Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I appreciate the motivation for Bon Appetit's Food Lover's Cleanse (FLC), for the exact reasons the author mentions in the introduction: most cleanses are so restrictive that you're likely to rebound after the cleanse by overeating what you had been depriving yourself of during the cleanse. The premise behind FLC is you follow the cleanse for two weeks when you feel like you need it, and during the cleanse you'll learn things about your eating habits and how to cook healthy, flavorful food that will carry over to your normal eating routine. The cookbook is split up by seasons, beginning with spring. Under each season, recipes are offered for breakfast and dinner plus a series of loose suggestions for lunch and dessert. Every recipe is accompanied by a well-styled photo of the finished dish. Each recipe section is followed by a two-week menu and shopping list. If you are vegetarian, avoiding a particular ingredient, cannot find it in your local supermarket, or just don't like it - there's a section in the introduction on making substitutions. Actually, if you are a vegetarian, there are quite a few meatless dishes included in the cookbook. I am a little torn on how to rate this cookbook. On the positive side, the recipes are quite simple, well-written and easy to follow. They feature seasonal produce and ingredients that should be easy to find in most areas of the country. The time-commitment to almost every dish is under an hour (there are a few exceptions, and these long-timescale recipes don't require much active time). On the otherhand, these recipes are quite simple and the flavor combinations here are pretty standard. There's nothing necessarily mind-blowing about making your breakfast porridge with buckwheat instead of oats nor about braised chicken with fennel and lemon. Also, with a little digging, I can find quite a few of these recipes online on Bon Appetit's site. If you're new to the idea of healthful eating, this is a great place to start. But if you've been following any chefs, bloggers, cookbooks, or the FLC program itself, you may find these recipes too simple/already in your library. Ultimately, I feel like this cookbook is perfect for weeknights and getting dinner on the table quickly without too much effort. It's also great at communicating the idea that you can quickly prepare a healthy breakfast and pack a nice lunch. Since Amazon isn't showing a "Look Inside" preview yet, the recipes included are listed below. Spring--- Breakfast~ Toasted Rye and Coconut Muesli with Apricots Multigrain Hot Cereal with Cherries and Almonds Greek Yogurt with Strawberries, Pistachios, Poppy & Sesame Seeds Fried Egg with Spinach, Toasted Garlic, and Piquillo Pepper Romesco Steel-cut Oats with Rhubarb Applesauce and Hazelnuts Dinner~ Charmoula-rubbed Mahi-Mahi Roasted Asparagus with Shallots, Thyme, and Almonds Sake-steamed Clams with Soba Noodles Green Peas and Edamame Port Ragout with Morels and Celery Root Buckwheat Polenta Piquillo Romesco Sauce Pan-roasted Chicken with Sauteed Pea Shoots and Piquillo Pepper Romesco Steam-sauteed Sesame Broccoli Lamb Leg with Greenest Tahini and Sauteed Swiss Chard Millet Tabbouleh Salmon with the Greenest Tahini Sauce, Shaved Radishes, and Cucumbers Greenest Tahini Sauce Black Rice with Coconut Tofu, Mustard Greens, and Shiitake Mushroom Stir Fry Savoy Cabbage with Dill and Pistachios Chicken in a Pot with Carrots, Turnips, and Barley Lentils with Caramelized Fennel Spring Ragout of Artichokes, Asparagus, and Preserved Lemon Hanger Steak with Orange-Oregano Chimichurri Halibut Poached with Scallions and Miso