Beautiful photos and interesting recipes. Not sure there is anything new that I’d make, but there was a few pretty close to dishes I already make on a regular basis. Lots of good nutrition information at the beginning of the book.

This cookbook was created specifically for women in mind who face health challenges like hormonal imbalances. It goes in to topics such as how to eat so that you can build muscle, lose fat, control hunger, reduce cravings, optimize your hormones, regulate metabolism, improve your skin and help aide in digestion. It talks about calorie counting, types of workouts to help challenge your muscles. One topic I found interesting is macronutrients: fat, protein, carbohydrates. The importance of protein and the different types was an interesting topic. I loved the list of fibers, sugar, & startches. It talks about your monthly cycle and recommends exercise’s & nutrients for each cycle. Here is a few recipes for breakfast from a chocolate, mint smoothie bowl, Mexican style egg, frittata, to grain-free granola, & blueberry breakfast bake. You have lunch, dinner, snacks, sides, & salads. There are quite a few recipes in this book all healthy. Some I might fix myself but I have a family of five and it would be hard to please the majority of my family with these recipes. I do plan to try some out though and I think if you want to help your health this book definitely has the information to help you do so.

Thank you NetGalley, Quarto Publishing, and Shelley Darlington for an advanced e-copy of The Strong Curves Cookbook!

I’ve watched Shelley on YouTube for years now and have always loved her humor, fun personality, and honest approach to health, wellness, and fitness. I’m so excited to try more recipes from her cookbook and to make my kitchen an even healthier and happier space!

Great cookbook.

I love how it starts with the authors story and about how she found food that works for strong women in a predominantly male led environment.

Easy to follow recipes.

Quite a few that are not my personal taste but I know my son would love them. So easy to make for whole family.

Pictures of food visually look lovely.

It has the time it takes to prep and cook the meals, along with all the nutrition information such as calories etc. Which is a huge bonus.

Another bonus is the exercise info.

I would recommend this to anyone looking to improve their overall fitness with food.

finally, a cookbook that promotes healthy eating with recipes that are actually appealing! i have struggled with yoyo diets and weight gain for all of my 20’s… having just turned 30 I need a change that will stick with me. Darlington wrote in such a way even I can understand. I already have some recipes planned for this week. I didn’t realize how much I was missing out on just by lack of knowledge and now my eyes are opened

This book had lots of recipes that I am looking forward to testing out, these recipes seem filling and delicious which is not always found in weight loss books.

Rating: 5 stars ⭐️

I would highly recommend this cookbook if you are interested in incorporating more protein in your daily diet.

The recipes are easy to understand and clearly described so that you can use them on a daily basis.

This would also be a really good Christmas gift! 🎁

Thank you to Netgalley, Shelley Darlington and the publisher for providing me with this copy. All opinions are my own.

This is a really good book which would be perfect for women out there looking to up their game in terms of getting their nutrition around their workouts right.
There’s some really good information about nutrition and macros and what to eat when. The recipes are good, I tried a few before writing this review. My only criticism, which is something I find common in recipe books, is that there’s not enough photos. I really prefer it when a recipe book gives you a picture with every recipe. It helps you to visualise what you’re making and also draws you in when making a choice on what to make.

I loved that this book embraces strength over "slim" and shares tons of protein-dense and vegetable-loving recipes. There are tons of ideas I can take from this, and some fave recipes include: Veggie Buddha Bowl, Sweet Potato and Turkey Quinoa Bowl, Teriyaki Salmon and Bok Choy, and Blueberry and Zucchini Muffins. I thought it was interesting that they were sorted by function of pre or post workout and rest day meals to think about how you eat differently for different types of fuel. I do think the names of some of the recipes (while descriptive) don't strike me as appetizing (e.g. Adrenal Support “Cocktail”). Overall, definitely will give some of these recipes a go!

I loved it! Not only are the recipes amazing, but the knowledge that comes with it is phenomenal. What I love the most is that she included fun recipes, so you won't feel like your just eating greens. I highly recommend for beginners trying to be healthier.

Quick Summary: A phenomenal resource with a realistic game plan for healthy living

My Review: The Strong Curves Cookbook: 100+ High-Protein, Low-Carb Recipes to Help You Lose Weight, Build Muscle, and Get Strong! by Shelley Darlington is a fantastic tool for those who want to get serious about cleaning up their mind and body. This helpful cookbook provides a wealth of information. It, truthfully, does all of the thinking for you. It takes out the hard part and leaves you with practical, level-based meals that are easy to follow.

