The Clean Plate: Eat, Reset, Heal

by Gwyneth Paltrow

Clean lifestyle guru Gwyneth Paltrow shows that delicious food can also heal the body--with 100 food-lover's recipes that can be customized into targeted meal plans and detox programs.

Gwyneth Paltrow stands behind the power of simple, quality food. Her recipes always focus on delicious flavors and clean ingredients--pillars that have launched her cookbooks to bestseller status. Now she's back with her most ambitious cookbook to date: a collection of 100 recipes and customizable meal plans that offer taste, simplicity, and targeted health benefits.

This food-lover's cookbook offers everything from smoothies and soups to bowls, entrees, and desserts, with the ease and flavor that we have come to expect from Gwyneth; With beautiful color photography by Ditte Isager. Highlights include hardworking staples like Turkey Meatball Pho, Sheet Pan Chicken Broccolini, and Butternut Squash Tacos, and sweet treats like Cashew Turmeric Iced Lattes, and Chocolate Chia Pudding.

As if the delicious recipes weren't enough, the second half of the book offers meal plans, detoxes, and cleanses that can be customized to address the reader's specific needs, desired results, and common ailments. Supported by Gwyneth's team of experts and doctors, the book offers specific eating plans to tackle:

Adrenal Fatigue: (with Dr. Alejandro Junger) Heart Health (with Dr. Steven Gundry) Candida (with Dr. Amy Myers)
Heavy Metal Overload (with Dr. James Novak)
This is sure to be the most exciting cookbook yet, from the biggest name in clean eating.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Health, Food, Reference, Diets

288 pages, Hardcover

First published December 31, 2018

About the author

Gwyneth Kate Paltrow is an American actress.

The daughter of Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner, Paltrow dropped out of her university to follow an acting career. She began her career in theatre in 1990, and made her film debut the following year. Her early films include such successes as Se7en (1995), Emma (1996), in which she played the title role, and Sliding Doors (1998). Her performance in Shakespeare in Love (1998) brought her widespread recognition; she won the Academy Award for Best Actress, a Golden Globe Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, for Outstanding Lead Actress and as a member of the Outstanding Cast, among other awards and nominations.

She followed this success with roles in such films as The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) and Shallow Hal (2001). She also starred in the film Duets (2000), produced and directed by her father, Bruce Paltrow, and sang on two singles released from the film's soundtrack, which were hits in some countries. She received a nomination for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in Motion Picture Drama for Proof (2005). More recently she appeared in the box-office success Iron Man (2008).

Her personal life has often been scrutinized in the media; she dated Brad Pitt from 1995 until 1997, and married Chris Martin, the lead singer of British rock band Coldplay, in 2003. They are the parents of two children. Paltrow has commented that she curtailed her work commitments following the birth of her first child.

Reviews

[Kelli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gwyneth Paltrow is the equivalent to a female Tom Brady: both are healthy, radiant, gorgeous, talented, extremely successful, an actual brand, multimillionaires and both are in their 40s but look like they are in their 20s. Seriously?! Were there deals made with the devil of which we are unaware?

Anyway, my point is that Gwyneth Paltrow is not exactly relatable or your everyday person. Nonetheless, she manages to pull off that vibe in this book. If you can manage to look past the over 40 pictures of her (laughing in bed, riding her bike on the beach, or just standing around looking stunning), another 15 or so pictures of her hands (rinsing, chopping, cooking things), and all the pictures of produce looking much more beautiful and vibrant that any produce I've ever seen anywhere, there is some great information here and some genuinely delicious, easy-enough recipes.

This is clean eating, folks, so no gluten, dairy, soy, alcohol, caffeine, red meat, sugar, or processed foods. If you have to eat this way for health reasons, I think you find some helpful ideas in here. If you actually choose to eat this way, then you are probably even more in a space to take this ride with her. There are cleanses in the back, which overwhelm me, so I just skimmed those but the meat of this book is good for those who have had enough of eating kale everyday and want some new ideas. Color me shocked! I will be putting more of her cookbooks on hold at the library and this one I just may buy! 4 stars

[KC · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oh boy. The only things that look appealing are the countless photos of the actress.

[Dana Al-Basha | دانة الباشا · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always wonder when I get one of Gwyneth's books, how long does it take her to try, learn and create each of these books? They are so different each time and she always seems to have used these dishes and enjoyed them. When it comes to trying new recipes or dishes, I find it easier to eat outside or maybe try one or two, but in my day-to-day life, maybe out of routine and experience, I stick to what I already know. I would really like to try one of her books for at least a month, three meals a day. They would be new to me, and I must buy many ingredients, but I'm intrigued.



