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The Food for Life Cookbook: 100+ Recipes Created with ZOE [A Gut Health Cookbook]
With more than 100 recipes, this is the only gut health cookbook you need—from the #1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Food for Life and co-founder of the nutrition science company ZOE
“A book full of fantastic recipes and ideas.” —Yotam Ottolenghi, author of Ottolenghi Comfort
“Exactly the kind of life-lengthening recipes that inspire me to cook more.” —Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones
30 plants a week.
Calorie counting.
Fermenting.
Ultra-processed foods.
But, how?
The Food For Life Cookbook takes the groundbreaking guidance in Tim Spector’s #1 bestselling guide to the new science of eating well and, in over 100 delicious and achievable recipes created in collaboration with ZOE, shows just how simple and enjoyable it can be to adapt to a gut-friendly way of eating.
Shaped by Tim’s own experience of transforming the way he eats, as well as common requests from readers and ZOE members, chapters include 15-minute meals, ideas for eating well when the fridge looks bare, and generous feasts and sweet treats for special moments with friends.
Recipes
Raspberry Lemon PancakesBlack Bean Avocado ToastSweetcorn FrittersGreen Goddess Chickpea SandwichCarrot and Fennel Salad with HalloumiButter Bean CaesarEggplant SchnitzelCoconut Spinach LentilsLemon Pistachio LoafChocolate Olive Oil Mousse
Packed with plant-led inspiration for delicious meals to feed you, your family, and your microbiome, as well as tips for increasing plant diversity and science-based explanations for the nutritional benefits of the ingredients and recipes included, The Food for Life Cookbook is a must-have for every gut-loving home and kitchen and the perfect gift for anyone who wants to embrace a new way of eating.
Cook for life. Join the food revolution.
“A book full of fantastic recipes and ideas.” —Yotam Ottolenghi, author of Ottolenghi Comfort
“Exactly the kind of life-lengthening recipes that inspire me to cook more.” —Dan Buettner, author of The Blue Zones
30 plants a week.
Calorie counting.
Fermenting.
Ultra-processed foods.
But, how?
The Food For Life Cookbook takes the groundbreaking guidance in Tim Spector’s #1 bestselling guide to the new science of eating well and, in over 100 delicious and achievable recipes created in collaboration with ZOE, shows just how simple and enjoyable it can be to adapt to a gut-friendly way of eating.
Shaped by Tim’s own experience of transforming the way he eats, as well as common requests from readers and ZOE members, chapters include 15-minute meals, ideas for eating well when the fridge looks bare, and generous feasts and sweet treats for special moments with friends.
Recipes
Raspberry Lemon PancakesBlack Bean Avocado ToastSweetcorn FrittersGreen Goddess Chickpea SandwichCarrot and Fennel Salad with HalloumiButter Bean CaesarEggplant SchnitzelCoconut Spinach LentilsLemon Pistachio LoafChocolate Olive Oil Mousse
Packed with plant-led inspiration for delicious meals to feed you, your family, and your microbiome, as well as tips for increasing plant diversity and science-based explanations for the nutritional benefits of the ingredients and recipes included, The Food for Life Cookbook is a must-have for every gut-loving home and kitchen and the perfect gift for anyone who wants to embrace a new way of eating.
Cook for life. Join the food revolution.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published May 27, 2025
266 people are currently reading
260 people want to read
About the author
Tim Spector
59 books415 followersTim Spector is Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at Kings College, London and Director of the TwinsUK Registry, which is one of the worlds richest data collections on 11,000 twins. He trained as a physician with a career in research, which since 1992 has demonstrated the genetic basis of a wide range of common diseases, previously thought to be mainly due to ageing and environment. Most recently his group have found over 400 novel genes in over 30 diseases, such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, melanoma, baldness, and longevity. He has published over 600 research articles in prestigious journals including Science and Nature. He coordinates many worldwide genetic consortia and is currently at the forefront of research with a highly competitive European Research Council Senior Investigator award to study Epigenetics – a new exciting research area into how genes can be altered. He is the author of several books for the scientific and public communities and presents regularly in the media.
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 1, 2024
The book you need if you can't shell out hundreds for the Zoe experience! Tim Spector and Zoe's research is shifting the nutrition narrative to 30+ plants a week, eating the rainbow, pivoting your protein (towards high fibre lentils & pulses, nuts & seeds), avoiding UPFs, eating fermented foods and trying time-restricted eating to give your gut a break.
In terms of meal recipes, I have found Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's books, especially Veg Everyday and More Veg Everyday, more appealing and use these regularly. However, I think I will find this book useful for staples, like the Nut & Seed loaf and Seeded Crackers; snacks like Curry Cashews and Herb & Halloumi Falafels, and score boosters like Nut Crumb, Seed Mix Sprinkle and Boosting Bouillon. For example, I have been making tamari seeds for a while, but hadn't thought of adding blitzed nori.
I also have been inspired to have another go at making fermented foods - an earlier attempt at kefir was a disaster, but I like the lower stakes idea of "back-slopping" bought kefir into a jug of milk and seeing what happens!
One thing I would have found really helpful is if gluten/gluten free recipes could have been clearly marked. The book promotes alternative wholegrains to rice and wheat, and some (but not all) are gluten free. It would have been useful to have GF alternatives, for example to the Pearls & Puy recipe.
All in all, a good read and some interesting recipes to try.
In terms of meal recipes, I have found Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's books, especially Veg Everyday and More Veg Everyday, more appealing and use these regularly. However, I think I will find this book useful for staples, like the Nut & Seed loaf and Seeded Crackers; snacks like Curry Cashews and Herb & Halloumi Falafels, and score boosters like Nut Crumb, Seed Mix Sprinkle and Boosting Bouillon. For example, I have been making tamari seeds for a while, but hadn't thought of adding blitzed nori.
