Customer Reviews

What Else is to Eat? The Dairy-, Egg-, and Nut-Free Food Allergy Cookbook

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I already own a well-worn copy of Linda Coss's first cookbook "What's to Eat?", so I eagerly anticipated her newest selection of recipes. I wasn't disappointed. Many people are amazed that I cook and bake such GOOD food without dairy, eggs or nuts. I credit Linda for creating many of our favorites.

Here's a scrumptious sample of what we've been eating this week from "What Else is to Eat?":

Iced Honey Cookies (page 126)- we took these to a friend's house for dinner. They were a huge hit...easy to make and yummy to eat!

Spaghetti and Meatball Soup (page 26)- "This is really good, Mom!" was all I needed to hear.

Slow Cooker Beef With Rosemary and Potatoes (page 37)- Crockpots make life a bit easier, don't they? In just a few minutes I had everything in the slow cooker and voila', eight hours later, a delicious meal. Next time I'll chop the rosemary finely as my children picked off the "green pieces".

Linda's Signature Grilled Chicken (page 49)- Just four ingredients in a zip-top bag, with some chicken. I didn't grill, though, as our high temperature was 38 degrees that day, but it worked fine in the oven.

Disappearing Chocolate Oatmeal Delights (page 124)- these really did disappear in our house!

Coss's first recipe book ("What's to Eat?") is perfect for those who need basic food allergy recipes for items like pancakes, waffles, chocolate chip cookies and plain white cake. I find Linda's second book, "What Else is to Eat?", ideal for those of us who have the essentials, but are now hungry for the next level. Get them both and amaze your family and friends with delicious dishes.

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As a neighbor of Linda Coss I had the good fortune of being both a "recipe taster" and "recipe tester" for this book. Although no one in my household has food allergies, I can honestly say that I LOVE this cookbook! Some of my favorites include the Orange County Salmon Salad (better than a restaurant salad), Hoisin Chicken, and Family-Style Slow Cooker Chicken. My 10-year-old son regularly asks me to make Jason's 4-Star Brisket and the Sloppy Joe Wraps (a really great choice for after soccer or baseball practice, when we're both starving and I have no time to cook). Of course, we enjoy all of the baked goods, too (although I'm not a baker myself).

As a busy single dad I don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. These recipes are fast, easy, and delicious. A big thumbs up!

This book takes "fast & easy meals" to a whole new level-- I can't believe such delicious dishes can be made so easily, and with every-day ingredients! This cookbook offers essential cooking and baking tips, outlines simple ways to jazz up familiar meals, and inspires savory, allergy-friendly dishes that everyone will love. Whether you are planning a dinner party, hosting a barbecue, or feeding picky kiddos, this book's for you--it's got something for everyone!

I had the honor to be a recipe tester for this book, so I got a sneak preview of some of the recipes ... and I liked what I tasted!

For my part, I tested and fell in love with the Pineapple Fried Rice (a brilliant blend of flavors), Kevin's Carrots (maple glazed, yum!), and the Dilled Pan-Roasted Carrots (can you tell I like carrots?). Time wise, I still haven't managed to make my way through the many recipes I want to make, such as the Wholesome Snack Muffins, Spaghetti and Meatball Soup, Hoisin Chicken, Everyday Barbecue Sauce, Molasses Chewies, and the Incredible Apricot Coffee Cake (with a name like that, how can I pass it up?). But, considering how easy her recipes are to throw together, I will likely find myself reaching for this cookbook to whip up one of the many dinner recipes when we are down to the basics in our cupboard and fridge.

Linda keeps it simple with recipes that use everyday pantry items and have relatively few ingredients. In fact, it is easy to picture her kitchen: your basic selection of easy to find dried herbs and spices; necessities such as white and wheat flour, brown and white sugars, cooking oil, dairy-free margarine, vinegar, rice, broth, canned fruits and vegetables, inexpensive dried fruits, and a small assortment of pasta shapes; and some "shortcut" condiments that you can find in nearly every grocery store, such as bottled garlic and ginger, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, chili sauce, Dijon mustard, and perhaps a jar of sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil. Add some fresh fruits and vegetables to your cart, along with some chicken and beef, and you can make most of the recipes in this book while keeping well within (even below) budget!

As for the vitals, the cookbook is a handy size (roughly 8.5" x 5.5"), contains 115 recipes, and covers the basic range of soups, salads, meals, vegetables, breakfast items, snacks, and desserts. Linda moves away from the norm, taking a practical approach to chapters. Rather than "entrees" the chapters are broken down to type, like Beef, Chicken, and Pasta, and rather than "desserts" you will find chapters for Cookies and Cakes. Those few that don't possess a sizable enough category, fit snuggly into the Miscellaneous chapter. The layout is extremely neat and tidy, with just one recipe per page (many with room for notes).

