1 star.

This book starts out with some incredibly slapdash science that is unfortunately so often typical of “alternative” and “natural” practitioners. The first chapter on “leaky gut syndrome” keeps saying things like “we know …”.

Firstly, science is an ever-growing, evolving body of research and work that learns new things often. We don’t actually “know” anything for absolute certain, especially not within the human body. The human body is an incredibly complex system, from which we pull out small pieces and study these in isolation (which is not where they work).

Second, the research on “leaky gut syndrome” is both scant and divisive. Many in the world of western medicine don’t even believe it exists outside of the rare cases of those with celiac are still eating gluten. And yet, those in many alternative fields of medicine continue to tout it as fundamental truth and widespread among anyone who isn’t in the greatest health they can be.

The second chapter on macro- and micro-nutrients continues to jump ALL over the place. There is no direct line of thought from start to finish. The “tone” is also really scattered. It sounds as though someone tried to take a paper they wrote for a class at uni, and randomly added in conversational-toned bits to make it general-audience friendly. 



I do think that one of the most effective ways that we can help our bodies maintain the best health that they can is to eat well and get all of the nutrients that we need from our diet. I certainly don’t believe (like the author states (on pg 20) that it is all that is required to beat ALL diseases and be at your most well!

Personally, I believe that all facets of study can bring us useful and usable information, but that we need be cautious in accepting anything as fundamental truth. 

I also believe that all bodies are quite different in their needs, and that not everyone does phenomenally well on plant-only diets, while others don’t feel their best eating any meat products. Any book that does not acknowledge this and maintains that any incredibly specific way of eating is the “best” and can cure all forms of malady has me incredibly skeptical.



I presume that anyone without a scientific or medical background may find the first chapters to be quite alarming, making the following recipes essential to follow. I personally find that they have given me very little faith in this author and had hoped that the recipes are fun ways to incorporate a wide variety of essential nutrients into my diet.

Unfortunately, I found the recipes just as bad as the first part of the book. The ingredients were extremely limited, and many were those that are very expensive or rare. Not many people can afford to eat like this. Further, such a limited ingredient list can lead to actually reducing the good gut microbiome that the authors are so worried about. Colour me unconvinced - 1 star for effort.

Huge gratitude to NetGalley and the publisher, Fair Winds Press, for a digital ARC copy of this book, in exchange for my (way too) honest review.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

The Immunity Food Fix Cookbook is a cookbook hosting 75 recipes perfect for immunity support, nutritional value, and superfood meals. The aim of the recipes and meals featured in this book are for healing the gut, detoxing, reversing inflammation, and helping to support immunity and reduce the risk of illness through weak immunity Not only is this a Cookbook, but it gives some valuable advice and information on subjects such as immunity, gut health, overnutrition, and much more! Vegan and veggi dishes are included, and there is something for almost everyone included in this book. I received an e-book version, so I have screenshot a few recipes I think would be beneficial to try for myself and my family.

Pharmacist and nutritionist Dr. Donna Beydoun Mazzola and chef Sarah Steffens wrote The Immunity Food Fix Cookbook as a companion to Immunity Food Fix, which I have not read yet. The 75 nutrient-dense whole food recipes are designed to reduce inflammation and support a healthy immune system. The authors recommend consuming 9 to 12 servings of plant-based foods of different types and colors each day, and they have designed these recipes to help you accomplish that.

The first four chapters introduce immunity and nutrition. I thought this information was too technical for inclusion in a cookbook. Mazzola is trying to explain too much in too few pages, when most readers likely just want to get to the recipes.

The recipes are organized into six chapters, including snacks, drinks, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desserts. Each recipe has an explanation of the nutritional benefits provided, a list of special diets accommodated (vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free), and a list of superfoods included. Recipes are clearly written with helpful notes about storing any leftovers; each includes number of servings, preparation and cooking time, and detailed nutrition information per serving. Most of the ingredients should be fairly easy to find. The recipes assume basic cooking knowledge but are not too difficult. Many of the recipes include photos of the finished dish, although there are no process photos.

