Skinnytaste Fast and Slow: Knockout Quick-Fix and Slow Cooker Recipes: A Cookbook

by Gina Homolka, Heather K. Jones

80+ Under 30 Minute Dishes and 60 Slow Cooker RecipesThe easiest, tastiest, most convenient healthy recipes—ever!With Skinnytaste Fast and Slow, you can get a nutritious, flavor-packed, figure-friendly meal—complete with a flourless chocolate brownie made in a slow cooker—on the table any night of the week. Gina Homolka, founder of the widely adored blog Skinnytaste, shares 140 dishes that come together in a snap—whether in a slow cooker or in the oven or on the stovetop. Favorites  Slow CookerChicken and Dumpling SoupKorean-Style Beef TacosSpicy Harissa Lamb RaguPeach-Strawberry Crumble Under 30 MinutesZucchini Noodles with Shrimp and FetaPizza-Stuffed Chicken Roll-UpsGrilled Cheese with Havarti, Brussels Sprouts, and Apple Cauliflower “Fried” Rice Each recipe includes nutritional information, which can help you take steps toward weight and health goals, and many dishes are vegetarian, gluten-free, and freezer-friendly—all called out with helpful icons. Gina’s practical advice for eating well and 120 color photos round out this indispensable cookbook.(Please note that nutritional information is provided with every recipe, but the most up-to-date Weight Watchers points can be found at skinnytaste online.)

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Reference, Foodie, Diets

301 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 11, 2016

About the author

Hi, I'm Gina Homolka, author, photographer and recipe developer of Skinnytaste.com which features delicious, healthy, low fat, family-friendly recipes several times per week and Skinny Bits, where I answer cooking questions, health tips, reviews and giveaways.

What originally began in 2008 as an idea to marry my two passions, great food and beautiful photography, Skinnytaste was born and has developed into a highly rewarding labor of love reaching over 3 million unique visitors monthly.

At Skinnytaste.com, you'll find healthy dishes that don't sacrifice any of the flavor that can be found in their full-fat origins. My creations must be both "skinny" and "tasty" because after all, this is the same food I cook on a daily basis for friends and family, and they are some of my toughest critics!

Raised on Long Island, I'm a busy mom of two girls, and I currently reside in Oceanside, NY with my husband and children.

My food philosophy is to eat seasonal, clean, whole foods and maintain good portion control. When you cook your own meals, you know you can feel good about what is going into your body. Let me help you navigate your way around the kitchen and teach you how to prepare delicious, light, fresh meals your whole family will love (and they won't even realize it's good for them!)

Exercise + a well balanced diet + good sleep = a happy life.

I'm also a huge advocate of Weight Watchers because of their “everything in moderation” approach.

From the author's website.

Reviews

[ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not brilliant. Some good ones I’d try out. Brilliant illustrations but didn’t excite me to start putting my apron on

[etherealfire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just realized I never reviewed and shelved two out of the three fantastic SkinnyTaste cookbooks I own. Purchased in 2017 and read the same year and have been using the books ever since. Love them all!

[Leah Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one looks just as delicious as the other one! Though I'll admit the "fast" part of this cookbook just looks like regular recipes, they don't seem to be significantly quicker to make than the recipes from her first book. Still looks absolutely delicious and I love all the slow cooker options! I can't wait to get this one!

[Vicki Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cookbook had a lot of different recipes that would either be ready quick or go in the crockpot. There was a good variety of things that my family would actually eat. It uses ingredients I often aleady have in the cupboards and isn't very complicated cooking. There were nice pictures with almost every recipe. The only thing is that there were quite a few recipes that I felt were not very weight loss friendly. I had been looking forward to the fact that the author used to be affiliated with Weight Watchers, however, the point values were pretty high for what I would eat for a dinner or lunch. Overall, a great cookbook for me and I am glad that I own it.

[Kristie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this cookbook. I love using my slow cooker on busy days and there are several recipes here that I'd like to try. I like that the nutritional information is added for each recipe.