I've had this book for about 2 months now and I've got to say it's the best food allergy cookbook in my collection. I like it even better than Linda's first book, which I've always viewed as my "food allergy cooking bible." Every recipe I've tried has been a big hit with the entire household. I especially appreciate how ridiculously quick and easy the dinner recipes are. I work full time and don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. "Four Ingredient Chicken," "California Flank Steak" (preparation time: 5 minutes), "Seven Minute Soup" -- now this is the way I like to cook! If you're trying to make delicious dairy-, egg-, and nut-free meals that the whole family will enjoy, but you can't spend all day cooking (or all week running all over town looking for oddball ingredients), you've got to get this book.

Ms. Coss' new cookbook WHAT ELSE IS TO EAT? is just as good, if not better, than her first one! Of course, I headed straight to the dessert sections of the cookbook because that's what I find the most fun to cook (and eat.) There are so many "real" recipes for bread, muffins, cookies and cake. In addition, I really liked the soup recipes that were included in the cookbook as well as many of the chicken ones. The ingredients are all regular, normal, healthy things that I can find at my local grocery store. And, the recipes were for normal foods that my entire family would eat. So often, I find myself cooking something different for my son because none of us want to eat foods that are dairy-, egg-, and nut-free.

What I most loved about this book was how quick and simple the recipes are. I'm not a gourmet chef, and I really don't have the time or inclination to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I thought Ms. Coss' recipes were very do-able and healthy to boot! There were also quite a few slow-cooker recipes which work well with moms' and kids' busy schedules. I can definitely see myself trying out many of the main dish recipes in the next few weeks.

Linda Coss is a gifted artist with an intuitive sense of
combining ingredients. As someone who is extremely particular
about what they eat, I find the recipes contained within Linda's
newest cookbook to be nutritious, made of fresh ingredients, and
with a plethora of mouth-watering flavors. I cannot get enough
of the Orange County Salmon Salad, Linda's Signature Grilled
Chicken, Four Ingredient Chicken, Italian Vegetable Sauté, and
other favorites. For those with or without food allergies,
Linda's newest cookbook is highly recommended.

Whether you have a food allergy or not, you MUST get this cookbook. I'm a busy working mom who is challenged to quickly put together healthy and tasty homecooked meals for my food-allergic family. Linda's cookbooks have given me the solution. The recipes are easy with clear directions, and they come out great every time. I like that most recipes use everyday ingredients that we usually have on hand, and they are delicious! I also love that these recipes don't taste like "special allergy-safe dishes" that compromise on taste. Not at all! They are just good recipes for yummy dishes, and they happen to be safe for those with these allergies. I have a ton of cookbooks and love to cook... but seriously, I almost always use Linda's recipes, whether I'm cooking for my family, or a potluck, or a dinner party. And people always ask for the recipes. Try the Apricot Glazed Salmon, the Spinach and Apple Salad, the Iced Honey Cookies, the Fudge Filled Banana Muffins...the list goes on and on. Take the stress out of figuring out what to cook...buy this book (and Linda's first one). You will wonder how you ever lived without it.

My son has allergies to rice, dairy/milk, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, seeds, and shellfish. It is very challenging to cook for him and our family. I have tried many cookbooks that claim to be food allergy friendly and have been very disappointed. Many of them will claim to be a dairy-free, egg-free cookbook. But the recipes still call for milk and eggs and there is a note at the bottom that says to omit these if there is an allergy. What kind of solution is that? Linda's two cookbooks are WONDERFUL. The recipes are simple and straightforward to follow. And they are truly egg-free, dairy-free and nut-free. And the end product is delicious. It is truly a cookbook I can use to cook for our whole family. I have primarily used the recipes for baked good such as muffins, breads, cookies, bars, cakes, and frosting and have been pleased with everything so far. I highly recommend this cookbook for anyone with food allergies or who is cooking for someone with food allergies. It has been a lifesaver for me. My son's favorite breakfast food is the pumpkin bread that was included in the first cookbook. I always have a supply of it in the freezer! Thanks Linda!

When one has allergies, one faces a different sort of challenge when facing something as common as dinner. "What Else to Eat?: The Dairy-, Egg-, and Nut-Free Food Allergy Cookbook" is a cookbook aimed at those who face dairy, egg, and nut allergies. With recipes on everything from soups and pasta, to Fish, Beef, and Chicken, to sweet treats like cookies and cake, "What Else to Eat?" is a must for allergic chefs or chefs who cook for allergic audiences, recommended.