Cookbook review: Living Luxe Gluten Free by Michelle Lee

I was getting ready to review this pretty book this month, and then I went to the Gluten-Free & Allergy-Friendly Expo in San Diego. And there at a booth was the author Michelle Lee and her husband Steve. I had a great conversation with them both and assured them I would be reviewing the book this month as part of the gluten-free package. Living Luxe Gluten Free is a bright, beautiful addition to any gluten-free cookbook shelf. Lee had to learn how to adapt recipes when her husband was diagnosed with gluten and lactose intolerances. Their vow was to continue to eat beautiful food, hence the luxe in the title. Find them on the web at Living Luxe Gluten Free.

Layout and design:

The book jumps quickly to recipes after a brief introduction to their story and favorite ingredients. Chapters include appetizers, entrées, salads & sides, breakfast, desserts, cocktails and encore. The book uses a cute font to help convey the author’s personality, and all the key elements of good recipe layout are present. My only critique is the very light gray typeface used on the recipes, which makes them difficult to read. If they print future editions, changing that to black type would greatly improve the readability of the book.

Photography:

Every recipe features a full-color, full-page photograph by the author, offering insight to the enticing finished recipes. This helps readers know what to expect the dish to look like in their kitchens.

Recipes:

Recipes include fried calamari with chipotle aioli, Asian fried chicken, pad Thai, grilled watermelon and quinoa salad, oven-roasted asparagus, French toast casserole, and velvet devil cupcakes. Recipes are tagged with the following icons: paleo, low-sodium, vegan, and vegetarian.

What I liked about the book:

It beautifully conveys the author’s sweet personality and approach to cooking. I loved the icons indicating special diet needs. Great assortment of recipes. nNritional analysis is provided, which is so helpful for low-sodium eaters.

I wasn’t so keen on:

My only critique is the light typeface on the recipes, noted above.

Recommended for:

paleo, vegans, vegetarians, celiacs, gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-sodium diets

Not recommended for:

Migraine or low-tyramine diets (unless you are very comfortable making substitutions and recognizing triggers)

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 October 31st.
Here’s the book if you want to see more: