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Intermittent Fasting Cookbook: Fast-Friendly Recipes for Optimal Health, Weight Loss, and Results

Learn to do intermittent fasting (IF) the right way. This unique, flexible, and food-focused approach provides everything you need to safely and deliciously implement IF for great results and long-term success.

Research shows that intermittent fasting can be effective not just for weight loss but ameliorating diabetes, high cholesterol, inflammation, and more, all while improving body composition. However, while there is growing research on the what of IF (eating less is good for us), there has been little information on the how of timing, nutrition, and meal-planning—until now.

Not eating is only one piece of the puzzle! Fasting needs to be balanced with adequate food intake and nourishing, nutrient-dense ingredients. Sought-after special diets chef and wellness advocate Nicole Poirier shows you exactly how to do this in the Intermittent Fasting Cookbook.

Start your IF journey with a complete physiological overview of fasting and its many benefits. Then explore the most common IF protocols, including 16:8, one meal a day, alternate day fasting, 5:2, intuitive fasting, and extended fasting. An FAQ section addresses every question you have and tips on food journaling, meal planning, and mindfulness practices aid your success. Using the included worksheet, you can customize your plan, set your goals, and measure your starting point.

With your personalized IF plan in place, Nicole teaches you how to obtain the most nutrition in the reduced amount of time you have with colorful, natural, whole food ingredients, highlighting anti-inflammatory and appetite-suppressing choices. Over 70 delicious, superfood-based recipes transform your eating window into a soul-inspiring feast. They include:
Dark Chocolate Almond Power Balls
Bacon, Basil, and Tomato Quiche-Lettes
Red Lentil, Vegetable, and Coconut Soup
Baby Spinach, Blueberry, and Goat Cheese Salad with Crispy Tempeh
Barbecue Chicken and Charred Onion Personal Pizzas
Quick Korean-Flavored Marinated Beef & Kimchi Kale Fried Rice
Curry Vegetables with Dhal & Crunchy Almond Topping
Wherever you are on your health journey, find out how easy, adaptable, and forgiving IF can be with the Intermittent Fasting Cookbook.

192 pages, Paperback

Published October 6, 2020

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5 stars
13 (27%)
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20 (41%)
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12 (25%)
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2 (4%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Literary Redhead.
2,981 reviews730 followers
August 23, 2020
I’ve read so much about intermittent fasting (IF) and how it helps you lose weight in a healthful way. That’s why I was so excited to find this beautifully designed cookbook filled with delicious recipes and how-tos on doing IF right.

IF can also reduce inflammation and high cholesterol, as well as improve diabetes — major factors leading to premature aging and ill health.

Author Nicole Poirier, special diets chef and wellness guru, gives us the full 411 on IF, with over 70 nutrient-dense recipes, worksheets for planning, and tips on timing, food journaling, mindful eating, and more.

By following this helpful guide, I can’t wait to lose my last 10 unwanted pounds and boost my health the IF way.

5 of 5 Stars

Pub Date 08 Sep 2020

Thanks to the author, Quarto Publishing Group – Fair Winds Press, and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

#IntermittentFastingCookbook #NetGalley
Profile Image for Jo.
450 reviews17 followers
August 10, 2020
This book wasn’t for me unfortunately. The information given is clear and well informed but the recipes let it down. It seemed that they where going for a “let’s through as many ingredients in as possible and see what happens“ approach.

Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this.
Profile Image for Alissa M..
11 reviews
August 27, 2020
This book is so much more than a quick cookbook - I really enjoyed that it was divided up into sections that explain what intermittent fasting is, what foods are the best to eat while partaking in intermittent fasting, and finally it is followed up with delicious recipes. I always appreciate when cookbooks have photos so the food is easy to visualize - the photos in this book are beautifully done. I will be using this as a go-to guide when creating my weekly menus.
Profile Image for Stephanie .
1,213 reviews51 followers
August 12, 2020
I’ve had a lifetime interest in health, nutrition and tend to be attracted to the shiny objects that come out frequently claiming to be the solution to weight loss, health, etc. so I was looking forward to reading The Intermittent Fasting Cookbook by Nicole Poirier, and when I received a copy from Quarto Publishing/Fair Winds Press and NetGalley in return for an honest review, I jumped right in.

