You can't judge a book by its cover, but in this case, the absolutely beautiful cover is just a teaser for tons more eye candy inside this new cookbook. The editors of Martha Stewart Living have hit it out of the ballpark yet again with Clean Slate.: A Cookbook and Guide (Reset your Health, Detox your Body and Feel your Best).

I haven't read a good cookbook in awhile, and this one couldn't have come at a better time. With spring right around the corner, now is the perfect time to hit the reset button on bad eating habits and refocus on clean, healthy eating instead. Part diet book, part cookbook, part nutrition guide, this book is meant to assist you in realigning your eating habits to include a more healthy array of nutritious and health-boosting ingredients.

Let's face it, dieting can be boring, but this cookbook is so beautifully photographed and the recipes include such yummy ingredients as fresh salmon, avocados, pink grapefruit, whole grains,  eggs, and lots of other colorful fruits and vegetables so artistically plated, it will certainly make healthy eating fun (or at least far less boring!) Some of the colorful, nutritious recipes include:

Billed as a 'reset and detox' plan, this book could certainly serve as the foundation for a healthy year round menu plan using lots of fresh (the key is FRESH), simple ingredients. It's broken down into six sections for easy reference. (I especially liked the section on smoothies separated into different goals such as 'energizing', 'anti-inflammatory', 'detoxifying' etc.) 

There are several 'action plans' included within the pages as well, which lay out specific menus to jump start more healthful eating, for those inclined to follow them. The book sections are:

replenish - get off to a good start

reboot - drink to your health

recharge - load up on your vegetables

reenergize - choose your snacks wisely

restore - make meals with substance

relax - have a little something sweet

I can't wait to dig into the recipes in this cookbook and start trying them. I am also going to use this book as my guidepost to planting our garden this year as well, incorporating lot more nutritious vegetables into my gardening plan. 

I highly recommend this cookbook to anyone who is interested in feeding themselves and their family a healthier diet that is both visually stunning and appealing to the taste buds. I love the variety of recipes and the care that was taken in assembling and photographing the ingredients and finished dishes. Certainly not a vegetarian cookbook, it does include lots of vegetable recipes that can be used as a main meal or a side dish, so it should appeal to the vegetarian and non-vegetarian alike.

Oh, and did I mention that there's a chapter on desserts too? Well, of course everybody knows that dark chocolate is an antioxidant and therefore good for you!

Here's the link to buy a copy on Amazon.

Disclaimer: I was provided a complimentary copy of this book for review at no cost to me, however my opinions are in no way influenced by the gift and are entirely my own.