You will need to determine which recipes fit into your version of a healthy diet. Do you avoid cheese or dairy, red meat, etc?? They're in there. This isn't necessarily a low cholesterol or fat or gluten cookbook. It is just a generally healthy recipe cookbook, making it pretty well-rounded. You just need to decide which recipes work for you. I like that aspect.

[Donna Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has some great-looking recipes which I’ve bookmarked so I can try them out. Each recipe has nutritional information. I love that.

[Shelby *trains flying monkeys* · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've sorta followed Gina's blog SkinnyTaste for several years. Everything that I've made of her recipes has always been a pretty much hit or near hit..so when I saw this cookbook the drooling started. Plus, since starting the new job I have no time for reading or cooking..and that slow cooker part of the book sounded like pure win.


Drool worthy isn't it?
And these recipes aren't as fat padding as the stuff I normally cook. I don't get the evil eye from the husband and boy child because her recipes really are good enough that you don't know you are eating somewhat healthy.

This is an eggroll bowl without having to spend a thousand hours rolling those suckers up. Why did I never think of that??


Another simple idea that I never thought of that I'm totally eating up.




As I was reading this book I was telling the husband all the goodies that I was promising to make and probably never will. I noticed the looks from one of the other creatures in the house.

I'm thinking she approves.

(Disclaimer: I totally made the roasted acorn squash and we hogged it up too fast to get a pic.)

Booksource: I received a copy of this book in exchange for review.

ETA: My normal image sharing site won't work for me for some reason. I'm sorry these are so crappy.

[Coleen (The Book Ramblings) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Award-winning blogger and best-selling cookbook author, Gina Homolka, has released her latest cookbook, Skinnytaste Fast and Slow, filled with slow-cooker and quick-fix recipes. I discovered the Skinnytaste website over a year ago, and it quickly turned into a resource to find nutritious and flavorful recipes to prepare at home. I have Homolka’s first cookbook, which is one I always come back to, so when this released, I was looking forward to getting a copy for my collection.

As most cookbooks, there is an introduction and recipe key is followed by all the information you’ll need to get your kitchen stocked and prepared for cooking, along with fast cooking basics, and slow-cooker secrets. The next section is a Month of Good-For-Your Meals; 4 weeks of meal planning for breakfast, snacks, lunch, dinner, and treats that include the page number to locate each recipe. There are 11 recipes selections: Healthy Mornings; Chilis, Soups, and Stews; One-Bowl Meals; Zoodles, Squashta, Pasta, and Sauce; Taco Night; Poultry Mains; Meat Lover Mains; Fish and Seafood Mains; Meatless Mains; On the Side; and The Sweeter Side.

At the beginning of each section there is an introduction page that includes a list of the recipes with page numbers, and icons to indicate whether the dish is under 30 minutes, pressure cooker, slow cooker, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, or freezer-friendly.

Some insight from the author, serving size, ingredients, and nutrition key are along side every recipe. Throughout the cookbook you can find food facts, time saving tips, perfect pairings, and Skinny Scoop. There are recipes in here for every occasion, season, and even those picky-eaters. All are healthy, but full of flavor while giving you that freedom to change up some of the ingredients to make it to your liking.

Recipes like chicken and zucchini noodles with black bean sauce, and zoodles with shrimp and feta, make me impatient for the warm months to prepare those dishes for my family. There are recipes like slow-cooker hamburger stroganoff that take typical box meals and give you an easy-to-follow guide on preparing a healthy, homemade meal that can still be affordable while on a budget.

The photography in this cookbook is beautiful, and the images will make your mouth water before you get to cooking. It is a well crafted cookbook that is sturdy with an easy-to-follow layout. Skinnytaste Fast and Slow offers a variety of dishes that will please all palates around the dinner table, whether you are looking for a quick-fix or slow-cooked meal, you will find hearty comfort food for these winter months, or refreshing, vibrant meals to prepare through spring and summer.

I received a copy in exchange for an unbiased review through Blogging for Books. All opinions are my own.

[Create With Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Are you looking for a cookbook that can help you achieve your personal and familial health goals – a book featuring mouth-watering recipes that are relatively quick and easy to prepare – a collection that offers a wide range of recipes including vegetarian, gluten-free and freezer-friendly options – and a volume that contains stunning photography and nutritional information as well?

