Customer Reviews

Mariel's Kitchen: Simple Ingredients for a Delicious and Satisfying Life

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have been eagerly awaiting Mariel Hemingway's first cookbook since "Healthy Living From the Inside Out," her first publication, was released years ago. I am happy to report that "Mariel's Kitchen" does not disappoint.

This cookbook emphasizes local, fresh and organic ingredients. It is a good companion to "Super Natural Cooking," a similar cookbook by Heidi Swanson.

I enjoy Hemingway's book better, however, for a number of reasons. For a "natural" cookbook, the ingredients here are much more accessible. You won't have to rush out and buy five new kinds of flour and hard-to-find regional ingredients. Also, this book is NOT vegetarian, which I appreciate. I try to eat naturally, but I do not intend to give up chicken, fish, and beef. (Hemingway is mindful to note when vegetarian substitutions can be made for those who feel otherwise.)

Overall, I would recommend this book to any cook interested in farmers' markets, natural cooking, or simply healthful eating. It is full of beautiful pictures, comprehensive lists of seasonal fruits and vegetables, and recipes organized by season. Hemingway also offers some interesting tips on going "green" and how to best utilize local resources.

Highly recommended!

As I grow older, I have really focused on the whole issue of food. It is always amazing to me just how powerful what we put in our bodies can be! and I am also amazed at how much crap there is out there and how easy it is to buy.

Along cames Mariel's first book which got me thinking alot about the whole process, including detoxing, etc. I have always admired Mariel and felt that she was a survivor. I was extremely thrilled to finally, finally get her cookbook, as her first book had a few recipes (one of which I use all the time and love) but did not come close to having enough recipes to keep me happy.

Well, I am certainly happy with this cookbook. Once again, Mariel's second book is beautifully illustrated using beautiful colors and great pictures of Mariel, preparing, serving and actually eating the food, but more importantly of the finished product. Since I am not a great cook, I appreciate having pictures of the meals to make sure that I am not completely off target when I created them.

As for the recipes themselves, I have already done 5 of them and they are extremely easy and tasty. I am a little scared of using things like real butter and coconut oil, but Mariel's point (as she writes in the book) is interesting - basically saying that if we remove the "perceived no nos" of food and simply enjoy healthy, satisfying foods within reasonable portions, our bodies will not crave what it does not need. I also appreciate the comments and thoughts that Hemingway sprinkles along in the book.

There are only two things that I thought were a little less interesting. The first one is that she has sectioned this book by seasons, which is a tad difficult to work with if you are looking for breakfast recipes for example as these are kind of here and there and not located under "breakfast". Also, I live in Montreal and let me tell you that the foods Mariel considers "in season" for her summer or winter, are definitely not necessarily the same as mine.

Secondly, and this one is a biggie - the ingredients that Mariel uses are top notch - which, of course, is wonderful for the body (not to mention the taste buds) but they are extremely, extremely expensive and a bit of a challenge to find. I had to run to 3 different health food stores to get the variety of flours and other "staples" that Mariel recommends and when I did buy the 3 flours ( 1 lb each of coconut, brown rice, Almond), Xanthan Gum and White Balsamic Vinegar, I ended up paying $75.00. Yikes! that is really what I consider sticker price shock!!!!! Which may be no problem for people who are saying "well, it beats the price of junk food", but since I don't really spend $$$on junk food in the first place, I simply gulped down the price tag and told myself it was worth it.

Having said that however, I have to say that the recipes really are delicious and I am in love with this book. I am already dying to read Mariel's follow up cookbook with more great, great recipes.

I have been cooking since I was a child. My first experiences in the kitchen were with my grandmother, preparing dishes common to the Southern Region of the United States, though we actually lived in Southern California. As much as my grandmother enjoyed cooking, canning and baking, her daughter, my mother, did not, so everything I learned about maneuvering around a kitchen, I learned from my grandma. (I used to think that perhaps the cooking gene skips a generation, but fortunately, my three daughters enjoy cooking and they are all quite talented in the kitchen.) The most important thing I learned from grandma was to prepare meals with love. Feeding her family was an extension of her love for them, especially her grandchildren. She grew up poor, in Texas, and she knew how to stock a pantry and stretch a meal better than anyone I have ever known. Grandma made the most of what was in season and used canning and the freezer so nothing ever went to waste. Reading Mariel Hemingway's latest book, Mariel's Kitchen, Simple Ingredients for a Delicious and Satisfying Life reminds me of my grandmother, and how she inspired in me a love for good, seasonally fresh, lovingly prepared meals.

To tell you the truth, it is rare that I actually purchase a cookbook. Having cooked for as many years as I have, and having four children with endless food allergies requiring special diets, I have spent the better part of my time in the kitchen the last 25 years developing my own recipes. I first heard about Mariel's Kitchen on Twitter, the social media site. What jumped out at me was the fact that recipes in Mariel's Kitchen were gluten-free. I had to check it out, since at least half of my family and most of my friends follow a gluten-free diet.

This is where I start to gush about a cookbook, and I do so without embarrassment. I first sought to try some new gluten-free recipes, and I found a simply lovely and now cherished cookbook, so unexpectedly aligned with my personal philosophies about food, the environment; and the connection between mind, body and spirit. Mariel's Kitchen is probably the first cookbook that ever made its way to my bedside table, which is usually reserved for books of inspiration by authors like Pema Chodron, Echkart Tolle and Byron Katie. In its own way, Mariel's Kitchen is a book of inspiration. Ms. Hemingway writes, "So how do we make real food a part of real, everyday life? That is what this book is about." Real food; do we even know what real food is anymore? Mariel's Kitchen does a good job of reminding us that real food does not come from the freezer section of the local grocery store.

