for your larder, to make things simpler.

After making a few of the recipes and being successful with them, I felt inspired to invite people over for meals... and I felt competent! That's a pretty cool thing. It also gave me the confidence to come up with my own recipes, based on ones that I learned in the book and made a few times.


I think that's the best quality of a good cookbook... to give you confidence to create! 

Making Chili Con Carne

Chili Con Carne

Spices for the chili

My little one, after finishing her chili

My daughter loved the chili con carne... I just added a little plain yogurt to it for her. She loves spices and a little heat to her food sometimes. This is one of the dishes that I like giving her because it has garbanzo beans, kidney beans, carrots and other healthy ingredients. I've modified it many different ways, and it's always yummy!

My own creation!

I've made it without meat, using lentils from Trader Joe's (my cousin sent them to me!) and adding portobello mushrooms... they gave the chili a meatiness that's delicious! 

I've also made Jamie's beef stew, using organic grass-fed beef, and with a side of mashed potatoes, peas & my own home-baked French bread....

Recipes for different stews

Making beef & ale stew... yum!

My own French bread

There are lots of ethnic recipes in the book, which I probably would never had tried to make on my own, but he makes it so simple! Some of the recipes only take about 20 minutes to make... like this Moroccan Fish Stew...

So easy, and my daughter liked it!

When I made it for my daughter, I didn't include the shrimp, since I haven't introduced any shellfish to her, yet. She enjoyed the flavors... mainly mixed in with the couscous. She's pretty adventurous, I'll admit. More so than a lot of other toddlers, maybe. Or she saw the peas in the dish and decided that it was going to be alright. Ha ha. She LOVES peas!

So if you're looking for a new cookbook, I'd recommend going out right away to get this book!! It's amazing... it opens you up to new flavors and combos, and a new way of cooking. If you like to eat and you also like to cook, this book is for you! If you like to eat more than you like to cook, but you still have to cook, then this book is for you, too!