Gwyneth Paltrow is a bestselling cookbook author. It pains me to write that. Her first cookbook was My Father’s Daughter, which seemed to be a normal enough cookbook full of regular food. Then her second cookbook was It’s All Good, and that’s when things started to get creepy. Gwyneth was all about her elimination diet and instead of coming out and saying “these recipes are only good occasionally,” she made it sound like all of the elite parents needed to eliminate diary, bread, coffee, shellfish, tomatoes, pasta, corn, rice and eggs from their kids’ diet, because reasons. The reviews involved phrases like “creepy healthy-girl sorority” and “laughable Hollywood neuroticism about eating to the next level.” Still, the second cookbook also made it to the New York Times Bestseller list, because… sure, why not?
And should we even discuss the long-standing rumors that Gwyneth didn’t create these recipes all by her lonesome? The recipes in My Father’s Daughter were reportedly ghostwritten by Julia Turshen, and then Gwyneth gave up the ghost with It’s All Good and made Turshen her “co-author” (how peasanty). Anyway, all of this was background for this piece of news: Gwyneth is writing a new cookbook: It’s All Easy: Healthy, Delicious Weeknight Meals in Under 30 Minutes. It will be out in April 2016. Here’s the promo:
The only book you’ll need to put amazing, surprisingly healthy meals on the table every weeknight (and lunch the next day) by bestselling cookbook author, Gwyneth Paltrow.
Gwyneth’s fans have been asking for a cookbook that will help them get healthy, yet wonderfully delicious meals on the table during hectic weeknights. So, finally, this essential cookbook features over 125 recipes that can be made in under 30 minutes that are surprisingly tasty and contain little or no sugar, are low in fat, and many have no gluten.
From Chocolate Cinnamon Overnight Oats to Chopped Salad With Grilled Shrimp and from Quick Sesame Noodles to Chicken Enchiladas, you will find dozens of recipes families will love. They will be of the same quality as those in It’s All Good, but can be pulled together in the time it would take to call for takeout. And because every family needs some pasta or pizza now and then, Gwyneth includes recipes for easy takes on those favorites too! Plus, since it is so much healthier and economical to bring lunch to work and school, there will be a special section on “Lunchbox ideas” made from dinner leftovers and easy-to-throw-together lunches!
So before you reach for the phone for take-out (often with too much fat and sugar), open this book and find the solution for healthy, yet delicious meals every night of the week.
[Amazon description via Grubstreet]
As Grubstreet points out, it’s bizarre that Gwyneth is throwing shade at takeout considering that she and Tracy Anderson launched a food takeout company, 3 Green Hearts, this year. But in her heart or hearts, Gwyneth probably knows that peasants could not afford her takeout diet (“three Romain lettuce leaves with a grilled shrimp, $75”), so she just HAD to reach all of the peasants out there in America. To think that those people might be trying out something Rachel Ray taught them (horror) or even worse, ordering Chinese food. I love that even in the preview description of the book, Gwyneth manages to judge: “Order another pizza, fatty, I DARE YOU!”
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I kind of hope Rachael Ray throws a bottle of EVOO at her.
And then RR smacks Goopy with one of her spoonulas, the resulting kerfuffle would be delish, oh so gauche, but delish!!
Omg that and Ina Garten always saying, “I got this Parmesan cheese from virgin monks in the Himalayan that can only be reached by goat on the Summer Solstice but store bought is fine” and Everyday Italian lady randomly saying things with an accent always sets my teeth on edge.
Do you mean Giada? I hate the way she pronounces Italian words.
When Giada smiles you can see every tooth in her mouth, including the ones in the back. I can’t watch.
@Red32 yes! I couldn’t remember her name because she goes buh-bye everytime she comes on.
@anon3214 – my husband called her a T-Rex. And then bowed his head in shame because he made his New Year’s Resolution to be nicer.
She should not be advising anyone what to eat. Ever. Deal with your food issues instead of putting them on others!
That top photo makes her look like she’s thinking, “I need to jump into a vat of moisturizer and conditioner.” =P
I know, I am constantly surprised at how dry her skin and hair always look. I’m willing to be it’s because she won’t put anything on her hair or body that has ingredients she can’t pronounce (or some odd rule like that). Coconut oil only goes so far.
“Petrossian Can to Plate: 30 Minute Caviar Meals”
She is both caring, and giving.
