This is a great cookbook for those looking to incorporate more healthy meals into their diet. There is a lot of really great advice throughout the book and great tips. The photos showcase the recipes beautifully. The recipes I'm most excited to try are French Toast Casserole, Grain Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread,Crispy Potato and Egg Bake, Damien's Mineral Rich Chicken Noodle Soup, Chicken Pot Pie and Maple Cinnamon Marshmallows. Special Thank You to Shawna Holman, Quarto Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

👉🏻For my friends looking for approachable, healthy, and satisfying recipes with photos.

A HEALTHIER HOME COOK by Shawna Holman

Thanks, Quarto Publishing Group – Fair Winds | Fair Winds Press, for the advanced review copy via NetGalley. (Available NOW)

I love the aspirational optimism I feel when cracking open a new cookbook. I look for new flavor combinations, review techniques, and think about who would enjoy the various dishes (besides me!). This cookbook from @alittlelesstoxic was my catnip! Shawna’s recipes were well-organized, clearly explained, and often included two or three alternatives to ingredients, techniques, or equipment. I was thrilled that each recipe had a full-page, full-color photo! I must have a photo, or I just can’t picture the dish (pardon the pun) on my table. I need that photo to motivate me. And it must be a great photo: lots of color and texture without a busy background.

Shawna hit every point. I’ve flagged several Substantial Salads (Rainbow Salad, White Bean and Bacon Salad, Taco Salad with Catalina Dressing, and Sushi Roll in a Bowl) and Warming Soups (Hearty, Creamy Tomato Soup, Gigi’s Blue Ribbon Chili) to make for my book club. I enjoyed thinking of new ways to use my Instapot and plan to make her Quick Chia Jam ASAP using the frozen mixed berries in my freezer.

“Whether you’re looking to replace packaged convenience foods or find new, wholesome meal ideas, A Healthier Home Cook will aid you on a journey that benefits both your mind and body. It’s simple to make change happen when you take it one plate at a time!”

Inspiring, preservative-free, and delicious recipes are in my future, thanks to this gorgeous book.

When I first saw this book I thought it would have great healthy recipes in there. But it turns out it was so much more than that. Shawna goes into how even the stuff we use to cook can be less toxic too. I appreciated her balanced approach to not go out and replace your whole kitchen because who can afford that? But if something breaks you can replace with a better non toxic option. Definitely a great gift to buy for friends and a keeper for yourself!

I really loved this cookbook! From the start, the cover and title caught my attention and made me eager to learn more. The recipes are simple and appetizing. Some include more expensive ingredients, like scallops, but nearly every other recipe is full of ingredients that are inexpensive and easy to find.

I have made a few recipes so far and I’m extremely impressed. My favorite has been the homemade Catalina salad dressing on taco salads. I can’t wait to continue to make more recipes. It’s nice to have decisions made for me in that nearly every recipe in this cookbook would be a hit for both me and my family. I had never heard of this author before, but I now follow her on social media as well and I really enjoy her content.

A Healthier Home Cook is a cookbook that focuses on homemade foods to replace all the processed, chemically altered foods. These recipes are gluten free and dairy free for the most part, and I do not follow those diets. Still there are plenty of recipes that I would like to try. These recipes are also very inspiring to replace all those processed foods that I could actually make myself. All in all this really is a great cookbook, now I just need to try these recipes.

I don't usually review cook books, but I actually read/use a lot of them through my public library! This book has all the things I like in a cookbook:

•clear, good-looking photos of all the food for each recipe (I actually won't even look at a cookbook that doesn't have color photos for all the recipes - I want to see what I'm going to be making/eating!)

•easy to navigate layout and instructions

•many of the recipes have an option for using a slow cooker/instant pot

•healthy (but not bland or boring) versions of comfort food and culturally diverse dishes.

The focus of this cookbook isn't just healthy eating, but healthy cooking. The author gives tips on how to eliminate plastics and toxic cooking tools from your kitchen. As someone that is newer to cooking and also invested in clean/green/toxin-free living, I especially appreciated the substitution chart for common kitchen items - using bamboo or silicone cooking utensils, ceramic coated pans instead of non-stick etc.