The publisher’s blurb said, “Research shows that intermittent fasting can be effective not just for weight loss but ameliorating diabetes, high cholesterol, inflammation, and more, all while improving body composition.” Pretty lofty claim, and while I appreciate the information, I’m not planning to dive in anytime soon. As I told my husband, I understand the 16:8 plan (you eat during a 16-hour stretch of time, then fast for 8 hours — easy, right?). I also get the 5:2 plan, which is either eat normally during the week then blaze away on the weekend OR fast for 2 days, eat for 5. But there are lots of different plans. I really don’t think either the eat-only-one-meal-a-day plan or the 20:4 plan (where you fast for 20 hours a day then eat your whole day’s food during a 4-hour window) sound like a good idea for me. I’d likely have one big binge a day…been there, done that, not optimal nutritionally! I also have tried (admittedly somewhat half-heartedly) the alternate day plan where you eat only 500 calories a day (600 for men) on alternate days. Like most “diet” plans, it was not sustainable — for me.

And that’s the thing. Whatever a person does with their eating, it has to work FOR THEM. Personally, I had a successful 40-lb weight loss and kept the weight off right up until cancer treatment last year (who knew there were some anti-cancer treatment medications that had weight GAIN as a side effect?!) In any case, this book is great for someone interested in the topic of intermittent fasting, and it has some yummy-sounding recipes as well. It isn’t all that special, and I suspect the info is readily available, I just hadn’t been interested enough to search for it. It’s the type of book I might pick up in a bookstore…oh, wait, we don’t really have the luxury of going to a bookstore these days… Four stars.
659 reviews17 followers
September 18, 2020
Rating 4.5 stars

Intermittent Fasting is about when you eat rather than what you eat. I've seen this idea on a BBC TV programme where you say stop eating after 7pm at night and then don't have your next meal until 9am the following morning. I'm certainly interested in this type of eating plan which is why when this book came up on Netgalley I wanted to review it.

The book has an excellent introduction provides details on the benefits of Intermittent Fasting and goes on to explain that the body should transition into ketosis naturally. The book provides many ways of following the Intermittent Fasting whether it time restricted eating, alternative days and other techniques; there are lots to choose from depending on your own circumstances. It also provides details on those who should not fast such or provides caution for those with certain medical conditions and what side effects you may experience.

It then goes on to provide details on nutrition such as macro and micro nutrients, anti-inflammatory foods, best foods to supress an appetite, complimentary diet patterns and what not to eat. There is a chapter on Fast-friendly foods and drinks and how to meal plan.

There are ten different types of recipes provided which include:
- filling snacks
- breakfast
- soups
- salads
- lunches
- poultry mains
- beef, pork & lamb mains
- fish mains
- vegetarian mains
- sides

The recipes are provided in both imperial and metric measurements, with the yield and cooking times, plus the nutritional information and items needed to make the dish. Not all of the recipes come with a colour photograph, but those that do look delicious. There are certainly plenty of dishes here that you could to serve to other family members who may not fasting too. I'd certainly like to try the Bacon wrapped chicken with creamed baby greens, the Italian sausage soup and the Spinach lemon pesto with tomatoes and mozzarella.

The rear of the book provides lists of some Apps that are useful for Intermittent Fasting, meditation and meal planning.

Overall this is an excellent book for those who want to start Intermittent Fasting. There are lots of details on how it works and loads of recipes to try.

