The Defined Dish: Whole30 Endorsed, Healthy and Wholesome Weeknight Recipes Kindle Edition

Honestly the cookbook is okay. There was a lot of hype for it but I feel like it fell short and needed some fine tuning. For example: there’s a recipe in the book for “Lemon-Garlic Green Beans” but the recipe doesn’t call for garlic at all? (See picture) Overall, the recipes seem good but a visit to her blog is the same, if not better. And free. Also, I don’t like that some recipes are spread out across 2 to 3 pages; who wants to shuffle through multiple pages in order to follow a recipe, while making a meal? Not me. The cookbook could have been refined a bit before release. In my opinion, it does not live up to the hype.

I preordered this like six months ago and was SO excited to tear in to it when it showed up on my doorstep today. And I am left so disappointed! I love Alex and all that she does, but I really feel like her best stuff is on her blog already. There are a couple of things I’m excited to make from this book, but overall....meh? I’m so so sad. I wish there were more recipes from her blog in here for quick reference. Oh well. Returning this and gonna keep visiting the blog instead!

Cookbook will give you lots of great recipes and ideas on how to continue to succeed along quite happily with the clean and delicious eating. Many of the recipes are leaning towards the authors Italian roots but there are plenty of different interests to suit any pallet as the chapters denote:Mom-Bo Italiano - 12 delectably, protein forward recipesTacos y Mad - 11 Spanish Themed MealsBetter Than Takeout - 11 Asian Inspired OfferingsSatisfying Salads - 10 Green Beauties with lots of protein and interesting dressingSoups for the Soul - 11 Yummy cauldrons from every corner of the globeA Taste of Mediterranean - 11 Recipes that lean towards GreeceCurried and Spiced - 17 offerings from this hot category, many of Indian origin but a few from NOLA and “the Boot”Southern Charms - 11 Meals from south of the Mason Dixon lineCleaned Up Kid Food - 4 EZ fixes for the younger setBack to Basics - 4 very simple preparations, like roast chicken and immersion blender mayo...Pantry staples are included to make the cooking experience easier as well as the shopping: ghee, coconut milk, arrowroot & tapioca starch,almond flour, coconut aminos and Red Boat fish sauce complete the list. Remember that all ingredients must be free from sugar and additives.“Nourish. Not Punish” This is the heart cry for author, Alex Snodgrass. Her compassion and drive are felt on these pages. Each recipe is layed out to include: how many it will serve, how it can be modified for Whole 30, Paleo, Gluten Free, or free from anything else and total cooking time. She includes little nuggets about her own life and experiences that are evoked as a result of the recipe. Happily, each one has a picture of the finished product and most have an offset, rectangular box called “From My Kitchen to Yours” that contains additional tips and tricks to enhance your kitchen experience. The index is also set up to frank back into specific recipes if you purchase the Kindle version; one of my favorite features!“The Defined Dish” is an hugely useful and healthy cookbook for more than just graduates of the Whole 30 program. The recipes are moderate in skill level, the ingredients are easily obtained and there’s a wide variety without being too far off the culinary center of the road. Today is a soup day - Mexican Cabbage it will be; Ole’📚

I like the book a lot, but as someone already said the blog is better when looking for whole30 recipes (she has many more recipes that are truly whole30 compliant and don't need to be modified).I also like the way that the book is setup, it's unique in that its pretty much all dinner/lunch meals and divided based on cuisine- which helps add a variety to eating healthy if you feel like you've had to much potatoes or coconut milk on whole30 or just stuck in a rut. If you want something like curry, there is an entire Indian flavored section; If you need a large break from coconut milk in general, there is a section on Mexican and Chinese/Japanese food. Also, every recipe has a picture which is a huge deal for me (I eat with me eyes!).My one complaint is that most of the recipes are whole30 compliant with a modification suggestion and each recipe reiterates that same suggestion (leave off wine, no diary etc). I can do that with any book and don't need to be told how to do that on each recipe. My issue with this is that when you suggest changing key cooking ingredients (not just your taco shell, but actually suggest leaving off an ingredient thats part of the meal title), you're actually changing the dish and what it should taste like, and instead of having a slew of flavorful recipes in a book, you now have a bunch of recipes that recommend you cook chicken in chicken broth to be healthy- boring. If you want to make the Whiskey Chicken or Skillet Chicken with Wine and Broccolini, and you instead choose to substitute chicken broth, did you really just make Whiskey Chicken or a flavorful chicken simmered in white wine?, Definitely NOT. I think a page or two in the beginning of the book detailing how to change her recipes (or any recipe you find anywhere) to Whole30 compliant would have been better than constantly suggesting to change the recipes.Overall the recipes seem fairly healthy and a really great mix of cuisine flavors. I particularly like the Southern section, since it's a good mix of regional southern cuisine (Nashville hot chicken, bbq, new orleans dishes, etc), that appears healthier and quicker than the true originals. A few of those southern recipes that look good are even Whole30 compliant. There is also a kids section for healthy foods for young kids, which is unique- this looks like it has some good Whole30 recipes for office lunches if you don't have kids.

Alex is an inspiration. Hands down. One of the best. I found her by pure accident on Instagram while trying to find easy dinners for myself and my husband. I was a stay at home wife (4 months pregnant) and literally hadn’t cooked in years due to my crazy career and necessary travel.I now cook one of her meals at least once a week.I own 2 cook books and Alex’s is the 2nd. Buy it. You don’t be disappointed.

The best cookbook I’ve purchased in years, set out beautifully, recipes are delicious, perfect for families especially if following the Whole30 as I am but have family members with dairy or gluten intolerance, ploughing through the recipes everyone so far a hit! Thank you to Alex Snodgrasss for the Defined Dish

This is the best cookbook for eating healthy! Every recipe I have made (and it is a lot of them!) has been so delicious. I keep going back to the book for new dinner ideas and am never disappointed. Can’t wait until her new book comes out!

Delicious and easy recipes! Can’t recommend it enough.

Me anime a comprar este libro por las reseñas que leí y cuando lo recibí me decepcionó. La verdad es que no me gusto nada, tiene muchas recetas en las que se “intento” cocinar platillos mexicanos (tacos, enchiladas, frijoles, etc) y la verdad es que esas recetas son malísimas!!! (Así no se hacen las enchiladas, ni los frijoles) La calidad del papel es buena y la fotografía no es la mejor pero es el libro es de pasta dura y eso aunque es bueno no me convenció ... Sorry!

I have not purchased a cook book in probably 10 years , I. could not resist Alex’s and I’m not disappointed!! I love it it’s beautiful and for a “ just wing it” cook , I’m enjoying actually following recipes so far the 3 I’ve made have been easy and delicious! Worth the purchase if you like clean eating cook books!