I have every single one of Giada's cookbooks, so I didn't even hesitate to order this one.
While it is a very nice book, it is definitely not one of my favorites. When I saw the subtitle – My Healthy Recipes and Secrets – I thought the “secrets” would apply to cooking. Little tips and techniques to eat healthier. I didn't realize that it meant Giada's make up and skin care routines, how she cares for her hair, and even what she carries in her purse. I just don't think all that needs to be in a cookbook.
One of the things I did like about the book was the sample month of menus. I like seeing how recipes can be put together. I don't think I would actually ever cook a full day from this book (breakfast, lunch and dinner), but it does give me ideas.
The book itself is divided into 5 cooking sections: Breakfast, Juices and Smoothies, Lunch, Snacks, Dinner. I found the lunch and dinner fairly interchangeable with some dishes seeming big enough for dinner and some for dinner seeming light enough for lunch. Nutritional info is given for each recipe and they are marked vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, and/or dairy free. They do not list prep or cook time.
A good variety of recipes and several I have marked to try:
Breakfast: Chia seed pudding
Juices and Smoothies: grapefruit mint juice, banana walnut and date smoothie
Lunch: frittata with tuna and tomatoes, chicken chopped salad in butter lettuce cups, whole wheat orzo with artichoke pesto, brown and wild rice with brussels sprouts, and herbed quinoa
Snacks: avocado hummus with crispy pita chips, rosemary cashews and sunflower seeds
Dinner: grilled salmon and pineapple with avocado dressing, salmon with lemons, capers, and rosemary, and garlic roasted chicken and root vegetables
Desserts: chocolate fig bites, spiced pumpkin raising cookies, and mini carrot-apple cupcakes