Skinnytaste Simple

Introduction


Over the years, I’ve met so many people who have told me they want to eat healthier, but they don’t like to cook. Their reasoning is that it’s too hard, too much work, or they don’t have time. And to be honest, anytime I see a recipe in a cookbook that has a long list of ingredients, I usually avoid it myself! When I have a lot going on, I’m lucky if I get a healthy meal on the table every night, so cooking complicated recipes that require a lot of time is certainly a luxury. Even though I’m often short on time, I love cooking at home and knowing what goes into the food I’m eating.

That’s why this cookbook is filled with healthy recipes that use no more than 7 ingredients. I want to make feeding yourself and your family good-for-you meals easier than ever. Whether you’re busy, tired, a beginner cook, looking for budget-friendly meals—or all of the above!—this book is for you.

My hope is to get everyone to enjoy cooking their own homemade meals, and with these recipes, there are no excuses. We are all busy but still want to eat well, so this book is both simple to cook from and doesn’t require a large shopping list, which also means saving more money at the grocery store.

How do you create flavorful dishes with minimum fuss? I have a few tricks: finding winning flavor and ingredient combinations; using super fresh in-season produce; seasoning with lots of bright herbs, spices, and citrus; and utilizing condiments and sauces that pack a lot of flavor. I’ve made it as simple as possible to cook nutritious and delicious food, with just 7 ingredients or fewer, any night of the week. The dishes in this book have become recipes I repeat over and over in my home, and I can’t wait for you to try them, too.

Not only are the recipes in these pages simple and easy, but they can also help you stick to your wellness goals. I made sure to include plenty of protein in each dish because it’s satiating, so you can fill up on simple, tasty foods without going overboard on portion sizes. Many of the recipes are also veggie-packed and include lightened-up versions of your favorite indulgences, like Baked Beef Stew with Butternut Squash (page 218) and Instant Pot Spaghetti Rings with Beef (page 205). Since all of the recipes are short, I focused on the quality of ingredients and flavors over quantity. The result is a book jam-packed with nutritious dishes that couldn’t be simpler to make.

There’s everything from breakfast items to recipes for sharing with friends to a whole chapter on soups and main-dish salads, to dinner recipes. I’ve also included desserts like Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango (page 293) and Mini Blueberry Swirl Cheesecakes (page 273) that you can enjoy anytime. To make things even simpler, there are a lot of sheet pan recipes, such as Sheet Pan Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons (page 91), as well as one-pot dishes like One-Pot Creamy Gnocchi with Chicken and Leeks (page 185), and even some Instant Pot and air fryer recipes like Instant Pot “Baked” Ziti with Spinach (page 115) and Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks (page 175).

When I first started exploring this concept, I have to admit I was hesitant—I thought it would be tough. How do you cut back on ingredients without losing flavor? But I love a good challenge, so I had a lot of fun testing these recipes. Even with so few ingredients, these recipes are packed with flavor and turned out to be some of my favorites from any of my cookbooks. And since this is my 7th cookbook, it felt like a 7-ingredient cookbook was meant to be.

I hope you enjoy the simplicity of this cookbook and love it as much as I do! It’s sure
to become a favorite on your bookshelf, and it’s the perfect book to share with friends or family members who love easy, healthy meals as much as you do. If you share a meal from this book on social media, be sure to tag me so I can see what you’re cooking and reshare on my social channels. I love seeing everyone’s favorite cookbook recipes in action!