Cook Yourself Happy

I really liked this book, it is full of Danish dishes some I would try some not so much. The writing is wonderful, the pictures are beyond beautiful I would recommend this book to any of my friends

I used to be in charge of our cookbook section for years, and cookbooks still are a passion of mine. Cookbooks have to pass several tests to get my approval - my general first impression, whether there are any appealing recipes, overall design and of course whether the recipes yield good results. The latter actually though is less important to me than the question whether it makes me want to cook. Results can vary according to the cook's skill, whether the cookbook is giving you the urge to cook depends on the book alone.

"Cook yourself happy" definitely passes the first test - the pictures look appealing and stylish, and it made me want to flip through it. There are enough scenic pictures to add to the atmosphere without being annoying and the structure - Light meals, Soups and Open Sandwiches, Salads, Main Courses: Meat, Main Courses: Fish and Vegetarian, Desserts, Bread, Bakes, Sweet Treats and Drinks - makes sense and just works. Personally, when I think of "hygge" I picture something warmer than the images in this book, but the Scandinavian chic works as well.

When flipping through for the first time I immediately found a handful of recipes I wanted to try out, as well as several I wanted to have a closer look later. Overall, there's a lot of seafood, and I'm not sure a vegetarian would have that much fun with it, although there are vegetarian dishes as well. It's more aimed at omnivores who want vegetarian options, definitely. There's a nice balance of simpler recipes requiring only a few ingredients and more complex ones with longer lists. I love the clear and simple way the recipes are presented, and I liked that measurements are both in ml and oz and so on. Using the original Danish names feels a bit whimsical to me - I know a lot of books do that, but personally I could take it or leave it.

As for whether it is inspiring - that's a definite yes. I wanted to get cooking while still not even halfway through the book, and luckily most ingredients should be easy to acquire.

It also strikes a nice balance between healthy and indulgent, as well as recipes that are quick to throw together and meals that take a little more time.

I was able to test the recipe for the mushroom soup on page 53, and it was the perfect combination of simple and delicious. I will definitely make it again and try out more of the recipes.

I highly recommend this cookbook for everyone interested not just in Danish cooking, but in nourishing and tasty food.

The title of this book immediately drew me -- of course I want to cook myself happy! It's a beautiful book full of Danish recipes that I found to be clean and simple (probably the hardest to cook?) and while I don't think of Danish food often, the recipes were interesting (Avocado with Caviar, Egg Cake with Smoked Bacon, Kale and Bacon Soup, etc.). I think a few of these recipes would be great to try as first-time pairings, new foods, etc.

If you love butter, like I do, you will immediately take a liking to the author Caroline Fleming's writing and cookbook. Fleming writes "We love our butter so much so there needs to enough butter, thickly spread on the bread, to show your front teeth marks when you bite into it."

While her cookbook is probably focused towards European cooks, American cooks should be able to find recipes they would like to prepare for family or friends. In fact, I have prepared similar recipes from other Scandinavian cookbooks for my family. Granted we do have a Scandinavian heritage, which might influence our taste in recipes.

Some of the recipes you'll find in her cookbook include:

Danish Birthday Buns
Cinnamon Christmas Cookies
Warm Smoked Salmon with Pickled Cucumber
Salmon Caesar Salad
Danish Hamburgers with Fried Onions and Lentil Salad
Cheese Soufflé with Cheesy Bread

Throughout her cookbook you will find many lovely color photos illustrating the recipes and showing the beauty of Denmark.

Recommend.

Review written after downloading a galley from Net Galley.

wow wonderful danish recipes with drooling pictures..........

If you're looking for some wonderful new recipes for the upcoming fall and winter months, I highly recommend this beautiful book. From light meals that you can enjoy any time to hearty soups, fresh breads, and hearty main dishes, we are talking COMFORT FOOD EXTRAORDINAIRE!

Cook Yourself Happy by Caroline Fleming is a big helping of Danish culture all wrapped up in a beautifully laid out cookbook filled with photographs, and recipes of simply delicious food. I especially liked the first few pages that described Danish culture and their favorite foods. Having grown up in a Scandinavian household I found the food choices/recipes to be spot on. The second thing I liked about this cookbook was how detailed, but not too detailed, the recipes were and how healthy every dish that is featured is. Deliciously laid out, gorgeous photos, interesting and inspiring chapters. I highly recommend this book to both beginner and more seasoned cooks! I would also recommend this cookbook to those wanting to learn more about the Danish concept Hygge. I requested this book to review because I am both interested and in love with all things Scandinavian. I really enjoyed this cookbook equal parts–author, subject matter, and ease of recipes.

I am very interested in Scandinavian food and culture. The Nordic way of eating has been proven to be one of the healthiest in the world. This book would certainly inspire me to delve deeper and experiment. I love the way that it isn’t just about food; it is the whole experience of preparing and eating that is so cathartic. The opposite of fast food, although that doesn’t mean that the recipes are complicated and time consuming. Rather, it is that preparing good food for friends, family and oneself is seen as a worthwhile activity, which deserves respect. Happinesses comes from planning, preparing and savouring delicious food. Mindfulness is very mainstream and this book encourages mindful eating. Beautifully illustrated and clearly laid out. Recommended.

While this title might not be ideal for a new cook, for those who have experience this could lead you in a new way. The Danish Way. This cookbook has a lovely design and a great number of images. Suggested for experienced cooks or libraries with a culinary program.

Love the layout and structure of the book, the recipies look amazing and there are quite a few i have tried and loved. Cat wait to buy a copy!

Danish food hasn’t always been trendy, so many of us aren’t as familiar with it as we’d like to be. Cook Yourself Happy: The Danish Way, by Caroline Fleming is the perfect way to introduce us to some mouthwatering Danish dishes that we can actually make at home. This excellent cookbook has stories and vignettes that make us feel a personal tie with the author and her family. It’s always more fun to know the origin of what we are cooking, the explanations are interesting and well-written. The most important thing, however, is the variety of recipes that most of us will actually want to make and the fact that the photographs are beautiful. Most of the recipes are easy, so even beginning cooks will find this a cookbook that they refer to often.

Some of the dishes are simple and homey, such as the Danish Hamburgers with Fried Onions and Slow Cooked Pulled Pork and Coleslaw. Others are a bit fancier: Baked Cod with Mustard Sauce, Fines Meatballs with Red Cabbage, and Stuffed Pumpkin with Nuts and Danish Cheese. Most are family recipes, like Granny’s Kale and Bacon Soup and My Father’s Delicious Chicken Salad (which really is delicious especially served on fresh Danish rye bread like she suggests). Fleming includes some great bread recipes which I adapted to make the dough in my auto bread machine, and also some decadent desserts such as Sticky Chocolate Pudding and Cinnamon Christmas Cookies.

Cook Yourself Happy: The Danish Way gives us all a different and positive perspective on Danish food, and will keep us cooking new, delicious dishes for months.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

I received a copy of this book to review from NetGalley - I was interested due to the title and the idea of happiness through cooking.
It is a beautifully presented cookbook which has a wide range of recipes. I have to be honest, I loved reading the author's stories about her life and her culture but I don't think I would end up making many of the recipes. A number of the ingredients were not staples of my pantry but I certainly could see myself creating some of the recipes on special occasions.
It was a very interesting glimpse into another culture - I have several friends who would love to add this to their shelves just for the pleasure of reading the recipes, let alone making them.