NetGalley Review: The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners by Elena Paravantes

 This cookbook needs to be evaluated as two books smushed into one.

The book wants to be a scientific-style diet book in the introductory chapters. This creates an unfortunate focus on weight loss and healthism with a side of hyper-focus on the nutrition information.  While many may choose to eat this way in an attempt to lose weight, it is worth noting that this focus may be problematic for some readers. Add in that the primary study referenced in this introduction is a long-debunked study by Ancel Keys, this could have seen a lot of improvement.  Given the wealth of information available on the Mediterranean eating style, this focus and study selection makes this section seem like it needs some revision.

However, as a cookbook, this book shines in many ways.  The recipes (if you can ignore the obsessive calorie counts) look delicious and accessible.  The ingredients are relatively simple and can likely be sourced by many home cooks.  The instructions are clear and the overall methods are straightforward and unintimidating.  This collection of recipes is exactly what’s on the tin: solid basics for beginner cooks.  The pictures, though I would love to see more, look very enticing and I have several recipes incorporated into my next set of meal plans.

In short: as a book on the history and science of this style of eating, it gets one star, but as a cookbook, a solid four star read.