This book is about healing and I need that. It's sectioned into two parts: The Recipes, and Healing Cleanses. It has different dishes and she uses ayurveda which is so interesting to me, I'm trying to venture there but basically I'm a mess. I'm going to pick a month this year (maybe next month) and stick with this book. Fingers Crossed!

[Barbara Mahoney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A new cookbook from Gwyneth Paltrow with what she describes as "clean" recipes.

I eat vegetarian and a lot of the recipes included chicken or beef which I don't eat. I had been expecting more vegetarian recipes in a "clean plate" book. I also thought Gwyneth was still a vegetarian. Gwyneth mentions in her book that she tried vegetarian eating for a while but now eats animal products as part of her diet and that she'll never go back to vegetarian eating. So for me, this really wasn't a "clean plate" book. However, others who eat animal products might enjoy it more than I did. The vegetarian recipes that she did include in the book looked good.

The book is physically attractive. There is a nice photo of each dish and a detailed recipe. At the end of the book, Gwyneth includes information about different types of cleanses - i.e. heavy metals, sugar, etc. She has a page or two from different doctors explaining each of the cleanses.

Although attractive, the book was large and physically heavy. I just don't like holding really heavy books to read. I kept wondering what type of material it was made out of that made it so heavy. I think she used really heavy duty paper - because the look was nice - it was just plain heavy to lift. It is definitely not a book to carry around and read.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Desperately needed! I'm on giant antibiotics and prednisone and feeling awful from a bad cold and ear infection, from the pills. Gwyneth's book gave me a handy guide to help settle my upset tummy from just this particular problem. The book is delightful and also SO helpful and practical when I really needed it. Might be emotional about this right now because I'm miraculously feeling so much better after following a bit of her advice. Just have to share. If you feel like crap, give it a try. Just try a little something suggested. You might like it as much as I do! :)

[Kris Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

What is aquafaba? Aren’t pickled cucumbers the same thing as pickles? How does someone maintain a happy, productive lifestyle without caffeinated beverages?

I thought I could potentially handle the Seed Cracker with Egg & Avocado 🥑 recipe until I realized later in book that I would actually need to make the Seed Crackers, not buy them.

I’n getting my hair cut and colored tomorrow so I probably spent more time studying Gwyneth Paltrow’s shade of blonde than the recipes.

[Marta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly straightforward recipes, large photos, although some of the pics themselves are a bit odd. Does Gwyneth Paltrow really cook as often as this implies? While very healthful, Italian chicken salad with grilled asparagus or garden salad with aquafaba ranch dressing are not exactly as "packable" and "quick" as Gwyneth touts. More aspirational then perhaps practical.

[Samantha (A Dream of Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

There’s not an awful lot of recipes that I can see myself making in this book. It’s based on clean eating so there are a lot of ingredients that can’t be used. I liked the presentation, the photos, layout etc. but I much prefer Gwyneth’s previous recipe books, all of which I have and use often.

[Lisa Sullivan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book made me feel terrible. Not it’s intent, but the outcome. I know my diet could use some big improvements, but sheesh. We cook pretty much every night of the week. We don’t do boxed dinners or packets of things, for the most part. Fast food is a rarity in our house. We don’t keep or drink sodas. When the organic produce isn’t already going off at the grocery store we buy it. And still. Still. Part of the problem is I do not enjoy cooking. Not really even a bit. It totally stresses me out. But yet it is necessary, especially with a family. So I do it. Begrudgingly. Many of these recipes were a little more involved than the recipes I choose. I do that on purpose because, you know, cooking. I also know that most of the people in my house would probably turn up their nose, so why even bother. However, I did choose a few to make this week. And with my cooking style, it will probably be a variation on the theme. So long story short, there were some interesting recipes. Maybe a few I would try later for just Stuart and I.

Re: cleanses. Part of me would like to try one. Part of me wishes I had the self control to give up the caffeine, wine, sugar, dairy for the duration of the cleanse. But alas. I don’t think I could do a full cleanse. And I honestly don’t know if I’m on board with the idea that they truly work. Not to say giving your body a rest from some of the less nutritious things in our diet is a bad idea. It’s probably best just to have a diet that uses moderation. But hey, I’m not the expert, so there’s that.

All in all, I’m just ok with this book.

