Cookbook review | Healthier Gluten-Free by Lisa Howard | Recipe Renovator
It seems to me that there are two kinds of gluten-free eaters: ones who want to eat exactly the way they did before, only gluten-free. So they eat a ton of processed foods that may be gluten-free, but aren’t necessarily healthy. And then there’s the people who take the opportunity of changing their diet to make other big changes, using more whole grains, whole foods, and far fewer processed foods. Lisa Howard is definitely in the latter camp, and I love the concept of this bright and beautiful book, focusing on the healthy side of gluten-free eating. Read on for my review of Healthier Gluten-Free: All-Natural, Whole-Grain Recipes Made with Healthy Ingredients and Zero Fillers by Lisa Howard. We’ll be giving away one copy of this book in our August giveaway on the 29th.

This is a fantastic resource if you’re just starting out gluten-free, you’re cooking for a family, or you want to start eating more whole foods and fewer processed ingredients.
Cookbook review | Healthier Gluten-Free by Lisa Howard | Recipe Renovator

Layout and design:

The book has a gorgeous, appealing cover and is well designed for ease of use. Howard begins by walking the reader through What Gluten-Free Means in Part I: Defining Gluten in Everyday Terms, and Gluten & You. Part II covers Turning Gluten-Free into Health-Full, focusing on whole grains, whole-food choices, and gluten-free baking concepts. Part III provides the recipes: Breakfast Time, Sandwiches Wraps & Pizzas, Salads & Pilafs, Simple & Satisfying Meals, Appetizers & Snacks, and finally desserts. It’s full of helpful sidebars, tips, and is truly informative.

Photography:

Sprinkled throughout are gorgeous full-color photographs by Kate Lewis. While not every recipe has a photo, there are enough to make you want to cook from this book.

Recipes:

The recipes are coded Nut-Free, Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Vegetarian, and 20 Minutes or Less. (But oddly, not vegan). Nutritional analysis is not provided. Some interesting recipes are free-form goat cheese, millet, & walnut scones with pears, Korean-style pork & cabbage romaine boats, cornbread panzanella with mozzarella pearls, African sweet potato stew, and peach-swirled cheesecake.

What I liked about the book:

Well-organized, highly informative, nice selection of recipes, beautiful and appealing.

I wasn’t so keen on:

Without the nutritional analysis, low-sodium eaters can’t tell if these recipes will work for them.

Recommended for:

Anyone seeking to eat more healthfully—as it’s a wonderful introduction to gluten-free whole foods, vegetarians, celiacs, gluten-free eaters

Not recommended for:

Vegans, migraine sufferers, low-sodium diets

A note about my cookbook reviews: In the past, I tested at least three recipes from each book, took photos, and described my experience. Due to my dietary limitations (extremely-low-sodium for my Meniere’s Disease and trigger-free foods for migraine relief), it is no longer possible for me to test the recipes and do them justice.

Required FTC disclosure: I received one copy of this book from the publisher for the giveaway on August 29th.
Here’s the book if you want a peek inside: