Peace, Love and Fibre

Author: Mairlyn Smith
Genre: Cookbook, Canadian
Type: Paperback
Pages: 240
Publisher: Appetite by Random House
First Published: May 7, 2019
Opening Lines: "A healthy lifestyle is about more than just what you eat. It's about how you cope with stress, how much you exercise, your social circles, your faith, how you face adversity, and a myriad of other factors."

Book Description from GoodReads: Mairlyn Smith, media personality, professional home economist, and author of six bestselling cookbooks, has made it her mission to bring healthy living and flavourful, fibre-rich eating to the masses. But, living healthfully isn't only about the food--it's about your whole approach to life, from how much you exercise to how you cope with stress and the types of people you surround yourself with. And it's because of Mairlyn's belief in the overall power of mind, body, and spirit that her personal motto is "peace, love, and fibre." She invites peace into her life through quiet moments in nature and a practice of gratitude; love comes from family, friends, and a fulfilling career. As for fibre? Well, Mairlyn and fibre go way back. In fact, Mairlyn believes that in order to be on top of your game, you absolutely must have a fibre-rich diet.

In her newest cookbook, Mairlyn breaks down exactly what fibre is, and why it is such an important part of a healthy life. In Fibre 101 or How to Get an A+ on Your Colonoscopy, Mairlyn covers all the basics, using her trademark sense of humour and enthusiasm. You'll learn how fibre positively affects your blood sugar levels and gut health, and how it reduces the risk of certain types of cancer. Then, Mairlyn will teach you exactly how to create a more balanced, fibre-rich diet, without going overboard. Moving into the recipes, you'll find a mouthwatering assortment of choices for every meal and occasion, with dishes such as Pumpkin Spice Griddle Cakes, Cheddar Cheese Mini Dinner Biscuits, Lentil & Wheat Berry Salad with Strawberries & Mint, Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork, Chicken & Chickpea Curry, and even desserts like Chocolate Fudge Cake!

Each recipe has full nutritional breakdowns and helpful icons to highlight the vegetarian, vegan, lactose-free, and gluten-free dishes. Sprinkled throughout are Mairlyn's musings on life, love, and everything in between.

Both a beautiful cookbook and a guide to healthy living, Peace, Love and Fibre will have you feeling your best--inside and out--in no time at all.

My Rating: 4 stars

My Review: Eating right and living healthier includes many factors - one of which is getting enough fibre in your diet. I know ... Fibre, right? Not exactly the most sought-after, crave-inducing food type. Enter Canadian food economist, cookbook author and popular guest on Cityline, Mairlyn Smith. This delightfully down-home author has written her seventh cookbook, this time featuring tips, recipes and personal anecdotes to give readers delicious ways to add more fibre to their diet.

When I say 'fibre' I know many people envision prune smoothies and baked goods solid enough to anchor a boat on Lake Nippissing. But ignore your preconceived notions of fibre! This cookbook features 100+ truly tasty recipes, with gorgeous colour photos, that ramp up the fibre while keeping the flavour front and centre.

I enjoyed the Zucchini Sticks with its delicious dill dipping sauce and I'm eager to try her Pumpkin Spice Griddle Cakes, Flavour Bombs, Pan-Fried Falafel and Blueberry Buckle which I'm sure will make fibre lovers out of my rather picky bunch.

I fondly remember seeing Mairlyn Smith on her numerous visits to Cityline. She's got such a friendly and light-hearted demeanor which comes through in this book as she brings a healthier approach to home cooking. She includes tips, information on healthy living and the importance of eating a fibre-rich diet for the many physical and mental benefits. She also includes many tasty options for vegetarians and those who are gluten-free.

As the self-appointed Queen of Fibre, you can put your trust in Mairlyn Smith to provide Canadian home cooks with delicious ways to increase the fibre in their diets while maintaining great taste.

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to Appetite by Random House for my complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.