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True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure
The #1 bestseller that presents seasonal, sustainable, and delicious recipes from Dr. Andrew Weil's popular True Food Kitchen restaurants.
When Andrew Weil and Sam Fox opened True Food Kitchen, they did so with a two-fold every dish served must not only be delicious but must also promote the diner's well-being. True Food supports this mission with freshly imagined recipes that are both inviting and easy to make.
Showcasing fresh, high-quality ingredients and simple preparations with robust, satisfying flavors, the book includes more than 125 original recipes from Dr. Weil and chef Michael Stebner, including Spring Salad with Aged Provolone, Curried Cauliflower Soup, Corn-Ricotta Ravioli, Spicy Shrimp and Asian Noodles, Bison Umami Burgers, Chocolate Icebox Tart, and Pomegranate Martini.
Peppered throughout are essays on topics ranging from farmer's markets to proper proportions to the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet. True Food offers home cooks of all levels the chance to transform meals into satisfying, wholesome fare.
When Andrew Weil and Sam Fox opened True Food Kitchen, they did so with a two-fold every dish served must not only be delicious but must also promote the diner's well-being. True Food supports this mission with freshly imagined recipes that are both inviting and easy to make.
Showcasing fresh, high-quality ingredients and simple preparations with robust, satisfying flavors, the book includes more than 125 original recipes from Dr. Weil and chef Michael Stebner, including Spring Salad with Aged Provolone, Curried Cauliflower Soup, Corn-Ricotta Ravioli, Spicy Shrimp and Asian Noodles, Bison Umami Burgers, Chocolate Icebox Tart, and Pomegranate Martini.
Peppered throughout are essays on topics ranging from farmer's markets to proper proportions to the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet. True Food offers home cooks of all levels the chance to transform meals into satisfying, wholesome fare.
255 pages, Hardcover
First published October 9, 2012
16 people are currently reading
898 people want to read
About the author
Andrew Weil
207 books650 followersAndrew Weil, M.D., is a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine, a healing oriented approach to health care that encompasses body, mind, and spirit. He is the author of many scientific and popular articles and of 14 books: The Natural Mind, The Marriage of the Sun and Moon From Chocolate to Morphine (with Winifred Rosen) Health and Healing, Natural Health, Natural Medicine; and the international bestsellers, Spontaneous Healing and 8 Weeks to Optimum Health, Eating Well for Optimum Health: The Essential Guide to Food, Diet, and Nutrition The Healthy Kitchen: Recipes for a Better Body, Life, and Spirit (with Rosie Daley) Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Well-Being; and Why Our Health Matters: A Vision of Medicine That Can Transform Our Future (issued in paperback with new content as You Can’t Afford to Get Sick).
Combining a Harvard education and a lifetime of practicing natural and preventive medicine, Dr. Weil is Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, where he also holds the Lovell-Jones Endowed Chair in Integrative Rheumatology and is Clinical Professor of Medicine and Professor of Public Health. The Center is the leading effort in the world to develop a comprehensive curriculum in integrative medicine. Graduates serve as directors of integrative medicine programs throughout the United States, and through its Fellowship, the Center is now training doctors and nurse practitioners around the world.
Learn More:
Facebook.com/DrWeil
YouTube.com/DrWeil
Instagram.com/DrWeil
Flickr.com/DrWeil
Pinterest/DrWeil
Combining a Harvard education and a lifetime of practicing natural and preventive medicine, Dr. Weil is Director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, where he also holds the Lovell-Jones Endowed Chair in Integrative Rheumatology and is Clinical Professor of Medicine and Professor of Public Health. The Center is the leading effort in the world to develop a comprehensive curriculum in integrative medicine. Graduates serve as directors of integrative medicine programs throughout the United States, and through its Fellowship, the Center is now training doctors and nurse practitioners around the world.
Learn More:
Facebook.com/DrWeil
YouTube.com/DrWeil
Instagram.com/DrWeil
Flickr.com/DrWeil
Pinterest/DrWeil
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April 16, 2021Arizona’s best known health authority has a new cookbook. You can experiment with making some of the yummy dishes you may have enjoyed at his True Food Kitchen in Scottsdale. – Paula C.
July 28, 2015
After dining at the restaurant (Fairfax,Va location) a couple times, I was inspired to purchase the cookbook and try some recipes. There are definite pros and cons: the upside is the abundance of healthy, filling recipes. The downside is the number of recipes that call for special ingredients. I had to make a trip to Whole Foods for every recipe I made, and it was pricey. The matcha tea, for example, for Green Arnie, was $17.99. The recipe calls for 8 lemons (79 cents each). It's delicious but at a cost. Yesterday I made the halibut with Unami sauce entree and it took most of the afternoon just prepping and cooking the roasted mushrooms, wok aromatics, and Unami sauce- before getting to the actual cooking of the halibut! Easier choices are the watermelon,tomato and goat cheese salad as well as the kale salad. Both are sumptuous.
The bottom line is that the recipes leave you feeling quite satisfied and healthy but some are not practical on an everyday basis ( unless you really love spending money and time in the kitchen).
For many of the recipes, I'll opt for going back to the restaurant.
The bottom line is that the recipes leave you feeling quite satisfied and healthy but some are not practical on an everyday basis ( unless you really love spending money and time in the kitchen).
For many of the recipes, I'll opt for going back to the restaurant.
March 21, 2013
This cookbook was not what I was expecting. Firstly, I had thought recipes would be organized by season given the subtitle. While non-traditional, I enjoy cookbooks that are focused on real food and sustainable eating to be organized that way. It makes it easier to meal plan for in-season cooking. I was also surprised by the large number of the recipes that called for really specialized ingredients. Some may be available in specialty grocery stores in middle America, but I’m pretty certain many of them I would have to mail order. To me, mail ordered ingredients are not a sustainable ingredient. There were also many more meat dishes than I had expected. Since we are a mixed household I tend to prefer mostly vegetarian cookbooks and then just add meat as a side for additional protein.
