Love, love, love Tom Kerridge. His recipes and television shows are a delight to watch and to eat. Our Christmas turkey has been based on Tom's recipe for the last three years. So it was with great anticipation that I bought this diet book. I have to admit that it also arrived at a time that I needed to loose some weight. Too many puddings were sitting heavily on my hips and waist.
The huge advantage of this book is that it comes from the prospective of a chef rather than from a dietitian. So the emphasis is on the taste of the food rather than from a tick list of ingredients that happen to be low in calories. Tom Kerridge claims that this book will make you feel happy and to date I have not eaten one of the meals and not felt happy.
I started using this book to make soups for lunch and Tom has given recipes for soups that are quick to make and delicious to eat.
I have made his chorizo, cabbage and kale soup. This may not be a looker but it tasted delicious which is what we all want when we are on a diet. It was filling and I have to be honest when I say this, not at all what you might expect from a diet soup. It was thick and really did what you book claims as it made me feel very happy and not at all deprived.
If you like omelettes, then this is also the book for you as there are omelettes a plenty. They are wonderful standby for lunch. A good way to fill up and avoid eating bread! Where Tom Kerridge is particularly clever is that he uses his omelette as a substitute base for pizza toppings. What is not to like about pepperoni pizza omelette and quattro stagioni omelette?
The meat section will have you drooling. There are marvellous mince curries and hot pots with clever substitutes for potatoes and will make you think that this cannot be a diet book.
A big test of the book is that my husband, who never needs to diet, drat him, eats all of the food with real relish and does not feel at all deprived. I just add rice or potatoes to his plate.
It is, however, important to remember that this book does not give you menus or weeks plans. It is a cook book and all the better for it.
The bottom line is that I have already lost half a stone in two months without feeling that I am on a diet. Before you throw up your hands in horror and say is that all, I have not starved myself, I have been full and I am happy this it is going down. I only have a stone to loose in total. Half way there then.