I also have been inspired to have another go at making fermented foods - an earlier attempt at kefir was a disaster, but I like the lower stakes idea of "back-slopping" bought kefir into a jug of milk and seeing what happens!
One thing I would have found really helpful is if gluten/gluten free recipes could have been clearly marked. The book promotes alternative wholegrains to rice and wheat, and some (but not all) are gluten free. It would have been useful to have GF alternatives, for example to the Pearls & Puy recipe.
All in all, a good read and some interesting recipes to try.
January 1, 2026
We've been using this cookbook throughout the year and I've finally read the introduction over the past week or so.
My fave recipes of those we've tried are the cinnamon pecan granola, spicy gochujang beans, aubergine parmigiana, coconut spinach lentils and the braised beans and greens. We've made them lots. There are other dishes we've made and not gone back to, although that's not to say we won't return to them and enjoy them in future, perhaps tweaking them slightly.
There are more recipes I really want to try. Top of the list next are sauerkraut, kimchi, tahini miso beans, cacio e pepe chickpeas, artichoke butter beans, kefir curried chickpeas and the butter bean caesar.
You can hear a similar message multiple times and sometimes one person gets through to you. Tim Spector is that person for me. I love how he describes his approach towards food, presenting the science behind his six principles in a way that's easy to understand. As he says, 'This is science evolving at speed and depth'. And it's fascinating!
I've been conscious of getting more variety into my diet and trying to cut down on UPFs since using this book and feel better for it. But I love the realistic approach the book encourages you to take, the acknowledgment that not all of the principles will work for everyone and the reminder not to sacrifice those joyful moments that may not align with the approach you take the majority of the time.
'As I looked into the practical advice that patients get about food from government sites or on the internet, it became clear it was either out of date, unhelpful or unrealistic... not only were patients being misled, but the shortcomings of my medical training were becoming apparent. We simply hadn't been taught about nutrition.'
'... we discovered two key findings. Firstly, genes only play a small part in which microbes you've got. Secondly, there are links between metabolic diseases such as obesity and having poor gut health and low gut microbial diversity... There was mounting evidence that the gut microbiome plays a role in many diseases, including heart disease, any form of inflammation, obesity and food allergies.'
'... I came to learn that it was the food I was not eating that was the real problem. The lack of fibre and plant diversity and lack of traditional fermented foods, combined with a higher intake of ready-to-eat, ultra-processed foods...'
'Each plant species offers a unique combination of hundreds - or sometimes thousands - of chemicals made up of fibres, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals. These collectively support a diverse microbial community, which in turn manufactures a wide range of healthy chemicals.'
'We have shown that individuals consuming roughly 30 different plant species per week have a more diverse microbiome than those who eat around 10 (which is what the majority of us tend to eat). It didn't matter whether the person also ate dairy, fish or meat; it was the number of plants on their plate that mattered. This diversity is associated with better health outcomes...'
'Eating more plants to improve our health is not new science. There are countless studies and large reviews that confirm the positive health effects of eating fruits and vegetables, pulses, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and herbs and spices. But until recently, no one focused on the variety rather than the quantity of plants. There is now plenty of research that eating a greater plant diversity is far better for us than the much-vaunted but boring 'five a day', decreasing the risk of illness and improving outcomes for brain function, nutrient status, gut health and more.'
'Each colour and hue in the plant kingdom signifies a different set of chemicals, containing nutrients and polyphenols that benefit the body in unique ways.'
'The clear distinction between processed foods and ultra-processed foods is this: processed foods simply make whole foods more convenient to store or cook with, whereas ultra- processed foods are fake foods... typically devoid of whole foods and are often ready to consume or heat up... Most (but not all) UPFs are also what are known as hyper-palatable foods, in that they are easy to chew and contain three specific combinations of fat and salt, sugar and fat, and sugar and salt that never occur in nature. These are engineered by food scientists to make us overeat them, with the sole purpose of making more profit.'
My fave recipes of those we've tried are the cinnamon pecan granola, spicy gochujang beans, aubergine parmigiana, coconut spinach lentils and the braised beans and greens. We've made them lots. There are other dishes we've made and not gone back to, although that's not to say we won't return to them and enjoy them in future, perhaps tweaking them slightly.
There are more recipes I really want to try. Top of the list next are sauerkraut, kimchi, tahini miso beans, cacio e pepe chickpeas, artichoke butter beans, kefir curried chickpeas and the butter bean caesar.
You can hear a similar message multiple times and sometimes one person gets through to you. Tim Spector is that person for me. I love how he describes his approach towards food, presenting the science behind his six principles in a way that's easy to understand. As he says, 'This is science evolving at speed and depth'. And it's fascinating!
I've been conscious of getting more variety into my diet and trying to cut down on UPFs since using this book and feel better for it. But I love the realistic approach the book encourages you to take, the acknowledgment that not all of the principles will work for everyone and the reminder not to sacrifice those joyful moments that may not align with the approach you take the majority of the time.
'As I looked into the practical advice that patients get about food from government sites or on the internet, it became clear it was either out of date, unhelpful or unrealistic... not only were patients being misled, but the shortcomings of my medical training were becoming apparent. We simply hadn't been taught about nutrition.'
'... we discovered two key findings. Firstly, genes only play a small part in which microbes you've got. Secondly, there are links between metabolic diseases such as obesity and having poor gut health and low gut microbial diversity... There was mounting evidence that the gut microbiome plays a role in many diseases, including heart disease, any form of inflammation, obesity and food allergies.'