I tried only one recipe that I could easily get the ingredients for, the raw kale salad. It was okay, but not something I would crave. I also kicked it up a bit with some nutritional yeast which did help. I did find that it was indeed better the next day.
That said, I did not see this cookbook as one we need in our collection.
I tried only one recipe that I could easily get the ingredients for, the raw kale salad. It was okay, but not something I would crave. I also kicked it up a bit with some nutritional yeast which did help. I did find that it was indeed better the next day.
That said, I did not see this cookbook as one we need in our collection.
September 3, 2019
A flexitarian delight and then some
Sam Fox is a restaurateur. Michael Stebner is an executive chef and of course Andrew Weil is a legendary health guru with international tastes and a surprising expertise in the kitchen. What they’ve done together aside from writing this book is found and operate True Food Kitchens, a growing chain of restaurants where the emphasis is on food that is (as in the subtitle of this book) “Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure.”
What this means can be discerned by going over the recipes in the book. This is not a vegan or even a vegetarian cuisine. This is an international cuisine fit for an epicurean flexitarian! The emphasis is on the fresh, bold, and organic with little meat, some chicken and a bit more fish. Many of the recipes are inspired by Weil’s concept of the “Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid.” There’s a color photo of the “pyramid” in all its glory on page 46—no words, just the foods themselves. At the apex is chocolate (!) followed by red wine, food supplements, spices like ginger and chiles, and foods like fish, beans, avocados, mushrooms, veggies and fruits, etc. (You can see the labeled pyramid at Dr. Weil’s website.) At the base of the pyramid which represents foods that should form the bulk of our diet are the veggies and fruits.
Weil says that he used the Mediterranean diet as a template in his design of the pyramid. He explains that these foods and not the highly processed foods found in the stores and in most restaurants lead to less inflammation in the body and to a healthy life style. The cuisine (I’d call it an international cuisine based on healthy food choices), Weil writes, “includes fewer foods of animal origin, except for fish and high-quality dairy products like yogurt and natural cheeses.” (p. 47)
Yes, this is the middle way of moderation between veganism and bacon-corn syrup gluttony (if you will). Vegetarians are not going to be thrilled and vegans are going to be offended. But there are recipes for vegans dishes (e.g., Butternut Squash-Apple Soup with a cashew base on page 97) in contrast to, well, the recipe for a “Bison Umami Burger” on page 140.
Dr. Weil doesn’t eat beef but believes that bison is a healthy substitute. I would say, perhaps—at least for now until and if it becomes popular, and then the food producers will make it as unhealthy as commercially produced beef. There’s a recipe for the (vegan) “Umami Sauce” on page 236. Key ingredients are tamari, nutritional yeast and garlic.
I am writing this before dinner and wow are the recipes making me hungry! This is the perfect cook book for me since I’ve long followed a similar diet and much prefer cooking at home with my choice of ingredients done my way to going out to eat. But compared to the authors of this book I’m just a chef’s helper with a limited range. Weil, Fox and Stebner demonstrate a deep and abiding knowledge about and love for food. We’re all foodies under the skin, but some like Weil are really in another league. I’ve read and reviewed several of Dr. Weil’s books, always favorably and always with some reservations. I’ll skip the reservations here (since they are few and insignificant) and just say that I am amazed at Weil’s understanding of food and his vast experience. He has clearly spent a good portion of his life experiencing food, thinking about food, eating food and cooking food! (And yes I thought he was doing yoga.)
The book begins with an Introduction that is an interesting conversation about food and the restaurant business among Weil, Fox and Stebner. Next comes “The True Food Pantry,” a list and description of somewhat unusual but characteristic ingredients, such as agave nectar, chiles, flax meal, tahini, etc. Then come the recipes in chapters entitled, “Breakfast,” “Appetizers,” “Salads,” and so on to “Desserts” and “drinks.” There are mini essays on such things as “True Whole Grains” (page 21) and chapter intros written by Weil or Stebner. The recipes are also introduced and/or commented upon by either Weil or Stebner identified by their initials.
The book is beautifully designed and edited, full of easy to read bits of information about food and diet. The full color photos of the foods are gorgeously mouth-watering.
—Well, okay, one reservation: this cuisine requires not just a love of food but the time and energy to go to good markets on almost a daily basis and to keep on hand (and fresh!) a number of specialty ingredients. I’m thinking of the pickled cucumbers, the umami sauce, the dashi sauce (requiring, e.g., kombu and bonito flakes) and a variety of chiles and of course fresh fruits and vegetables. The only way you can achieve this is to really immerse yourself in food and to love what you’re doing. But I think the reward is well worth the effort because not only will you be eating healthier, you will find that you can eat reasonable amounts delicious food with relish, and because you have spent that extra energy shopping and cooking, you will have help in keeping a healthy weight.
Favorite substitution: Kalamata olives for anchovies in the Vegetarian Caesar Dressing on page 233.
Favorite tip: When toasting nuts realize that they are still cooking after being removed from the heat source. So as a general rule, “once you can smell the nuts, they are done.” (p. 243) I learned this the hard way with sesame seeds and foraged Digger Pine nuts.
In a nutshell, this is now easily my favorite cook book.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “The World Is Not as We Think It Is”
Sam Fox is a restaurateur. Michael Stebner is an executive chef and of course Andrew Weil is a legendary health guru with international tastes and a surprising expertise in the kitchen. What they’ve done together aside from writing this book is found and operate True Food Kitchens, a growing chain of restaurants where the emphasis is on food that is (as in the subtitle of this book) “Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure.”
