One of the book's greatest strengths is its emphasis on balance. Bauer encourages readers to indulge in moderation, offering tips on portion control and mindful eating. By providing healthier alternatives to common junk food cravings, she empowers readers to make informed choices without feeling deprived.

While the book's focus on calorie reduction and healthier ingredients is commendable, it's important to note that it may not be suitable for everyone. Some readers may find the calorie counts and nutritional information overwhelming or restrictive. Additionally, the book's reliance on processed ingredients, albeit healthier alternatives, may not appeal to those seeking a more whole-foods-based approach.

Some really great ideas on how to change from junk food to making your diet more joyful. Tips and hints are here but as with all diets you have to do the work.

If you want to eat and cook healthier and at the same time you do not feel like giving up your favourite comfort food, this cookbook can give you some ideas. The authoress tweaks, trims and modify well-known American meals into the healthier versions.
In my opinion, some recipes are more workable than others (for me, the zucchini "pasta" can never be as fulfilling or tasty than real pasta), but some recipes sounds yummy (like "Baked Apple Oatmeal "Pie", which i really need to try!).
In my opinion, the quality of the ingredients is the key, also the amounts you eat of the meal (or drink) - and the amount of energy you are releasing! And yes, give up the sweetened, chemical sodas!

This is a pretty standard diet cookbook of the sort that I remember from when I was growing up in the 1970's and 80's. In it, you'll find diet versions of standard American foods. The recipes are not paleo, gluten free, plant-based, all natural, or any other modern diet that's embraced for health reasons. These are just low calorie versions of junky American classics.

If you want to cook diet versions of foods like pancakes, eggs benedict, chicken wings and ho-hos, this will probably fit the bill -- though you're definitely not going to be fooled by the recipes. Bauer does things like have you swap out your bagel with a bagel flat or carve out the bread part, and then top it with reduced fat cream cheese and a few strawberries instead of full fat cream cheese and jelly (do people really put jelly on cream cheese bagels?). Chicken wings her way no longer involve the half butter, half hot sauce treatment and are just chicken tenders slathered in hot sauce (or a cauliflower version). Pancakes are made with ground oats and egg whites. Portions are much smaller, fats are greatly reduced, and lots of low calorie products are switched out for regular ones.

Some of the recipes sound promising, like the blue cheese dip that's made with low-fat Greek yogurt and blue cheese, or the chia jam that's made with real fruit and chia seeds. Others sound awful to me, like deviled eggs that are rebranded as angel eggs and filled with hummus (the yolks are discarded in her recipe). The tan color of hummus filled eggs is just wrong to me. Perhaps adding a pinch of turmeric and getting it back to a shade of yellow would help, but they're a little off-putting as shown.

I cook meals that are mostly organic, gluten free, all natural and vegetarian. We live very frugally so this means I generally cook from scratch, including making my own pizza crust, bread, jellies, etc. and cook a lot from our own garden or wild foods. As such, there's virtually nothing of use to me in this cookbook. It involves purchasing low-fat and low-calorie processed foods and then making dishes that are heavy on wheat, low fat dairy and meat. For someone used to eating traditional diner types of foods who's just looking to lose some weight, it may fit the bill.

** I received a digital version of this book for the purpose of this review.

I did not find out anything new that my family and I are already using. I am sure it can be useful for some people but if you have already changed your food choices from red meat to turkey or chicken, or flour to gluten free you are already doing what most of the ideas are in this book. Sorry it was not for me.

All of the recipes I tried were easy and yummy. My kids even ate most of the improved recipes, although they were aware that these were healthier than their ordinary fare. As a teacher, I think that this book could teach children to cook in a healthier way from the start, instead of converting when they are older and get concerned about nutrition.

We enjoy reviewing cookbooks. My husband and I frequently try new recipes. The swaps Joy recommends are easy to carry over to our usual items. We also introduced some new favorites into our rotation. Added bonus is Joy's personality on the Today show. She's full of energy!

It's a succulent and healthy cookbook: From Junk Food to Joy Food All the Food you Love to Eat...Only Better by Joyce Bauer published by Hay House Inc.

You know: American food in particular comfort food is delicious but at the same time so caloric.

Bauer explains that, for staying well, cutting out cholesterol, arthritis, sometimes caused by what we eat or we drink and other nasty illness, maybe it's arrived the time to adjust...calories for good! using the most beloved American comfort food.

So, the hyper-caloric nice comfort food, or just the most common and beloved succulent recipes will become slim ;-) healthy thanks to the wise and attentive new recipes proposed by Bauer.

Joyce will explain to all of us what to do for maintaining or losing weight continuing to eat sometimes these delicious recipes staying at the same time completely healthy.
The book is divided in eight succulent chapters. At some point I thought I could add weight just watching pictures and reading recipes.

Starting with the succulent and hyper-caloric American breakfast, ending with the most creative cocktails and beverages, putting all the rest in the middle of the book, you will discover how you can create the best meal for you and your loved ones cutting out the danger from it.

I love breakfast so let's take an example with something we eat for breakfast: let's consider the beloved diner pancakes. A joy to eating them. A joy of 750 calories! After a long comment motivating the reason why we introduce 750 calories with pancake, the alternative healthy recipe proposed by Joyce with just 270 calories.

Let's now consider the chicken cacciatore. The recipe counts 550 calories. The one proposed by Bauer just 195.

A common sloppy Joes counts 630 calories. The recipe by Bauer only 295.

Fried zucchini is commonly 885 calories (bloody hell!) the recipes proposed by Bauer just 220 calories.

Chicken Parm Hero counts 1570 calories. No way for Bauer, proposing a recipe with just 320 calories.

Just some little wonderful example for let you discover how the book is structured.
Not only: you will find a table of conversion if you need it, and of course in the introduction all the tools necessary for cooking and baking.

I strongly encourage all of you to buying this joyous but fundamental cookbook in our society where there are always more problems because of food and illness connected to the abuse of industrialized food.

Happy eating to everyone!

I thank NetGalley and Hay House for this beautiful and informative eBook.

I love how the writer took everyone's favorite foods and turned them into a healthy alternative! Definitely lots of recipes for everyone!

Great exciting cook book. The idea is great- get what you love out of junk food, but in a healthy way!