Editorial Review

Thinner, bigger, faster, stronger... which 150 pages will you read?

Is it possible to:
Reach your genetic potential in 6 months?
Sleep 2 hours per day and perform better than on 8 hours?
Lose more fat than a marathoner by bingeing?
 
Indeed, and much more. This is not just another diet and fitness book.

The 4-Hour Body is the result of an obsessive quest, spanning more than a decade, to hack the human body. It contains the collective wisdom of hundreds of elite athletes, dozens of MDs, and thousands of hours of jaw-dropping personal experimentation. From Olympic training centers to black-market laboratories, from Silicon Valley to South Africa, Tim Ferriss, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The 4-Hour Workweek, fixated on one life-changing question:

For all things physical, what are the tiniest changes that produce the biggest results?

Thousands of tests later, this book contains the answers for both men and women.

From the gym to the bedroom, it’s all here, and it all works.


YOU WILL LEARN (in less than 30 minutes each):
How to lose those last 5-10 pounds (or 100+ pounds) with odd combinations of food and safe chemical cocktails.

* How to prevent fat gain while bingeing (X-mas, holidays, weekends)
* How to increase fat-loss 300% with a few bags of ice
* How Tim gained 34 pounds of muscle in 28 days, without steroids, and in four hours of total gym time
* How to sleep 2 hours per day and feel fully rested
* How to produce 15-minute female orgasms
* How to triple testosterone and double sperm count
* How to go from running 5 kilometers to 50 kilometers in 12 weeks
* How to reverse “permanent” injuries
* How to add 150+ pounds to your lifts in 6 months
* How to pay for a beach vacation with one hospital visit
       
And that's just the tip of the iceberg.  There are more than 50 topics covered, all with real-world experiments, many including more than 200 test subjects.

You don't need better genetics or more discipline. You need immediate results that compel you to continue.

That’s exactly what The 4-Hour Body delivers. ... Read more

Reviews

Here's what I got out of it, December 14, 2010
I enjoyed the book. I'm not going to claim that the book is perfect or earth-shattering or anything like that. I did find it entertaining to read all the stuff Tim Ferriss put himself through. I've also benefited from some of his recommendations (though not all). Here's what's in the book so you can make your own decision. I've read all 571 pages and tried most of the strategies (I had my copy for a while because I got my hands on an advanced copy).

Ferriss spent more than a decade researching, monitoring, and noting the progress of his own mind and body. He served as his own laboratory genea pig and also played the role of a doctor, physical therapist, and coach to prepare for this book. Like a school boy, Ferris teaches you how to get your classwork done fast so you can go out and play. He asks you to be skeptical of the book and try only that which you think will help you.

Here's what's in it:

Chapter 1: Fundamentals--First And Foremost

* Ferriss describes the "Mininum Effective Dose" (doing the bare minimum to gain the most desired outcome).

Chapter 2: Ground Zero--Getting Started and Swaraj

* Uses Mahatma Gandhi reference to make the case that only we can govern our body and destiny by what we purposely choose to do.

Chapter 3: Subtracting Fat

Five rules for cutting body fat:
1. Avoid "white" carbohydrates
2. Eat the same few meals over and over again
3. Don't drink calories
4. Don't eat fruit
5. Take one day off per week

* The Lost Art of Bingeing: Specific steps to minimize fat gain while splurging

Chapter 4: Adding Muscle

* Building the Perfect Posterior
* Ferriss turns the table for readers who wish to gain weight by offering strategies on how to gain 34 pounds in 28 days with exercises like the Occam's Protocoli, the Bike-Shed Effect, and GOMAD (Gallon of Milk a Day).

Chapter 5: Improving Sex

* Ferriss tells a story about a promise he made to a female yoga instructor who have never experienced an orgasm in her life that he "would fix her inability to orgasm"
* the women has to bring herself "there."
* men need to change the angle and pressure during penetration.

* The 15-min Female Orgasm
1. Explain to partner that you will touch her
2. Get into position
3. Find the Upper-Quadrant Point of the Clitoris, and Stroke Lightly--for 15 minutes.

Chapter 6: Perfecting Sleep

How to Fall Asleep Faster:
* Focus on getting to sleep
* 67�F to 70�F is the best room temperature to fall asleep
* Eat a large fat-and protein-dominated meal 3 hours before bedtime
* Use low light in the bedroom
* Take a cold bath an hour before bed
* Use a humidifier to generate cool mist
* Try to sleep in the half-military crawl position

How to Sleep Less and Feel Great
* Learn how to manipulate the sleep cycle to stay in REM sleep longer
* Take frequent 20-min naps throughout the day

Chapter 7: Reversing Injuries

* The $10,000 Fix: Ferriss cured his "permanent" injuries by receiving a concoction of chemicals (i.e. Platelet-rich plasma, Stem cell factor, Bone morphogenic proteint-7, Insulin-like growth factor 1) via injection.

The Cheaper Fix in Stages:
* Stage 1: Movement
* Stage 2: Manipulaiton
* Stage 3: Medication
* Stage 4: Surgery

Chapter 8: Running Faster and Farther

* Jumping Higher: Joe DeFranco, a renowned trainer of the NFL Scouting Combine, worked with Ferriss on his shoulder drive, arm position before the jump, squat stance and hip flexors that allowed Ferriss to jump vertically three inches higher in 48 hours.
* Running Faster: Joe DeFranco also coached Ferriss on how to run the 40-yard dash faster by correcting Ferriss's line-and-arm position at the start line. Ferriss was advised to keep his head down, his knee head of his toes, chin tucked and upper body head of lower body, and to take few steps. Ferriss improved his 40-yard dash by .33 seconds in 48 hours.
* Running Further: Ferriss trains by running 400-meter repeatedly (over and over again) while monitoring quantity of repeats, maximum effort percentage, and rest time. Ken Mierke, a world-champion triathlete helped Ferriss with his stride rate, lean position, and arm movement. With preparation, biomechanics, and training, Ferriss was able to increase his running distance of 5K to 50K in 12 weeks.

Chapter 9: Getting Stronger
The gems in this chapter to become stronger as experimented by Ferriss include:
* Dynamic stretching
* Bench press, push-ups, deadlift to knees
* Static Stretching
* Keep "time under tension" while lifting under 10 seconds to avoid muscle burn.
* "Lift heavy but not hard"
* Keep training times (day or night) consistent.

Chapter 10: From Swimming to Swinging
* Ferriss learned how to swim effortlessly within 10 days
* How to swing a bat like Babe Ruth
* How to hold breath longer Houdini, and David Blaine

Chapter 11: On Longer and Better Life
* Take 5-10 grams of Creatine Monohydrate per day
* Fasting and Protein Cycling
* Donate blood

My biggest criticism is the book didn't do enough with the mind part. For that, you might want to read Emotional Intelligence 2.0. That book did a great deal for my mind.

Over 100 Five Star reviews in less than a day?, December 14, 2010
Pro: It has a lot of great information for people who are new to dieting and exercise.
Easy to read. The split into different chapters you can read without having to read the whole book was a smart choice.
Simple programs.

Con: All the information isn't exactly new or just in this book. For example, the diet is Paleo, which is fine, but not what I expected from the ads. I really hoped for something new here, and what is new sounds dubious at best.
Some of the claims in the books description are a little exaggerated.
The work out is not the best. It's great if you are new to working out, but it's not enough for someone who is already athletic and looking to improve. If you want to be the best athlete you can, this will take you far but it will not get you there.
Reversing permanent injuries can be expensive.

I have a problem with his scientific method. He did a lot of these experiments only on himself, and one after another in a short period of time. His results might be skewed. I'm currently applying a few of his suggestions and have been for 2 weeks. I will update this review in the future if there is any radicle change, but as of now nothing has really happened.

I also do not like that this book has gotten so many perfect reviews so quickly, and that critical reviews are being removed.

All in all, the book is grand if you need to be introduced to the word of nutrition and exercise. But if you have read widely on the subjects already and looking for something different and radically new, this book doesn't really deliver.

Inconsistent, Holes, and Doubts, December 16, 2010
I started reading this book and was enjoying it. Nice writing style, interesting theories and things to try. But this is not a novel where interesting and enjoyment count. This is a "self-help" body transformation guide where results count.

I went in with an open mind and started reading the chapters on diet and fat loss, which I liked. Nutritional science is not my specialty.

I then moved into the weight lifting sections. Now I am no Arnold but I know a bit about iron. I started noticing a lot of things.

Tim will mention powerlifters who bench 800 pounds. He will fail to mention they wear bench shirts which add 100's of pounds to the total. He will mention past powerlifting champions coached by Marty Gallagher who used linear periodization to build strength. He will fail to mention the enormous amounts of steroids these specific powerlifters used. One was even busted and ratted out fellow lifters. Tim is not telling the whole story. Just parts.

Little inconsistencies stood out. You do not need to add mass to gain strength because strength is a skill. Then some sections later the only way to get stronger is to add mass??? Huh? Which is it?

He relates a story how he gained a lot of weight working out with High Intensity Training. He mentions that he was detrained at the time. It is pretty common to be able to gain weight quickly after being de-trained. Very common and one trick that is often used in "before/after shots." Again - this is well known. It looks dramatic but is just that, looks, smoke and mirrors.

It made me think - if he is leaving stuff out of the strength sections, the area which I know and am familiar with, what is he leaving out of the other sections? If he is not telling the whole story in the strength department, why should I believe he is in the diet part?

I started to notice other little inconsistencies there as well. Calories in/Calories out is a flawed model. Eat as much as you want as long as you dont eat A B and C. Type of calories count. Be careful with nuts because the calories in them really add up. Do calories count or not? Why do nut calories count? Calories in calories out does not work. Person A lost lots of weight counting calories. Is he telling the whole story here or is he not?

His dad lost a lot of weight using the "slow carb diet." Is that the whole story? He did not tell the whole story with other sections. How do I know this is the whole story? Another guy lost a lot of weight using cold water. Lot's of fat people in Minnesota. Why does cold work for his guy but not Minnesota?

I just get the sense that this guy is willing to bend things to make it look like the way he wants.

Misleading?, December 20, 2010
I received this book a few days early of the release and started into it. Everything seemed fine until I hit the sidebar (what Tim calls "GA boxes") on page 23. Here Tim, in his flippant style, suggests you loose 107 calors during a "kick-ass hour-long Stairmaster workout." And, that that's only 7 calories better than sitting on the couch watching TV. Now a quick search on Google will provide you with information that suggests 107 calories likely not close to accurate at all. In fact, its most likely you loose between 300 to 600 calories depending on your weight, age, metabolism, level of exertion, etc. I actually asked Tim about this (I have a friend who knows him) and he wrote me a short rambling note that ended up by his stating that the overarching message was that diet is more important than exercise for weight loss (which had nothing to do with my question)? So I ask why make flippant comments you cannot back, especially if they add no value to your book?

I have not gotten further in the book because I smelled something fishy and after a few more minutes on the Web, I realize that there's a lot to be suspect about when it comes to the Author. I won't do a review of the author here, however. I'd just recommend you do a little homework before you jump on board and leave you with these two famous sayings: "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is" and "the devil is in the details."

Promises not Delivered, December 16, 2010
First let me say, I was a big fan of the 4 hour work week, so I was pretty excited to hear about the 4 hour body. Many of the topics were right in line with my current passion, powerlifting. I voraciously read most of the medpub research and keep up to date on the latest methodologies for increasing strength and muscle mass. So from the early promotions done by Tim, I thought perhaps he had stumbled upon some unique combinations that the lab coats haven't gotten around to studying. Alas, it's not the case, just more of the same hype with little empirical backing.

In fact most of the book is just so random in its material: from how to swing a bat to producing pheromones through brazil nuts. In reality it seems more like six month's worth of Men's Health articles, complete with sensational headlines that have little substance. Take for example the 15 minute female orgasm, an item that I admit peaked my interest. Now it may be just me, but I read it as an orgasm that lasts 15 minutes, but in reality it is an orgasm "in" 15 minutes. Subtle difference in wording that makes a world of difference in meaning.

The most disappointing, for me and my background of powerlifting, was the information of strength gains and muscle growth. I could produce reams of data that contradict Tim's claims, but let's just suffice it to say gaining "34 pounds of muscle in 28 days" or adding "150+ pounds to your lifts in 6 months" is a pipe dream except in very specific circumstances (for example Tim basically having been starved prior to his weight gain or untrained individuals gaining strength which basically happens to anyone first starting to lift on a decent program).

Overall, my expectations fell far short of the promises. But why should I be surprised? The fitness industry is plagued with snake oil salesmen, and when of the best self promoters out there (and I mean that with admiration; I wish I had the ability to do what Tim has done) comes out with a fitness book, why should I expect anything different than rehashed diets and workout routines with a dash of carnival barker?

Massively Over-HYPED, but not totally worthless, December 16, 2010
This book was mostly a waste of money, and definitely doesn't live up to the hype.

The 4-Hour Body is an exercise, health and nutrition book that details a number of approaches to a few very specific goals - losing fat and keeping it off, gaining muscle mass, improving your running speed, improving your running distance, etc - all in the shortest amount of time reasonable for anyone who is not an Olympic-level athlete. It has some good information, and most of the advice is sound within the parameters of the goals that Tim defines, but there is really just not that much new that justified being republished, and there is a haphazard quality to the book that I found annoying. I bought it at Borders with a 50% coupon, and I'm glad I didn't pay any more for it than that.

Most of the value in this book for most people - the sections on losing fat and gaining muscle - are already covered in his other book and in his blog articles online. I had already purchased that previous book, so to pay for a rehash of these ideas was pretty much a waste of time and money.

The other things - improving your running speed, increasing your distance up to 50k (30 miles) etc. - are all interesting, and useful to a point, but how many people are really going to follow these training protocols who don't already have access to a gym and personal trainer that could have taught them the same things?

Meanwhile - where is the information on stretching??? A book that purports to be about health, especially for someone like Tim who supposedly has longevity as an underlying goal, should absolutely have more information about warming up and stretching. This would have been a logical topic for the "Pre-hab" chapter.

Also - the exploration of vegetarianism and non-animal-product dietary restrictions is laughable. As someone with a genetic predisposition towards insanely high cholesterol and triglycerides, eating all the beef, chicken and eggs he talks about is just not an option for me. I know I'm not the only one out there, so it would have been nice if he had discussed alternatives beyond a perfunctory level to justify putting it in the advertising, since heart disease is one of the biggest causes of death in the US.

Finally - Tim claims to be up on research, but he doesn't mention alkalinity/acidity at all in talking about diet. This is a major area of research for long-term health that is gaining more and more attention, but it doesn't fit within his narrowly defined short-term goals (fat loss, muscle gain in shortest amount of time humanly possible), so apparently he either didn't bother to do his research or didn't feel it was worth mentioning. I found that to be a major blind spot in the book.

And all that stuff about the female anatomy and "15-minute orgasms"... I'm sorry, but I learned all that when I was 17 from reading women's magazines. Ironically, those women's magazines use the same deceptive headlines and titles to bait and switch their readers.

Save Your Money, December 16, 2010
I purchased this book on kindle and I'm not sure what all the 5-star raters were reading, but it must have been a different book. I gave in to the marketing hype and now am left disappointed. For the most part this book is just a collection of what many other EXPERTS have been discussing for years. Tim just put all the info into one location. Nothing is either new or revolutionary. Most of the information can be found out there for free(paleo diet, stregth and conditioning info, prehab)with better detail. His diet was just him putting his own name on Paleo(only the billionth person to do this). If you want to follow paleo, you would be better off reading robb wolf. If you want to get leaner, stronger, or bigger go straight to the experts(dan john, elitefts, mark rippetoe, defranco, lyle mcdonald, pavel, bret contreras, christian thibadeau, etc, etc) not Tim. Think you are going to learn how to add an amazing 100lbs to your bench? well, just know that he is assuming a very beginner starting point on your behalf(200lb bench). This may be great if you're a beginner, but if you have been in the iron game for a bit, good luck following the program and putting 100 on our bench. If you are a beginner, don't buy a book go into the gym, work hard, eat like its your job, and read from the experts. Suddenly, the claimed 100lbs wont be so impressive. There were some interesting protocols that I want to try out( how to raise t-levels and sperm levels). Since I have yet to try them, I can't comment on their validity. ALl of the information on how to sleep better and polyphasic sleep can be found free online. Really I am not sure what is new information in this book. YOu are basically being charged for hearing stories of Tim testing these methods and some new ones on himself. It seems to me that this is Tim's last book. That he was banking on hyping it big time, collecting money, and then riding into the sunset laughing at how dumb people were to give in. If this wasn't his intention and he plans to keep writing, then he is going to have to find a way to bring his followers back in because many many people are going to be disappointed with this book.

Very disappointing, December 18, 2010
I am writing this review because I was indeed very disappointed and I find it ridiculous that 100+ 5 stars review are posted on day 1. I guess you need to be a very fast reader to enjoy this *Cough*.

This book is a two stars because Tim's writing style is entertaining. If you read this book one chapter at a time and in random order that is.
Chapters feel disconnected and either repeating or contradicting themselves ( dismisses calories count but refers to them continuously). It leaves you wondering if this book has been edited whatsoever. Certainly feels like a one man job.

The approach of telling "everybody out there has it plain wrong, but now you are in good hands" is the most common and thickest plot in the fitness industry (Read any fitness blog or watch any fitness equipment infomercial). Unfortunately, this book follows the exact same path. Research coming out of nowhere and self inflicted experiment are the best "facts" you will get to feed on. I hope you are a believer.

Claims such as "It works because I have never seen it fail" don't really cut it for me. Not that I need strong scientific backing but I wasn't in for a sermon either. The diet is based on what Tim likes, but if you try hard enough you will get use to it. Come on, dieting is enough of a pain on what you like so do you really believe people will eat pinto beans for breakfast on a regular basis? This is closer to rabbit poop than food!

Rehashing is also a major theme. I have nothing against aggregating ideas in a central place, but a vast majority of the fat loss material has already been published for free on Tim's Blog (I mean copy-pasted!). You really need to read it through to find new material, the bulk has been out there (for free) for over a year.

On the bright side, this is yet another lesson in self promotion and internet networking. Not sure I want to be sponsoring this anymore though.

If Tim is your personal Jesus then you might get motivation out of this reading otherwise you are left with a 2 stars bargain bin material.

A 15 Minute Introduction to Clitoral Stimulation, December 23, 2010
The 15 minute orgasm is what got me to buy The 4-Hour Body. I was not entirely unimpressed with the two chapters "The 15 Minute Female Orgasm". There are a lot of useful illustrations and he lays out a fairly straightforward approach that he learned from a couple of his trainers - Nina Hartley and the folks at One Taste.

As other reviewers have mentioned, most of the ideas in the book may be new to Tim, but not necessarily new, and what he does is to give you a brief summary of what he has learned and where he learned it. Some topics he seems to have researched and experimented with a great deal more than others, sex seems to be one of the areas he has researched less.

It's an introduction though, and his enthusiasm is wonderful. His writing is easy to read and entertaining. There is some good stuff here like: have a clear beginning and ending to a sensual cycle; and that you can't make someone else come - you can facilitate it, but ultimately its them. Other things are not so clear like why it's important to really get comfortable so you don't get tired while you're "doing" a woman - he seems to have settled on what even he finds to be an awkward "doing" position. He omits to mention that you should use lubricant.

There is a lot of confusion about the "15 minute" part - the book describes 15 minutes to get to orgasm, and many reviewers are confused or disappointed by this. The sources he mentions (Steve & Vera Bodansky, Lafayette Morehouse, One Taste) explicitly discuss extended duration orgasms (orgasms lasting 15 minutes or an hour or three hours or more). Around the SF bay area, where Tim lives, there are actual demonstrations of varying length and intensity of female orgasm.

Seems clear he is just getting started in this area - the way he describes it makes it seem like its a procedure you "do to a woman." Hard to know what he was taught vs. what he retained. What I've seen from the Lafayette Morehouse folks - who, as Tim says, invented this stuff - is that "doing" is a ride you both take together, she the wave, you the surfer, two bodies, one orgasm. (the same is true for both genders).

It seems like these chapters are an example of Tim's 80/20 rule - here is what he thinks is the 20% that produces 80% of the results. To me it looks more like what is here is more like 10%, not 20% - there is a lot more available for both parties than what he describes.

As other reviewers have said about the entire book, if you want to know more you should check out the people Tim cites. I'm guessing that as Tim's research continues he'll eventually wind up looking at the original source of this information.

Disappointed so far, December 15, 2010
I'm a huge Tim Feriss fan, but from what I've read so far, I haven't quite seen the "hacking" we've come to know from him. The first few chapters haven't offered anything new thus far - it seems like bits of information repackaged in Tim's trademark writing style. And some of his (much older) blog posts with Q & A's added.

For those who are new to fitness, or looking to get started, I think this book is a great start. I admit, I haven't completed the book, and I intend to place a final rating after completing the book. I think if the hype hadn't been built so strongly so as to assert that brand new, left field underground science was about to reveal itself, I may have been more forgiving in this review.

Update #1: The 15 minute female orgasm

Since I already read a lot of fitness articles online, and I've gone through a close to 50 lb body weight change in the past year and a half (and maintained it), I figured I may be more immersed than the average reader, so I skipped ahead to the 15 minute female orgasm. I mean, getting a woman to climax for 15 minutes, that's crazy, right?

As it turns out, it is crazy. The title and hype were, again, misleading, as it was all about getting a woman to climax in 15 minute sessions of clitoral stimulation (there's more to it than this, this is just the final outcome). To be fair, the stories are great, and there is some interesting hacking of the system of bringing women who struggle to climax to do just that (moving from 0% to 100% is nothing short of spectacular), but this again is another chapter with great info from different sources brought together (and very well) with misleading hype. So far, I'm not let down by the quality of the info or writing, I'm disappointed by what I was expecting to receive.

I began skimming the testosterone chapters, those look promising, will update again when done.

Update #2: Upping Your Testosterone

Good read, nothing really deceptive here, though not sure how much I believe upping testosterone turns you into a pheromone emitting machine, and if so, if it's even ethical. Some food for thought, a few riveting stories - I can't comment on this chapter's efficacy until I try it out, so will give it a shot and comment later about how well it went. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Wonderful Insight into Real Problems - Not for Everyone, November 15, 2010
If you are already a fan of Marianne Williamson, you will probably enjoy this book. If you are not familiar with her, it may help to know her background before considering this book. She has spent many years studying and teaching the concepts of "A Course in Miracles" which is a spiritual book. She noticed that while embracing these concepts, her emotional need to use food to suppress her negative feelings disappeared. The idea of writing this book came from a conversation with Oprah Winfrey, one of the world's best known dieters.

As you might suspect, this book is not about food, it is about spirituality. It is about finding a power greater than you for help. As Marianne told Oprah, "If you could do it by yourself, you would have done it by now". Good point!

Many people will relate to the thoughts in this book. Childhood wounds create addictive behavior to treat the wounds. When you overeat for comfort, you are not doing it to give yourself love - you are doing it because you dislike something about yourself. When you eat one cookie, it is okay. When you eat the whole bag, it is an act of self-hate.

The premise is that the cause of excessive weight is not in your body, it is in your mind. More specifically, it is fear which blocks feelings of love. The purpose of this course is to find the fear and replace it with love.

There are several exercises and assignments to help you put names on the feelings, such as pain, shame, loathing and whatever you are personally feeling. There are prayers and mental exercises, as well as a journaling section. This is not a book to read passively and expect your life to change. If you really do these things to find and change your feelings, it will probably work for you. This is also a book that is meant to be reviewed several times to reinforce your feelings.

If you tend to be more of a passive reader who wants to read a book and go on to the next one, you might want to consider the audio version of this book and listen to it several times. Marianne is an excellent speaker and really connects with the listener. She is very passionate.

If you are turned off by spirituality and references to God, you may be tempted to skip this book. The ideas and principles are really about your subconscious feelings and how they drive your eating. You are feeding your feelings and not your body. They can apply to anyone no matter what your spiritual beliefs are.

This is not a book to be used alone, because it does not address food. Eating is not rocket science. There is not a heavy person in the world that doesn't know that broccoli is good for you and donuts are bad. However, in today's world it is important to understand more about how certain foods affect your body. Dr. Dean Ornish writes the forward to this book and discusses addictive behavior and diet failure. He and others like him are a good source of information on nutrition.

I highly recommend this book to everyone who has struggled with their eating. An obsession with food is like any obsessive relationship. It is about getting and not giving. What is missing from your life? What are you trying to get from food?

Close, but yet so far, November 19, 2010
First let me say I am a huge fan of Marianne Williamson. I own every book and every tape that has been available to purchase. I get her message and genuinely admire her teaching abilities. She has made a huge difference in my life and helped me get through some of my biggest challenges. As a clinician who is passionate about weight, weight related issues and health I wanted to love or at least like this book. It's message while I don't totally disagree with some of the ideas and most of the principles, I can also see as harmful. I found my self wincing at the tone, the judgement and for me the blatant inauthenticity of this book. It seems to have a singular premise that obesity is based in fear predicated on self loathing. This is a wrong assertion, not totally but in part. The book has a judgmental feel and a distinctive labeling that somehow one must be a compulsive eater to have issues with weight loss. The letters and examples feel contrived. None of this seems like the authentic writing of the author and speaker I have come to know love and admire. So I don't like this book for many people especially the hundreds and hundreds of overweight people I have worked with, but I am sure it will help some. The relentless exercise demands relative to developing a spiritual plan would likely overwhelm a spiritual marathoner. It is in my opinion boot camp in a world that just isn't set up to support that. I could go on and on, but it hurts me to even criticize the work of someone I admire so much. But I love my patients more and I would hate for them to get hold of this, get overwhelmed, and give up. I hope many people feel differently and can do it all. I hope MW turns out to to be the right one, starts a revolution and gets the financial rewards that come with success. I just see it differently. All the best and love to anyone struggling.

Perhaps, Just Perhaps Marianne Williamson May have Gotten It Right - 5 Stars !!!!, November 13, 2010


I found this book inspiring. Every page had something significant to say, and the author came at the topic of weight loss from an entirely different perspective from anything on the market. We all know that thousands of books on weight loss have been published. We also know that none of them really seem to work over time. If any one of them did work, then the scientific community would have no choice but to pursue that particular concept with all out zeal and we would all beat a path to the door of the person who created the system.


Now having said that, it seems to me that Marianne Williamson has latched onto something, and its breathtaking in its scope and the promise it holds for the tens of millions of Americans who are just carrying around too much weight. The Foreword by Dean Ornish is worth its weight in gold. Make sure you read it. Dr. Ornish has been a world renowned heart specialist for more than 20 years and a very prominent author in his own right.



Ornish mentions in this section that for years he could not understand how people could be addicted to overeating, smoking, drinking, substance abuse, and other maladaptive behaviors. One day a patient said to him, why are you saying maladaptive, the behavior is totally adaptive to me, not maladpative to me. These behaviors get me though my day. I have 20 friends in that pack of cigarettes. You know you simply have to look at it from the user's perspective. Another patient told him if he feels lonely, he eats. He coats his nerves with the food he consumes, it numbs his pain.


The Introduction is also a must read. It will set up the rest of the book for you. The third part of the book is "Embarking on the Journey", and in this section Ms. Williamson goes through the thrust of her presentation, and that in the end, it is your belief and faith in God that will help you shed the weight that you have carried for so many years.


I want to give you a flavoring of what she has to say from different sections of the book and you will see for yourself how different this book is from all the rest on weight loss.


* Unless your subconscious mind is enrolled in your weight loss efforts, your soul will find a way to reconstitute the excess weight regardless of what you do.


* Root out your fear, and replace it with inestimable love.


* Addiction is when you can't STOP.


* Freud felt that Intelligence will be used in the service of neurosis (an absolutely extraordianry statement)


* No matter how smart you are, or how much work you have done on yourself, you alone cannot outsmart the psychic force of compulsion and addiction


* God can outwit your insanity.


* The Great Lie is that food that is actually bad for you has the power to Comfort, Nurture, and Sustain you.


* Unhealthy eating is an act of Self-Hate. Overeating is a form of violence. You are taking up the Sword against yourself.


* You don't have the human capacity to fix this problem. If you did, you would have done so already.


How the book is Organized?


After the Preface, Introduction, and Embarking on the Journey, comes 21 different short chapters. It seems that they are to be read one a day, and over and over again, until you internalize them. The author has gone through considerable efforts to name these chapters with highly appropriate powerful phrases. It works.


My personal favorites were:

Chapter 1) Tear Down the Wall

Chapter 2) Thin You, meet Not-Thin you

Chapter 5) Start a Lover Affair with Food

Chapter 7) Love your Body

Chapter 10) Consecrate Your Body

Chapter 17) Forgive Yourself and Others

Chapter 18) Honor the Powers

Chapter 21) The Body Brilliant


Summary:


We all know that to whatever extent we believe, that faith has the ability to move mountains, to effectuate profound change and make it permanent. Everything starts with belief. Nothing is manifested in reality until it is first a belief in the mind. Marianne Williamson has now taken these concepts and applied them to the world of weight loss, insisting that only a belief in a divine power, and then giving yourself over to a divine force is the only way to effectuate a true re-design of your body and your spirit.


Now having read the entire book and having tried to internalize it, I think she may just have something. Everything else has seemed to fail through the years for so many. Why not try a little old fashion faith in the divine power of God to help so many transcend and finally conquer a problem that has caused so much pain and agony. I gladly give this book five stars, and thank you for reading this review.


Richard C. Stoyeck

Ladies...set yourself free...look and feel great all the time!, December 9, 2010
I adore Marianne Williamson and her ability to guide you right to the place you need to be. It is more than what you eat...it is how you think about yourself...and others. Being overweight is more than overeating... it is "over-thinking." I can see now that I don't look as good as I want to, because I've been ignoring the real issues that made me want to eat unhealthy foods more than I wanted a healthy body.

In "A Course in Weight Loss," Marianne gives lots of great tips and strategies, but she also gives deep and profound spiritual truths that make you feel like you enter a whole new place of understanding. This is fresh approach to discipline that first deals with past emotional experiences that cause a person to not care about how she looks and therefore sabotage the menu with terrible things to eat.

This book took me several days to read because I actually had to work my way through it. It required deep contemplation and consideration. I had to release the things I worry about and learn to love myself even though I'm not perfect. I also learned to forgive and come to the realization that It's okay that others aren't perfect either. Now I am losing the excess weight naturally and I've learned to take full responsibility for how I feel. Most important...I feel happier.

I read this book directly following another book called, Serendipitously Rich: How to Get Delightfully, Delectably, Deliciously Rich (or Anything Else You Want) in 7 Ridiculously Easy Steps. Both books were an answer to my prayer for help with my life. I see so many similarities with the concept of Serendipity that Madeleine Kay teaches and Marianne's spiritual philosophy. I recommend both books because they both move you positively on a path of change in your life and both of them give you practical steps that teach you how to make good decisions and get right with yourself.

A Totally different "diet book", November 2, 2010
Marianne Williamson, bestselling author of The Age of Miracles: Embracing the New Midlife, returns with a fascinating idea of helping us lose weight- and keeping it off.

Now you see, that's the real problem. Most diets *DO* work- for around 2-6 months. Then it gets boring or you get cravings, you dump the diet and regain the weight. Yo-yo dieting is also bad for your health. What's needed is a way to adjust your lifestyle so that you keep the pounds off.

As the author says "I was never a food addict, but for years I was a compulsive eater. Diets did not work. I would starve myself, then binge, starve myself, then binge, in a constant cycle of self- abnegation and self-indulgence. I hated many things about the situation, but what was worse than anything else was how much I thought about food. I was obsessed with it. The thought of eating hardly ever left my mind. And then it did, in a miraculous way.
When I began studying A Course in Miracles, I wasn't consciously thinking of my weight as an area where I needed a miracle. But one day I looked down and couldn't believe what I saw, on the scale or on my body. Weight had simply dropped off and I realized why. The weight had merely been a physical manifestation of my need to keep other people at bay. I feared other people and I'd built a wall to protect myself. Practicing the Course, I'd learned to extend my hand across the wall. I learned ways to replace fear with love. I asked God to enter my life and make all things right. And the wall had disappeared.""

The central message of this book is simple- "that your path to weight loss is a path to the highest expression of who you are. This makes the journey a spiritual quest."

I have to admit I have not lost any weight yet, or even undergone all 21 steps. But, I agree with the basic message here- that we MUST change our life in order to change our weight. And, this book may well be the right path for some of us to do so.

And, the author writes so beautifully and clearly, it's so easy to read. Mind you, it's over 250 pages, and true understanding of all the lessons is not an easy road.

Is this book THE answer? Not for everyone, I am sure. However, it will work for many and it certainly is better than "yo-yo" dieting.

Look into it if this seems to be your problem. It might just be the right solution for you. Of course, one should always discuss any new program with your Physician.

Beyond Miracles, November 2, 2010
This book is a blessing to anyone who needs to release weight.

Marianne has the KEY to freedom. "Love is your true healer", November 2, 2010
Marianne Williamson's profound words will be the KEY for many of us to "give it up" forever. I have had issues with food and the power it has had over me since I was 11 and my dad suddenly passed away. I felt powerless except when I ate whatever I wanted and felt I was in control. No grieving, or crying just eating. For years Marianne's wisdom and Love have soothed and healed me. She has taught me, as she says in This book, "God is the source of your comfort." "Love is your true healer and miracles occur naturally in the presence of Love." A Course in Weight Loss is a profound concept where spirituality IS the difference. Marianne says,"Are you willing, even if for a moment, to consider the possibility that God can outwit your insanity?"
YES I AM! This book will be the KEY for so many people to root out fear and "turn on our light!"
I am so grateful for this astounding book! Marianne always shows us that LOVE is the answer.
I'm so thankful that I'm on the Earth at this time so I can be taught by her.
Thank you God! Thank you Marianne!

At last, a weight loss book that gets to the core of the problem, November 4, 2010
Marianne Williamson has referred to herself as a "spiritual aerobics instructor" and that title really fits here. There is nothing better than getting advice from someone who has firsthand experience with a subject. Marianne systematically walks you through the process of dealing with the underlying issues that cause weight gain in the first place. She helps you fall in love with yourself, which then manifests in your physical apprearance.

Even people who are not struggling with weight issues may very well find this book helpful. There are lots of addictions and lots of ways people sabatoge their own happiness. This book helps with all of it. If you've read any of Marianne's other books or heard her lectures, I don't have to tell you how astute she is. If not, you are in for a real treat.

surrender, December 4, 2010
the book reads easily,yet with its deep and profound spiritual truths gives enough pause to ponder.
fills one with hope and inspiration out of diet hell!
inspires a fresh approach to weight loss,and powerfully reminds one of the bottomline-love heals.

Not a Solution for everyone, November 26, 2010
I bought this after reading about it in O Magazine, however it didn't resonate for me. I am not saying that the concepts and steps in this book will not work, just that I didn't find it relevant or useful to solve my weight issues. Two things turned me off: many references are to a paternal male God, and references to 12 step programs. Most authors give their readers some latitude in their references to God, such as "or Source or Whatever you understand..." But in this book, she frequently and very clearly refers to God as the traditional male. I just couldn't accept that and it was difficult to substitute another word for all the references to "him," praying to "him" etc. If this is your belief system this may be just what you are looking for, but if this is not your belief system it's difficult to relate to.

There are several references to Overeaters Anonymous. Anyone who has a weight problem or who eats compulsively knows about OA. If it was a solution we'd have gone that route already. Her approach, and again I am not saying it's right or wrong, is very traditional, i.e. get in touch with your repressed feelings, dig into past hurts to release your extra weight.

So the bottom line for me is that the ideas and exercises in this book are not as innovative as I had hoped for. This book just didn't resonate for me. I am a firm believer in the Law of Attraction, and the concepts in this book are completely opposite of that-"surrender to God," " you are powerless," etc. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Not for me, but maybe for someone..., December 7, 2010
When I bought this book, I expected it to be more like a set of guidelines to follow; which it is in some ways. The authors lays out some good guidelines to follow, and the Pick 3 life changes to make seem like they would work. However, most of the stuff in the book is something that you could just as easily find with a 5 minute Google search. Also, I do not think he talks about his tips as in-depth as he should. Throughout the book he includes a bunch of simple tips to follow, but he basically just says "Here it is!", and then never really explains the point or revisits it later on.

The one area where I feel that this book would be helpful for some people are in the eating and workout plans he outlines. He does a good job of describing everything you need to make the food and how to actually make it. The same can be said of the workout plans in which he provides good pointers. However, I feel that the workout plans are fairly basic and mostly for people who have little exercising experience.

I was expecting a book full of guidelines of little changes you can make in everyday life, but what I got was a book with a lot of basic tips that I already knew and a basic workout plan. I also was not expecting so much of the book to be dedicated to a specific diet plan where he lays out 4 weeks of meals and how to make them; I was not really looking for a guide that was going to put me on a specified eating plan.

Overall, I give the book 2 stars because I don't like it and I do not think it can really help me. However, this rating could be misleading because I imagine that there are many people out there who would like it and could benefit from it. I think that this book would most benefit people who are very overweight or obese and have little knowledge of exercise or nutrition. If you are just 10-20 pounds overweight and are trying to lose that last bit of flab, this book is NOT for you.

A great summary of many theories, with a practical approach, December 13, 2010
I'm very pleased I found this book. I've tried a number of different approaches to lose that "tire" I've carried around for the last several years...Atkins, the Zone, South Beach...but with each one I've felt like I wasn't getting the complete nutritional spectrum I needed, and I felt like I was depriving myself of some of my favorites. This book seems to draw the best from a number of different approaches, and repackages it in a reasonable, sensible manner. Dr. Stork doesn't advocate starving yourself, or swearing off all kinds of foods...he rather suggests moderation, healthy alternatives, and a balanced approach. Refreshing.

Dr. Stork puts equal emphasis on an active lifestyle, which I like. Finding ways to incorporate little changes in your level of activity can add up...I like the fact he doesn't beat you over the head with some Jersey Shore-like workout regimen. I'm looking for a lean, healthy physique, which reflects a healthy lifestyle. This approach advocated in the book I think I can stick with.

This book is written much in the same manner as Men's Health magazine, which I like...short digestible segments of easy-to-understand advice, backed by research. You can pick up the book and read a section or two, and get find something useful immediately. No program, no steps, just helpful lifestyle advice.

I think anyone looking to either enhance their current fitness/nutritional approach, or anyone that's been frustrated with "diets" in the past, could benefit from this book.

Great gift idea, December 10, 2010
Who better than an E.R. doc to deal with belly fat? Really, he makes a persuasive case in the intro that belly fat is a health crisis, and that we better deal with it before we end up the E.R. And when you look with it that way, we've all got to deal with our guts now, before they do us in later. I also like the fact that he's encouraging us to eat our way out of the problem, rather than basing this on denial and guilt. In fact, good foods can crowd out bad. You just have to identify the ones you like best.

Fun to read but nothing new, December 17, 2010
The title of this book is misleading. The focus is on loosing weight and it is intended for those with a weight problem. My weight is fine but I need to loose belly fat. I have had 4 children and the older I get the more belly fat I have to deal with. Is there anything more that I can do or eat to get a lean belly? I do abdominal exercises and have a good diet. I hoped this book would offer something new on how to get rid of my belly fat. Dr Travis discussed food but there was nothing that I had not already read in other books. My question remains...what specific foods go directly to my belly and stay there forever? And that question remained unanswered after reading this book. For those who want to read another book on how to loose weight this book contains sound advice and was fun to read.

Love it!!, December 10, 2010
OK, first off, I've thought Travis was hot ever since he was on the Bachelor. So I was pretty thrilled to see that he'd written a diet book, as I've gained several pounds over the last few years. I like that this isn't some crash program that I can't keep up. He gives you some basic habits that will help you fix the problem for good, like swapping water for soda. How easy is that?! It's simple stuff to do, and yea, I've heard some of it before. But he provides tons of strategies to help you stick to it. I'll definitely be passing this book along to my girlfriends! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

More of the same??, October 14, 2010
I LOVE the Eat This! Not That! books and had the 2011 edition pre-ordered well in advance. I was extremely disappointed when I saw that much of the information is identical to the 2010 version. For example, the 'New Years Eve Party' pages are exactly the same. I didn't need to spend 13 dollars for information I already have. Otherwise, more of the same great work.

Super helpful!, October 12, 2010
This book has easily digestible information--no complicated calorie formulas, just practical food swaps. You can walk into any fast-food or restaurant chain and know the damage to your waist and health. I keep this book in my car whenever I have a hankering for a quick bite. The authors rate each restaurant with a letter grade, which makes it easy for you to decide how healthy you want to be for lunch or dinner. There are some awesome recipes in the back that tell you the cost of making them versus buying them. I worship the chicken skewers--they come out super moist and flavorful!

wonderful book for singles, December 18, 2010
This book is so much fun. If you are cooking for one, like I am,
it will help you choose a good meal.

Great Resource - Never View Food The Same Again!, December 8, 2010
Eat This, Not That, is chocked full of surprising health statistics about eating out. Did you know that Arby's Beef and Cheddar is healthier than their Marketfresh Sandwiches?
Other interesting tidbits:

- Cheeseburgers often have less calories than fast food salads.
- Chick-fil-A is the best rated fast food restaurant, with all meals coming in below 500 calories.
- Wraps are not a healthier substitute for sandwiches.
- Pinto beans usually are cooked with meat in the sauce, so they are not vegetarian.

The book also lists menus for different types of cuisine, what is healthy, and why other options are unhealthy. It even gets into the details of holiday dinners, ball park treats, and other special occasion consumptions. There is also a section for what to eat when you feel... tired, nervous, old, etc.

This is a very thorough book, and is an eye opening read for the average consumer!

Eat This, Not That No-Diet Weight Loss Solution!, November 29, 2010
This is my second book in this series. Following the suggestions in this, and the other book, I am losing weight, for the first time in twenty years, without the aid of pills!! I'm excited!

Eat This, Not That, November 10, 2010
This is the best set of books I've ever had. I feel so much healthier since I have changed my eating habits using these books.

Very interesting, November 9, 2010
I find the information interesting, the very colorful, graphic presentation helps make a point and makes it easier to remember and the comparison of the included very nice recipes to restaurant food a real eye-opener. This is not a diet book, don't expect it to be - its a how to easily eat healthier book and just what I wanted.

Best book ever, November 2, 2010
It's the best food info related book you would find. it's simple but informative, and very ussefull. would recommend to any one.

Been There, Done That; It's the Same Book Basically As All of His Books, November 26, 2010
I bought a previous book of this guy's and I thought it was fun. I read it once and never looked at it again. I guess it's nice to have a picture remind you of what you're reading about. But if you read one of the series, you've read em all. Guess what? Refined, sugared, fatty, greasy foods are bad! Simple, unprocessed, natural foods are good! I got the message the first time, and it's the message again in this book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

It has become common knowledge that childhood obesity rates are increasing every year. But the rates continue to rise. And between busy work schedules and the inconvenient truth that kids simply refuse to eat vegetables and other healthy foods, how can average parents ensure their kids are getting the proper nutrition and avoiding bad eating habits?

As a mother of three, Jessica Seinfeld can speak for all parents who struggle to feed their kids right and deal nightly with dinnertime fiascos. As she wages a personal war against sugars, packaged foods, and other nutritional saboteurs, she offers appetizing alternatives for parents who find themselves succumbing to the fastest and easiest (and least healthy) choices available to them. Her modus operandi? Her book is filled with traditional recipes that kids love, except they're stealthily packed with veggies hidden in them so kids don't even know! With the help of a nutritionist and a professional chef, Seinfeld has developed a month's worth of meals for kids of all ages that includes, for example, pureed cauliflower in mac and cheese, and kale in spaghetti and meatballs. She also provides revealing and humorous personal anecdotes, tear–out shopping guides to help parents zoom through the supermarket, and tips on how to deal with the kid that "must have" the latest sugar bomb cereal.

But this book also contains much more than recipes and tips. By solving problems on a practical level for parents, Seinfeld addresses the big picture issues that surround childhood obesity and its long–term (and ruinous) effects on the body. With the help of a prominent nutritionist, her book provides parents with an arsenal of information related to kids' nutrition so parents understand why it's important to throw in a little avocado puree into their quesadillas. She discusses the critical importance of portion size, and the specific elements kids simply must have (as opposed to adults) in order to flourish now and in the future: protein, calcium, vitamins, and Omega 3 and 6 fats.

Jessica Seinfeld's book is practical, easy–to–read, and a godsend for any parent that wants their kids to be healthy for a long time to come.

Reviews

Let's Compare: "Deceptive" Vs. "Sneaky", February 8, 2008
Deceptively Delicious VS.The Sneaky Chef

First of all let me start by saying:
!) I don't have young kids any more BUT
2) I HATE veggies but I know I need to eat more of them, so any system that gets them into me and the grownups in my life: BRAVO!

Yes, I'd recommend BOTH books and here's why. They each have their strong and weak suits.

Pluses:
DECEPTIVELY DELICIOUS has
A) pictures, which is helpful and fun
B) tips and comments by her taste-testers
C) used one type of puree for each recipe
D) is spiral bound so it will lay flat. The whole layout is really nice, just as a cookbook to read!
E) doesn't beat you over the head with the whole nutrition thing

THE SNEAKY CHEF has
A) combination purees, which add a lot of variety and ease into the cooking part
B0 really cute names for the dishes. Makes it easy to remember!
C) isn't afraid to use butter and milk!
D) goes seriously into the nutrition thing. Almost the first half of the book is a prelim and explanation of the whole concept.
E) the recipes seem to taste a bit better!

Minuses:
DD. The recipes are a bit bland. If you're cooking for an adult palate, you need to add more spices. For example her "Chocolate Chip Cupcakes." I suggest substituting milk (even skim) for the water, add an extra T. vanilla and 1-2 teaspoons of cinnamon. One of the veggie purees her recipes call for aren't covered in the "how to prepare puree" part.

SC: Very few pictures. It's not spiral bound but a trip to Office Max can take care of that for you. (Best tip I ever got regarding cookbooks by the way and found it here!) It's a bit "textbook" like. I get the whole nutrition thing already.

I wish both books went into greater detail about the pureeing part. They're pretty good but if you're not a veggie person to begin with, you might not know what is the proper consistency.

I understand that Missy (The Sneaky Chef author) is writing a cookbook for adult with hidden veggies and I hope Jessica will do the same!

Hmmmm..I thought this was going to be easier!, October 16, 2007
I also was so excited for this cookbook to arrive. I immediately rushed to the grocery store to get $50.00 worth of vegetables and other baking ingredients.

My first attempt was the brownies, and my victims were all adults. The look on their faces was priceless. Not so good because of the very weird texture to them.

Next, eggs with cauliflower for my 3 year old. Hmmm, he was wondering whey the eggs that have always been yellow, have now turned white. Add a little cheddar, and bam, they are yellow again.

The blueberry cupakces with cream cheese filling, total disaster. They looked horrible, and tasted even worse. I didn't even attempt to try to get anyone in the house to eat them

Hamburgers....you would have thought I was feeding my husband horse meat. They were NASTY! Very slimy with a funky aftertase.

What I learned is that you don't need this cookbook for recipes. Puree some veggies and slip them in the everyday food you make. Don't go overboard, and chances are your kids won't know the difference!

Nice recipes but lots of prep time, October 20, 2007
After seeing this on Oprah, my child and I decided to buy it. My child is one who actually eats and enjoys vegetables but we were both intrigued by the idea of incorporating extra vegetables into our diets.

The book is well-organized, offers detailed information about both the recipes and the benefits of the major ingredients, and I really like that the tone is not a "lecture" on the benefits of vegetables. She doesn't talk down to the reader but offers lots of helpful suggestions.

I do have one suggestion for busy parents - use organic baby food. I don't have a food processor and I don't have a dedicated block of time to clean, cook and prepare all the purees for the week. For about $.65 (or less) per jar, I can have 1/2 cup of organic winter squash etc. that has already been cleaned, cooked and pureed for me. Plus, it will keep on the shelf until I need it so I can buy extra when they go on sale.

Furthermore, I have started adding the purees to the recipes or boxed mixes I already use. I added 1/2 cup of mixed vegetables to a batch of Pamela's gluten-free brownie mix tonight and it was delicious. There was no noticeable change in texture and we could not taste anything but rich chocolate.

Don't be afraid to experiment :)

This book is the BEST!!!, October 13, 2007
Well let me begin by saying that I am not a professional chef, nor I am an uber-fan of the "Seinfeld" show - so I could care less who the author is. I also had a feeling that anything that deals with food and children and not being 100% honest with kids in this "kid-centered" world we live in would push a few buttons. And it did! I am a married mom of two boys and I am also interested in better health for my family. I do believe in eating fruits and vegetables in their natural state but let's be honest: Who among us eats five servings a day? I saw Ms. Seinfeld on Oprah and thought to myself, Well I have beeing doing the puree thing myself so let's see what she has to say. How are thre recipes? Pretty good, as a matter of fact. Here is what I did to try some of the recipes out:
First, I plugged my Bob Seger CD and got the ball rolling. The Beatles work just as well, the decision is yours. Then I washed my hands, put on my "Lutheran Jello Power" apron and said to myself: "It's Go Time!" I own a Vita-Mix blender which double as a food processor. I own a rice cooker which can be used to stream veggies. If you do not own a food processor or a steamer, do not despair. You can bake a lot of the veggies or put a colander in a shallow pan of boiling water to steam them. You can always invest in a steamer and/or food processor if you want, later. The first recipe I tries was:
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES: 5 star.They are delicious! The only tweaking I did to the recipe was I pureed the chickpeas before adding them to the batter. I also used brown sugar Splenda rather than regular brown sugar; when done you have a batch of cookies that have 1/2 cup of brown sugar plus protein in them!! There is no white sugar in this recipe and I also used whole wheat flour. Excellent!! I have actually made these twice in a week.
SPAGETTI AND MEATBALLS: 5 stars. My kids are not that into meatballs and they ate them. This was my first attempt at meatballs, ever, and they turned out great. I put the broccoli puree and the sweet potato puree in the spagetti sauce and no one tasted anything different.
CHOCOLATE PUDDING: 5 stars. I put the avocado puree in this and believe it or not my two sons complained that is was "too much chocolate tasting!" The pudding was that good.
MACARONI AND CHEESE: 5 stars. I tried putting the sweet potato puree in with a box mix and there was no taste difference. I mixed the puree withe the milk and you could taste the puree. The kids actually said it tasted better than before!!
FROZEN YOGURT POPS: 5 stars. Very good, very sweet. I do not own popsicle molds so I used those multi-color cups from toddler days (my kids are 8 & 10 yrs old) and although they worked great - I bought popsicle sticks from a craft store - next time I am going to use smaller dixie cups so the portions are smaller.
The recipes are mistake proof as well; I put avocado puree rather than the brocolli puree in pizza sauce to make pizza burgers (Jessica says to label your bags, guess now I know why) but it still tasted good. It actually made them taste a bit sweeter, like I had put banana peppers in the recipe as well.
One error I made was when I was done with the puree was I put all the puree in one large Zip-lock bag. Follow Jessica's advice and use smaller bags so you can pull out just how much you need. I pureed the following veggies the first day: Summer squash, broccoli, cauliflower, beets, carrots, avocados, spinach, zucchini and sweet potatoes. I bought a bag of frozen blueberries. I am little type A but I wanted all the puree to be available so I could try as many recipes as possible. If you want to try a recipe or two but don't own all the equipment (especially a food processor, which if you are going to do this long term you will need) try the sweet potato recipes. You can bake a sweet potato and mash it up with a fork and some water. And one sweet potato goes a very long way. I used three and I have enought puree to feed a day care. For a week. The avocado would be another one to try without all the equipment, as it is easily mashed with a fork and some water. The borcolli and caulifower recipes will require a food processor as they are tougher vegetables to mash, even in a steamed state.
There has been much discussion about another book that was published last spring and "competition" with this book. Well I am no expert but there is no way that this book could have been put together and published in six months. Why can't both books be on the market? I am sure both authors want the same thing: Better diets for us all. I have ordered the other cookbook as well, there is room for both on my shelf.
As for the argument that we are lying to our kids: Big whoop-de-doo. I have eaten more sweet potatoes, brocolli, califlower, carrots, etc. in the past week that I have in the past six months. Do I present veggies in their natural state? Yes. Do my kids always eat them? No. But at least they are presented and I know they are still eating them in the puree. Mealtimes should be about talking and sharing, not arguing over food. My younger son likes to help with cooking and baking and he knows the purees are in there and he could care less, as long as can still eat. I highly recommend this cookbook and as soon as I receive the other cookbook I will write a review of that book as well. This book, to me, is a great teaching tool about nutrition. My kids and I have gone through the recipes together and discussed which ones we want to try. Do my kids eat cake and ice cream? Of course, just not every day. We talk about nutrition in a matter of fact way: These are the things to make your body grow. Period. No arguing, no crying, no bribing. I am sort of like Dragnet that way: "Just the facts, ma'am!"
I also want to edit my review to add that I could not help notice that all the one star and rwo star reviews are very critical of the author's personal life. I sincerely hope that folks can see through such attempts at being critical of the author because she is once divorced and is now married to a celebrity. It is sad that such personal attacks are listed in what should be a simple book review.

Deceptively not so good..., November 15, 2007
Quesadillas- The flavor wasn't too bad if you dipped in Salsa otherwise you can taste the squash and it doesn't come out crip it comes out pretty mushy.
Chicken nuggets- The breading doesn't get very crisp, the breading falls off when cooking and if you use brocolli the nuggest have a green look to them.
Chocolate cake with beats was good. Chick pea chocolate chip cookies were good the first 2 days. After that the chickpeas got so hard you couldn't chew them.
Brownies are spongy.
Grilled cheese you can taste the veggies and it is pretty mushy tasting
Egg Puffs were just gross
French toast isn't too bad, but my kids won't eat it
Chicken soup I didn't care for, but my son's did eat it.

Overall the recipes don't taste that bad, but the texture wasn't that good. I have one son who isn't a fussy eater at all and he wouldn't eat these recipes. Normally he eats anything you give him. Actually I think I made a mistake feeding him food from this cookbook because now he is a fussy eater when he never was before. Now my other son who is always fussy and we can't get him to eat much of anything wouldn't eat these either. He was the reason I bought the book, but he won't have anything to do with the food. He even likes cookies, cakes etc, they are his favorite. He didn't like the cookies. He did eat the cake and that was about it. I would say don't buy it. In fact I think I am going to have to sell my book. It was a waste of money for me.

Brownies Taste Deceptively... Green Waste-ish..., January 3, 2008
My wife picked up this book in the hope of fooling our kids into eating more vegetables. She tried the inexplicable chocolate-spinach brownie, but the recipe failed for the following reasons:

1. The brownie texture was wrong. The surface of the brownie forms a shiny, mucousy layer that looks a bit like Freddie Kruger's skin in the "Nightmare on Elm Street" series.
2. While I had long been of the opinion that nearly anything can be made to taste good as long as it is smothered with enough chocolate, I am sad to find that I have been wrong in this belief. While the brownie looks like it should taste good, it has a strange metallic flavor. My mom thought it tasted like we had put some kind of fruit in it, while I thought it tasted like a tray of brownies that had been stored alongside some rotting vegetables.

The sad thing is that the overall idea is pretty good. Try replacing the spinach with zucchini, which already has a solid track record as a dessert ingredient.

Meanwhile, I'm off to cleanse my palette.

Recipes may work for those with very young children, however..., November 15, 2007
As a dietitian I am always looking for good resources for my clients. I bought this book hoping to find some tasty recipes for both clients and my own family. While I can see how some of these recipes may work for very young, undeveloped palates, they certainly did not work with my children who are 6 yrs and older, nor did my husband and I find them tasty. I have made several recipes over the past few days and the only ones that we found edible were the macaroni and cheese (edible but not well-liked) and the bolognese sauce. The tofu nugget recipe simply did not work and the coffee cake (marshmallows and butternut squash??) was terrible. While the premise of adding pureed vegetables to recipes is logical (and has been done before many times) in some of the recipes it seems that they are added for no reason. The bolognese sauce already has tomatoes, carrots and onions- is pureed sweet potato really neccessary? Additionally, is it in our child's best interest to "hide" healthy food in foods that are traditionally not "healthy" (cookies, cakes, etc) rather than educate them and introduce them to the whole food as part of a normal diet? Once a child is able to distinguish tastes, it is important for them to understand where they are coming from in their natural state so they have some idea of where their food comes from (spinach is not naturally found in chocolate brownies!) The recipes did not make enough to feed a family with big boys (and I do not mean teenagers- 10 yr old boys can eat quite a bit too.) Clearly this is more of a baby through toddler type book of recipes for those just starting off in the food-introduction process! Not food I would serve to adults!

The reviews, the recipes, the nutrition factor and Oprah., October 16, 2007
A couple of thoughts on this book, its reviews, the recipes, the nutrition factor, & Oprah.

- First, re the reviews that are here - it seems that no one can post a negative review without immediately being shot down - this really makes me believe that the reviews are being monitored by interested parties in the book's success - perhaps, publisher, family & friends? If you note the first few reviews of the book, they were all made by members of Jessica's family, so they're here and active.

Second, re the recipes - I've made a few of them, and some work and some don't. The burgers have *way* too much garlic - maybe to overpower the cauliflower? The mashed potatoes are good and, on my own I put some cauliflower puree into some frozen spinach, and I ended up not needing to add any cream to jazz it up - it just worked. So, as a jumping off point, the purees are inspirational to incorporate into your own existing recipes - these recipes on their own, are a little touch and go, but overall the concept is brilliant - even though Jessica cannot be credited with having the idea first, as seen by the description of The Sneaky Chef, published previously.

Re the nutrition factor - this is becoming a sticky point as people bring up the question of why nutritional content was not included, especially considering that the foreward is written by a nutritionist. I think I can guess why - a 1/2 cup of spinach puree in a batch of brownies or 1/2 cup of cauliflower in a pot of mashed potatoes does not go a long way once you divide that up into individual servings. There is no way anyone is getting a full serving of vegetables from this technique, but I tend to be in the camp that thinks more veggies is better than less, even if the more is negligible. And, it may be even less than negligible considering the additional cooking beyond the steaming that is robbing the veggies of their enzymes.

Finally, re Oprah. I watched yesterday as Jerry came on to promote his new Bee Movie, that Oprah happens to be in. I realized this is why she had Jessica on in the first place and say, not the Sneaky Chef. There's definitely a bit of cronyism going on. And, was telling when Oprah groused about the book being number one on the bestseller list that Jerry thanked everone for contributing to "Seinfeld World Media".

All in all, I have no regrets about buying the book, and I'm sure I'll be doing purees from here on out.

So disappointed by these recipes, December 15, 2007
I was so excited when I heard about this book, I ran out and got it, as did a couple of other fellow moms I know. We are all so incredibly disappointed with the recipes. I made the chocolate cake with beets, and it was so disgusting, it didn't taste like anything, I can't imagine anyone liking it, I had to throw almost the whole thing away because no one would eat it. The textures are all wrong, the scrambled eggs with cauliflower are so watery, the chicken nuggets are not crispy, but mushy, and you can see the green specs in them.
It's a great idea, but it's definitely overhyped, I wish these recipes had worked for us but they were a total disappointment. I'm off to EBay my copy.

If you want to hide the veggies, this is a very good cookbook, October 31, 2007
I checked this out of the library and made several of the recipes over the week. My kids are between 12 and 5 and are like most kids when it comes to likes and dislikes of food. The recipes met with mixed reviews, but not because they knew what the ingredients were; I didn't even tell my husband.
For the time and effort I'll stick with what has worked in the past; presenting lots of fruits and vegetables, in all forms, to see what works and what they like.
I have had great success with recipes by Annabel Karmel who focuses on "fun" healthy food and also with Susan Branch's vegetable recipes because they are so simple.
Despite the time involved I'll stick to making radish flowers and celery brooms, low-fat dips and fun shapes with any vegetable that will submit to a cookie cutter (cucumbers, squash and peppers work best).
While many of the recipes are interesting and are worth making, in the end I want my kids to like a vegetable when they see it, not view it as a subversive enemy.
As for the controversy between the two books....it's just stupid. This idea is not a new one (there was a woman on the Today show a couple of years ago who was suggesting we make brownies with mashed up black beans for more fiber) and there will be more that follow. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The ultimate one-stop vegetarian cookbook-from the author of the classic How to Cook Everything

Hailed as "a more hip Joy of Cooking" by the Washington Post, Mark Bittman's award-winning book How to Cook Everything has become the bible for a new generation of home cooks, and the series has more than 1 million copies in print. Now, with How to Cook Everything: Vegetarian, Bittman has written the definitive guide to meatless meals-a book that will appeal to everyone who wants to cook simple but delicious meatless dishes, from health-conscious omnivores to passionate vegetarians.

How to Cook Everything: Vegetarian includes more than 2,000 recipes and variations-far more than any other vegetarian cookbook. As always, Bittman's recipes are refreshingly straightforward, resolutely unfussy, and unfailingly delicious-producing dishes that home cooks can prepare with ease and serve with confidence. The book covers the whole spectrum of meatless cooking-including salads, soups, eggs and dairy, vegetables and fruit, pasta, grains, legumes, tofu and other meat substitutes, breads, condiments, desserts, and beverages. Special icons identify recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less and in advance, as well as those that are vegan. Illustrated throughout with handsome line illustrations and brimming with Bittman's lucid, opinionated advice on everything from selecting vegetables to preparing pad Thai, How to Cook Everything: Vegetarian truly makes meatless cooking more accessible than ever.

Praise for How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

"Mark Bittman's category lock on definitive, massive food tomes continues with this well-thought-out ode to the garden and beyond. Combining deep research, tasty information, and delicious easy-to-cook recipes is Mark's forte and everything I want to cook is in here, from chickpea fries to cheese soufflés."
—Mario Batali, chef, author, and entrepreneur

"How do you make an avid meat eater (like me) fall in love with vegetarian cooking? Make Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian part of your culinary library."
—Bobby Flay, chef/owner of Mesa Grill and Bar Americain and author of the Mesa Grill Cookbook

"Recipes that taste this good aren't supposed to be so healthy. Mark Bittman makes being a vegetarian fun."
—Dr. Mehmet Oz, Professor of Surgery, New York-Presbyterian/Columbia Medical Center and coauthor of You: The Owner's Manual ... Read more

Reviews

This is the one I've been looking for!, October 29, 2007
Let me start by saying I'm a busy working mom of two. I grew up eating Hamburger Helper and hot dogs, so I didn't learn to cook until I was an adult. My dad's had triple bypass and my mom's having gastric bypass, so we're trying to learn from their mistakes and eat not entirely vegetarian, but definitely a more plant-based diet. I'm sure all this sounds familiar to a lot of people!

How to Cook Everything Vegetarian is exactly the cookbook I've been trying to find for a long time. It has the simple, everyday recipes that I sometimes need, combined with a LOT of wonderful vegetarian dishes from ordinary supermarket ingredients. How about Peanut Soup, Senegalese Style? Or Korean-Style Noodles in Cool Bean Broth (in less than 20 minutes for when the kids are whining for dinner) Mustard Cheese Fondue?

This book is written in Bittman's typical `theme and variations' style, with a basic recipe (like for waffles) and then a sidebar or list following the recipe that gives variations (like a list of things you can add to waffles for flavoring). The great thing about this is that it means you rarely have to reject a recipe because you don't have the exact ingredients, just go with a variant. The only quibble I have with it is, it's sometimes difficult to keep track of what you are supposed to sub out & sub back in when you have a crying toddler on your ankle.

A basic cookbook should also walk you through basic techniques and ingredients. I was a little surprised to see the vegetables chapter was nearly 200 pages. Then I looked through it and realized a lot of that is guidance on how to select and prep the various vegetables. It's also helpful that he includes substitution suggestions - I may be out of broccoli, but if I can make the same recipe with green beans, then I can forgo the trip to the store one more day.

Another nice thing about this cookbook is, unlike most vegetarian cookbooks I have seen, it doesn't rely heavily on unusual ingredients or meat substitutes. It seems like there has to be a happy medium between burgers & fries on one hand and stuff you've never seen before. Surely we can make a healthy diet based on basic veggies, fruit, grains, and legumes, and that's JUST what this book focuses on.

But it doesn't matter how great the book is if the recipes aren't good! So I tried a few. The Spicy Autumn Veggie Burgers (we made less spicy for the kids) were terrific with a dollop of peach chutney, although the kids preferred ketchup. I was pleased at how quickly they came together too. The Glazed Carrot Soup the kids ate without any complaint at all. And oh my the Apple "Fries"!!!!

Because I'm sure people are wondering - yes, he has another cookbook called How to Cook Everything: Vegetarian that came out several years ago. This is NOT just a remake of that slim volume. This is a completely new book. (Why his publishers wanted to do two books with titles the same except for a colon I'll never know.) There's no exact overlap with How to Cook Everything, that I saw - even for recipes like Waldorf Salad, that are essentially the same in both books, there is some slight variation and different text that shows that this was re-written, not just a cut-and-paste job.

In short, I'm very happy with it. I've cooked out of it every day since I got it and I'm sure this will be one of my `go-to' cookbooks for years to come.

It's o.k., but the same problem I always have with Bittman, January 25, 2008
I'm a vegetarian of 15 years (with a meat-eating but open minded fiance) and an avid home cook. I got this book for Christmas and have slowly been exploring it. It's an interesting book and there are a lot of recipes that I'm tempted by, but it's the same problem I have with "How to cook everything": something is always wrong with the recipe. For example, his kosher pickles: the first time I tried making them with his measurements, the pickles were inedibly salty (and I love salt!) I'm now working with about a third less salt than he recommends and it's getting better. And that's what I always find with his recipes: they give you a promising start but require some major tinkering before they are really good, and I don't usually feel up to committing to that sort of trial and error. I am a passionate fan of Debbie Madison's "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone." As an example of the difference, this week I had a dinner party and I made her cauliflower salad with green olives and capers even though I'd never tried it before, and it was a hit. Having used her book so much, I trust her recipes to be at least decent right out of the gate. I would never serve a Bittman recipe that I hadn't made before to guests because there are pretty good odds that the initial recipe needs some changes.
That being said, I'm certainly not sorry that I have this book. It has a good section on condiments that I'm sure I'll make use of fairly often, and it's a good cookbook to have on hand if you're tinkering in the kitchen and want some perspective on your technique. It's really more of a reference book than an book of recipes, and in that it is useful. But if you want ideas for delicious, satisfying vegetarian food, get "Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone."

Excellent General Cookbook for Liberal Vegetarian. Buy It!, November 20, 2007
`How to Cook Everything Vegetarian' by New York Times culinary columnist, Mark Bittman, is an important entry into the best vegetarian cookbook sweepstakes. Please be clear that this green covered book is far larger and far better than the yellow covered subset of his earlier best-selling `How to Cook Everything'.
Since I gave that yellow subset a bad review, a kind commentator pointed out that what is a person to do if they are vegetarian, and don't need to know how to make veal parmesan, meatballs, or fried chicken! This volume clearly answers that question.
The competition for this book is Deborah Madison's classic `Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone'. An encyclopedic companion to both would be Crescent Dragonwagon's `Passionate Vegetarian'. If space and finances permit, I would suggest you own all three volumes.
The difference between Bittman and Madison may lie primarily in the fact that the former is a culinary journalist and the latter began her career as a professional chef. So, Bittman has a better eye for communicating to a larger audience while Madison is better on some of the basic truths of cooking. Her discussion of soups and stocks is especially brilliant.
Bittman addresses the largest possible `vegetarian' audience, which includes the most liberal, who consume eggs and milk products. But he is quite effective in identifying for the vegans among you which recipes are free of all animal products, both in icons accompanying each recipe and in a master list of recipes at the back of the book. Eggs are so prominent that the index contains a full page, that's four columns of small print, of entries under egg related recipes. Under cheese recipes, there are two pages, eight columns of fine print of recipes. Bittman explains this in the section on vegetarian substitutions when he gives easy replacements for butter, milk, and cream, but says that virtually nothing can replace eggs and most cheeses in traditional recipes. I am puzzled and grateful that Bittman does not suggest using synthetic lecithin in the place of eggs in recipes. Lecithin does not even appear in the index of this book. This substitutions section also has some really great suggestions for omnivores in the realm of less saturated replacements for butter and flavored butters.
This is a full service cookbook. I am especially impressed by the fact that he starts out in the same way as James Peterson in his recent textbook, `Cooking'. Both begin with a description of `The Ten Essential Cooking Techniques'. Being a teaching book, Peterson's sections on each method are longer, running to three large pages compared to Bittman's two to three paragraphs. But, if you are vegetarian, Bittman's book is still more useful, as much of Peterson's space is dedicated to cooking animal protein. Another interesting contrast to Peterson is that while the teacher uses series of photographs to illustrate techniques, Bittman uses black ink drawings. And, amazingly enough, the latter is generally the more successful technique, as nothing is out of focus and there are never any obscuring shadows, and only the essentials of the technique are depicted.
A common technique in many of Bittman's recipes is to amend each recipe with several variations, as when he suggests five fillings for sweet crepes and six fillings for savory crepes. Hard on this section is '10 Other Ideas for Pancakes' and seven `Pancake Variations'. Bittman also spends much time on teaching us the range of ingredient types, and general ways to handle each type. For example, we get `A Lexicon of Salad Greens'. This material is even more important for the vegetarian, as they need to seek the greatest possible variety of tastes and colors in the vegetable world. A vegetarian salad repertoire which knew nothing beyond iceberg lettuce would be dull indeed. Bittman does better in this area than the salad queen, Alice Waters, in her excellent `The Art of Simple Cooking'.
Bittman's mastery of communication is best represented by his many cross-indexing of recipe types, as he does in a sidebar of lettuce cups and wraps, giving the names and page numbers of fourteen recipes scattered throughout the book which use this technique. The centerpiece of this cross-indexing is the `Recipes by Icon' in the back of the book which tick off those which are `Fast', `Make Ahead', and `Vegan'. A similar feature is the list of forty menus for Breakfasts, Brunches, Lunches, Dinners, and Holiday Dinners. For his vegetarian audience, this is far more useful than for omnivores, who have a far greater choice of protein types.
Every trend in the book is magnified in the excellent chapter on pasta, noodles, and dumplings. Every sidebar seemed to offer not ten, but up to 50 variations on all sorts of stuff. I was momentarily disappointed to find no recipe for making fresh pasta in the first 10 pages of the chapter, but there it was, of page 474 and the following 21 pages. Everything you would need to make fresh pasta, gnocchi, dumplings. It even included the German specialty, Spaetzle, bless his heart. While all the standards are well-represented, some peripheral ingredients such as rhubarb and celeriac get good representation in uncommon recipes. I was especially pleased to find four excellent recipes for my favorite Brussels Sprouts. Even chestnuts get a dozen entries in the index. Madison has nothing on chestnuts!
Bittman's `How to Cook Everything' is always my first stop whenever I want to try a classic dish unfamiliar to me, and I have been invariably pleased with the clarity and results of his recipes. This book continues this trend. Every recipe I read is clear, unfussy, and easy to follow. If you are a vegetarian who permits milk and eggs, this book is a must. If you are a tad stricter, Deborah Madison's classic may be more useful for the money.

This book lives up its title., October 26, 2007
As a vegetarian who loves to cook, I have been waiting for a book exactly like this. It is more than a mere collection of recipes. It is a treatise on vegetarian cooking.

Its comprehensiveness is astounding. Consider, for example, the entry on pureed vegetables. Bittman first explains in detail how to prepare a puree. After then identifying the best and worst vegetables to puree, he presents a table with suggestions for pureeing specific vegetables; each entry recommends a binder, fat, seasoning, and garnish that works particularly well for that vegetable. Bittman then gives a recipe for a basic vegetable puree, suggests ways to serve purees, and identifies 17 recipes whose leftovers serve as good bases for purees.

I really cannot give this book enough praise. I plan to read it cover to cover.

thorough but not foolproof, March 30, 2008
I appreciate the huge range of well-organized recipes in the book and the helpful reference section, (he convinced me to soak my own chick peas rather than use canned, and there is a huge difference!). However, as another reviewer on this site said, his recipes are not foolproof. I follow his instructions to the letter, and still must adjust seasonings, cooking times, spices, etc to yield good results. It's like he unconsciously left out steps that are "second nature" to an experienced cook like himself; or else you have to use the exact same pan as he, or the recipe doesn't work. It's like he needs his own personal "epicurious" site, where users of his cookbook can log on and share tips on cooking his recipes. I'm not sorry I bought the book, but my results have not been as tasty as I would have expected.

But the recipes aren't good!, July 16, 2008
I am firmly convinced that Mark Bittman invents all his recipes without actually making them. Not one of them has ever turned out well. Examples:

- "Mashed cauliflower with cheese." More like cauliflower sauce. I had to serve it in bowls and eat it with a spoon.

- "Baked pinto beans and sweet potatoes, enchilada style." Tastes fine, but the potato cubes were still hard after 40 minutes in the oven.

- "Millet mash." Millet does *not* burst after 30 minutes of simmering. It's edible, but it sure isn't mashable.

- "Roasted quinoa with potatoes and cheese." Interesting, but 5 minutes of boiling isn't enough for the quinoa to then finish cooking in the oven. And there's no need to jump-start the potatoes either.

- "Bean and cheese empanadas." The dough is impossible to roll out - it's way too tender and dry. And the texture ends up throat-catchingly grainy after baking.

- "Lentils and potatoes with curry." This was actually disgusting. Too much dry spice. And of course the potatoes disintegrated before the lentils were soft.

I'll go ahead and give the book two stars because there's a *lot* of stuff in it, and some of the recipes might be worth tweaking. But I don't recommend buying it, especially if you get discouraged easily.

Meatless cooking for everyone, November 9, 2007
I've been a ovo-lacto veg for nearly 20 years, and own several shelves of cookbooks (from Mollie Katzen to Frances Moore Lappe, Seppo Ed Farrey to Laurel Robertson, Deborah Madison to Madhur Jaffrey.) When I stopped eating meat, I first picked up Moosewood and Diet for a Small Planet. The differences between their approaches to vegetarianism and vegetarian cooking were stark. Mollie made easy, tasty food that just happened to be meatless, while Frances labored to assemble combinations of amino acids that she called food (oh, Lord, the loaves!) Where Frances wrote a cookbook about politics and economics, Mollie wrote a cookbook about food.

Bittman's "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" is of the latter camp. This is not a screed against meat, it's not a holier-than-thou polemic about the destruction caused by meat production. It's a book about tasty food that just happens to be meatless.

For a popular food writer and TV host of Bittman's status to have assembled nearly 1,000 pages of recipes and instruction for cooking without meat is a coup for the vegetarian community. By demystifying what it means to eat meatless to a mainstream, primarily non-veg audience, Bittman is providing solace to all those vegetarians who tire of answering questions and defending their diet to others. By including familiar dishes like Tuscan style white beans, risotto, and chili, Bittman leads the reader to ingredients like tofu, seitan, nori, gai lan, and kohlrabi, rendering these ingredients more familiar to a broader audience. Ultimately, the mainstreaming of vegetarian eating and cooking is a win-win for everyone, and for his efforts in this direction I thank Mark Bittman.

Finally a General All Purpose Cook Book for Vegetarians, November 12, 2007
If you don't own the original "How to Cook Everything" this is a great buy and may truly the only book you'll ever need. It covers everything from baking to desserts sans the meat.

Thumbing through it at my local book store I noticed most of the recipes in this book are in the first "How To Cook Everything." To be fair the vegetarian version expands on tofu, beans, grains and pastas. Still for me, this wasn't enough reason to buy it. However, if I hadn't owned the first book I would have bought this without hesitation.

What's a Flexitarian?, January 28, 2008

FLEXITARIANS EXPLAINED:
HOW TO COOK
EVERYTHING VEGETARIAN

By Mark Bittman


Review by Marty Martindale


Julia Child once said of Deborah Madison's cookbook, Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, "You don't need to be a vegetarian. Simply cook up a piece of meet along side." And this holds true for Bittman's new, 996-page, Vegetarian cookbook. Bittman states, "Increasingly, Americans are becoming `flexitarians,' a recently invented word that describes both vegetarians who aren't that strict and meat-eaters who are striving for a more health-conscious, planet-friendly diet." So, regardless of your eating persuasion, Bittman's book is a great reference book for many variations on his quickly adaptable recipes affording variety for all.

This book also addresses the cooking beginner. For instance, at the start of each section, be it fruit or veggies, wheat, grains, soups or desserts, each category, he carefully lines out cutting, preparation and handling details. Bittman is very much a method man, and he shares liberally. He stints not on: vegetables, tofu, herbs, breads, spices, chiles and sweets. Here's just some of the varieties he offers for recipes in this book:

23 Salads that Make Great Meals
3 varieties of Egg Hash
7 Pancake Variations
6 variations of Cheese Fondue, also 12 great additions to fondue
18 additions to Stir-Fried Vegetables
25 Dipping Sauces for Battered and Fried Vegetables
25 dishes in which to use Grilled Vegetables (includes 5 pages for grilling veggies)
35 ways to make Twice-Baked Potatoes
25 varieties of Vegetable Gratins
18 Stuffed Vegetables
48 Stuffings for Stuffed Vegetables
15 Alternative Toppings for Pasta
13 Sauces, Salsas or Condiments for Fast Pasta Sauces
39 Vegetable and Legume Dishes that can be tossed with Pasta
5 Pasta and Nut Butter Combinations
39 dishes that can be Stir-Fried with Asian Noodles
3 pages of charts for cooking Everyday Grains
15 Legumes Recipes
12 combos for Beans and Greens
15 ideas for Pizza Toppings
14 Cold Sandwiches
13 Hot Sandwiches
9 Wraps
10 Taco and Burrito ideas
8 ideas for Chile Pastes
12 ideas for Flavoring Mayonnaise
11 Yoghurt Sauces
27 Chutneys
15 basic and exotic Ice Cream Flavors
6 pages menu suggestions
17 pages of Recipes coded for : Fast, Make Ahead and/or Vegan.
63 index pages

As a particular, for instance, see page 430 and his Grilled Watermelon Steak. He suggests you serve it with lemon wedges, or Mexican-style, rubbed with his homemade chili powder, page 814. Bittman's take on food is amazing! I think every household can benefit from owning this book.

Visit Marty Martindale's website: Food Site of the Day.

Encylopedic No Matter Your Semantics About "Vegetarian", November 8, 2007
I like Mark Bittman's columns and his TV shows. He writes and cooks in a no-nonsense way that makes me trust his recipes (and they have yet to fail for me). As a thirty year vegetarian and twelve year serious home baker/cook, I have amassed many great cook books and several so-so ones. This one is among the tops for its exhaustive selection of recipes; clear, easy-to-follow directions; insightful notes; and clean layout.

Even though Mr. Bittman admits to enjoying meat throughout the text, clearly a little too often for some readers, I'm glad he didn't shun meatless meals and created this cookbook. Not all the recipes are healthy and I'm okay with that. With this many recipes I'm sure you'll find one or two (or a dozen!) to disagree with.

I recommend this cookbook both as a solid companion for experienced cooks as well as a good choice to those just starting out. I won't say that it's the only cookbook you'll ever need because I don't think there's any such beast but it certainly would do for quite some time. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

TOTAL KNOCKOUT!, October 12, 2010
I am shocked at how engrossed I am with this book. I want to cook every single recipe! The biggest surprise--aside from learning how many calories I could save by cooking for myself--was how motivating the recipes are. Beautiful pictures and simplified cooking tips turn complex dishes into super-easy recipes. Many of the recipes even come with variations in case you can't find a certain ingredient or just want more variety. Here are my four favorites so far:


*Red Pepper Alfredo - AMAZING dish, and I saved 830 calories and $10 over the same meal at Olive Garden.

*Loaded Calzone - Far easier than I ever imagined, and I saved 1,025 (!) calories and $4.50 over Pizza Hut's Meaty P'Zone Pizza

*French Toast Stuffed with Strawberries -Whole-wheat toast stuffed with ricotta cheese, strawberries, honey, and almonds. Yum. I will definitely be making this again! And I saved 810 calories and $11.40 over IHOP's version.

*Curry with Cauliflower & Butternut Squash - I had no idea I was capable of making curry. Or that I could save 717 calories and $8.50 in the process.


My kitchen skills are improving, I'm motivated to cook, and I already feel healthier. And if I don't feel like cooking one night, I'll just dive into the chapter dedicated to 10-minute meals. That should be easy enough. Though, to be honest, nothing I've cooked so far has taken me much more than 20.

Awesome utility!, December 2, 2010
I bought this book at Walmart (paid a lot more for it there) and it was completely worth it. So far, I have tried a half dozen of the recipes, and ALL of them have been a huge success. One reviewer rights about how it is only restraunt selections..... false. At the bottom of each ORIGINAL recipe in here, they show what a restaurant alternative is, and how much money and calories you save by cooking at home. Also helpful in this book is new cooking tips and techniques. For example, as a southerner - I love fried foods. This book showed me how to "oven fry" foods to have that familiar taste and crispy outside without all the extra calories from submerging foods in hot grease. Other techniques in this book that have been helpful are how to braise meats and use the natural drippings to make your own sauces while cooking, increasing the natural flavor of dishes.

2 weeks in, 11 pounds down

5 Stars in my book!

Perfect for Foodies and Flunkies, November 4, 2010
I'm a recent college student turned amateur chef. This book not only educated me on healthy food I should be cooking, but how to cook it easily. Many of the ingredients can be found in local grocery stores and recipes aren't complicated. That being said- the food is delicious. As a former junk food binge eater, I almost don't taste how good the food is for me.

Very well-written and educational, but also personal.

Awesome Book, November 28, 2010
I can not say enough good things about this book. The recipes are delicious and very easy to make. I have also found that I can buy fresh ingredients and use them for other recipes in the same book. I have been eating out of this book for about 2 months now and find the recipes easy. I had to eat processed food the other day and felt so sick afterwards. This has made meal planning in my house easier also. LOVE LOVE LOVE all the books, but this one is by far my favorite. Thank you!

350 Calorie Wonderful Meals, December 17, 2010
Excellent! Everything I have tried has been successful and utterly delicious. I am having a wonderful time cooking with these recipes. There are wonderful choices for each meal and the techniques learned are most helpful and easily adapted to cooking in general. I already had on hand most of the ingredients. I was surprised and delighted when I started falling in love again with my cast iron skillet. Who would have thought carmelized onions could be a staple in our diets! The selections turn out just like the beautiful pictures! I am ordering two more for family!

This book ROCKS!!!, December 4, 2010
This book is perfect for the dieter who doesn't want to let go of all flavors in life that many times dieting will do. It's a very simple, easy to follow book with amazing recipes! The key lime pie recipe is to die for!!

Good ideas for cooking healthier, November 17, 2010
This gives me a better idea of how to prepare the meals I like with healthier ingredients cooking with less fat.

Great recipes, November 7, 2010
This book is well worth the investment in healthy cooking. Every recipe we have tried has been great.

Great Resource!, November 19, 2010
This book has a ton of useful information on just about everything food related. I've only thumbed through it so far, and haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but there are several that sound great and I can't wait to try them out. The only downfall I see to this little book is some of the recipes require things I will never already have on hand, and some require ingredients that I would have to travel to a specialty store to pick up. Most of them won't require anything special though.

That said, my plan is to start at the beginning, and work my way through, making the recipes that I can do without having to go out of my way. Some items they require are used again in other recipes so not a big deal to buy them as they will get used, but others... I'd be better off skipping them completely.

I'm definitely glad I picked up this book, and am looking forward to cooking with it. The portion sizes seem to be fair as well as I can figure form reading ingredients and looking at number of servings, so I don't think I will be starving anytime soon! ... Read more

Editorial Review

From the award-winning champion of conscious eating and author of the bestselling Food Matters comes The Food Matters Cookbook, offering the most comprehensive and straightforward ideas yet for cooking easy, delicious foods that are as good for you as they are for the planet. The Food Matters Cookbook is the essential encyclopedia and guidebook to responsible eating, with more than 500 recipes that capture Bittman’s typically relaxed approach to everything in the kitchen. There is no finger-wagging here, just a no-nonsense and highly flexible case for eating more plants while cutting back on animal products, processed food, and of course junk. But for Bittman, flipping the ratio of your diet to something more virtuous and better for your body doesn’t involve avoiding any foods—indeed, there is no sacrifice here. Since his own health prompted him to change his diet, Bittman has perfected cooking tasty, creative, and forward-thinking dishes based on vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Meat and other animal products are often included—but no longer as the centerpiece. In fact the majority of these recipes include fish, poultry, meat, eggs, or dairy, using them for their flavor, texture, and satisfying nature without depending on them for bulk. Roasted Pork Shoulder with Potatoes, Apples, and Onions and Linguine with Cherry Tomatoes and Clams are perfect examples. Many sound downright decadent: Pasta with Asparagus, Bacon, and Egg; Stuffed Pizza with Broccoli, White Beans, and Sausage; or Roasted Butternut Chowder with Apples and Bacon, for example.

There are vegetarian recipes, too, and they have flair without being complicated—recipes like Beet Tartare, Lentil "Caviar" with All the Trimmings, Radish-Walnut Tea Sandwiches, and Succotash Salad. Bittman is a firm believer in snacking, but in the right way. Instead of packaged cookies or greasy chips, Bittman suggests Seasoned Popcorn with Grated Parmesan or Fruit and Cereal Bites. Nor does he skimp on desserts; rather, he focuses on

fruit, good-quality chocolate, nuts, and whole-grain flours, using minimal amounts of eggs, butter, and other fats. That allows for a whole chapter devoted to sweets, including Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies, Apricot Polenta Cake, Brownie Cake, and Coconut Tart with Chocolate Smear.

True to the fuss-free style that has made him famous, Bittman offers plenty of variations and substitutions that let you take advantage of foods that are in season—or those that just happen to be in the fridge. A quick-but-complete rundown on ingredients tells you how to find sustainable and flavorful meat and shop for dairy products, grains, and vegetables without wasting money on fancy organic labels. He indicates which recipes you can make ahead, those that are sure to become pantry staples, and which ones can be put together in a flash. And because Bittman is always comprehensive, he makes sure to include the building-block recipes for the basics of home cooking: from fast stocks, roasted garlic, pizza dough, and granola to pots of cooked rice and beans and whole-grain quick breads.

With a tone that is easygoing and non-doctrinaire, Bittman demonstrates the satisfaction and pleasure in mindful eating. The result is not just better health for you, but for the world we all share. ... Read more

Reviews

So far, fantastic!, September 18, 2010
One day with the book, and I've made 3 recipes already and shopped for groceries to make several more. It's very encouraging and the 3 dishes I've made have blown me (and my picky housemates) away.

Breakfast: I tried the Anadama Waffles (p. 283). The flavor came out very hearty, wheat-y and otherwise ok. The texture was good and the flavor made a great base for what you typically put on a waffle. So I was happy and I'd make them again, although I might try another recipe before coming back.

Dinner: Corn and Sweet Potato Chowder with Chipotle. Amazing. I don't like veggie soup and I don't like corn chowder. My housemates don't like sweet potato or overly spicy foods in their respective peculiarities. However, we all love this dish so much that we had a little politeness war over who would have priority on the leftovers :) It's sweet and spicy and I'd make it again. This all coming from a household that loves pork pozolle!

Desert: I cheated a little. In his other book (the one with narrative and recipes), there's a nice recipe for fruit sorbet. I used chocolate and black cherry as the base and it turned out fantastic.

About the book in general:

I'm excited about the recipes I see and encouraged because I know they were built for healthy and responsible living. We'll just have to wait and see if we all magically lose weight.

The layout of the book is visually what you would expect. Information for prep time and yield is available and interesting descriptions appear above each recipe to tell you the background or whet your appetite and set your expectations.

The pages are white which makes the text much brighter than his big-red-book. Also, the pages properly lay open, even in the front and back of the book, without the need to hold the thing open (which would be cumbersome while cooking - I only mention it because some books are very good at closing themselves).

The recipes were clear and easy enough to follow as I've come to expect of Bittman. So far the taste has been great although I can't speak for the whole book as I haven't been through all of it!

Drawbacks:

1. No calorie counts. I know, he isn't about calorie counts and it'd have taken a lot of time and money to do that for each of 500 dishes, but I still hoped it would be there. Not a deal breaker.

2. There is no single list of the recipes in the book or each section. Many other cookbooks I own have a list of recipes in the front of the book or each section and this one doesn't which is a little annoying for meal planning purposes. There *are*, however, 3 lists in the back of the book for 'Fast Recipes', 'Make-Ahead Recipes', and 'Recipes for Pantry Staples'. So at least I have those.

I'll continue to cook my way through this and let you know what I find in an update, but right now I'm thrilled with my purchase and would recommend this book to anyone.

UPDATE: I'm adding a couple photos of things I've made so far. Just snaps from my kitchen, so don't expect studio quality ;)

UPDATE 2: Within a week or two I'll probably add more details about other recipes I've tried. It's still going great, but I wanted to add a comparison for reference. Yesterday I was making a recipe from a recent weight watchers cookbook. In the past, I've found their recipes to be light and tasty, though sometimes a little weird. However, after spending a while eating this plant-heavy food, I was honestly a bit sickened when cooking one of the weight watchers cookbook's chicken recipes. It's funny, but I just felt like it had way too much meat, sugar and fat. I guess it's a good thing, but now I'm a little concerned I won't enjoy a juicy steak dinner ;)

A nice step forward, October 10, 2010
I am thoroughly enjoying this book. This is not a "health-food" cookbook. It simply looks at food through a slightly different lens, such that the emphasis is placed on fruits and vegetables, not meats and dairy. There is still plenty of meat and dairy for those of us who find meat and dairy quite satisfying.

We've been moving toward this kind of diet for some time now. I've lost 25 pounds over the last year by eating this way and by exercising. My blood pressure is at a record low, and my doctor is thrilled with the changes. However, while I'm a pretty decent home cook, I am not the most imaginative cook in the world; this book has given me plenty of fresh ideas.

We have tried enough recipes with success that I feel comfortable recommending this book to others. It's simple food, and my always-skeptical sweetheart has been cleaning his plate. It doesn't matter how healthy it is if they won't eat it.

I think this is a strong addition to any cookbook collection.

Edited 12/25/10: I just wanted to add that I've been using this cookbook for over two months now, and I still find it immensely useful and use it regularly. We've considered tweaking a recipe here or there, which is normal for us. Even though we had already been moving toward this kind of diet, we've made even bigger strides over the last two months. It was a bit of a surprise when we went grocery shopping for Christmas dinner and ended up with cart almost exclusively full of vegetables with half a turkey breast and nearly no simple carbs or processed foods. It's becoming more and more natural for us to eat this way, even on special occasions.

Bittmanesque healthy recipes, October 9, 2010
Another in Mark Bittman's corpus of work. I have always enjoyed his cookbooks, and I have incorporated a number of his recipes into my cooking "cycle." This book focuses on healthier dishes. Early on, he notes (Page ix): "If you swap the basic proportions in your diet--increasing unprocessed fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains--you'll wind up losing your weight and improving your overall health. . . ."

One thing that he aims to do in this cookbook is to reduce the percentage of calories coming from animal based food or highly processed food. The recipes come in several categories here: appetizers and snacks, soups, salads and dressings, pasta (and noodles and dumplings), rice and grains, beans, vegetables, bread (and pizza and sandwiches and wraps), and desserts and sweet snacks.

While Bittman's recipes cut the amount of meat, he does not present us with a vegetarian/Vegan cookbook. There is a provision of meat or seafood or poultry in a number of the recipes.

