Review: Secrets of a Skinny Chef

When I first started reading blogs and searching for recipes I came across a site called The Skinny Chef.  I was drawn to it not only because of the name and the old saying "never trust a skinny chef".  I have subscribed to her newsletter for awhile and always appreciate her tips and tricks for enjoying good food without going overboard.

When I was contacted about reviewing Jennifer Iserloh's cookbook, Secrets of a Skinny Chef: 100 Decadent, Guilt-Free Recipes, I was thrilled to have the chance to see how her tips and recipes would translate into a cookbook.  I prefer cookbooks that are geared toward healthy eating to share tips that the average person can easily incorporate into their daily living.  With this cookbook, Jennifer has definitely done this.  With each recipe, she includes "skinny secrets" that are simple things you can do to prepare healthy meals at home and add vegetables to just about anything. 

She doesn't talk down to you about nutrition and things that you probably already know.  What she does is point out that by making small changes a little bit at a time, you can make a difference in what you see on the scale and how your clothes fit.  She is not prescribing a diet plan - she is showing you how to enjoy food again.

The recipes encourage the use of lower fat, but not necessarily fat-free, ingredients.  Whole grains and tons of fresh vegetables are used throughout the entire book.  While there are not a lot of photos of the recipes in the book, the few that do appear are mouth-watering and I have tagged each one to try over the next few months. 

Last weekend, after a stock-up trip to the grocery store I was paging through the book and came across the recipe for Good Lookin' Grilled Cheese.  Now, who doesn't love a grilled cheese?  Seriously, put a couple of slices of American cheese between two buttered slices of good old white bread and cook it up until is nice and melty?  Oh yeah... a favorite from my childhood.  But, this grilled cheese is more grown up.  I'd even say it's more like a panini than a grilled cheese.

This grilled cheese is a bit healthier with tomato, turkey, Dijon mustard, a bit of shredded mozzarella and fresh basil.  So good and it's full of flavor - so it's also satisfying.  Rather than using a thicker sliced whole grain bread, I opted to use the sandwich thins that I have been enjoying lately.  I still get my bread, but with fewer calories.

I found a very similar recipe on the Skinny Chef website that I may be trying next weekend, because it looks THAT good... go check it out HERE. 
Disclosure:  I received a copy of the cookbook for review, but was not told what to say in my review.  I truly do love this cookbook.  The link above to the cookbook will take you to Amazon where you can purchase the book, if you choose to.  I receive a small referral fee if you do.

Please note that all photos and content belong to Patsy Kreitman, unless otherwise noted. If you want to use something please ask first.