'... I came to learn that it was the food I was not eating that was the real problem. The lack of fibre and plant diversity and lack of traditional fermented foods, combined with a higher intake of ready-to-eat, ultra-processed foods...'
'Each plant species offers a unique combination of hundreds - or sometimes thousands - of chemicals made up of fibres, polyphenols, vitamins and minerals. These collectively support a diverse microbial community, which in turn manufactures a wide range of healthy chemicals.'
'We have shown that individuals consuming roughly 30 different plant species per week have a more diverse microbiome than those who eat around 10 (which is what the majority of us tend to eat). It didn't matter whether the person also ate dairy, fish or meat; it was the number of plants on their plate that mattered. This diversity is associated with better health outcomes...'
'Eating more plants to improve our health is not new science. There are countless studies and large reviews that confirm the positive health effects of eating fruits and vegetables, pulses, legumes, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and herbs and spices. But until recently, no one focused on the variety rather than the quantity of plants. There is now plenty of research that eating a greater plant diversity is far better for us than the much-vaunted but boring 'five a day', decreasing the risk of illness and improving outcomes for brain function, nutrient status, gut health and more.'
'Each colour and hue in the plant kingdom signifies a different set of chemicals, containing nutrients and polyphenols that benefit the body in unique ways.'
'The clear distinction between processed foods and ultra-processed foods is this: processed foods simply make whole foods more convenient to store or cook with, whereas ultra- processed foods are fake foods... typically devoid of whole foods and are often ready to consume or heat up... Most (but not all) UPFs are also what are known as hyper-palatable foods, in that they are easy to chew and contain three specific combinations of fat and salt, sugar and fat, and sugar and salt that never occur in nature. These are engineered by food scientists to make us overeat them, with the sole purpose of making more profit.'
May 22, 2025
Recensie van:
Het food for life kookboek
Eet jezelf gezond: meer dan 100 makkelijke recepten met groenten in de hoofdrol
Auteur :
Tim Spector
Tim Spector is hoogleraar Epidemiologie aan het King’s College in Londen en bestsellerauteur van o.a. Food for life. Hij is vooraanstaand wetenschapper en pionier op het gebied van onderzoek naar het microbioom.
Tim Spector is een van de oprichters van ZOE, een gezondheidsplatform dat als doel heeft om wetenschappelijke inzichten te vertalen naar concrete voedingsadviezen.
Wijze van lezen:
Recensie-exemplaar hardback ontvangen van uitgeverij Kosmos in ruil voor mijn recensie i.v.m. winactie gewonnen op Instagram.
Uitgeverij:
Kosmos
Genre:
Non-fictie eten en gezondheid
Cover en flaptekst:
De cover met een witte achtergrond en op de voorgrond kleurrijke illustraties van groenten oogt fris, rustig en uitnodigend.
Een duidelijke flaptekst met enkele te volgen richtlijnen.
Mooie tekst:
Voor mama’s aangebrande erwtjes en al onze ZOE-leden.
Het verhaal:
Een boek vol recepten die je kunt maken. Die naast lekker ook maakbaar zijn. Tim Spector geeft je meer dan 100 te recepten die gebaseerd zijn op wetenschappelijke basisprincipes voor eten dat goed is voor je microbioom:
Betekenis microbioom:
In en op ons lichaam bevinden zich veel micro-organismen, zoals bacteriën, virussen en gisten. Gezamenlijk worden deze micro-organismen het microbioom genoemd. Daarmee wordt bedoeld: de verzameling van alle micro-organismen die het menselijk lichaam bevolken.
Eet 30 planten per week en minder vlees; eet ale kleuren van de regenboog; ontwikkel een nieuwe kijk op eiwitten; investeer in goede ingrediënten en laat ultra bewerkt voedsel liggen; geef fermentatie een rol in je eetpatroon; probeer op vaste tijden te eten.
Van snelle lunches tot gezonde snacks, en van ontbijt tot diner: in dit kookboek vind je de weg naar een gezonder eetpatroon.
Mijn leesbeleving:
Ik vind de inhoudspagina kleurrijk en overzichtelijk. Nodigt uit tot het snel bladeren naar de gerechten/recepten of de filosofie achter Food for life. En hoe je het boek gebruikt.
Het boek gelezen. Wat mij tegen de borst stuitte waren de vele ongewone ingrediënten voor mij: halloumi, tofu, psyllium korrels, amandelmeel, kikkererwtenmeel, miso pasta, gochungan pasta, edelgistvlokken. Deze zijn voor mij vrij prijzig in de supermarkt of online.
De zienswijze van Tim Spector om onze darmen op een gezondere wijze te voeden vind ik revolutionair. Ook heb ik ontdekt dat je veel meelsoorten zelf kunt maken, bereidingswijzes op de site van Monique van der Vloed (puurenfit en meukvrij met Monique). Ook Rineke Dijkstra heeft mooie zienswijzen over voedsel inname en recepten die je kunt gebruiken. Het boek heeft bewustwording bij mij wakker geschud en ik ga gezonder eten. Maar de levensstijl van Tim Spector met zijn 30 planten per week policy kan ik niet volbrengen.
Ik houd ook van het eten van vlees en vis. Ik maak wel eens een poké bowl met vis. Afvallen is voor mij, ook al zou ik deze levensstijl gaan volgen, lastig door medicatie gebruik.
Wat ik wel goed vond aan dit boek is dat Tim bij ieder recept alternatieven biedt voor ingrediënten. Maar dan nog moet je opletten in de supermarkt. Ik ga ook maar niet zelf crackers maken. Wel heb ik 70 procent minder koolhydraten crackers met zonnebloempitten en pompoenpitten gekocht. Ik leg deze week een voorraad aan omdat ze voor de helft van de prijs zijn. Maar over de drie euro betalen voor acht crackers vind ik te gortig.
