• Age: 15
• Grade: 10

The survival guide for first-time cooks, with 250 super-simple recipes. Designed to help new cooks find independence.

Starting Out is filled with crucial tips, basic cooking techniques, and guidelines for stocking cupboards and refrigerator with staples. A first cookbook, instruction guide, and food resource, the book includes easy-to-prepare dishes that any beginner can follow easily. There are even " first aid" tips for fixing food disasters!

Some of the features in this cookbook are:

- Glossary of common cooking terms

- Measurements chart

- Simple menus

- Party ideas

- Ingredient resource guide

- Shopping tips (and even tips for doing laundry) .

Starting Out has more than enough delicious and nutritious dishes for the university student or budding executive. Included are simple, quick and effortless recipes for cooking for one, such as Turkey Burgers, Pad Thai, and basic Curry. There are also more impressive yet still easy-to-follow recipes for entertaining, like Chicken la King, Chicken Parmigiana, and Curried Peanut Shrimp.

Julie Van Rosendaal was an avid cook as early as age three. When her father, known for his insatiable sweet tooth, found out he had high cholesterol, Julie took her expertise in the kitchen and began creating healthier and low fat recipes for cookies and sweets. After spending years doing research and experimenting in the kitchen, Julie developed a knack for taking recipes of foods that she craved, typically high in fat, and creating a healthier version. At the same time, she realized that dieting was silly and began to live on her own terms. She simply cooked and ate healthier versions of the foods she loved. In addition to giving her ideas for health-conscious cookbooks (which would eventually become bestsellers), this change in lifestyle led Julie to lose 165 pounds—a testament to the effectiveness and practicality of her recipes and food philosophy. Quickly the demand for her delicious low fat recipes became so great that she opened her own low fat bakery in Calgary, Alberta. With the great success of this bakery, Julie decided to share her low fat recipes with the world—in One Smart Cookie, among other cookbooks. Referred to as the “queen of the skinny sweet” and the “poster girl for low fat cooking,” Julie is in high demand for her knowledge and expertise. She has appeared on numerous television and radio shows, led many cooking demonstrations across North America, and regularly contributes to newspapers and magazines.

Julie Van Rosendaal's profile page

Starting Out: The Essential Guide to Cooking on Your Own