Lots of yummy recipes here to try. As a woman and a type 2 diabetic (very controlled with no meds), I pay attention to what I put into my mouth. Heart disease is a scary thing. The book focuses on this. I thought it was well done and informative. I can highly recommend it!

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for a digital copy to read for review. A great resource for the health conscience.

A woman whose family had a history of heart disease was a vegetarian for a good part of her adult life but still had the predisposition to heart disease her family had. After adapting a vegan diet, she is able to heal herself naturally with a plant-based diet. She tells us how she is able to turn around her life with clean eating, mediation and yoga. The book is for people just starting out and finding their way around a vegan diet. The recipes are simplistic but helpful in the start of your journey.
I know from experience the vegan lifestyle gives you more energy and makes you healthier.

Published May 25th 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

I was expecting more recipes. But this book turned out to be a journal about how the author started to be more mindful on what she's eating.There are a few recipes, but this is really her journaling about veganism.

This is geared more towards those who are new to the vegan diet, I too have heart issues and found a few helpful things in here.

I love that the focus of this recipe book is all about healthy eating and working to prevent or even reverse heart disease. As someone who has struggled to convert fully to a vegan diet, this recipe book made it easy and tasty to illuminate meat products. I also have a family history of heart disease, and I loved reading the authors insights on how a vegan diet can support a healthier lifestyle. I recommend this recipe book to all of my friends, even those who have already been vegan for sometime. They always share later how much they love it and use it daily.

I highly recommend this wonderful guide to being vegan for all who are considering a vegan diet, are already vegan and those looking to improve their own heath.

Thank you to the publisher and to Net Galley for the opportunity. My review opinions are my own. .You will meet the author through the story of her own journey to veganism. As one who also has a poor family medical history I am also a vegan and embrace the health of being vegan. I highly recommend this book for all who wish to learn about the transition to veganism and living their best health.

This book will open your mind to living stronger, more healthy and with a more compassionate life. I love the nutrition information and the attention to detail of veganism. A must read to improve your health.

Good book with solid information inside. It gets a bit long wind at a few sections but nothing overly stated. A good reference book if you have questions on being vegan.

What I loved most about this book is that you can truly feel how much the author believes in veganism! She thoroughly discusses the health and spiritual benefits of eating vegan foods. I like that she touched on how bombarded we are with advertisements for medicine in the media, because it's not common in other countries and it does give people a warped sense of thinking that it's okay to take so much medicine when eating better would often eliminate so many health issues (dairy intolerance, heartburn, etc). I also liked the author suggesting you first consult with your doctor to discuss changing your diet and plan a follow-up visit to see how you progress, because it is something other books don't mention and there are foods which can interfere with medicine. She also discusses the importance of eating locally produced, organic (when possible) foods and touches on why it's good to buy Fair Trade foods. I enjoyed the parts of what foods are best to eat in the different seasons and I wish supermarkets would highlight them more often.

For the recipes, I especially liked the "Better than Tuna Salad", Lentil Soup, Oil-Free Indian Curry, and Zoela's Apple Crisp, All of these recipes were big hits with my family as well. My only minor compliant is that I would have loved to see more recipes in the book.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

To be honest, I did expect this to be more of a cookbook, and while there are a handful of recipes included here, this is more of a journal of the author’s journey to finding a healthier diet through veganism and mindful eating. There were several issues that may prove problematic for some readers. While it is the author’s personal experience with her diet and her health, she does make some claims which she does not back up with any proof or evidence. The author also calls herself vegan while using honey, which may be problematic for some looking to pursue a strictly vegan lifestyle.

I’m grateful to NetGalley and SheWrites Press for the opportunity to read and review Joyful Delicious Vegan.

THIS BOOK IS NOT VEGAN!!!

Honey does not come from plants. Either this woman is truely an idiot or she is making a sad joke.

*recipes contain animal products

*eArc provided by the publisher and NetGalley

4 1/2

I will be the first to tell you that a change in diet can turn your life around. I discovered that 15 years ago when I became vegetarian. My pre-diabetic status went away. But now I am looking for another change and having just finished reading Sherra Aguirre’s Joyful Delicious Vegan, I think I’ve found my next path.

