The New American Heart Association Cookbook is a massive work.
Publisher’s Blurb
Here is the ultimate resource for anyone looking to improve cardiac health and lose weight, offering 800 recipes–100 all new, 150 refreshed–that cut saturated fat and cholesterol. The American Heart Association’s cornerstone cookbook has sold more than three million copies and it’s now fully updated and expanded to reflect the association’s latest guidelines as well as current tastes, with a fresh focus on quick and easy. This invaluable, one-stop-shopping resource — including updated heart-health information, strategies and tips for meal planning, shopping, and cooking healthfully — by the most recognized and respected name in heart health is certain to become a staple in American kitchens.
What I thought…
Again, this is a massive book. It reminds me of The Joy of Cooking in its girth. It also reminds me of that classic cookbook because THERE ARE NO PHOTOS (or even line drawings). The recipes are listed one after another in small print to ensure, I am certain, that they could get 800 recipes in one volume.
The New American Heart Association Cookbook does contain healthy recipe after healthy recipe. Not surprisingly, the biggest sections are Salads, Seafood and the Vegetarian sections. The book begins with tips on maintaining healthy eating to obtain a healthy lifestyle.
We are getting a few cucumbers every few days from the garden so I searched out a salad that I could utilize our garden produce.
Cucumber and Mango Salad with Lime Dressing
“Cucumber and mango combine to make a crunchy, spicy-sweet salad with a refreshing mix of flavors and textures.”
Ingredients
- 1 t. grated lime zest
- 2 T. fresh lime juice
- 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 t. honey
- 1/2 t. ground cumin
- 1/4 t. salt (I used fine sea salt.)
- 1 c. uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained (I used red quinoa.)
- 1 large mango, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced
- 1 large cucumber, halved and sliced
- 1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 t. jalapeno, seeded and minced
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lime zest, juice, olive oil, honey, cumin and salt. Set aside.
- Prepare the quinoa according to package directions. Transfer to a large bowl. Fluff with a fork.
- Stir the remaining ingredients into the cooked (and cooled) quinoa. Pour the dressing over the salad, tossing gently to coat.
Nutrition
- Calories: 178
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0
- Sodium: 102 mg
- Total carbs: 31 g
- Protein: 5 g
Obviously, we weren’t able to go pick a mango off a tree, but our garden cucumber did pair great with the other flavors. The jalapeno was home grown as well. This salad certainly creates an explosion of tropical flavors and I love anything with quinoa. (Be aware, however, that there’s more veggies and mango in this salad than quinoa.)
I’m not sure I would have purchased this book for myself. (I received a free review copy—see below for details). But, I do think it would make a great gift for anyone trying to eat healthier and heart-friendlier. My goal is to regift this to a family member. We’ll see if it gets presented or not after I continue my foray into all those 800 recipes….
It might just stay in my collection.
I am also linking up with Foodies Read…
… and Souper Sunday, hosted by Deb at Kahakai Kitchen.
You might also like my review of another Heart Association cookbook, Grill It, Braise It, Broil It and a recipe for Butternut Soup from its pages.
If’ you’re a mango fan like we are, also check out Watermelon Fruit Salad with Mango, Blackberries and Basil.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Blogging for Books for this review. All opinions, exclamations, gushings and rants are my own. For my other Blogging for Books reviews, click here.
Zesty, fresh and summer perfect…and please double the cilantro for me :-))
I agree!
I always love the pictures in cookbooks… but if I ever wrote one it would have NONE. It’s such a pain to take them!
If I am ever lucky enough to write one, I would hope I’d have a professional. 🙂 In fact, I would demand it. LOL
I have the cookbook and have made a few of the recipes, all have been pretty good! Your dressing sounds delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
I certainly want to delve into it some more before I regift it. 🙂
Love mangoes, and they work well with cukes, don’t they? Nice salad — sounds like it has lovely flavor. Thanks!
Love us some mangoes here, too.
No pics 🙁 But I have heard of this book and heard great things…like this recipe. So fun to mix cucumbers and mango…and quinoa.
The cuke/mango mix was interesting, especially for a summer salad.
I prefer cookbooks that can be perused and enjoyed rather than just being available to look up recipes. I would wish that a book of this importance would have tried to be attractive to those who need to use it and be more user friendly.
I like colored pictures, too. I think that they were just trying to get every possible recipe they could in this collection.
Beautiful combination! I love salads as meals during summer!
They are cool and easy, aren’t they?
I like the combination of the mango and cucumber–so cooling and perfect for summer. Thanks for sharing it with Souper Sundays this week. 😉
Thanks, Deb. I always like to participate in Souper Sunday!
Interesting blend of flavors . I’m trying to imagine the mango and jalepeno together. I guess it’s a sweet and spicy salad
Sweet and spicy….YES! In fact, I would add more Jalapenos next time.
Small print and no pictures? Obviously, a marketing person needed to have been involved. 🙂 Personally, I can’t believe how many DElicious heart healthy recipes I get from food bloggers like you. Thanks for the review. Great recipe that you chose.
Thanks. I agree that marketing might have needed to be involved. The recipes are good, but like those now vintage HUGE Gourmet cookbooks, there are at least cute illustrations.