The author's tone is encouraging and uplifting, never preachy. She advocates for making small changes as you can. Also the recipes and ingredients feel accessible to a down-to-earth home cook like me - the recipes aren't bogged down with specialty ingredients or fancy minimalist plating. Recipes include substantial salads and soups/stews, family favorites like chili, meatloaf, chicken pot pie. Full disclosure, I'm not a baker so I never read the desert section, but it looks like there's a few tasty treats in there.

Bottom line, right off the bat there's about a half-dozen recipes that I'd try. After going through countless cookbooks at the library, that makes this one a winner for me. Think I might try the pot roast first!

Thanks to NetGalley and Fair Winds Press for the digital copy of this book; I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I grew up in a home with a lot of home-grown food and everything made from scratch, and I pretty much raised my kids the same way, allowing convenience foods on occasion. However, there are generations of people who grew up on a lot of processed foods who are starting to realize the implications of such eating and want to eat better and healthier. This book is intended to educate and fill the gap.

A Healthier Home Cook lays out the best types of cookware and kitchen implements to use, and substitutions to be made in the pantry. I personally didn’t find any new information here, but many people might! Then, there are a host of recipes. I’ve been reading cookbooks and pinning recipes on Pinterest for so long that it’s rare I find new recipes that I want to try, knowing what my family will and will not eat. But I have to tell you, there are quite a few recipes in this book that I’d love to try out!

A few things I should mention about said recipes: 1) I liked the fact that the recipes had U.S. and metric volumes listed, 2) the author eats gluten-free so the recipes are geared towards that style of eating with no conventional substitutions offered, and 3) she loves the InstaPot. Like, a lot. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, sometimes there are instructions for alternative cooking methods, which I appreciated. I do own a pressure cooker, but unlike everyone who raves about it, I don’t find it always necessary or a game-changer to my cooking routine.

Overall, this a great book for those looking to eat cleaner with less processed foods, and some excellent-sounding recipes!

This is an American basics cookbook, perfect for the newbie home cook who wants to know how to make the American food they grew up with using healthier ingredients and wholefoods.
The instructions are easy to follow and the pictures are beautiful and give a very clear idea of what to expect from the recipes.
Not quite the book for me, as I find American food too sweet, but this book will have its place in a lot of US homes.

If you're ready to ditch processed foods and embrace wholesome eating, A Healthier Home Cook is your new kitchen companion! Shawna Holman serves up over 75 delicious recipes that focus on whole-body health, making it easy to cook tasty meals without the mystery chemicals found in many store-bought products.

The book kicks off with helpful shopping guides and kitchen essentials, setting you up for success right from the start. You'll find a variety of mouthwatering recipes, from hearty breakfasts like Dutch baby pancakes to substantial salads, warming soups, and even sweets like grain-free carrot cake.

Whether you want to swap out packaged foods or simply explore new wholesome meal ideas, this cookbook makes healthy cooking approachable and fun. It’s all about nourishing your body, one delicious plate at a time!

This cookbook was a breath of fresh air, the more you look into food labels, and the things being pumped into our food… The more scared I become for the future health of myself and my family. Every recipe in this book was so fresh. And appealing, I can’t wait to cook my way through this book all while improving the health of my home.

This is my kind of cookbook! Scrumptious, and simple to create recipes that are full of complex flavors. I think the author's perspective on health and nutrition is sensible and reasonable for most people, and I love the way this book is organized: Welcome to A Little Less Toxic Kitchen, Nourishing Breakfasts, Substantial Salads and Bowls, Warming Soups and Stews, Lighter Plates, Heartier Dishes, Sweets and Sips. I appreciate that the recipe photos are of the food, not of people (as unfortunately seems to be the trend these days). I think this is a fantastic cookbook to have on your shelf if you are looking for tasty, healthy, and family-pleasing dishes.

Thank you to Quarto Publishing Group – Fair Winds for gifting me with an ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

This book is a lovely reminder of the deliciousness we can achieve while still being very mindful of our health.

Photography in this book is beautiful, and the colourful plates of food appear absolutely synonymous with healthful eating. In a world where we are increasingly aware of the dangers of ultra processed foods, a book such as this that focuses on using whole foods is highly helpful.

