""How to bowl"" takes on a new, non-sports meaning with this latest collection from America's Test Kitchen, the group of food professionals known for identifying food trends and translating their tirelessly tested specifics into real-life kitchenery. Here, the spotlight's on fast food made nutritious: bowls of assorted ingredients made more than palatable by varying one or a number of the five elements base, protein, vegetable, sauce, crunch. The 75 recipes here are divided into four categories salad, grain and bean, noodle, and soup and culled from around-the-world cuisines like Chinese, Japanese, and Mexican. Prefatory chapters prepare reader-chefs for the work ahead: the anatomy of a bowl, equipment, storing and serving, plus the art of arranging. Among the choices: sriracha-lime tofu salad bowl, skillet burrito, weeknight bibimbap, summer ramen, and acquacotta bowl (a relative of minestrone). At the end is a roundup of the basics, with drill-downs on the how-tos, including a master recipe chart and recipes for quick pickles, dressing and sauces, and more. Strike!--Barbara Jacobs Copyright 2019 Booklist

Bowls here include the standard grain, bean, and noodle dishes, as well as soups and salads, which are served in bowls but sometimes overlooked in bowl discussions. These healthy meals typically comprise vegetables, protein, and a distinctive sauce in one dish. While providing many specific and delicious recipes, America's Test Kitchen takes the stance that once the basics are mastered, any cook can create innovative and satisfying bowls. Basics such as developing a pantry, along with serving and storing bowls are all included, as are instructions for preparing the basic ingredients: grains, noodles, proteins, vegetables, toppings, dressings, and sauces. Each recipe begins with a discussion of why the recipe works and ends with suggestions for customizing. VERDICT Home cooks can either follow the recipes exactly or adjust them to suit their own tastes, allowing both novices and veterans to find something useful and delicious in this fun, innovative offering.--Sharon Mensing, Phoenix, AZ