The One-Pot Weight Loss Plan is a cookbook for everyone.
It is National Cookbook Month, so I would like to introduce you to my cookbook.
While I could talk about the evolution of my cookbook use, the first one was the Better Home & Gardens checkerboard cookbook – circa 1991, and the progression to using Cooking Light magazines and cookbooks for over 15 years, to just doing internet searches for something new, I would like to share my cookbook.
The One-Pot Weight Loss Plan, Healthy Meals for Your Slow Cooker, Skillet, Sheet Pan, and More was written in the summer of 20109 and released in December 2019.
It has 65 recipes that cover all types of diet preferences and restrictions, including gluten-free, dairy-free, vegetarian, and vegan, including beef, pork, chicken, turkey, and seafood options. Many items are kid-friendly, meaning that kids will like it but may also help with preparation. It also includes breakfast items and dessert items along with main dish recipes.
The one-pot concept means that each recipe is made entirely in the cooking or preparation container/vessel. And that "rule" is throughout the cookbook, every single recipe. When prepping and writing some of the recipes, especially for the skillet chapter, I would brown the meat, set it aside, add the vegetables, and return the beef or chicken to the pan. That was not acceptable by the publisher/editors and a "one-pot" concept, so I had to re-tool those recipes. Seriously one-pot.
The chapter's layout is by the cooking container or preparation vessel. Here are the recipe chapters
Blender (no cook)
One Bowl (no cook)
Slow Cooker
Electric Pressure Cooker
Soup Pot
Dutch Oven
Casserole Dish and Sheet Pan
Skillet
Because it was at the height of the Instant Pot trend, the "electric pressure cooker" chapter has 15 recipes, while the others have ten. It is generally two breakfasts, two desserts, and eight main dishes from vegetarian to beef. In 2019, the air fryer had not yet hit its big as a countertop cooking appliance.
Most recipes are under 30 minutes to prepare and cook—most, not all. And the slow cooker chapter is an exception.
Most ingredients are at the neighborhood grocery store with no need for specialty store shopping.
Someone complained that they had to go shopping for some of the items I list as ingredients in the reviews. However, I must insist that most cookbooks will require at least some shopping. I don't have all of these ingredients in my pantry at any given moment. That is why I grocery shop.
I did get a poor review on Amazon because the person thought they were buying a slow cooker cookbook. Not my fault. Others have given poor reviews because the layout is by the chapters listed above, and they wanted all the breakfast dishes in the same section.
Someone complained that their recipe didn't turn out, and "obviously" I hadn't even made the dish. I had. And it came out fine as written in my neck of the woods.
Now I call this a cookbook. The title is "weight loss plan." I know not everyone wants or needs to lose weight. However, that is part of marketing. I use this cookbook all the time. Many people have purchased it for their college kids or to get a book a quick meal. The first couple of chapters include how weight loss will work, along with a plan and grocery list for each week.
I recently gave a copy to a friend who has a family member newly diagnosed with diabetes. While she didn't need to relearn how to cook, she wanted new recipe ideas since she cooked was fine already. And these recipes fit the needs of her family while providing fresh ideas.
The best part, besides the yummy recipes? Not that many dishes to clean afterward. One-pot = less mess and less stress.
Here is my favorite from each chapter:
Blender: Avocado Chocolate Pudding Four ingredients and so rich that a small serving is enough.
One-Bowl: Peanut Butter Banana Protein Bowl High protein breakfast or post-workout snack and no-cook.
Slow-Cooker: Stacked Enchilada Casserole. It's a bit messy but so yummy.
Electric Pressure Cooker: Rice Pudding Made with a twist.
p Pot: Tortellini Soup with Chickpeas – done in 25 minutes start to finish
Dutch Oven: Chicken Butternut Squash Peanut Stew. Try it. You'll like it.
Casserole and Sheet Pan: Pork Tenderloin with Root Vegetables and Orange Honey Sauce. Perfect fall or winter meal
Skillet: Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet. A family favorite.
You can get this book on Amazon or any bookseller, with more details here. It may not be on the shelf, but you can request it. Just ask for The One-Pot Weight Loss Plan, and they should be able to get it.
