Eat a Little Better: Great Flavor, Good Health, Better World: A Cookbook

by Sam Kass

Sam Kass, former chef to the Obamas and White House food policy advisor, makes it easier to do a little better for your diet--and the environment--every day, through smart ways to think about shopping, setting up your kitchen so the healthy stuff comes to hand most naturally, and through 90 delicious, simple recipes. JAMES BEARD AWARD WINNER • IACP AWARD FINALIST This book lays out Kass's plan to eat a little better. Knowing that sustainability and healthfulness come most, well, sustainably when new habits and choices seem appealing rather than drastic and punitive, Kass shares his philosophy and methods to help make it easy to choose, cook, and eat delicious foods without depriving yourself of agency or pleasure. He knows that going organic, local, and so forth all the time is just not realistic for most people, and that's ok--it's all about choosing and doing a little better, and how those choices add up to big change. It's the philosophy he helped the Obamas instill in their home, both in Chicago and that big white one in Washington.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction, Health, Adult, Foodie

487 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 17, 2018

Reviews

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

I have imaginary boyfriends. There are some that are higher on the list like this guy...


So when I saw that his personal chef had a cookbook out..my response was "yes, please."

Even though I knew that the Obamas ate way healthier than I do at the moment. I was surprised that this book isn't preachy about what you eat. Yes, Sam Kass does advocate that you eat pretty healthy but he is actually realistic in helping with your goals.

I've made a few of these recipes and so far this book is a win for me. I made some wild rice that I almost cut my husband over. He ate the leftovers when I had dreamed about them all morning. MEN!
Then last night I went full chubby girl and made a dinner featuring all Kass's recipes.



Red Beans and Rice, Collard Greens and Fried Catfish with a roasted poblano salsa. That stuff was off the chain.
I make my version of red beans and rice but his was different enough that I can add his into my short list of things the family will actually eat. A big plus is that at the end of the book there is a little section where he gives you four different ways to use rice, wild rice, couscous and etc. I LOVE that. I get tired of just making mashed potatoes because I can't think.

The only reason I'm not giving this one the whole five stars is that I wanted more recipes. I'm a greedy ho.

Let's eat!!


Booksource: Blogging for books in exchange for review. Blogging for Books is closing it's door and it makes me very sad. I've received some gorgeous books from them and I appreciate every single one of them. I'm going to miss you guys!

[Kelly Krucki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wouldn't normally count a cookbook as reading a full book but this one was chock full of information about sustainable farming, how to organize your pantry, White House politics and how to eat a little better. All of this information I found incredibly helpful and the recipes look delicious and fairly easy for someone with only a minor level of cooking skills. I enjoyed learning about how some small changes in my life can help both my health and the environment. I am looking forward to trying these recipes and one I have I am sure I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.

[DRugh · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cookbook with a lot of good reminders for organizing healthier eating. Although the book is not original or groundbreaking, it is organized in an appealing way. One of his tips is to expose yourself to healthier foods from the beginning in your pantry and refrigerator. Another is to cut out sugar.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sam Kass worked as the Obama's personal chef during Barack Obama's presidential campaign and then continued working as their chef in the White House. He also worked with Michelle Obama to create better food policies, the White House garden, etc. during Barack's two terms in office. In his introduction (which is LONG) Kass gives his background and how he got into cooking, then he goes through his food philosophy which can be summed up in the title Eat a Little Better. He doesn't advocate crazy, strict changes, but more small changes, trying to do better each meal and each day. I was tracking with him until he got to GMOs where he said, "...there isn't a single credible study that shows that GMOs are dangerous to eat." (p. 40) Then I was pretty much done. Maybe he spent too much time in politics, but GMOs ARE dangerous and should NOT be part of our food system at all. That was pretty disappointing because overall I think his food philosophy is good. There were a few recipes I want to try, but not many. Overall, the introduction was SO LONG and there weren't many recipes I wanted to try, so it was just OK.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this cookbook. It is rare that I sit down and read a cookbook cover to cover in one sitting, but that is exactly what I did with this one. It is certainly and primarily a cookbook, but there is a good bit dedicated to food policy and nutrition as well. I LOVE READING ABOUT FOOD POLICY. As a pescetarian who leans toward vegetarianism, I feel as if this were written just for me. Sam Kass lays out several principles (Eat more vegetables; make it simple; don't beat yourself up about your choices, just try to eat a little better) and then delivers elegant but simple recipes that embody these ideas. The heartwarming anecdotes about the Obamas were a nice bonus as well.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much more than a cookbook. Sure there are a bunch of recipes that I will be making ASAP. But the narrative of how someone got to be the White House Chef and assisted with the Let’s Move initiative was so interesting. Furthermore, the climate conscientious aspects with sustainability at its core was so educational. Highly recommend! This book can appeal to foodies, the sustainably conscious, the meat eaters or vegetarians, political readers, families or solo families, etc etc there are so many groups that would benefit from this book.

