Even though I liked the concept of bare minimum dinners and the sections of this book divided into time, ingredients single pot/pan and such, I found it a bit too basic for my taste and the recipes were too uninspiring.




Bare minimum dinners - sections = time, ingredients, single pot/pan - korean sloppy joes

Bare Minimum Dinners is a good basic uncomplicated cookbook suitable for beginners or those who don't want to spend lots of time in the kitchen. There are lots of lovely pictures for inspiration and the step by step instructions are very easy to follow. Overall, there is a good selection of recipes, and they make a good starting point for anyone wanting to experiment.. Probably not the best book for seasoned cooks and foodies but great for those short of time or on a budget.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this cookbook in exchange for honest feedback. I will be cross-posting this review to Goodreads, as well.

Cover: The cover is appealing. I like the modern font choices and the dishes displayed. They look easy but also tasty, which I would think is indicative of the contents of the cookbook. The back cover blurb boasts easy recipes with fewer ingredients, less clean up and utilization of modern tools like the Instant Pot. So, I am interested in seeing how this cookbook combines these elements and translates them into recipe ideas.

Design/Layout: The book is thematically divided into these sections -- Bare Minimum Time (recipes ready in 30 minutes or less), Bare Minimum Ingredients (seven or less ingredients), Bare Minimum Clean Up (Single pot or pan), Bare Minimum Hands-On Time (instant pot or slow cooker), Bare Minimum Sides (easy add-ons). There are designators for vegetarian dishes, MVPs (which indicate they fit into multiple Bare Minimum categories).

The cookbook begins with telling you about the book, the equipment you'll need to do the recipes, pantry items, meal planning, reducing food waste, and some of the author's philosophies on food / cooking.

The recipes are a decent range with most of them being somewhat familiar to anyone who likes to cook. That is why I would suggest this cookbook to two audiences. First, I would suggest this book to newbie cooks. This is because 1) you get a good range of dishes that have a diverse skill set. I would suggest it also to 2) cooks of any skill set with certain aims in their kitchen, specifically: lowering food cost, lowering food waste, or lowering the time they spend in the kitchen.

As for the value for the money, I think that it comes with the thematic groupings and range of dishes. You can group them all together and save time looking for ideas and compiling them, printing them, whatever. When you're looking to do the bare minimum, I suppose saving time in that regard will help.

A great cookbook filled with ideas for when you want to just do the "bare minimum". I would highly recommend this and will be returning to it when I next do not want to make a complicated dinner

Beautiful photos and easy to read instructions. I tried a few recipes and they were a hit with my family once we spiced them up a wee bit. Most of the ingredients are normally on hand in any kitchen, so this cookbook is a must have for the person who ponders what to make for dinner every day.

Fabulous cookbook. The pictures are beautiful and the instructions are well written. Crock pot, few ingredients, quick meals. I loved all the options available. All sorts of cuisines and special diet options available.

Thank you to #NetGalley and to the publisher, #HoughtonMifflinHarcourt for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 Stars

Overall, this was a decent cookbook with a good selection of recipes. I would recommend it for beginners who like to experiment, are on a budget and have a minimum amount of time to spend meal-prepping. If you're a seasoned expert in the kitchen, you might find this book a tad boring and basic.

Not a huge selection of recipes, but a decent start to look at. Some are vegan based. Separated by time, ingredients or meal (not a lot, only a few)

I have been so excited to read and review Jenna Helwig's latest cookbook. I bought and loved her Baby-Led Feeding book when my one-year-old started eating solids and used it almost daily. Our whole family benefitted from the creative and wholesome recipes she supplied, so it's no wonder we would love her latest book just as well.

Every recipe we have tried from Bare Minimum Dinners has been delicious and loved by every member of the family--babies, big kids, and adults. Each recipe was easy to follow and the ingredients were always easily found in our standard grocery store. They really do only require the bare minimum in time and effort, which is so helpful and appreciated on busy weeknights. It's proof that you don't have to settle for takeout or toast for dinner on those nights when you want to do less. 

Recipe favorites include the baked rigatoni, which will be on permanent rotation in our house, and the turkey enchilada bowls, which are easy to customize to everyone's liking. We couldn't be happier to have found some easy solutions to our busy nights. 

Special thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and Netgalley for this advanced reader copy I received in exchange for my honest review.

Review Date: March 8, 2021
Pub Date: 9/7/2021

Bare Minimum Dinners by Jenna Hetwig is an amazing example of good food being easy and simplistic. There is a meal for everyone in this cookbook and ingredients that wouldn't scare off someone who is new to the kitchen.

The way the sections are broken up is flawless. Unlike the norm in cookbooks and sectioning off recipes by ingredients (meat, carbs, appetizers etc.), Bare Minimum Dinners sections based on cooking method. I loved that there was an instant pot section, as I use mine frequently.

Jenna Hetwig was also extremely supportive and welcoming in her intro. She reminds us that "everything will be okay" in the kitchen. The cookbook would be perfect for those who want incredible food but also want to spend less time in the kitchen.

This book had beautiful pictures and was very nicely set out so made reading it very easy.

Some of the recipes id question whether that was cooking but it did make a nice change to see the author encouraging frozen food usage and easier simpler dishes. This is very much a book for those with a family as the portions were usually for 4 or more people.

Overall I enjoyed this book and there were quite a few recipes id be keen to try. It was easy to follow and I liked the layout.