Tim Spector kan er niets aan doen dat de prijzen voor gezonde ingrediënten hoog zijn. Dat de voedingsindustrie, denk ik, de prijzen voor niet gezond, bewerkt eten laag houdt en gezond eten extra duur maakt. Wat ik wel heel mooi vond is dat Tim zijn persoonlijke worstelingen in de keuken en zijn persoonlijke drama met gezondheid eerlijk deelt met zijn lezer.
De tips over eten volgens de regenboog vind ik fijn. Ik probeer ook voor mijn kinderen altijd rauwkost en fruit in huis te hebben. En ik kook met seizoensgroenten en verspakketten. Zo weinig mogelijk pakjes en zakjes. Extra eiwitten hebben we volgens een door Arjen Lubach gedaan onderzoek niet nodig. Het is een marketing strategie om proteïne oftewel eiwit producten te verkopen. Nederlanders krijgen teveel eiwitten binnen want uit hun reguliere voedsel halen ze al genoeg eiwitten.
Kefir heb ik wel omarmd als een lekkere en frisse dorstlesser. Naast karnemelk wat ik altijd al drink. Dat Tim Spector wars is van calorieën tellen en het afzweren van koffie vind ik mooi. Langzaam aan veranderingen aanbrengen in je voedsel inname is beter.
Maar ik zie mijzelf niet zelf zuurkool maken of kimchi (Koreaans gekruide gefermenteerde kool). Mijn arts zei ook al al gooi je je hele voedingsschema om om maar je bloedsuikers laag te houden je kunt ook pech hebben en diabetes type 2 wel ontwikkelen.
Nu snap ik dat een gezonde levensstijl minder duur is dan het hebben van diabetes en hart en vaatziekten en hoge bloeddruk. Maar de ingrediënten en de kosten zijn voor mij een te hoge drempel. Ik moet al op mijn uitgaven letten (uitkering) en vaak ieder dubbeltje omdraaien. Misschien dat Tim Spector in de bres kan springen voor de mensen met de smalle beurs en budget alternatieven kan bieden.
Mijn mening:
Ik geef 3 sterren
De grote lappen tekst voorin het kookboek waren voor mij een onoverkomelijke hindernis om door te worstelen. Het vergde veel van mijn concentratie en geheugen. Ook al las ik in stukjes en niet alles in een keer.
De vele dure en ongewone ingrediënten als miso pasta, amandel of kikkererwten meel, psyllium korrels, halloumi, zijden tofu, edelgistvlokken, lijnzaad, chiazaad, hennepzaad, gedroogde vruchten stuitten mij tegen de borst. Sommige recepten heb ik gemaakt en geproefd. Telkens de minst dure ingrediënten gezocht. De smaken zijn prima de uitvoering is oefenen.
Kosmos bedankt voor het recensie-exemplaar.
Het food for life kookboek
Eet jezelf gezond: meer dan 100 makkelijke recepten met groenten in de hoofdrol
Auteur :
Tim Spector
Tim Spector is hoogleraar Epidemiologie aan het King’s College in Londen en bestsellerauteur van o.a. Food for life. Hij is vooraanstaand wetenschapper en pionier op het gebied van onderzoek naar het microbioom.
Tim Spector is een van de oprichters van ZOE, een gezondheidsplatform dat als doel heeft om wetenschappelijke inzichten te vertalen naar concrete voedingsadviezen.
Wijze van lezen:
Recensie-exemplaar hardback ontvangen van uitgeverij Kosmos in ruil voor mijn recensie i.v.m. winactie gewonnen op Instagram.
Uitgeverij:
Kosmos
Genre:
Non-fictie eten en gezondheid
Cover en flaptekst:
De cover met een witte achtergrond en op de voorgrond kleurrijke illustraties van groenten oogt fris, rustig en uitnodigend.
Een duidelijke flaptekst met enkele te volgen richtlijnen.
Mooie tekst:
Voor mama’s aangebrande erwtjes en al onze ZOE-leden.
Het verhaal:
Een boek vol recepten die je kunt maken. Die naast lekker ook maakbaar zijn. Tim Spector geeft je meer dan 100 te recepten die gebaseerd zijn op wetenschappelijke basisprincipes voor eten dat goed is voor je microbioom:
Betekenis microbioom:
In en op ons lichaam bevinden zich veel micro-organismen, zoals bacteriën, virussen en gisten. Gezamenlijk worden deze micro-organismen het microbioom genoemd. Daarmee wordt bedoeld: de verzameling van alle micro-organismen die het menselijk lichaam bevolken.
Eet 30 planten per week en minder vlees; eet ale kleuren van de regenboog; ontwikkel een nieuwe kijk op eiwitten; investeer in goede ingrediënten en laat ultra bewerkt voedsel liggen; geef fermentatie een rol in je eetpatroon; probeer op vaste tijden te eten.
Van snelle lunches tot gezonde snacks, en van ontbijt tot diner: in dit kookboek vind je de weg naar een gezonder eetpatroon.
Mijn leesbeleving:
Ik vind de inhoudspagina kleurrijk en overzichtelijk. Nodigt uit tot het snel bladeren naar de gerechten/recepten of de filosofie achter Food for life. En hoe je het boek gebruikt.
Het boek gelezen. Wat mij tegen de borst stuitte waren de vele ongewone ingrediënten voor mij: halloumi, tofu, psyllium korrels, amandelmeel, kikkererwtenmeel, miso pasta, gochungan pasta, edelgistvlokken. Deze zijn voor mij vrij prijzig in de supermarkt of online.
