Nutritious Delicious: Turbocharge Your Favorite Recipes with 50 Everyday Superfoods

by America's Test Kitchen (editor)

Whip up nutrient-dense versions of your favorite dishes using 50 healthy ingredients you probably already have—like sweet potatoes, oats, salmon, and other common superfoods Who isn’t drawn to making healthier choices in the foods we eat, whether opting for dark leafy greens or whole grains? But cooking with these foods can leave us feeling like we must choose between eating healthy and eating what we want—and let’s be sneaking some florets of broccoli into macaroni and cheese is not going to transform anyone’s diet.   In Nutritious Delicious, America’s Test Kitchen digs deeper into using nature’s powerhouse ingredients to update the nutritional framework of our favorite dishes, rigorously testing with an eye to getting great flavor while minimizing reliance on butter, refined flour, and sugar. The resulting collection of recipes—such as Blueberry-Oatmeal Pancakes, MLT (Mushroom, Lettuce, and Tomato) Sandwiches, Salmon Tacos with Super Slaw, and Butternut Squash Polenta—represents a new way to think about ingredients that everyone can relate to.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Food and Drink

327 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 28, 2017

About the author

America's Test Kitchen, based in a brand new state-of-the-art 60,000 sq. ft. facility with over 15,000 sq. ft. of test kitchens and studio space, in Boston's Seaport District, is dedicated to finding the very best recipes for home cooks. Over 50 full-time (admittedly obsessive) test cooks spend their days testing recipes 30, 40, up to 100 times, tweaking every variable until they understand how and why recipes work. They also test cookware and supermarket ingredients so viewers can bypass marketing hype and buy the best quality products. As the home of Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country magazines, and publisher of more than one dozen cookbooks each year, America's Test Kitchen has earned the respect of the publishing industry, the culinary world, and millions of home cooks. America's Test Kitchen the television show launched in 2001, and the company added a second television program, Cook's Country, in 2008.

Discover, learn, and expand your cooking repertoire with Julia Collin Davison, Bridget Lancaster, Jack Bishop, Dan Souza, Lisa McManus, Tucker Shaw, Bryan Roof, and our fabulous team of test cooks!

Learn more at https://www.americastestkitchen.com/.

Reviews

[Chinchilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not one who gets all hyped up about the latest diet trends and why not. My aversion to do what other people do has led me away from reading cookbooks written by celebrities, especially ones focused on vegan, "clean", or "local" diets. That's why I was hesitant to read this particular America's Test Kitchen cookbook on recipes using "superfoods". While certain foods definitely have specific nutritious values much higher than other food items, I would never advocate tailoring one's diet solely around them. I believe when choosing recipes, one should based on overall flavour profile and dish presentation, rather than the micro-nutrient breakdowns. With that in mind, I went over recipes in this book. I fully expected to be surprised by some interesting combination of flavours that I would not think of myself. It is a America's Test Kitchen book after all.

Dishes I'm looking for in this book (and in other cookbooks I'm reading until the end of the year) should have at least one of the following characteristics:
1. Simple but flavourful
2. Vegetarian (ideas for my mom)
3. Egg-based dishes (because I LOVE eggs and they are cheap)
4. Can be made ahead (meal prep ideas)
5. Child-friendly (can be prepared by or together with children)

I was blown away by the recipes in this book!!! Not only are there so many interesting recipes, the "Why this recipe works" section that comes with each recipe really helps me decide if it's one that I would want to try myself later.

Here are the dishes that I would like to try at some point:

Chia pudding with fresh fruit and coconut (minus the coconut)
Pumpkin spice waffles (change waffles to pancakes)
Whole-wheat date-nut bread
Avocado and bean toast
Fried eggs over garlicky chard and bell pepper
Kale and black bean breakfast burritos
Fluffy omelet with smoked salmon and asparagus
Frittata with broccoli and turmeric
Smoked trout hash with eggs
MLTs (mushroom lettuces tomato)
Egg salad sandwiches with radishes and watercress
chickpea salad sandwiches
Hearty 15-bean and vegetable soup
Raw beet and carrot noodle salad with almond-sesame dressing
All the easy sauces
Oven-roasted salmon with tangerine and ginger relish
Black rice bowls with salmon
Nut-crusted cod fillets
One-pas chicken with kale and butternut squash
Crispy skillet turkey burgers
Turkey cutlets with barley and swiss chard
Turkey shepherd's pie
Turkey meatballs with lemony brown rice and sun-dried tomatoes
Grilled flank steak with tomato, orange, and avocado
beef stir-fry with bok choy and green beans
Thai grilled-steak salad
Stir-fried tempeh with orange sauce
Sweet potato, poblano, and black bean tacos
Cauliflower steaks
Cauliflower-chickpea flatbread with romesco
Stir-fried asparagus with shitakes
Beets with orange and walnuts
Broccoli salad with almonds and cranberries
Roasted brussels sprouts with walnuts and lemon
Cauliflower puree
Cauliflower rice
Edamame salad with arugula and radishes
Stir-fried eggplant with garlic-basil sauce
Sauteed green beans with mushroom and dukkah
Sauteed spinach with yogurt and dukkah
Roasted butternut squash with pistachios and feta
Twice-based sweet potatoes with hazelnuts
Roasted spiralized sweet potatoes with walnuts and feta
Quinoa pilaf with shiitakes, edamame, and ginger
Brown rice pilaf with dates and pistachios
Bulgur pilaf with cremini mushrooms
Super guacamole
Roasted tomato salsa with black beans
Brown rice origiri with spinach, edamame, and sesame

