Weekend Cooking: Skinnytaste One & Done

I'm probably the last person in the universe to jump on the Skinnytaste bandwagon. I know, I know, especially because you all have had only wonderful things to say about the cookbooks and about Gina Homolka's website.

When her newest cookbook Skinnytaste One & Done came out last fall (Clarkson Potter, October 2018), I zipped over to my library's site, only to see that I was on a long, long wait list. My turn finally came about 10 days ago.

I was so afraid that the ebook would expire before I had a chance to explore it, I decided that all our dinners this past week would come from that cookbook.

You want the fast answer? Buy, buy, buy! That's what I did, and my very own copy is on its way to me right now.

First off, I really liked the premise of this book: All dinners require exactly one pot, pan, or appliance. Can you say "fast cleanup"? The traditional cooking methods use a skillet, Dutch oven, or sheet pan, and the appliances are the electric pressure cooker, slow cooker, and air fryer. I can already hear you saying, "Wait! What if I don't have one of those machines?" Homolka is a step ahead of you, and offers alternative cooking methods that don't require a gadget.

Second, I so appreciate that each recipe is clearly marked for quick (under 30 minutes), vegetarian, gluten free, dairy free, and freezer friendly. That's such a help when I'm cooking for friends or family with dietary restrictions. And if you happen to be on Weight Watchers, the Skinnytaste website lists up-to-date points for each recipe in the book. Nice.

All the recipes we tried from Skinnytaste One & Done were very good (truly) and full of flavor. So often cookbook recipes are too bland for us, but each meal we tried was perfectly seasoned. I was also impressed that the number of servings seemed fairly accurate, at least for the way we eat.

I made a chicken soup (recipe below) in the pressure cooker, which had just the right level of heat. The curry-flavored roasted vegetables, a sheet pan dinner (shown at the right), was delicious as is but would also be good over rice or couscous. Note that I didn't make the green chutney but used my own homemade fruit chutney instead.

Finally, I made the lamb stew in the pressure cooker. This too was delicious and perfectly seasoned. In full disclosure, I need to say that I made two changes. First, I cut the cooking time from 35 minutes to 25 minutes. Why? Because I've been using a pressure cooker since the 1990s and I've never cooked lamb stew that long. Second, I didn't add the canned beans until after I released the pressure, stirring them in at the end. I was afraid they'd turn to mush.

I ordered my copy of Gina Homolka's Skinnytaste One & Done before the week was over. I can't wait to cook my way through this book. Note: if you have a pressure cooker and are still not sure what to make in it, buy this book. I promise you will find plenty to try.

Scans and recipe come from the cookbook and are used here for review purposes. All rights remain with the original copyright holders. The review copy of the book came from the library, but I've already added the book to my personal collection.

Click image to enlarge recipe. Enjoy!

NOTE: This recipe is a perfect addition to Deb's (from Kahakai Kitchen) Souper Sunday link-up. Follow the link for full information. The short take: it's a place to share soup, sandwich, and salad recipes. Join in or just check out the great recipes!

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Weekend Cooking is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book reviews (novel, nonfiction), cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs, restaurant reviews, travel information, or fun food facts. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

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