Ms. Hemingway goes on to describe the importance of developing a "repertoire of doable, nutritious recipes that are tasty enough to repeat and that share lots of ingredients." In a nutshell, Mariel's Kitchen is for anyone with a busy schedule who desires to eat healthy, delicious, nutritionally dense, easy to prepare, affordable, practical meals. I think that describes most of us, right?

If you are new to preparing gluten-free recipes you will appreciate the chapter on Pantry Essentials. Some of the ingredients in the recipes in Mariel's Kitchen might be new to some readers, and I commend Ms. Hemingway for including a very thorough list of resources at the back of the book for the novice.

In addition to the wonderful recipes, Mariel's Kitchen is a feast for the eyes. The photography is beautiful. I have spent many evenings with a cup of tea, just leafing through the book, enjoying the photos and planning menus.

Without hesitation, I highly recommend Mariel's Kitchen as a first cookbook, or as an addition to a well established library of cookbooks, and especially if you are interested in following a gluten-free diet.

Pretty good cookbook. After seeing a recent televised interview with her, I am delighted to see that this is a credible celebrity-authored cookbook. Mariel Hemingway begins with a simple statement (Page 1): "My kitchen is the heart of my home. It is where my day begins and where my day ends." Her focus is simplicity and healthy recipes.

As many cookbooks, this begins with background material, such as key ingredients in the pantry (e.g., coconut oil, vinegars, relevant herbs and spices), seasonings that go with different foods (think cilantro with chicken), her core recipes (e.g., breakfast smoothie, spinach pancakes).

There follows a season by season set of recipes, based on what is fresh each season.

Spring? Spring produce is listed on page 59 (such as arugula and kohlrabi). Recipes? Grilled shrimp salad over spinach, almond and garlic-crusted chicken breasts. Then, on to seasonal recipes for summer, fall, and winter.

Summer? Hemingway notes that this is her favorite season. Once more she begins with summer produce, such as apricots, basil, collards, okra, peaches, and so on. The opening recipe is interesting and quite doable--Tomato, tarragon and mostly egg white frittata. We make frittatas now and again, so I appreciate a good recipe here. This one takes a simple set of ingredients: egg whites, a couple eggs, parmesan, tarragon, black pepper, sea salt, butter, onion, and plum tomatoes. The steps are clearly presented and easy to follow.

Fall. An interesting dish here is Buffalo meatloaf, featuring ground free-range buffalo meat (don't laugh; I have had Bisonburgers and Bison steaks, and they're pretty good if you don't overcook them).

Winter. . . . Baked sweet potato sticks are of interest to me, because I recently began to use a similar recipe from Ina Garten. This is simpler, but still an interesting riff on sweet potato French fries.
All in all, an interesting cookbook. Worth taking a look at.

I have to say.....I have ALOT of cookbooks and am pretty adept in the kitchen but this book was inspiring, thoughtful and really yummy --not to mention totally balanced and healthy
I've made a few things already which usually when I get a new cookbook, I look through it, dream about certain things and never actually cook from it. Get this book now

This beautiful book is filled with super smart nutrition information and delicious recipes to nourish body and SOUL. Even though I am not much of a cook, these recipes are relatively easy and have awakened my inner chef.

I think that Mariel's book and cooking ideas are great. As with most cook books I've purchased you just simply have to have the time or make the time to use them. If you are into really healthy cooking give it a look. You will be surprised by the interesting ideas and recipes.

I was anxiously anticipating the arrival of this book, having read "Healthy From the Inside Out"; I'm happy to say that it was worth the wait. I love Mariel's approach to healthy living--it's simple enough for anyone to follow, and her recipes sound delicious and easy. I would recommend "Healthy From the Inside Out" as a precursor to this book--she outlines her healthy living philosophy (not just food, but a whole life approach/lifestyle change) and I found that to be incredibly helpful. Out of all the "diet/lifestyle" books I've read, hers are my favorite.

I got this cookbook for my birthday and have really been enjoying it! I have been looking for ways to eliminate some of the processed food from our diet, and there's a good variety of recipes in this book to help with that. Some of the ingredients are a little strange, and you may have to find a grocery store with a natural food section to get everything you need for some of the recipes, but it's a good way to experiment with new ingredients (no more exotic vegetables rotting in my fridge because I have no idea what to do with them!). Everything I have made so far not only tastes good and contains fresh, nutritious ingredients, but it also looks beautiful when it's done. My favorite recipes so far are the spicy nut mix and the sweet nut mix. They make a great snack without any yucky preservatives. If you get this cookbook, don't underestimate the amount of prep time the recipes take...sometimes half an hour or more. The only complaint I have about this cookbook is that she uses something called Xylosweet in many of her dessert recipes. I do not use artificial sweeteners, even the so-called "natural" ones, so I have to use organic cane sugar instead. Other than that, this is a fantastic book, and I highly recommend it!

This is a fantastic delicious and money saving approach to eating well and staying healthly and vibrant! Organized, a picture for each recipe, categorized produce by season so as to keep things not confusing as to what one should look for at grocery. I take this to the store with me. There is nothing complex about this book. It is ONE BRILLIANT BOOK! Please do yourself a favor and buy this book for you and your loved ones! Mariel's enthusiasm toward life is infectious! Very approachable and unpretentious. The absolute best asset in my kitchen!