Janet & Greta Podleski: The Loonyspoons Collection

Okay, I know that this is a very Random review for my website, but I really feel the need to pass on the word of this cookbook. This cookbook is fantastic, it was introduced to me by a lady at work, who brought in one of the snacks for everyone, it was fantastic and it was made even better that it was healthy.

The book's premise is to get people making their own healthy and great tasting food. The recipes are simple, fairly fast to make and you normally have all the ingredients within your house. We own some Jamie Oliver cookbooks as well, and they are fantastic every once in awhile but often there are some obscure ingredients or spices that I have never heard of and I have to go on the hunt to try and find or more often give up making that dish. However, in Looneyspoons if you have a spice rack you will have the spices they use. I think the only thing that I have had to buy extra is a ginger root (as they use fresh grated ginger in dinner in quite a few of the entrees), which you can find in any grocery store in the produce section. The other thing about Looneyspoons is that they go through all the different types on food preparations from appetizers to salads to soups to chicken to seafood to red meat to ground meat to desserts to snacks and even sinfully delicious once a year desserts. This book really has it all in it and did I mention that the food in here is healthy and tastes great. Each recipe has a break down of how much good and bad fat, sodium, calories, protein, and cholesterol are in each serving, which makes it easy if you are trying to watch what you eat.

I have had this cookbook for about a month and a half now and I have not just made one or two things from this cookbook before writing this review I personally have cooked the following: (note the names are kind of funny/play on words, so I’ll put what they are as well)

1. Thai One On (Exotic sweet potato and coconut soup with Shrimp- My husband keeps requesting this one)
2. Dilly Beloved (Baked Chicken breast with maple, mustard, lemon and dill)
3. Barbecutie Patootie Chicken Pizza (Fantastic)
4. The Thigh's the Limit (Marinated backed chicken thing in gingery salsa sauce)
5. Celine Dijon Chicken (Mildly flavoured Dijon chicken with a c creamy herb sauce)
6. Sesame Sweet Chicken (Asian grilled chicken thighs basted with stick-sweet sesame sauce
7. Honey, I Shrunk My Thighs (Marinated grilled honey-garlic chicken, the sauce was so awesome that there was none left over in the end
8. Hook, Line & Simple (Easy broiled salmon with creamy dill sauce)
9. The Soprawnos (Scrumptious Italian Shrimp dish with Tomatoes, Zucchini and Feta Cheese- so good, it works by itself or you could put it on anything from crackers to pasta)
10. Beijing Beauty (Asian glazed grilled pork tenderloin)
11. Cowabunga Beef Burgers (Thick, juicy, smoky beef burgers with a kick)
12.Shepherd's Pie with Squashed Potatoes (Seasoned Beef and vegetables topped with cheesy mashed potatoes and squash-another one my husband keeps requesting)
12. Loafstyles of the Rich and Famous (Deliciously different ground turkey loaf with apples, onions and herbs)
13. Bananaberry Bombs ( Moist Banana Blueberry muffins with oasts and flaxseed, these lasted maybe 2 days in the house and are going to be made again and again.
14. Berry Maniloaf (Easy Lemon Loaf with raspberries or you can use blueberries instead or too)

This list does not include the dishes that my husband has cooked and yes even my Dad has picked up the cookbook too to try out a recipe (I think that says something). My grandma has also had a look at the book not to cook but to read all the interesting facts that are on each page. She kept stating that she does not read cook books, but then she would just continue reading and did not want to put it down when dinner was ready. I think she would have taken it home with her if I would have let her, but I was making the Lemon loaf the next day for a work potluck, which was a great hit, and they never even knew it was low fat till it was gone, there were a few shocked faces.

My one criticism is that some of the dishes have a similar flavour between them. I think this is due to the fact that they want to get as much healthy aspects into the dish as possible or maybe I just have made a few too many Asian inspired foods from the book. But as I stated above there are quite a few recipes that will call for ginger root or lemon juice, however, for the most part all the dishes are really nicely seasoned, nothing was ever Bland.

I think that this cook book has made cooking dinner, fun and interesting again. Each page has little insightful tips to food and loosing weight and how to keep a healthy body by starting by what you are putting into it. If you are looking for all your favorites plus developing some new ones, that are all healthy for you, this book is for you. This book is for you if you are looking for an easy to follow recipe book. This book is for you if you are looking to get a start on your healthy lifestyle. I recommend this book for anyone who enjoys cooking.

Enjoy!!

Note: I got my copy of this book from Costco in Canada for $20.00 (steal of a deal). I was there last weekend and there were still some copies there. Trust me the best 20 bucks you will spend on a cookbook.