This 175-page book is photographed in black and white, and is dedicated to "cooks everywhere." The book features an Introduction, Cooking Tips (including Techniques, Ingredients, and Equipment), and a listing of Basic Recipes. The Recipes themselves are grouped by course: Appetizers, Soups, Salads and Grains, Vegetables, Fish Shellfish and Poulty, Weekend Recipes, and Desserts.
Each recipe features a short paragraph of introduction (for example, where the recipe came from and presentation tips). There is a list of ingredients, followed by paragraph-form instructions on how to prepare the dish. All of the instructions are simple and easy to follow.
However, I was surprised to discover that nutritional information is completely absent. Also, pictures are only provided for some of the recipes. If you are unfamiliar with some of the ingredients, or with the expected textures, you may struggle.
The recipes are unique and inventive. Examples include: Green Grape Salsa, Chicken Roll-Ups (prepared with spinach and plum tomatoes), Doce De Coco (Coconut Cookies). The ingredients used vary by recipe - some are readily on-hand and others are exotic (for example, wonton skins or portobello mushrooms).
By following his helpful tips and straightforward, uncomplicated recipes, you, too can transport your friends and family with the wonderful flavors of Seared Sea Bass prepared with ginger, gin, and cilantro; Green Grape Salsa; Caldo Verde; and Brown Rice with Cashew Nuts and Cranberries. Dazzle your guests with imaginative variations on tried-and-true favorites like chicken cacciatore, gazpacho, ceviche, pad Thai, and crunchy cole slaw. Luiz's dishes combine an abundance of fruits, vegetables, fresh herbs, and grains, so every delicious bite is packed with vitamins and nutrients.
But even the healthiest eaters enjoy a culinary splurge sometimes, so Luiz also shares with us some of his favorite weekend recipes. These dishes take a little longer to prepare and are less likely to slim your waistline, but they are well worth both the time and the extra calories! Enjoy Ximxim, a sublime stew of chicken, shrimp, grated coconut, lime, and white wine, or Thai Chicken Cups, made with crisp wonton cups and served with a tangy homemade plum sauce. To finish the meal with something sweet, delight your guests with Light Floating Islands accompanied by vanilla sauce, Egg White Flan, or Doce de Abobora, an intensely sweet pumpkin dessert.
Luiz believes firmly that food is more than just a combination of ingredients -- it is a product of inspiration and imagination. Now, with The Healthy Table, you, too can bring a world of color and flavor to your home.