Book Review: The Digest Diet Cookbook by Liz Vaccariello

The Digest Diet Cookbook
by Liz Vaccariello

Easy-to-Prepare, Healthy Recipes

Diet books are popular this time of year, with many people resolving to lose weight and get healthy as the new year begins. The problem with many of them is that they are so complicated, requiring a degree in science to be able to understand and follow the program.

Reader's Digest editor-in-chief Liz Vaccariello and her team reviewed the science of weight loss and created a 21-day eating plan called The Digest Diet to help people lose weight. Now she has a follow-up book, The Digest Diet Cookbook, with 150 recipes using her plan to aid in that goal.

The good news is that the recipes are filled with fresh ingredients that anyone can find in your grocery store -- nothing crazy or exotic. There is also a wonderful variety of foods; you can make Thai, Greek, Vietnamese, Italian and American food. You won't get bored making the same thing over and over again.

Even the Fat-Release Shakes, which you can drink twice a day, start with familiar items like nonfat yogurt, coconut milk and honey and allow you to add variations such as bananas, berries, grapes, peanut butter, and cinnamon to create a new shake each day (and it's not that awful green color).

Each recipe includes a graphic with the fat releasers contained in the dish (vinegar, honey, hot sauce) and there is a two-page spread of all the fat release staples that will help you stock your pantry. I also liked that they give a list of their favorite wraps and crackers. They also have some success stories from readers who have used the plan.

If you are looking for a healthy, easy-to-follow way to lose weight or if you just want some new, healthy, fresh recipes, The Digest Diet Cookbook is a great way to go.