What this means can be discerned by going over the recipes in the book. This is not a vegan or even a vegetarian cuisine. This is an international cuisine fit for an epicurean flexitarian! The emphasis is on the fresh, bold, and organic with little meat, some chicken and a bit more fish. Many of the recipes are inspired by Weil’s concept of the “Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid.” There’s a color photo of the “pyramid” in all its glory on page 46—no words, just the foods themselves. At the apex is chocolate (!) followed by red wine, food supplements, spices like ginger and chiles, and foods like fish, beans, avocados, mushrooms, veggies and fruits, etc. (You can see the labeled pyramid at Dr. Weil’s website.) At the base of the pyramid which represents foods that should form the bulk of our diet are the veggies and fruits.
Weil says that he used the Mediterranean diet as a template in his design of the pyramid. He explains that these foods and not the highly processed foods found in the stores and in most restaurants lead to less inflammation in the body and to a healthy life style. The cuisine (I’d call it an international cuisine based on healthy food choices), Weil writes, “includes fewer foods of animal origin, except for fish and high-quality dairy products like yogurt and natural cheeses.” (p. 47)
Yes, this is the middle way of moderation between veganism and bacon-corn syrup gluttony (if you will). Vegetarians are not going to be thrilled and vegans are going to be offended. But there are recipes for vegans dishes (e.g., Butternut Squash-Apple Soup with a cashew base on page 97) in contrast to, well, the recipe for a “Bison Umami Burger” on page 140.
Dr. Weil doesn’t eat beef but believes that bison is a healthy substitute. I would say, perhaps—at least for now until and if it becomes popular, and then the food producers will make it as unhealthy as commercially produced beef. There’s a recipe for the (vegan) “Umami Sauce” on page 236. Key ingredients are tamari, nutritional yeast and garlic.
I am writing this before dinner and wow are the recipes making me hungry! This is the perfect cook book for me since I’ve long followed a similar diet and much prefer cooking at home with my choice of ingredients done my way to going out to eat. But compared to the authors of this book I’m just a chef’s helper with a limited range. Weil, Fox and Stebner demonstrate a deep and abiding knowledge about and love for food. We’re all foodies under the skin, but some like Weil are really in another league. I’ve read and reviewed several of Dr. Weil’s books, always favorably and always with some reservations. I’ll skip the reservations here (since they are few and insignificant) and just say that I am amazed at Weil’s understanding of food and his vast experience. He has clearly spent a good portion of his life experiencing food, thinking about food, eating food and cooking food! (And yes I thought he was doing yoga.)
The book begins with an Introduction that is an interesting conversation about food and the restaurant business among Weil, Fox and Stebner. Next comes “The True Food Pantry,” a list and description of somewhat unusual but characteristic ingredients, such as agave nectar, chiles, flax meal, tahini, etc. Then come the recipes in chapters entitled, “Breakfast,” “Appetizers,” “Salads,” and so on to “Desserts” and “drinks.” There are mini essays on such things as “True Whole Grains” (page 21) and chapter intros written by Weil or Stebner. The recipes are also introduced and/or commented upon by either Weil or Stebner identified by their initials.
The book is beautifully designed and edited, full of easy to read bits of information about food and diet. The full color photos of the foods are gorgeously mouth-watering.
—Well, okay, one reservation: this cuisine requires not just a love of food but the time and energy to go to good markets on almost a daily basis and to keep on hand (and fresh!) a number of specialty ingredients. I’m thinking of the pickled cucumbers, the umami sauce, the dashi sauce (requiring, e.g., kombu and bonito flakes) and a variety of chiles and of course fresh fruits and vegetables. The only way you can achieve this is to really immerse yourself in food and to love what you’re doing. But I think the reward is well worth the effort because not only will you be eating healthier, you will find that you can eat reasonable amounts delicious food with relish, and because you have spent that extra energy shopping and cooking, you will have help in keeping a healthy weight.
Favorite substitution: Kalamata olives for anchovies in the Vegetarian Caesar Dressing on page 233.
Favorite tip: When toasting nuts realize that they are still cooking after being removed from the heat source. So as a general rule, “once you can smell the nuts, they are done.” (p. 243) I learned this the hard way with sesame seeds and foraged Digger Pine nuts.
In a nutshell, this is now easily my favorite cook book.
--Dennis Littrell, author of “The World Is Not as We Think It Is”
October 12, 2012
***I received the book thanks to Goodreads First Reads***
I learned about Dr. Andrew Weil thanks to my mother several years ago. I was hence eager to discover this recipe book with such a colorful, yummy bowl on the cover.
“True Food” simply means true, yummy, everyday ingredients (understand unprocessed vegetables, fruits, fish, a little meat and a little chocolate) prepared in simple yet incredibly delicious ways.
This recipe book and its title did not come out of the blue: they are inspired by or part of the menu of the True Food Kitchen, a restaurant founded by the authors.
The recipes of the book, like the restaurant’s menu, are based on Dr. Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet.
This is a beautiful, 200+ pages, cooking book, full of colored pictures of the recipes. I also liked the matt paper used. As opposed to glossy paper, you won’t get traces of fingerprints on it. Plus it gives a somehow vintage look to it.
The book is divided into ten recipe sections from “Breakfast,” to “Soups & Chilis,” to “Vegetables,” to “Desserts” and “Basics.” The “Basics” section includes recipes of vinaigrettes, sauces or stocks used in other recipes of the book. The book also starts with an introduction in form of an interview of the three authors: “The Doctor, the Chef, and the Restaurateur.” Finally, a very useful “True Food Pantry” section lists food that may be new to some readers. Very practical.
