Healthy and fast is imperative to those of us who are often pressed for time, especially during the busy work week. So we were very excited to receive an advance copy of The 150 Healthiest 15-Minute Recipes on Earth by nationally known nutritionist and weight loss expert, Jonny Bowden. He collaborated with a whole foods cook, Chef Jeanette Bessinger, to show readers how to create the healthiest meals on earth in just 15 minutes. And it’s not all salads and fish!

The authors strived to create healthy and delicious recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacking using whole foods, kitchen shortcuts, and prepackaged food, such as pre-cooked fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.

While most of the meals can actually be completed in 15 minutes, there are some recipes that do require a bit of additional time or to have some of the pre-cooked ingredients on hand. In addition, there are also notes by Chef Jeanette attached to each recipe on other enhancements or variations that you can complete if you have more time. But, one thing is for certain, each meal is quite healthy and full of flavor. This is no ordinary diet cookbook.

The recipes are broken down into three sections. The first contains 25 little or no-cook recipes and 75 15-minute recipes. The second part features 25 entrees that require 15 minutes of prep, plus the cooking time. The last section focuses on 25 tasty, innovative, and quick snacks – many of which can serve as mini-meals in a pinch.

The authors also offer advice such as how to stock a “15-minute” pantry, freezing and batching foods by making one of the meals that’s tagged with a Planned Leftover badge and by making versatile marinades and sauces.

There is also a very interesting and insightful discussion on nutritional choices such as using organic vs. non organic fruits and vegetables (when it’s important and when it’s not as crucial) and the benefits of using free-range meats and wild caught fish. The book ends with a very informative section about the meanings behind the Nutritional Labels.

Overall, we love how the cookbook is laid out. Most of the recipes are on one page and a striking photograph on the adjoining page. One of our favorite features is a recipe index in the front along with the standard index in the back. This should happen in more cookbooks. It makes it so much easier to find what you are looking for in the books.  There are stars throughout the book that represent the authors “best of the best” recipes in terms of being healthy and delicious. While they argue that every recipe deserves a star in their own right, these recipes soar above the rest.

Some of our favorite recipes include the Low-Cal Tuna-Cranberry Lettuce Wraps. These tasty treats are considered a snack, but actually make a great lite lunch.

The Healthy Jalapeno Cornbread Chili packs a lot of flavor and is very filling. The Honey Drumsticks with Calorie-Burning Cayenne and served with a Citrus Jicama Salad is a stunning admission that yes, chicken drumsticks can actually be healthy! There are many more recipes we can not wait to try!

It you happen to pick up this book, please let us know your thoughts. It is definately one that we will revisit and cook from often.