Get your family together and create some memories in the kitchen with “The Quick Fix Kitchen: Easy Recipes & Time-Saving Tips for a Healthier, Stress-Free Life” by Tia Mowry. This colorful cookbook is broken down into two handy parts: Fixed Kitchen and Recipes.
I like the comprehensiveness of the first segment. It helps you find balance by getting you and your space ready to approach cooking. It covers topics such as organizing your kitchen and decluttering, must-have tools, and meal planning and meal prepping. I find the 3-week sample meal plans and the sample grocery list useful. Mowry also shares what fruits and vegetables are in season for spring, summer, fall, and winter. In addition, she offers tips for picky eaters and recommends food substitutions. All these suggestions help readers to minimize their cooking time while increasing fun moments with their family. Who doesn’t love that!?!
The hardcover’s second component features 65 easy, kid-friendly recipes divided into five sections: Breakfast, Snacks, One-Pot & Sheet-Pan Wonders, Dinners, and Sweets. Most come accompanied with an appetizing image; others do not have a picture. Still, the dedication page alone highlights a mouthwatering Any Fruit Crisp that sets the tone for what’s to come – loving anecdotes, valuable advice and simple fare.
The ingredients focus on whole foods for instance fresh produce, nuts, seeds proteins, and whole grains. The instructions are straightforward. I tend to favor the Sweets chapter with its strawberry hand pies, brookies and Sweet Quick Bread Three Ways. I’ll make sure to leave room for the Breakfast Pizza, Two Ways, Homemade Cheese(It) Crackers and shrimp stir-fry.
Cooking Inspiration
Known to fans around the world for her roles starring opposite of twin sister Tamera Mowry-Housley in “Sister, Sister,” the popular sitcom “The Game” as well as a host of TV shows and movies, Mowry grew up watching and helping her mom prepare meals. As she got older, she took on more responsibilities. In college, she spent hours studying the chefs on the Food Network and applying their techniques.
Years later, the actress, mom and entrepreneur would star in her own show on the network, “Tia Mowry at Home.” Although it was loved by many of her fans, it ended after three seasons, so she paved her own path. She launched a YouTube channel, “Tia Mowry’s Quick Fix,” featuring everyday cooking, lifestyle and beauty tips, and lighthearted moments with her family.
This past September, the successful show was picked up and made its TV debut on TV’s One’s sister network CLEO TV. With Mowry’s busy schedule, she still managed to land a role on the Netflix series “Family Reunion” which is in its fourth season that delivers plenty of laughs.
“The Quick Fix Kitchen” follows Mowry’s first cookbook released in 2017, “Whole New You: How Real Food Transforms Your Life, for a Healthier, More Gorgeous You: A Cookbook” where Mowry shared her journey to get well and heal her body from endometriosis. Similar to this book, Mowry shared great tips and trips for making cooking enjoyable and something that anyone can do no matter what level you are at.
Overall, Mowry’s sophomore cookbook captures the personality that I’ve grown to love. It showcases her experience creating and preparing nutritious meals for her husband and two kids. Furthermore, it honors traditions her parents passed down to her. Good read. Informative. Welcoming for the novice cook.
“The Quick Fix Kitchen” is available on Amazon.
Be sure to read more about Mowry's latest culinary ventures that include a cookware line that will be released soon in our Special Edition print issue on sale now.
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