Book Review

Chef’s Healthy Salads
by Fred Edrissi

To say the newest alive Natural Health Guide is a deliciously appealing book would be an understatement. One reason this new series from alive books has been so successful is because of heavy input from food stylist Fred Edrissi. Turn the pages of any alive book in which Edrissi has had a hand and you have an immediate sense of the man’s skill and creativity, as well as his love of, and respect for, healthy foods.

In Chef’s Healthy Salads, Edrissi is at his best yet. Simple salads such as Brussels Sprout Salad, Red Beet Salad with Apple and Potato and Watercress Salad are all exotic combinations of staples found in any good kitchen. Here, Pear Vinaigrette, Papaya Dressing and the author’s own Classic Vinaigrette add just the right accent to stimulate the taste buds (and the appetite). All recipes showcase Edrissi’s talent for food design; the photos are enough to send any reader looking for ingredients. Particularly notable among several beautiful presentations is his Tomato and Bocconcini Salad—a colorful stacked tower of tomato slices, fresh basil leaves and bocconcini slices, topped with Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette. Others, such as Tuscany Bread Salad and Spinach with Pear and Blue Cheese are simply too delightful to go unmentioned.

The author’s personal comments accompany each recipe, lending a warm friendly tone and a personal feel to the book. It seems like we can really taste the salad before we’ve even prepared it!

These recipes are all winners, but the book contains still more. Readers who aspire to a healthier lifestyle can follow Edrissi’s lead in creating their own "good salad kitchen." Salad oils and vinegars are demystified; learn how to shop for the best, or make your own flavored vinegars. The benefits of healthy salads are discussed, and there is a comprehensive guide to the salad sources of all our vital nutrients. Combine this information with the list of those salad herbs that are particularly helpful in treating various conditions and you have everything you need to design your own personal daily salad plan!

This is the season of the salad. Take a peek at Chef’s Healthy Salads at your favorite health food store. You won’t want to put it down.