Lifestyle Book Reviews

Book Review: Kosher by Design Lightens Up

By Sandy Amazeen Nov 17, 2008, 0:48 GMT

This sixth volume in Susie Fishbein\'s celebrated Kosher by Design cookbook series was crafted with your good health in mind! Kosher by Design Lightens Up is a gorgeous culinary guide, bursting with easy-to-do ideas for eating and feeling better. This cookbook teaches healthy cooking and food combining techniques, with special commentary by certified nutritional expert Bonnie Taub-Dix, spokesperson for the American Dietetic Assn. Susie says, These nutritious recipes are ...more

Fishbein’s latest cookbook expands upon her popular Kosher by Design series with a collection of lighter, healthier recipes created to appeal to the entire family. A brief introduction to the kosher kitchen, supermarket savvy, a superfoods chart, entertaining ideas and assorted ingredient related information set the tone. Each recipe includes a lavish color photograph that is helpful for getting the presentation of some entries like the Bouquet of Smoked Salmon and Beets, which features salmon “roses”, just right.

Despite appearances, most dishes are not overly fussy and don’t call for unusual ingredients requiring a special effort to locate. Many, like the Teriyaki Butternut Squash Rounds, are quite inventive as they use commonplace ingredients in unexpected ways. Use of healthier oils, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and less sugar help trim empty calories while maintaining flavor and family appeal. Although nutritional highlights are given for most recipes, it would have been nice to include the calories, grams of fat, sodium and protein per serving. Overall, this book lives up to its title by demonstrating how easy it is to eat healthy and still keep kosher.