An Apple A Day

Cover art by Karla Nolan

May 12, 2010

Eating like the French--an Attitude as Well as a Cuisine

You know you are going to like this book when the author states in the ouverture: " My philosophy isn't about 'dieting' in the conventional sense, but more about eating sensibly and pleasurable." and this--"How are you at dealing with ambiguity? Do you ever have cereal for dinner? A snack?...What's a main course versus a side dish? Can sides be lunch or a side dish a main course?" Mais oui, we say!
Inside Mireille Guiliano's  The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook you will find recipes, of course--and tantalizing and practical recipes they are--but you will also read about a different way of looking at food. This is a companion book of sorts to the author's French Women Don't Get Fat, a non-diet book on how to enjoy food and stay slim (and non, it is not le smoking!) For many people, food and eating have become something to be tamed or managed. Rather than taking the What must I do without approach to eating, perhaps try the How can I prepare my favorite nutritional food so that I am content to enjoy it reasonable portions? As the book reminds us, the most pleasure of eating something we love comes with the first 3 or 4 bites. There is no need to gorge ourselves or feel deprived and grouchy because we are missing out on the foods we love. Remember portion proportion. In this day of repulsive shows that feature people stuffing the biggest pizza or most enormous burger into their mouths as entertainment, it is great to take a step back and take a look at how we can eat (what we love) to live and not live to eat. After all, there are consequences, n'est -ce pas?

Recipes include--Vegetable Curry, Salmon with Endives and Oranges en Papillote, Pumpkin and Apple Soup, Red Berry Smoothies, Yogurt and Oatmeal Cake, and Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal, and so on. But you will enjoy reading it even of you don't think you like to cook. You may even change your mind.

Published by Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster

4 comments:

  1. It does sound intriguing, and I do love a good cookbook.
    I think you hit the nail on the head when you said "there are consequences, n'est ce pas?".
    For all the talk about obesity being the fault of the fast food industry, it has always seemed to me that you choose what to eat and what to feed your children.
    Any excuse to eat badly is like advertising that you don't cook. It is so much cheaper to eat well if you prepare your own meals.
    I think that is the secret to the french not getting fat. They don't go out and buy cheap crappy food because they're too lazy to cook for themselves.
    Anyway, that was my rant for the day.
    I will look for this book,

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  2. A smart book, and a smarter reviewer. This is valuable consumer advice you won't find on Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

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  3. Bravo! Nicely done. Your site looks really splendid. Congrats!

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