De zienswijze van Tim Spector om onze darmen op een gezondere wijze te voeden vind ik revolutionair. Ook heb ik ontdekt dat je veel meelsoorten zelf kunt maken, bereidingswijzes op de site van Monique van der Vloed (puurenfit en meukvrij met Monique). Ook Rineke Dijkstra heeft mooie zienswijzen over voedsel inname en recepten die je kunt gebruiken. Het boek heeft bewustwording bij mij wakker geschud en ik ga gezonder eten. Maar de levensstijl van Tim Spector met zijn 30 planten per week policy kan ik niet volbrengen.
Ik houd ook van het eten van vlees en vis. Ik maak wel eens een poké bowl met vis. Afvallen is voor mij, ook al zou ik deze levensstijl gaan volgen, lastig door medicatie gebruik.
Wat ik wel goed vond aan dit boek is dat Tim bij ieder recept alternatieven biedt voor ingrediënten. Maar dan nog moet je opletten in de supermarkt. Ik ga ook maar niet zelf crackers maken. Wel heb ik 70 procent minder koolhydraten crackers met zonnebloempitten en pompoenpitten gekocht. Ik leg deze week een voorraad aan omdat ze voor de helft van de prijs zijn. Maar over de drie euro betalen voor acht crackers vind ik te gortig.
Tim Spector kan er niets aan doen dat de prijzen voor gezonde ingrediënten hoog zijn. Dat de voedingsindustrie, denk ik, de prijzen voor niet gezond, bewerkt eten laag houdt en gezond eten extra duur maakt. Wat ik wel heel mooi vond is dat Tim zijn persoonlijke worstelingen in de keuken en zijn persoonlijke drama met gezondheid eerlijk deelt met zijn lezer.
De tips over eten volgens de regenboog vind ik fijn. Ik probeer ook voor mijn kinderen altijd rauwkost en fruit in huis te hebben. En ik kook met seizoensgroenten en verspakketten. Zo weinig mogelijk pakjes en zakjes. Extra eiwitten hebben we volgens een door Arjen Lubach gedaan onderzoek niet nodig. Het is een marketing strategie om proteïne oftewel eiwit producten te verkopen. Nederlanders krijgen teveel eiwitten binnen want uit hun reguliere voedsel halen ze al genoeg eiwitten.
Kefir heb ik wel omarmd als een lekkere en frisse dorstlesser. Naast karnemelk wat ik altijd al drink. Dat Tim Spector wars is van calorieën tellen en het afzweren van koffie vind ik mooi. Langzaam aan veranderingen aanbrengen in je voedsel inname is beter.
Maar ik zie mijzelf niet zelf zuurkool maken of kimchi (Koreaans gekruide gefermenteerde kool). Mijn arts zei ook al al gooi je je hele voedingsschema om om maar je bloedsuikers laag te houden je kunt ook pech hebben en diabetes type 2 wel ontwikkelen.
Nu snap ik dat een gezonde levensstijl minder duur is dan het hebben van diabetes en hart en vaatziekten en hoge bloeddruk. Maar de ingrediënten en de kosten zijn voor mij een te hoge drempel. Ik moet al op mijn uitgaven letten (uitkering) en vaak ieder dubbeltje omdraaien. Misschien dat Tim Spector in de bres kan springen voor de mensen met de smalle beurs en budget alternatieven kan bieden.
Mijn mening:
Ik geef 3 sterren
De grote lappen tekst voorin het kookboek waren voor mij een onoverkomelijke hindernis om door te worstelen. Het vergde veel van mijn concentratie en geheugen. Ook al las ik in stukjes en niet alles in een keer.
De vele dure en ongewone ingrediënten als miso pasta, amandel of kikkererwten meel, psyllium korrels, halloumi, zijden tofu, edelgistvlokken, lijnzaad, chiazaad, hennepzaad, gedroogde vruchten stuitten mij tegen de borst. Sommige recepten heb ik gemaakt en geproefd. Telkens de minst dure ingrediënten gezocht. De smaken zijn prima de uitvoering is oefenen.
Kosmos bedankt voor het recensie-exemplaar.
November 17, 2024
Disclaimer: I’ve been a subscriber to Zoe for almost a year so I’m definitely the target audience for this.
The recipes are well presented, give good guidance about how long preparation time is, and helpful suggestions on swaps or additions that can be made without affecting the recipe.
The recipes are all accessible within the Zoe app as part of the subscription but feel much more accessible in paper form. And are much more cost effective than a subscription.
Particular favourites are: Aubergine Parmigiana, Seeded soda bread, Spicy Gochujang beans, and Recharge bars (which I’m just off to make a second batch of)
The recipes are well presented, give good guidance about how long preparation time is, and helpful suggestions on swaps or additions that can be made without affecting the recipe.
The recipes are all accessible within the Zoe app as part of the subscription but feel much more accessible in paper form. And are much more cost effective than a subscription.
Particular favourites are: Aubergine Parmigiana, Seeded soda bread, Spicy Gochujang beans, and Recharge bars (which I’m just off to make a second batch of)
May 7, 2025
Het Food for Life kookboek is een lijvig boek met meer dan 100 recepten.
Tim Spector is oa gezondheidswetenschapper en pionier in het onderzoek naar het microbioom. Hij schreef eerder het boek Food for Life waarin hij de zes basisprincipes uitgebreid bespreekt, de theorie achter goede eetgewoontes. In dit kookboek lees je daar een kortere versie van, in 60 bladzijdes. In dit kookboek brengt hij de principes in de praktijk zodat mensen het zelf kunnen toepassen.
Zeer interessant om te lezen!