I received this book from Netgalley in return for a honest review.
18 reviews
August 28, 2020
Looking at the title I thought this book could have been written with me in mind, consequently I immediately requested it from NetGalley before publication. But unfortunately I was disappointed. Fasting is something I have done a lot of research on. It isn't something I do continuously, but during various points of my life I have fasted using the 5:2 pattern and even over 2 - 3 days. I have read and shown medical professionals research from some of the author's recommended sources, frustrated that doctors are not trained in, and therefore don't promote diet as part of our recovery. I also know people who have combatted debilitating illnesses by making IF a regular part of their lives.

Whenever there have been articles in the newspaper about IF I have read them closely and been impressed with the proposed recipes to either break the fast or provide the 500 calories allowed over the fasting day, I hoped this book would provide more of those small, light meals. Instead, the last part of the book seemed to have large recipes, sometimes for 6 servings, of quite complicated recipes with substantial fat content, The last thing you want to do when fasting is start cooking large quantities of food. Having said that, the snack and the soups are a great idea. And the heavier recipes can be used to heat healthily 24/7.

The book does have a lot of useful information. The questionnaire to find out which fasting method to use, would be really helpful to the reader. There are lots of reasons given as to why IF is good for you, and it really isn't all about weight loss. Check out the ten benefits for inspiration and the fasting / eating ratios you can try.

In conclusion, this is a subject I know quite a lot about already, I did learn new things from this book, and the recipes at the back are great but possibly better for when you are eating normally. It's a recipe book with a twist.
212 reviews2 followers
September 13, 2020
The Intermittent Fasting Cookbook begins with an introduction to what is Intermittent Fasting, its potential benefits, the varied ways to apply it to your lifestyle and an important disclaimer that this is not the be-all and end-all of eating healthily. There is a section on the different micronutrients and micronutrients, Anti-Inflammatory foods as well as an 'eating the rainbow' guide to where you can get your vitamin intake.
Before we had even got to the recipes I found this to be such an informative book.
There are a load of different recipes contained on sections such as snacks, breakfast, salads, lunch, main and sides. Each meal contains a host of different flavours and spices to tempt anyone, with enough variation to attract meat-eaters and vegetarians. I cannot believe I am excited to try the Ras el Hanout Roasted Red Cabbage.
Thrown in, as you would expect is the nutritional information for each meal as well as a collection of useful apps at the end.
This is a fantastic cookbook for those who want to take their nutrition to the next level.

This book was provided by NetGalley for an honest review
Profile Image for Johanna Sawyer.
3,481 reviews43 followers
August 12, 2020
While I’m not really big into fasting the idea the recipes more than make up for it. From hummus to some great looking soups and salads. The author gives us information on the benefits of a fasting and only eating for a period of time. Intriguing and for people serious about fasting.

What did I like? While I am intrigued about fasting, it doesn’t really work for me because I work rotating shifts. My body will never be able to adjust but I still love to read books that detail it. The recipes alone are worth the books weight in gold. I’ve never seen a cauliflower hummus recipe so that will be my first try.

Would I recommend or buy? IF doesn’t work for me but anyone looking for information would benefit from this book. I really enjoyed the recipes but I wish there was a picture per recipe, it just makes decisions that much easier if I can see what the recipe is. Fantastic book though!

I received a complimentary copy to read! Four stars! Thoughtful book!
Profile Image for Meredith.
265 reviews17 followers
August 31, 2020
**I received and voluntarily read an e-ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

A great starting guide to Intermittent Fasting, the different types/lengths, and how to make it work best for you. While there's not a ton of new information that I hadn't heard before, it was compiled in a nice, neat, easy to read guide that any health nut would appreciate.

The photography was good, made most of the recipes look delicious, and even made some of the less appetizing recipes look appealing, which is always a plus for a healthy cookbook.

The Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad, the Crispy Turnip Hasbrowns and the Barbecue Chicken and charred Onion Personal pizzas were all stand out recipes for me.

