Description:
In his new book, “Jamie’s 30-Minute Meals”, Jamie proves that, by mastering a few tricks and being organized and focused in the kitchen, it is absolutely possible, and easy, to get a complete meal on the table in the same amount of time you’d normally spend making one dish!
My beloved globe-trotter brought me back Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals
Let’s start with what I like about the cookbook:
First, he encourages home cooking.
For every excuse that you can think of, Jamie Oliver gives you a good reason and suggestion of what you can do to solve that “problem”.
Did you know that he’s a father of 4? You can catch a glimpse of his cute daughter and sons in this cookbook either helping out with the cooking or enjoying the delicious meals their Dad cooks.
Each and every recipe he’s put together in this cookbook is definitely planned and cooked with lots of love.
Second, he teaches you how to cook.
Yup, from setting up a kitchen – he shows us his fabulous chicken with ALL the appliances, pots, pans, bottles and utensils that Hubby said I am NOT buying here anytime soon.
Anyways, Jamie Oliver provides a list of things he uses in his kitchen but I don’t think we’d need all of them at one go.
He gives you great tips on how you can save time as you cook many of which I’d learned in my Home Economics class 
Most importantly – healthy, simple and family-friend recipes.
My kids are used to eating green veggies like brocolli and some leafy vegetables (read here) but they still won’t try some varieties or fresh lettuce on its own.
Jamie almost always includes a salad and a dessert in each of his meal so I saw some lovely ideas that I’m going to try out on my own family and kids.
Since they will try almost anything when we dine out at restaurants, I believe they’ll try something new and yummy-looking that Mummy cooks too.
Here’s my “to-cook” list:
- cauliflower macaroni
- Trapani-style rigatoni
- quick mango frozen yoghurt in baby cornets (his kids love them!)
- summer veg lasagne
- garlic bread (my kids scarf them down with soup at Italian restaurants here)
- cheat’s pizza
- crunchy veg & guacamole
- crispy chicken
- chicken pie!!!
- mustard chicken
- tray-baked chicken
- creamed spinach
- squashed potatoes
- killer jerk chicken
- fiery noodle salad (minus the fiery)
- grilled sardines
- tasty crusted cod
- Swedish-style fishcakes
- Fish tray-bake
Okay, that’s just about halfway through the book so I think I’ll stop here until I achieve the above first!
Here’s what I don’t like…
I was a bit disappointed to see that he’s included a microwave just because over 92 per cent of British households now own a microwave.
Also, I didn’t like the Table of Contents, which were silver font on a gray page – if I’m in a rush, I definitely don’t want to squint to find the recipe that I need! Will probably remedy this by getting my kid to colour the words with his black marker pen.
Because it’s Jamie’s aim to help busy people cook a decent meal in 30 minutes, he’s done the menu and planned each meal so the instructions are planned according to how you’d cook all the meals in the order that he suggests. This means that if you want to cook just one particular dish from the menu, you’ll have to read it this way:
1. Find the recipe i.e. “Killer Jerk Chicken”. Ok, read the section.
2. Skip the section on B.
3. Skip the section on C. Aaargh…what do I do next? (Of course, DO NOT use this cookbook as a reference if you want to try out out just one dish)
4. Found it! Ok, I need to…
5. Skip the section on B again.
6. Skip the section on C again!
Know what I mean? The organization has to be the most annoying aspect of the cookbook, which I feel the most sore about plus the fact that I cannot return this cookbook in exchange for another one!
If you’re the type of cook who wants specific instructions on HOW to cook a complete meal and you have the weekends free with NO kids to experiment with new recipes, then by all means, go for Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals
If you’re a busy Mum like me and you’re not living in Great Britain with Asda, Sainsbury and Tesco around the corner where you can grab all the ingredients and condiments that you need? Skip the book and get yourself a recipe book where you can pick and choose what you’d like to cook for dinner 
P/S I love Jamie Oliver and what he’s done for home cooking but if the cover photo means to portray Jamie as an “angel” or a saint in the kitchen, I don’t find it funny. You’re great, Jamie, but you’re definitely not a saint! I think you’d look better as Superman
Similar Posts:
- REVIEW: Jamie Oliver’s Great Britain
- Spring is chūn (春)!
- REVIEW: The Healthy Lunchbox by Marie McClendon and Cristy Schauck
- 再见 (zài jiàn) is see you again…
- How did you lose weight?