The recipes often include ingredient combinations I would never have thought of on my own, but I’ve enjoyed most of the dishes I’ve tried so far. The beet-and-orange spice smoothie smelled and tasted overwhelmingly of beets when prepared as written, but it was delicious once I added extra spices and a teaspoon of raw cacao powder. The orange cream smoothie had a luxuriously creamy texture and a very mild flavor; I’ll probably try adding some of the orange zest next time to increase the citrus flavor. The everyday veggie egg bake has good flavor and texture and is a great way to use up whatever veggies and fresh herbs you have on hand. The creamy chicken and rice soup with basil and lemon is comfort food at its finest. The Moroccan-spiced carrot and parsnip salad with lemon-roasted cod, smoky black bean and butternut tacos with pumpkin seeds, and lemony shrimp chickpea pasta with spinach and walnuts were all hits. The vegan and grain-free tahini chocolate chip cookies were lovely fresh from the oven, although they became very soft the next day.

The back matter includes a thorough, easy to use index of ingredients and recipes, as well as scientific terms (although I am not sure why anyone would want to search for information on adipokines in a cookbook).

This cookbook offers creative recipes for those wanting to improve their health. Many of the recipes are suitable for vegans, vegetarians, and those who follow a gluten-free or dairy-free diet. I highly recommend it.

I was provided an ARC through NetGalley that I volunteered to review.

I received an ARC of this cookbook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a fantastic cookbook. It's filled with healthy, vibrant, interesting recipes.

More pictures are a MUST... which takes away from the great recipes when I review a recipe book.
Super info and great tips based on health and research.

>>> Reading this within the NetGalley app that eventually disappears or expires is not the most ideal - especially for cookbooks that I'd love to have access to after it pubs.

I want to thank NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this publication. In return, I have promised to provide an unbiased review. I really wish more cookbooks were formatted better and offered as a Kindle version.

The Immunity Food Fix Cookbook: 75 Nourishing Recipes that Reverse Inflammation, Heal the Gut, Detoxify, and Prevent Illness is a cross between a textbook and a cookbook. Anyone with stomach or imflamation problems will want to read the information that includes Diet and the Immune System, Overnutrition and Immunity, The Role of the Microbiome, Nutrition and Immunity, and Eat to Heal & Prevent Disease. The prose is well-written, and those who suffer from these anomalies will find this information interesting and helpful. Non-cooks will still find the information helpful.

There are also plenty of recipes, many calling for tree-hugger and strange ingredients; very few call for meats or poultry, and just a few using salmon. Others are vegan and vegetarian dishes. There are soups and lots of salads with unique ingredients. Included are some main dishes that are appealing.

All told, this isn’t a cookbook for everyone; rather it is definitely a helpful book with ideas for healthy eating and helping those who suffer to change their diets and heal themselves through diet and nutrition. For those who don’t suffer, there are a few recipes that will appeal to everyone and some beautiful photographs that improve the beauty of the cookbook.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Beautiful cookbook to accompany the Immunity Food Fix book. The recipes look delicious and have helpful labels that let someone choose based on their particular eating needs. I was impressed with this cookbook and would love to try some of the recipes, however some of the ingredients seem unattainable for most.

This is a great guide for immunity boosting foods. The cookbook provided details for snacks, meals and even drinks made with ingredients that boost immunity. The creative recipes are a healthy way to improve one's health. I would love to try several of these recipes.

The Immunity Food Fix Cookbook by Donna Beydoun Mazzola and Sarah Steffens is a wonderful companion to Mazzola’s Immunity Food Fix. This additional cookbook resource allows the reader to apply the anti-inflammatory healing principles in a practical way. The first part of the book is a brief summary of the previous work for background. In the next section, user-friendly recipes are formatted including servings, prep time, category, superfoods used, nutrition info, recipe description, ingredients, and instructions. Quality photos are included of some recipes. I tried two recipes from each section, and my family enjoyed them all. My only suggestions would be to include more photos!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Ok so this one is a mixed bag for me. First up the good-

*Well written and explained
*Lots of good information

Now the not so good-

*Some of the ingredients are not easily accessible. And no swap is provided or possible in some cases.
*Very Few pictures.
*When you find yourself with the “Eww David” face while reading through a lot of the recipes, maybe this isn’t the recipes for you. (licorice and lavender latte)

So while a lot of the recipes aren’t for me, I did feel more empowered after reading to incorporate the ingredients into my own recipes.

