Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook Review

"If you've read Kim Barnouin's book Skinny Bitch you know the book isn't necessarily about being skinny or a bitch. It's about knowing about the food you are putting into your body and learning overall good eating habits. By good eating habits she doesn't mean just eating everything it says in the food pyramid either. Now Barnouin is taking the success and knowledge gained from Skinny Bitch and channeling herself even further into the world of healthy eating with Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook.

In Ultimate Everyday Cookbook you'll find a wealth of information alongside the fantastic recipes; including what's in your food, how to cut certain foods out, which fruit and veggies have a higher pesticide rating and why in the world she's writing about all this! With her trademark humor, abrasive attitude, yet highly factually backed up data she delves further into the world of the kitchen. This everyday cookbook is simply that, recipes you can cook weekly and enjoy over and over again. From breakfast, to sides, to dinner and desserts you'll find something for everyone in this cookbook. She has a slew of recipes that show you just how delicious you can make a salad and soup at home, and even your own sauces and dressings.

One particularly easy and delectable soup caught my eye on page 97, Pasta, Navy Bean and Spinach Soup. This recipe is one of many classic examples of delicious and filling meatless dishes she provides. Another interesting recipe, the Wild Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto on page 239, it looks simply heavenly. I think everyone could benefit from a cookbook like this. Just like the original Skinny Bitch it will open up your eyes about the food we eat, and once they're open you won't want to shut them again."

"An in-your-face approach to changing your eating habits, Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook by Kim Barnouin offers no gentle diet talk. Kim knows what it means to live an unhealthy life. She was once a pizza addict with a need for sugar and related emotional problems. That all changed when she tried eating healthier foods and saw a marked change in her mood. Her French chef husband opened her eyes to the world of made-from-scratch and urged Kim to experiment with recipes in the kitchen. Learning from mistakes, Kim has compiled her favorite recipes and is now “bitchifying” your kitchen so that you can look and feel as great as Kim!

Cooking doesn’t have to be only an option for those of us with the time and resources to use our kitchens. Kim believes that everyone should give their kitchen hands a chance and try cooking and baking. What is her argument? Kim says that cooking your meals from scratch, rather than relying on restaurants or a microwave, is better for your wallet, the environment, your social life and mental health, and your figure!

Her meals happen to be all vegan, but, Kim argues, that is a coincidence; her meals are intended to “satisfy and fool” any palate. Yet Kim confesses that omnivores contribute a volume of greenhouse gases seven times larger than vegans, and that we have a responsibility to cut back on meat and dairy products. Her main argument rests not with sustainability, but with the unhealthy truth behind processed foods. Amid alarming statistics, Kim lists that the FDA estimates that―annually―twenty pounds of pesticides are injected into American foods, fifty of which are classified as carcinogenic pesticides.

After scaring readers into listening, Kim provides useful shopping tips, lists of foods to trust, reasons why she loves cooking and why you should too, and―finally!―some fantastic recipes. Never again will you settle for a boring meal. With the right ingredients, a welcoming kitchen atmosphere and Kim’s simple recipes, you will begin feeling and looking more like the real you, and people will notice.

My favorite recipe of Kim’s is the Pomegranate and Brussels Sprout Salad. I admit: I am not the biggest fan of Brussels sprouts. Yet, somehow, steamed Brussels sprouts mixed with zingy pomegranate seeds and splashed with balsamic vinegar (my favorite), soy sauce and olive oil is a winning combination for my mouth and stomach. This salad is refreshing and light; not overbearing yet chock-full of flavor. I will have to eliminate Brussels sprouts from my list of “Foods I Don’t Like,” thanks to Kim!

I also appreciate her humor: according to Kim, “real bitches drink tea,” for their high antioxidant content. Kim’s educated background is only made more readable with sarcasm.

No recipe listed is a cop out; Kim delivers again and again with fresh, beautiful dishes. Her knowledge for holistic healthy cooking and her persistent personality work perfectly together to instill a can-do attitude in readers. Her recipes are manageable, her positive attitude is catchy, and Skinny Bitch is a must-read for anyone looking to change their diet drastically and get drastically progressive results."
 

"Kim Barnouin, author of Skinny Bitch, is nothing if not straight forward, and when you’re dealing with the most important aspect of life—food—that is highly important. She stresses that her book is not just for women that want to be a size 2, or women that are bitchy. No, this book is for everyone that is making a conscious decision to realize the effect that food has on a person’s body.

Like most cookbooks, the pictures are making my mouth water and my mind count down the minutes until lunch. But unlike other cookbooks Skinny Bitch has the added bonus of a personality that jumps off the page while you read. I love that every recipe has a quick blurb jam packed with Kim’s wit and charm. Her observations about cooking and the role food plays in our lives make you want to drop everything and start making one of these healthy recipes for tonight’s dinner.

Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to compromise the taste of your food, which Skinny Bitch makes apparent. Whipping up “Roasted Curried Cauliflower” will make the usually boring vegetable a new family favorite veggie dish. “Coconut Banana French Toast” sounds delicious, and decadent, but the little substitutions make this breakfast meal a wise choice.

My favorite parts of this book are the tips and information hidden throughout the pages. I honestly never thought of the larger scale of effects that the foods I’m eating have on my health overall. Everything from skin care to mental health can be improved by ending the drive-thru visits and creating my own meals. Insomnia and stress can be helped by lemongrass, as can your liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder and digestive tract. If that’s not worth the extra effort to not eat off the dollar menu this weekend, I don’t know what is.

Whether you’re sick of eating the same meals every week or you’d like to make a healthy meatloaf this week, Skinny Bitch has the answers. The tips are great, and her humor is even better. It is a fun and helpful way to turn your diet around. If not for your pant size, maybe for your quality of life? Try it out!"