| Reviewers Comments: | Quickflip™ to Delicious Dinners is an 8 ½ x 11 inch handy notebook filled with basic cooking information and recipes. The notebook can be shared with participants during a cooking demonstration, or a one on one session. Although it can be used as a stand-alone tool, it would be best applied when combined with a nutrition educator’s expertise.
The resource features 50 recipes which can be easily prepared from its basic list of pantry items. Recipes are divided into categories, some based on the type of food being prepared and others based on the cooking method. This may be confusing to some people. Each recipe page is preceded by a tip sheet, which lists nutrition and preparation hints. While the nutrition information presented is accurate, there are several missed opportunities for nutrition education. On the pasta page, an educator may want to discuss whole grains along with regular grains. In addition, on the veggies page, an educator may want to go into more detail about the benefits of eating vegetables. Some of the tip pages list serving size information. These are consistent with recommended daily intake from MyPyramid.
Each recipe category includes 5 recipes, each one based on a different international cuisine. Cuisines include Asian, Hawaiian, Indian, Italian, Mediterranean, Mexican, and Southwestern, among others. The international variations lead to some interesting and unexpected recipes, such as Asian pizza and Mexican pasta. Some of the cuisines may be new and unfamiliar to participants and may not be child friendly. While the recipes can be seen as new and exciting to participants, it may be helpful to assess their needs and acceptance to new foods prior to using this resource.
Recipes are drawn from items from a pantry list. Most of the recipes are relatively easy and use few ingredients. Nutrition analyses for the recipes are included, but rather than being incorporated with the recipes, they are listed in a separate section in the back of the notebook. Some pantry ingredients may be expensive, and difficult to find in some grocery stores, such as tahini and sundried tomatoes. Educators could use this as an opportunity to discuss lower-cost alternatives or substitutions. Other pantry items may be new and exotic to participants, such as quinoa, tofu and udon noodles. Educators should stress to participants to purchase low-sodium versions of canned items, such as beans, broth, and tomato products, as several of the recipes are quite high in sodium.
The notebook is spiral bound at the top and includes heavy folded cardboard in the back, which allows it to stand on its own. This can be helpful for use while cooking. Although information is separated into chapters, it would benefit further from tabbed sections, allowing easier browsing. The language and cooking terms used may be difficult for some participants. Reading level is not provided but appears advanced. The last section of the book includes a guide to ingredients, with some nutrition and cooking information, and list of food and nutrition resources.
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