[E. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apparently I am doing a lot of good things already. I just need to get a little better...

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very curious to see the recipes for the chef from the Obama's White House. They were such advocates for healthy eating and I was interested in what some of the foods they would have eaten were. Sam Kass shows that you don't have to deprive yourself while still making good choices since every little good food choice you make adds up. It's about building up healthy habits instead of making one big change to start living a healthy lifestyle. The recipes look really appealing and have ingredients that I'll actually be able to find which is always a plus for me. I can't wait to try all of these different recipes since they look so good. I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books for and honest review.

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eat a Little Better is definitely more than a cookbook. Former White House chef Sam Kass shares not only recipes but also tips for how to make eating healthy easy. Kass teaches you how to set up your kitchen and pantry so that eating healthy is instinctual. This is a great book for developing healthy habits in the kitchen, and the recipes look pretty good too!

[Becca Sloan · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW best book of the year. Has completely changed how I run my kitchen. The book caused a paradigm-shift for me and gave me a sustainable, fun, and delicious way to walk in that shift. Highly highly recommend.

[Gratefulpages · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading “Becoming” by Michelle Obama, I was motivated to look into this book.

This is the first time that I ever read an entire cookbook!

I came across plenty of cookbooks in the past where I would just flip through them and see if they had any eye candy pictures. But this is unlike any other cookbook.

This book is like a helpful guide on how to make better lifestyle changes in my own home kitchen while at the same time being practical about it all.

I really appreciated all the information in this book and I feel more empowered than ever to eat a little better at home.

[Marzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

"Don't count calories. Make calories count."

This is a beautiful looking and well laid out cookbook by the chef and senior food policy advisor to Barack and Michelle Obama. This is a book about mindful cooking and eating.

As a book about food, the emphasis is on food that is healthful and flavorful. The first 50 pages of the book discuss food and how to eat better and how to avoid waste while being a better judge of what you can use when you cook. (If you make broth, all those stalks and stems can go in broth. If you don't, compost!) Additionally, the spirit of eating what's in season is emphasized. And of course, buying locally and buying fresh, and organic if you can. Kass has some great things to say about calorie counting, essentially saying counting calories isn't as important about making the calories you eat count for something by not wasting calories on empty food. If you eat nutrient-rich foods, you are more likely to achieve satiety sooner.

As a cookbook, this is an extremely approachable book with simple recipes that I would say a responsible teen could make for their family. These are not complicated recipes. The ones I've tried have all be clear and well-explained. (Braised chicken was particularly yummy, once adapted for the low FODMAP diet.) It's rare to see a recipe with more than 6-8 ingredients in this cookbook. And that is kind of Kass's point. Fresh, flavorful food, well-cooked and properly seasoned, doesn't need a lot of "stuff" to make it enticing.

This book is a great resource for teaching our teens and young adults how to eat better, and ultimately, how to live better, too.

I received a hardcover copy of this book from Blogging for Books, their last offering before closing down. :(

[Laurla2]

