Eat to Live Cookbook: 200 Delicious Nutrient-Rich Recipes for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss, Reversing Disease, and Lifelong Health

I think this is a great place to start if you want to test the waters a bit and see what eating nutritarian is all about. The first 30 pages have everything you need to get started. It won't require the all out chaos in the family meal plan - occurring when the family is forced to eat what you are eating; rather, you can fix any one of these fantastic recipes as a side dish and skip the main course. They will like it too.

If you aren't familiar with what Dr. Fuhrman teaches, there is a enough instruction in the book to get a good overview. I didn't begin to eat greens regularly until 3 years ago when I started following the Eat to Live plan. Now, they are a normal part of my diet and I don't think twice about it - I wish I had THIS cookbook in 2009!

There are a couple of points that should be emphasized. First, he clearly explains that it's better to add vegetables and fruits to your diet than to be overly focused about organic/GMO/etc... Not that these are unimportant, but if cost or availability is a concern, eating regular versions of these vegetables is far better than skipping. He points out that most science studies cited for health benefits used conventional varieties of vegetables and fruits. There is an excellent guide on which produce is most likely to have pesticides and it can help you focus limited budgets where it will be most healthful. All the recipes for diabetes and metabolic disorder are clearly marked.

Next, he and the 6 guest chefs created guides on how to select the best vegetables, etc... These are throughout the book, so if you don't know what to look for our how to make the perfect selection, there's help doing it along with many other tips and tricks. These are sprinkled within the recipes and most are set apart from the text in green highlight or boxes. As well, if you don't know how to sauté with water or prepare an artichoke, it's here in easy to follow directions. He even has a guide to spices!

One helpful hint if you're not accustomed to eating fresh vegetables daily - start slow when shopping. Until you get the flow of fresh greens and vegetables, buying too much at one time will result in too much ending in the compost pile or disposal. Once you get the hang of it, you'll have a good feel for when and what to buy and you are in and out of the grocery store with just a few things. If you spread that out with some of the recipes made of staples, or soups and stews which can be stored/frozen, you're never far from a great tasting healthful meal.

There are suggestions on additions if you aren't eating a vegan diet, which may not be as healthful, but will be welcomed for mixed-diet households. Dr Fuhrman encourages people to eliminate the calorie dense animal food, but he doesn't beat people up with it. I choose the plant-versions, because that's what I prefer.

Finally, his AMAZING approach to making dressings deserves noting. This is the single item that allowed me to fully convert to eating this way. They are delicious and EASY to make. Once you make one or two examples, you can literally make unlimited sauces and dressings with his easy to understand 4-ingredient approach. I know others have "complained" a bit by him promoting his ingredients, but he always offers alternatives in the recipes that can be found at your local grocery store. Many of his items are available here on amazon if you'd rather buy than make. That being said, anyone can make dressings fresh in just a few minutes and if you keep just a few key ingredients in the house, you're always ready to go! Remember, they aren't just for salads.

I'm grateful to him on many levels - health and weight, but equally important is he is a fantastic man with an unrelenting drive and passion to help people get better using nothing but food. It works if you follow it.

In the past, getting started has been the biggest obstacle for most people and this cookbook is definitely a big help.

Most of us don't know much about whole foods. Following the recipes in this book will, over time, teach you how to pair and prepare real, unprocessed foods. The very best meal is the one that your body is precisely craving. And after enough time eating healthy foods, you will get in touch with real cravings. That, combined with the knowledge of food preparation that this book offers, is the real game-changer.

But yes, the recipes in this book really are delicious. (I suggest starting with some desserts!!) If you are not accustomed to using food processors for doing things like seed grinding, and making pasty/sticky stuff, there will definitely be a learning curve. I suggest looking at all the recipes over and over, and picking easy ones you know you can start with. If you're not into cooking, you'll find it daunting to buy so many spices, and keep so many raw ingredients on hand... some of which might be expensive and difficult to find in stores. But the author does a good job at explaining how to prepare the more obscure ingredients, so don't worry about being left in the dark. One thing I can absolutely guarantee, is that if you follow this diet, you will definitely lose weight. The author literally challenges you to eat as much as you want, and it is NO joke. Here is what happened to me:

In the first 2 weeks, I actually had to stop following this diet 100% because I wasn't getting enough calories. I'm 6'1", and I quickly reached my target weight of 160 (from about 170ish), but kept losing. My hunger changed, to the point where I really never felt like eating anymore. Although I was eating large volumes at each meal (and feeling full), the reality was that I was not getting enough calories. How did I know? I almost passed out while exercising normally, followed by a week of intense anxiety after that, lasting until I increased my intake of fats and carbs. Dr. Furhman mentions that thin people CAN lose too much weight on this diet if they don't get enough fats. See my update below...

I made the "veg-head burritos" recipe for my guy friends who normally eat a lot of meat (and nothing but processed food), and they LOVED them. The food really is very filling, yet the calorie load is significantly less. And yes, It might taste bland at first, but the more you eat it, the less you will want of "empty" food that is full of fat and sugar. You'll be chewing more and tasting more when you eat real food with tons of nutritents.

UPDATE - Nearly 2 months later, and I'm still following this "diet" 100%, although I really don't even call it a diet. It's just plain common sense: eat healthy foods and witness your desire for empty calories completely go away. No joke. I wasn't a great cook to begin with, but I'm finding that after following these recipes, I'm finally learning how to make my own dishes, or altering the recipes to my preference. Learning to pair and prepare ingredients is definitely a skill that needs practice, and this book won't leave you in the dark in either category. I got a coffee grinder for grinding nuts, seeds, and oats with the tap of a button. I always make one or two healthy desserts each week (like pumpkin pie or banana oat bars) so that if I am craving something sweet, I never reach for empty calories. I can make a large batch of ultra-filling burritos or veggie burgers, and freeze them for "fast food". So everything has gotten easier over time. But the first two weeks were daunting because I was constantly grocery shopping, spending hours in the kitchen, and feeling too chained to the cookbook. It was a lot of worry over a lot of food, AND I wasn't even getting enough to eat! But now I've found the balance, and I'm always relaxed and excited when it comes to meal time. Thanks to eating healthier, and only eating 3 times per day, I am far more aware of what foods my body actually wants. This cookbook has been indispensable in learning how to navigate my way around real, unprocessed food.

I'd suggest easing into this diet, perhaps just one nutritarian meal per day. Can't go wrong with baby steps. See for yourself.


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