Some illustrative recipes: Cucumber-wasabi tea sandwiches; Olives, cucumbers, and tuna, Mediterranean style; Mini potato-parmesan rostis; Provencal soup (a play on ratatouille); Mushroom stew with beef chunks; Smashed potato salad with escarole; Thai beef salad; Pasta with asparagus, bacon, and egg (Odd, but yummy!); Black bean chili mac; Vegetable and shrimp fried rice; Chickpea tagine with chicken and bulgur; Scrambled tomatoes and herbs (easy and tasty); Grilled turkey hash with red wine glaze; Grilled tomato sandwich, with or without cheese.

All in all, an interesting cookbook if you wish to improve the quality of your diet. Recipes are doable. Some seem to me to be fairly bland. But it is a tradeoff--health versus our acquired taste for highly processed food and too much meat.

Really easy healthy recipes, October 15, 2010
I'm really happy with this book, it's had a spot on my kitchen counter ever since I bought it. I'm not a vegetarian, but I was looking to increase the amount of vegetables in my diet but didn't know any good recipes. A lot of other cookbooks have a vegetable section where it's just individual vegetables steamed or cooked some other way as a side dish. I wanted a book that gave me more interesting veggie-heavy main dishes. I don't have that much time to cook dinner and can't be bothered with a huge ingredient list. This book has a variety of good recipes that are tasty and fast. There are still a lot of recipes with meat, especially chicken, but that can be substituted with something else if I don't feel like eating chicken. Highly recommended!

A pathway to healthier eating, November 27, 2010
If you're looking for "health food" this isn't the book. The book features some fried dishes and others that use ingredients such as sausage, not exactly health food. But if you are looking for a tasty way to improve your diet, this cook book is an outstanding starting point. My wife has been moving toward more of a vegetarian diet and I still love my meat (and she hasn't totally abandoned it), so the recipes in this book allow me to have my beloved meat, while she can stay true to her move toward less meat in her diet.

In this book, meat no longer takes the center stage, as has been traditional in the US. Instead meat is used more for flavoring and texture, the way many Asian cuisines use it. We've tried about about 1/4 of the recipes already and have yet to come up with a clunker.

I own roughly two dozen cookbooks. With most I've tried a few recipes, after which they gather dust on my shelf. I only use 3 consistently (The Joy of Cooking, Cooks Illustrated's American Classics and The Barbecue Bible). Since I've purchased this cook book I now have 4 in my regular rotation.

A great cookbook, October 20, 2010
I've been a fan of Mark Bittman for years, and I love the new Food Matters books. This is a great cookbook for anyone looking to have a better diet without dieting. My boyfriend and I cook every night, but recently we had been in a bit of a food rut. We bought this book last week and have tried 4 recipes from it since - each one has been a huge hit, and healthy! We've tried the corn and sweet potato chowder with chipotle (so delicious!), the bok choy, daikon, and tofu stir fry (also great), the steak fajitas (amazing with tequila-lime glaze) and the black bean, corn, and chipotle quinoa. Everything we've tried will we liked enough to make again, and there are dozens more recipes we have marked to try. The little meat/lots of vegetable thing also makes the meals pretty inexpensive to make, which is great for people trying to save money. I would highly recommend it!

Great Book!, November 19, 2010
My wife and I love this cookbook. There are a lot of delicious meals that are easy to cook (less than 30 min). The thing I like most about this book is that it provides a way to eat whole foods in meals that actually taste good. If you are looking for a way to incorporate more grains, beans, tempeh, miso etc into your diet, then I highly recommend this book! We've cooked about 15 of the recopies so far and liked all but one. Three of our favorites were ginger miso chicken, lamb bulgur spinach meatloaf and chicken with chard and steel cut oats. We like this book so much we bought four from Amazon to give as gifts this Christmas to the in-laws and our siblings.

Something For Everyone Whether Vegan, Vegetarian or Omnivore, November 22, 2010
This cookbook contains hundreds of recipes that don't require us to give up anything. He isn't promoting vegetarianism; just suggesting that we use less meat and more plant-based foods in our meals which he says not only helps the enviroment but is also healthier for our waistlines. Bittman also doesn't preach which I appreciate. Instead, he simply offers some great dishes that include updated versions of traditional recipes along with some most of us wouldn't have thought of such as Crisp Noodle Cake with Stir-Fried Greens and Shrimp.

Some of the recipes call for ingredients I'm not sure I will find in my local grocery store but with a little planning I can check at some of the specialty stores in the area. Most seemed to have regular ingredients I recognized. There are some vegetarian recipes in the cookbook along with those that include fish, poultry, and other meats, and of course one can always add meat to a vegetarian recipe or take it out of another if they desire.

I especially liked the soup, bread, and dessert sections of this book which have recipes I think I'm most inclined to try. The Asparagus and White Bean Soup With Parmesan was good and I plan on trying his fruitcake recipe which he promises people will actually like. The Chocolate Chunk Cookie recipe includes a choice of substituting vegan/vegetarian ingredients for the regular ones (i.e. soy or almond milk instead of regular milk, etc.)

This is a cookbook for everyone whether vegan, vegetarian, or omnivore; whether one wants to switch to a healthier diet that uses less meat or wants to be more environmentally responsible.

The only downside of this book is that there are no photos, but given the sheer volume of recipes, that can be overlooked.

This cookbook was given to me by the publishers for review. However, my opinion was not solicited and is mine alone. If I didn't like the book I would say so.

The way we want to eat!, November 12, 2010
When I saw that Mark Bittman had a new cookbook out, I hesitated. I already have 5 of his books, did I really need another 500 recipes from him? The answer to that is a resounding yes!

This book is for anyone who is trying to eat healthier. And really, who isn't? I don't know anyone who goes around saying, "I'm going to eat more processed foods and slurp canned soda!" This book is exactly how I would like to eat more often...more grains and beans, less meat, more fruits and veggies.

The book opens up a section on why food matters. If you have already read his Food Matters: A Guide to Conscious Eating with More Than 75 Recipes, you can skip this part, in fact he tells you that you can skip it, but I read it again, to remind myself of how and why I want to eat better. Then he goes into stocking your pantry and finishes the intro by explaining his icon rating of recipes: fast, make-ahead, and pantry staple. In typical Bittman fashion, he has the recipes in the back also listed by their icon. So, if you were looking to make a fast recipe, there they are all.

The recipe chapters are: Appetizers and Snacks, Soups, Salads and Dressings, Pasta Noodles and Dumplings, Rice and Grains, Beans, Vegetables, Bread Pizza Sandwiches and Wraps, Desserts and Sweet Snacks.

I have been poring over this book, making lists of recipes that I want to try, finally giving up, because there are just too many!

Here are a few, I have marked to try soon:

Raw Butternut Squash Salad with Cranberry Dressing
Roasted Pork Shoulder with Potatoes, Apples and Onions
Baked Pumpkin Orange Custard
Chipotle Glazed Squash Skewers
Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
Mushroom and Pasta Frittata
Pasta with Smoky Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Bacon

As a confirmed carb lover, the pasta section alone is worth the price of the book. Every single recipe sounds great.

I haven't made anything out of the book yet, (I'll be making the Sweet Potato and Bacon Pasta next week), but I don't have to. I've cooked enough, read enough cookbooks and cooked enough Bittman recipes to tell that these are winners. They are easy. They are healthy.

GREAT ADDITION TO CONSCIOUS EATING, December 16, 2010
Bittman has finally awakened to the food nightmare in this country. He employs his usual style in this text: no photos, plain text, no penache, BUT really useful information. He provides the usual reference points, Make Ahead Foods, Fast, Vegetarian, etc. He also has some useful charts and tables, as Bittman fans are accustomed to in his books. The collection of recipes reflects the susbstantial changes he acknowledges making in his own food preparation. Comes across as genuine without being "preachy"--a plus. Admittedly, many of these recipes I will likely NEVER make, BUT there are several great ideas for eating more plant-based meals. I love the way he throws variations out there. Throughout the book, Bittman encourages exploration of your palate and your family's tastes while giving a guiding and informative set of suggestions--the recipes. I was most thrilled to see him get off his high horse and admit that a sustainable, organic, whole-foods approach to the dinner table is the responsible choice for the 21st century cook/chef. Those familiar with Bittman's previous books will recollect his earlier harsh, repeated, and inaccurate statements that organic food was simply "a political stance." It was refreshing to see his attitude changes reflected in both his recipes and his changed philosophy of eating and cooking. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Recipes and Nutrition Info - more than I expected!, November 30, 2010
I've been a fan of Isa's cookbooks for a long time so had this on pre-order, and it arrived yesterday. I was excited to get it, b/c somehow I'm a vegan who has managed to gain weight since going vegan rather than lose weight. I blame VCTOTW, JOVB, and VCIYCJ - all of which I love and all of which sparked my obsession with vegan baking. At any rate, when I heard this book was in the works, I was really excited. When it arrived, I realized it is far more than I expected it to be. It is FULL of nutrition information - as a family raising a vegan toddler, this is very important to me, and Isa's information and tips will prove invaluable, I'm sure! The recipes seem to be quick, with just a few ingredients, and lots of fresh produce. It looks to rely more on legumes and vegetables than anything else, which is awesome! Isa also includes a section on simple bowls (like at those trendy Asian restaurants) and sandwiches/wraps...so easy. And I'm extra happy about chapters dedicated to soups, stews and chili as we approach colder days. I think we'll cook our way straight through this book and hopefully see the health benefits as we go.

The perfect cookbook, December 1, 2010
I love Isa's recipes and make them as much as possible, the problem is that my mister mister is gluten intolerant so a lot of my all time fave recipes are out for him and then we are making 2 separate meals because he is not vegan and I like my vital wheat gluten. I pre-ordered this book the minute that I found out that it could be pre-ordered and I am so glad that I did. I've had the book for 2 days and so far have only made 1 meal out of it but it was a total Isa recipe, FULL of flavor with a decent portion size but here is the best part for us-- not only is it a vegan cookbook but MOST of the recipes are gluten free! This means that we are back to only making one meal per night and eating some of the greatest food that either of us have ever had. The salad recipes aren't boring at all which makes me happy because I do get tired of salad but she has a Pad Thai salad recipe that I just can't wait to make-- lots of intriguing ideas in this book, that's for sure. I am not vegan for weight-loss but I am a little "well fed" and this book could not have come at a better time for me. This is one of those must-have-vegan-cookbook-library books.

Helpful, December 3, 2010
I like "Appetite for Reduction" because the author gives nutrition info for each recipe which is a first and unlike her other books. It is also a more health conscious collection of recipes and is exactly what I've been waiting for. I own all of Isa's & Terry's other books and I guess I would consider myself a fan by now. I usually stick to a healthy and nutritious diet under a certain number of calories per day, and I had to choose carefully which recipes I'm making in their previous books. But looking through "Appetite for Reduction," there really are no questionable recipes for those who wish to eat healthy. Everything is healthy here, and it doesn't skimp on flavor at all. I'm marinating the tofu from one of the new recipes right now...Masala Baked Tofu. Very simple and I can't wait to taste it!

Pretty close to perfect for a busy vegan mom, December 5, 2010
I'm a vegan lady with about 25 lbs to lose and a busy toddler constantly giving me a run for my money. Appetite for Reduction fits pretty perfectly into my lifestyle right now. Healthy and satisfying meals that I can still knock out amidst my hectic schedule? YES! Sign me up!

I adore the nutrition info printed along with every recipe. That's really helpful for me... I don't have to take the author's word that something is healthy or do the math out myself. I can just read through the nutrition info and decide if something fits into my day or not that way.

The cooking/prep times have been spot on for me. 30 minute recipes really take 30 minutes or less. The portion sizes are good. I like that most of the recipes seem to be for smallish batches (actually as much as a small family might eat in a meal) so there's less potential for sabotaging yourself by gorging on leftovers, if you know what I mean.

As always, Moskowitz is an ambassador for the message that vegan food need not be boring, bland, or anything but incredibly delicious. There's a lot of variety and a LOT of flavor in this book. I have yet to run into anything in here that wasn't really delicious.

Some of my favorites so far: Caulipots, Caesar Chavez dressing (and all of the other dressings, but this is the best!), Chickpea Piccata, Masala Tofu, Ye'abesha Gomen.

My hubby doesnt even know he's a vegan ;), December 8, 2010
Other than how beautiful this book looks on my shelf, I also love that the recipes really are hardy & filling. Tonight I made the Eggplant and Chickpea curry...delicious! I usually use recipe books more as a guideline & rarely do I ever follow a recipe exactly. So I may have added a potatoe or two, and used cayenne instead of red pepper flakes...and I had to use canned tomatoes instead of the fresh, but the results were still amazing! My husband is NOT a vegan in any way shape or form, and he basically inhaled his plate of eggplant & chickpea curry. I really like the diversity of this book. I'm not a big fan of tofu, but I like how the author incorporates tempeh & other forms of soy into the recipes. I also love the way it's written, as if Isa and I are friends having a conversation about food in the kitchen or at some hole in the wall pakistani resturaunt in Brooklyn. This book is not just for vegans, but definatly for vegan and nonvegan foodies who love to make diverse recipes.

Cookbook PERFECTION!, December 13, 2010
Let me preface my review with this- I am not a vegan, but I am very interested in vegan cooking and baking. I make vegan stuff whenever I can, and that's becoming more and more frequent thanks to Isa's books. Her creations will please meat-lovers so much that they won't even think to ask "but where's the meat?!"

Here are the reasons why I LOVE LOVE LOVE Appetite for Reduction:

1.) It doesn't use ingredients that are expensive or difficult to find. If you think being vegan is too expensive, you need this book.
2.) Every time I wonder something about a recipe or ingredient, surely enough, I find the answer in a "tip" included for each recipe. It's like she reads my mind!
3.) The serving sizes are realistic! I can pretty much put a buffet out of business, so I was happy to see that I couldn't put away more than 2 servings of anything in this book!
4.) The book itself is the best cookbook I own. I really hate hardcover cookbooks, so I was so happy to see that this one was softcover. It's light and stays open when you press down on it a little (without messing up the spine,) and I don't feel like the pages are going to fall out.
5.) The nutrition facts. I have made about 6 meals from it so far and they have all fit into my diet plan perfectly. I love being able to cook my own food without adding up all of the calories myself... try to do that with fiber and protein too... ugh.

Basically, this book is amazing, and I recommend it to vegans and non-vegans alike!

Life-changing!, December 11, 2010
Disclosures: I'm the author's sister and I'm not always vegan. I started weight watchers this week, and anxiously awaited the arrival of this book. Received it yesterday, and I'm off to a roaring start: butternut squash/apple soup is divine, with a zing of spiciness; eggplant chickpea curry is on the stove and it smells incredible. This is the first time I've posted an amazon review for anything, I'm definitely feeling inspired and thankful for this book which is chockfull of useful dietary information. Just when I thought she couldn't possibly be any more awesome, my sis has raised the bar yet again. Ok, enough kvelling (Yiddish for loading on the praise).

Wonderful, well-rounded cookbook., December 8, 2010
I had the pleasure of testing recipes for Appetite for Reduction; many of the recipes are still in heavy rotation at my house long after testing is over. The layout of the book is easy to follow and attractive, with clear writing in all of the recipes, including many tips and ingredient suggestions. A few of the recipes call for ingredients that may need to be tracked down in an Indian or Asian supermarket, but the vast majority use inexpensive pantry-friendly ingredients including beans and grains. Isa never relies on vegan convenience foods such as mock meats or cheeses, and this book is no exception. Most of the recipes can be made in well under an hour, with many popping into the oven after quick prep.

Some of my favorites are the 5th Ave Vegetable Korma, Baked Falafel w/ Dill Hummus (the best packed lunch!), Chickpea Piccata, Chickpeas with 40 cloves of garlic, Catalan Couscous Salad with Pears, a wonderful, easy to make Romeso salad dressing that has now replaced my old favorite Annie's Roasted Red Pepper dressing, Lasagna w/ roasted cauliflower, Arabian Lentil Soup, Mango BBQ Baked Beans w/ cornbread, and a roasted red pepper soup that had my entire family oohing and aahing. In fact, that soup is going to replace our usual potato leek soup for this year's Christmas Eve dinner.

The added section on creating wrap/sandwiches, and bowl meals is very useful. I am not the most creative at improvising in the kitchen, so these sections give me a lot of ideas.

I enjoy all of Isa's cookbooks, and this one easily stands with Veganomicon for ease of use and versatility. The fact that these recipes are diet friendly (I calculated most to be under 6 WW points for a filling dinner) is a bonus, but really these are great, tasty recipes perfect for weeknight meals and lunches and in no way resemble flavorless or watered down "diet food."

This cookbook is for everyone! Fast, flavourful, and nutritious recipes for busy people who care about what they eat., December 5, 2010
Appetite for Reduction has everything I need as a busy person who loves food and is also concerned about eating healthily: the recipes are not only delicious, but also full of nutrients, low in fat, devoid of processed crap and come together quickly and easily. I have way too many cookbooks, including many that I have barely used because they're too complicated or time-consuming. I've only had this cookbook for a few days and I've tried a number of dishes and loved them all! The Pad Thai Salad, Baked Falafel, Veggie Pot Pie Stew and Red Thai Tofu were all amazing. Can't wait to try the Sushi Roll Salad, Chickpea Piccata and 2nd Avenue Vegetable Korma.

I'm vegan myself but I brought the book into work the first day I got it and the meat eaters and vegetarians were just as excited as I was when they looked through it (and they were disappointed that they'll have to wait a bit for their own copies as it's not yet on shelves locally). This is not just a book for vegans - anyone who is interested in cooking their own yummy, healthy meals without taking a lot of time will love it. It's not just for dieters either - while the title of the book references weight loss, the recipes are substantial and satisfying enough for anyone's everyday repertoire.

I'm an experienced cook, but I love how simple these recipes are while still staying interesting. I think that beginner cooks will have no trouble getting great results as well.

Believe the Hype, December 11, 2010
The rave reviews from others are all true. This book instantly soared to the top
of my favorite vegan cookbooks list.

The recipes are quick, easy, and healthy. The recipes specify if they are gluten
free, soy free, can be made under 30 minutes, or if there is some down time
involved (no active cooking). The author also includes a multitude of
'nutritional tips' and cooking/shopping tips. The portion sizes are more than
generous, nutritional information is included for each recipe, and Isa's writing
style is personable and connects with the reader. I read the book cover-to-cover
the night I got it.

So far I've made the Everyday Chickpea-Quinoa Salad (which includes Balsamic
Vinaigrette)- it's truly awesome. The Vinaigrette alone is beyond good; it's all
I could do to not drink it on its own! The Arabian Lentil and Rice Soup is one
of my favorite soups; it calls for basmati rice which adds a depth of flavor and
beautiful aroma. The Yam and Black Bean Soup with Orange and Cilantro is
healthy, interesting, and flavorful. There isn't one recipe in the book that I
don't want to try- they all look so good. This is one cookbook that will never
get dusty on my bookshelf!

... Read more

Editorial Review

Who knew vegetables could taste so good? Moskowitz and Romero's newest delicious collection makes it easier than ever to live vegan. You'll find more than 250 recipes--plus menus and stunning color photos--for dishes that will please every palate. All the recipes in Veganomicon have been thoroughly kitchen-tested to ensure user-friendliness and amazing results. And by popular demand, the Veganomicon includes meals for all occasions and soy-free, gluten-free, and low-fat options, plus quick recipes that make dinner a snap. Recipes include:
•  Autumn Latkes
• Samosa Stuffed Baked Potatoes
• Grilled Yuca Tortillas
• Baby Bok Choy with Crispy Shallots
• Chile-Cornmeal Crusted Tofu Po’ Boy
• Roasted Eggplant and Spinach Muffuletta
• Jicama-Watercress-Avocado Salad with Spicy Citrus Vinaigrette
• Acorn Squash, Pear and Adzuki Soup
•  Tomato Rice Soup with Roasted Garlic and Navy Beans
• Asparagus and Lemongrass Risotto
• Almost All-American Seitan Pot Pie
• Hot Sauce-Glazed Tempeh
• Black Eyed Pea Collard Rolls
• Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti
• Pumpkin Crumb Cake with Pecan Streusel

Reviews

Most thorough Vegan Cookbook ever!, October 21, 2007
First off, the food in this book is amazing. Vegan With a Vengeance was super great, but this is the friggin' BOMB!

Aside from the incredible food, the product description doesn't mention that the first part of the book is a great (and funny) read about HOW to cut and prepare different vegetables, how to cook different grains, etc...for someone like me, pretty invaluable stuff. Also cool if you're getting this for your "weird" vegan kid that is just learning to cook.
Also,, the icons are a big help (an icon tells you if you can make the meal under 45 min -or way less, another icon tells you if you can find everything at your regular Vons-type market, if there's soy, etc...)

The other review made a comment about the title, which I think is total genius. Then again, I get the HP Lovecraft/Evil Dead reference. What else could you call the "ultimate vegan cookbook" besides the "Veganomicon"??

Not only does this book have great recipes, but it will totally add ideas to your cooking arsenal. After making the "Black Bean Burgers", I am never buying packaged veggie burgers again!

p.s. do yourself a favor and make the "Leek and Bean Cassoulet with Biscuits".

Your Stove is Asking You to Buy It., November 5, 2007
From the moment the book arrives, you'll love it! It's not just because of the beautiful photographs and intriguing recipes - it's because the authors and their style of writing capture you, fascinate you, and make you excited to try each and every recipe that they have created.

I'll admit that I am a fan of both Vegan With a Vengeance and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. But I wanted to review Veganomicon without those two prior books in mind. The fact is, I couldn't. I knew that the recipes would be outstanding; the usual nervousness that comes with serving a guest that new pasta recipe was not present. I have a confidence when making Isa and Terry's recipes, a confidence that sometimes does not exist when trying other recipes out for the first time.

I think that each of these reviews, each Veganomicon recipe photograph on Flickr, on blogs, on the Post Punk Kitchen forums, are a testament that many people, experienced chefs and novices alike, absolutely adore this cookbook. And there's no reason why you wouldn't, either.

My favorites so far have been the Eggplant Rollatini and the Lemon Bars. The Pumpkin Ziti with Sage Bread Crumbs is not far behind; I love the cashew ricotta that is used (there are two ricotta recipes in the book - both delicious!). There is something for everyone here, whether you hate vegetables but love mushrooms, choose seitan over tempeh, want breakfast at all times of day, or want to eat a light lunch of bok choy with shallots.

There are excellent recipes for autumn and fall-time meals. The Thanksgiving spread would be more colorful and delectable if you added in a few of the mix and match sides and appetizers, such as Mashed Spiced Sweet Potatoes, Chestnut-Lentil Pate, and Butternut Squash & Pumpkin Seed Rice Paper Rolls.

Thank you for rocking our worlds, Terry and Isa!

Just plain fun!, April 30, 2008
Mine is by no means a vegan household, but how could I resist a book with this title? By the time I had found the authors' explanation, I was in love with the book: "...a big vegan cookbook needed a big vegan name. (But just to be on the safe side, don't read this cookbook backward at the stroke of midnight.)" So I checked it out of the library a month ago Shhh! I KNOW I need to bring it back!

The clever introduction makes the case that "vegan food = normal food." The authors move on to a saucy explanation of prepping and cooking terms and some ingredient-specific advice, endlessly entertaining and informative. Take polenta: "Polenta has been called many things, each more insulting than the last: cornmeal mush, grits, porridge. But it got a new lease on life in the '90s when foodies started referring to it by its proper name and charging twenty dollars a plate for it." They follow with basic polenta-cooking instructions.

I had planned to browse and move on. I don't like to cook fiddly things -- no ravioli-making for me -- and I never seem to have enough of the right ingredients for vegan cooking. But what a surprise this book was! Even with no tempeh or miso on board, a quick pass through the front of the market gave me all I needed for some of these yummy recipes.

We loved the Israeli Couscous with Pistachios and Apricots (confession: I used regular couscous) and the Herb Scalloped Potatoes. I was planning to make Roasted Eggplant and Spinach Muffuletta Sandwich but we ate the roasted eggplant before I got the olives. My favorite recipe so far: Jalapeno-Onion Skillet Corn Bread.

There are many other recipes I'd like to try: Fresh Rosemary Foccaccia, Roasted Portobellos, Chickpeas Romanesco, Penne Vodka; and every single thing pictured in full color in the middle of the book. Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook ends with menu suggestions: My Own Private India Menu, Greek to Me and You Menu, Smash Your TV Dinner Menu. Just the names make you want to throw a party, don't they?

Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero are vegan veterans, and their knowledge and enthusiasm permeate this practical book. I recommend it as a workbook for healthier eating and just for the fun of it, too.

Linda Bulger, 2008

good recipes, perhaps too rushed into print, December 28, 2007
Now let me say first of all, I am a huge fan of the PPK. Their shows and recipes are what made me finally realize I can eat delicious meals without having to rely on meat, and I've been the happier for it. I also love their other two cookbooks.

For some reason though, I can never get Isa's pancake recipes to work though. I tried making the blueberry corn pancakes while at my in laws, and it was basically a giant nightmare (similar thing happened with the recipe from VwaV). Whatever, it may be something with me, I don't know. And I must say, for the most part, the recipes in this cookbook have been really good.

What I'm more annoyed about, however, is a number of glaring editing errors. There are a lot of spelling errors and misprints in the book. I was really looking forward to making the fudgy wudgy blueberry brownies, but for some reason there's mention of applesauce in the recipe instructions while it's nowhere to be found on the ingredient list. I tried looking it up on the PPK site but it's nowhere to be found, so I'm not sure if it's something they forgot to add to the ingredient list, or something they forgot to subtract from the recipe instructions, not to mention I have no clue how much I'd put in it. There have been other incidences like this throughout the cookbook, and it's starting to make me wonder if I should have waited until it went through another edition or something.

Anyway, the recipes really are tasty, I just think they rushed to print it and the recipes themselves I think suffer.

It's a celebration of food., May 15, 2008
As an experienced cook, but a new vegan (I had never even been a vegetarian before), this cookbook is just what I needed, and I'm so grateful that I found it!

True to its name, this is a behemoth of a cookbook that covers a huge amount of ground. It gives respectful attention to all types of meals, from mains to soups, salads to casseroles, sandwiches to cookies. My favourite is the "Mix & Match" section, which has many recipes for what would usually be called 'sides' - small dishes of vegetables, grains, tofu/tempeh/seitan or legumes - that you can combine however you like to form a solid and diverse meal. There's also a very useful 'basics' section where all sorts of things are explained, from knife techniques to how to cook most major grains and legumes.

The recipes have a diverse range of regional influences, from Mexican to Northern Slavic, from Southeast Asian to French. The authors don't timidly follow the traditions of all the cuisines they borrow from, but neither do they clumsily make one big homogenised mess of them. Instead, they confidently, but respectfully, borrow from all sorts of cuisines to make a diverse range of dishes that, even if they are unorthodox, still make sense.

I've heard complaints from vegans that many vegan cookbooks are too health-food'y, to the point of being boring or unappealing. Not this one. Don't get me wrong, the overwhelming majority of recipes in this book are most definitely very healthy: fresh vegetables, legumes, and various other wholefoods feature prominently and abundantly. But as you peruse the recipes, you get the distinct feeling that this is a book that, more than anything else, celebrates food. When I first decided to go vegan, I was apprehensive about how limited my diet would become - this book, however, has put my mind forever at ease in that regard.

A good tendency of this cookbook is that the dishes all seem to be very 'do-able'. Although the recipes rarely call for processed ingredients or lazy shortcuts that would compromise quality and flavour, neither are they overly laborious. So far, I haven't found a recipe that looked too hard to bother with, and most of them I could happily make on a weeknight.

I really like the way the recipes are presented. Each of them gives an estimate of the preparation time, has directions that are clear and concise but not clinical, and provides a short 'prologue' from the authors (a feature that's sorely lacking from many cookbooks). These prologues often give you a good idea of the character of the dish, what it goes well with, and some potential pitfalls to look out for while making it. And the girls write with such a pleasant style and great sense of humour that they're worth reading just for that.

Of course, no cookbook is perfect, and neither is this one. Firstly, for a non-American, the ye olde measuring system they use - with ounces, 1/4 inches, Fahrenheits and all the rest of it - is distracting. Secondly, and more importantly, the recipes - in my experience - have been a bit hit and miss. But when I say "miss", I don't mean that they didn't work, or that they were dreadful, but simply that they weren't as terrific as I'd hoped. However, I've never met a cookbook that didn't have some misses, and the Veganomicon hit-miss ratio has so far been pretty good. Furthermore, when the dishes have been good, they've often been fabulous.

Since the cookbook has its imperfections, I was going to give it 4 stars. But then I thought about what it is that I ultimately look for in a cookbook. I concluded that I want a cookbook that will make reliably good dishes, several of which will become lasting favourites, forever enriching my repertoire. If the cookbook is really good, then it will also excite me about food; it'll be a book I can depend on to inspire me when I'm feeling low on ideas and motivation to cook. The Veganomicon has not only been a reliable source of good dishes, but it is flooding my repertoire with new favourites, so far rivalling any cookbook before it in this department. I have also found its pages to be full of inspiration. Before I bought it, I was excited about becoming a vegan for ethical reasons. Now I'm also excited about it for culinary reasons. 5 stars.

Flavor + integrity = Veganomicon, December 31, 2007
Vegan with a Vengeance, I think, made a lot of people aware that vegans did not have to sacrifice real and filling food in order to eat ethically. Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World made people understand that we didn't have to choose between incredible, mouth-popping flavor and baked goods. With Veganomicon, Isa Chandra Moskowitz and her partner in crime Terry Hope Romero have thrown down the gauntlet to not only other vegans but also other cookbook authors. I don't think I have ever seen any other volume that has so successfully and beautifully combined authentic flavors and innovative- but never fussy- techniques.

I haven't made everything in this cookbook- I think that undertaking would be something along the lines of Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen- but what I have made has blown me away. First and foremost, Pasta Della California. Oh my God- linguine in a lime, wine and garlic sauce with arugula (I use spinach), broccoli and avocado. First of all, it's so chockfull of vegetables reading the recipe makes you feel like you've gotten your daily requirements of fiber, vitamin A and C. Second of all, avocados in a cooked dish- and it works! I am so in love with this dish I can't begin to describe it. The best part of it is that it's so good that my picky three-year-old son even eats it.

While it goes without saying that their tofu ricotta and wheat-free chocolate chip cookies (a recipe flexible enough to withstand the addition of wheat) are incredible, I must mention her Cheezy "Nooch" Sauce. This is just one example of how their use of simple techniques from the realm of traditional cooking (bechamel, anyone?) and a few ultra simple substitions makes for an incredible culinary experience. All vegans who have pined for cheese sauce need to go out and buy this book right now just for this recipe. It is so good and so versatile. I've used it at least five times since I bought the cookbook a month and a half ago with pasta and spinach- and it's delicious. Not only do the picky toddlers like it, but so does the finnicky thirteen-year-old. Enough said.