Thank you for the arc.

This is a great book for beginner cooks, college students, and budget conscious people. The title doesn't suggest that, so I after breezing through, couldn't find one recipe that I would add to my collection. Title suggests that it's simple recipes, but was hoping for some inspiration.

Yes! Just the thing for those of us starting out in the kitchen or those of us burnt out in the kitchen. I love the smart divisions: Ready in 30 minutes or less; Seven Ingredients or Less ((Should be FEWER, not less); Single Pot or Pan; Instant Pot or Slow Cooker; and Easy Side Dishes. I know sometimes certain aspects matter more to me: I don't have a lot of time or I don't want a lot of fuss, so this kind of delineation is helpful.

My iPad crashed so unfortunately I had to read this on my phone.. I didn't catch any typos or mistakes, but then again that is what this process is for. I wish I had the ability to read it on my computer instead of on a mobile device because then I could examine it more in depth.

That said, for the wide variety of recipes and the super smart organization, I feel comfortable giving it 5 stars.

The perfect cookbook! Dinners that are fast with minimal clean up time for a busy family. I love that there are separate sections for meals that take 30 minutes, 7 ingredients or less, single pan, Instapot as well as sides. The pictures look delicious and there are lots of meals that I want to try!

This book de-mystifies cooking, breaking it down into a simple set of instructions that lead to fail-proof deliciousness.

The author had the inspired idea to divide recipes into groups of:
- those with few ingredients
- those with a quick prep and cooking time
- those that can be made in one pan
- those for the slow cooker.
Because sometimes you care about simplicity, and sometimes you care about speed, and sometimes you just want to throw a bunch of things into a cauldron and make magic happen.

I also valued kitchen advice thrown in-between the recipes (e.g., this is how to pre-wash your salad leaves), and the way some recipes can be converted from vegetarian into meant dishes (e.g., the lasagne) and vice versa. If you take nothing else from the book, the cooking mantra: "It's going to be fine" is one I'm planning to adopt for making food as well as for tackling life.

My favourite recipe was the Za'atar Roast Chicken (I fully intend to cook it again with another spice mix for variety, too).

Bare Minimum Dinners by Jenna Helwig is a good-looking cookbook. The pictures are beautiful and inviting. The recipes seem easy but flavorful. I really like the addition of the section of side dishes. I cannot wait to dive in.

BBQ Pork Burger and Sweet Potato Fries, pg. 90, is marked vegetarian but is not. One-Pan Pierogi Supper, pg. 141, could probably marked vegetarian but is not. There are quite a few errors of this sort so I am not sure I would recommend this cookbook for ten to twenty dollars unless this is fixed.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

Ok- I am 100% all for easy meal prep and especially easy weeknight dinners. This cookbook gives you both of these things in a fun, bright and organized format. Some of these recipes are simple and straight forward and some are unique. Definitely a good balance. I also love that there is an IP/Slow cooked section. I am a huge slow cooker fan and use it 1-2 times a week! Overall- great cookbook with good options for quick yet exciting meals!

The title for this cookbook is SPOT ON. #BareMinimumDinners is a great cookbook for anyone looking for simple and clear guidance for making quick weeknight dinners. I think it would make a great gift for a young person starting out on their own, new parents, or anyone who wants to get more comfortable and confident in the kitchen. The book is well organized, and I think the section before the recipes start may be the the most valuable for kitchen newbies. It has great advice for must have vs. nice to have gear, staples to keep on hand, meal planning, and how to shop your pantry and fridge and improvise with what you have. The recipes themselves seem straightforward and within the abilities of any novice home cook.

My husband and I are pretty well versed in weeknight cooking. I don't think there are any truly revolutionary or original recipes here. Many seem to be basic versions or riffs on dishes that have been in our repertoire for awhile. There are a couple instant pot recipes I'm looking forward to trying, in particular the Lemony Shrimp Risotto and the "Pae-Sotto."

I don't think this is the cookbook for me, but I would absolutely gift it to a novice home chef.

I received this as an advance reader copy from #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cookbook worth your time! It is now my go to as author, Jenna Helwig shares not only her no-fail recipes, but so many valuable tips that make all the difference and actually entice the reader to get in the kitchen and try it out. Thanks to reading this wonderfully organized cookbook chock full of winning recipes, I am using it for the week and incorporating vegetarian recipes and her MVPs which are both noted throughout. By prepping the reader first with kitchen gear and items to have on hand, as well as addressing time, then offering recipes with 7 ingredients or less and tips for cleanup, the author has me hooked. I was delighted when she revealed her ingredient all-stars and the forthcoming nature of this cookbook makes me realize that every time I pick it up, I am in for solid insider information so helpful in the kitchen! And, Instant pot and slow cooker recipes are included, too. Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers for the opportunity to read this advanced copy for my review.

This cookbook is best for anyone who either is looking to get more comfortable in the kitchen or who just wants to spend less time there. I find myself to be some combination of the two.

I didn’t find as much inspiration in these recipes as I was hoping to, though there were a handful that caught my eye (Zucchini Herb Pancakes, Provini Pasta, and Teriyaki Tofu and Broccolini to name a few) The accompanying pictures are lovely, and I appreciate how succinct each recipe is.

The 9 commandments of dinner as well as the non-negotiable dinner rules at the beginning are very cute. I especially like rule number three: “there must be at least one part of the meal you’re really looking forward to eating.”

Thank you NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for the ARC.