I wanted to try several recipes before writing the review. I more or less picked them here and there in the book rather than choosing them. They were all easy to prepare and never necessitated a huge amount of time in the kitchen. All recipes also turned out delicious (more than simply good) and nutritious. I especially loved the salads (add me to the list of raw kale salad fans!).
I was slightly disappointed by the two desserts I tried though, finding them good but almost difficult to digest. My husband liked them very much though so it might be only me!
If I had a 1-to-5 rating scale, I would give it a firm 4.
***I received the book thanks to Goodreads First Reads. This review is my opinion only and receiving the book did not influence it. A full review, with pictures I took of recipes I tried from the book can found here: http://bookscupcakescats.wordpress.co...***
I learned about Dr. Andrew Weil thanks to my mother several years ago. I was hence eager to discover this recipe book with such a colorful, yummy bowl on the cover.
“True Food” simply means true, yummy, everyday ingredients (understand unprocessed vegetables, fruits, fish, a little meat and a little chocolate) prepared in simple yet incredibly delicious ways.
This recipe book and its title did not come out of the blue: they are inspired by or part of the menu of the True Food Kitchen, a restaurant founded by the authors.
The recipes of the book, like the restaurant’s menu, are based on Dr. Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet.
This is a beautiful, 200+ pages, cooking book, full of colored pictures of the recipes. I also liked the matt paper used. As opposed to glossy paper, you won’t get traces of fingerprints on it. Plus it gives a somehow vintage look to it.
The book is divided into ten recipe sections from “Breakfast,” to “Soups & Chilis,” to “Vegetables,” to “Desserts” and “Basics.” The “Basics” section includes recipes of vinaigrettes, sauces or stocks used in other recipes of the book. The book also starts with an introduction in form of an interview of the three authors: “The Doctor, the Chef, and the Restaurateur.” Finally, a very useful “True Food Pantry” section lists food that may be new to some readers. Very practical.
I wanted to try several recipes before writing the review. I more or less picked them here and there in the book rather than choosing them. They were all easy to prepare and never necessitated a huge amount of time in the kitchen. All recipes also turned out delicious (more than simply good) and nutritious. I especially loved the salads (add me to the list of raw kale salad fans!).
I was slightly disappointed by the two desserts I tried though, finding them good but almost difficult to digest. My husband liked them very much though so it might be only me!
If I had a 1-to-5 rating scale, I would give it a firm 4.
***I received the book thanks to Goodreads First Reads. This review is my opinion only and receiving the book did not influence it. A full review, with pictures I took of recipes I tried from the book can found here: http://bookscupcakescats.wordpress.co...***
November 22, 2013
This is my absolute favorite cookbook, ever! Everything is made using real, organic when possible, fresh ingredients, and the flavors are better than restaurant amazing. In one week we've made a number of the dishes, including:
Veggies & Tzatiki
Homemade Hummus
Asian Cauliflower
Teriyaki Chicken Stirfry
Curry Cauliflower Soup
Halibut + Fingerling Potatoes
There are only 2 drawbacks for this cookbook. First, each dish is hard to make for working parents because of the amount of time prepping takes. I put in ~ 6 hours this past weekend to chop veggies & make a number of the sauces. However, that being said, we are going to do this again next week because the meals are really good. Second, I wish the authors would have put an amount equivalent for each veggie. For example, instead of saying "large head of cauliflower" I'd prefer "large head of cauliflower (approx. X cups of prepared veg)".
Highly recommend!
Veggies & Tzatiki
Homemade Hummus
Asian Cauliflower
Teriyaki Chicken Stirfry
Curry Cauliflower Soup
Halibut + Fingerling Potatoes
There are only 2 drawbacks for this cookbook. First, each dish is hard to make for working parents because of the amount of time prepping takes. I put in ~ 6 hours this past weekend to chop veggies & make a number of the sauces. However, that being said, we are going to do this again next week because the meals are really good. Second, I wish the authors would have put an amount equivalent for each veggie. For example, instead of saying "large head of cauliflower" I'd prefer "large head of cauliflower (approx. X cups of prepared veg)".
Highly recommend!
September 8, 2013
Loved just about everything about this book from the concept of why they started the restaurant and how they put the recipes together. I've already done many recipes here and it's a great read and book.
August 28, 2019
After having eaten at True Foods and looking for healthy ideas for meals I picked this up at my local library. Although enjoyable to browse through, there weren’t any dishes I felt would be practical to make.
January 8, 2013
This book is for adventurous cooks. It inspired me to cook again. If you are a fan of an anti-inflammatory diet this book guides you. Good pictures and health explanations on the ingredients.
September 22, 2013
Some promising recipes to try, though the authors assume you have the same access to unusual ingredients (sea buckthorn juice, anyone?) as they do on the other coast.
January 2, 2018
Get rid of canola oil in some of the recipes and you get 5 stars. Great book, philosophy and recipes outside of the canola oil.
August 11, 2019
Great cookbook. I’ve prepared many recipes from it..
November 9, 2023
Good recipes but ingredients are hard to find so not very realistic for every day life
November 1, 2012
After a while a 'yet another' book authored by one or more partners in a restaurant can begin to grate. Unless you are a devotee of that particular establishment you start to question the purpose of the book. Of course, a chef at the top of his or her game, renowned for innovation or a particular speciality can still manage to pull a rabbit out of the literary-culinary hat, but for those lower down the 'food chain'?
It is unfortunate that this book brought these thoughts to a head. Here you get the considered wisdom of a partner and a chef behind 'True Food' (a U.S. restaurant that promotes its mission statement that every dish served must not only be delicious, but it must promote the diner's wellbeing) as well as a restauranteur. The end result is a fairly hefty tome that is well-illustrated and designed (in the interests of clarity it should be declared that only an electronic version of the book was made available for review).
