Overview:
A few weeks ago I picked up a copy of ‘Quick Fix Meals’ by Robin Miller. Being unfamiliar with Miller’s program on Food Network, I was nevertheless interested in her approach to quick, healthy meals from the moment I leafed through the pages of the book. It is comparable to Rachael Ray’s 30 minute meals, only a little more detailed with better ideas for saving money. It also boasts over 200 recipes including a section for revamping leftover meals.
In a nutshell, here’s the rundown:
Pros:
1.) She gives you recipes to transform leftovers (usually about 3 or 4 different modified meals per each leftover batch), so there is little to no waste. This also cuts the amount of groceries one would have to purchase.
2.) This book is designed for busy people with very little time to spend in the kitchen. This can work for both single people and families. She suggests taking one hour out of the weekend to do all of your prepwork (chopping, boiling, marinades, etc..) so that it’s already done when you get home from work during the week. This ensures as little time in the kitchen as possible on short evenings that you want to spend catching up on projects or with your family.
3.) The recipes are simple and usually designed to cook in 30 minutes or less.
4.) As Miller says in her book, she is a nutritionist. Therefore, she makes a conscious effort to make sure meals include lowfat alternatives. Most of the meals are made with lean meats such as chicken, fish, and pork, and tons of fresh vegetables.
5.) You don’t have to be a chef or a top notch cook to benefit from this book. In fact, it’s made for normal, everday people looking for simple meal ideas. You just need to know a few basic steps, which are outlined very clearly in the book.
Cons:
1.) Miller consistently advocates that the freezer should be your best friend. In fact, many of her recipes and prepwork are designed for this. This is a good idea but could be inconvenient if you live in a small house or apartment with limited freezer space.
2.) Prepwork is a good idea but the food quality may suffer when it finally hits the table. Since there are several things she prepares in advance, some of the meals or ingredients must be microwaved. In some cases, the flavors could be consistent with leftovers.
3.) Prepwork still takes a good deal of time. This plan sort of assumes that you have an hour or two to spare each weekend towards cooking and prepping.
4.) Some of the ingredients may not necessarily be things you would keep in the kitchen. They would be special purchases towards making certain meals only.
Overall, I would consider this a fantastic collection of recipes and an incredibly strong approach to quick easy meals. It’s not really a gourmet cookbook — more like a much more well-balanced fast food alternative. If you are looking to bust fast food from you diet but don’t have a strong culinary aptitude or a lot of time to spend in the kitchen, this book is definitely a must-have.