"if perfection is the enemy of progress, then so is pretense. no one eats ONLY healthy, sustainable meals."
"lets stop trying to make perfect choices and focus on making good ones."
"we eat what we see. -- this simple truth might be the most important lesson in this book. the key to eat better isn't trying to be mindful about every decision you make, its acknowledging that you cant be. set yourself up for success. swap out the cookies on your counter for something better. use smaller plates or bowls. move the platter of food back to the counter after everyone has served themselves. you don't have to deny yourself seconds, its just that those seconds aren't already on your plate."
"put a big bowl of fruit on your counter. fill large clear containers with roasted nuts and dried fruit and keep them on the counter too. clean out your pantry of anything with sugar (in any form) as the first or second ingredient. choose treats you really like so that the splurge is with it. put those treats out of sight on a top shelf, in a paper bag or another container you cant see through. put smarter options front and center on shelves at eye level."
"at the supermarket, we buy what we see. this is essential to business models. supermarket chains and food manufacturers spend hundreds of millions of dollars every year funding research and technology devoted to decoding your buying habits. cameras track your path thru the aisles and connect these movements to what you buy at checkout. companies pay a premium to stores for prime shelf space at eye level or on endcaps because they know they'll sell more of their high-profit items made with the cheapest ingredients."
"before going grocery shopping make a list, have a snack, and don't linker in the aisles of cereal, chips, and cookies. the more time I spend bombarded by sweet, salty, crunch snacks, the more likely I am to crack."
"the culprit is not the sugar that occurs naturally in whole vegetables and fruits. these foods come bearing nutrients and fiber, which helps slow the rate at which your body absorbs their sugar. the problem is ADDED sugar."
"emerging evidence suggests that synthetic sweeteners could actually increase your sugar cravings, since they trick your brain into thinking you're getting sugar, but when your body realizes it doesn't have those ready calories, it may want them more."
"cross fat off your list of obsessions, especially if that fat comes from plants or fish. instead focus on limiting those mega-calorie meals, pizza, burgers, deep fried foods, huge portions of greasy stuff."
"nutrients are absorbed by specialized cells in our gut. the fiber that's left inside us feeds the trillions of friendly bacteria that reside there, known collectively as the microbiome. we're still learning about all the ways a happy microbiome keeps us happy, but already there is a compelling correlation between gut health and better outcomes for asthma, allergies, inflammation, and obesity."
"in the quest to eat less, keeping tabs on every bite in order to track progress is a reasonable strategy. the problem is, it's stressful and next to impossible to accomplish. a better strategy to reduce calorie consumption is to focus on the quality, not the quantity of your calories. don't count calories, make calories count. make sure the food you eat is full of nutrients (not empty calories), and number crunching becomes unnecessary. when your body gets what it needs, you feel satiated."
"I love farmer's markets and the holy trinity of perfect eating - food that's local, seasonal, and often organic. but remember, perfect eating is a fantasy. as long as you're eating more vegetables - yes even if they're not organic or are flown in from far away - you're doing better for your health and the planet's. 3/4 of americans don't eat as many fruits and vegetables as they should."
-more than half the seafood we buy is tuna, salmon, and shrimp. there are hundreds of varieties of seafood we can enjoy. eating too much of too few fish creates an imbalance. bluefin tuna are nearly extinct. shift your focus away from the big three.
-gives conflicting advice "the production of farmed salmon and shrimp relies heavily on wild fish like anchovies, herring, and sardines for feed. the sheer amount of salmon and shrimp we eat puts stress on the population of these feeder fish which throws ecosystems off balance." but then says "focus on those creatures that are low on the food chain. small fish like anchovies, sardines, and mackerel are more plentiful than large fish and reproduce more quickly, so their populations are less likely to collapse."
-suggests roasting vegetables at 450-500`F. after washing vegetables, drain and dry them well or you sacrifice the dry heat that makes roasted vegetables awesome. put the equal size/shape pieces in a bowl and drizzle on oil. toss with your hands rubbing the oil into the vegetables and adding more if necessary. enough that they're well coated, but not so much that oil pools in the bowl. add salt and seasonings and toss again. spread the vegetables in a single layer with a little space between each piece, otherwise they'll steam, not roast. if they don't fit on one, divide between two baking sheets. parchment paper prevents sticking and makes clean-up easy. roast until the bottoms are deep golden brown. start checking after 10 minutes or so. then flip or toss. keep roasting the vegetables are as tender as you like. you can flash them under the broiler after flipping to get more color without overcooking.
--recipes that look interesting
-charred cabbage with aioli
-roasted broccoli with lemon, capers, and shaved parmesan
-roasted roots and spices
-balsamic roasted eggplant (more for the balsamic than the eggplant)
-white bean hummus
-brussels sprouts Caesar salad
-mustard green salad with pecans and honey lemon dressing
-7 different fish sauce recipes
-sardine smash toasts (maybe if they're smashed up I can convince myself to try them?)
-sneaky anchovy pasta
-white bean pork and greens soup
-warm barley salad with pork, cherry tomatoes, and basil
-4 ways to cook farro
-4 ways to cook wild rice
--some of the pictures weren't very good. a pile of raw green beans for the roasted green beans with shallots and parsley, a sheetpan full of roasted broccoli with large wide shavings of parmesan dumped unevenly in two unappealing big clumps leaving most of the broccoli without parmesan. two pages of uncooked fish with the heads one. there weren't photos for every recipe, but there were lots of non-recipe photos thru the book. i'd rather they took all those photos out and added more photos of the recipes. but I always bitch about this in cookbooks.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

To Read: Yes. Do you want to read stories about the author hanging out in the kitchen with the Obama girls or cooking for the president on Air Force One? Then you should read this book. Kass also writes about nutrition and food policy, but he doesn’t really hit you over the head with his opinions.