Overall, while I would have liked some more recipes, there are more than enough to get you started on making some healthy, filling dishes until you know what works best for you.
Profile Image for Jene.
168 reviews41 followers
August 12, 2020
I have been very interested in fasting since the beginning of the year and was excited to see a book all about it with recipes. Intermittent Fasting Cookbook by Nicole Poirier does a wonderful job of breaking down the different ways you can try fasting. She talks about window fasting, intuitive, extended and also alternate day. I personally like the 16:8 the best. I don’t think I could do the others. It’s not that hard to adjust to once you’ve done it for a few days and definitely makes you more conscientious of what you are eating.
The recipes were just ok for me, but it’s definitely worth checking out this cookbook if you think fasting could be for you.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!
Profile Image for Lauren Rosano.
535 reviews19 followers
October 24, 2020
This book is chock-full of information. It is so much more than just a cookbook! It's a full top-down lesson in intermittent fasting with tons of helpful information and recommendations. The photos are sparse but beautiful - I wish there had been more photos at the beginning of the book because it is pretty text heavy and hard on the eyes. The recipes are creative and sound delicious. Something I noted as very helpful was that each recipe lists what accessories you need (e.g. baking tray, mixing bowl, parchment paper). This is such a helpful breakdown because I like to get set up in place so that I cook mise-en-place. Thought this was a great cookbook (and fount of knowledge!!) that anyone interested in IF will love and refer back to over and over again.
Profile Image for Jo.
973 reviews16 followers
November 28, 2020
At first, I requested this book by mere curiosity. For someone who just heard about intermittent fasting, this whole thing is new to me. Yet, the author explain so well in this book, enough to learn about this new idea of fasting, the benefit of it and how easy you can do one fasting, I'm sold!

She even explained different mode of fasting, how they affect your body, what to eat and what not, and some recipes to make you gain more confidence in fasting. And no, fasting is not a scary thing, but a habit we should cultivate, remembering that we don't consume anything during sleep, therefore we fast during our beauty sleep,
552 reviews11 followers
October 25, 2020
Book received for free through NetGalley

I found the book really informative and appreciated coming across it. I had been considering trying intermittent fasting and found this book pushed me to try. If you’re curious about longer fasting the author also touches on that. I like how sections of the book felt like a friend telling you about their experience. The second half is filled with healthy meal ideas designed to go with fasting, I assume, but I didn’t get a chance to try any although they look interesting.
Profile Image for kepz_lovesreading.
411 reviews6 followers
November 5, 2020
I have never done any Intermittent Fasting but I'm always interested in different diets and the way they are meant to work even if I don't follow them myself. This book gives lots of information on fasting which was interesting to learn about then it follows with a range of recipes for different meals and snacks that I would eat even if I didn't follow this diet. It could use a few more pictures but overall a great introduction to fasting.
Thanks to Netgalley.com and Fair Winds Press for my complimentary eARC copy.
Profile Image for Paula.
52 reviews1 follower
August 18, 2020
A great introduction into intermittent fasting. The theory and instruction in this book were very informative. I think it was just the right amount of information needed to start fasting. Any questions I felt I had about intermittent fasting were answered in the opening of this book. Although I enjoyed some of the recipes I found some were not the type of thing I would choose to eat every day. A great book for a beginner and then to dip in and out of for recipes and meal ideas.
Profile Image for The Bibliophagist .
246 reviews28 followers
September 10, 2020
I like that this book describes not only what IF is but the various forms. It is also clear at making sure people know that IF is not for everyone! That is huge to see in a book.

I have used this technique in the past. Typically I used the 16:8, meaning I would only eat during 8 hours of the day. I felt amazing! I have just gotten out of that and would like to go back. This book has so many easy recipes that make me want to jump right back in.

