In early December, I got contacted by a publishing company who asked if I would review their new healthy cookbook.
Um….. ABSOLUTELY!
I’ve come to LOVE healthy cookbooks and am always looking for new recipes. As a bonus, it also gives me great recipes to share with all of you!
The name of this fabulous cookbook is The Looneyspoons Collection and is written by Janet and Greta Podleski. When I received it in the mail, I was excited for several reasons.
- It was HUGE with more than 325 full-color recipes!
- It was packed with so many different types of cuisine… everything from Italian to Indian to American. From soups, to appetizers, to meaty lasagna.
- The recipe titles are AMUSING! How can you not want to make a dish called “Corn in the USA” or “Itsy-Bitsy Teeny-Weeny Colored Polka Dot Rotini?”
- Each page contains a helpful, healthy cooking tip. I absolutely loved this extra insight on ingredients, cooking techniques, etc. Just brilliant!
The first recipe to land on a plate in my house was one for Butter Chicken. While I’d never tried Butter Chicken, I knew that I wanted to make this dish as it was a tomato-ey Indian chicken dish. This dish would be my first ever at-home Indian dish, and I was eager to get cooking!
To those of you who have never had Butter Chicken”, it resembles Chicken Tikka Masala in my opinion.
This version, of course, was healthified… I can imagine if you ordered it in an Indian restaurant it might be loaded with butter, but not here on NTTC!
The Better Butter Chicken
From The Looneyspoons Collection
Serves 5
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cup chopped onions
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. grated ginger root
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
3/4 tsp. ground coriander
3/4 tsp. ground tumeric
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 can n0-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 whole cooked rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat cut up
(or the equivalent boneless skinless chicken breast)
1/3 cup light sour cream
1 Tbsp. minced gresh cilantro
hot cooked basmati rice (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare chicken by sauteeing it in a pan sprayed with cooking spray. Note: I really prefer chicken tikka (or white meat, as they say in English), so I opted for the chicken breasts instead of the rotisserie chicken.
2. Melt butter in a deep, 10-inch skillet over medium heat.
3. Add onions and garlic. Cook slowly, stirring often, until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.
4. Mix gingerroot, chili powder, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and chili powder in a small bowl. Add to onions and garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
5. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, brown sugar, salt, and pepper to the skillet. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add chicken and sour cream. Simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes.
7. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.
8. Serve over hot basmati rice, if desired.
Per 1/5 Recipe Serving (not including rice):
CAL 297; FAT 11g; CARB 18g; FIB 4g; CHOL 102mg; SOD 395 mg
I’ve earmarked quite a few recipes to try after LOVING this first dish from the Podleskis, including Smackaroni and Cheese, Rome on the Range, and I Got Stew, Babe… to name a few. As you can tell, they choose FUN names for every day dishes which keeps you smiling as you flip through the pages.
And, because it’s MY BIRTHDAY today…
I’ve decided to run a GIVEAWAY for you to receive your VERY OWN 390-PAGE copy of The Looneyspoons Collection!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Note: Hay House Publishing provided me with a copy of ”The Looneyspoons Collection” to review and to giveaway; however, all the opinions expressed above are my own.
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Happy Birthday Kelly!
This looks delicious! I love trying new recipes, and I’m always looking for new ones. Thanks!
I actually own Looneyspoons and Crazy Plates, but not the third book that this is a collection of recipes from. It looks like they’ve done a good job of adding pictures (the old cookbooks only had the cartoon drawings which is not very helpful). If the recipe for Rockin’ Morrocan Stew is in this cookbook, I urge you to try it. It is incredible! I’d love to have this cookbook for my collection–thanks for the drawing.
Looks yummy! Can’t wait to try it out!
Happy Birthday~Hope you have an Awesome Day!
Thanks, Della! Let me know if you try it… I’d love to hear your review!
Leslie – Thank you for letting me know about the Rockin’ Moroccan Stew! I’m going to have to look that up…
Oh my gosh! Happy birthday! YAY!
Thanks, dear! Hope you’re staying warm this weekend! xoxo
I’ve never cooked an Indian dish. This looks so easy, and delicious! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
This was actually my first as well, and thankfully I had most of the ingredients in my spice cabinet. If you make this dish, you’ll also have a lot of the spices needed for my Cincinnati Chili…
Looks great!!
Happy Birthday! I love looney spoons recipes but I don’t have that one.