“Met wat je eet kun je je gezondheid en gemoedstoestand het meest beïnvloeden”
Het is best gek dat reguliere artsen zo weinig over voeding leren. Bij veel ziektes speelt de darmflora een grote rol.
Belangrijk is om veel verschillende planten te eten, zo’n 30 verschillende per week, en daar vallen ook noten, peulvruchten, granen, kruiden/specerijen onder, naast groenten en fruit. Ik heb ondervonden dat dat makkelijk te doen is. Neem dan meteen ook wat verschillende kleuren mee.. Voor een mooi effect op je bord en zo krijg je meteen ook een wereld aan goede bacteriën binnen voor een goede darmwerking.
Minder of geen vlees is beter voor je gezondheid en ook beter voor de planeet (en dan hebben we het nog niet over de omstandigheden van de dieren gehad) Alle planten bevatten eiwitten, het is een kwestie van combineren.
"De meeste mensen hebben een tekort aan vezels, niet aan eiwitten."
Skip de cow’ zegt een margarine merk.. Klopt, maar skip ook margarine!
Neem geregeld gefermenteerd voedsel.. En als laatste.. Vaste eettijden.
En dan de recepten.. Daar heb ik gemengde gevoelens over. Het ziet er op de foto’s lekker uit! En ze zijn makkelijk te maken. De zwartebonenchili vond ik bv lekker, enkele andere recepten vielen hier minder in de smaak. Gisteren heb ik nog 4 recepten gemaakt die je op de foto’s ziet, een chocopasta met zonnepitten en hazelnoot en een zoet- en 2 hartige zaden en notenmengsels. Die zijn heel smakelijk!
Ik heb zeker veel van dit boek opgestoken en ga wat vaker kefir en zwarte bonen op het menu zetten.. en zuurkool maken! Recept staat ook in dit boek!
Tim Spector is oa gezondheidswetenschapper en pionier in het onderzoek naar het microbioom. Hij schreef eerder het boek Food for Life waarin hij de zes basisprincipes uitgebreid bespreekt, de theorie achter goede eetgewoontes. In dit kookboek lees je daar een kortere versie van, in 60 bladzijdes. In dit kookboek brengt hij de principes in de praktijk zodat mensen het zelf kunnen toepassen.
Zeer interessant om te lezen!
“Met wat je eet kun je je gezondheid en gemoedstoestand het meest beïnvloeden”
Het is best gek dat reguliere artsen zo weinig over voeding leren. Bij veel ziektes speelt de darmflora een grote rol.
Belangrijk is om veel verschillende planten te eten, zo’n 30 verschillende per week, en daar vallen ook noten, peulvruchten, granen, kruiden/specerijen onder, naast groenten en fruit. Ik heb ondervonden dat dat makkelijk te doen is. Neem dan meteen ook wat verschillende kleuren mee.. Voor een mooi effect op je bord en zo krijg je meteen ook een wereld aan goede bacteriën binnen voor een goede darmwerking.
Minder of geen vlees is beter voor je gezondheid en ook beter voor de planeet (en dan hebben we het nog niet over de omstandigheden van de dieren gehad) Alle planten bevatten eiwitten, het is een kwestie van combineren.
"De meeste mensen hebben een tekort aan vezels, niet aan eiwitten."
Skip de cow’ zegt een margarine merk.. Klopt, maar skip ook margarine!
Neem geregeld gefermenteerd voedsel.. En als laatste.. Vaste eettijden.
En dan de recepten.. Daar heb ik gemengde gevoelens over. Het ziet er op de foto’s lekker uit! En ze zijn makkelijk te maken. De zwartebonenchili vond ik bv lekker, enkele andere recepten vielen hier minder in de smaak. Gisteren heb ik nog 4 recepten gemaakt die je op de foto’s ziet, een chocopasta met zonnepitten en hazelnoot en een zoet- en 2 hartige zaden en notenmengsels. Die zijn heel smakelijk!
Ik heb zeker veel van dit boek opgestoken en ga wat vaker kefir en zwarte bonen op het menu zetten.. en zuurkool maken! Recept staat ook in dit boek!
June 7, 2025
Bold and bright describe both the graphics on the cover of The Food For Life Cookbook, and the flavors in a lot of the recipes too. This book is part health and nutrition in understanding how your gut microbiome is so integral to heath, and how pre and probiotics play a role. After a long and detailed introduction section, the rest of the book are gut-supporting recipes.
Written by a physician who pivoted to learning about gut health after his own health was impacted, Tim Spector, MD is also a co-founder of Zoe, a health science company, that was involved in creating the recipes in the book. One of the tenets in the book is that variety in your diet is key to health, and that you should have a goal to eat 30 different plants each week. The Zoe app helps track this when you snap a picture of each meal, which I did for a week, and found it helped me be aware of some of the food choices I made. Related, each recipe in the book notes the grams of fiber and the number of plants.
I’ve made three recipes so far and really liked two of them.
🍲 Coconut-Spinach Lentils: Loved the flavors in this dish and that it’s made with tinned lentils so it’s very weekday cooking friendly. It’s one of those dishes that improves over time as I had leftovers for two lunches. My only tweak to the recipe for next time would be to toast the cashews and add them right at the end.
🍄🟫 Mushroom and Leek Tart: The spelt tart dough was very easy to make and work with, and the finished crust was both sturdy enough to hold the filling without getting soggy, and had a nice nutty-ish flavor. The filling, of the previously prepped ingredients, plus peas, Greek yogurt, and eggs (and cheddar cheese sprinkled over the top), was tasty and satiating.
🍎 Apple Pecan Strudel: With a few sheets of phyllo dough in the fridge, this recipe called out to me. It was good, but didn’t wow. I added more cinnamon than called for and lemon zest. The ratio of the filling to phyllo seemed off as I had lots of filling leftover.