But possibly my favorite "recipe" of all is the ice cream sandwich and it's nine variations. This included next to their delicious and fool-proof ice cream recipe. (How fool proof? I was able to make this by swapping out the ice cream make for the blender- that's how fool proof.) And of course you can, as she even recommends, go grab any old vegan ice cream and any old (usually overpriced) vegan cookie and make these yourself, but I haven't seen these offerings, combinations or ideas for vegans- or non-vegans- anywhere else.

I've got to admit, it is a let down that this cookbook isn't as beautifully glossy as Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World, but the photo spread in the middle is very well-styled and inspirational. I can't wait to get to the rest of these recipes.

Buy it. Read it. Laugh. Cook. Eat. Smile!, July 22, 2008
This is not just a cookbook, it is a fun-to-read, text-book-sized instruction manual on how to use your vegan kitchen and almost everything in it. Not only are these recipes tasty (the ones I've had time to try, listed below), they are thoroughly explained, step-by-step, in a delightfully humorous fashion. My boyfriend was teasing me for "reading" a cookbook, but I just couldn't put it down! I have read it cover to cover since last Friday when I received it, and I am thoroughly impressed.

As a relatively new vegan, I'd been suffering through trying to "veganize" standard recipes with fake meats and fake cheeses with marginal success. This book moves beyond using store-bought fake ground beef, etc and gives you home-made, unique, and delicious alternatives. So far I have made the Almesan (vegan parmesan topping - YUM!), marinara sauce (so delicious and easy that I will never buy sauce in a jar again!), tofu ricotta (wow, it even looks like ricotta!), spinach lasagna (my omni boyfriend LOVED it), and jelly donut cupcakes (big hit at work).

The book starts out with an introduction on the terminology and a description of some of the "unusual" ingredients with which a new-ish vegan may not be familiar. Then there are 3 sections on basic things you need to know to be successful in the kitchen before you try a recipe - "How to cook a bean," "How to cook a grain," and "How to cook a vegetable." If you don't learn something from these sections, then you probably don't need to buy a cookbook to begin with and should just open your own restaurant immediately!

While some of the recipes are decidedly "gourmet," this manual is filled with so many great tips that go along with the plethora of recipes, and tips for vegan kitchen use in general that you should be successful even if you've never boiled water before. However, the style of the writing makes the in-depth descriptions interesting even if you are an advanced cook who doesn't need all the details provided.

My recommendation: Buy it. Read it. Laugh. Cook. Eat. Smile!

Update (8/28/2008): I have since originally writing this review made the Cashew Ricotta (used it in manicotti), Tempeh Shepherdess Pie, and Mac Daddy MacnCheese - I really enjoyed all of them.

I'm not vegan - I'm not even vegetarian - GREAT COOKBOOK!, January 17, 2008
I got this book as a gift - although I had it on my wishlist because my husband and I hate vegetables and I was desperately trying to find a delicious way to reduce our meat intake and begin enjoying vegetables like many other adults do.

Yes, many of the recipes are not "healthy" but many are significantly healthier. I very much appreciated the introductory sections on the "How To" of everything - as someone who doesn't eat too many vegetables in the first place, I had no idea how to cook 1/2 of them. The recipes are clearly written and easy to follow. The writing style is much more like a blog than a complicated book and we're actually eating meat-free meals on a regular basis now.

Highly recommended - even if you aren't vegan (oh and the lemon coconut cake is to die for! I never thought a vegan cake could be any good - I was SO wrong.)

Tasty Vegan Goodness!, December 5, 2007
I was a big fan of Vegan with a Vengeance and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, so I was counting down the days until Veganomicon was released. I jumped right in and started preparing some of the recipes on a daily basis. Of the 30 or so recipes I've made, I've loved almost every single one of them. WARNING: However, if you are an on-the-go type of cook, this book may be too time intensive for you (most of the recipes take 45 minutes or more, not including prep work like chopping veggies). One of my favorite's is the Chili Cornmeal Crusted Tofu Po'boy. So delicious!! Also, make sure to try the chocolate chocolate chip cookies! Another thing I love about it is that it's hardbound, large, and sturdy for those messy cooks like myself. If you want a huge selection of recipes with not too many hard to find items, this is a great cookbook for yourself and any other food loving person in your life.

Just An Amazing Cookbook. Thanks Isa and Terry!, October 25, 2007
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. As a married mother of three finding Vegan recipes the whole family will love can be a challenge. Not anymore! With choices that range from Almost All American Pot Pie to Penne Vodka, you would be hard pressed to not be able to find things everyone will like. The ingredient instructions and how to sections in the front of the book are perfect for my Vegan teen who is just beginning to branch out from making the random desert (thanks to Vegan with a Vengeance and Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)into cooking "real food". The chatty and suportive tone makes it feel like your best friends have just come over to help you learn to make awesome food. The Icons make it easy to meal plan or find things to accomodate friends with allergies. I really like the mix and match section too for throwing together meals based on a big household's competing favorite ingredients and flavors. Do yourself a favor and buy this book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Featuring 800 Kitchen-Tested Recipes for More Healthful Eating Every Day of the Week PLUS Full Nutritionals for every recipe

Plus Recipe Makeovers of Everyone s Family Favorites, Hundreds of Step-by-Step Photographs, and Opinionated Ingredient and Equipment Ratings



A groundbreaking addition to our best-selling ringbound cookbook series, this all-purpose cookbook delivers 800 foolproof recipes for healthier everyday fare from breakfast dishes and appetizers to pasta, meat, chicken, kid-friendly favorites, desserts, and more. With this comprehensive cookbook in your kitchen, eating well will no longer be a chore. Here we offer up all-American, homestyle recipes that won t leave you hungry from multigrain pancakes, lowfat spaghetti and meatballs, Tex-Mex meatloaf, skillet pizzas, hearty beef and vegetable stew, and creamy lowfat spinach lasagna to rich-tasting scalloped potatoes, fudgy brownies, rustic apple tart, carrot cake, and lots of simple fruit desserts. Here you ll also find naturally lean recipes like our Spa Chicken and Lemony Steamed Spa Fish as well as healthy vegetable and grain classics and an entire chapter of vegetarian main dishes.



Cook from this volume and you ll learn tips and techniques that will forever alter the way you cook. Banish fried foods but still serve crispy chicken fingers, eggplant Parmesan, and oven-fried fish with our simple tricks (we toast the bread crumbs for that fried flavor). And learn to incorporate more vegetables and whole grains into all sorts of everyday dishes with easy recipes such as Hearty Ten Vegetable Stew, Chicken Baked in Foil with Fennel, Carrots, and Orange, Stuffed Acorn Squash with Barley, Multigrain Pizza Dough,Fusilli with Kale and White Beans, and Barley Risotto with Roasted Butternut Squash.



And while we kept our eye on the bottom-line nutritionals, we also focused on using healthy ingredients too, so while some recipes might be a little higher in fat and calories, that is because they use nutritionally valuable foods like salmon, avocados, nuts, and seeds (and more). We also relied on many lower-fat ingredients here and we tell you which ones really measure up from ricotta and cream cheese to cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, and sour cream. Which one you choose and when you use it can make a big difference in your final dish. With this book in hand, home cooks everywhere will be able to make simple changes in how they shop, eat, and cook changes that will deliver a big payoff to their family s health. ... Read more

Reviews

Amazing range and depth, excellent recipes and tips, August 23, 2010

Healthier recipies that taste great, August 27, 2010

Good book, but if you already have the non-health version,, September 15, 2010

"Move over Betty Crocker", August 26, 2010

Great, Overwhelming, Fantastic..., September 22, 2010

Another classic in the making!, August 26, 2010

One of those books you just know you're going to love..., October 10, 2010
I was so excited to start trying recipes from this cookbook. It was very interesting to peruse through it. One of my favorite cookbooks is America's Test Kitchen's Family Cookbook (minus the healthy title). I've had it for three or four years and have a bunch of favorite recipes in it. Basically, that cookbook is an updated, modern version of Betty Crocker or the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. There's more flavor and spice in America's Test Kitchen's recipes than in the two I just mentioned. When I heard the Healthy Family version was coming out, I was very curious. We strive to eat healthy foods, but we have our share of foods that we love that aren't so good for us, too. Overall, though, I think we try to eat healthy foods. I also am always on the look out for good low fat recipes because they inspire me to cook and eat better.

When I first opened this cookbook, I noticed that a few sections are different than the regular family cookbook such as stir-fries and curries and kid pleasing foods. Though I haven't tried any of the stir fry sauce recipes yet, I am looking forward to it!

For the most part, the recipes in this cookbook are different than in the original cookbook, though a few have only minor changes. The great chili and cornbread recipes are here but with minor changes. Still, it is a different cookbook. I was most curious about the baking recipes. I tried the brownie recipe and was wowed by it! Last night, I made the oatmeal raisin cookies and when my neighbor tried them, her eyes widened. She loved them and so did I! I made the Butternut squash soup this week--which was very good though it didn't need the extra vegetable broth added to it. I made several other recipes along the way including the strawberry banana smoothie and all have turned out well. I also made the Chinese chicken salad. I was so surprised at how they made it lowfat! I still added 2 Tbsp of sugar because I do like it just a tad sweet, but that's a far cry from the 1/2 cup sugar in my original recipe that I've been making for 10 years. With one recipe I did skip a couple of their steps because it simply wasn't practical for me and the recipe still did turn out okay. But, in general, you do need to follow the recipe's directions in these two cookbooks. They often add different quirky and unexpected steps in that make the recipes come out better work.

One big difference that I noticed in this cookbook was that the recipes are either designated Fast or they have no time identifier. In the original cookbook, there was a prep time identified which I usually found inaccurate for me (and I am a quick cook). So, I suppose it's probably wiser to omit the prep time estimation altogether.

I liked the philosophy that this cookbook had about food. It was moderate, middle of the road and wasn't extreme. I typically do choose lowfat over nonfat products. When products go the way of nonfat, many artificial ingredients are added in. The other bits of advice scattered throughout this cookbook about cooking equipment and ingredients is all very helpful.

I highly recommend this cookbook. But, I have one last piece of advice. What I did with my original cookbook is get a separate binder and take my favorite recipes and put them inside sheet protectors. I will likely do the same with my recipes from this one. It is a large binder with thin, magazine thickness pages. It is durable enough for looking through once in a while, but if you use it constantly, the pages just won't hold up.

If you're looking for one family cookbook, I'd recommend this one first--simply because the recipes are healthier. But, the original family cookbook is wonderful as well. They compliment each other!

Please note that I received a complimentary copy of this book for review from Boston Common Press.

Some Good Reasons For Another Cookbook, September 13, 2010

More of what we like from ATK, with a healthy spin., September 15, 2010

A Healthy CookBook with Tons of Information and Options!, August 28, 2010

Editorial Review

A full-spectrum nutritional cookbook with a startling message--animal fats and cholesterol are vital factors in the human diet, necessary for reproduction and normal growth, proper function of the brain and nervous system, protection from disease and optimum energy levels.Includes information on how to prepare grains, health benefits of bone broths and enzyme-rich lacto-fermented foods. ... Read more

Reviews

Great read even if you don't cook, March 18, 2002
I was seeing references to this book in other books that I found helpful: The Metabolic Typing Diet and Life Without Bread. (I also like Natural Hormonal Enhancement which was not available on Amazon when I purchased it.) But I delayed more than a year before buying Nourishing Traditions. I figured if I knew what to eat, I didn't need a cookbook too.

I was wrong. This is a textbook as much as a cookbook. I liken it to Joy of Cooking. You can learn a lot from it about food and nutrition even if you never use its recipes. I have used recipes from both, though, and can attest to their deliciousness. But I must admit, for me the best thing about reading Nourishing Traditions is learning about nutrition, not learning new recipes.

The authors criticize the "Diet Dictocrats" who propound the "politically correct" low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. I find the epithet of "politically correct" rather grating and would hope they drop it in later editions.

The book's thesis is a Rousseauian one: industrial food production yields a product unsuited to our body's nature. To find out what is suited to our nature, we ought to rely on research of what preindustrial societies consumed. Thus, as another reviewer pointed out, they view themselves as continuators of the program initiated by the Dentist Weston Price.

I can speak from personal experience that the low-fat dogma was a recipe for disaster for me. I also give the authors credit for recognizing a wide spectrum of ideal diets depending on one's genetic makeup. What is more problematic is how one draws the line between natural and unnatural. Is the line to be drawn between industrial and nonindustrial societies, or is it more basic than that. The book NeanderThin, for example sees humanity making a wrong turn with the advent of civilization. Civilization brings cultivation of grain and the domestication of dairy animals. Nourishing Traditions embraces dairy and grain as long as they are prepared in ways consistent with nonindustrial societies.

Despite these controversies, Nourishing Traditions is a treasure trove of valuable information. Just one small tidbit: there is a concern that beef in the USA has an unfavorable fat profile--there is an usatisfactory omega 6/omega 3 fatty acid ration. I just learned from Nourishing Traditions that this problem is not present with lamb in the USA because lamb is virtually all pasture-raised. Since I live in a small apartment and have no place to hang a side of pasture-fed beef, this was very helpful information.

OK, OK, one more tidbit. Everyone by now should know that people who eat nuts live longer. I love the taste of nuts but they always were hard for me to digest. Nourishing Traditions explains why and told me how to eat nuts without the digestive upset. These people know their stuff.

I've seen five stars on a lot of books, that were, frankly, pretty lightweight. This book is a keeper. It's not someone's brilliant marketing concept turned into a book. It's clearly the product of much, much, hard work. It's not the final word. But it's a comprehensive presentation of a coherent worldview on healthy nutrition.

Responding to some objections UPDATED, July 13, 2008
While the front matter in the book is pretty earth-shaking in terms of toppling most dietary shibboleths erected in recent years, the sidebar information as you go through the book is just as eye-opening. But let me deal with some objections I noted when reading Amazon reviews of this book. There are over 200 reviews, which says something about this book: it may not be on airport book racks, but people are reading it.

The NT way of eating is downright dangerous.

This is in the eye of the beholder. Most studies showing a decrease in heart disease deaths due to cholesterol-lowering drugs or diets show an increase in death rates from all causes. Which one are you going to take your chances with? Several well-done studies audited by independent researchers show no correlation between deaths related to heart disease or artheriosclerosis and the consumption of butter, eggs, and red meat. A few studies show that butter and saturated fats appear to have a protective effect.

What happens is that the government, the American Heart Association, the American Dietetic Association, and others (the Diet Dictocrats), cherry pick the studies they will publicize and which aspects of these studies the public will learn about--which the MSM then dutifully report to John Q. Public. Studies whose results seem to defy the diet-heart hypothesis are silenced, starved of funds, and ultimately shuttered. Hence you have people like my father-in-law who says he's not supposed to eat organ meats because they are high in cholesterol. There is absolutely no relationship between the amount of cholesterol in a food and the likelihood of it contributing to artheriosclerosis. The one exception is a form of oxidized cholesterol (present in powdered milk and powdered eggs, and in liquid lowfat milk), which did produce artheriosclerosis in rats. These are the foods we are supposed to eat to lower our cholesterol, and they actually contribute to heart disease!

Sally Fallon et al. have a thing against vegetarians.
This criticism was the most prevalent among the reviews. The reviewers were very emotional in their comments...but that should not be construed as reflecting an emotionalism (can I say that?) in the book. The book is unemotional. However, vegetarianism is the most deeply established alternate diet we have--many people are invested in it body, heart, and soul. I won't debate here whether vegetarianism is a good diet or not, but I will say that there are several points in the book where it's pointed out that pure vegetarian (vegan) diets are likely to contribute to a deficiency in fat-soluble vitamins (which come from animal products, primarily), some B vitamins and, if the grains/beans/legumes are unsoaked and unfermented, to the loss of minerals. Children in particular are profoundly affected by the lack of animal fat in the diet, and this is very sad to see.

On the other hand, a form of "vegetarianism" is followed in some cultures (more out of necessity than choice) which includes animal products in the form of eggs, raw and cultured dairy products, seafood, shrimp and fish eggs, and insects. These high-vitamin foods are sought-after commodities in these cultures, since they contain the all-important fat-soluble activators necessary for strength, long life, and healthy reproduction. The book notes that these more vegetarian cultures tend to suffer more from dental caries (as noted by Dr. Price) than others, but there are no diatribes.


The book is not well referenced.
I do not get this one at all. There are 63 footnoted pages of text explaining traditional foods, the role of certain substances in the diet (with an emphasis on fats), and the shortcomings of modern food processing and what can be done about it. There are 188 references listed in a separate section; most of these are research periodicals.

Sally Fallon is down on working moms.
"No one in modern America deserves more sympathy than the working parent on a limited budget....While it is not necessary to spend long hours in the kitchen in order to eat properly, it is necessary to spend some time in the kitchen. Simple, wholesome menus require careful planning rather than long hours of preparation...nutritious meals can be prepared very quickly when one lays the groundwork ahead of time. If your present schedule allows no time at all for food preparation, you would be wise to re-examine your priorities." There are two pages of simple hints and advice that anybody could follow.

Sally Fallon is down on moms who don't breastfeed.
"If, in spite of these measures, your milk supply is inadequate, don't feel guilty. Lack of adequate milk supply sometimes does occur, especially as baby grows and his appetite increases. You have done the best you could and your baby can still grow up healthy, strong and smart on a homemade, whole-food baby formula."

Soaked baked goods don't turn out.
There may be some credence to this criticism. I don't know all the recipes (there aren't many bread/baked goods recipes in the book). The one recipe I made produced some very decent sourdough bread. It turned out just as the book said--it was different, and boy was it sour! The good news is, you don't have to be a purist. Although refined flour is bad for the body, you don't have to eat it by the truckload. Making your own bread (even if it breaks the NT rules) is still better than buying stuff from the store; it's fresher, tastes better, and you can buy a bag of top-quality flour for the same price you'll pay for a loaf of the good stuff. If you do that, you will rely less on pre-made bread products for the foundation of your diet--lowering your overall intake of refined carbohydrates. Without all the flour-based products from the store, and with a few home-made loaves and a batch of cornbread or muffins now and then, your protective fats will take care of you.

Sally Fallon and Mary Enig reference their own works.
This is to be expected, after one has written a number of extended/scholarly works (which Mary Enig has done) and is now contributing to a book intended for a general audience.

The recommended foods/supplements are too expensive.
After reading The Maker's Diet, I had the same thought: how is everybody supposed to get a hold of raw milk and grass-fed meat? We don't all live in California and have Silicon Valley-sized incomes, bub. Don't even get me started on the supplements. This is not the case with NT. While it's true that if you want the ultimate cod-liver oil, it can get kinda spendy, the emphasis here is on putting the highest quality of food you can afford on the table. A philosophical shift might be helpful here. You will become convinced, reading this book, that the epidemic in degenerative disease afflicting Americans is due to our long-distance, highly processed mode of food production. A dollar spent today on high-quality food may save thousands in medical bills down the road. It is an investment, and you get to choose where you need to spend and where you can pull back. There are many, many simple ideas and techniques in the book that you can incorporate right now in your kitchen, lots of basic recipes and just a few key ingredients you can stock right away. Like lard.

The recipes/cooking methods take too much time.
This also would seem to be a criticism that sticks. But here again, we need to examine priorities. Do we really need to watch 3 hours of television a night? Do the kids really need to be trucking here and there to a different activity every afternoon/evening? Why can't Mom get some help in the kitchen? Perhaps the family needs to spend more time together, planting a square foot garden. Then everybody can get excited about eating food that tastes good and is good for you. And if all that Pollyannish stuff doesn't work out, Mom can just get sneaky. Pull out the margarine and substitute butter. Put liver in the tacos. Use brown rice pasta and less of it. More rice and potatoes and less bread. No more bottled salad dressing. Soak everything.

Personally, I used to stress about every meal when I first started using this book. Then I realized that if I just took 5 minutes every night to think through the next day's meals, everything went so much more smoothly. I could soak the oatmeal or the beans, get some stock going to simmer through the night, pull out meat from the freezer, or if all else fails, make a shopping list and figure out how I can procure the stuff I need. Sometimes it can be difficult to locate a crucial ingredient. NT has a Sources page that is invaluable, especially if you want to try making something exotic, like kombucha. The Internet, of course, offers a lot of different packaged goods. And then again, different areas of the country have access to different foodstuffs. I could go to Trader Joe's and Wild Oats in Washington but they don't have that here. On the other hand, I can buy meat and milk directly from a farm. And lard from local hogs.

***

This is long, and sometimes I wonder why I stay up to write about such things. Is a review of Nourishing Traditions really that important? I think it is, and I'll tell you why. Because when you read about Dr. Price and what he learned about the impact of nutrition on the body (not just the teeth), you will realize that being in the home, cooking fresh high-quality food for your family, is the most important thing you can do. All the things modernity has brought us, all the activities (for better or for worse) have tempted us away from the table and pushed us toward the TV tray. Fast, flash-frozen, microwaved meals and reheated pizza--no wonder we are all fat and exhausted. Cancer, diabetes, heart disease, stroke--they wait at the end of our lives for us and what can we do to protect ourselves? More immediately, when a child is born and the birth is difficult, or the child has physical problems, it is absolutely searing for the parents. When that child grows up and has allergies, learning disabilities, childhood diseases or cancer, everyone suffers. Poor nutrition in the parents is a death sentence for the next generation.

The health care crisis in this country has a lot of factors involved in it--but one of the most preventable causes, one over which we have the most control, is what we put on our table and what we put in our mouths. We have the power to heal ourselves and it is worth making it a priority.

UPDATE 4/9/09
Still cooking with this book. Lately I've experimented alot more with the soaked flour recipes and have gotten good results. And while my husband tried to tell me politely that he really didn't prefer the sourdough bread, the yeasted buttermilk bread is a hit. And it smells like heaven while baking.

I also bit the bullet and bought the Country Living Grain Mill. This is a hand-powered mill and so might not be for everyone, but I'll vouch for it. If you enjoy baked goods as much as I do, it's worth trying to make them as healthy as you can. All the soaked flour recipes turn out hearty, whole grain products that only involve one extra step (besides grinding, that is)--you take the flour and liquid (usually buttermilk) and mix it up the night before and leave it out. Only the pancakes are really "soaked" in the sense that you get a soupy mixture. The rest of the time it just forms a ball of dough.

The real secret to these recipes is the food processor. You are taking a pretty firm ball of flour and buttermilk (or yogurt or cream cheese) and trying to work a few tablespoons of yeast/salt/water/honey/whatever into it the morning after. The food processor (a powerful one--I use a Kitchenaid) makes this task relatively quick and painless, since inadequate mixing will result in hard dry spots in your finished product. If you want to make these recipes and have to choose between the food processor and the grain mill, get the food processor. (I doubted I'd use one very much, but it sees frequent use in our kitchen.)

Cookies and cakes...the next frontier. The few cookie recipes in the book are very different than what I'm used to, but the ones based around ground nuts are easy to make and absolutely delicious. There aren't many different recipes for muffins and quick breads, although some variations are provided. You can experiment. You can also take an "ordinary" recipe and try to modify it in some way to bring it more in line with NT principles.

Some NT "recipes" are really no-brainers that are obviously favorites in the author's family or meant to jog your brain into thinking more creatively. The Flourless Carob Cake, for instance, is a basic sponge cake that you might find somewhere else and yet not try in favor of the more familiar flour-based ones. It is in fact pretty easy to make, and very sophisticated. Good luck, and happy baking.

Maybe the most vitally important and essential nutrition book to exist, August 22, 2005
It is unfortunate that the Spotlight review, under the heading, "Like the ideas, not the presentation," is the first one readers here see, because the review is written by someone who hasn't a clue as to how vitally important this book is. Such a misinformed review only undermines the astonishing scope of this book; it is evident that this reviewer has not any viable credentials to back up what amounts to a series of laughably feeble reasoning points. Worse, it is evident that the reviewer has not actually read Weston A. Price's "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration," which she dismisses in a naively peremptory way. Anyone who has read this eye-opening, exhaustively researched book on primitive versus modern diets, and see the evidence presented, will see why Sally Fallon and Mary G. Enig have spearheaded a virtual campaign on the dangers of modern diets.

Let's face it - our foods have changed. And not for the better. In the long span of history, the last 100 years has wrought some devastating transformations in how food is handled, prepared, and, most insidiously - processed. Our genes are basically used to food that for millenia, was relatively pure, wholesome, unaltered and uncorrupted. So, since the turn of the century, matters began to shift. As manufacturing and processing became more sophisticated, food began to undergo a drastic change. Not having any longer to butcher our own beef, harvest our own vegetables and grains, make our own fats, we could rely on "companies" to start doing it for us. And what did we get in return? Fats (perhaps most disturbingly) are chemically altered and hydrogenated, turning them into dangerous poisons (just READ how margarine is made - it will incite one big colossal "yuck"); animals are mass produced in inhumane warehouses; are fed poor diets and get injected with god knows what; grains and vegetables are grown in sterile, pesticide-laden soils; refined, devitalized sugar and flour is in everything; we're offered and forced everything from hydrogenated fats to high-fructose corn syrup to MSG to plastic sugars. And guess what? This is the sickest, fattest time Americans live in. Heart disease, cancer, obesity, degenerative diseases, are at an all-time high. We have antibiotics, anti-imflammatories to conquer infectious diseases, but in return, we have heart disease, cancer, degenerative and neurological dysfunctions in its place. As this exhaustively researched and documented book illustrates, the culprits for this state of affairs is definitely tied to the devastating changes wrought in our foods. Though the medical establishment has found a way to treat diseases, it has ignored many of the current causes of those diseases in the first place.

This book offers a method, a return, so to speak, to a time when food was consumed in its purest state. Ironically, that's a difficult thing to do; only through specialty stores and farmers can we get naturally raised food. Most of the food - as cheaply and quickly made as possible - offered in supermarkets is nutritionally worthless, being as it is, refined, processed, laden with questionable chemicals and riddled with substances that have no place in our bodies. The sobering fact remains: most food conglomerates simply don't care about consumers' health.

Sally Fallon, along with Mary G. Enig, has done an astonishing, thorough and painstaking job in spelling out all that one needs to know regarding all manner of information about food. The writing is clear, easy to understand, and concise. The passion and near-missionary fervor with which they have pursued their topic is inspiring and infectious. The breadth of their research and work cannot be overestimated. The scope, level of information, expos�s and hardcore truths these women offer is mesmerizing: one is fixated by what they know and the surprising, irrefutable facts that are detailed (by the way, the sidebars in the recipe sections of anecdotes, information and lore are fascinating). It may in fact be the singular most important body of work on food contained in a single volume. In particular, one needs to pay attention to the information regarding the matter of fats. Enig, a PhD in lipid chemistry, plainly details how fats in today's food supply has wrought health havoc, what to avoid (polyunsaturates and hydrogenated fats are a menace), what is good, and how to go about using them correctly.

Many reviewers in this forum have complained of how complicated it is to take the time to properly prepare many of the foods and recipes Fallon offers. That may be so, but the time invested is worth it. As we as consumers are made more aware of how things must be done, it may be that we simply have no choice ~~ if we are to achieve the best of health ~~ to make the proper preparation of food a top priority once again. Some of the suggestions regarding raw foods is controversial, and not everyone will be convinced, but they make a strong case, nevertheless.

This book will not please vegans and vegetarians, who will be doing a virtual "foul" howl at the convincing scientific argument that we need animal fats and animal based foods. I will never consider vegetarianism after reading this book. Fallon makes a most eloquent plea for the bounty of animals we have been offered.

I have been subsisting on the nutrition advice based on this book for a year. I eat pastured beef, chicken, raw butter, raw milk, raw cheese, organic vegetables, lacto-fermented foods, plenty of stock-based sauces, coconut oil, nuts. Fats make up about 50-60% of my diet. Not only do I feel better (no more joint problems, no more dry skin, no more digestive discomforts), and: not only have I maintained the most stable weight I ever have at a stretch, I've actually lost fat, while my fat intake has increased. I look younger, feel stronger and have more vitality. To me it makes common sense to eat food closest to the way nature intended.

It will do well to remember that any food made by Mother Nature is the way to go: any food that's been made in a factory, chemically altered or changed drastically from its original state, beware.

It is so easy to get carried away by the nutritional information, that it may be easy to overlook the marvelous, inventive and tantalizing recipes. Again, the scope, selection and research on these recipes is amazing...they are numerous, varied, and appetizing. Nearly every cultural cuisine is covered in some small or large part, and are clearly detailed. Most of all, if one relishes culinary challenges, there are some intriguing ones as such offered here.

This book may be the most valuable nutritional guide one should own.

Nourishing Traditions is a monument., March 26, 1998
Sally Fallon's book is large in size and in its implications, valiantly sweeping away all the fog and ignorance that is endemic in the field of nutrition today. The book, focussing as it does on traditional (pre-modern) food selection and preparation, is revolutionary in all its common sense, prompting the reader to nod and say, "Yes, that's really true." It seems increasingly baffling to me that, amidst the daily deluge of ideas criss-crossing the landscape of the nutrition frontier, very few people acknowledge the contribution of 50,000 years of human history in the creation and maintenance of health. Well, Sally Fallon does. This book takes the reader to the highest ground yet. I particularly appreciated the excerpts from other books and journals, which are included liberally in sidebars throughout the book. It is a lot like reading several books in one, such is the cumulative scope of Nourishing Traditions. Of course, the recipes, all 700 of them, are fabulous. The book also has an excellent resource section to aid the reader in applying the principles laid out in the text. Finally, one comment on the book's subtitle, "The Cookbook That Challenges Politically Correct Nutrition and the Diet Dictocrats": This book does not tip-toe around the issues. The introduction, besides revealing many frightening (and rarely realized) facts about the state of current nutrition, also issues a call to action for people to release themselves from the collective trance perpetuated through advertising, through the common rationale that "we eat pretty well already," and even through many of the currently popular trends today, including veganism. Prepare to be educated. Prepare to do some weeding. This is a big, bright, shout-from-the-rooftops cookbook that should be required reading for anyone who has the slightest doubt about what they eat. And for those, more likely, who have no doubts.

Building on Dr. Price's Work, August 6, 2007
The 'most helpful' review for this book here at Amazon questions the reliance by this book on Dr. Weston Price's work, simply because he was a dentist. Fair enough, but the smart thing would be to see what he said for yourself. Instead of relying on Sally Fallon's word for why Dr. Price's work was so important, I went and read his book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration, myself. I actually checked out one printed in the 1940's from a university library, to avoid any reprint changes he may or may not have approved.

