Tom Kerridge's Dopamine Diet: My low-carb, stay-happy way to lose weight

I have been looking forward to this book coming out as it shares celebrity chef Tom Kerridge's approach to weight loss. Tom was 30 stone and has dropped 11 stone in 3 years. He has done this while eating protein and cutting carbs, an approach that is gaining popularity. I have been following the same diet, advocated by Michael Mosley in The Eight Week Blood Sugar Diet. However this advocates using strange new ingredients, like coconut flour - an ingredient I have never come across before. Well, this cookbook has recipes from Tom Kerridge to make flatbreads or biscuits for cheese, but with these low carb ingredients. That alone makes this a must read book for me. A new twist from this cookbook is Tom wiring about Dopamine, the feel good hormone, and how he now eats foods that release this to make you feel good. The introductory pages are filled with Tom Kerridge explaining his approach to weight loss, how he has cut alcohol out of his life, along with plans to do this and beat any cravings. As someone who has been following this approach to dieting for a year (and has lost 10 stone) I was getting tired of the same things over and over again, this cookbook is a total revelation, for example the idea of using blitzed dried mushroom to make mushroom powder to use as a seasoning is inspired. Just for tips like this the cookbook gets five stars from me. Even better every section of this cookbooks has similar ideas for side dishes etc, blitzed pork scratchings to go on soup, or add crunch to a salad anyone? The recipes are organised in sections, which again start with an introduction covering the basic concepts. As some of the recipes use ingredients such as honey, it is useful to see the carb count per person at the start of each recipe. The sections are: Soups and Broths Hot and Cold Salads Omelettes and Pancakes Minced Meat Dishes Braises and Stews Pan Frying and Roasts Sweet Things and Baking Some of the recipes that have caught my eye are: Curried cauliflower soup Fiery Squid soup. A salad of crispy kale with anchovies and lemon Padron peppers, anchovy and onion crunch Boil in the bag cheese omelette (yes really) Pepperoni Pizza Omelette The Sweet Things and Baking section has old favourites like cheesecake but made with low carb ingredients, there are also recipes for flax seed biscuits, almond soda bread and flatbreads. This is an AMAZING book as it has restaurant quality recipes but low calorie and low carb. There are some "cheffy" ingredients but these are not to hard to find in specialist supermarkets and online, and like trying new things. I could not be more pleased with this book. ============ Further thoughts ============ In the comments "Micro" suggested it might be helpful for a few further comments about this cook book having lived with it for a few weeks, and after the initial honeymoon period had run out. So, here goes... Well, I have had this cookbook for some eight weeks or so now. After this time a cookbook is either never looked at again or in constant use. I am pleased to say this one is in constant use. Whilst I have followed a good few recipes, what I have loved most is reading the book to allow me to develop ideas and concepts. I am referring to this book every few days, (I am following a low carb lifestyle and often looking for inspiration) and can say some of the recipes are becoming regulars. First of all I sprinkle the mushroom powder (ground up dried mushrooms) to add flavour to lots of dishes, the curried cauliflower soup is delicious. I am also loving and regularly eating the very low carb seared tuna with a white reddish and sesame salad. While we are talking about salads, I LOVE the Tomato chorizo and almond salad, (although I don't put in as much Chorizo as Mr Kerridge. I also love the Porky Bolognese So has my initial enthusiasm waned. Not one bit, I am still using and enjoying the book. To be honest as I am still loosing weight, I do cut down on the butter and cream a little, but I am loving the depth of flavour in these recipes. I hope this helps, please feel free to ask if you have any questions...