For most authors, this sounds like a tall order to fill, but Skinnytaste Fast And Slow: Knockout Quick-Fix And Slow Cooker Recipes by Gina Homolka with Heather K. Jones, R.D. delivers on every count!

Skinnytaste Fast And Slow provides readers with 140 delicious, healthy recipes – 60 of which are Slow Cooker Recipes and 80+ of which are Under 30-Minute Dishes. The dishes are created by Gina Homolka, the founder of the popular blog Skinnytaste...

This review is an excerpt from the original review that is published on my blog. To read my review in its entirety, please visit Create With Joy.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher for review purposes. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own, based on my assessment of this book.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an incredible cookbook - probably the best I've checked out this year. It's all family-friendly dishes that come together in 30 minutes or less; or slow cooked. It's perfect for busy people, and the recipes are very healthy (she also makes them gluten-free, but you don't have to). The recipes push the envelope, flavor-wise but aren't too exotic for most kids and picky eaters. I loved the bunless burgers and the chocolate swirl banana bread. Your family won't realize that they're eating healthy! Full nutrition information is included. This is a great cookbook; I really didn't have anything negative to say - it's exactly the way my family likes to eat.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This cookbook is not useful for my family. Despite the author's attestations in the introduction, too many of the recipes rely on canned ingredients or are slow-cooker recipes with too many steps. Every slow-cooker recipe I read included pre-cooking some ingredients on the stove, or stirring or otherwise fiddling with the food half-way through cooking... you know, right in the middle of the workday. Several recipes-- more than just a handful-- also rely on specialized equipment I certainly don't have, including spiralizers, pressure cookers, and more. In general, not realistic.

[Carey · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say...fines are growing at my library! Perhaps I should BUY this book! The soup section is my favorite, and I can attest to some of them being fantastic. Beautiful pictures, great recipes, with nutritional content provided for each one, makes this a book I'll come back to many times!

[Ada-Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great Christmas gift. Delicious fast meals and slow cooker recipes. Interesting narrative and tips. 🌟

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok so this book had tons of recipes. A good variety but my problem is most recipes are not large enough for my family. If cooking for 4 or less this is a great book. Also recipes contained ingredients that were in odd amounts. For instance why create a recipe with 7oz of ground pork when in the grocery stores it’s sold in half pound or full pound increments. Just make it the 8oz or a full pound.

[Jene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Skinnytaste's cookbooks!

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of these recipes look really good, but unfortunately my diet has to be very strict at the moment. Even though the calorie counts are low, some of the cholesterol and sugar counts listed are sadly too high for me right now. It's really disappointing, because they look good otherwise.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love my slow cooker so I was super excited to pick up this book but it didn't grab me like I wanted it to. It has all the trademarks of a great cookbook: the ingredients are broken down, the steps are clear and easy to foloow and the author entices you with a little personal tidbit about the recipe. I'm a novice cooker and want my recipes to be simple and these just had a few too many steps for me before entering my slow cooker. I did like how the book was organized into section with each section having recipes that would be made quickly and some made in the slow cooker. I also loved the number of pictures. Pictures are a must in a good cookbook for me. This book is recommended for a more experienced and gourmet cook. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through the blogging for books program.

[Phaedra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan of the first Skinnytaste and have cooked out of that book a ton (and I'm not a WW follower, but the recipes are on the healthy side and tasty for those of you non weight watchers people like myself). this book focuses on slow cooker OR quick meals and I'm also the target audience for that- love my slow cooker. I've been cooking from this book for the past couple three weeks now and haven't had anything that was like 'meh.. nope' it's all family friendly and easy and tasty.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gina can do no wrong. Skinnytaste recipes are in heavy rotation in my kitchen.

I was literally sitting with the cookbook making my shopping list as I read it. I appreciate the fact that she doesn't just rehash stuff she posted on her website, but also gives new recipes.

