Skinny Suppers By Brooke Griffin
18.46
What I Liked (The pros)
- Well organized and beautifully designed
- Contains a variety of 125 recipes for various dietary needs and preferences
- The recipes I tried are easy and delicious
- Contains useful tips on making family dinner time special and meal planning
A Few Cautions (The Cons)
- Some recipes (not all) use more processed ingredients than I prefer
- Processed or packaged ingredients are typically listed by brandname
Skinny Suppers cookbook by Brooke Griffin offers 125 lightened up meal recipes along with dinner time tips and meal planning advice. The recipes typically result in meals containing 350 or fewer calories. Best of all, they are easy to prepare and delicious!
I received a review copy of Skinny Suppers by Brooke Griffin and the publisher also gave me permission to share a couple of the recipes. I previously shared this delicious Asparagus Fries with Lemon Garlic Aioli and will share one more delicious recipe later this week!
My Review of Skinny Suppers By Brooke Griffin
Skinny Supers is a beautifully designed book that contains a nice variety of recipes. I find the author Brooke Griffin’s approach compatible with the Feeling Fit lifestyle of healthy moderation. Some of the recipes do not appeal to me personally, but others do. That is the great thing about a book that offers 125 recipes — there is likely something for everyone!
The recipes are also adaptable according to your preferences. For example, I made the Veggie and Cheese Manicotti (page 138). I chose this recipe as I had some left over homemade tomato sauce. The recipe called for a jar of commercial pasta sauce, but that was an easy swap. I also forgot to purchase mozzarella cheese, so I made it using the required ricotta cheese and fresh parmesan cheese. The meal was still delicious and I loved the author’s technique of using oven ready lasagne to create manicotti. It is so much easier than the messy job of stuffing manicotti shells!
In my observation, this is representative of all the recipes. The author shares time-saving tips as well as lightened up recipes. The intention is healthy family suppers that don’t take excessive time to prepare. I respect the goal, but I am afraid some of my pros and cons may contradict this statement.
What I Like About Skinny Suppers
- The sheer variety of meal ideas offers something for just about every family
- The suppertime conversation starter ideas offer a unique touch. Brooke Griffin is a strong advocate of family dinner time for a variety of reasons described in the book. In addition to the recipes, she offers several suppertime conversation topic ideas to make your family dinners extra special.
- Most of the recipes are quick and easy, some require a little extra prep time but these recipes can be reserved for special family dinners. I like to cook from scratch, but I don’t like to spend too much time cleaning up afterward. For that reason, I love slow cooker and one pot meals during the week. Skinny Suppers contains these types of recipes.
- I like that Skinny Suppers provides recipes for easy, homemade versions of popular processed foods such as fish sticks, pizza, mac and cheese, and other kid’s favorites!
- The book is beautifully designed.
- I like Brooke Griffin’s tips on meal planning, organizing for grocery shopping, shopping and organizing the kitchen.
A Couple Concerns
- I minimize my use of packaged and processed foods. I still consume some, but I felt that some of the recipes used too many processed ingredients. I realize some may appreciate this as it does mean the recipes are a little quicker and easier to prepare. I admit, when I decided to overcome my kitchen phobia I started with recipes similar to this that were a mix of fresh ingredients and processed ingredients. So this technique is a gateway to cooking from scratch for some people!
- The recipes name specific brands in the processed food ingredients. This is both a pro and a con. It does make it easier for users to choose the right product so the nutritional information is correct. However, I prefer recipe books with non-branded ingredients.
Summary Skinny Suppers by Brooke Griffin
The following description was submitted by Skinny Super’s publisher William Morrow:
Inspired by the popularity of Skinny Mom’s recipes, the recipes in SKINNY SUPPERS are simple, satisfying, and lower in fat and calories (most under 350 calories per serving), allowing those at all cooking levels to feel confident in the kitchen.Each recipe includes nutritional information, Skinny Sense tips on ingredient swaps, Quick and Easy time-saving shortcuts, Twice as Nice tips on dishes that are even better the second time around, and Suppertime Chat ideas to get and keep the family conversation going. Made with easy-to-find ingredients, these are quick to prepare recipes like:
· Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers (p52)
· Loaded “Baked Potato” Casserole (p87)
· Greek Turkey Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce (p106)
· Cheesy Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna Rolls (p136)
· Deep Dish BBQ Hawaiian Skillet Pizza (p164)
· Vegetarian Tikka Masala (p257)Perfect for the busy home cook with no time to spare, SKINNY SUPPERS provides reliable recipes and tips, inspiration and ideas, encouragement and excitement throughout the cookbook. Filled with photos, easy step-by-step instructions, and nutritional information, SKINNY SUPPERSis the first step in getting the family together for supper!
Skinny Supper Details At-A-Glance
- Hardcover: 320 pages
- Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks (March 22, 2016)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0062419153
- ISBN-13: 978-0062419156
- Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 1 x 9.1 inches
- e-Book File Size: 40475 KB (Kindle version)
About Brooke Griffin
The following biography was submitted by Brooke Griffin’s publicist:
Brooke Griffin grew up in Kentucky where Sunday Suppers were a staple of her childhood. She fondly remembers squeezing into her granny’s tiny country house after church along with her large extended family to eat home-cooked meals and pray. After being the first person in her family to graduate college, Brooke went on to realize her childhood dream of cheerleading in the NFL. She has appeared in national magazines including Oxygen, Women’s Fitness, Redbook, American Baby, GQ, and on national television, including on ABC, NBC, CBS, ESPN, and Fox. She lives in Kentucky with her son Easton.
Where to Purchase Skinny Suppers by Brooke Griffin
Skinny Suppers is available through many popular book retailers possibly including your favorite book retailer!
The following link is an affiliate referral link. This means that if you click and make a purchase then Feeling Fit receives a modest commission at no extra cost to the shopper.
- Skinny Suppers by Brooke Griffin is available on Amazon
- Skinny Suppers by Brooke Griffin Kindle version
More information is also available at Skinny Suppers Cookbook on skinnymoms.com
Feeling Fit Talking Points:
Does your family regularly sit down to supper? What special memories do you have of dinner time? What is your favorite healthy, quick meal?
This looks like a great cookbook! Of the examples given of some of the meals, my family would eat everyone of them!
Both my husband and I eat far too many processed foods, so I would be hypocritical to complain about them in a cookbook. But as long as they are used sparingly, I am sure it is not really a problem; these recipes sound delicious (just look at those Asparagus Fries!!), and recipes at 350 calories a serving is a winner in my book!
I love my cook books. I’m always looking for more recipes. Always great to see the different kinds.
I agree…those asparagus look awesome! I will admit, I consume processed foods, but would like to try to eliminate someone them. Any book that has recipes with 350 calories or less is a big plus!
Those asparagus fries just simply amazing! I”m okay with a few processed foods in our diet; we just limit them … but I can understand why you personally would view that as a “con”. Very very well written out review! Thank you!