The Revive Cafe Cookbook 2: More Delicious And Easy Recipes From Auckland's Healthy Food Haven product reviews

This was the first cookbook I obtained from the Revive Cafe, a friend had it and suggested that I would really like it. Like it could perhaps be an understatement! I LOVED it! - so much I purchased the third one in the series the next week. The aim of the folks at revive is to get normal people eating healthier and cleaner with no processed foods. You don't find meat or diary in the dishes, but as I eat both I find it easy to substitute and add in where I see fit. The recipes are easy to adapt and make with what you do have.

I do believe that people are more concerned about eating local and clean and are looking for ways to adapt their diets to take this into account. I do not how ever you can sustainably make over the way you cook and eat overnight, it's a process which takes trial and error and slow adaptation, especially when you are cooking for a 'kiwi' man or children. This book has allowed me to take small steps that have made me feel better, lose weight and ensure that we are eating in a healthier manner.

The layout of the book is fantastic, it is set out in sections so you can find what you are looking for easy, and there is a lot of choice. I started off by making some salads. I tried one that is called the '4C Salad' - 4C standing for the ingredients carrot, coriander, cashew and coconut - a slightly odd combination but amazing at the same time.

I have tried the Bombay roasted potatoes which are slightly spicy with sweet chilli sauce, but go lovely along side steak / pork fillets on a cold night. There is also a recipe to make a relish which is still on my to-do list but looks like it would be a fantastic addition to our meals and/or on crackers with cheese!

What I love most is that the recipes are all pretty simple to make, ensuring that you have the staples in your kitchen (that the book tells you what are) making the meals are quick and filling for the whole family.