I’ve been toying with the idea of going vegan for a while now, mainly because I don’t feel completely healthy, but also because I recognize the inhumane treatment of animals who produce milk and eggs.

Joyful Delicious Vegan isn’t a cookbook but more of a lifestyle guide. Aguirre advocates the diets introduced by Doctors Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr. and Dean Ornish, both of whom were concerned with heart health and the effect of diet on the heart. As well, she praises mindful eating, spirituality, meditation and exercise, all things we know we should integrate into our lives.

I felt excited by Joyful Delicious Vegan in part because this lifestyle change seems to be just what I need but also because Aguirre seems excited by it. It changed her life and she’s sharing that change and her journey. Her presentation is enthusiastic.

Besides Esselstyn and Ornish, she also mentions the research and writings by Neal Barnard and Joel Fuhrman, both of who have a substantial body of work regarding health and vegan diets.

The recipes she shares at the end of the book seem flavorful and not ones typical to vegan cookbooks. Because she’s creating recipes to keep heart disease at bay, these do not include oil but offers that if heart disease is not part of your health issues that oil can be integrated.

A very motivating book!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book inspires readers to slow down and pay attention to what they are eating and more importantly pay attention to how it makes them feel. I enjoyed the quotes she sprinkled throughout her book like this one from Opra Winfrey 2009 “In order not to abuse food I have to stay fully conscious and aware of every bite, of taking time and chewing slowly. I have to focus on being fully alive, awake, present and engaged.” I think the author helps readers do just that.

The author shares her journey through her the process she took to get well and how she came up with her plan to fight heart disease. It is a silent killer she wanted no part of. I liked how the author shares her discoveries and urges readers to start their own wellness journey. She helps them think outside the box. Just because you have hated veggies as a kid you can do many things to create tasty meals you look forward to eating as an adult.

I liked how the author goes through the detox process and then introduces them to a wide variety of veggies and describes their benefits, along with spices to try and at the end a variety of recipes that look yummy. If you are looking to fight heart disease and/ or put more veggies in your life to make a difference in how you feel this is the book for you.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have received a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog www.bookfun.org

I love hearing about other vegans' journeys, so I did enjoy Joyful, Delicious, Vegan. Sherra Aguirre's tone is thoughtful and down-to-earth, which is fitting for the plant-based recipes included in this book.

As someone who has been vegetarian for decades and has dabbled with veganism, I really enjoyed this book. While the author does support some of her claims with medical reviews, I found the most compelling parts of the book were her own anecdotes. I loved her story and that she took her health into her own hands (literally). I identified with her journey into meditation as a way to support her healthy vegan lifestyle and related to her mostly “Eastern” views. I understand some people rely on “Western” medicine and in no way am I disparaging those who need it; I simply enjoyed that she was able to build her life around natural and easily available remedies.

In the end, this book is the authors personal journey to a healthy and sustainable lifestyle and it may not work for everyone. If you’re motivated by individual and unique stories to better health, I’d give this book a read!

Many thanks to Sherra Aguirre, She Writes Press Publishing, and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book. I read and reviewed this voluntarily and opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own. This book is available for purchase now!

“Food is meant to be enjoyed and to keep us healthy” (Aguirre)

Aguirre’s book Joyful, Delicious, Vegan: Life Without Heart Disease details ways to eat vegan in order to diminish specifically heart disease, but she also discusses how vegetarian and vegan eating lowers your risk for other diseases and cancers. This was a very basic introduction to veganism, which included research on the health impact of plant based eating. Aguirre discusses various types of cuisine and how to tailor them to a vegan lifestyle, she reviews spices and their health benefits, and she provides practical steps to change or adjust your food lifestyle. She goes over how to eat vegan at a restaurant. At the end of the book are 25 vegan recipes. Aguirre also provides an extensive list or further resources.

Reading this book was like having a conversation with Aguirre—she’s down to earth and her writing is easy to understand. Throughout the book she provides anecdotes that enhance her points.

This book would be great for someone who is beginning their vegetarian or vegan journey as the information was not overwhelming, nor did it make veganism seem unattainable. Aguirre is clear that you can’t (and shouldn’t) completely change your eating habits overnight. These are processes that take time to become habits.

I would have liked to see more peer-reviewed research to support her claims and her own experiences. Additionally, I have yet to read a health-based book that discusses how to eat local, in season foods in cold climates.