His work is fascinating. He first sought to understand why isolated people on traditional, unprocessed diets had such remarkable teeth, dental arches, and resistance to disease, particulary tuberculosis. Instead of focusing on the traditional methods used in medicine that seek to cure medical problems after the fact, he was out to find out a way to prevent the problems in the first place. What a novel idea. What he discovered was that traditional diets of isolated peoples maintained the teeth and health of these people in a dramatic fashion. He also found that within a generation of being exposed to processed food diets, these people began to experience the same health problems we have now. Why rely on his work, which dates some 70 years old? Because this same research can't be done today, there just aren't enough people that are still untouched by civilizaton and processed diets.

Back to this book. I believe much of what Sally Fallon has to say is right on the money. She was wise to heavily rely on what Dr. Price found and then has provided much additional information and some good recipies to go along with it. I agree with some of the other reviews here that state that implementing much of what she suggests into your diet will be a challenge. Our society and the giant food manufacturers have made it so, because that's how they earn a profit. Any way you slice it, eating healthy is a lot more work for you individually because you have to rely on yourself to prepare fresh unprocessed foods. But it's worth doing, and if you take bits and pieces and start to implement them gradually you and your family (and your future offspring) will be much better off because of it.

Scientific Support for Traditional Diets. Wonderful, February 27, 2004
This book by Sally Fallon (with Mary Enig, Ph.D.) is an inspiring polemic against both commercial, prepared food trends and some governmental and research leaders who appear to be making recommendations on nutrition under the influence of commercial interests.

My first impression of the book is that it shows exactly how hard nutritional science actually is. The authors are citing hundreds of technical works from both demographic and controlled experiment studies regarding thousands of different food components in their way to painting a complete picture of good nutrition. Their starting point in painting this picture is the common sense assumption that historical, natural diets are invariably more healthy than those laden with commercially processed foods. This assumption is backed up by demographic research done in the first third of the last century. This is the import of the `traditions' in the title.

It turns out that the potential allies of the authors' approach come from such different quarters as the Atkins diet advocates who endorse eating meat, eggs, and other proteins in preference to (processed) carbohydrates and the `Raw Food' wing of the vegetarian / vegan movement. The latter camp would wholeheartedly endorse the authors' issues with eating foods that retain their original enzymes to aid in digestion. I'm sure the vegans and the Atkins camp will not join forces any time soon, but their appearance in the same metaphorical room on the side of the authors' position is another indication of how multi-sided complex scientific theories can become.

I have no facts to confirm or challenge the authors' claim of corruption on the part of some academics in endorsing a nutritional position to back commercial interests. I will only say that it is irrelevant to the central tenant of the book, which in very simple terms is `Eat the way your great grandparents ate'. Some of the more important details are:

1. Avoid processed fats, starches, sugars, and proteins. They are not of no value. They are unhealthy.
2. Eat animal protein and their accompanying fats.
3. Eat whole grain products.
4. Eat foods prepared in such a way that avoids loosing important nutrients.

Almost all of the authors' statements on individual nutritional facts are backed up by published scientific research. One or two or even ten percent of their references may be flawed, but the overall weight of their evidence is truly impressive. The only problem I find in their characterization of the way things are today is in not giving full credit to medical science in lengthening our lifespans through the suppression of infectious diseases. This is likely to be the reason behind the increase in the frequency of deaths by degenerative diseases like cancer and heart disease, not a catastrophic loss of nutritional value in our diets. That is not to say their claims about the drop in the quality of our diet are not true. Always remember that these gals are making a case, they are not simply publishing scientific results.

While I think the authors have a strong case against processed foods, I find it difficult to fully endorse their next step. Their solution takes us close to the land of food extremists such as both traditional vegetarians and the more radical proponents of `raw' diets. What this means is that they raise up foods which are hard to find or difficult to prepare or are prepared in ways unfamiliar to American kitchens. This may not necessarily be a bad thing. It tends to appeal to my `Whole Earth Catalog' mentality of the home-brew lifestyle. But this lifestyle is simply not practical for the millions who work long, stressful hours followed by time devoted to kids and spouses.

My skepticism regarding their solutions is reinforced by some culinary misstatements such as the suggestion to refrigerate tomatoes after they ripen, to not add garlic to hot fat, and that artisinal breads are not good for sandwiches. The second and third statements are refuted daily by traditional Italian cooking practice. Their condemnation of all aluminum cookware and the microwave also seem more extreme than they need be.

What I take from this work is the very cautious and undramatic conclusion that the safest (and most interesting) culinary path lies in the study and emulation of historical diets. This gives a strong theoretical underpinning to my admiration of educators such as Mario Batali and Paula Wolfert who examine and promote historical cuisines based on the `what grows together, goes together'. This could easily be a subtitle of this book. It also gives support to practitioners such as Rachael Ray who promote fast cooking without resorting to overly processed ingredients.

I love a book that pulls together and validates a wide range of (my) opinions. While this book may not always be right, it is supremely valuable in its provocation to thinking. It is also supremely valuable in it's demonstrating the value of some less common foods such as sauerkraut, cr�me fraiche, and kim chee. This value doubles in that it actually tells you how to make this stuff. Lest it be overlooked, it is important to note that the lions share of the book is a fairly large cookbook of recipes with methods and materials that follow the book's doctrines.

At a list price of $25, the catalogue of vegetables chapter alone is almost worth the price of admission. I'm happy that here, the authors part company with both the advocates of `raw' and the old Adele Davis doctrine of saving veggie cooking water. They reinforce again the conventional wisdom of old school culinary practice which rarely leaves veggies raw. Some raw vegetables contain some bad things and cooking almost always makes the good things more available to digestion.

I recommend this book to everyone as the very next book you need to buy about food.

An Excellent Read & Cookbook, May 18, 2002
This book is much more than a cookbook--it is a nutritional handbook and virtual encyclopedia of food history and food facts. The first 80 pages of the book concern themselves with nutrition basics. The sections on fats, proteins, and carbohydrates are accurate, well-referenced, and needed in today's fat-phobic world. Fallon and Enig (who is a well-known lipid biochemist) dispel the many myths about saturated fats and animal foods.

Recipes for every imaginable dish and drink are given, from appetizers and sauces to fermented fruits/vegetables and beverages. And it was SO nice to see a chapter on preparing wild game and organ meats--nutritious foods that have virtually disappeared from our modern diets (to our decided detriment). The substantial section on vegetables provides detailed nutritional info on each entry, as well as 2-3 tasty recipes.

One caveat: some of the recipes take a lot of work if you want to do them the way Fallon and Enig recommend. For example, they suggest soaking and then drying and grinding your own grains to make flour. Obviously, not everyone has time to do this. I wish there was more emphasis on alternatives for busy people such as myself. Nevertheless, there are still lots of simpler recipes to make and they are tasty and delicious.

The Resources section in the back is excellent and handy for people wanting to get started.

A word to the detractors below:
(1) Indians DO have very high rates of coronary artery disease, even the vegetarian ones, so vegetarianism is NOT a protection against this condition (J Indian Med Assoc 2000 Nov;98(11):694-5, 697-702).
(2) The claims that vegetarians live longer than omnivores (on a healthy diet) are also not supported by available data (R Smith and E Pinckney. Diet, Blood Cholesterol, and Coronary Heart Disease: A Critical Review of the Literature--vol. 2. (Vector Enterprises; CA)., 1991).
(3) The idea that eating animal protein causes calcium loss has been disproven many times over ((a) J Nutr, 1986, 116:316-319; (b) Amer J Clin Nutr, 1983, 924-929; c) J Nutr, 1988, 118(6):657-60; (d) Amer J Clin Nutr, 1999, 69:1:147-52; (e) J Bone & Min Res, 2000, 15:2504-2512; (f) Calcif Tiss Int, 1996, 58:320-5.
(4) The idea that eating a lot of butter or ghee (or other animal fats) contributes to or causes heart disease is false ( Lancet, 1994, 344:1195; (b) Science 2001 Mar 30 291:5513 2536-45).
(5) The idea that eating meat or animal fats contributes or causes various cancers is a popular idea that is not supported by available evidence (The Lancet, 1999, 353:686-7; (b) Aust J Nutr Diet, 1997, 54(4):S1-S44.

I'm wondering if these acrid reviewers bothered to read the book or check its many references.

Also, a few reviewers commented feeling sick after eating some of the recipes. This is usually indicative of digestive weakness and may call for digestive enzymes or fermented foods before a meal to stimulate digestive juice flow. The book does suggest eating some fermented food either right before or with with a meal to facilitate digestion. Again, I'm wondering if the critics have bothered to read the book in any detail. Nausea shortly after eating can also mean that the meal has too much fat in it. Either the people made the recipe wrong or they cannot tolerate higher amounts of fats at one time and need to cut back.

a valuable textbook as well as cookbook, August 22, 2005
I have to correct some of the spurious information in a couple of the negative reviews that I've seen. First of all, yes, Weston A. Price was a dentist, not a nutritionist. Notwithstanding, he made tremendous contributions to the understanding of human health and nutritional needs. He is remembered for what he shared with the world about the travels he made to remote areas of the world to discover what healthy native peoples were eating. He went out with questions, not preformed conclusions, carefully observed, made measurements, took copious notes and photographs, and drew conclusions only after he had accumulated an abundance of evidence. He did not conclude that there was a single one-size-fits-all diet for all people, but that traditional people ate a tremendous variety of different diets, with certain key elements in common:
* they ate nutrient-dense foods
* they prepared foods in ways that maximized nutrients and digestibility
* they ate at least some animal foods, and particularly valued certain animal foods such as liver and organ meats, raw butter from cows grazing on green grass, etc.
* they discovered the value of lacto-fermentation and ate many foods fermented
* they ate some of their animal foods raw
* they ate properly prepared whole grains and seeds (soaked, sprouted, fermented, etc.) to minimize anti-nutrients and increase digestibility
* they produced their own food and taught the younger generations the value of certain foods, especially for pregnant or nursing women, children, and couples wishing to have children
* they spaced their families so women didn't have children more often than every three years so as to have the strength and nutritient stores needed for gestation and lactation, not to mention chilldrearing.
There are probably other points but this covers the key items I think.

The Weston A. Price foundation was founded by Sally Fallon, in about 1999, I believe, and not by Weston Price. Another group, the Price-Pottenger Foundation, serves as an archive of the works of Price as well as Pottenger (I don't remember his whole name; author of nutrition study called Pottenger's Cats) and publishes "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration," which surely must be the most important book on nutrition ever, despite not being written by a "nutritionist." (I've read most of what is out there.)

The WAPF does not accept money from the dairy or meat industries. I am a member and I know Sally. The foundation is supported by member dues, individual and small-business contributions and book sales. For lots of free articles from past issues of the WAPF journal, Nourishing Traditions, visit www.westonaprice.org. I've read almost every WAPF article ever published and am impressed by the high standard of scientific proof adhered to, with citations in scholarly journals and lucid explanations of complicated subjects.

I do agree that Nourishing Traditions can be intimidating at first. I was fascinated but couldn't see myself making all these things from scratch. But gradually I started learning to make one foundational product (sauerkraut), then another (kefir), and I recently jumped in whole hog, so to speak. And for the first time I went back and read the introductory chapter, which lays out the theoretical and philosophical foundations of the book, based on the work of Weston A. Price. If you're confused by the recipes, go back and read the introduction, and just read the book as a text. Then start small. Yes, preparing nutritious food takes time, but it's a valuable investment in your health. Also, the WAPF has local chapters that can help you find sources of whole foods in your region, and you can learn a lot from other members. Check the Web site.

I actually got started in Nourishing Traditions-style cooking when I happened to attend a demonstration of sauerkraut- and kimchee-making by Sandor Katz, the author of the wonderful book Wild Fermentation (which Sally Fallon wrote the intro to). When I realized how easy it was to make saurkraut and how wonderful the process of lacto-fermentation was, I started experimenting. Now, at any given time, I have at least one crock of saurkraut or pickes or both bubbling away on my counter, and others in the refrigerator, and I make kefir every 2-3 days from raw milk. Yum!

Another good introduction to the work of Weston A. Price is "Traditional Foods Are Your Best Medicine," by Ronald Schmid, a naturopath. The first half is best, where he recounts Price's travels and findings and reprints many of the startling photographs he took of the effects of traditional diets vs "white man's food" on various populations. I think Schmid wrote the book before he fully understood the import of certain aspects of Price's findings, so the second half of his book is weaker.

Medical doctor looks at Nourishing Traditions, June 4, 2002
I have been a practicing medical doctor for about 20 years. In that time I have pursued my interest in nutrition literally to all corners of the globe. I have read scores of books on nutrition and treated hundreds if not thousands of patients with nutritional advice and natural medicines. Of all the published nutritional information on the shelves today, by far the most informative, reliable, comprehensive, and useful is Ms. Fallon's Nourishing Traditions. When I first came across Nourishing Traditions a few years ago, I was amazed that one person was about to amass virtually the entire wisdom of traditional societies concerning nutrition into one book. I found ancient recipes, cooking techniques, food preparation insights that are simply not to be found anywhere else. I urge all those who wish to truly pursue their knowledge of nutrition and to regain their own health to do one thing. Buy Nourishing Traditions, read it thoroughly, take a deep breath, and embark on a new way of life. Thomas Cowan, M.D.

One of the Best Books Ever Written Period!!, August 28, 2002
After reading just about every diet book in existence, from Atkins to Eat Right 4 Your Type to vegan and vegetarian diet books, finally I have found a book not based on some polar not found in nature extreme theory, but a book based on the reality of what very healthy people have been eating for a very long time. Finally a book based on facts and science, not wild speculation and wishful thinking.

The diet recommended in this book is based on traditional foods used by very healthy people (and very long lived people) all over the world for thousands of years. These people all have one thing in common. They don't used processed, pasteurized, denatured food. Some cultures and lands use unpastuerized milk products as staples, others use raw meat or focus on cooked and raw meat. All peoples consume some form of unprocessed animal product, with fat and enzymes intact. They also use lacto fermented products, from yogurt to fermented fruits, vegetables and meats. The fermentation makes the food very easy to digest, adds friendly intestinla bacteria and preserves the food. The book also explains proper preparation of grains (usually soaking for a period of time) to remove phytates and make the nutrients more available.

The book is based on Weston Price's (others have validated his research and have conducted their own) research on "primitive peoples" diets from around the world. He was a dentist who traveled around the world checking the health of these people and then compared their health with the health of these same peoples when they ate processed food diets as they became available.

This is a very good book with very valuable information. The information on fats is extremely important.

Defintely the best book ever written on diet and nutrition and probably one of the best books ever written period. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

READ THIS BOOK!!!!, October 29, 2010
About five months ago, I started doing CrossFit (an exercise program/gym). The coach explained the Paleo diet model and suggested this book. It took me almost five months before I read it, but prior to reading I had pretty much adopted a Paleo diet, which completely changed my life. I mean, really changed my whole experience. I used to be a vegan (six years ago for four years), but then my hair started thinning and that was the end of that, so I started incorporating fish and eggs, and a little dairy. But I was still almost always hungry, and it seemed no matter what exercise I did, or how much, it wasn't ever really getting me to where I wanted to be, even though I thought I was eating super healthy. I also drank a lot of wine, which interfered with my sleeping. All in all my digestion wasn't so good. I felt my health slowly and steadily declining. So, long story short, when I started CrossFit I decided to give this Paleo diet a try. Amazing results! Never felt better, my blood sugar is even and steady all day long, and my sleep is restorative not something to "get through"; not to mention, my body is rockin'! I don't crave sugar, which is a miracle, and I hardly drink anymore. Why? Because I feel so good, I have no desire to mess that up. Me, a wino, yes, giving up wine. For once in my life, I'm lean, I'm stronger than I've ever been, and I feel certain solidity to my being. I never thought it possible. So then I bought Paleo Solution, because I'm thinking, "I gotta learn why this diet works so well. What's up with this Paleo stuff? I want to tell the world about it!" I was skeptical about the read, despite my great results in trying out this lifestyle. Books on diet and health can sometimes be boring, daunting, and uninspiring. Right? How many books have you bought, hoping to find the thing you were looking for, only to quit reading it half way through? Robb Wolf has assembled an incredible amount of information into one book, and he's presented it in a simple way. He's also got a great voice -- a great sense of humor -- and it feels like he's talking directly to you. I liked this. It felt personable and it was engaging. Plus, I was understanding all this scientific information, (and I'm not scientifically oriented at all), which when all put together into the bigger picture was like "WHOA!". (It was more like a holy you know what). So here's the skinny: If you are suffering from diabetes, a heart condition, high blood pressure, an auto-immune disease, indigestion, cancer, a sugar or alcohol addiction, or pretty much any illness; or, you are an athlete seeking greater performance, or you're wanting to loose weight and look and feel fabulous and incredible, then you MUST read this book! It's quick, it's easy, informative, it's entertaining, and it will change your life like it did mine. That is, if you're willing to give it a try. And for those of you who are vegetarian, or concerned about industrialized farming and general slaughtering practices, I suggest you check out eatwild on the internet to find out where you can get grass-fed animal directly from sustainable farms in your local area. READ THIS BOOK, for your health, and for the health of your family. Thank you, Robb Wolf!

Wolf's teachings in the Paleo Solution changed my life, September 14, 2010
Let me begin by saying that I have always been a healthy person--or at least that is what I thought. Since I was fourteen, I went to the gym almost every day and ate foods that I thought were good for me. Around the age of thirty I got super busy. Although I still worked out and ate foods that I had been told were healthy, I didn't sleep as much, stressed a whole lot more, and things began to go down hill. I developed a fairly good-sized tire around my midsection. The color of my skin was a little off. And, most importantly, I no longer felt super healthy. I tried everything I could thing of, which basically boiled down to eating less of the foods I had been told were healthy. I ate a ton of lean meats, and I combined them with a ton of carbs in the form of rice. I cut out every ounce of fat I possible could. And guess what? I started to feel (and look) even worse. In an attempt to correct the situation, I began working out even harder. Although I got stronger and gained more muscle, I still had that tire of fat around the midsection and had very little energy on most days. Was I just getting old? Were the good old days of being fit and healthy gone for good?

A friend of mine had been following Robb's teachings for some time, and he turned me on to the diet. As with most people who learned "nutrition" in college, I was highly resistant. I mean, why would they be teaching us the wrong nutrition in college. The professors seemed pretty smart, and I doubted that they had the goal of trying to kill me. But I was failing with the traditional way of thought, and so I decided it to give the thirty days. My friend told me that Robb preached the "give me 30 days" philosophy, and so that is what I decided to give this new and strange diet, which I still doubted would ever work. Well, thirty days later I had dropped TWENTY SIX POUNDS. Am I joking about that number--absolutely not. A part of it had to do with the fact that I was working out a whole lot more--but the only reason I could work out more is because I was feeling so GOOD. How good? Well, to be quite honest, I was feeling like I did back when I was eighteen (well, maybe not eighteen, but twenty one for sure.)

Now a year and a half later, I feel better than ever. That twenty six pounds of weight loss not only did not come back on, but it turned into thirty pounds of weight less (and yes, I needed to drop thirty pounds.) Just like Wolf's slogan, I LOOK, FEEL, AND PERFORM better than I ever thought imaginable. For someone who has always prided himself on being fit, healthy, and happy, I can honestly say I owe Wolf the world. His teachings have convinced me that getting older does not mean getting fatter, sicker, and less happy. Will you be eighteen for the rest of your life if you take Wolf's 30-day challenge and then adopt a Paleo lifestyle--no, probably not. But you most certainly won't be 40 or 50 or 60. You will look younger than you are, feel younger than you are, and be happy in your skin. Honestly, I don't see how you can put a price tag on that.

What about the sacrifices? This is the big one, right. Well, I have been on diets before, and this is not a diet. It is a lifestyle. And when you get that "diet" word out of your head, restricting certain foods becomes a lot less challenging. Trust me when I tell you that I was a guy who LOVED my bread and wheat beer. But you must also trust me when I tell you that I do not miss these delicious products in the slightest. . .Wolf's lifestyle plan puts you in much better contact with your body, and when you acquire that mindset, things that make your body feel, perform, and look better begin to taste better. Foods I used to despise now taste wonderful. And the foods that I once could not have lived without (bread, rice, pasta) are now the farthest thing from my mind. I've talked with other people on the Paleo diet, and many of them have told me that when they cheat, they can feel the negative effects immediately. Personally, I think I may have cheated on the diet twice in a over a year. Is it because I am super strong willed. Absolutely not. When it comes to will power, I don't think I have that much of it. The reason that I haven't cheated is because I simply don't want to cheat. When I smell the foods I once loved, I no longer have the urge to consume them. Did this take fun out of my life? Did this destroy the thrill of eating and socializing over a tasty meal? Actually, the opposite has happened. I actually enjoy eating a whole lot more because it makes me feel powerful, just like food should. It makes me feel strong, both mentally and physically. And despite what some people will believe, eating healthy does not destroy your social life. All it may do is add some interesting conversations into the mix.

In conclusion, try the Paleo Solution. it works. It works well. And it will change your life in ways you can not imagine. I know change is scary for a lot of people (it was for me), but when the changes you make break the barriers of what you thought life could be, you won't regret it!

Good but some things to fix for the second edition ..., October 21, 2010
I've read this book, Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint, and Cordain's Paleo Diet recently. Wolf's book was a good and accessible explanation of his overall approach, without the diet-book-y style of Cordain's effort.

With the growing popularity of paleo eating lately, I would have liked to see more discussion of some of the controversial issues within the field, such as "cheat meals" or the use of salt (Cordain is strongly anti-salt but Wolf's recipes often include it). Explaining how the Paleo Solution's prescriptions differ from those of others would strengthen the book.

I also would have liked to see an index. Not having an index is especially a problem if you're looking for a recipe. (I also would have run the entire meal plan, followed by all the recipes. When the meal plan calls for a recipe, just give the page number for the recipe.)

Finally, there are a couple of references to a "Gear List," which doesn't seem to appear as such anywhere in the book. The last section on resources seems to cover what the "Gear List" should have covered, but could have been more conveniently organized.

Unbelievable, October 26, 2010
Been following this devoutly for one month now and have never felt better. Waking up each morning with a renewed fervour, an abundance of energy and optimism I've never possessed (well not since I was a child!). Can't recommend enough.

I feel great!!!!!, September 27, 2010
I have been on this for 12 days and my energy level is through the roof. I have not had this kind of energy since my twenties, and I am 53. Dropped 6 pounds so far and I feel fantastic. Dan Adkins

Robb Wolf helped change my life!, October 3, 2010
I always considered myself "healthy" - having been athletically active and with reasonably good blood-work and body weight markers all my life. But after I turned 30 years old 6 months ago, with 9 years of highly stressful desk-jockey jobs behind me; I realized I had slowly accumulated a number of afflictions that could be considered part of normal "aging":
- joint pain & arthritis (in my knee)
- hair loss
- muscle & strength loss
- slow build-up of spare-tire around my mid-section
- allergies (to something new every few years)
- canker sores
- disrupted sleep
- chronic tiredness, leading to increased caffeine consumption
- a growing sweet tooth
- gum pain

After doing some basic research on arthritis, I came across the concept of the ancestral diet, primarily through the internet. However, having trained with a scientific background, I was highly skeptical of many of the stunning claims despite all the testimonials.

Of all the different recognized experts in the arena, it was Robb Wolf's scientific explanations (through his website and his podcast) given freely (with no hidden financial agenda or sketchy corporate relationships) that convinced me to give the ancestral diet a try.

I have since never looked back.. all the above afflictions disappeared in a few months, and I now am healthier, fitter, stronger, leaner, sharper and more pain-free than I have been in 15 years.

I owe Robb and his compatriots in the field a huge debt.

However, I have struggled to explain the concepts to others. This is why I am excited about Robb's book!

The Paleo Solution brings the right amount of scientific background, complete with associated reference material, while maintaining a conversational, engaging tone. It covers all the right bases of a hugely complex subject (the key apocalyptic "horsemen" of the Standard American Diet) from the perspectives of anthropology (ancestral history), biochemistry, nutrition and actual clinical practice. It scares the reader, while at the same time providing the right solutions and motivation, with enough hope and optimism.

If asked to bring someone up to speed on the concept of the ancestral diet, I would absolutely recommend this book as the perfect start!!

So:
If you've ever been confused by "expert" dietary recommendations (This food is poison! No it's actually good for you! All fat is bad except fat is good from fish or avocados! Have whole grains! Don't have eggs! Have eggs! You need vitamins! Vitamins don't work! etc etc bla bla) and wanted EVERYTHING to just make sense for once - read this book. Even if it's just from a robust scientific perspective, and you don't enact the actual diet, you'll never look back.

Not enough!, October 10, 2010
What I like about this book:

1. It explains in a scientific way how the Paleo Diet works from the nutritional point of view.
2. The book is written "with an attitude" and is fun to read.
3. The author is passionate about his ideas and this rubs off on the reader getting the reader excited, fired up, and motivated


What I don't like about this book:

1. Paleo Diet is nothig new. Loren Cordain published a book of the same title some 8 years ago. If you happened to have read it or anything written by Mark Sisson, then you might as well skip reading this one. There is nothing new in this book. In fact jn my opinion The Primal Blueprint is a better read.
2. The author doesn't go beyond the basics, the book is very general in nature and lacks in specific how-to's
3. I am very uneasy about some of the most popular reviews of this book that seem to be "doctored". One reviewer goes on and on about how this book changed his life, only two days after the book has been published (!!!???)
4. Most importantly, this is yet another diet. We need to understand that unless we change our focus we will never fix the obesity problem. It is not only about what and how we eat, but mainly about living a healthy lifestyle that is in total agreement with nature. Read " Live 150 -- The Body Maintenance Handbook " to properly understand the problem and how to deal with it.

As good as it gets, September 20, 2010
I'll be honest, I've been a fan of Robb's work for a while so I'm somewhat biased but even considering this I was impressed. He lays out not only why a change in diet, and more importantly lifestyle, is scientifically validated but it also gives you a jumping-off point in a 30 day, meal by meal guide. It doesn't get easier than this folks. Buy it. Now.

Excellent, September 17, 2010
I definitely didn't expect it to be this enjoyable! Loved all the humor and the geeked-out info as well.

The information is very concise - with a lot covered in few pages. As someone who already follows a paleo life style, I know it works but wasn't very clear on all the reasoning behind the results. Robb pretty much cleared up every question I could have asked plus I have lots of new recipes to try!

It Just Plain Works, September 20, 2010
I've been studying carb restriction diets for over 15 years. I've read the Paleo Diet, multiple Zone Diet books, much of the Eades' work, Dr. Atkin's books, read and re-read Gary Taubes' "Good Calories Bad Calories," hundreds of studies, and digested blog posts and podcasts while doing a fair amount of writing and coaching on the topic ([...]). Robb's work is a mixture of the rants of a guy who's too smart for his own good, a clinician who's been tested by working with real clients for over ten years, and a serious competitor in a variety of physical arenas. I know of other approaches that will work, but don't know of any single source with a more dense store of knowledge or a more accessible plan for health, fitness and competitive performance. I by no means agree with all of Robb's editorial temper tantrums outside of this book, but I've competed against him, listened to every podcast, and read most of his entire blog before reading this book. If you want a book that cuts to the chase giving you the yellow brick road for health, performance, longevity and with a detour around the diseases of the West, this is your book. I've been looking for a book that does not cheat on the science, is not too hard to read, and therefore makes the truly common sense of the paleolithic diet accessible to everyone with an IQ of room temperature or better - Robb, thanks for writing that book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Yummy recipes, but know that several are still high in fat, calories, or sodium. No carb or fiber info, January 4, 2010
I hadn't heard these authors were doing a cookbook. I am a huge fan of the Eat This Not That! books. Although I'm a weight loss coach myself, I learn a wealth of information EVERY time I open one of these books. Even better, they are done so well that you WANT to read them from cover to cover rather than flipping through a few pages and putting it on a shelf. They are full of color photos, pages that stand out with artwork, colorful fonts, tons of information...just very well done.

Because of this, I was excited to get this new "COOK This, Not That!" recipe book. I'm a huge fan of cooking, huge fan of eating healthy, but an even bigger fan of GOOD food. With their knowledge behind the recipes, I figured it had to be a win/win cookbook and information guide.

And it is...it does have some drawbacks, however. First, all the good stuff:
If you want to learn how to eat well for a lifestyle that includes craving restaurant meals and formulating a better kitchen at home, this book will do it. It's not just a book of recipes. You get a comparison of how all the oils rate as far as fat per tablespoon, which are good oils to use etc. You get information that I personally know is backed up by great research I've read before, on what foods are "super foods"...which ones, for example will give you energy (this is quinoa--one I discuss at great length in my own diet groups. Full of energy and vitamins and protein, called the "food of the Gods" by the Aztecs, keeps you full as well.) Or which fruit will give you great skin, which helps your joints, etc. Really wonderful info. The book is full of things like this that aren't just recipes, but life changers.

The recipes are of a wide range and should appeal to most any palette. Here are a few I like, to give you an example:

Grilled chicken salad with cranberries, avocado, and goat cheese
Breakfast burritos
Tortilla Soup
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cornmeal catfish with corn salsa
Loaded fettucini alfredo with chicken and vegetables
green chile cheeseburger
loaded pizza
patty melt
hearty lasagna
mac and cheese
nachos with chicken and black beans
chicken panini with pesto and peppers

There are also ethnic dishes, appetizers, vegetarian dishes intermingled within, breakfasts, drinks, desserts...you name it, it's covered. And the dishes that I've made have all turned out great and been simple to prepare. Your family may not even know you've made some changes to lighter cooking!

NEGATIVES:
As much as I love the book and the recipes, there are some drawbacks. The recipes are presented as a lighter version to familiar restaurant meals. And that's excellent if you eat out a lot and want to save both money and calories. However, although the dishes may be lighter than say, your favorite dish at Outback Steakhouse, it doesn't necessarily mean it's a "diet meal" or a lighter version of that dish than at MOST restuarants and the reader should know this. A low-fat dish is one that has around 3 grams fat for every 100 calories the dish has. You'll find dishes here that are actually HIGH in fat and sodium and many fairly high in calories (like almost 500 calories for a small bowl of mac and cheese. This recipe is neither lower in fat or calories than most restuarant mac and cheese for the same serving size. It's just lower in fat and calories from the one restaurant they compared it to with mega fat and calories in their dish.) But if you crave recipes from certain places and want them lighter...and still VERY good..It's a win/win book.