About the Book: The book is organized in such a way as to present content on everything from the science of nutrition to structuring meals for the best results. It gives the reader numerous tables, tips, suggestions, and options. It's colorful and very pleasing to the eye. I loved seeing the recipes brought to life (by way of the pictures). The pictures were encouraging and made me appreciate how achievable the food and drinks are. Additionally, the recipe steps are clear and concise.

My Favorite Sections and/or Recipes:

Pre-Workout - >
- Teriyaki Salmon and Bok Choy
- Blueberry and Zucchini Muffins
- Chop-Chop Salad
- Red Cabbage Slaw

Post-Workout - >
- Banana Protein Pancakes
- Sweet Potato and Turkey Quinoa Bowl
- Sweet Potato Avocado Boats
- Herbed Latkes
- Green Goddess Smoothie
- Electrolyte Replenisher
- Coconut Energy Balls
- Frozen Yogurt Bites

Rest Days - >
- Grain-free Porridge
- Grain-free Granola
- Zucchini Fritters with Fried Eggs
- Veggie Buddha Bowl
- Cauliflower Falafel and Tahini Dip
- Baklava Bites
- Adrenal Support Cocktail

My Final Say: This cookbook gets a gold star rating. I need a hard copy in my hands and in my kitchen right away. I highly recommend it. I think it will be incredibly beneficial for many people who want to get serious about their health and nutrition.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: ⭐

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Quarto Publishing Group, Fair Winds Press), and to NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to review this title.

I really enjoyed this author's story about how she discovered the right ingredients for women trying to build muscle in an industry designed mostly for men. I also loved that she has insight and helpful tips for woman who are older and still trying to stay strong and fit. I cannot wait to try out many of the recipes that are very doable with easy accessible ingredients and with food that doesn't leave me feeling like I will be depriving myself of taste. I look forward to following her YouTube channel as well and was so glad that she shared that information so I can keep up with her in real time.

If you are into trying to build muscle and want some healthy recipes that will lead to a strong and well fed body, I highly recommend checking out this cookbook!

Thank you to Net-Galley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for a review.

The Strong Curves Cookbook has a wide range of delicious recipes with clear instructions, ingredients and macros.

Organization:
This book is organized in 3 main categories: Pre workout, Post Workout and Rest Days. This was very helpful to understand what your body needs depending on the day and time. Inside each section is breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, as well as a few bonus sections! I liked the organization but found the transition between meal sections to be extremely subtle. There were times when reading I had not realized I have moved from the lunch section to dinner.
The layout of the recipes is very straight forward and displayed well. Including the difficultly of each recipe is very helpful. I do wish there were a few more pictures for the recipes. I also want to note that the macros are prominent on the page and is hard to ignore should you not want to see the exact macros.

Nutrition Content:
There is a thorough summary of nutritional science for building muscle, I like the tables provided in this section that summarized the writing. This makes it easy to reference when creating meals even outside the book. However, the AVOID section was a bit aggressive at times. I do not think it is possible to "AVOID THIS ALWAYS": refined sugars, deli meats, soda, alcohol in a balanced and sustainable life. I realized this is a nutrition book but personally I think that full avoiding of things is good or sustainable. You should feel free to have wine with friends and eat the birthday cake. It seems a bit counterintuitive have an 80/20 balance yet an always avoid section of the foods that would be in the 20%.

Overall, I think that this cookbook has easy and delicious staples that one can integrate into their daily life. I wish the some of the nutrition content was laid out differently but the organization was nice.

Before I stumbled upon this book I had never heard of Shelley Darlington, but she wrote an excellent book that includes everything from workout information to some really great recipes. The beginning of the book is several pages of tips and advice on exercise and eating, and that's something I can get behind and appreciate, especially since I have A LOT of weight to lose to reach my goal. And, thankfully, Shelley explains it all in a way that's easy to understand. The photos are vibrant and beautiful, and the recipes are relatively easy, so even a not-so-great cook like myself can make them. I would recommend it to everyone.

This book had alot of good recipes that I wanted to try. My only critique is that many of the recipes called for ingredients that one wouldn't typically have in your fridge or pantry, which requires more money and trips to the grocery.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

I am trying to add more protein in less carbs in my diet so this cook book caught my eye immediately. I found it interesting that the book was separated by pre work out, after work out, and rest days. I am looking forward to trying many recipes- especially the smoothies!