The Minimalist Kitchen

In our fast paced world we all want things to be simple.  It seems like we are rushing from one thing to the next and the thought of going home and cooking a healthy, delicious meal has turned into a dream rather than reality.  We live in one of the most well-fed counties and yet the majority of us are malnourished due to poor eating habits.  Simply put, we are killing ourselves, and it's high time that we put a stop to this epidemic, one kitchen at a time.

In The Minimalist Kitchen, Melissa Coleman takes us back to our cooking roots.  She takes cooking to an artistic level while keeping things simple.

The book starts with a note from the author defining what minimalism is and what it means to have a minimalistic kitchen.  Ms. Coleman then tells more about her background and how she herself became a minimalist.  She also includes helpful charts like a seasonal produce guide and metric equivalents, which is great for beginner cooks like myself.

Though the cover is quite simplistic, the inside of the book is chock full of incredibly gorgeous photos, with pictures of the author and her family sprinkled throughout, really giving it a homey feel.  What really charmed me about this book is the little stories that the author has at the beginning of each of her recipes.  It gives the instructions a more personable feel and you can tell that each recipe written was written with great thought and love.

There are a lot of wonderful tips through the book as well as many recipes that I myself have never tried or even heard of before, like the Roasted Chickepea Bánh Mì Salad, but most of the recipes are familiar recipes that all of us have either eaten or made, like Peach Cobbler, but the author puts her own unique spin each and every one, and shows you the minimalistic way to make them.  The recipes are also very easy to follow and the author does give variations to many of her recipes so you can feel comfortable substituting if you wish.

One common thread throughout The Minimalist Kitchen is the author's use of "high-quality mayonnaise."  You will see this ingredient used in a lot of her recipes.  She does mention that this is one of her staples, and does give a good explanation why, I just thought it was worth mentioning.

My only compliant is that I wish the author would've taken more care with people who have nut allergies.  I myself have a almond allergy and there are quite a few dessert recipes that I can't eat and am not sure if I can substitute the almonds for another nut or omit altogether.  This most likely isn't the authors fault and more mine for not being a more seasoned chef and knowing these type of things.

I really enjoyed The Minimalist Kitchen cookbook and can see me putting quite a few of the recipes into my monthly meal rotation.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Time Inc. Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.  All opinions are my own.