For example, although you save some fat with the Crispy Quesadillas with Quacamole, you come out with a serving of this appetizer for 310 calories, 16 grams fat, and 730 mg sodium. Granted, the original restaurant dish had 1,480 calories, 96 grams fat, and 510 grams sodium...but 16 grams fat, with some of it saturated, is still quite steep. And that amount of sodium will keep your waistbands tight and your body bloated, among other things. So keep in mind you may want to balance some of these dishes with lower fat and lower sodium and sometimes even lower calories dishes within your day. Also take for example, their suggested breakfast recipe for a ham omelette. It has 330 calories, a whopping 20 grams fat and nearly half of it SATURATED fat at 9 grams sat.fat...if you compare that to an Egg McMuffin at McDonald's that fast food dish has 300 calories, 12 grams of fat and 5 grams saturated fat. When I can go to McDonalds and get half the fat, half the saturated fat, and 30 less calories than a breakfast recipe in this book for almost the same dish and McDonalds gives me an English muffin on top of it, and no messy pans...that's not a good thing. I am not a fan of Micky D's and haven't eaten there in years, but they won on this comparison for both calories, fat, and saturated fat for a breakfast dish. Was this ham omelette recipe in the cookbook better than the scary ham omelette at a restaurant they compared it to (IHOP)? Yes. But is it a healthy or light dish in any way itself? Nopers...

But I can ignore those dishes in the book and go for things like the Miso cod which is just 260 calories and 1g fat, or the chicken marsala which is 390 calories and 9 g fat. You'll find several to please those wanting low calories and fat. If, however, your only goal is to get lighter dishes than those in a restaurant, even if they are still a little too steep for me in the fat grams or calorie count personally, that's what this book is all about. It gives you a restaurant dish you may be familiar with, it's calorie and fat count, and then remakes it lighter to save you some calories.

Unlike most healthy cookbooks that now contain fiber counts in the nutritionals for those counting points on Weight Watchers, this does not list them on the recipe pages. The dishes simply list calories, fat, and sodium. So if you are wanting to use fiber counts for that diet plan, know this going in. You may have to figure out fiber on your own to get accurate point counts. If you want protein, carbs, etc to get a full picture, it's not listed...this will matter to some, it won't matter to others...so I thought I'd throw it out there for those who are wondering.

CONCLUSION: This book is especially important for those who want good taste but want to avoid eating out as much and I would say it's the primary target audience. If you want all low fat and low calorie dishes, however, you'll need to be sure to read the counts on each page and balance your overall day accordingly as some of the recipes are high in calories, fat, or sodium or all of the above...though still less than its original restaurant dish. The variety of calories can be good because men can use the book too for the higher calorie dishes they may want, while a woman can choose those that are lighter for her...just watch the fat and sodium either way. As for taste, the recipes have all been winners. (And if you feel deprived, you'll never stick with it anyway.) I'd recommend the book but, like I tell my weight loss classes, use it with caution and while adding up your fat, calorie, and sodium counts or you might not see the loss you hope for.

KNOW GOING IN: There is no disagreement that it takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose one pound. Meaning you have to take in 3,500 calories less than what your body uses in normal activity (walking, digesting, breathing sleeping, etc.) so that your body will then dip into fat stores for fuel for energy resulting in weight loss. If you are on the Biggest Loser you might reach this deficit half way through the day or in just a few hours because of all the calories your body is using. If I ate solely from this book I probably wouldn't lose weight, or I'd just lose a pound or two per month. However, if I was doing a lot of eating out, it would PREVENT me from gaining weight. Due to the higher fat and sodium content in many recipes, you need to leaf through the book for the healthier ones. But I am not gonna say I don't love this book either. I just balance it with lower fat and calorie dishes and I love the fact they've made some popular dishes lower in fat and calories on days you crave 'em. It is, after all, all about balance in the end.

also know: The recipes in here are typically at least half the size of the restaurant serving when I began comparing after someone else mentioned this fact, so in reality many wind up the same fat and calories (or more) as the restaurant-sized serving when compared apples to apples.

Eat smart, not dumb!, January 4, 2010
Addicted to the Cheesecake Factory's Warm Apple Crisp but can't afford the 1,355 calories? Save a whopping 1,155 calories by making your own! Cook This, Not That shows you how.

This book is for anyone wanting to eat smarter. It gets down to basics: "Forget dieting. Forget joining a gym. Forget the ads for the Abinator device you saw on QVC. If you really, truly want to lose weight, there is no quicker way to shave pounds off your body -- and dollars off your food bill -- than to cook more at home."

Cook This, Not That makes it simple for even novices to prepare home-cooked meals. A whole chapter gets you set up with exactly the utensils and equipment you'll need, and the items to set up the perfect pantry. Most of the dishes can be made in 30 minutes or less, and the instructions are short and straightforward. Every recipe is paired with a close-up color photograph of the finished dish. On same page is a small photo of the "Not That!" variation of the recipe from a restaurant chain, complete with price, calories and, in most cases, sodium and fat counts. In each case you learn how many calories and dollars you save by cooking at home.

Besides the hundreds of recipes, sprinkled throughout the pages are helpful segments:
* Scorecards: Ratings of fat, meat, carbs and dairy foods clearly show the best, worst, and everything in between in terms of healthiness. (The winners? Canola oil, light meat chicken, bulgar and nonfat yogurt.)
* Master the technique: Instruction on how to perform chef-like functions such as saut�ing vegetables or cooking an omelet.
* Secret weapon: Particular foods the authors recommend, and why. For example, Thomas' Light Multi-Grain English Muffin (only 100 calories each, and packing a whopping 8 grams of fiber).
* Save-Money Strategy: How to alter the accompanying recipe to make it less expensive but still delicious.
* Meal Multiplier: Ways to alter the recipe by changing the ingredients.

This book has a lot going for it, but its biggest benefits are:
1. Recipes that are easy, delicious and illustrated with beautiful photography.
2. Thorough nutritional information for each recipe, including the portion size, calories and gram counts of fat, sodium and sugar.
3. Simple comparisons with similar restaurant dishes.
4. Advice on the best brands to buy, from vegetable oil to breakfast cereal.

Other books in the series: Eat This, Not That!, Eat This Not That! for Kids!, Eat This Not That! Supermarket Survival Guide, Eat This Not That! The Best (& Worst!) Foods in America!, Eat This Not That! 2010 and Eat This Not That! Restaurant Survival Guide. All are uniformly excellent. I also recommend In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life and Deceptively Delicious.

Here's the chapter list:

1. The Truth About Your Food
2. The Eat This, Not That! Kitchen
3. Breakfast
4. Appetizers & Small Bites
5. Soups & Salads
6. Sandwiches & Burgers
7. Off the Grill
8. Pasta
9. American Classics
10. Ethnic Dishes
11. Sides, Snacks & Sauces
12. Desserts & Drinks

Another winner in this franchise!, January 5, 2010
There are a variety of books in this series ("Eat This, Not That" is the key term in several titles). This volume suggests cooking one dish rather than having something else less healthy for one.

One cool example. . . . Whip up a grilled chicken and pineapple sandwich. The recipe includes the ingredients needed and the steps needed to make this sandwich. The entry shows how much per serving this costs ($2.64) as well as calories (400), fat content (11 grams of fat, 6 of which are saturated), and 640 milligrams of salt. What not to eat? Outback's grilled chicken and Swiss sandwich--costing $7.95 and featuring 896 calories, 33 grams of fat (10 grams saturated), and 1,323 milligrams of sodium. The point is pretty inescapable: You can make something yourself that is less expensive and better nutritionally. Thus, one gets a recipe as well as data allowing the reader to compare cost and nutrition. The end result? Maybe a little more discriminating eater of foods. . . .

A second. . . . A homemade ham omelet, with a step-by-step recipe. $1.87 a serving, 330 calories, 20 grams of fat (9 of which are saturated), and 570 milligrams of salt. IHOP's ham and cheese omelette: $9.56, 990 calories. One would save 660 calories and $7.69 making it yourself!

Other cool features. Pages 256-257 focus on "The Wok Matrix" with "The Rules of the Wok." First, choose your protein; next, choose your vegetables; then, choose your sauce; finally, choose your garnish. A recipe lays out how you proceed, step-by-step, with a stir fry.

A clever volume that educates as it provides useful recipes and hints for cooking. Nice addition to the series!!

More flavor less time and calories!!, January 5, 2010
This is not the traditional "Eat This Not That". With this addition, Mens Health gives you a rare gem of a cookbook. As a cookbook afficionado, I would normally turn my nose up to something like this. However, this book proves the old cliche you shouldn't judge a book by its..... Inside is packed with recipes that are high in flavor, healthy, and require minimal time/ingredient/culinary skill to prepare. The ingredients called for are ordinary pantry/fridge staples that are neither expensive nor hard to find.

Each recipe is accompanied by a nutritional breakdown and the restaurant dish that it is similar to and healthier than. In my humble opinion the food you can make at home with this guide is far superior to it's restaurant alternative. These dishes are both cheaper, healthier, and have a cleaner taste (by clean I mean not loaded with heavy cream, butter, or other junk that takes away from the actual flavor of the ingredients).

The recipes I have attempted (~10), have so far provided a surprising depth of flavor that makes me want to cook my way through the entire book. It also has a ton of info about how to make healthy decisions with ingredients and other foods (which I guess is in line with the prior books in this series). To sum up you really can't go wrong with this book and I can't wait for the sequel so long as it is another cookbook!!

I note that another reviewer has commented that these recipes are not necessarily low in fat/calories....this book does not purport to be such a book. In fact the authors point out that fat is a good thing and provides direction as to what types of fats are good and which you should avoid at all costs.

Outstanding!!, January 1, 2010
Ok, so the whole series has been packed with information, advice, and witty comments that help us make better choices. Finally, we get to sample what's going on in their kitchen. It's not just a cookbook to fight the restaurant wars, it deserves a spot with the best cookbooks on my shelf - thoughtful, well written, easy to follow yet high quality recipes. Extra tips and comments show gourmet expertise. Great layout. I just got the book and have already tested it out for last night's dinner - Our whole family is very, very pleased!!

My Fave of the series, January 7, 2010
I absolutly love this book, by far the best in the series.I love how they explain exactly what you need in your kitchen in order to cook and cook healthy *turns out not a whole lot! Then gives you recipes that are easy to cook, not crazy diet food with weird grinding up of beans to sneak them in brownies or using cereal to fry fish. These are real recipies for people who want to eat good food without suffering the consequences. They even include simple things to help save money. I love it, my husband loves it, and I'm sure you will too!!!Cook This, Not That!: Kitchen Survival Guide

Not Just Another Yawn in a Series, January 11, 2010
I was a little hesitant when I saw Zinczenko and Goulding had ANOTHER book out, but was very pleasantly surprised when I read it. The book is colorful, easy to read, and helpful for starting the new year with baby steps to saving money and eating healthier. The book has great tips for stocking your kitchen, recipes for feeding your family interesting food while saving money, and helpful ways to incorporate new foods into your diet (even if you don't like to cook or "diet").

Biggest reason to buy the book: lots of photos so you can QUICKLY see and do, without reading a whole cookbook or diet book. The recipes are very appetizing and flavorful, but NOT intimidating for even inexperienced cooks.

For other longterm additions to your meal plans, we also highly recommend The Biggest Loser cookbooks.

These gentlemen know their information very well, and know how to teach people to incorporate baby steps of change into their lives. Their other books are good for keeping in a car or desk at work. This one is great for keeping in or near the kitchen. Nice gift idea too. Two thumbs up from our house!

Saves both money and calories!, December 29, 2009
I try to eat healthy in my house, but I'm usually frustrated by my inability to put together meals with as much flavor as the stuff I eat when I go out. Unfortunately every time I eat out, I can't avoid setting my diet back a few hundred calories. That's why I'm loving this book. The recipes are easy enough for someone like me, who doesn't have a ton of cooking experience, but challenging enough to still impress the people I have over for dinner (or lunch or breakfast). Plus everything I've made so far - the tortilla soup, honey mustard salmon, grilled apricots, sausage frittata with mushrooms, etc. - has all turned out infinitely more delicious than the drab stuff my kitchen table is used to.

Now when I'm really in the mood for something delicious, I just open up the book and pick something out. There's a full-color photo accompanying every recipe, so I can see it before I make it. It's like my own, in-house menu, and the meals not only save me calories, they also save me a ton of money at the restaurants. That means no more guilt-hangovers from eating too much fat and spending too much money. This one is definitely going to stay on my kitchen bookshelf for years to come.

Better than I hoped..., April 3, 2010
As a fan of the author's approach of "eat this, not that" I purchased this book on a whim. After trying 15 of the recipes and reading the book cover to cover, I'm an even bigger fan. Of the things I've tried so far, most are great and the others are quite good. Neither time consuming, nor bland, these recipes have become some of our new favorites and I'm sharing them with friends and family. Can't recommend this book highly enough - it's a great addition to any kitchen - even bought a copy for my mom.

Great Book!, March 21, 2010
This book has great recipes that are easy to prepare. The book includes healthy alternatives to everyday foods we consume. I highly recommend this book to anyone that is interested in eating healthier or trying to lose weight. ... Read more

Editorial Review

At last! The cookbook based on the bestselling The Paleo Diet

Dr. Loren Cordain's The Paleo Diet has helped thousands of people lose weight, keep it off, and learn how to eat for good health by following the diet of our Paleolithic ancestors and eating the foods we were genetically designed to eat. Now this revolutionary cookbook gives you more than 150 satisfying recipes packed with great flavors, variety, and nutrition to help you enjoy the benefits of eating the Paleo way every day.

• Based on the breakthrough diet book that has sold more than 100,000 copies to date
• Includes 150 simple, all-new recipes for delicious and Paleo-friendly breakfasts, brunches, lunches, dinners, snacks, and beverages
• Contains 2 weeks of meal plans and shopping and pantry tips
• Features 16 pages of Paleo color photographs
• Helps you lose weight and boost your health and energy by focusing on lean protein and non-starchy vegetables and fruits
• From bestselling author Dr. Loren Cordain, the world's leading expert on Paleolithic eating styles

Put The Paleo Diet into action with The Paleo Diet Cookbook and eat your way to weight loss, weight control maintenance, increased energy, and lifelong health-while enjoying delicious meals you and your family will love. ... Read more

Reviews

Excellent Cook Book and then some...., December 7, 2010
I have begun "cooking my way through" this cookbook and am very impressed! It is a combination of a great book (summary of the paleo diet), great reference, as well as a thorough cookbook. The recipes are fantastic - simple yet flavorful, easy yet complex and just plain delicious. Frankly, this is the best damn cookbook I have found if you want to cook and eat real food. Hands down a great buy and worth every penny! I took the book to kinko's to cut the binding and replaced it with a ring binding and laminate the cover and back so it is a bit more durable. I am adding my own pictures and recipes in the back. I could not be happier (and in better shape).

Another Paleo Cookbook..Finally, December 4, 2010
Okay so I received the cookbook and was excited to get it. The saddest thing of it all is it could have been an amazing cookbook instead of just average. No pictures is a major (no no) on a cookbook. Also I think it should have been a hardback book. I wish they would have taken some cues from the Primal Blueprint Cookbook, with that said it does have some merits.

Pros: 150 recipes, Cost, Smoothie recipes look good, A couple good chapters on what a Paleo Diet is and what your Kitchen should consist of to be Paleo. More Recipes than The Primal Blueprint Cookbook, Different recipes than the Primal Blueprint, so it is awesome to add to my choices of foods to cook. Paleo Diets are easy and they work.

Cons: No Pictures, Not Hardcover

Conclusion: This could have been a amazing cookbook but it is not, its good and cheap but they really messed up when they did not make it hardcover and no pictures. If you own the Primal Blueprint Cookbook, then get this one...If not go Primal first. Just don't expect this cookbook to be even come close to the excellence of the Primal cook book. Now with that said I have not begun to cook out of this book yet, but I will update this review on how the food comes out. Making the recipes is the true test of it all. Still I would say they could have had a amazing cookbook, instead of "I like it" cookbook.

Disappointing, December 3, 2010
There are no pictures of any of the recipes written in this book. It is a recipe book for sure, but unlike its main competitor (The Primal BluePrint cookbook) it is recipes and nothing else. No real idea about how your dish is supposed to look. Very disappointing because it shows pictures of some dishes on the cover but inside the book, nada. Perhaps it was written somewhere that there were no pictures of any of the dishes but I didn't see it.

Pretty good, December 23, 2010
This has a large assortment of recipes and an decent intro to the paleo diet. I will use this often! HOWEVER, it is paperback, so I don't know how well it will hold up for regular usage and WHERE'S THE PHOTOS? A cookbook is so lacking without pictures. The The Primal Blueprint Cookbook: Primal, Low Carb, Paleo, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free and Gluten-Freeis what I got first. It has REALLY good recipes that are so easy to prepare! I've used about half of them, and they have all turned out to be great! I recommend getting that one first.

Paleo-Culinary-Superb, December 12, 2010
This recipe book really takes Paleo cooking up a level to great tasting dishes and a learning cooking experience. It remains beautifully simple to make. I feel like with these recipes I could rival those great Seattle chefs who insist that butter and cream, with grain dishes are the only true flavours. How wrong they are! Thank you Nell Stephenson!

Well organized and easy to follow., December 8, 2010
This is a great cookbook! It is well organized by categories and the recipes are eazy to understand and to follow. Many of these items can be made with ingredients we have on hand or with a quick trip to the store. Whether you are interested in the "diet" part of the Paleo Cookbook, or you are just looking for a delicious change for dinner; this is the cookbook to have. I highly recommend "The Paleo Diet Cookbook." I give it two thumbs up.

Fantastic Book!, December 7, 2010
The book is full of great recipes for novices as well as for people of advanced culinary training. The introduction to the Paleo diet is fantastic. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone looking to get healthy the way the body designed it! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The trusted classic from Weight Watchers is back and better than ever!

The most trusted name in healthy lifestyle, Weight Watchers leads the way to eating well-and losing weight. Packed with 500 recipes for every occasion, this book is delicious proof that healthy eating means you don't have to give up your favorite foods. It's so easy to enjoy meals with family and friends-holidays or everyday-with these tempting recipes that both beginners and experienced cooks will love.

This newest edition has everything you'll need to cook-and eat-in a healthier way: included is a new chapter with slow cooker recipes, hundreds of tips, helpful how-to photography, sidebars filled with must-have advice, and plenty of fresh ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and beyond. An added feature: all recipes have been tagged for skill level. This book has been completely redesigned and boasts all new photography. And, of course, this revised edition includes the latest information on the popular and successful Weight Watchers program.

• Includes more than 60 gorgeous full-color recipe photos and instructive how-to images
• Features more than 500 recipes, including essential basics, breakfasts, lunches, soups and stews, vegetarian meals, baked goods, and desserts
• Now with more whole grain and vegetable dishes that help you eat healthier and stay full longer
• New design adds a fresh and contemporary spin to this trusted classic

Nachos Grandes

Caramelized Onion, Fig, and Stilton Pizza

Portobello and Ham Bruschetta, Roasted Vegetable Crostini, and Caramelized Garlic Toasts

Reviews

Great deal on this book!, December 17, 2010
This is actually a folder with loose leaf pages in it, rather than a book. But I was still really impressed at the size of the folder and the number of recipes included. All of the recipes have the new Points Plus values for them. Categories include Breakfast & Brunches, Starters & Light Meals, Salads, Soups, Beef Pork & Lamb, Poultry, Fish & Shellfish, vegetarian main dish, vegetable sides, grain & bean sides, slow-cooker classics, pizza calzones & sandwiches, yeast breads quick breads & muffins, cakes pies & more, fruit & frozen desserts puddings & sauces. It is 424 pages long & each page has 1-2 recipes on it!

The best thing was that it comes with a card for a FREE year subscription to weight watchers magazine or if you mail in the card by Dec 31st 2010 you can get a refund for $9.99! Makes this a really cheap addition to your recipe library!

Recommend as a gift too, great for anyone watching their weight or who just enjoys cooking!

Newest PointsPlus Recipes, December 17, 2010

First of all, I would not call it a "folder". I would call it a hardcover 5-ring binder. It comes with indexed tabs, already inserted in the correct places.

I have been cooking for years, but I am enjoying reading through the kitchen basics chapter. It gives great suggestions on what equipment you actually need to have. Also some really good sounding salad dressings, as I want to get rid of bottled dressings and the junk in them.

Overall, I will be working my way through this one. Lots of pictures and good sounding healthier foods.

Not an improvement, December 27, 2010
The print needs to be larger type, considering that cooks look at it at apx. 4 ft. away. This is just another example of saving on ink (lightness and distance).

At libraries, patrons can check out most books in larger print, which shows that they have experience with readers. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The popularity of the low carb/paleo/Primal wayof eating has exploded, as people discover an appealing and sustainable alternative to the restrictive diets and flawed conventional wisdom that lead to burnout and failed weight loss efforts. The dream of eating satisfying meals-even on a budget-controlling weight and feeling great has now become a reality. As you build momentum for Primal eating,you'll find that you won't even miss the bland,boring, low-fat foods that previously were the central focus of your diet. How can you argue with a menu that includes Roasted Leg of Lamb withHerbs and Garlic, Salmon Chowder with CoconutMilk, Tomatoes Stuffed with Ground Bison andEggs, and Baked Chocolate Custard? This isn't acrash course diet. These and the other Primal recipes provide the foundation for a lifetime of delicious, healthy eating, high energy and protection from common health problems that arise from eating SAD (Standard American Diet). ... Read more

Reviews

Excellent tasting recipes...obviously tested, July 8, 2010
All my readings and life experience (previously working for five years in a natural foods co-op) have now finally converged on the Primal diet lifestyle as the common sense approach to nutrition (and, for me, backed up by the well-researched book, Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes).

I've bought a lot of cookbooks on my journey to a more healthy diet. And some of those cookbooks seem to be comprised of recipes that were conceived purely on theory and not at all on taste (cough..Atkins..cough).

I knocked out 5 of the recipes in the Primal Blueprint cookbook in a week and a half, and every single one of them tasted FANTASTIC. Even my wife and two children, whom I'm slowly trying to wean from their highly-refined carbo-centric tendencies, raved about the recipes I cooked (e.g. Moroccan chicken, Transylvanian stockpot, Coconut ice cream, zucchini frittata...) These are not people who like the taste of real vegetables. My wife said, and I quote, "That cookbook is best money we've ever spent. I can't believe how good this tastes."

Clearly, the recipes were tested and refined by an actual person who knows the taste of good food. Thank you, Jennifer Meier.

Also, I have a son who is Type 1 diabetic. We noticed that the meals I cooked from this book had a very low effect on his post-meal blood sugar. No huge post-meal spike and less insulin required at mealtime. That in itself was worth the price of admission. Cookbooks like this show him that he can eat delicious meals that do not adversely affect his blood glucose. He will need this knowledge to cope with his diabetes when he ventures out on his own (he's 10 right now).

To me, a five-star rating indicates a perfect book (or movie, or whatever), so I'm giving it 4 stars, a very high rating to me, for the following reasons:
- It does not have an index referencing the ingredients. I often cook by the "what-have-I-got-in-the-refridgerator" method; designing a week's worth of meals (and our food shopping) around that. With this book, I can't look up all the recipes that have zucchini in them. So put an index in it already.
- I do have the Primal Blueprint book also, but what if I'm someone who doesn't have that and just wants the cookbook? This cookbook doesn't contain a brief overview of the theory behind the recipes it contains; it just jumps right in to the recipes. A Primal Blueprint primer at the beginning of the cookbook would round it out nicely.
- Final (unfair) criticism: not enough recipes! You do get your money's worth, but I want Volume II already! (I'm not one to browse the internet or blogs for recipes; I like cookBOOKs.

Highly recommended cookbook as it contains excellent tasting, easy, nutritious recipes!

A great basic intro to Primal/Paleo variety!, July 3, 2010
Been a fan of Mark's Daily Apple website for a couple of months; I like the reader-shared recipes there, so hoped this cookbook would be more of the same.
Came away with mixed feelings....while there ARE some new things I had never thought to try (new spice uses, flavor combos, etc.), a lot of it echoes common sense for anyone who is familiar with basic cooking techniques and has been eating this way for any amount of time. This is a great intro for anyone afraid to make the leap, for whatever reason, into the Primal world in terms of diet (and I hesitate to use that term, because it's more of a lifestyle than a "diet") and fears that it would consist of bland meat & raw veggies. There are some pretty sophisticated (but not complicated to duplicate) flavor combos here, and you'll do better if you live in a area with at least access to a
metropolitan grocery choice (wheat-free tamari, unsweetened coconut milk, dried seaweed) but much of the ingredients ARE readily available.
I've lost over 70#s by limiting my diet to the choices advocated in this book (didn't realize it was a "diet" at the time), have tons of energy and advocate the primal
lifestyle (mainly diet, but I like the walk a lot, lift heavy objects-low aerobic/interval training- physical mission aspects as well).
Vast improvement over the other "low-carb" cookbook choices out there ( I would rather NOT fill my diet with unpronouncible ingredients, thank you!) but not "OMG-I can't WAIT to try this recipe!" excitement.

Good recipes, but too many pictures, August 28, 2010
I've been following a Primal Diet since 2/2010 and was very excited to get this cookbook. For once, here's a cookbook that fulfills all of my diet choices without me having to adjust the recipes to fit what I eat. What I've tried from this book has been good-I'm a huge fan of the pumpkin nut muffins and LOVE the Enchiladas recipe (FYI-steep learning curve to making the egg-white tortillas, but great once you do!)
Here are my issues:
1. Mark Sisson has been working on this cookbook for a long time and asked people on his blog to contribute recipes. A lot of those recipes that ended up on the blog (and are AMAZING) didn't make it into the cookbook. While this means that there are different recipes in the book, I really wanted to have some of those other recipes more easily on hand.
2. There are a TON of color pictures in this cookbook. While I find pictures of how something should look helpful, giving me a picture of all the ingredients grouped together on a plate is just a waste of space! I didn't pay for pictures, I paid to get great recipes.
3. They need a better editor! The Enchilada recipe that I love so much doesn't give a temp for the oven--they only tell you to cover the dish with foil and bake it for 20 min. I've had to play around to figure out what works to get the dish done in 20min (it isn't 350). You might think I'm being nit-picky, but this isn't the only recipe that's missing information.
The gist of this is, the recipes that I've made are good, I just wish there were more of them and that they had complete cooking information. It's a great place to start if you're new to this diet. Also go to Mark's website: [...] for recipes as well.

The Primal Blupring Cookbook, July 19, 2010
I've been long awaiting a cookbook like this, and it lived up to it's expectations.

I've made the Buffalo Chili, the Peach Chicken Salad, the Jambalaya, the Roast Beef and the Grok Rocks. All of which have been delicious.

The book has some really interesting ways to work around foods you are used to eating. I've been really impressed with some of the ideas such as grated Cauliflower as an alternative to rice. Worked great in my Jambalaya.

On the down side, the book is a little too short, but worth the money in my opinion. Would buy again.

Everyone Should Own This Cookbook, October 6, 2010
A bit over 3 months ago I was diagnosed with diabetes and my doctor recommended The Primal Blueprint Cookbook as well as the Primal Blueprint. I bought both books on Amazon and after 3 months of eating these recipes and following the Primal dietary guides, I am no longer diabetic.
The recipes are delicious and it will be no problem to continue to eat this way because my husband and I both enjoy the food.
I lost 34 pounds in two and a half months and my husband lost 36. We continue to lose now, but at a slower rate.
Just a note -- diabetes is rampant in our country now and like myself, most people know little about it until they get it. Let me tell you, there is pain involved, so for your family and for yourself, please switch to the Primal lifestyle. You will be thinner, stronger, healthier, non-diabetic, and I am sure you will live much longer.

Great way to eat, October 8, 2010
A surgeon friend shared the cookbook with me when I was trying to decide on starting a new way of eating to loose weight. The first recipe I looked at was the grilled steak, that was all it took. I decided I could do it, giving up pasta, bread, grain, rice and legumes was easy. I have loost 22 pounds in 6 weeks, I am not hungry, I have more energy and I am sleeping better. I used to be sleepy shortly after eating and have to take a nap everyday after work, not any more. Eating out is easy also no problems at all. I would recommend this book who wants a healthier way to eat and live better.

Recipes delicious, beautiful pic of every dish, lacks an index otherwise perfect, October 11, 2010
A great cookbook needs tasty, usable recipes with photographs of the dishes, and a practical layout. This cookbook is almost perfect.

Mark Sisson includes three color photograph of each dish: one of the assembled ingredients, one of the finished dish, and one "in progress" pic. Some meals that I would not think of making from the title, I have tried based on how delicious the finished dish looks. The Transylvanian Stockpot dish, for example, is the best stew I've ever had despite the unfortunate name (it was a family name passed down for generations and they perserved that. The Five Spice Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry is another example. I thought 'Oh right another beef and broccoli dish" but the spices used rendered it absolutely amazing.

Each meal category is well-represented. Usually breakfast gets a paltry selection of dishes or they are the same old breakfast dishes we always see - high in carbs and low in nutrition. We made the Tomatoes Stuffed with Ground Bison and Eggs and some of my kids were hesitant to taste it but we found we ought to have doubled the recipe.

So as far as the food and presentation of the dishes goes, this is the best cookbook I've seen.

Two things are lacking: an index and a notation on the recipes themselves indicating how long each dish takes to prepare. Of course I can skim the recipe and get that information but if it were noted at the top of the ingredients list like many recipes have it, it would be an improvement. Also I would lay out the ingredients list with all spices together, then onions and items to chop, etc., so it's easy to see and do the prep work at once. This is minor, but no good editor would allow the book to get to publication without an index and I'm wondering what happened there.

Still it's my default cookbook and never disappoints.

Simple, tasty and very healthy recipes... I love it!, October 8, 2010
There is so much hype and misinformation about what is and isn't healthy these days. Along with the Primal Blueprint this cook book makes it dead simple. No macro/micro nutrient, calorie, whatever else counting necessary... just easy to follow and extremely delicious meals. Keep up the good work Mark!

Great book - highly recommended!, October 6, 2010
I have been a fitness/nutrition enthusiast for years, and I always followed complex bodybuilding diets in the past. After I started reading Mark's Daily Apple (free online blog), I became fascinated with the principles of the Primal Blueprint. I've followed low-carb diets with great success in the past (they are superior), but I've never considered making it a lifestyle. The Primal Blueprint Cookbook opens up an unbelievable amount of tasty recipes that are simple to cook and make eating healthy enjoyable. I cannot recommend the Primal Blueprint and the cookbook highly enough! Do yourself a favor and grab a copy. If you are curious about the Primal Blueprint, check out the blog first. Mark post plenty of free recipes that will leave you wanting more!

Fantastic and healthy cookbook, October 9, 2010
I ordered this cookbook at the recommendation of my Crossfit coaches at Crossfit Central who are all in AMAZING shape. The recipes are delicious and simple to make and help to keep me in line with my Paleo/Primal style eating. My husband who is not technically "Primal" has loved every single recipe I have made from this book. I highly recommend it! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Best way to eat good!, March 30, 2010
My wife and I have been changing how we eat since August of 2009. Together since then we have lost over 117 pounds! Hungry Girl has been helping us to eat healthier but not miss any of the taste! LOVE HUNGRY GIRL! We try recipes almost daily. Easy step by step instructions with all the nutrition info we need to manage in weight watchers! You gotta get these cookbooks! ALL of them!