The recipes themselves are categorised according to whether they are: breakfast, salads/bowls, soups/stews, lighter plates, heartier dishes and sweets/sips.

The book starts with suggested equipment and basic pantry supplies followed by tips from the author to help us all make mealtimes a little less toxic.

The recipes themselves look beautiful varied and nutritious. Practical family life is considered, and as such recipes such as the 'kid-friendly taco boats' are likely to be a hit with families.

For those of us with a sweet tooth, some lovely recipes are featured including the rather delicious 'chocolate puddling with raw honey whipped cream'. - I am 100% sold!!

Helpfully imperial and metric units of measurement are featured negating the need to mess about with conversion tables.

All in all a lovely book to inspire, enjoy and promote less toxicity!

My thanks to Netgalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.

A great book with lots of useful recipes, tips and guidance on eating whole foods and creating healthier meals. The book is well set out and I would recommend it

I have been trying to incorporate less toxic pantry items and meals for a while, so when I saw this cookbook on Netgalley, I knew I immediately had to request it. I am so glad Netgalley approved me because this is perfect for any homecook trying to be more toxin free. This cookbook includes so many nutritious meals that also taste really great! Our favorite so far is Mediterranean Style Pasta Salad. It was so easy to follow and tasted so good!

My daughter also went through it with me and has already picked out recipes she would like to try as well. It really makes me happy that this cookbook can help us have a healthier mindset and that my daughter is excited about it as well. Some other standout recipes are French Toast Casserole, Damien's Mineral Rich Chicken Noodle, and Mississippi Pot Roast. This  would make an excellent gift for anyone trying to make better choices in the kitchen. I really can't recommend it enough.

This is a nice cookbook for those who want to cook healthier meals. I appreciated that the recipes are gluten free, though they are generally easy to adapt if you’re not. I wish she’d given recipes for things like gluten free flour mix, since every one is a little different and I prefer to make homemade. I also was disappointed that there is no nutritional information for the recipes. There are photos for almost all of the recipes (just not some staples like dressing and mayo) and the recipes tend to be simple with whole food ingredients and standard American types of meals. There are some vegetarian recipes and some paleo. There are no foods that are avoided though (beans, rice, potatoes , fats…), they are just made healthier by sprouting, soaking and using the healthiest versions.

I read a temporary digital loan of this book for review.

Thanks to netgalley and publisher for this arc!

I really liked how she gave us many alternatives to plastic when it came to kitchen items. Also really excited to try some of the recipes I saved especially the French toast one, one of my fave things ever! The pictures were very pretty too which is important for a cookbook. Overall a good option for those wanting to eat healthier and safer.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a great cookbook. The recipes are delicious and I really appreciated the balanced approach to healthier eating.

I've followed Shawna for several years now on IG and of course I was so excited to get an ARC of her new cookbook!!!

All the recipes look amazing and I can't wait to try so many of them! She makes healthier cooking sound achievable and not intimidating at all!

10/10 go get it for your kitchen!

I enjoy following Shawna on Instagram so I was eager to look through this book! I love the recipes included-they are healthy, flavorful, and attainable. They are also gluten free, which is how I cook meals for my family. Shawna gives great, straightforward tips on stocking a basic non-toxic kitchen as well as budget friendly tips for stocking your pantry and fridge. I appreciate how she reiterates the idea of little by little, changing your home to be a little less toxic. Don't immediately throw out your Teflon coated pans and drop hundreds on stainless steel, but as you use something up or it wears out, replace it, and slowly over time those small changes add up.

I love this cookbook! It's such a great guide to changing your lifestyle for the better, and becoming healthier. I have been a fan of Shawna for awhile and I love that she has shared her recipes with us. The book has high quality, wonderful photos and the recipes are very appealing and delicious looking, and make me want to strive for a better and healthier way of life. There's a lot of practical and realistic ways to cut processed food, chemicals, additives and more without losing flavor or taste or meals that will satisfy. It's a cookbook I know I will be reaching for time and time again!

Thank you to NetGalley, Shawna Holman, and Fair Winds Press for the eARC of this book.