[Virginia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I keep this book on my cookbook stand as a reminder to eat healthier. My husband stuck a post-it of a crudely drawn box over Paltrow’s head.
Here are se7en things about what’s in the book:
1. Recipes is an overstatement. It’s more like throwing ingredients together. I’m okay with this because I like the ideas.
2. There’s way too many photos of GP. But I guess most people buy celebrity cookbooks for the celebrity.
3. There are interesting elimination diet chapters in the back with menus for the week. If you have an ailment, like IBS, or are Ayurvedic, these are helpful. All the recipes are free of common dieting foes, like dairy, wheat, and sugar as well as nightshades like tomatoes. This last one seems unnecessary, but GP can feature her Nomato sauce everywhere.
4. She calls these menus “Goopified menus” reminding you that GP is a moneymaking harlot with a bit of Tom Cruise Crazy.
5. The drink recipes are bonkers, and not always good. Dandelion tea is not a coffee substitute. Just drink decaf green tea or decaf coffee.
6. The ingredients list will have you shopping everywhere around town and I don’t think that’s such a bad thing.
7. Portion sizes are small for the effort. I remember really wanting to make “seed crackers” to go with my avocado mash, but found it was a lot easier to buy Flackers (a spot-on equivalent) on sale at Sprouts instead.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not quite sure what to make of the book. I liked how she had the expert Q&A at the end with the physicians about all the different ailments the diets would help. It's confusing though to know what to follow. None of her recipes looked all that appetizing either but I guess in order to be healthy we have to make sacrifices.

[Karli · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok. However everything Gwyneth does, I find annoying. I grabbed a couple recipes that looked good and skimmed through the health science forward that was basic.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I became aware of this cookbook when I saw Gwyneth on the Rachel Ray show. I was amazed when she made mayo out of the juice from a can of chick peas! Then, she had Rachel eating her fish taco's and the taco was made from Jicama! Well, I had to see this book, so I got on the wait list at the library for it.
My turn for the book came within a couple weeks and I must say that the more I explore the recipes the more I want to try. I like the way Gwyneth shows many ways to use some of the sauces that she has in the book. I do not want to make a recipe for a sauce for a recipe only to have the rest go bad in the fridge, especially since we are using fresh ingredients that will spoil quickly. Not only will the food in this book will make eating healthier for everyone, but it will make it much easier for people with special food issues like gluten/dairy free to achieve their goals. Here is an example for those who are supposed to stay away from nightshades like tomatoes. The Nomato Sauce doesn't use tomatoes, and then she shows you how to use it in her Braised Mexican Nomato Chicken, Herby Meatballs, Italian Baked Chicken and Turkey Meatloaf. That mayo that she made with the chick peas can be used to make Ranch Dressing, Curry Chicken Lettuce Cups, Faux Meat Beet Tacos, Kimchi Chicken Lettuce cups and Tarragon Chicken Lettuce Cups. The breakfast chapter includes 3 Soccata recipes inspired by Frittas but made with Chickpea flour, two recipes using Seed Crackers, egg recipes, smoothies, two Porridge style breakfasts, and a Black Rice Pudding Coconut Milk and Mango dish. The soup section has recipes that are just as creative as the breakfast ideas. I am looking forward to making the Mediterranean Salmon en Papillote because how can you go wrong with fennel, capers, shallots and lemon? I will even try poaching my chicken for salads and other recipes from this book! And when my husband is not home I will try the Sheet Pan Chicken Curry, as he hates curry.
Overall I am very impressed with this book. One thing that would be better is if it had calorie counts, and perhaps macro counts.

[Jenn Adams · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading all as many of the Goodreads Choice Nominees as I can.

I can't lie. I went into this expecting to roll my eyes and hate it. When you see on the front cover that a cookbook includes "cleanses" it gives you a particular idea of what's gonna be inside.

Plot twist: I did have issues with this book, but NOT for the reasons I thought I would.

In the introduction, Paltrow discusses that the lifestyle of clean eating should not be focused on deprivation, but instead on celebrating the good foods you CAN eat. I'm not going to pretend to be a nutrition/health expert, so I won't bother opining about all the different food groups/diets, but I did like that she said that. It helped to frame this as "a cookbook that can adhere to certain diets" instead of a "diet book".

The "cleanses" at the end are more like tailored diet plans advocated by a range of nutrition expert for different purposes. Each one featured a Q&A with the expert, followed by foods to avoid, foods to feature, and specific recipes from that book that would be compliant. Again, I can't speak to how truly valid some of these plans are, but they weren't the awful advice I was expecting from a section about "cleanses".

