So Good

by Emily English

The debut cookbook from Emily English, with over 80 easy-to-make, delicious and nutritious recipes.

When we think of nutrition and 'eating well' so many of us jump to the words 'diet', 'unenjoyable' and 'sacrifice'. Sometimes we can see healthy eating as something we should do rather than something you want to do. This book aims to change that. To alter your perception of eating well and shift away from an all or nothing approach.

With recipes including...

FLUFFY RICOTTA LEMON PANCAKES
HOT HONEY HALLOUMI AVOCADO TOAST
MANGO AND CRUNCHY CHICKPEA SALAD, WITH JALAPENO DRESSING
CHICKEN AND SPICY GUACAMOLE LUNCH TIME TACOS
GARLIC CRUMBED SALMON WITH COURGETTES AND YOGHURT
CREAMY PARMESAN CHICKPEAS WITH PICKLED CHILLIES
GREEK YOGHURT ROASTED STRAWBERRY ETON MESS

Food, to me, means joy. It's a celebration, a memory, a moment. It's not about counting calories; it's about making every meal COUNT. Let every bite you take not only nourish your body but feed your soul with the simple delight of SO GOOD. Let's bring the joy back to nutrition, back to our lives, back to our plates, and never forget that food, at its core, is joy.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Nonfiction, Reference

191 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 9, 2024

Reviews

[Alicia Bayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are some delicious sounding recipes here, with gorgeous photos of nearly every one. They are made with whole foods and lots of vegetables, though also a lot of wheat and animal products that are fairly easy to swap out for those with dietary restrictions. Quite a few of them involve at least one slice of bread. Each recipe lists the calories and protein, but no other nutritional information like carbs, fat, sodium or fiber. Considering the author is a nutritionist, this was especially disappointing. I’m guessing she thinks protein is the most important macro but that seems kind of random and is certainly not the case for everyone. Some reviewers have said that the calorie counts are incorrect and I didn’t do that math, but that would be even more disappointing.

One small complaint I had is probably only an issue with the kindle version. The recipes tend to take two or three pages and then the photos usually come at the end. I kept flipping forward to see what they looked like and then flipping back if the picture looked good to read the recipe in detail. I really prefer recipes to be on only one page for that reason and also because a multi page recipe feels like too much trouble even if is just because of big text and lots of talk, and it makes it annoying to have to turn multiple pages while cooking.

The recipes really do seem delicious and rather healthy. They tend towards a fair bit of work though, even the ones described as very easy. I cook from scratch every night and am a very experienced cook, but a lot of these recipes seem like a little more work than I would want to go to on a typical weekday, other than the many that involve bread (which my husband and I avoid, and needs to be gluten free for two of our kids). English clearly doesn’t have a problem with carbs and that makes most of the recipes not well suited for my husband and I too (there are lots of soft tacos, sandwiches, giant homemade croutons on salads and soups, pasta, etc.). She apparently ran a food delivery business during covid that was wildly successful and I believe it, since these recipes check so many boxes. If you’re up for the work and want healthy but rather standard American diet (though she is British) food, this will be a fantastic resource.

I read a temporary digital copy of this book for review.

[Emma Johansson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great recipes, I've tried a few, and they've all been delicious. I would happily try every single one, something I'd rarely say with other cook books. So why only three stars?

As mentioned by another reviewer, the cooking time does not account for prep and is a bit misleading when trying to plan ahead for a quick meal having been caught out a few times when a quick dish turned into a longer cook.

My bigger issue is, however, with the calories and macros. This book is hugely under estimating the calories per portion, often coming in at 200-300 more per portion. If it was less than 100, you could argue it's just discrepancies between brands, but unfortunately, that just isn't the case.

As many of the recipes rely on whole food ingredients, there really isn't that much variation when following the recipes to the letter.

It probably wasn't picked up by the editor or publisher, which is a shame, especially as the "by a nutritionist" message is so strong throughout, which would suggest accurate figures. So for anyone thinking they're eating very lean, (low calories) they're really just eating a normal or even large plate of food (calories) with a good balance of ingredients and nutrients.

TLDR: Recipes "So good", calories counts and timings SO BAD.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic cookbook! The recipes are unique and easy to follow. The photos are beautiful. I'm really excited to try all the recipes in this book and would recommend it! Special Thank You to Emily English,Hachette Book Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Actually easy to make. Full of flavor and lots of veggies in the main dishes. I feel totally satiated without feeling full and uncomfortable. Don’t require a bunch of obscure ingredients that you’ll buy once and never use again. This is my favorite cookbook!

[Shay Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unreal recipes

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never wanted to make almost every recipe in a cookbook, but WOW, this cookbook is AMAZING. The recipes are fresh and healthy, but absolutely mouth watering with a nice mix of Mediterranean, Asian, and everyday recipes such as tuna melts, fish and chips, and tomato soup. If you’re looking to transition into a healthier way of eating, I think this book would be a game changer for you; it even includes a meal plan at the end. I also love that it has a photo for almost every recipe. Pick this one up; you won’t be disappointed!