The book begins with a fairly lengthy (too lengthy?) introduction that took the form of a written discussion between the authors. This reviewer is not so sure that this really works. Then it is onto a look into the 'True Food' pantry, to explain some of the exotic ingredients used within the recipes such as coconut milk to the reader. Exotic? Then the recipes begin.
Visually and superficially there is nothing to complain about. A relatively good design, wonderful photographs and a formulaic pathway throughout the book. But the overall 'feeling' or 'packaging' of this book is just not gelling with this reviewer. When you come to the recipes things are acceptable and all the core bits and pieces you would expect to find are here. A brief introduction, ingredients list, coherent and understandable instructions and great photographs. An interesting selection of recipes and then bang. Something seems to jam the gears. A boulder on the road. For example, you are happily skimming through breakfast recipes and then comes a mini lecture "Avoiding sugar, fat and salt crutches." Why there? Don't know. Valid? Possibly but why not stick all the evangelism and possible finger-waving to its own section if it is really necessary…
This reviewer cannot put his finger on what is exactly wrong with this book. It is more a feeling. There is a lack of soul. Now that can sound ludicrous as if you just look at the recipes things aren't bad. But the identity and inner soul of the book appear to be confused, not so defined. It isn't, or shouldn't be, a cultural thing either. There isn't anything to criticise production-wise either. All the important boxes are ticked and many things would receive five YUMs (photographs, general layout, etc). But just still the soul is missing. Perhaps this is more enhanced as the book appears to give the impression of being just MORE than a collection of recipes. Here is a premium product but it just is not fully delivering. It is not firing on all cylinders. It is just, so, maddening.
If this book just focussed on the recipes and ignored the various philosophies, mini lectures and general outpourings of gush it would be a good four or possibly even a five YUM (star) book, even at its current price point. Yet when you consider the entire book it just does not feel right. You would be highly recommended to look at this in a bookstore to see if you identify with any awkwardness and can work around it. That is about the best we can say. It would have been easier if the production side had let the book down, or if the recipes needed a boost in some areas. Does 'all heart but no soul" make sense?
True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure, written by Andrew Weill, Sam Fox and Michael Stebner and published by Little, Brown & Company. ISBN 9780316129411, 255 pages. Typical price: USD25.99. YYY.
// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //
It is unfortunate that this book brought these thoughts to a head. Here you get the considered wisdom of a partner and a chef behind 'True Food' (a U.S. restaurant that promotes its mission statement that every dish served must not only be delicious, but it must promote the diner's wellbeing) as well as a restauranteur. The end result is a fairly hefty tome that is well-illustrated and designed (in the interests of clarity it should be declared that only an electronic version of the book was made available for review).
The book begins with a fairly lengthy (too lengthy?) introduction that took the form of a written discussion between the authors. This reviewer is not so sure that this really works. Then it is onto a look into the 'True Food' pantry, to explain some of the exotic ingredients used within the recipes such as coconut milk to the reader. Exotic? Then the recipes begin.
Visually and superficially there is nothing to complain about. A relatively good design, wonderful photographs and a formulaic pathway throughout the book. But the overall 'feeling' or 'packaging' of this book is just not gelling with this reviewer. When you come to the recipes things are acceptable and all the core bits and pieces you would expect to find are here. A brief introduction, ingredients list, coherent and understandable instructions and great photographs. An interesting selection of recipes and then bang. Something seems to jam the gears. A boulder on the road. For example, you are happily skimming through breakfast recipes and then comes a mini lecture "Avoiding sugar, fat and salt crutches." Why there? Don't know. Valid? Possibly but why not stick all the evangelism and possible finger-waving to its own section if it is really necessary…
This reviewer cannot put his finger on what is exactly wrong with this book. It is more a feeling. There is a lack of soul. Now that can sound ludicrous as if you just look at the recipes things aren't bad. But the identity and inner soul of the book appear to be confused, not so defined. It isn't, or shouldn't be, a cultural thing either. There isn't anything to criticise production-wise either. All the important boxes are ticked and many things would receive five YUMs (photographs, general layout, etc). But just still the soul is missing. Perhaps this is more enhanced as the book appears to give the impression of being just MORE than a collection of recipes. Here is a premium product but it just is not fully delivering. It is not firing on all cylinders. It is just, so, maddening.
If this book just focussed on the recipes and ignored the various philosophies, mini lectures and general outpourings of gush it would be a good four or possibly even a five YUM (star) book, even at its current price point. Yet when you consider the entire book it just does not feel right. You would be highly recommended to look at this in a bookstore to see if you identify with any awkwardness and can work around it. That is about the best we can say. It would have been easier if the production side had let the book down, or if the recipes needed a boost in some areas. Does 'all heart but no soul" make sense?
True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure, written by Andrew Weill, Sam Fox and Michael Stebner and published by Little, Brown & Company. ISBN 9780316129411, 255 pages. Typical price: USD25.99. YYY.
// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //
October 21, 2019
Andrew Weil’s “True Food” asks for a profound commitment before you can truly enjoy it. Commitment to time. Commitment to ingredients. Commitment to detailed cooking methods. And, commitment to space.
All of his recipes take a fair amount of time to create. Are you in love with the kitchen and the detailed step by step instructions most of these recipes require? A nice chunk of these recipes need an accompaniment recipe found in the back of the book where you’ll need to make the sauce or salsa or pesto or dressing or whatever before you can execute the completion of the meal. Time, time, time.
