CLEVELAND — The second of Cleveland Chef Michael Symon's best-selling "Fix it With Food" cookbooks is out now. "Fix it with Food: Every Meal Made Easy" was released to the general public on Tuesday.
Symon released the first “Fix It with Food” book back in 2019. It earned a spot on the New York Times’ best-seller list. The recipes in it are Symon's response to his own health issues. He suffers from rheumatoid arthritis and external lupus, conditions that cause pain and swelling in his joints. He says he didn't want to immediately turn to medication and embarked on a three-year journey to figure out his personal food triggers before ever writing the book.
In November, 3News' Doug Trattner sat down with Symon to discuss a variety of topics, including what makes "Fix it with Food: Every Meal Made Easy" different from the original. Symon shared that the new book provides tips and lists for ingredient substitutions and more flexibility with respect to portion sizes.
“I realized how even people that like to cook, and enjoy to cook, there was a fear of substitution,” Symon said. “And I wanted to give them the freedom to substitute.”
“And then a lot of people are like, ‘I really want to do it but all the recipes are for four, six and I can’t get the rest of my family to do it – it’s just too much food,” Symon adds. “So we made the reset for one, and then everything else in the cookbook is for two, and then we explain to you how to get it to six, which I think will be a really valuable piece for people.”
Symon also recently appeared on our Stephanie Haney's "3 Things to Know" podcast, where he shared some of his favorite recipes from the book. While he says he doesn't have a single favorite, there are lots of recipes he often craves. But most of the time, those cravings are breakfast-related.
"We have a puffy omelet on there that I love. I make it all the time. It's a regular part of my existence and daily routine," he says.
Symon also shared the recipe for the scrambled egg, quinoa, and spinach salad with Trattner, which comes together in less than 10 minutes.
The Iron Chef says he's proud of the book not just because it's helped him overcome his health struggles, but because the recipes are a true reflection of the food he eats on a daily basis. He encourages all young chefs to cook that same way.
“Your food is never gonna taste better than when it’s a reflection of you,” Symon says. “If it’s not a reflection of you, it’s just gonna be, it’s not gonna be the same.”
You can purchase "Fix it with Food: Every Meal Made Easy" wherever books are sold. Also watch out for the premiere of Symon's new television show "Throwdown with Michael Symon," today on the Food Network.