Designed For One (Book Review)

This cookbook by Chef Nancy Hughes with the American Diabetes Association has 120 (1 serving size) recipes.  These are easy to prepare utilizing ingredients found in many homes.

There are chapters for salads, hot vegetables, starches, poultry, seafood, beef and pork, meatless and desserts.

While my household is a 2-person family, I could use this book for those breakfasts and lunches I eat alone, or want something my husband does not eat.

I prepared:

 Almond Ginger Bulgur

Chicken Cranberry Bulger

Pepper Poppers

(This photo includes all three recipes.)

I like the use of whole grains.  The pepper poppers is a great idea to make in advance and refrigerate to use throughout the week.  I would not sprinkle the peppers with balsamic vinegar.

 Tuna and Egg on Spinach

This was a lot of food!

Raspberry Softie

This makes use of the frozen berries found throughout the season!

 No Bake Peanut Butter Balls

The recipe at the top of the page is a very simple Red Pepper Mushroom Skillet Pizza.

Made in the toaster oven!

I enjoyed both meals prepared from the Two for One chapter where you "cook once, eat twice".  One day I enjoyed

 Sausage Potato Stuffed Mushrooms

then Mushroom Potato & Sausage Egg Skillet the next.

The nutrition and exchange information is at the bottom of each recipe.  There are some convenience foods included, such as frozen hash browns-which I diced fresh potatoes and par cooked myself.  I used fresh garlic instead of garlic salt to get the prebiotic value.

While there are some pictures in the book, they are not included with the recipe.  Many of the recipes does not include a photo.

Thank you Dalyn Miller PR for the cookbook.  I receive no money for this review-the words are my own!

"Having great-tasting, healthful meals doesn’t require cooking an entire feast. Culinary expert and best-selling author Nancy S. Hughes has spent 25 years developing recipes and teaching people how to cook for plenty…and how to cook for just one. Her latest book is entirely focused on the needs of cooking for one and serving yourself a great tasting meal every day of the week.

DESIGNED FOR ONE! 120 Diabetes-Friendly Dishes Just for You contains 120 budget-friendly recipes for dinner, including salads, sides (starchy and nonstarchy), and even desserts! Nancy guides readers through the process of shopping, storing, measuring, and preparing ingredients — including advice on how to pick out fresh ingredients such as asparagus, tomatoes, pork loin, avocados, and loose herbs without letting anything go to waste.

I wrote this book to provide both those living with diabetes and those just looking for healthier meals with easy-to-make recipes using everyday ingredients. No unwanted leftovers. No unnecessary work. Simple comfort for ONE!
                — Nancy S. Hughes

Many recipes include tips from the chef (“Freeze leftover canned beans by laying them in a thin layer in a resealable sandwich baggie.”) and there’s a “How To” section that brings all these tips and more together for readers. There’s even a “Two-For-One” chapter where Nancy shares many options for cooking larger amounts to repurpose into other recipes and uses. Nancy draws on her previous books such as The 4-Ingredient Diabetes Cookbook and Two-Step Diabetes Cookbook to ensure these recipes are simple, economical, and rich with flavor."