Forget the bookmarks--mark the whole book!, March 30, 2010
I purchased this book a month ago on Amazon and have been anxiously awaiting its debut. Since it came in the mail today I have not been able to put it down. I want to make everything in it! I started marking pages with strips of paper I ripped off the packing slip but quickly ran out of paper. Then I moved on to bending corners... pretty soon I realized there was few pages left unmarked so I gave up! I think I could make any of these recipes for my husband and he wouldn't even realize I made a low fat and healthy version of his favorite food. That is the true test--if a non-dieter can enjoy and even ask for dishes made from a guilt-free recipe book! I have used my 200 under 200 recipe book at least 5 times a week since I got it for Christmas and can't wait to begin trying all these tasty new dishes. We are hooked on Hungry Girl!

"Guilt-Free" does not necessarily mean healthy, April 3, 2010
I checked this out from the library because the title sounded promising. I was hoping for easy and guilt-free recipes. To me, "guilt-free" means eating healthy foods and that is not what all of the recipes in this book are. My mistake. The definition of "guilt-free" in this book is "low fat and low calorie" even for recipes with poor nutrional profiles. Quite a number of recipes in this book have just such profiles.

I have read a lot of good books on nutrition, my favorite one currently is Pollan's "In Defense of Food". I do not count calories and I do eat whole, natural foods and not too much white sugar as recommended in that book (and because of that book, I have switched from reduced-fat products (which are processed in order to obtain fat reduction) to regular "whole" products). I have lost weight by doing this.

Many of the recipes in "Hungry Girl 1-2-3" are in direct opposition to the research/advice found in books such as "In Defense of Food" and "The Belly Fat Cure". These books promote eating whole, natural foods to increase health; weight loss can be a benefit, as well. We now know that we need healthy fats for good health - the low fat advice of the past has been discredited. Many Hungry Girl recipes call for highly processed foods, including egg substitute and reduced fat and fat-free foods, as well as products with partially hydrogenated oil & fake sweeteners.

I have not actually tried any of the recipes yet (most of the other reviewers here have not, either, apparently) but a few of the recipes do sound good (and do have what I consider healthy ingredients for myself) plus I have gotten some ideas for my own recipes from even the ones with highly processed ingredients (there are a couple I want to try but will substitite real food for the fake ingredients). Ultimately, though, I prefer cookbooks where I don't have to modify. Some of the Hungry Girl 1-2-3 recipes feature very few ingredients and that also appealed to me...however, food quality matters. I highly recommend Rozanne Gold's "Recipes 1-2-3" and "Low Carb 1-2-3" for recipes with only 3 ingredients (prep is not always simple or quick, though). Also, the mini recipes in Jacques Pepin's "Fast Food My Way" are very good and easy to prepare.

On the positive side, there are a lot of recipes that do not use processed foods and look to be very easy to prepare. Overall, though, it is disappointing to find that these recipes are labeled "guilt-free" solely because they are low in calories and fat and not because of the quality and nature of the ingredients. So, I would not make a lot of these recipes for my family or myself based on what I believe to be guilt-free (healthful) eating.

Honestly I wish I could get my money back, September 2, 2010
I was really looking forward to getting this book but I was amazed by the ingredients in half the recipes. Also the sodium counts! One recipe had a single serving had 1200 mg of sodium! 1200! I can't stand to eat something low fat/low calorie that then bloats me up because of all the salt I just ate. What's the point in that?

I really don't like having recipes where I have to use all artificially flavored or artificially sweetened foods. I have tried to see what I could possibly make out of the whole book. The only thing I might even want is the french toast style waffles. This recipe involves taking nutrigrain low fat frozen waffles and then adding the typical ingredients for french toast (swapping out egg for egg substitute). That's not too bad but again sodium starts to rack up when you are using 3-5 ingredients of processed foods.

I bought three cookbooks after this one that I love. Devin Alexander's "Fast food Fix", "The Most decadent diet" and "I can't believe it's not fattening". Now those I love! The most recent "I can't believe it's not fattening" tries its best to still use some items that are prepackaged products to save time but she focuses on all natural products and tries to keep all her recipes healthy. I have made dozens of items from each of these books but I have yet to still be able to make anything from the HG 1-2-3 book.

I was so dissapointed with the recipes, plus even the food in the pictures looks unappealing. I highly recommend you not buy this book and try something else. Even eating lean cuisines will be better for your health. At least there you are only looking at 500-600 mg of sodium per meal. You can get at least three lean cuisines for the price of this book.

Better than her first book, but still alot of processed food, April 15, 2010
This book does have many good recipes, but I am not keeping the book to try any of them. I can find many of the recipes online at the Hungry Girl website or in her e-mails, so what's the point? I wish that the book contained more "secret" or exclusive recipes that could only be found in the books. The author does have a lot of creative ways of altering classic recipes to make them lower in calories, but I feel like she uses so much imitation food. I realize that she makes no claims about being a doctor or a nutritionist, but I guess I was hoping for more whole foods used in the recipes. Her dessert and sweet recipes look very yummy and creative though!

A must-have and a great gift!, March 30, 2010
I love the HG emails and products, and this book is great- in my opinion, the best Hungry Girl book so far. I just started flipping through it and already have tons of pages marked as things I want to make later! I have a couple friends with birthdays coming up and I think this will make a great gift. Since it's so inexpensive you could pair it with a cute pink spatula or pot holder for a really fun complete present!

The only thing I noticed after going through it for a while.... no pictures. That's a downside in my book, but it still works.

Best of Show, May 12, 2010
I have purchased all three of Ms. Lillien cook books. The first two are great however focus mostly on sweets. I am a 52 year old woman who is deficient in the "I must have chocolate now" chromosome so most of those chapters went untried. 1-2-3 is the best of the bunch. This book provides healthy meals. The recipes are very basic; if you can read you can cook. So far I have made the College breakfast burritto, So Fancy Fish Pack (foil section) and Jammed with Cheese Stuffed French Toast all excellent. Tonight is Chop Chop Beef Stir Fry. There has been some criticism of her use of some ingredients. This book's recipes are more "whole foods" than some of the others. If artificial sweetener, non fat cheese, egg beaters etc. are so offensive to some then substiute and make allowances for the calories. To me the whole point of Ms. Lillien's approach to cooking is just that; start cooking. Don't rely on take out, fast food or sticking some cardboard box in the microwave. It's cooking, not nuclear physics.

Normally the cute recipe names and preamble "Rat(atouille) Pack - 'too bad Frank, Dino and Sammy aren't around to try this'" would annoy me, but it is, I believe, Ms. Lillien's genuine personality. Moreover I am impressed that a young woman would even know who the hell F,D&S were.

Keep up the good work. This old broad is a fan.

Perfect for the On-The-Go College Kid!, July 8, 2010
When I first went to college, I lived in the dorms and had the luxury of having the dining hall downstairs from me. Nowadays, I live off campus and have to fend for myself. With a packed schedule, little patience, and not the best culinary skills in the world- Hungry Girl has made yummy cooking possible for me!

I do get all the complaints about her using low-fat/fat-free/non-healthy foods. The thing to do is just use her cookbooks as a supplement to an already balanced diet. If you are more into the healthy and organic eating, these books probably aren't going to be on your bookshelf. If you are looking for lower calorie, easy versions of your favorite meals- buy this book! I am the type of person who just can't limit her to the smallest sliver of delicious organic cake- I need a big heapin' slice. This is where Hungry Girl helps me the most. I can have my big heapin' slice and not have the guilt of it on my mind. If the recipes turn out to be too bland for you, just take a little bit of initiative and throw in more spices!

Her books help me pre-cook meals and pre-prepare dinners/lunches/breakfasts. Without her easy recipes I would be eating cereal and energy bars all the time- so these books give me fun, different options. I do have a tendency to add more fruit/veggies to the recipes to make them more hearty.

Another thing I really, really like about her books is that she uses a LOT of vegetarian meats (like BOCA and Morningstar). I'm a vegetarian and this has helped me a lot with creating new recipes and using hers. Even if the recipe in not vegetarian, they are very easily converted (with a mere replacement of turkey bacon with veggie bacon). All in all? I'm a fan! Since I've gotten these cookbooks I'm guaranteed at least one big, home-cooked meal a day. And, of course, a guilt-free delicious dessert! No more Ramen and Spaghetti-Os for me!

Hungry Girl creates another adventure in eating!, May 7, 2010
I love Hungry Girl. I look forward to her e-mails everyday. As a member of Weight Watchers, she helps me find products and recipes that make dieting an adventure instead of something I dread.

Hungry Girl 1-2-3 is like having her e-mails in one place. The book is chock full of recipes that are low in fat and fun to cook. Some of my favorites include Pizza-Fried Chicken (chicken is the crust!), Hawaiian Slaw (which is super easy to make with packaged broccoli slaw), and Scoopable Creamsicle Crush Pie (only 112 calories and 0.5g fat!).

The only disappointment I have is that the book does not include Weight Watcher points. That would have been really simple to add and made it perfect for those of us in the program.

Prep time & cook time make this BEST HUNGRY GIRL COOKBOOK, May 3, 2010
I love the great recipes from Hungry Girl, the low calories, and great nutritional information easily listed. I especially like that the WW points are already calculated. But the BEST thing that sets this cookbook apart is that the Prep Time and Cook Time are listed right at the top of the page! My Hungry-Girl fellow addict asked to see my 1-2-3 cookbook right when it first came in the mail and she Gasped with joy when she saw the Prep and Cook times listed on top. 5 stars...A MUST HAVE ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

I love Desserts! Plus Devin Alexander is awesome at creating amazing desserts! It's a match!, November 30, 2010
I have three of Devin's cookbooks and I've become a huge fan of Devin Alexander. I've been able to follow all her recipes and pretty much found all the ingredients needed for the recipes. I'm so happy the recipes focus on great taste and natural ingredients. I've even learned of products that I didn't know existed! Such as stevia diet soda. I now love 'em.

I'm currently drinking a skinny temple as we speak. For thanksgiving I took a batch of the coconut macaroons and they were all eaten in 2 minutes! Then I let everyone know they were a light version!

I'm excited to try all the other recipes in the book. The book also has Devin's famous brownies! They are the best. A word of caution, they are so good that you must exercise self control. I only make them when I'm going to share. Otherwise I'd have 12 of them all by myself. Delicious!!

I'll be making the pumpkin bites this weekend. I'm sure they'll be great too!!

All in all another great book by Devin Alexander!

Not for real people who live in the real world, December 10, 2010
This book is not for those of us who live and function in the real world. Most of the ingredients or at least key ingredients-such as agave nectar, fat free fruit juice sweetened yogurt, finely shredded unsweettened reduced fat coconut are not readily available to the average person/market. May not break the calorie budget with these dessert recipes but will certainly break the food budget with all the specialty ingredients. Never mind that the author believes that we have enough time to process our own non-processed wheat flour and so forth. Hugely disappointed in this book.

Is there anything I can make without coconut sugar or agave nectar???, December 13, 2010
I am not a fan of coconut anything, let alone the suagr they use in practically every recipe. Also, agave nectar is processed, so while it might be an alternative to sugar, it's not the best one out there. I like the idea of a lot of the recipes, but I will def be substituting ingredients, which I guess will change all of the nutritional facts, but oh well.
I just hope the recipes taste good... If not, I'll def update this review and let you know!

Btw, I'm finding that while Biggest Loser is all about cutting calories and fat, they don't really use natural products. For instance, they advertise Subway like mad and tell you to double up on the meat for the protein, but lunch meat is full of nitrates that are actually proven to cause cancer. So, go ahead an be skinny, but you might not live long enough to enjoy it from all the chemicals you are putting into your system. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

Making it healthy and easy to bake bread!, October 28, 2009
I have been a fan of Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day (ABFM). The main problem with that book is the bread came out so good, I tended to eat too much of it (but loving every minute of it).

One of the great things about the technique in ABFD is that the recipes are very forgiving and flexible, and I usually made variations, including using more whole grains.

Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day will not only alleviate some of the guilt, it has some really wonderful recipes and ideas using a wide range of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, gluten-free breads and pastries and even some healthy variations on some of the more delicious but not necessarily the healthiest breads from ABFD (such as the 100% whole grain butterfat and yolk fee Brioche!).

I tried many of the recipes in ABFD and most were very good to excellent, some outstanding.

I will, sadly, be putting ABFD on the shelf at least for a while. I really look forward to exploring the healthy recipes in this book. Let's see, if I make a different bread every 4 days, it will only take me about a year to go through the entire book.

For those of you who have not tried Artisan Bread, the technique is really as easy as the writers claim, it is virtually foolproof, and you can now have fresh homemade bread at any time with almost no fuss whatsoever. Once you get this book, you will never buy bread from a store again. You can freeze the dough and it tastes just as good thawed. I took some frozen dough on a trip and enjoyed homemade bread far from home.

The title "Five Minutes a Day" is based on preparation time. It takes less than 20 minutes to completely prepare most recipes to make about 4 loaves (you can easily half or double the recipes). Of course, you still have to bake the bread, but that is not active cooking time. You can easily freeze the dough and build a store of different breads in your freezer. Over time, depending on how much bread you eat, you will probably less than 5 minutes a day on average.

Though a good number of recipes use only whole grains and "healthy" ingredients, some recipes use smaller amounts of unbleached white flour, small amounts of sugar. However, the writers encourage you to make substitutes if you like, which is what I did with ABFD.

The only improvement to the book I can think of at the present time is listing somewhere in the book which recipes are vegan (my daughter is vegan and I am vegetarian). Though I can figure that out for myself by flipping through the book, it would be nice to have those recipes listed.

As an added bonus to delicious recipes, according to the book, the cost of a loaf of bread made at home is about $.40 per loaf. That cost probably is more for recipes that use less well-known grains, or more expensive ingredients, but then again those bread would be more expensive to buy in the store in any case. No matter which recipes you choose, you will be saving money.

Should you buy this if you already have the first book? I did, and I am glad that I did. I am impressed with the wide range of recipes and their creative approach to making bread not merely delicious, but healthier.

One more thing: the writers have an incredible website (healthybreadinfive), where they have additional recipes, and a great bread making community sharing tips and experiences. Though I have not posted on the web site, they answer questions and even based some of the recipes in their new book on suggestions from readers.

Add healthy bread to your diet and save money. Zoe and Jeff, thanks for bringing fresh, easy to make, bread back into my life!

This is my first ever review on Amazon, but I felt this book merited a strong endorsement.

P.S.

I've begun to try the recipes

I used the rye as a a sandwich bread, and made a pizza crust (and a regular loaf) from the avocado-guacamole bread. These recipes are about 1/3 whole wheat. The recipes seem a little less forgiving in terms of getting the time right (I undercooked one loaf of rye, and overcooked a loaf of the avocado-guacamole bread). It may have something to do with the whole wheat, but I'm not sure.

The Bran Muffin Bread came out wonderfully, great crust, light inside, slightly sweet and delicious. Also used it for French Toast, which was great!

I combined 2 recipes, 100% Whole Wheat with Olive Oil and 100% Whole Wheat with Flaxseed. Great crust and very good whole wheat taste with the extra nutrition of flaxseed. It is particularly good as a bread for sandwiches. I used the dough for the Algerian Flat Bread (a pan fried bread) which was a real treat.

I just made the 100% whole wheat with brown rice breat. This was a great bread and somewhat unusual. The bread crumb looks lighter than regular whole wheat bread, which might make it more acceptable to fussy eaters (read "kids"). The crust is delicious. When it comes out of the oven it is particularly crunchy with a nice combination of wheat and rice flavors intermixed.

Keep in mind, that while these recipes are "healthier" than regular bread recipes that just use regular flours, most are not pure whole grains, but a combination of unbleached white with other grains. There are some 100% whole wheat recipes as well. However, all the recipes do have a healthier twist and I am very happy with the book. I'm looking forward to trying many other recipes such as: Pistachio Twist, Gluten Free Cheddar and Sesame Bread, Carrot Bread, Lentil Curry Bread.

P.P.S:

A question of time. Does it really only takes five minutes a day? Although there are some recipes which are more complicated (but delicious) many of the basic recipes do take the equivalent of 5 minutes a day. For a fantastic new illustrated step by step walk through of the basic recipe, go to the author's website [...].

In summary, you get a large container, put in the yeast, salt, warm water, and flour, and mix. Most recipes make enough for four loaves (though usually can be doubled or halved). Timing myself, including the time to get the ingredients from various places in my kitchen, to mixing them, to cleaning up, many of the recipes will take between 10 to 15 minutes for the initial batch ( not including waiting time). Then, each time you want to make a loaf, you take a grapefruit size of the flour (which you have refrigerated), let it get to room temperature, put it in the oven and bake. the total amount of time I usually spend to make four loaves of bread is less than 20 minutes. Of course, there are some extremely delicious recipes that require some extra steps, but even most of these only take a few more minutes. I do not have a container big enough for the eight loaves at a time, but if I was really concerned about time, I could do that. Most of the doughs can be frozen. I usually make 2 or 3 of the loaves, freeze the rest, and then began to build a bank of various breads I can thaw and then freshly bake.

Exceeded my expectations, October 29, 2009
I have been a huge fan of the authors' first book, Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, and to say that I was impatiently anticipating this one would be an understatement. I received it the day it came out, 2 days ago, and have already read through it twice. I pulled my first loaf of 100% Whole Grain Maple Oatmeal Bread from the oven this morning, and I wish I could describe to you the smell in my house right now! After letting it cool for a few minutes, I sliced off a piece and it was heavenly. Texture, flavor, everything was spot-on.

My copy is full of tape flags for those that I must-make-right-away: Soft Whole Wheat Sandwich Bread (including making the dough into hamburger or hot dog buns!), Pesto and Pine Nut Bread, Anadama Corn Bread, Quinoa Bread, Brown Rice & Prune Bread, Whole Wheat Mixed Berry Bread, and Honey Graham Bread top the list. There is also a chapter specifically for gluten-free breads and treats, which look wonderful. Honestly, I haven't seen any that I don't want to try, and I'm also looking forward to mixing and matching with some of the ideas from the first book. (The sun-dried tomato and parmesan is one of our favorites from that one, and I'll be making it with one of the whole-grain doughs very soon.)

Be aware that they do call for a few specialty ingredients, but nothing that I wasn't able to find in my local natural foods store - most were even in my regular supermarket. Anyone who is already doing some whole grain baking will have many of the ingredients already on their shelves.

In addition to the wonderful recipes, the authors also impart much knowledge that they've learned since the first book. The material in the introductory/informational chapters in the beginning is great - I'm especially happy that they included info for weighing ingredients.

Thanks, Zoe and Jeff, for another masterpiece! Can't wait for the next one. ;)

Good enough to skip the pie!, November 29, 2009
While I openly admit, I dont eat a lot of bread products day to day, I do enjoy a really good bread. Really good bread to me is a hearty bread loaded with flavor, grains, fruit, vegies.... those are the ones I find hard to resist. What I discovered in this book, Healthy Bread In Five Minutes A Day was a whole book full of recipes as well as tips to make just the kind of bread that I would find hard to resist.

I thought Thanksgiving would be a great time to create one of the mouth watering recipes from this book. On page 145 I found just the recipe, 100% Whole Grain Maple Oatmeal Bread? Sound good? Good didnt even begin to describe it! Using whole wheat flour and old fashioned oats, I followed this recipe step by step to make a delicious tasting and smelling bread that filled the house with a pleaseantness that had my whole family wanting to know - when do we get to eat it?

For a person who doesn't really do anything slow... this was a lesson in good bread making. I need two hours to let the dough rise and collapse. On the bright side of this, the bread dough can be made up to seven days in advance and kept refrigerated until you are ready to bake - so a fresh loaf could be at your fingertips!

The end result was a good looking loaf of bread that I was pleased with and the flavor of maple and cinnamon made for a "skip the pie" worthy treat. This would make a wonderful gift to the baker you know.

Gluten Free Paradise, March 29, 2010
This review applies specifically to the Gluten Free recipes. Please do not mark as "unhelpful" if you do not use these recipes.

You will never go back to those syrupy-tasting, stomach-bomb store-bought loaves!

I've tried the Brioche recipe and the Olive Oil Bread recipe (the two main recipes). The Olive Oil bread is by far the best for sandwiches, rolls etc. It has mild flavor and is more like regular bread than anything I've ever tasted. Tastes great with Thyme sprinkled over the top.

The Brioche is sweet and will probably work well for the cinnamon rolls and the pastries. I attempted the cinnamon rolls, but the dough stuck horribly to the SILPAT and I scooped it off and just baked it as a loaf. I recommend using some flour to dry out the dough a little (don't knead) and brushing melted butter on the SILPAT and on the waxed paper or plastic wrap you lay on top to roll it out. This has worked for me before with other recipes.

The Brioche is flavored with Honey instead of sugar. The Olive Oil bread is flavored with vinegar but does not produce a sour flavor as you might think.

Three CONS to the gluten free recipes are:

1. They all call for tapioca flour, sorghum flour, corn starch etc. All STARCH! If you want a truly healthy gluten free bread I recommend Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Mix which has enough sorghum and tapioca flour to produce the texture needed but is mixed with two kinds of bean flour for protein, vitamins and fiber. I replaced the starches with Bob's Red Mill mix and used brown rice flour as the recipe called for. The result was fantastic! (Even though Bob's Red Mill mix has xantham gum in it, I still used the 2 Tbs. called for in the recipe. If you use Bob's mix know that bean flour comes out darker than starchy flour. So don't use egg wash.)

Also, only one recipe in the book calls for Quinoa, and it's not a gluten free recipe. I don't know how the authors overlooked the healthier flour alternatives, but since they are new to gluten free baking (as they say in the book and got outside help) I won't hold it against them.

2. The wood paddle isn't necessary either. Kind of silly when you realize you just spent $40 on a piece of wood just for the nostalgia. I just wet my hands, take out the amount dough necessary, form it in my hands, and rest it on the SILPAT on the cookie sheet with a cloth over it until baking time. When I get my stone I will just scoop it off with my hands and place it on the stone. There are instructions for baking it halfway with the SILPAT on the stone, then removing it for the rest of the baking.

3. The GF recipes don't tell you to cut across the top before baking for that artisan look. I don't know if this works with GF dough as I haven't tried it. I smooth the surface with water on my fingers and sprinkle herbs on it.

When I tried these recipes my Baking Stone had not come yet, and I just baked it on the SILPAT on my cookie sheet. A tip: When you make the Olive Oil bread and the instructions say to throw a cup of water in the broiler pan (watch the video on their website), make sure you do it the way they do. The first time I placed the water in the pan and then the pan in the oven. The second time I place the pan in the oven, let it warm up with the oven, and then put the water in creating the big burst of steam like in the video. This is important to the rise and texture of the bread, I found. Much better with the big burst of steam, though my pan warped a little. A worthy sacrifice, IMO.

When making the Hot Dog Buns remember that Gluten Free dough does not expand and rise like regular dough. Make them about as big as you want the finished bun to be, they will not get much bigger when baked. I did this with the Brioche recipe, but will do it with the Olive Oil recipe from now on.

I also used the Olive Oil dough to make dumplings on chicken soup, just scooped out small handfuls from the tub in the fridge. They were great.

I made Banana Bread with freeze-dried banana pieces that I reconstituted and just mixed with a loaf's worth of dough and some spices, then formed. Big hit.

Also, if you have trouble making GF dough rise, like I do, set it on top of the stove with the oven heated to 300*F in the plastic tub for its 2-hour rising time. This makes softer bread and yields the said 4 loaves. If the dough does not rise near to the top of the tub you will not get 4 loaves and the bread will be denser, but still not as heavy as the store-bought kind.

I tried the Authentic Foods Dough Enhancer and it wasn't as good. The Dough Enhancer is just lecithin, ascorbic acid, tapioca, and ginger that claims to be a "yeast activator". Don't bother.

Be sure to read through the other, non-gluten free recipes for inspiration. There is Stollen, Challah and doughnuts which can be made with the Brioche dough. At least one other recipe referred to Gluten Free dough as a substitute.

Buy the yeast in bulk--the packets are a rip-off and it takes 3 � pkts to get the 2Tbs required.

It costs me about $1.50 per loaf (you make 4 loaves at a time, so $5 worth of flour, $.25 for 4 eggs and yeast divided by 4 loaves.) Compare that to the $8 store-bought stuff it's worth its weight in gold. In this economy that's saying a lot.

THANK YOU !!!!!!!, January 13, 2010
THANK YOU(!!) for the gluten free recipes that are truly EDIBLE as well as beautiful!
I had been making bread from the first book with great ease ,but truly wondered about gluten free bread ,,,,well,,,if I could show you my very first loaf you wouldn't believe its gluten free,it looks like it came right out of a magazine!
and,,,,to think it did not cost me an arm and a leg to make it!

Now ,I can look forward to pizza, breadsticks and all kinds of gluten free bread items for a member of my family who cannot eat any gluten !!!!!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!
I plan on trying all the recipes in this book and am personally looking forward to the stollen!

Most Recipes NOT 100% Whole Grain, September 26, 2010
I was really excited to get my book in the mail. I couldn't wait to try out all the healthy recipes and take my ordinary baking DAY and turn it into baking just minutes each time I needed a loaf of bread. Unfortunately, I thought that "Healthy & Whole Grains" in the title implied that all the recipes would use 100% Whole Grains. This isn't true and I am sadly disappointed. The whole reason I choose to make my bread at home is so that I can avoid all the preservatives, refined grains and high cost of supermarket breads. At home, I can grind my own 100% whole grain organic flour. I can add healthy extras like Flaxseed, sunflower seeds...etc. I can use natural sweeteners like honey or sucanat.

Although there are a few 100% whole grain recipes in the book (which are very good btw), the majority of the recipes use at least 3 cups of all purpose flour. I haven't tried the recipes with the all purpose flour yet, so I can't say if they are good or not. Though they do like like they will be delicious!

So be for-warned... if you are looking for a book filled with 100% whole grain bread recipes, keep looking.

Gluten-free - same dense bread as usual only with a crispy crust, June 1, 2010
This review is to provide more information on the gluten-free chapter in Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients for those considering purchasing and wondering about how starchy the recipes are or if they use ingredients allergic to them. This review is not on the glutenous bread.

There are 5 recipes for GF bread that can then be made into various forms, pizza crust, crackers, and baquettes.

GF Crusty Boule - 2c brown rice flour, 1 1/2c sorghum flour, 3c tapioca starch, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, eggs, oil, and honey. Instructions included for making into classic boule, loaf pan for sandwiches, pizza crust, crackers, sesame baguette, or parmesan bread sticks.

GF Cheddar and Sesame Bread - 3c sorghum flour, 1/2c soy flour, 2c tapioca starch, 1/2c cornstarch, sesame seeds, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, eggs, olive oil, honey, and cheddar cheese. Instructions included for making into free-form loaf, crackers, sesame baquettes, or parmesan bread sticks.

GF Not Rye Bread - 2c brown rice flour, 1 1/2c teff flour, 3c tapioca starch, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, caraway seeds, eggs, oil, honey, and molasses. Instructions included for making into free-form loaf or parmesan bread sticks.

GF Olive Oil Bread - 1c brown rice flour, 1/2c soy flour, 1c tapioca starch, 3 1/2c cornstarch, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, eggs, olive oil, and vinegar. Instructions included for making into free-form loaf with a crispy crust, pizza crust, sesame baquette, or parmesan bread sticks.

GF Brioche - 1c brown rice flour, 1c tapioca starch, 3 3/4c cornstarch, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, milk, honey, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Instructions included for making into brioche, sandwich loaf, or cinnamon buns (recipe included)

I spent alot of money buying all the special equipment, tools, and ingredients recommended in this book such as Cambro RFS6PPSW2190 6-Quart Round Food-Storage Container with Lid, Set of 2 and Lodge Pro Logic Cast-Iron 14-Inch Pizza Pan, parchment paper, Authentic Foods Sorghum Flour, oven thermometer, Authentic Foods Brown Rice Flour Superfine, yeast from costco, CounterArt Bamboo Pizza Peel and Wilton Excelle Elite 3-Tier Cooling Rack

My bread turned out as good as the GF breads made commercially at my local bakers and grocers but to me is still basically a dense clump although it has a nice flavor. The way the authors marketed Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day: 100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruits, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients as the GF bread was going to look and taste and feel like the wheat bread they demonstrate in the video! I am sure their recipes and techniques work great with vital gluten, but is probably not the magic solution to get GF bread to taste as good as glutenous bread - NOT! The GF bread does not look at all like the video. The bread does not meet my expectations based on all the author's hype BUT it has a tasty flavor and is definitely fresher than that in the grocery store and I think the texture is as good as the GF bread made by my local bakers. I think the crust is superior but the denseness is same as all other GF breads.

*The* book about bread baking, December 5, 2009
I've got more books on bread baking, some of them more beautiful then 'in five minutes a day'. This one just works, the recipes are simple, take little time or effort, and the results are stunning. The authors show that a bread machine is not adding anything to the real thing: bread shaped by your own hands, flavored by your choice of add-ons (or none at all), and baked in an oven just like yours. I live a mile high, and the bread comes out great. Recommended, for beginners as well as more experienced bakers.

I'm Again Able To Enjoy Bread Baking with a Very Tight Schedule, December 8, 2009
I can only add to what are probably by now thousands of well deserved five star ratings here and elsewhere. I was once very much into yeast baking, but just don't have time for all the yeast proofing, doubling in bulk, punching down, etc. I bought the first book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes A Day and Pre Ordered the sequel here. I decided to stick to the first book for awhile to enlarge on building my skills, experimenting with different brands of flour, packet yeast vs. bulk yeast. I have a very small kitchen and keep the fancy kitchen equipment to a minimum. It isn't needed here: I use the largest food grade Rubbermaid container for mixing and storing dough, and I mix it with a wooden spoon oiled with food grade oil. I have no problems doing that and getting enough of the glutens to come out of the flour to get a good rise. This is so much satisfying fun! The basic boule from the first book makes incredible pizza dough: 40 cents not $4 for store bought! And you can mix it in less time than it takes to go to the store! I just ordered ten grain cereal from Bob's Red Mill to try that bread in the new book. The store bought multigrain breads are horrible and make healthy eating torture. I can't wait to try it!

So satisfying and easy, December 8, 2009
At age 52, I baked my first loaf of yeasted bread, following the basic recipe from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. This last year I have shared the bread and the book with dozens of friends. I PREordered the new book, Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day and started my third batch of bread this morning. These recipes are easy, healthy and most importantly, delicious. Buy it and enjoy! ... Read more