Thank you to Hachette Book Group | Seven Dials and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adore this cookbook.
I’m not into calorie counting or macros but definitely wanted to try and eat a more diverse range of food and veg.
But wow! Other than the one typo in the book (amount of cinnamon in the porridge recipe) and one recipe that I personally wasn’t too keen on (prepable breakfast muffins - she has a miles better one on her insta), all of the recipes I’ve tried have been amazing and have gone down a treat in my house!
It’s brought the joy and love of cooking back to myself and my husband.
It really is a lovely cookbook!

[Kristy Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always on the lookout for cookbooks with healthy, inventive recipes. I'm looking forward to trying some of these in the new year. I read through the text of this one earlier this month and found it to be inviting. There's an emphasis on mindful eating rather than counting calories. While I look on this philosophy as a positive, it doesn't always work for everyone. I tend to slowly gain weight if I don't give at least a cursory glance at calorie intake or weigh my portions carefully. Even healthy foods can lead to weight gain if your eyed portion is a tablespoon more than you think.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book. It has so much going for it. The creamy coconut thai green noodles were delicious. The single serve peach cobbler will stay on rotation. I liked the meal plan section. The photography was good. Very few other items were things that jumped out at me and said "MAKE THIS NOW". If you are new to cooking, this would be a good start on healthy-ish eating. Thank you to the publisher for the early review copy.

[Hannah Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this cookbook. Everything looks healthy but tasty. The ingredients are things I actually have on hand. For example, i leave for holidays tomorrow and I have very little in my fridge at the moment, yet I found quite a few recipes I could make with staples. Heading off to make Thai Chicken Butternut Soup (without fresh coriander).

Note: While I borrowed this from the library, I would love to purchase for future reference.

[Aftan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first sign of a good cookbook, in my opinion, is a picture for every recipe. This is followed closely by approachable recipes with ingredients that are recognizable and low on processed junk. So Good by Emily English hits the mark on both of these. The cookbook offers delicious recipes that are easy to follow for a home cooke and adaptable to meet dietary restrictions and preferences. I also appreciated how protien heavy the dishes were.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/5

If you found this cookbook and it looks appealing, this probably is the one for you! I really enjoyed the pictures but the recipes were not as appealing as I thought they would be. However, if you are super health conscious or nutritionally focused, this is a great staple cookbook. However, I do not think this is a perfect cookbook for everyone.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lili · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve already tested 4 recipes after having this book for a week. Unless some other cooking books I also like, this one is full of easy recipes with ingredients you actually have on hand. The recipe time is a bit off (she basically doesn’t count the prepping/cutting part) but everything I tested was easy to make, testy, filling and I’m already planning on testing 3 other ones next week.

[Jodi Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

With so many healthy options this book has something for everyone. I really enjoyed the way everything is easy to make and foods you can have in the fridge to just grab and graze. The pictures are beautiful and the recipes are easy to follow. The fact that ingredients are common to use and easy to find really helps make this a useful guide.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gorgeously photographed with delicious recipes! I tried cooking the Brick Almond Chicken with Honey & Lime sauce for my family tonight. It was a big hit! Looking forward to cooking my way through this book.

*I received an arc of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice photos, interesting recipes, I can't wait to try some of them--especially the Smoky Black Bean soup! A nice mix of different nationality recipes, and healthy without being boring.

Tjhank you Netgalley and Hachette Book Group | Seven Dials for the ARC!

[Jo-Anne Barker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I won't be keeping this recipe book. No recipe in this cookbook will make anyone feel bright or energised when made with ingredients like all-purpose flour, puff pastry, caster sugar, panko breadcrumbs, etc. Is she really a nutritionist? Her training is different from mine.

[Zuzana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great healthy lifestyle book filled with inspiring recipes you can easily adopt for any lifestyle. Even vegetarian.

[Thebestdogmom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice cookbook. I liked the beautiful pictures.

[Imogen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t believe you can ever “read” a cookbook but am excited to put the words into practice!

[Joni Owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful, healthy and just plain good cookbook. The recipes are simple to follow. The ingredients easily accessible. The pictures are terrific and included for most recipes.

[Melanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So Good is a cookbook of balanced recipes created by a nutritionist. It is meant to kickstart healthy eating.

[Madalina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great receipes

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good information and interesting recipes.

[Tara Ferguson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fab cookbook. Delicious recipes with gorgeous pictures. My first cookbook that got me into cooking and I’m hooked.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

About 15 recipes I would make that are tasty, healthy, interesting, and with common ingredients or ones I keep on hand. I liked this book. Laid out well, nice photos, organized well.

[Natasja · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ Better than I expected! And I’ve already made two recipes- both were delicious.