The Ultimate Healthy Eating Plan That Still Leaves Room for Chocolate

Sharn Griffin is an associate editor of the Canadian Book Review Annual.

This nutrition guide/cookbook is divided into two parts. The first,
“Overview of the Healthy Eating Plan,” is written by Liz Pearson and
includes chapters with titles like “Healthy-for-You-Fats,”
“Fabulous Flax,” and “Phenomenal Vegetables and Fruit.” Pearson
outlines nutritional benefits of these ingredients and their place in
the healthy eating plan. She provides answers to common questions (such
as the difference between “good” and “bad” fats) and information
on foods (such as flax and certain teas) that have been in the research
spotlight of late. She then presents four seven-day meal plans:
Eat-on-the-Run, Summertime, Wintertime, and Weight Loss.

The recipe section, written by Marilyn Smith, occupies the second part
of the book. All the recipes incorporate the principles of good eating
and good nutrition that Pearson established in the first section. They
are divided into standard categories like Soups, Salads, Grains, Beef,
and Seafood. There are two sections that are not usually included in a
healthy eating cookbook (“Muffins, Pancakes and French Toast” and
“Cookies, Loaves, Treats and Cakes”), and even recipes for Chocolate
Chip Cookies and Chocolate Cake. This book is well-written, informative,
and wonderfully practical.