Welp, I’m sure to be in the minority here, but this actually sounds like a cookbook I may buy. *ducks and hides*
*throws bottle of EVOO at MrsB*
*Catches bottle of EVOO and starts chugging it in order to practice oil pulling because Gwyneth says it’s good for me*
It’s okay I would too if I had the money. Goop.com has some fabulous recipes, just last night I used their chia seed pudding as a base to make a cacao chia seed pudding when I couldn’t find a recipe I liked. That said most of Paltrow’s recipe are expensive and not particularly vegetarian friendly. (I’m pescetarian but rarely eat fish as I usually can’t afford it).
I’m definitely in the minority for being entertained by Paltrow and how she’s so wrapped up in her privilege. I went to a private girls school so she just makes me think of the same more benign but out of touch rich women I’ve met.
I’m hoping since this cookbook is being marketed as family friendly and easy & quick, the ingredients won’t be as expensive. She has had some recipes that look fabulous, but I’m not going to spend that much on one meal for my little family.
I usually find her pretty entertaining as well. She’s ridiculous, but she doesn’t pull out the rage monster in me like she does for some people 😉
As an aside here’s two of my favourite recipes for feeding larger groups of people
Slut Spaghetti (don’t be afraid of the anchovies as they melt and add a delicious saltiness. I find pickled jalapeños work better than fresh chilli)
http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/sluts-spaghetti-5157
Vegetarian chilli (this is filling and versatile. I put it in a burrito, nachos or have it by itself. I love cheese and/or guacamole to make it creamier. I also sometimes add diced mushrooms & carrots if I have those on hand. I use vegetable oil instead of olive oil so it’s cheaper & I can save my olive oil for homemade hummus but that’s personal preference.)
http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/5923/vegetarian+chilli
MarcelMarcel, as soon as I saw the name of the first recipe, I giggled. We’re Italian, and have always called puttanesca “Slut Spag”. Thanks for Nigella’s recipe, too. It’s a quick, delicious dish and I urge everyone to try it. Even if you hate anchovies (I eat them straight from the jar!) don’t cut them out. They melt away and don’t give the dish a fishy taste, but rather a depth of flavour not attainable with other condiments.
I won’t be buying Paltrow’s book. Jamie Oliver did the 30-minute cookbook ages ago, and I use it all the time.
I don’t mind Goop as much as the rest of the world but isn’t the market already saturated with this kind of thing? I’m always on the lookout for quick, healthy meals but I will never buy another cookbook as long as I live now that we have the internet.
I have a vintage French cookbook, couldn’t get all of that on the net, in one place. It has lots of definitions. Incidentally, there are some minimal (but fresh) ingredient quick prep recipes in it. I think it is translated from the 1800s. I also have a pie cookbook, because I went through a pie phase.
Fascinating. Tell me more about the pie phase. I’m more of a galette girl myself…
I’ve moved more toward occasional tarts, now. I don’t know, I learned to make really nice pastry and pie crust, so then I wanted to try all kinds of combinations of ingredients and fruits, cheeses, etc. There was at least a different pie a week, and my friends thought I was the best thing ever and then I stopped. Every now and then someone wonders out loud whatever happened to the pies and I ignore them. It was more like a science project that I grew tired of.
So basically you are the occasional tart then.
Pretty much.
Mmm…I’m not big on sweets but lemon tart is my favorite in the pie/tart category. I can see why people wonder aloud at what happened to the delicious homemade baked goods they were receiving, lol.
I should clarify that I do have a few cookbooks that I really love and go to again and again. In fact my New Basics is literally falling apart at the spine. I just don’t think I’ll ever purchase another one. If I need the fix of leafing through a cookbook, I get it from the library and then am happy to return it so as to keep the clutter on my bookshelves at bay.
Mmmmmm….pies…. Or tarts. Or galettes… Everything is better with pastry. Everything.
Yep, over saturated… the last person I would ever take food advice from is the dried up corn stalk that is over-privileged Goop.
There are several fantastic cooking blogs (my favourite is food wishes.com because the actual chef trained writer not only has amazing recipes but the videos for each and everyone of them makes them foolproof from a technique standpoint) so not buying any more cooking books.
