$7 a Meal Cookbook Review & Giveaway

The $7 a Meal Quick and Easy Cookbook contains 301 delicious meals you can make in 30 minutes or less. I love meals that can be made in under 30 minutes. The $7 a Meal Healthy Cookbook contains 301 nutritious, delicious recipes that the whole family will love. Both of these books contain a ton of recipes, they also have a lot of variety.

One of the features that I love in each of these books is the quick reference for each recipe that explain the prep time, cook time and total cost. Not many cookbooks tell you how much the recipe will cost, I LOVE that feature. The calorie, fat, protein, cholesterol and sodium content are also included.

Here are some things I liked about each book:

This cookbook contains a list of essentials that you would find in a well stock pantry. If you are a new cook, they suggest stocking your pantry over time, so you can stay within your budget. They also give you tips on basic cooking utensils and equipment. Chef Irby suggests you invest in a good simple set of chef knives and she lets you know what you want to look for when buying knives. I totally agree with this recommendation, a couple of years ago we bought some good knives and it makes a world of difference.

Here are some of the recipes I am looking forward to try:

• Cinnamon Oat Scones – these sound yummy, I think my kids would eat these up.
• Linguine with Brie & Tomatoes – This recipe is super simple with few ingredients.
• Potato Chip Crusted Chicken – I am always looking for new ways to cook chicken, I have never thought of using potato chips as a coating.

This healthy cookbook gives some quick suggestions for eating healthy and gives you some ideas of ways you can fit more exercise into your life. I would love to cook healthier meals for my family, and it is nice that this book not only gives you healthy meals, but also ones that don’t break the budget.

Here is what I am looking forward to making:

• Asparagus Wrapped with Ham and Cream Cheese – I tried asparagus for the first time last month, and I loved it. I am looking forward to making some myself.
• Wild Berry Parfait – Ok, so it’s the middle of fall/winter, but fresh berries sound so good right now.
• Chinese Chicken Salad – When ever I make a salad at home, it’s usually a green salad or caesar salad. I would love to try something new, and this one sounds delicious.