Money-Saving Meal Plans With Chelsea Book Review
Summary: Chelsea again shows that cheap doesn't have to mean basic when it comes to flavours with another collection of fantastic meals.
5
Discount Deliciousness
It’s hard not to hear the term “cost of living” just about daily these days. Prices are up, affordability is down… but we all have to eat. Thankfully Chelsea Goodwin has released Money-Saving Meal Plans With Chelsea (the “sequel” to her first book “$10 Meals with Chelsea”).
I’ve reviewed a number of cooking books now and some have done a good job, others not so much. One of the things I don’t like in recipe books is the “assumed knowledge”… recipes that tell you to do something… but don’t explain how. Chelsea is fantastic in how she doesn’t just give readers recipes… she’s tested them beforehand. I don’t simply mean she’s tried them and tasted them… I mean she puts them to the test by seeing if other people can follow them (specifically her 13 year old daughter).
Before you even get to a recipe, Chelsea goes over some of the fundamentals. Notes on measurements (an important note on tablespoons)… things that are good to have versus important to have. For those who want to get a bit more experimental or who want to personalise the recipes a bit, she notes the ways to change the flavour profile of dishes, too salty, too sweet etc and what to do to shift them.
The actual recipes are divided into weekly meal plans (but as noted… these are just an idea… you can mix and match as you like). They are grouped into colours as well so you can quickly find the right part of the book for the recipe you’re after. Cooking times and elements are clearly listed. Ingredients are easy to find on the left and the steps are clearly laid out to the right. Notes are also provided for the dishes with tips on how you can store leftovers, substitutions and so on.
I attempted a couple of the dishes and they seemed to go down well with my family (so that’s a good tick of approval on it’s own). I even muddled up some elements of both (not a fault of the book… I was just distracted and not paying enough attention)… as a testament to how good the recipes are… they still came out tasting lovely and were well received.
Another thing I really love about Chelsea’s books is that they provide a good range of flavour options. Meals from different nationalities provides a lovely mix of tastes and also helps us appreciate different cultures. It’s an affordable and easy enough way to explore different culinary treats from around the world.
Final Thoughts:
If you are just getting started with your cooking experience… perhaps you’ve just moved out of home for the first time or you’ve had a big move and no longer have your old cooking books, Money-Saving Meal Plans With Chelsea is a great book to get you going. Accessible but not cutting out on complexity of flavour… it makes tasty, healthy meals a possibility for even the most novice of cook. Highly recommended for everyone’s recipe book collection.
About the Author
Chris O'Connor Father of four, husband of one and all round oddity. Gaming at home since about 1982 with a Sinclair ZX Spectrum. Moving on to the more traditional PC genre in the years that followed with the classic Jump Joe and Alley Cat. CGA, EGA, VGA and beyond PC's have been central to my gaming but I've also enjoyed consoles and hand helds along the way (who remembers the Atari Lynx?). Would have been actor/film maker, jack of many trades master of none.
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