I bought this book after hearing Tom Kerridge on Chris Evans and then, intrigued, downloading a sample on Kindle. I thought it would be perfect for my husband who needs to lose weight but struggles with 'diets'. Tom seemed to be his answer. Tom has used his own experience of losing a lot of weight over the past few years whilst developing a way of eating that met his needs. This meant food that was satisfying and that made him happy. Dopamine is the hormone in the brain that, basically, gives us happy feelings, and the food in this book is designed to produce that hormone. It is low in carbs but high in taste and high in 'happy'. He is the proof that this can work. Portion sizes are big because, as he points out, he's a big lad. Adjust the sizes of your portions down if you feel that is necessary. In our case I make a four portion meal into six portions, my husband then has 2/3 of the size of mine, which sounds complicated but isn't in practice. Some have noted in other reviews (read before buying this book) that ingredients can be 'cheffy'. I live in rural north Wales and have had very little difficulty. We do have a very good health food shop (for want of a better term) called Vegonia that stocks items I struggled to find in Chester. But anything I really couldn't find I substituted or omitted. My issue with the book (not a big enough one to lose a star!) is that the recipes are time consuming - at least they are for me. Mince meat is roasted slowly in the oven, stirring every so often, and then drained of excess fats. Flavour is developed slowly. I thought I'd lose the will to carry on when making cauliflower mash from two (or was it three??) cauliflowers with my domestic sized food processor! However, the results are worth it. This is just a heads up - give yourself time and read the recipe so that you realise it's going to take a little time. That said, I made the 6 portion recipes, there are two of us, so I portioned, labelled and froze the rest. He doesn't suggest you do that but I do what works for us. The taste is great (if you don't like too much chilli, though, err on the side of caution and put less in - he likes chilli) and the food had my husband very happy. There have been some revelations - cauliflower mash is amazing and you wouldn't know it was cauliflower. Ditto cauliflower rice (he calls it cous cous but it amounts to the same thing). I was already making the cauli rice, as well as vegetable 'pasta / noodles', but the mash was a revelation. I did four of his recipes last month and will be trying more next month. Every one was great. I've also taken his ideas and run with my own versions. The book now has my own recipes inserted as well as copious notes. For instance - Tom has a recipe for very thin layered omelettes - a Japanese inspired recipe I think. I've been in a Japanese restaurant where paper thin omlettes were used as a wrap. Now every day my husband's lunch box contains an egg wrap made from a very thin egg omelette (one egg), cooled and wrapped round a low carb filling. I also include toasted walnuts and nori 'crisps' (sheet of nori broken into squares). I must say that I do calorie count the recipes (Tom does not - his basis is carbs) because for me, of diminutive stature and needing to be very careful of food intake, this works. So, does it work? Well clearly it does for Tom Kerridge. For my husband - one who can not diet? Yes it does. Slowly but surely- and his satisfaction level is high.

Five stars is not enough for this great diet book. Tom has changed the way I eat, enjoying good flavoursome food with the added benefit of losing weight! If you love spicy food then you are in for a real treat, and the not so spicy is full of flavour too. I have discovered new vegies and how to prepare them and mix with others giving some really surprising delicious results. On the down side I live in France and some of the ingredients are difficult to find, if not absent, from the local shops and supermarkets but those of you who live in the U.K. should not have this problem. Thanks Tom you are a STAR!

The book has many good recipes and the author has a good story to tell.

Nicht nur Low-Carb, sondern auch noch ausgesprochen lecker! Solche Rezepte findet man selten, hier hat sich der Autor sehr viel Mühe gegeben, sich selbst und den Lesern abwechslungsreiche Kochideen zu vermitteln. Er schreibt aus eigener Erfahrung, das ist interessant und aufschlussreich. Die Rezepte lassen sich leicht und mit wenig Aufwand nachkochen, und man bekommt dabei Lust auf eigene Experimente. Schön ist, dass die ganze Familie mitessen kann, und dass diese "Diät" nicht langweilig ist - im Gegenteil: Der Genuss steht an erster Stelle! Natürlich nichts für Veganer, für alle "Normalesser" und Freunde abwechslungsreicher Ernährung aber perfekt.

If you’re looking for a cookbook of low-carb recipes, this book is for you. Unfortunately, I was trying to find information on dopamine as it pertains to depression and mental health, and feel more than a little angry and gypped that this deceptive title fooled me. Other than a blanket statement that high-protein foods increase dopamine, there is nothing about dopamine in here. Still giving it four stars, because the recipes are beautiful and look like they would certainly help someone succeed with a low-carb diet.

A fascinating book about Tom's experience with great recipes included to allow you to fit the regime into your life without massive upheaval. It is fir the rest of your life It is important to remember that when beginning the journey. It is not a diet book it is a healthy eating plan for the rest of your days.