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't tried any of the recipes but they look so good. This is the way I normally cook and 3/4 of the recipes appeal to both myself and my husband.

[Ivonne Rovira]

I was a big fan of America’s Test Kitchen’s radio show on NPR, so I thought I would love this cookbook. I’m trying to lose weight, so why not go to the experts?

I’m not going to give this cookbook a rating. If, like me, you’re looking to lose weight by cutting carbs, this book is definitely not for you. If you are looking to find some average-Joe recipes that cut calories, this book is also not for you.

However, if you are a foodie looking to eat healthier and partake of lots of superfoods, this is a five-star read for you. You’ll love Chocolate Bark with Pepitas and Dried Goji Berries — actually, you’ll be surprised how many recipes contain pepitas and/or goji berries. I know I was! But, in fairness, the Chocolate Bark with Pepitas and Dried Goji Berries provides the eater with fiber, Vitamin A, magnesium, manganese and phosforus for a mere 250 calories. Pretty good, actually! And, at 15 carbs, I’ve eaten worse. Sweet Potato Hummus is an excellent source of Vitamins A and C, but, sadly, it’s not for me. Neither are Beet-Chocolate Cupcakes nor Peaches, Blackberries and Strawberries with Basil and Pepper — no matter the fiber, Vitamins C and K nor manganese. You see what this cookbook is like. If you’re intrigued, I wish you well.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always on the lookout for interesting recipes that feature healthy ingredients combined in new ways. I especially want low-sodium, non-red meat options that incorporate fruit and vegetables in new ways, and are adaptable to my own tastes.

I found this cookbook in my local library and ended up with a bunch of new ideas that I am planning to try soon. Some nice diversity: a one-pan roasted chicken, butternut squash and kale (I might switch out the kale for another leafy option), black rice with salmon (black rice is new to me and I want to try it!), a lightened Italian Wedding Soup, some great ideas for beets, whole grains and more.

I do like colorful foods too, for their visual appeal, and the variety here does not disappoint! The photography is excellent, and there is good nutritional information. A win all around.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that America’s test kitchen not only has “tested” recipes, but they offer insightful advice for each recipe. I appreciate the short overview or explanation with each recipe to understand why a certain technique or ingredient is used. While not all of the recipes are quick, the directions are simply explained and EVERY recipe I have tried is delicious.

[Dray · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perhaps unfair comparison of this book within the genre of test kitchen books, this book was not much of a standout for me. Test Kitchen is one of my favorite food recipe sources and i own several of their cookbooks. But..this one underwhelmed me. perhaps because some of the recipes were repeats from other offerings. Worth reading, it is still Test Kitchen

[Christine Ansorge · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book. It had four recipes that I wanted to try. There were also recipes I thought weren’t that bad, and only two that were absolute non-starters. The nutritional underpinnings of this approach were clear and easy to see. Even when I didn’t feel excited about a recipe I could see its value.
I don’t know if I’ll use this book, but I will be looking for “super foods” more actively.

[Janet Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many recipes using only whole foods--vegetables, fruits, nuts, fresh fish and lots of tasty whole grains. Nut crusted cod fillets, twice baked sweet potatoes w/ hazelnuts, mushroom wheat berry soup. Healthy, delicious----dishes you will be proud to serve. Yum.

[Honest Mabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was good

I would definitely borrow this again. There are quite a number of recipes I would make again. However, there are specific things besides just regular food you can get at general grocery stores that are definitely specialty items.

[Ana (_ana.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite cook books. Very well rounded and flavorful recipes!

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Got a few ideas, that's all

[Gaby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative, as always.

[Ava · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some good recipes in this book. It does a good job balancing health with indulgence.

[Dana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is more than just healthy recipe ideas. It provides nutritional information on a wide variety of foods. I recommend it if you're looking to eat healthier.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I owned the ebook and finally got the physical book because I just kept going back to it. It’s got great information and really creative recipes and I’m so glad I finally bought it.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pictures of recipes? Yes.
Commentary on recipes? Yes.
Nutrition facts? Yes!
Recipe Style? Familiar dishes, using healthy ingredients.
Any keepers? Several.

Overall a great book.

[Kristina]

Lots of helpful hints.