Ten Speed Press provided me with a copy of this cookbook; the opinions are my own.
Written by a physician who pivoted to learning about gut health after his own health was impacted, Tim Spector, MD is also a co-founder of Zoe, a health science company, that was involved in creating the recipes in the book. One of the tenets in the book is that variety in your diet is key to health, and that you should have a goal to eat 30 different plants each week. The Zoe app helps track this when you snap a picture of each meal, which I did for a week, and found it helped me be aware of some of the food choices I made. Related, each recipe in the book notes the grams of fiber and the number of plants.
I’ve made three recipes so far and really liked two of them.
🍲 Coconut-Spinach Lentils: Loved the flavors in this dish and that it’s made with tinned lentils so it’s very weekday cooking friendly. It’s one of those dishes that improves over time as I had leftovers for two lunches. My only tweak to the recipe for next time would be to toast the cashews and add them right at the end.
🍄🟫 Mushroom and Leek Tart: The spelt tart dough was very easy to make and work with, and the finished crust was both sturdy enough to hold the filling without getting soggy, and had a nice nutty-ish flavor. The filling, of the previously prepped ingredients, plus peas, Greek yogurt, and eggs (and cheddar cheese sprinkled over the top), was tasty and satiating.
🍎 Apple Pecan Strudel: With a few sheets of phyllo dough in the fridge, this recipe called out to me. It was good, but didn’t wow. I added more cinnamon than called for and lemon zest. The ratio of the filling to phyllo seemed off as I had lots of filling leftover.
Ten Speed Press provided me with a copy of this cookbook; the opinions are my own.
May 29, 2025
The Food for Life Cookbook
By Tim Spector
Some food books are books about healthy eating. Some are cookbooks. The Food for Life Cookbook is both ! Tim Spector guides us through his journey to healthy eating in a very relatable way and focuses on six Food for Life principles:
eat 30 plants a week,
eat the rainbow,
pivot your protein,
think quality not calories minimize UPF’s,
incorporate fermented foods and
try time restricted eating.
While I had heard of these ideas before and I had even tried some of them, in The Food for Life Cookbook they are presented in an accessible, motivating way, easy to understand and easy to implement.
The recipes are based on these principles. But the chapters are different from other cookbooks and reflect the way many of us grab our meals.
Everyday Essentials,
Mornings,
15 Minute Meals,
Vibrant Salads,
Satisfying Mains,
Pantry Raid (something I do a lot),
Entertaining,
Sweet treats, and Snacks.
The ingredients are household and pantry staples or easily purchased at a grocery store. The green Shakshuka with kale, cranberry beans and cilantro was easy and delicious.
Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own. My opinion is that this is a great healthy eating guide and cookbook. It is motivating and easy and adaptable . It is great step to healthy eating. And at this time of year, it also makes a great graduation gift or wedding/shower gift.
By Tim Spector
Some food books are books about healthy eating. Some are cookbooks. The Food for Life Cookbook is both ! Tim Spector guides us through his journey to healthy eating in a very relatable way and focuses on six Food for Life principles:
eat 30 plants a week,
eat the rainbow,
pivot your protein,
think quality not calories minimize UPF’s,
incorporate fermented foods and
try time restricted eating.
While I had heard of these ideas before and I had even tried some of them, in The Food for Life Cookbook they are presented in an accessible, motivating way, easy to understand and easy to implement.
The recipes are based on these principles. But the chapters are different from other cookbooks and reflect the way many of us grab our meals.
Everyday Essentials,
Mornings,
15 Minute Meals,
Vibrant Salads,
Satisfying Mains,
Pantry Raid (something I do a lot),
Entertaining,
Sweet treats, and Snacks.
The ingredients are household and pantry staples or easily purchased at a grocery store. The green Shakshuka with kale, cranberry beans and cilantro was easy and delicious.
Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own. My opinion is that this is a great healthy eating guide and cookbook. It is motivating and easy and adaptable . It is great step to healthy eating. And at this time of year, it also makes a great graduation gift or wedding/shower gift.
May 23, 2025
If you are looking for delicious, nutrient-dense recipes to carry you throughout the day, look no further as The Food for Life Cookbook provides this exactly. In addition to the standard healthful eating tips such as avoiding ultra-processed food and eating the rainbow, author Tim Spector suggests striving to eat at least thirty different plants a week. While this might seem daunting at first, when you realize that spices, herbs, and even chocolate and coffee count, you realize that this is quite doable. Included among the beautifully photographed recipes are a wide variety of bowl dishes, salads, pastas, soups, and bean dishes along with a few recipes for breads and fermented foods. It is a very complete cookbook and will easily see you through several months of nutritious eating. I enjoyed every dish that I have made so far and can't wait to try more. Standouts for me are a broccoli and walnut pasta, a mushroom stroganoff with lima bean mash, and a sauerkraut frittata.
Disclaimer: Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own.
Disclaimer: Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own.
December 28, 2025
I love this cookbook: it’s the best. I’m not on Zoe because I can’t afford it and don’t have the time to poo out a muffin right now, but I found this for £2 in a charity shop and I’m SO glad I did!
The recipes are perfect for me: most are ready inside half an hour, and extremely simple to make yet flavoursome. I’m using a lot more tinned beans and fermented foods than I was so I’m trying more flavours than before and my weekly shop has actually come down. All the recipes are vegetarian, which is also a real bonus. I also *feel* better for using this book, as I think I’m giving mine and my family’s gut health a boost.
The only observation I’ll make is that many of these meals are fairly light, and whilst they’re filling, it might be good to have a winter edition come out at some point!
If you’re meat and time shy, I really recommend this cookbook!