His ingredients are a rich matrix of layered flavors upon flavors upon flavors. Here’s a sample of what is required (80% of his recipes contains at least one of these ingredients. 50%+ require multiple combos of them)
sambal oelek
mirin
hoisin sauce
kombu
bonito flakes
annatto seeds
white miso
Korean chile paste
Turkish bay leaf
citrus sesame sauce
garam masala
cashew milk
marcona almonds
mesquite flour
kaffir
Thai red curry paste
Grana Padano cheese
The seasoned home cook may already have these:
rice wine vinegar
tamari
evaporated can sugar nutritional yeast
San Marzano canned tomatoes
unami sauce
sake
I got these ingredients after thumbing through the book a mere two minutes. I didn’t have to search; they infiltrate nearly every recipe. Are you committed enough to have most of these ingredients in your pantry or to purchasing them? Then this book may be for you.
Dr. Weil does an adequate job explaining the different types of cooking methods that his food requires (his favorite is a wok). And offers options for possible variations. Multi-steps go into his food.
Commitment to space is what prevents me from fully enjoying this cookbook. You see all those ingredients up there? Where in the tarnation am I supposed to put all of them once I buy them? I don’t yet have the luxury of a second refrigerator and my pantry is at 100% capacity already. Unless you are a full-on asian fusion enthusiast, I’m not sure how practical this cookbook is. (I have over 400 cookbooks. You will not find one Chinese, Japanese, or Asian book on my shelves for one reason: I’m not committed to the time, effort, and vast ingredients it takes to cook this genre of food. I am blessed to live in a city known for its fine cuisine and plopping down $30 once or twice a month for someone else to cook and serve me asian fusion is completely worth it. AND, they clean up the mess afterwards - I don’t even have to look at it.)
There is no doubt in my mind Andrew Weil is a man committed to fine food and I know his recipes are totally worth the effort. But, not my effort. In a year or so I will need to move from my current home. If the kitchen I move into is gourmet and vast enough to accommodate the food in this cookbook, I shall dive in. If not, I will give this cookbook a big hug and send it on its way to the thrift store where someone else will pick it up, buy it, and love the commitment-demanding hell out of it. Or not.
All of his recipes take a fair amount of time to create. Are you in love with the kitchen and the detailed step by step instructions most of these recipes require? A nice chunk of these recipes need an accompaniment recipe found in the back of the book where you’ll need to make the sauce or salsa or pesto or dressing or whatever before you can execute the completion of the meal. Time, time, time.
His ingredients are a rich matrix of layered flavors upon flavors upon flavors. Here’s a sample of what is required (80% of his recipes contains at least one of these ingredients. 50%+ require multiple combos of them)
sambal oelek
mirin
hoisin sauce
kombu
bonito flakes
annatto seeds
white miso
Korean chile paste
Turkish bay leaf
citrus sesame sauce
garam masala
cashew milk
marcona almonds
mesquite flour
kaffir
Thai red curry paste
Grana Padano cheese
The seasoned home cook may already have these:
rice wine vinegar
tamari
evaporated can sugar nutritional yeast
San Marzano canned tomatoes
unami sauce
sake
I got these ingredients after thumbing through the book a mere two minutes. I didn’t have to search; they infiltrate nearly every recipe. Are you committed enough to have most of these ingredients in your pantry or to purchasing them? Then this book may be for you.
Dr. Weil does an adequate job explaining the different types of cooking methods that his food requires (his favorite is a wok). And offers options for possible variations. Multi-steps go into his food.
Commitment to space is what prevents me from fully enjoying this cookbook. You see all those ingredients up there? Where in the tarnation am I supposed to put all of them once I buy them? I don’t yet have the luxury of a second refrigerator and my pantry is at 100% capacity already. Unless you are a full-on asian fusion enthusiast, I’m not sure how practical this cookbook is. (I have over 400 cookbooks. You will not find one Chinese, Japanese, or Asian book on my shelves for one reason: I’m not committed to the time, effort, and vast ingredients it takes to cook this genre of food. I am blessed to live in a city known for its fine cuisine and plopping down $30 once or twice a month for someone else to cook and serve me asian fusion is completely worth it. AND, they clean up the mess afterwards - I don’t even have to look at it.)
There is no doubt in my mind Andrew Weil is a man committed to fine food and I know his recipes are totally worth the effort. But, not my effort. In a year or so I will need to move from my current home. If the kitchen I move into is gourmet and vast enough to accommodate the food in this cookbook, I shall dive in. If not, I will give this cookbook a big hug and send it on its way to the thrift store where someone else will pick it up, buy it, and love the commitment-demanding hell out of it. Or not.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2019
Notes:
This cookbook is geared towards upper-middle class to upper class, given the choice and cost of ingredients in most of the recipes. Almost every recipe has one expensive or rare ingredient in it. That is fine, because it can challenge foodies to try something new but it's not sustainable for people on a budget. Recipes call for cashews, ground bison, honshimeji mushrooms... Also, I have used other cookbooks with rare/odd/expensive ingredients in them, and they either present a whole series of recipe using the ingredient, so you aren't left with half-full bottles of some vinegar or oil that won't get used up, or they present alternatives.
The title is misleading. I borrowed this book from the library because it said, "seasonal...simple" on it, which is mostly not the case. The recipes aren't too complicated but I've definitely seen simpler, and I was hoping for more information on how to cook what's in season. The title should have focused on the anti-inflammatory properties of the food used in the presented recipes. A large portion of the book focuses on using food high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.
Some of the authors notes sound a little bit conceited (I might be a bit harsh), they are constantly pushing the home-grown, the international angle, the health alternatives... Growing food at home is a luxury. Many people, especially in cities live in apartments and condos with little to no yard space. Growing some herbs and one tomato plant is possible for everyone but growing heirloom tomatoes is difficult as they fall to disease much faster than regular tomatoes do.
