I’ve been a fan of Donna Hay for a long time. I like her fresh approach to food, her simple recipes and the gorgeous food styling and photography. Her new book ‘Life in Balance’ is a cook book that uses wholefood ingredients and aims to provide healthier recipe ideas from breakfast through to dinner, as well as a few sweet treats and desserts.
Donna Hay isn’t into food rules or diets, and I love that about her. She’s about balance and that shows through in her new book. There’s a wide range of dishes, from grains to greens and seafood to vegetarian – there’s no siloed approach here, just a range of nourishing foods from a range of food groups.
In typical Donna Hay style, this book is full of gorgeous photography and is very much a book to admire as well as to cook from. In between the recipes, there are sections which showcase ingredients from grains, greens and baking ingredients, and explains their uses and nutritional properties.
With healthy food recipes, sometimes it seems there is a lot of similarities or repeats, but this book is full of original ideas. Recipe wise, there is a lot of fresh, new inspiration and I have plenty of recipes bookmarked to try out. The book is divided into breakfasts, recipes made with greens, proteins, grain based foods, light meals, snacks and baking.
I’m really in love with this book and it’s one of my favourite ‘healthier’ recipe books I’ve seen this year. I can’t wait to start cooking from it!
Here’s some of the recipes I want to try:
You can buy the book online here, currently on sale for $40.99. Retail price is $49.99
If you’re keen to get more Donna Hay inspiration, check out her facebook page and the Fabulous Foodies page here
Congratulations to the winner of the cookbook Kirsten Kane 🙂 Email me via my contact me page to arrange the prize.
amaranth oats with cashews
Ooh I’ve been wanting to have a look at this! Love her books
this book looks awesome
Awesome review love donna hay and your blog
Enjoyed this review, Donna’s book on healthy balanced foods and recipes is more my style. I agree in the Balance approach and hate the starve and diet focused fads as i call them. Life is about Balance and our eating habits too should be kept in perspective. Love it. Thanks.
Omg this looks so good, I love a cookbook that makes you drool yum!!
Always interested in healthy food recipes!
Would love this book! Sounds great ????
I believe a good balance of food is the best approach to good health and take into consideration energy in versus energy out and eat accordingly
This looks like a beautiful cookbook with simple yet nourishing recipes. I would love a copy for myself.
Coming into summer I’d love some new summer green recipes! Absolutely stunning book
As someone who is also not in to food rules or diets, I am so excited for this book. Balance is the key, right?
This look like such an amazing balanced cook book! Those photos had me drooling!
I really like Donna Hay. I saw her on Australia Masterchef when we were in the UK and absolutely loved her! She is just awesome with all types of food! Master of all trades 😛
Oh I LOVE the look of this! I’m definitely into keeping everything balanced in life (not just food but everything else!), and this is certainly a book I’d love to check out.
Awesome comp. I’d love this book to share all the good stuff!!
Looks like book full of fresh and flavourful dishes, I’d love to give it a read ????
Great review! Sounds like a lovely wholesome and as many have said balanced, book definitely one to add to the Santa wish list xx
This looks full of good ideas and recipes! Nice photos too
I love Donna Hays books because everything she tells us and the recipes seem so achievable.This looks a great way to learn to cook healthy food and make a few sensible changes in your diet
I have seen a few reviews on this book and they all say wonderful things! I love your choices of dishes to try first, it must have been a tough choice!
Loved this, and the book sounds superlative! The breakfast fritters are particularly lush-looking: can’t wait to give them a whirl for summer balcony-brunches!
I was in the book shop today, trying to decide on a new recipe book to buy. I walked out with nothing! There’s so many amazing ones out at the moment. With this helpful review I may just have to choose this one!
Dear Santa, this is a hint! This book looks sure to give me back some kitchen mojo.
Have always loved Donna Hay and it sounds like this book doesn’t disappoint. Love the fact that this give alternative options to add other healthy options into the diet whilst also keeping a balance
Very nice review. cant wait to try some recipes.
Love this book the photography is exquisite
This book looks amazing! ????
Sounds really yum! Cooking books & magazines are some of my little indulgences & joys in life!
I have used a book of Donna Hays called Fresh and Light which has some great recipes I it. Would love this book!
I love how all the big foodie writers are doing more whole foods inspired books at the moment! Would love to get my hands on this 🙂
Totally agree with you her photography is exquisite!! Like her idea of balance rather than strict diets. Great review 🙂