I received a review copy of The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook: 125 Easy and Delicious Recipes to Jump-Start Weight Loss and Help You Feel Great by Neal Barnard, MD and Robyn Webb.

The book description says it’s got “125 flavorful recipes” and that “readers will find all-occasion dishes that use familiar ingredients and require minimal effort.” I think by “familiar ingredients” what they mean are ingredients that are in mainstream American grocery stores, not in specialty health food stores or in Mexican grocery stores or Indian markets, etc.

Of course, since it’s a vegan cookbook, the recipes are free of animal products. But these particular recipes are also low in fat and contain a low-to-moderate glycemic index.

I was excited to see this cookbook because this style of eating is my ideal way of eating. To me, it’s the most satisfying and the most natural way to eat. That’s probably because of how I grew up – as a Californian vegetarian with a mother who knew how to cook well. So to me, these foods aren’t just healthy, they’re comforting. I feel nurtured when I feed myself the way my mother would feed me: healthy vegan food.

Alas, I am likely unique in that aspect. Not many people grew up vegetarian. This way of cooking is new and “different” to most people. In that vein, I’ll explain how this cookbook makes vegan eating easy:

• For each recipe, it lists the estimated preparation time and cook time.
• Likewise, each recipe offers nutritional information, so you can clearly and quickly count up protein, carbs, or fat… whatever your heart desires. Literally. This cookbook will help you prevent or even reverse heart disease!

Here’s your warning, though: beans, beans, the magical fruit…this cookbook is filled with them! Now, I love beans so for me that’s a good thing. But some people shy away from beans. If you’re one of those people, you might not get a lot of use out of this book. Or maybe you just need to give beans another try. The cookbook says:

“Okay, we’re bean happy! You will find a bevy of bean recipes in this book. Beans are among the most inexpensive and most nutritious ingredients. They are loaded with fiber, calcium, and iron. [...] If you have trouble digesting beans, start with small servings – a little bit goes a long way. And be sure they are very well cooked.”

The cookbook also gives information about the glycemic index, diabetes, cancer, hypertension, cholesterol, and more. Overall, The Get Healthy, Go Vegan Cookbook by Neal Barnard, MD and Robyn Webb is a great resource for any vegan or aspiring vegan.

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Sections: Vegan Food
Topics: 125 recipes, baking, barnard, cookbook, cooking, Food, healthy, Neal Barnard, nutrition, pcrm, recipes, robyn webb, Vegan