In conclusion, I am definitely not the target audience for this book. I do not want to change my entire shopping habits to accommodate to one recipe at a time. I have a tight budget and everything I buy has to work with whatever else I have, so I don't have odd produce sitting in my fridge that I can't use because I would have to buy more suitable sides for it. I gave the book two stars because a lot of the recipes had pictures and I prefer recipe books with pictures. I also applaud the author for using lots of anti-inflammatory ingredients. I am trying to move in that direction with my food, but I am going about it a lot slower than the authors.
This cookbook is geared towards upper-middle class to upper class, given the choice and cost of ingredients in most of the recipes. Almost every recipe has one expensive or rare ingredient in it. That is fine, because it can challenge foodies to try something new but it's not sustainable for people on a budget. Recipes call for cashews, ground bison, honshimeji mushrooms... Also, I have used other cookbooks with rare/odd/expensive ingredients in them, and they either present a whole series of recipe using the ingredient, so you aren't left with half-full bottles of some vinegar or oil that won't get used up, or they present alternatives.
The title is misleading. I borrowed this book from the library because it said, "seasonal...simple" on it, which is mostly not the case. The recipes aren't too complicated but I've definitely seen simpler, and I was hoping for more information on how to cook what's in season. The title should have focused on the anti-inflammatory properties of the food used in the presented recipes. A large portion of the book focuses on using food high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.
Some of the authors notes sound a little bit conceited (I might be a bit harsh), they are constantly pushing the home-grown, the international angle, the health alternatives... Growing food at home is a luxury. Many people, especially in cities live in apartments and condos with little to no yard space. Growing some herbs and one tomato plant is possible for everyone but growing heirloom tomatoes is difficult as they fall to disease much faster than regular tomatoes do.
In conclusion, I am definitely not the target audience for this book. I do not want to change my entire shopping habits to accommodate to one recipe at a time. I have a tight budget and everything I buy has to work with whatever else I have, so I don't have odd produce sitting in my fridge that I can't use because I would have to buy more suitable sides for it. I gave the book two stars because a lot of the recipes had pictures and I prefer recipe books with pictures. I also applaud the author for using lots of anti-inflammatory ingredients. I am trying to move in that direction with my food, but I am going about it a lot slower than the authors.
January 7, 2017
I picked up this book after eating at True Food Kitchen in Austin. While I didn't find the recipe I loved at the restaurant (Red Chili Noodles), I did find other delicious recipes. Given Weil's food pyramid, there's actually a lot of meat and fish based recipes (not surprising, perhaps, given American demands), but I did find delicious recipes that were vegan or that I could veganize. The Curried Cauliflower soup was creamy, a little spicy, and delicious; the beet and Quinoa Tabbouleh was brightened with the addition of mint and pomegranate seeds; the Tofu Curry had a sauce I wanted to eat by itself (though I'd add more chili paste next time) and serving it with rice vermicelli was a nice addition, and the lettuce wraps were great, though the homemade teriyaki is intense enough that I recommend less of the lettuce wrap filling and more of the lettuce in each. I also easily veganized the Kale Pesto with fettuccine and Spicy Shrimp and Asian noodles- both recommended. This is restaurant food, however, not easy home cooking- while I'm a self-taught novice cook, and others are no doubt speedier than me, most of the recipes do require multiple additional steps like quick pickling veggies, caramelizing onions, making cashew cream, blanching kale etc. that add to the time required.
November 7, 2016
I checked this beautiful cookbook out from the library to see if I really wanted it in my cookbook collection. A collection that has outgrown its allotted shelves and is coming under my scrutiny for necessary but thoughtful thinning. I love my cookbooks!
This book shares recipes used in a group of restaurants by the same name started by Weil and two partners. The recipes are all healthy but not easy. Most include a longish list of ingredients, some I've never heard of, so it's not a book for a novice in the kitchen. For that it loses one star in my rating. My favorite section of the book included their sauces and stocks which often give the extra kick or edge to a recipe.
Before I make the final decision on buying the book, I will visit one of their True Food restaurants in Scottsdale and try out their food. Yum!
This book shares recipes used in a group of restaurants by the same name started by Weil and two partners. The recipes are all healthy but not easy. Most include a longish list of ingredients, some I've never heard of, so it's not a book for a novice in the kitchen. For that it loses one star in my rating. My favorite section of the book included their sauces and stocks which often give the extra kick or edge to a recipe.
Before I make the final decision on buying the book, I will visit one of their True Food restaurants in Scottsdale and try out their food. Yum!
October 7, 2012
**I received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway**
The sustainable food movement is gaining ground everywhere. Making it accessible to almost anyone anywhere. I love the idea of using organic healthy ingredients but was always at a loss as to how to use the ingredients. True Food provides you just that. Beyond great healthy recipes it offers advice and guidance for preparation. The book is full of BEAUTIFUL full color images that show you exactly what you are making. It contains everything from smoothies to desserts. This would be a great gift for the vegetarian in your life. The book is well organized. The recipes are simple but delicious. A great book for anyone who wants to improve upon their cooking skills and nutrition knowledge.
The sustainable food movement is gaining ground everywhere. Making it accessible to almost anyone anywhere. I love the idea of using organic healthy ingredients but was always at a loss as to how to use the ingredients. True Food provides you just that. Beyond great healthy recipes it offers advice and guidance for preparation. The book is full of BEAUTIFUL full color images that show you exactly what you are making. It contains everything from smoothies to desserts. This would be a great gift for the vegetarian in your life. The book is well organized. The recipes are simple but delicious. A great book for anyone who wants to improve upon their cooking skills and nutrition knowledge.
