150 Best Spiralizer Recipes

This book by FoodThymes.com blogger Haugen and cookbook author Williams (150 Best Breakfast Sandwich Maker Recipes) introduces the spiralizer kitchen tool, which cuts vegetables into long, thin slices so that they can be used in place of carbohydrates such as pasta. Before the 150 recipes, the authors briefly explain what a spiralizer is, as well as describing various blades and techniques for spiralizing common foods. Full of easy-to-follow recipes, the book is divided into four sections: gluten-free, vegetarian/vegan, paleo, and raw. Readers following those diets may find the benefits of the recipes limited by some insufficiencies: most of the vegetarian and vegan recipes lack protein, for example. A good variety of ingredients are represented overall, but a number of recipes use iterations of the same base, such as zucchini or sweet potato noodles. Aside from a spiralizer, many of the recipes require other kitchen tools such as a food processor or mortar and pestle. Haugan and Williams's book offers some interesting ways to introduce more vegetables into meals, but more photos would have made the recipes more appealing and helped readers see the potential for this technique. This is a good introduction but not a staple resource for most cookbook collections. (Sept.)