To Look At: Sure. The photos are fine, but this book definitely has that hipster vibe, where the photos are toned down and are more about ingredients than the recipes. There aren’t photos for every recipe, and there is only one photo of Michelle Obama. Oh well.

To Cook From: Yes. The recipes are quite simple. Kass believes in taking fresh ingredients and using spices and cooking techniques that will best highlight the ingredients. One section of the book that I found really interesting was called “Eat More Grains and Beans.” Kass takes a variety of beans and grains and provides four seasonal recipes highlighting each ingredient. Just like with vegetables I often get stuck in a rut with rice, quinoa, beans, etc., so I plan on trying out some of these recipes soon.

Overall, I found this book very compelling. My only real complaint about the book is that Kass is not a fan of the potato lobby, and includes no potatoes (except for sweet) in the book. Potatoes are one of my favorite foods, so I don’t think he should have left them out completely.

[Jill Blevins · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a cookbook with a motivating story. If you enjoy your recipes with a touch of background, of a beautiful story of a decent human being's journey, and want to feel good about being a human, about being you - this is the cookbook for you.

I only read cookbooks for the story, so this had plenty of story and I have to say, was so inspiring that I couldn't stop. When the memoir section ended and the recipe section began, I kept going. I almost felt like I would get up off the couch and go in the kitchen and cook something healthy. I didn't. But when I did go into that room with the pots and pans, I heard Sam Kass's voice in my head and I copied many of his good suggestions. I use more herbs now for flavor. I feel like I am a better cook - using his tricks to incorporate healthy ideas - even though, still, I don't cook any more complicated than a ten year-old. I'm now a healthy ten year-old kind of a cook. And I'm so happy about it, knowing that people like Sam Kass exist in the world and we get to enjoy his positive attitude and ways of viewing life and pantries, and presidents. Or at least one, the good one, anyway.

[Terry Maguire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not the type of person who casually reads cookbooks- much less memoirs that include recipes (which is what this one is)- but I was so intrigued by Michelle Obama's discussion of Sam Kass in her memoir Becoming about the role he played in helping her promote healthier, budget-friendly, working-parent friendly cooking & nutrition that I sat down with this one and read it pretty much straight through. Kass' anecdotes about cooking in the Obama's modest Chicago apartment kitchen to joining the kitchen staff at The White House and even cooking on Air Force One are fascinating, humanizing, entertaining, and real. His advice in this book is totally practical, actionable, and budget-friendly. There's nothing radical here- just well-written advice on how to "eat a little better"- coupled with some simple, delicious recipes. This memoir / cookbook has definitely changed the way I look at food and cooking. Gorgeous photos, too.

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

First this book has amazing pictures!

Don't read it while you're hungry.

It's basically divided into two parts:

(1) The first part is a very good discussion of food policy and what constitutes healthy food. Kass takes the approach that is unrealistic to get everybody to only eat seasonal, locally grown organic kale, but instead we have to take small practical steps to eating a bit healthier, by reducing our consumption of some of the worst foods and increasing our consumption of veggies, whole grains and fruits.

(2) The second part has several very yummy looking recipes that cover a wide variety of food groups. Seriously, they look good!

In fact, I borrowed this book from the library and now I think I am going to have to buy a hard copy so I can actually try some of these recipes at my leisure!

If you want to eat healthier I think this is worth checking out.

[(a)lyss(a) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore Sam Kass and was excited to see this book.

While the intro is long Kass talks about his background and how he became the chef for the Obama's and his involvement in Let's Move!. He shares tips on how he organizes the pantry and how best to shop for healthy food. Yes, some of this is common sense, but it is helpful in thinking about a healthier lifestyle as a whole, which this book is about, and as Kass notes you're not going to eat more vegetables if you don't know how to cook them.

While none of the recipes really wowed me, I appreciate that some were simple and seem doable for a healthy weeknight meal. This book tries to make eating better more accessible and understandable.