That being said, I do have several older cookbooks too including the Rex Stout Nero Wolfe cookbook just because I always dreamed of living in the fifties in the brownstone with Archie, helping with their detective cases, messing Nero’s orchids and eating Fritz’s meals. (If you are a Nero Wolfe fan you know exactly what I am talking about; if you are not, I envy you – you have a unique world to discover.) But Kiddo’s tarts sound delicious too!
I think of her as the Fish Stick but Corn Stalk works well too
A single visit to Buzzfeed (or sth similar) will give you an abundance of recipes like that and even more crazy, healthy, quick or indulgent stuff. No need for another glossy Goop book.
I can see the recipes now:
Kale Salad
Wash head of organic kale.
Dust with Mongolian pink salt.
Serves 12 as main course, 24 as side dish.
Ha!
Suggested beverage: Artesian well water harvested by Swiss nuns and bottled in Eco-friendly Czech glass, available on goop.com for $167 per serving.
Ha! This made my morning!
Yay! Seriously. I love her cookbooks. The recipes have clearly been properly tested, they actually don’t require a ton of equipment or rare ingredients and most importantly, everything I’ve tried has tasted great. I make her veggie chilli at least once a week and her dad’s pancake recipe is the bomb!
BTW, her ‘elimination’ cookbook really goes into detail about who should and shouldn’t attempt it (and recommends talking to your doctor first), how long to do it (not long), and it’s much less harsh than pretty much every other elimination cookbook out there. The food tastes good and is nourishing. I’ve done elimination diets on my doctors and dieticians orders. It’s not some crazy fad, it’s been recommended for people with my kind of issues since before GOOP was born. It was nice to be able to refer to a cookbook that actually had some tasty recipes. Most of these cookbooks are written by people who don’t care if the food is bland, or worse, people obsessed with making healthy ingredients look and taste like highly processed junk food. GOOP’s was just simple ingredients seasoned and cooked properly.
Her braised chicken with olives recipe is fabulous. I make it every week. Looking forward to the new book.
I used and liked the first one– my kids love the kale and brown rice and the lemon pasta is nice when you have little time to make something. Appreciated the vegetarian meals when veg friends were coming over. Fickle as I am, I now turn to the Pollan family cookbook–food tastes even better.
+1 to the food being good. The elimination diet stuff seems excessive and without scientific merit, but her/Julia’s chicken meatballs are really good, and her chickpea and tuna salad is also amazing. I’m fully onboard. And the library is freeeeeee….
Also, I thought Turshen had her own cookbook coming out. I’ll read that, too!
Everything she does is contradictory and hypocritical, but none of that matters as long as people keep buying …
I am dying to know the price point on this book.
Recipe for Meal #1 – Pick an apple from an organic tree
Her cookbooks are really good. I say, go for it. They sell well.
I would be open to getting Gwen’s cook book as long as the meals are economically appropriate for my budget then I’ll buy it. I have no problem with her creating recipes for the rich. Their are many celebs out there that cater their businesses to the rich and shouldn’t be shamed for it. My case in point, celebs that create their own expensive fashion lines are not shamed for making expensive clothing that the masses can’t buy. Why pick on Gwyn for writing recipes that the masses can’t afford?
I am always amazed that people buy her recipes. She is not a chef, she is not a food blogger or a dietician, she does not share the common confers of the peasants so she has no clue what it’s like to rush from office to errands to school pickup to activities, to supervising homework while trying to put together a healthy meal that also doesn’t cost an arm and a leg – every.single.night. For most families going out occasionally to a family restaurant is a treat, and the rest of the time we don’t have maids, trainers, chefs and several helpers in the house to make sure our food gets prepared. What in the world qualifies her to put her name on the book written by someone else? The fact that she can afford a ghost writer?
If I only took advice and inspiration from people who were exactly the same as I am, my world would be a dull place.
I agree. I seriously do not know why “normal” folks keep listening to and giving so much of their hard-earned money to the super-rich
She’s not my favorite, but this doesn’t bother me all that much. As irritating as her personality is, some of her recipes are quite good, whatever their source. I might be interested in a 30 minute version of some of them – though I’m skeptical of all 30 minute cookbooks, as most of them seem to be fudging a great deal on the prep time.
I would like Gwyneth to take her black roots, her sun damaged wrinkled skin, her wandering eye, her under eye bags, and her elitist….everything, and just ride into the sunset to live her life in ways that do not intersect mine at all. Bye Felicia.