Saturday, December 27, 2025

USING GIFT CARDS: Cookbooks, Food, Dieting...the Simple Meal Solutions series

Now that The Big Day's come and gone, lots of us have some giftcards, or some actual filthy lucre, to spend. There being no better way to spend that haul than on books, here are some reasonably priced options you might not've thought of to get your dietary needs met. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


SIMPLE MEAL SOLUTIONS FOR INSULIN RESISTANCE: 75 Recipes to Improve Insulin Resistance and Support Stable Blood Sugar
MEGAN KOEHN

Fair Winds Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
$22.99 all editions, available now

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Simple Meal Solutions for Insulin Resistance offers 75 quick and easy recipes designed to help balance blood sugar levels and improve the symptoms of insulin resistance. Transform your health with simple, nutritious recipes to help manage your insulin resistance.

More than 40% of Americans suffer from insulin resistance, a serious metabolic condition linked to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, PCOS, and more. Yet it is possible to manage or even improve insulin resistance—and it doesn’t need to be complicated or time-consuming. If you want to balance your blood sugar and improve your metabolic health while maintaining your busy lifestyle, finding quick, easy, and satisfying recipes tailored to your needs is crucial.

And that’s where this cookbook has you covered. Simple Meal Solutions for Insulin Resistance is your go-to cookbook for effortlessly balancing blood sugar levels while indulging in mouthwatering meals. This essential guide features 75 recipes that can be prepared in 10, 15, 20, or 30 minutes, making healthy eating both achievable and enjoyable. From breakfast to dinner, plus a special chapter on snacks and treats, each recipe is optimally designed to use nutrition to help maintain balanced blood sugar, supporting your journey to better health.

Recipes include:
  • Breakfast Tacos
  • Protein French Toast with Spiced Yogurt Topping
  • Turkey Melt with Tomato Compote and Arugula
  • Prep-Ahead Mason Jar Chicken Taco Salad
  • Chicken Parmesan with Broccoli
  • Sheet-Pan Pork Chops with Baby Potatoes and Asparagus
  • Slow-Cooker Braised Roast with Root Vegetables
  • Balanced Burrito Bowls
  • High-Protein Cheese Dip with Marinated Tomatoes
  • Edible Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
  • And more!
  • Each recipe includes a full nutritional analysis, plus helpful modifications to accommodate food allergies or dietary preferences.

    This comprehensive reference also includes:
  • 40 gorgeous photos
  • Guidance on meal planning
  • Tips for preparing your insulin resistant kitchen
  • Advice on how to incorporate movement into your day to support whole-body wellness
  • Take control of your health one meal at a time with Simple Meal Solutions for Insulin Resistance.

    I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

    My Review
    : Okay, back to reality. Now the Yuletide feasting is largely over, and I do mean "largely" in all its senses, we're wise to think about eating a less...indulgent...way in 2026. We're no gettin' younger, or slimmer, or more energetic without some planning.

    Always best to plan with information at hand, or it devolves into "I'll lose twenty pounds/kilos this year!" Which ain't a-gonna happen that way. I can attest from personal experience to the not-revoltingness of the breakfast options, and the cheese dip with tomatoes. Have a look at the initial materials to see their clarity of presentation:

    Admirably clear to my eye.

    The breakfast stuff is surprisingly tasty. I'd only heard of chia seeds as part of vegan egg substitution methods for baking; I knew they turned colloidal when wetted down. I loathe watery soups or pottages, so I tried their breakfast-bowl prep, and was really surprised I liked it with blueberries:

    Other meals I can't really comment on from experience except for the snack, which I like, but you'll get a good sense of how pleasant the presentation remains. I used it on my tablet and found it perfectly fine to use that way.

    The Simple Meal Solutions series gets my vote for pretty, usable, not-terrible food preparation guidance.
    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


    SIMPLE MEAL SOLUTIONS for HIGH CHOLESTEROL: 75 Recipes to Lower Cholesterol and Support a Healthy Heart
    ASHLEY REAVER

    Fair Winds Press (non-affiliate Bookshop.org link)
    $22.99 all editions, available now

    Rating: 4* of five

    The Publisher Says: Simple Meal Solutions for High Cholesterol offers 75 quick and easy recipes designed to help lower cholesterol and support a healthy heart all day long. Transform your health with simple, nutritious recipes to help lower your cholesterol.

    Over 94 million American adults suffer from high cholesterol, a serious health condition that can lead to life-threatening experiences like a heart attack or stroke. Yet it is possible to manage or even reverse high cholesterol—and it doesn’t need to be complicated, be time-consuming, or necessarily require the use of pharmaceutical drugs. If you want to lower your cholesterol and improve your heart health while maintaining your busy lifestyle, finding quick, easy, and satisfying recipes tailored to your needs is crucial.

    And that’s where this cookbook has you covered. Simple Meal Solutions for High Cholesterol is your go-to cookbook for effectively managing your cholesterol while indulging in mouthwatering meals. This essential guide features 75 recipes that can be prepared in 10, 15, 20, or 30 minutes, making healthy eating both achievable and enjoyable. From breakfast to dinner, plus a special chapter on snacks and treats, each recipe is optimally designed to use nutrition to help lower your cholesterol, supporting your journey to better heart health.

    Recipes include:
  • Banana Oat Pancakes
  • Chicken and Waffles
  • Cobb Pasta Salad
  • Chicken Salad Sandwich
  • Macaroni and Cheese
  • Flank Steak Fajitas
  • Weeknight Beef Stew
  • Chicken and Dumplings
  • Walnut Honey Mustard Salmon
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Balls
  • Microwave Peach Cobbler
  • And more!
  • Each recipe includes a full nutritional analysis, plus helpful modifications to accommodate food allergies or dietary preferences.

    This comprehensive reference also includes:
  • 35 gorgeous photos
  • Guidance on meal planning
  • Tips for preparing your heart-healthy kitchen
  • Take control of your health one meal at a time with Simple Meal Solutions for High Cholesterol.

    I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.

    My Review
    : In any series there will be one or two that don't speak to you...this one addresses an issue I don't have, thanks to medication, but it is deffo something I can watch out for prophylactically. I liked the peach cobbler in the microwave even though it meant doing a bit of sneaking around to get access to one....


    As you can see from the explainers above, the author starts at the beginning so no one need feel left behind. It's a very good technique when writing these simple guides to the way to modify your diet with minimal fuss.

    The recipes, apart from the cobbler, are ones I haven't tried, but that don't look onerous or heinous either. I'll try them assuming I can access the right kind of cooking environment.

    If you or your partner are in need of *easy* low-cholesterol recipes that don't require huge effort to whip up, I think this is the book for you. I used it on my tablet and it is more than adequate on that device.

    A series to shop if dietary issues loom large in your 2026.

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