The recipes are perfect for me: most are ready inside half an hour, and extremely simple to make yet flavoursome. I’m using a lot more tinned beans and fermented foods than I was so I’m trying more flavours than before and my weekly shop has actually come down. All the recipes are vegetarian, which is also a real bonus. I also *feel* better for using this book, as I think I’m giving mine and my family’s gut health a boost.
The only observation I’ll make is that many of these meals are fairly light, and whilst they’re filling, it might be good to have a winter edition come out at some point!
If you’re meat and time shy, I really recommend this cookbook!
May 28, 2025
When I first opened this book of vegetarian recipes, I was immediately taken in by its beautiful photos. Then I started reading the Introduction, which is an excellent explanation of the notion of eating 30 plants a week. The author is the founder of ZOE, a nutrition science company. The recipes are accessible and can be prepared by even a beginner home cook. I especially liked the chapters on 15-Minute Meals and Satisfying Mains. I have tried the Eggplant Parmigiana and the Diversity Dal; both were awesome and were hits with my family. I look forward to trying more of these recipes. I highly recommend this book to any home cook, whether you follow a vegetarian diet or not. Ten Speed Press provided me with a free copy of this book; the opinions are my own.
January 7, 2025
A fantastic cookbook that combines science-based insights with practical recipes. The variety of recipes is impressive, offering creative and gut-friendly meal ideas. The instructions are easy to follow, and the book is visually appealing with great images. A must-have for anyone looking to improve their eating habits and explore diverse, plant-focused meals.
October 23, 2024
I was so excited to get this cookbook. I love Tim Spector‘s book Food for Life and this is a way of implementing the scientific findings into your everyday day cooking. It’s science backed and all the recipes are amazing. Everything is vegetarian or vegan too!
January 8, 2025
My new go-to cookbook
The cookbook I have been waiting for after reading Tim Spector’s Food For Life book. The cookbook puts Food For Life into action with straight forward, delicious and easy to make recipes.
The cookbook I have been waiting for after reading Tim Spector’s Food For Life book. The cookbook puts Food For Life into action with straight forward, delicious and easy to make recipes.
May 5, 2025
An interesting read from which I have taken up a few new habits. I have bought the ingredients for a couple of the recipes and am enthusiastic about trying this new way of eating for health.
October 18, 2025
The recipes are quite similar to what I already eat so I didn't get a huge amount out of this. It did introduce a few new ideas.
Each page shows what you can swap out which I did find helpful.
Each page shows what you can swap out which I did find helpful.
November 8, 2025
The main thing that I enjoyed about this book is that the recipes are very tasty and really easy to cook. And then you feel a bit virtuous, which is an added bonus!
December 23, 2025
Some really good recipes, the seeded soda bread is fantastic!
January 27, 2025
It's a pretty hefty cookbook, well I suppose I should have found a better category to put it in, it's more of a life book, telling you why you need to eat certain foodstuffs etc. The recipe section then begins on page 59. With sauerkraut. I made this when it became a new fad to make and I don't know where I went wrong but let's just say that on taking the first mouthful my husband promptly spat it out into the bin and with the container swiftly following. We had a argument. We are still together. We have different food likes and dislikes. Sad to say the jar of kimchi went the same way. Here endeth my lesson on making saurkraut and kimchi.
I have just received this book from my mother as a christmas present, as she had bought me an airfryer cookbook, until I pointed out that I don't own one. So Zoe's book has arrived as a peace offering I think! Shame it started off with the two dreadful previous offerings I made: sauerkraut and kimchi. I think that sealed its fate. Sad to say that I very rarely open a cookbook and find nothing I fancy cooking. But with this book I did just that.
Maybe in a year or so I might be able to bring back the two dreaded words in this household: sauerkraut/kimchi, and maybe fancy trying out a recipe or two. My mum rang to ask how the new book was going along, said haven't had time to look at it properly yet (it's in a box in the garage where my hubby stored it. I think he thinks I maybe trying to poison him so he'll get in first and remove the book! But I know where it is now!!).
I have just received this book from my mother as a christmas present, as she had bought me an airfryer cookbook, until I pointed out that I don't own one. So Zoe's book has arrived as a peace offering I think! Shame it started off with the two dreadful previous offerings I made: sauerkraut and kimchi. I think that sealed its fate. Sad to say that I very rarely open a cookbook and find nothing I fancy cooking. But with this book I did just that.
Maybe in a year or so I might be able to bring back the two dreaded words in this household: sauerkraut/kimchi, and maybe fancy trying out a recipe or two. My mum rang to ask how the new book was going along, said haven't had time to look at it properly yet (it's in a box in the garage where my hubby stored it. I think he thinks I maybe trying to poison him so he'll get in first and remove the book! But I know where it is now!!).
February 22, 2025
Being a keen listener to the zoe podcast and having read his books on health i was keen to try the recipe book.
Luckily I borrowed it from the library before I committed to buying. I found it quite uninspiring with many of the recipes similar to other recipes I cook on a regular basis. Also many of the ingredients were quite costly and the recipes I did cook were expensive to create and quite lackluster and wouldn't be revisited by me.
Tim Spector is very clever man and a respected authority on healthy eating but he's no chef.
If you are looking for a healthy cookbook i personally think there are far better ones on the already saturated market.
Luckily I borrowed it from the library before I committed to buying. I found it quite uninspiring with many of the recipes similar to other recipes I cook on a regular basis. Also many of the ingredients were quite costly and the recipes I did cook were expensive to create and quite lackluster and wouldn't be revisited by me.
Tim Spector is very clever man and a respected authority on healthy eating but he's no chef.
If you are looking for a healthy cookbook i personally think there are far better ones on the already saturated market.
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