I most likely won't be running to make many of these recipes, but some of them did sound good. Which brings me to my number one issue with this cookbook. I can only say they *sounded* good. There were barely any pictures of the recipes themselves. You'd read about a dish, hope for an image of the food, and instead you'd find yourself looking at a picture of Gwyneth Paltrow staring wistfully at the ocean. Sure, celebrity cookbooks are going to include random pictures, but these replaced pictures of the recipes instead of supplementing, and some were beyond pointless.

[CM · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another win for me. I love Gwyneth's cookbooks. The recipes are so yummy and simple; you don't need 100 different ingredients that you don't recognize or that nobody actually has. If I had to pick, I would still recommend her book It's All Easy over this one but they are both great.

[Kahlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would make 90% of the recipes in this book and they're all pretty low maintenance and easy to execute.

[Martine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little woo-woo in places but quite a few interesting yet accessible recipes that I look forward to trying!

[Carrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent “clean” cookbook. Good explanations on why certain foods should be prohibited during a cleanse. We are trying this for January. Not 100% - but close.

[Marco · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the first things I look for in a cookbook is not the recipes. By the time it gets to publication, it should already be the best it's going to be. So what I focus on is presentation: are there photos, does everything look as delicious as the (sometimes) heavy recipe makes it out to be? Is it worth it? And this book fits the bill which is why I'm giving it 5 stars.

"The Clean Plate" by Gwenyth Paltrow is bright, sunny, and optimistic that we can cut out processed foods and added sugars and eat healthier. Certainly Paltrow is about eating very clean - no red meat - but a lot of these recipes are very accessible, with ingredients you can actually find in the local supermarket or farmer's market (which she recommends for less pesticides used or GMOs).

My favorite section is the one on "Soups" which Paltrow says contain "good-for-you ingredients" and are good for almost any occasion. These to me are the easiest and most flavorful dishes for anyone because you can always add more to them (pepper, lemon) and not ruin it. And she has some great recipes here like the "Clean Carrot Soup" that only uses 5 main ingredients.

Interviews with her food doctors at the end of the book provide some great insight into our eating habits and the results of eating either good or bad and an index to find things quickly.

There's only one thing for those trying to eat healthier with this book: there are no calories/sugar/carbs calculations. The book's recipes only make for 2 servings so you can't really go wrong and it's a lot better than canned or pre-made food with salt, sugar, and preservatives, but if you're trying to watch certain things (like salt), it might be a little trickier.

That being said, the more organic the food, the better it might be for you since natural sugars and natural carbs (not those new "wheat" blends that are not natural though from natural ingredients) can be better digested and managed with diets or simply watching what you eat.

The road to healthier eating is hard, so I'm glad Paltrow takes it easy on everyone by sharing easy recipes and has none of the guilt. There is also is no ego here (we all know what you are thinking those who have an opinion of the book's author), and Paltrow makes no claim that these recipes will do anything but provide more options for those looking for one and doesn't brag.

The photos are exquisite of course and there's no skimping on photos of Paltrow either for fans. Anything with Paltrow is a sure win.

[Els · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eet Reset Heal, eet je mooi en voel je goed met clean eating
door Gwyneth Paltrow

Lekker eten om je lichaam te herstellen en in balans te brengen door het vermijden van alcohol, bewerkte producten en suikers, cafeïne, gluten, nachtschaden, pinda’s, rood vlees, soja en zuivel. Voor wie dit leest en denkt dat er dan niets meer over blijft is dit boek een ferme verrassing. Want het eerste deel staat vol ‘cleane’ recepten, verdeeld over: ontbijt, soep, salades (ook de populaire bowls komen aan bod) en dergelijke, meer vullende gerechten, dranken, snacks en basics (aquafaba-mayo bijvoorbeeld, nog nooit van gehoord maar het lijkt me geweldig).

Het tweede deel van het boek bestaat uit ‘6 healing cleanses’. Het gaat om voedselfilosofieën van 6 artsen die elk een bepaald lichaamsprobleem behandelen. De arts geeft een beetje uitleg over wat, hoe en waarom. Daarna volgt er een door Gwyneth’s team samengesteld weekmenu (met recepten uit dit boek) om zelf aan de slag te gaan.

Ik had (ligt aan het feit dat ik zelf geen vlees eet, I know) geen of toch minder recepten met vlees verwacht en ik had graag iets minder foto’s van Gwyneth gezien en meer foto’s van de recepten (maar dat kan ook aan mij liggen).

