Gordon Ramsay's Healthy Appetite: Book Review
Celebrity Chef's Selection of Low-Fat Recipes
Mar 14, 2009
Celebrity chefs like Nigella Lawson have recently been criticised for using lots of high calorie, fatty ingredients in their recipes: too much butter, sugar and cream say the critics. But Michelin-starred chef Gordon Ramsay, noted for his commitment to marathon running (and marathon swearing sessions), bucks this trend in his cookery book Healthy Appetite (pub. Quadrille £20). It features over 125 recipes that are designed to show you how easy it is to make healthy meals that also taste delicious.
Good Ingredients
Gordon Ramsay doesn’t advocate cutting out all indulgent ingredients like butter and cream, but suggests that you only use a little when it will: “really enhance the flavour of a dish”. He says that one of the keys to healthy eating is choosing the right ingredients – not just lean cuts of meat, but food that is in season so that it is packed with nutrients and flavour. He also emphasises the importance of local food – the fewer miles it has to travel, the better.
Cut Calories by Steaming or Poaching
The right cooking methods can also cut calories. If you love fried food, make sure you use a good non-stick frying pan, as Gordon Ramsay says this will keep the oil you’ll need to a minimum. And just use a little light olive oil – that’s all you need. Other cooking methods that make for healthy eating include steaming (great for keeping all the nutrients in vegetables); poaching and braising. And if you love roast meats, remember to use a roasting rack to all ow any excess fat to drip from the joint before you carve it.
A Healthy English Breakfast
Healthy Appetite is divided into chapters that focus on different meals. So there’s a section on healthy breakfasts, which includes a delicious sounding recipe for walnut and cheese scones, as well as a healthy version of a full English breakfast. The brunch section includes a dainty spinach and goat’s cheese soufflé (possibly not the average cook’s idea of a relaxed dish to make on a Sunday morning), while the ‘working lunch’ chapter has a hearty spiced lentil soup.
Fish Cakes for a Healthy Supper
For Sunday lunch, Ramsay has recipes ranging from Baked Sea Bass with Lemon Couscous to a Venison Pie with a Sweet Potato Topping. And when you come home feeling tired after work, you could refer to his chapter on healthy suppers which includes Fish Cakes with an Anchovy Dressing, and a vitamin and iron packed dish of Calves Liver with Caramelised Onions. The book has ideas for healthy food for kids – the chicken burgers should prove a winner; and some sophisticated meals for entertaining.
Ricotta Cheesecake for Dessert
If you’ve got a sweet tooth, you’ll be sure to plunge into the chapter at the end of the book devoted to healthy desserts. These are surprisingly varied and offer great ideas for anyone who finds it impossible to cut treats from their diet. Gordon Ramsay’s recipes range from a delicate yoghurt sorbet (a low-fat alternative to ice cream) and poached pears in mulled wine, to a low-fat Ricotta Cheesecake with Orange and Cinnamon. This isn’t a diet book, but it’s got plenty of good ideas for anyone who loves their food but wants to eat healthily too.
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