Full of low calorie, beautifully photographed recipes, Gina Homolka’s Skinnytaste One & Done will help you get a healthy dinner on the table with very little fuss or time, leaving you only one pot, pan, or appliance to clean from start to finish.
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As the saying goes, New Year, New You – Right? Knowing I wasn’t alone in my desire to create new healthy eating habits in 2019, I started a small online cookbook club in January, I invited my friends to join me as I worked through a cookbook that not only contained low calorie recipes, but utilized one means of cooking to do it – one skillet, one sheet pan, one device, etc. That cookbook is Skinnytaste One & Done by Gina Homolka. One month into our club, and we’re still not tired of the recipes available to us.
Skinnytaste One & Done by Gina Homolka
Gina Homolka is well known in the food world. Her blog – Skinnytaste – started in 2008 and is immensely popular. Homolka’s subsequent cookbooks have been bestsellers as well. She is known for providing recipes that are delicious while still being low in calorie, and the author always provides full nutritional information, making it easy to follow any diet you might be on. When I want to find a way to make a recipe healthier, Skinnytaste is where I go to look for ideas.
Skinnytaste One & Done is Homolka’s latest cookbook, containing 140 “no-fuss dinners” utilizing only one appliance or pan. The recipes take advantage of the trend to cook with air fryers, slow cookers, and pressure cookers, while offering alternate cooking means and more traditional one-pan recipes for those that might not have all of the above. The concept and execution of the recipes is simple, but the resulting flavors are interesting and complex. Skinnytaste One & Done proves that easy weeknight dinners don’t have to be boring.
Cover to Cover
In addition to a short introduction and quick summary of the tools used in the cookbook, Skinnytaste One & Done is divided into seven main chapters, each focusing on a different type of cooking: Skillet; Sheet Pan & Baking Dish; Pressure Cooker; Air Fryer; Dutch Oven; Slow Cooker; and Grill Pan & Grill.
Don’t have an air fryer or a pressure cooker? No problem. Both of those chapters include ways to alternatively cook those recipes without those appliances, making this a truly versatile cookbook across the board. The cookbook is also a convenient size (not too large or small) and has a lovely photo with every recipe – two things I always appreciate.
Reviewing the Recipes
My friends and I tried quite a few recipes, and none were disappointing. The instructions are clear and easy to follow. Even better, the ingredient lists are relatively small and nearly every recipe fits on a single page. What else could you want from a one-pot recipe? I could see many of the recipes becoming part of weeknight dinner routine going forward.
My only comment about the recipes overall is that they could use a little more salt and pepper. Luckily this is easily adjusted to taste, so keep in mind that in mind as you cook up the recipes for yourself.
A few of my favorite recipes from Skinnytaste One & Done:
- Dijon-Maple Chicken with Brussels & Butternut (Sheet Pan), p. 79: The Dijon mustard and maple syrup sauce is to die for! Paired with two of my favorite roasted vegetables, this chicken dish was one of my favorites, and very popular with the cookbook club.
- Quickest Gnocchi Bolognese (Instant Pot), p. 147: Few things are as filling and comforting as gnocchi. This instant pot recipe lives up to its name, taking less than 30 minutes from start to finish. My only comment is that it could use a bit more seasoning than the recipe calls for, such as some red pepper flakes, but that’s an easy enough alteration.
- Creamy Cheddar Broccoli Soup (Instant Pot), p. 243: While again a little bland, I am otherwise completely addicted to this soup! The creaminess is achieved not with extra dairy products, but rather by pureeing some of the potatoes. This keeps the calories low without taking away from the hearty textures and flavors. I definitely made a big batch and froze some for when I need something warm and comforting this winter.
- American Style Cheesy Beef Goulash and Macaroni (Instant Pot), p. 152: I hadn’t originally planned on making this recipe. Instead, I used it as a last-minute dinner one night when I found everything already in my fridge and cabinets to make it. Incredibly hearty, full of flavor, and unbelievably quick to make, it’s the perfect weeknight meal for the busy family.
Final Thoughts
While it may not be the most exciting cookbook on my shelves, Skinnytaste One & Done is most certainly one of the most useful cookbooks in my collection. Even now, I can easily flip through and find more recipes I can’t wait to try. Aside from the Slow Cooker recipes, most take less than an hour from start to finish. I couldn’t ask for more out of an everyday cookbook.
I recommend this cookbook for everyone, but in particular:
- Busy families looking to put a quick dinner on the table with minimal prep and clean-up.
- Anyone looking to make healthier eating choices this year.
- Everyone who came out of the holidays with a pressure cooker, air fryer, and/or slow cooker in their possession.
Previous Cookbook Reviews:
- Eating from the Ground Up by Alana Chernila
- Dinner: Changing the Game by Melissa Clark
- Cherry Bombe: The Cookbook by Kerry Diamond and Claudia Wu
- Half Baked Harvest Cookbook by Tieghan Gerard
- Deep Run Roots: Stories and Recipes from My Corner of the South by Vivian Howard
- Peppers of the Americas by Maricel E. Presilla
- The Dumpling Galaxy by Helen You
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