Al bij al is het idee achter dit boek boeiend en ben ik van plan om een paar recepten uit te proberen, te beginnen met de soccata met bloemkool, erwten en kurkuma. Een kookboek dat dus goesting geeft om gezond aan de slag te gaan!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is by far the goopiest of her cookbooks. It's super-clean, very healthy eating. I was surprised by the number of meat recipes in here (that's a food for clean eating). The soups are great; the big takeaway here is towards the end, in the condiment chapter. Things like nomato sauce (I didn't think it tasted like tomato sauce) and aquafaba mayo are key to the rest of the book. The mayo was actually OK - it's easy to make and I happened to have a can of chick peas around, but you wouldn't confuse it for regular mayo. On the other hand, in a salad, it's got the right consistency, and it's not bad. I couldn't eat like this all the time, but if you're looking for a re-set, this book has some good recipes..

I would have preferred more pics of the food and less of the author. I like her work, but I cared more about the steps in prepping some of these dishes than I did about the pics of her sipping tea, eating, frolicking on the beach, etc.

[Diane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this through the Goodreads Giveaway program.

First of all I have to commend the photographer, Ditte Isager. They are gorgeous...not those just of the food but the landscapes and portraits. You'll want to try the recipes just to replicate their presentation on the plate!

The recipes vary greatly from soups, to breakfast, salads, main courses, drinks and Buddha bowls. Then you have a section of cleansers; fat flush, metal detox, and heart health.

My favorites included: Veggie Scramble, Braised Mexican Nomato Chicken, Five-Spice Salmon Burger, Clean Carrot Soup and the Tex-Mex Bowl.

The recipes are easy to follow and the narration fun to read. If you are serious about your health this is a book you're going to want to investigate.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

With food allergies on the rise, Gwyneth Paltrow offers her tips on eating, resetting, and healing our bodies with help from functional medicine physicians; which I particularly enjoyed and found most beneficial.

Paltrow addresses sensitivities, inflammatory reactions, and digestive issues. Which foods to eliminate, which foods to add; along with a list of highly allergic foods: sugar, gluten, dairy, soy, peanuts, nightshades, alcohol, and caffeine, called Toxic Triggers.

The author also offers tips for stocking one's pantry, Essential Kitchen Tools, a Basics section, along with a host of healthy recipes.

Beautiful full-color photographs fill the pages of this book, mostly food, but many unnecessary personal shots, in my opinion, thus the four stars.

[Chris L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The recipes are fine although there were way too many chicken-based recipes, and I got tired of seeing the word "aquafaba." I'm curious about using cauliflower in place of a banana when making smoothies, but most of the recipes are typical recipes you see online. The main problem with the book is that it purports to follow scientific based research but so much of it is the detox/candida/cleanse type of language that has no scientific grounding behind it. There is also a lot of mention of coconut oil which has more saturated fat than lard and there's no credible research to indicate that coconut oil's s.f. is of a healthier kind (the way its proponents advertise).

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve spent most of the last 18 months eating “detox” for my health and GP’s books have made it possible for me not to feel sad or left out. She has a palate that is similar to my own so I don’t feel like I’m eating in a boring or abnormal way but in a satisfying way that tastes familiar. This cook book is more strict than her others but super good (once you’re used to this way of eating). I was surprised to see that my doctor here in ATL was one of six doctors profiles at the back with a Q&A about detox so that was a fun connection.

[Chrissy Howe · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Clean Plate contains some very good recipes for clean eating, which can quickly become dull or difficult. Having recipes on hand helps me to keep on the clean track. However the book is heavily peppered with photos of Gwyneth that are unrelated to cooking and take away from the integrity of the book, making it look like a ploy for Gwyneth to model her beautiful pictures of her laying around in cozy sweaters and bikinis. It's a health food recipe book cheapened by some rather narcissistic, albeit beautiful, celebrity pictures.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It not only has recipes, but it has eating plans for various elimination diets. It also has some informational interviews with functional medicine doctors on a variety of issues that the eating plans coincide with. I would give it five stars if there were just a few more recipes that were simplified, ie I don’t have time to make sauces every night. Also the beach pics are gorgeous.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a Goop or Gwyneth Paltrow fan, but I do want to start eating more healthy. I have tried one of the beverages and did like it - and I've had something similar. I was going to cook another one, but didn't have the ingredients on hand, however, one of the suggestions got me to do something I normally wouldn't have done and it turned out delicious. I don't exactly follow recipes, but look for inspiration.

[Hala · Rating 3 out of 5]

In general, it was quick refresher on how important it is to aim to eat clean. It had some very easy recipes and pointers on how to stock a pantry... there were some good recipes and all were pretty easy. Now that we are in a pandemic and eating only at home, we could have an opportunity to incorporate more herbs, cruciferous vegetables and less meat. I also did learn to pressure cook legumes and nightshade vegetables.