I actually had a copy of the Crazy Plates book, so I was excited to see this HUGE book with their full collection. I definitely recommend it!
Happy Birthday!!!!
That looks so delicious too
Thanks, Kathy!
Happy Birthday. This book looks like a lot of fun – with a lot of good recipes to help me keep my New Year’s resolutions!
Allison – - I agree about it being perfect for New Year’s Resolutions! I received the cookbook back in November, but told the publishing company I wanted to save it for the new year when even more people would be looking for inspiration. Best of luck!
“I Got Stew, Babe” omg, I’m in love with the names!!! I’ve never had butter chicken but I think that needs to change soon, yes?
Hope you had a great birthday!!
It’s ridiculous how cute the recipes and whatnot are. We should go have Indian soon. I’m a HUGE fan… add a little cayenne if you are looking for spiciness, btw…
I love making soups and stews.
rsgrandinetti@yahoo(DOT)com
There are so many great soup and stew recipes in here! You won’t be disappointed. I have my eyes on a wonton soup that they have listed. Stay tuned!
Happy Birthday, Kelly!
Thanks, Kathy!
Happy birthday — and that cookbook looks amazing!
Thanks, dear! The cookbook rocks! Highly recommend it!
Happy, happy birthday! Thanks for posting this. I absolutely love Indian food but it’s usually so fattening. Will try this recipe for Sunday dinner. Yum!!
I’ve actually found that most of the dishes use yogurt for the creaminess. I’m really dying to make some saag soon, so you may see more Indian on NTTC soon!
So, ever since I was in India, butter chicken has been my absolute, hands down, #1 favorite Indian dish!! (In fact, I just had the some of best of my life this week when I went back to my favorite Indian restaurant in NYC!) I’ve never thought you could make a healthy version, tho! And ive never tried to make it at home. But with the spices here and the brown sugar, I can’t WAIT to try this!!! THIS WEEKEND!!! Yummmmm
I look forward to hearing your review. It’s super easy… not sure if it will stand up to REAL INDIAN COOKING, but I loved it!
Happy Birthday!!! Looks YUMMY!!!
Thanks, Heather!
Thanks, Heather!
Happy Birthday!!
I would LOVE this cookbook! Happy Birthday!!!!
This sounds delicious. I will definitely be trying it. Thanks for posting it.
Happy Brithday! I love making recipes that are extremely tasteful…and taste like they’re naughty but really aren’t…they’re healthy but in disguise!!!! This cookbook looks like it does just that!!!
can’t wait to see what you think of smaceroni and cheese. I’m a comfort food lover and anyway to get comfort food healthier is awesome!
I looked at the smackeroni and cheese, and I just couldn’t justify making it. The calories are a little higher than what I like to make for dinner…. but I found another mac and cheese recipe I’m going to break out soon! I love the name though…
Happy Birthday! I love to make recipes that are kid and parent friendly and don’t take a lot of time in the kitchen. I love to cook, but I also like to have time to eat and spend time with my kids.
I’ve never had Indian food, but this recipe is intriguing.
I love Indian Food! Happy Birthday.
I am so sorry for being late to the party!! Happy Belated Birthday, Friend!!
Thanks, Jules! And, thanks for the shout out today! So awesome!
I just found your website and I love it! Congrats on the weight loss! Looking forward to cooking some of your recipes =)
So glad you found me! We do a lot of cooking in these parts… but they’re 99% yummy, healthy recipes! Happy reading!!
I have the 3 cookbooks and love love love their recipes! Easy to divide to make for one, or leave as is and freeze for quick meals during the week
I freeze a LOT and divide a lot… AGREE COMPLETELY!
Love their recipes – look forward to trying more!
Great Book! I am always on the lookout for new healthy meal ideas! I am a boring cook so sounds like this cookbook could be the hook-up that I need!
Whether you win my giveaway or not… you should DEFINITELY GET IT!
I LOVE following your blog! You make all the recipes look so easy to prepare! Thanks so much for sharing your world with us! I would love to have this cookbook! Hope you had a fantastic birthday!
OMG… Such a nice comment! Was at work when I saw this, and it totally made my day. Just had to tell you… thanks for reading and thanks for saying hello!!!
Happy birthday! This type of cuisine is new territory for me but it sounds so yum I can’t wait to try it!
This is a very mild way to ease into Indian. I like mine spicy… but it’s nice to ease your way to that to make sure you enjoy the flavors. Truly one of my favorite of cuisines!