[Courtney Westerberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely love this book. Not only does Sam have some great simple healthy recipes, but he also includes information like nutrition, food policy and sustainability in his cookbook, which are all interesting topics and I wish more cookbooks had. He keeps his information very simple and easily understandable, so even people who don't have a nutrition degree like me can understand. He understands how overwhelming the topic of food and health can be and he really just simplifies it. I highly suggest this book to anyone who is just getting into cooking or wants to know a little more about healthy eating.

[Alli · Rating 4 out of 5]

A combination cookbook/manifesto on the small changes we can make to our diets for big environmental and health impact. This isn't a tell-all so don't go in expecting hot goss on the Obama's - the juiciest detail is what they ate the night of the 2008 election (bbq chicken, brown rice and broccoli, you're welcome).

If you're even vaguely comfortable in the kitchen none of these recipes are particularly innovative or groundbreaking - most of them don't even have more than 8 ingredients. But sometimes simple is best and I still bookmarked a healthy handful.

[Jes · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book packs a ton of information in a short amount of time. It gives you the fast and loose version of what those thicker, heavier books on ethical eating and food production say. There are also insightful passages about working in the White House, what foods worked for him, in what contexts they did, etc. Fascinating stuff. Lastly, the recipes look simple and delicious. Kass emphasizes trying more than exacting a perfect recipe. He gives you blueprints instead of just instructions. These are all helpful ways to improve whats on your plate. Like the title says, Eat a Little Better.

[Christi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Food policy expert, and private chef to the Obamas, Sam Kass lays out his ideas for making the world a better place and eating healthier by making small incremental changes in your diet. While I would have liked even more private anecdotes about cooking for the first family, the real gem here is the simple recipes that make healthy food seem even more exciting. Gorgeous food photos are a must in my favorite cookbooks, and you find them in abundance here. I hope to try some of these recipes soon.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mr. Kass has a great philosophy of food and eating. He reminds us that we don't need to eat organic or locally sourced or vegetarian (although those are fine if we choose to). For many of us, it's enough to just start trying to eat a little better. And he gives some great guidelines for how we can accomplish that. He also provides a variety of recipes, and he encourages cooks to use them as springboards for creativity, not as strict maps to follow. All in all, a helpful book written by a kind and thoughtful author.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

None of the recipes jumped out at me or made me feel that I must make them tomorrow but the text in the book motivated me to have a desire to improve my eating habits and make an effort to return to a less processed way of eating that I was better about when my kids were younger and I had more time and my kids were less picky. I really feel that I would eat much healthier without a family, alas, I like them so I will keep them around. I may revisit the chapters on grains and veggies at some point.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Light and Breezy Writing, Yummy Recipes

I didn’t even finish the book before I tried the Charred Cabbage—-unexpectedly wonderful! The author’s writing style is easy-going. He makes foods that sound intimidating into easy to follow recipes (for the most part—-there’s a few foods he couldn’t convince me to try)! I like his approach of doing what you can to improve your buying and eating habits without piling on guilt.

[Kari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t typically count a cookbook as “reading a book” but this was full of INFORMATION (potato industry, shopping for seafood, reorganizing your pantry, grocery shopping, organic/local, etc.), STORIES (inadvertently cooking in Vienna, cooking in Chicago for the Obamas, planting a vegetable garden at the White House, working in nutrition policy, etc), and RECIPES. Fun read and lots of simple ways to “eat a little better.”

[Mark Doton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting account of Sam Kass' time with the Obamas before and during the presidency. His philosophy on healthy eating: Don't get so caught up in trends and what you shouldn't do that you give up. Take little steps and develop healthy habits over time. The recipes are simple and approachable and offer lots of variation.

[Libby Beyreis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book for people who are intimidated by the idea of eating better and cooking more. There's lots of good information, some fun anecdotes about working in the Obama White House, and a bunch of simple recipes. I would have liked some more complex recipes, but as I said before, for someone who is intimidated by cooking, this book seems like a great place to start.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent recipes and background stories from the Obama's personal chef, Sam Kass. While First Lady, Michelle Obama cared so about making American children healthier ...and this is the guy who helped her. Kass also emphasizes how eating healthier (more veggies and grains) is even good for the environment and will help combat the effects of climate change.

[Roger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kass starts with a moderate point of view -- we don't have to change our diets completely, we can just eat a little better, and that will improve our eating and the effect of our eating on the environment. He then spins that into a nice variety of simple preparations that encourage variety and experimentation.