Balanced Plate: The Essential Elements of Whole Foods and Good Health

I own many many health books and this is by far my most favorite. The recipes are not to extreme yet very healthy and... different. The recipes in here are not ordinary, they are extraordinary. I wish that Loue would write more books. Her whole book is amazing, I have learned so much about pesticides, seasonal fruits and veggies and so much more. If you don't have this book and are interested in nutrition or just want to be more natural, you must get this book!!

As others here have stated, the use of oils tends to be a little much on occasion, as well as her use of sodium. There is one recipe (a greens recipe) that calls for umeboshi vinegar AND shoyu, the result is too salty to even put into your mouth (in my humble opinion). Ume vinegar on its own is salty without adding Shoyu.... SO, the lesson here: as with anything in life......use you own best judgement, and don't follow anything as blind religion. The recipes, and her book is fabulous, wonderful, I LOVE it and use it often. Do not be discouraged. Just use your best judgement for those ingredients that REALLY alter the final taste...salty, sweet, spicy, etc. I have a tendency to add those sorts of ingredients on my own schedule (rather than following exactly what the recipe dictates), so that I can use my best judgement (and my tongue) to determine the amounts that taste good or suite my family. One thing I really like about this book is that she also includes recipes for home cleansing...glass cleaner, air freshener, etc. Including recipes for items like that if very forward thinking and deserves recognition....she has presented a well rounded book. Great for reference and everyday use.

The Balanced Plate (2006) WOW! I am thrilled! Her new book has 150 of her brilliant recipes. I have probably made 50+ from her last book Living Cuisine and really enjoyed them. Most of them only require the food processor. The Balanced Plate has a prettier format, is slightly larger and is more inclusive of other veggie diets. She uses a simple icon method to code which recipes are raw-friendly, etc. I still hang on her last book for recipes I didn't find in the new one, so there, get both, they are an incredible value. My experience is that RAW recipe books written by professional raw chefs have the best recipes. So far, I continue to think hers is the very best for many reasons. Her dishes are the best tasting I have ever had in my life. They are simple and yet they are combinations I have never thought of before. It is a disappointment to read Raw recipes that I already thought of on my own. Her directions are so clear it is impossible to mess them up. Her books are very well organized and have tons of information in them. Her books offer a delicious way to be a rawfoodist even without a juicer or dehydrator. If you don't want recipes that require a dehydrator or a juicer that is fine, those dishes are primarily separated into other chapters. You don't have to weed them out and the majority of the recipes do not require them. She gives heating gently instructions. A few recipes from her new book: Last night I made one of her new nori roll dishes: replace the rice with a jicama, parsnip, pine nut mix; mixed in the food processor - Delicious!! I also made her wasabi sauce and next will be the pickled ginger.

This book was a recent Christmas gift and I must say that my mother and I have been unable to put it down since. Even non-vegetarians such as ourselves can enjoy the delicious variety of recipes. The first section of the book educates the reader on environmental issues and the importance of organics. We've always kept a conscious eye out for organic products, however after reading we've come to understand how important they really are. My critique of cookbooks usually includes availability of ingredients. While not available in the average grocery store, I was able to conviently find almost everything in Wild Oats. Depending on your cooking style you may have many of these ingredients in your cabinet already. This cookbook is a guide for healty living and delicious eating. Its a must for anyone's collection.

Wow! There is so much information, love and intelligence in these pages. A book that will last a lifetime. The info and perspective is inspiring and welcoming. I appreciate the open, cross-training philosophy, and the recipes are OUTRAGEOUS! Everything I have made has been phenomenal and worth repeating. I have purchased several copies as gifts and everyone has sincerely loved it. Renee's take on the health of our home environment is priceless with so many good hints of encouragement. I loved the quotes throughout. Dr. Dean Ornish isn't the only one who is a big fan! So many goodies to treasure through and through. Bravo!