The Immunity Food Fix Cookbook is a resource guide with tutorials and recipes by Donna Beydoun Mazzola. Due out 28th March 2023 from Quarto on their Fair Winds imprint, it's 192 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This is a companion volume to Immunity Food Fix by the same author which covers a lot of the theory and science behind the relationship between the foods we consume and the health of our immune system. This is a less technically demanding deep dive than the other volume, and is more layman accessible, but the author still manages to cover an impressive amount of physiology and biology in this book as well. For readers who are less interested in the "how and why" of gut health and just want recipes which will provide immune system support, there are 75 recipes included.

The recipes are arranged thematically: snacks & appetizers, drinks & elixirs, breakfast & brunch, lunch, dinner, and desserts & treats. Recipe ingredients are given in a bullet style list in a sidebar with labels identifying dairy-free, gluten-free, vegetarian/vegan options, grain-free, etc. Nutritional information for each recipe is extensive and includes calories, fats, carbs, net carbs, fibre, protein, etc. Superfood ingredients are also listed in the sidebars. Recipe measurements are given in imperial (American) units with metric measurements in parentheses (yay!).

The book is beautifully photographed throughout and the food is well styled and appetizing. Many recipes have options for making the food compliant to special dietary needs, and nutritional info for alternative preparations are listed in the recipes.

There are a fair number of specialized ingredients which might require some substitution or access to specialty markets or specialist retailers.

Four stars. For serious foodies or people who have a solid incentive to improve their gut and overall health.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

Smart, healthy recipes that work for an individual or family. Sure to help those interested in bettering their health during the pandemic.

This is a book I would buy myself!

You get a lot of information on how to have a balanced healthy lifestyle. The recipes are amazing and the pictures are beautiful!

I made the egg muffuns for my loved ones and they were amazing!

Thank you to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Fair Winds for sending me this copy. My opinions are my own.

I do like that on the side of the recipes it lists whether it is dairy free, vegan, and more. I find that quite useful though there are a few ingredients that would not be easily accessible to get, such as pure vanilla bean powder or persimmons. Also, the breakdown of nutrition facts for each of the recipes is helpful. The explanation of the effects of different food, in the beginning, is quite helpful and informative.

Thank you NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group – Fair Winds, Fair Winds Press for accepting my request to read and review The Immunity Food Fix Cookbook.

Published: 03/28/23

"You are what you eat."

This is minimally a book supporting eating a plant based diet. There are many, many pages that attempt to break down and explain the science. I was bored quickly. This is a cookbook. There are recipes, I didn't count but am guessing that the ingredients necessary are not in the average person's cabinet.

This seemed dangerous to me. The marketing is pulling from a group of people that have medical problems.

I was looking forward to this cookbook! As someone with a inflammatory chronic illness this is my time to shine. This book had such well rounded recipes but i will admit it was a bit overwhelming. I saw a lot of titles of things ive never had before and was often left a bit loss for the lack of photos. A lot of recipes are without photos and i think it would have been more helpful if their were more photos. I would be more confident knowing what to expect but other than that amazing cookbook.

Beautiful cookbook, gorgeous photos, easy to follow, and nice recipes. This cookbook has 75 nourishing recipes made with Whole Foods. The recipes look very good and appetizing! There are recipes for snacks, appetizers, drinks, breakfast, lunch, dinner and desserts. I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review

Fascinating take on helping the body's immunity through food. The information felt thorough and there are recipes to help. My version did not load the photos properly but that is probably due to it being an ARC. I will be recommending this to a friend of mine that is having problems and this may just help them.

This was such a delightful read! I really enjoyed seeing all of the different things I could make. The instructions were informative but easy to understand. Also the pictures were so beautiful and gave a great representation on the items to make. Great read!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read. This book, with its enticing cover full of food photos, was more in-depth than I expected when relating information on immunity in the body and the various factors and deficiencies that can cause problems. The recipes were clear and well laid out. However, I wished that there was a photo to accompany each recipe.