And the photography drool-worthy.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Borrowed this book from the library and I love that she categorizes things as "quick" (ready in 30 mins), slow cooker, and freezer-friendly. Can't wait to try some of the recipes that I haven't seen on her Skinnytaste website.

[Pammie · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many great options--can't wait to cook from this book.

[Katie Steinhafel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best cookbooks I've purchased in the past few years. All the recipes are simple enough for a basic cook and don't call for a grocery store full of ingredients.

[Tiffany · Rating 1 out of 5]

same boring old flavorless recipes, nothing new or interesting.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who hates to cook, I'm obsessed with this cookbook! Everything is so easy to make, and there is no sacrifice on taste with the healthy substitutions.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely has some recipes that I'd like to try!

[Margaret Dee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is laid out nicely and has great pictures but I just wasn't excited by the recipes.

[Simonew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this cookbook. Like the wide variety of recipes. I can think of more than 10 I will make- and that is saying a lot, that is how I judge a cook book - first I see 10 + recipes I like and then see if I actually make them or they inspire me to change up what I am cooking and inspire me to make new types of food. So far have made 2 recipes from this compilation (burnt Broccoli and the fish and chips) and both have been delicious (in fact we made the chips part of the fish and chips twice so far). I am looking forward to making more of the recipes for my family . I always wonder If I should add the cookbooks I read to Goodreads, and truth be told many times I don't add them . I have always loved cookbooks (especially the introductions ) and I read them more like books with plots as opposed to reference books. I like to think who I will make the food for and in what combination, the wine I will serve... Such fun. Almost as much fun as creating families with imaginary budgets (yes Ido that too) . My father used to have a small red book with amortization tables in it (before internet ) when he was a real estate agent many decades ago (think 1980's) and I used to try and figure out what imaginary families with imaginary incomes could buy and then how they would budget. Yes, I know that is a weird aside, but it is all part of the history of my love of cookbooks... it was like a slightly more grown up version of paper does (which I indulged in as a kid : my sister and I would make families and their clothing and design them and bring them on vacation with us) .

[Camie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First check-out August 2020. My marked recipes below.

TRIED:
X p. 89 Shrimp and Artichoke Quinoa Bowls - I made this twice because I really wanted to like it, but I just didn't care for it enough.

* p. 208 Zesty Lime Shrimp and Avocado Salad - delicious, it's billed as a salad, but can be a dip if pieces cut small enough, really liked this and will make again.

X p. 248 Slow Cooker Chana Masala - good, but not amazing



TO TRY:
p. 30 Banana-Almond Smoothie Bowl
p. 35 Slow Cooker "Baked" Oatmeal with Coconut, Blueberries, and Bananas
p. 62 Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Chili
p. 66 Slow Cooker Beef and Two-Bean Chili
p. 161 Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
p. 163 Slow Cooker Adobo Chicken with Sriracha, Ginger, and Scallions
p. 212 Baked Fish and Chips

[Nancy Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy skinnytaste blog and was excited to get my hands on this cookbook. Overall, I found several recipes I will try at home.

I think I misunderstood what this particular cookbook was going to offer. I found a few slow cooker recipes that will work for my uber picky family (husband). However, there is a lot of prep work associated with some so not as easy as a dump and go recipe, which i love. Also, because of either prep or numerous steps, the Fast recipes are not super fast. I'm not sure if I was expecting more instant Pot or air fryer recipes and that is why my expectations were high.

I do like the author very much and will attempt a few of these recipes but there is not enough workable recipes for me to add the book to my cookbook collection

[Mary Schumann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loving this. I have been anti-slow cooker forever, but she does things beyond stew and pot roast. I’m not into “baking” in my slow cooker either, so not looking for a book that thinks you can use one for everything. What appeals to me about this book is the creative spin she puts on it and that things don’t come out tasting like a homogenous mush. I made the tomato soup today and modified it slightly leaving out the roux mostly for calorie savings. Tomorrow are Bahn Mi Bowls. A good mix of well spiced meat a fresh veg on top.

I’ve also recently been making a lot of sheet pan suppers and she includes some in this book, I look forward to trying them!