September 15, 2012
This cook book is for adventurous cooks, with recipes asking for things you may not typically use every day--like jicama, honshimeji mushrooms, miso, nutritional yeast flakes, or bison meat. This doesn't mean the recipes aren't good, it's just that you may have to plan in advance to make these meals and track down some ingredients. The photographs are helpful (and tempting) and the soups in particular look yummy--though some are labor intensive if you follow them to a T. The curried cauliflower soup was good, though I left out the cane sugar; and instead of blending cashews, mixing with water and straining, I just used some cashew butter. It was still good, so I'm not sure I'll be making it the hard way.
March 11, 2013
I tried a few recipes from this book and they turned out very nice. The Curried Cauliflower Soup and the Sweet Potatoe-Poblano Soup are truly outstanding. A lot of the others are just not stimulating enough for me - a lot of it is fish / shellfish, bison meat, or require purchase or preparation of specialty ingredients such as umami sauce and yuzo kosho. I prefer simpler undertakings. For example, the book has an interesting curry recipe, but it seemed quite complicated with lots of ingredients, so I simply turned to Heidi's Weeknight Curry in Supernatural Cooking. Much easier and just as healthy and nutritious. I contemplated the many recipes for several weeks, but in the end simply could not get myself motivated to try them.
May 16, 2013
This is one of the best cookbooks I've ever cooked from. Borrowed it from the local library, and I plan to purchase it to add to my kitchen collection. Recipes focus on healthy fresh produce, spices and grains instead of typical butter and sugar that are so common in the American diet. The blueberry quinoa johnycakes, Moroccan chicken salad, and carrot-parsnip bread were particularly delicious. Highly recommend if you are into healthy eating and looking for some new and interesting recipes to try.
October 29, 2018
This was such a disappointment! The cover says, "Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure"...
The book is beautiful and most of the recipes do sound as delicious and healthy as promised, but simple? Not for me. If you live on the east or west coasts, maybe they would be simple but not in the midwest where I live. A lot of the ingredients required for these recipes are just not easily found in groceries so not easily or economically available.
I'm very glad I borrowed this book from the library because if I had purchased it I would have wasted my money.
The book is beautiful and most of the recipes do sound as delicious and healthy as promised, but simple? Not for me. If you live on the east or west coasts, maybe they would be simple but not in the midwest where I live. A lot of the ingredients required for these recipes are just not easily found in groceries so not easily or economically available.
I'm very glad I borrowed this book from the library because if I had purchased it I would have wasted my money.
October 8, 2012
I'm not a huge health food nut but I saw this on the give away list and thought why not. I looked through and it's actually not a bad collection of recipes. I learned some things from it too. Like how healthy bison meat is. Granted, I'm not sure how easily I'd be able to get my hands on some but I digress.
It's a decent collection of recipes and I fully intend to try my hand at a few of these.
I won this as a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
It's a decent collection of recipes and I fully intend to try my hand at a few of these.
I won this as a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.
October 4, 2012
I was very impressed with this book, for a number of reasons. First, it's a healthy cookbook, yet manages to have recipes that the everyday person would be able to use. Second, it even has recipes for basic things, such as pesto, that help beginning cooks like myself. Third, it makes me confident that I can cook decent food.
I really enjoy this book, and if anyone wants a cookbook that's loaded with healthy food, yet for the average beginning cook, then this is the book for you!
I really enjoy this book, and if anyone wants a cookbook that's loaded with healthy food, yet for the average beginning cook, then this is the book for you!
October 20, 2012
I received this book through Goodreads. I love that the recipes are seasonal and fairly simple to prepare. Many vegetarian choices is a big plus, too. Extra sections like, "What is the Anti-Inflammatory Diet?" and "How Americans are Learning to Love Raw Kale" add a nice touch, not found in typical recipe books. Curried Cauliflower Soup-- yum! The only thing that I didn't like about this book is that the recipes are lacking nutritional information.
September 2, 2013
I know that as a resident health guru, Andrew Weil has a lot expected of him. He certainly delivered in this cookbook entry based on his restaurant menu by the same name. In addition to many unusual and healthy recipes, there are several valuable insights into the world of healthy eating. My one small criticism would be that there are so many uncommon food ingredients that one has to practically relearn cooking! But, I certainly think it is worth trying.
December 18, 2013
I opened this cookbook with a desire to really like it, and sort of an expectation that it would be fantastic. Well, it was, perhaps if all the ingredients would be available in an average grocery store in my region. Astragalus root? Hmmm.... So, not a book to give someone or rely upon if said person lives in rural upper Midwest. And this was disappointing, because I do feel that food I have access to is "true" and "real." Just not super exotic or hoity-toity.
January 21, 2015
Boohoo! The food looks so good but right out of the gate.. I am sure Andrew Weil is not a stay at home mom with ADD! Most of the recipes are to long- to many ingredients, extra sauces- and things I can't easily find like Sea Buckthorn Juice, honshimji mushrooms, annatto seeds? And I do cook.. A lot. Granted I've only looked it over. I have not made any recipes...yet these lovely recipes seems overly showy. Maybe it will expand my horizons. We'll see!
July 3, 2016
***Not a vegan or even vegetarian cookbook - though some dishes are V or VEG, or can be adapted.***
True Food Kitchen is one of my favorite restaurants in Houston - they offer vegan or adaptable dishes on the menu, which is based on Dr. Andrew Weil's food pyramid. Reading through this cookbook informed me on cooking techniques and flavor combinations. Each recipe I have tried has proven delicious!
True Food Kitchen is one of my favorite restaurants in Houston - they offer vegan or adaptable dishes on the menu, which is based on Dr. Andrew Weil's food pyramid. Reading through this cookbook informed me on cooking techniques and flavor combinations. Each recipe I have tried has proven delicious!
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