Spring Frittata with Asparagus, Leeks, and Dill Tomato Farrotto with Sardines Lemongrass Shrimp with Mushrooms Summer--- Breakfast~ Greek Yogurt with Apricots and Toasted Seeds Scrambled Eggs with Cherry Tomatoes Raspberry-Coconut Muesli Blackberry-Buttermilk Batido Fried Egg with Spicy Beans, Shaved Zucchini, and Tortilla Dinner~ Black Rice Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, and Spinach Mixed Bean Salad with Cilantro and Pepitas Veal Cutlets with Sage-Caper Relish Quinoa Salad with Broccoli and Pistachios Kale with Black-Eyed Peas and Tuna Mussels with Harissa, Chard, and Chickpeas Rosemary Socca (garbanzo bean flatbread) Chipotle Mayonnaise Zucchini Tacos with Cabbage and Queso Fresco Slow-baked Salmon with Fennel Smoky Grilled Flank Steak Orange-braised Carrots and Beets Grilled Swordfish with Charred Tomatillo Salsa Tomato Salad with Buttermilk Dressing Grilled Albacore with Tomato-Herb Salad Pistou Salad with Eggs Lamb with Roasted Figs and Lima Bean Pesto Honeydew, Cucumber, and Avocado Soup Red Poblano Rice Chicken Thighs with Chipotle Mayo Roasted Eggplant and Green Peppers with Nuoc Cham Buckwheat Noodles with Zucchini and Golden Flowers Garlicky Grilled Shrimp with Grilled Nectarines and Green Tomatoes Cellophane Noodle Salad with Tofu, Edamame, and Crispy Shallots Pork Skewers with Thyme and Smoked Paprika Fall--- Breakfast~ Toasted Spiced Muesli with Pecans and Flaxseeds Morning Bulgur with Dried Apricots and Pistachios Mango-Almond Lassi with Cardamom Creamy Maple Buckwheat with Apples and Walnuts Fried Egg with Tangy Tomato Relish and Sauteed Sprouts Dinner~ Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apple and Mushroom Saute Oven-Roasted Tofu and Romanesco with Ginger-Scallion Sauce Oven-Roasted Chicken with Grapes Hanger Steak with Tangy Tomato Relish Brown Basmati Rice with Sour Cherries and Almonds Chickpea and Eggplant Curry with Mint Chutney Pan-Seared Black Cod Green Lentils with Thyme Buffalo Patties with Tangy Tomato Relish, Avocado, and Butter Lettuce Curried Mussels with Leeks Red Quinoa with Roasted Figs and Walnuts Clams with White Beans and Gremolata Marinated Peppers Black-eyed Peas with Roasted Tomatoes and Chives Oven-crisped Parsnips with Kale Stuffed Poblano Chilies with Red Rice, Delicata Squash, and Queso Fresco Salmon with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce and Carrot Salad Yogurt Chicken with Ginger-Coriander Chutney Cranberry Bean Ragout with Chanterelles and Sage Saucy Braised Chicken Thighs with Fennel and Lemon Winter--- Breakfast~ Coconut Oatmeal with Cacao Nibs and Dates Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon, Chives, and Rye Cracker Spiced Pumpkin Steel-cut Oats with Pecans Apples and Pomegranate with Yogurt and Toasted Quinoa Two-egg Omelet with Walnut Pesto Dinner~ Tunisian-style Poached Eggs in Red Pepper Sauce Barley Pilaf with Spinach and Pine Nuts Acorn Squash Puree with Chili Oil Miso Flank Steak with Shiitake-Mustard Green Escabeche Pan-Roasted Salmon with Grapefruit-Cabbage Slaw Refried Black Beans Kale Sauteed with Onions, Leeks, and Turmeric Curried Pork with Garnet Yams and Green Beans Tahini-Broiled Rockfish with Brussels Sprout Slaw Braised Carrots with Za'atar Oven-roasted Chicken with Radicchio and Walnut-Parsley Pesto Mackerel with Lemon and Walnut-Parsley Pesto Vegetable Pot-au-Feu Spicy Smoked Chickpeas Roasted Cauliflower with Thyme and Olives Bulgur with Parsley and Chives Moroccan Lamb Shanks with Pomegranate Root Vegetable Minestrone Swiss Chard and Poblano Tacos with Avocado Crema Braised Chicken with Squash and Prunes Sea Scallops with Celery Root and Meyer Lemon Salad