Overall a good read that was very informative. Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for providing me with an ARC.

Didn't really find this a useful addition to my vegan bookshelf. Probably wouldn't recommend stocking it in our small store.

I have mixed feelings about Joyful, Delicious, Vegan and mulled over this book for quite some time before writing a review. Let’s start with the good – Sherra Aguirre’s writing is positive, relatable, and easy to enjoy. Though I’m not a doctor there doesn’t seem to be any bad advice in this book. Aguirre tells readers what worked for her to reverse hypertension and heart disease symptoms, namely a mostly raw vegan diet. An abundance of fresh plants and an avoidance of frankenfoods in your diet is a pretty solid way to improve your health. Aguirre’s writing is empowering and may be beneficial to those who are wary.

One of the issues I had with this book is that most of the research and supporting evidence to back the author’s claims are anecdotal, not peer-reviewed, or come from controversial sources. I wish there had been more scientific claims to back up what Aguirre says. There is also a negative feeling toward Western medicine in this book which I understand in some ways but in others it’s a bit off-putting as medication is sometimes the only option people have when diet alone won’t fix things. And though Aguirre advises a mostly raw vegan diet to reverse heart disease symptoms, a good portion of the recipes in this book aren’t raw. Aguirre points out you can look online for recipes in places like Pinterest, which is true, but then why purchase this book? All in all, I found Joyful, Delicious, Vegan to be a good source for tips and tricks, but readers should take the sources provided with a grain of salt.

Joyful, Delicious, Vegan: Life Without Heart Disease by Sherra Aquirre

A woman who has walked the walk, healed herself, done the research, and desires to share what has worked in her own life has put pen to paper and spelled out her journey for others to benefit from. Whether this will work for you is anyone’s guess but it is perhaps worth considering if you are faced with health issues that a vegan/plant based low-fat diet might help or even heal. Is the information new and found nowhere else? No, not really BUT it is personal and has worked for one woman and as such, might benefit others.

Living in a small village on top of a hill in a Middle Easter country doesn’t make a lot of what I read beneficial to me as I can’t find many of the ingredients mentioned in recipes. I would have preferred some color photos of the finished recipes to liven up the page and give a sense of what it would look like but do understand that increased cost of adding such to books and by not adding them making the book more readily accessible to more readers.

I believe this is a book best suited to those considering using diet for health reasons, interested in plant-based diets, or wanting to read an autobiographical story of one woman’s journey to a healthier life. It did not leave me with “new” information but did reinforce some of my personal ideas and beliefs. Some would quibble with the book being “vegan” as honey is used by the author. Also, what may work for this author may not be the best option for all.

Thank you to NetGalley and She Writes Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

3-4 Stars

I loved Joyful, Delicious, Vegan. It is written with heart and has a bit of everything that I love in a book like this - a little science, a little health, a little awareness, which all adds up to a book that ticks all the boxes.

The recipes are great and the author has a definite joie de vivre. In a world where we really don't have an option anymore (really - look around you, we are sitting on a ticking time bomb and mother earth has had enough), being vegan is no longer the scary thought it may have been in the dark ages.

Thanks to the publisher for my ARC.

This book is really written more for those who are new to vegan diets and looking for ways to deal with heart disease and other health issues. I really found the author to be likeable, though some might be put off by some of her more new age musings. Aguirre is in her 70's and turned around her health after losing most of her family members to heart disease and other related dietary health problems.

While she had been eating vegetarian for most of her adult life, she found out that she still had many of the heart problems that put her family at such risk. She has reversed these problems through a healthy vegan lifestyle along with things like yoga and meditation. Most of the book is about why to go vegan and how to, while just the very end has recipes. These are fairly typical health food vegan type of recipes that will take a bit of getting used to. There are no photographs and there is no nutritional information for the recipes.

I most appreciated Aguirre's down to earth, friendly tone and her real-life suggestions on everything from how to personalize a healthy vegan dinner at a steakhouse to what the best foods and flavors are in Mexican, African, Italian and middle eastern cuisines. While I am not currently vegan, I have been in the past and know firsthand how it can greatly improve health. I didn't really learn anything new here, but I enjoyed the read. Rounded up from 3.5 stars for me.

I read a digital ARC of this book for review.