Cookbook tantalises

BOOK REVIEW

Beyond the Bin

By Michelle Yandle

Reviewed by Alecia Rousseau

As everyone jumps on the train to ditch our sugar addiction, I couldn't have been more pleased to be offered the chance to review Beyond The Bin.

This cookbook by nutritionist Michelle Yandle has everything I need as a working mother -- it takes cooking back to the basics but uses high quality, delicious ingredients.

I'm one for all the excuses -- I don't have time, I can't afford to eat right, it sounds too complicated -- but this book stomps on all of these misguided, and to be honest lazy, reasons why I haven't been putting my body first.

The book begins with ideas about stocking your pantry which can be one of the hardest hurdles to eating healthy. From spices to flours and grain free or gluten free items, this book gives you the lowdown on how these can be used and what benefits we will experience from eating them.

This book is inspirational and gets you excited about food. You want to try the recipes, you want to share the ideas with your friends.

And the most exciting part for me was seeing sweet recipes. From chocolate dipped strawberries to a creamy chocolate smoothie, you can eat right and still appease those cravings.

The recipes are easy to follow and use readily available ingredients from the Bin Inn group.

The kumara hash makes an amazing, quick breakfast and the macadamia crusted chicken just melts in your mouth. And there's even a gnocchi recipe for the times when you just want a hearty, homemade meal.

This book has changed my concept on cooking after a full days work and instead of putting it off, I am excited about preparing a new meal.

My eight-month-old son is also enjoying the benefits.

We can eat these meals together and I can be assured he is getting the right things instead of a truckload of hidden preservatives and sugars.

GIVEAWAY: The Guardian has one copy of Beyond the Bin to giveaway. To enter the draw please email alecia.rousseau@guardiannews.co.nz with your name and phone number. Please put 'giveaway' in the subject line.