Thank you for such an amazing book.
Profile Image for Mary.
1,865 reviews17 followers
September 13, 2020
This book is intended to help those looking for alternative ways to lose weight in a healthy fashion. My concern is for those with bulimia or anorexia abusing the information here that is meant to help. As is said so many times, anyone should check with their doctor before starting a new diet. That applies doubly here.
Really good information and laid out in a way that is easy to understand.
I received an advanced reader copy for free from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
1,005 reviews
January 31, 2021
I have been doing IF for several months & am always glad for more explanations, ideas, and recipes. You can actually do IF with any way you want to eat. Depending on what you are trying to achieve, which in my case is reversing Type 2 Diabetes & lose belly fat, then, determines what one eats. In my case it's as low carb as I can go & increase good fats. I want to be in the fat burning state if possible, but not totally keto. I liked the style of writing, format & illustrations.
Profile Image for AcademicEditor.
845 reviews32 followers
August 3, 2021
A good introduction to IF--the author details a few of the common methods and discusses nutrition and circadian rhythms more generally (first 28 pages) before getting into some healthy recipes. I appreciated her consideration for how to make certain recipes nut-free, vegetarian, etc. Most recipes use common ingredients.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.
Profile Image for Laura Duffy.
484 reviews3 followers
August 20, 2020
This is a really useful guide for those looking to start intermittent fasting. It has all the information you need about how to start intermittent fasting and the different tips and tricks which can make it work for each person and how to make it easier. It also has a wide variety of recipes to suit all different skills and palettes to enjoy during to intermittent fasting.
Profile Image for Angela.
Author 19 books106 followers
August 21, 2020
A lot of information on IF in this book. Great looking recipes, although some are pretty complex. It has a lot of techniques and offers a meal planning guide as well. For someone interested in learning the benefits of fasting and for those who love to be in the kitchen cooking, this book is definitely for you. I found some recipes to keep and enjoy. Great photos of recipes as well.
Profile Image for Lydia Corona.
14 reviews3 followers
Want to Read
September 7, 2020
I know this book is labeled as a cookbook, but honestly the recipes are just a bonus! The author did a great job at explaining all forms of fasting and an even better job at explaining how to fuel yourself once the fast ends. There are so many helpful guides and food list in this book that make it the the ultimate Intermittent Fasting resource.
Profile Image for Ana.
43 reviews
September 10, 2020
This cookbook is a great introduction for folks interested in IF. It provides the rules to follow and the different types of fasts available. The recipes are broken up by meals and the ones I tried out are delicious! I'd recommend this book for anyone interested in trying IF or if you need some new recipes to mix things up! Thanks to #netgalley for the ARC. #intermittentfastingcookbook
Profile Image for Ellie.
100 reviews
October 2, 2020
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with a complimentary eARC for review purposes*

A great book that goes into so much detail about intermittent fasting and its benefits. The recipes look delicious and I can't wait to try them.
Profile Image for Pinky.
7,060 reviews23 followers
February 6, 2021
Learn some of the basics for Intermittent Fasting and how to do it safely. Some recipes I'm excited to try from this book include broccoli-hemp heart falafel, pumpkin tagine, and breakfast bibimbap. Lots of recipe options for vegetarians and vegans.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
342 reviews3 followers
August 9, 2020
Some nice healthy and different but easy And simple recipes that don’t make you want to fast. Don’t think this book made me want to fast but it did have a few good points.
Profile Image for Gary Allen, PhD.
661 reviews5 followers
August 9, 2022
Provides a good explanation of intermittent fasting along with some good, easy to prepare meals.
Profile Image for Ida Wilcox.
1,973 reviews15 followers
October 15, 2021
2026 - :)

2025 - Continuing on the journey. :)


I am once again on the journey again in 2024 but I would like to make this a lifestyle. Not just for a few months but always. Cause I just feel alot better when I am on this journey. This book is a great help to me as I am going through this journey.

I am on the journey again :) 2023


I found this book in $5 below and I was surprised at the detail of this book.

I have been seeing "Intermittent Fasting" going on social media alot and seeing this book sparked my interest even more.

Its packaged in a small package and gets to the point. On top of giving you dishes to try. Love it
Profile Image for Denise.
441 reviews7 followers
January 1, 2021
Great resource and cookbook for anyone who is new or wants more information about fasting.

*I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews