An anti-diet movement aimed at losing weight and gaining health naturally by forsaking the diet industry all together. Let me start by saying that I was at a 3.5 star rating before the recipes. Now the why, I didn't come away from this read with information I didn't have going in and although I gained a better appreciation for growing a better relationship with my food and it's preparation and consumption, we can all learn more about our food habits, I expected more of a learning experience. The recipes... Really the reason this book caught my attention, look great! My family will be trying some of these plant based recipes soon including the cashew bars, the peanut sauce and the Toasted Pecan and Quinoa Fritters, those sound amazing!
[Thank you NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for the free eARC]

I love the idea of mindful eating. It's so important to be aware as consumers the impact of what we buy and what we eat has on the great world around us. Whether it's pesticides or treating workers inhumanely at a fruit you need to be aware and spend your money on what represents your values. This book does a great job of creating recipes that adhere to these principles and are accessible.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me an arc for an honest review.

I thought that Mastering Mindful Eating was going to solely focus on, well, eating mindfully, but it also offers a much more holistic view of health by delving into other varied topics such as leaky gut, fat shaming, and gratitude practice. While reading this, I kept being reminded of the below quote:

"The doctor of the future will give no medicine but will interest her or his patients in the care of the human frame, in a proper diet, and in the cause and prevention of disease." -Thomas Edison

We all have innate sensibilities regarding what and when to eat. But we are so out of practice to actually listening to our body that it can be difficult to break these deep rooted psychological habits. I felt slightly hypocritical when I started reading this while simultaneously eating during a lunch break, basically being the opposite of mindful and not allowing myself a chance to rest my brain. The tips the author provided did shake me out of my routine enough to realize the rut that I had fallen into. I think one of my favorite sections (besides the delicious-sounding plant-based recipes at the end!) was when the author mentioned the frequency of hearing the phrase, "I just can't seem to find the time to do it." I felt called out! As someone who plans every moment of every day, it was useful to have someone say that there are limits to what can be achieved in a day, and the highest priority should be taking care of the mind, body, and spirit. I could definitely be managing my time more wisely.

My three star rating is not due to any dissatisfaction with the book, but only because I already feel quite familiar with the subject and some of the suggestions provided. But even still, I appreciated this all-important reminder to listen to the cues from my body, be more present, and prioritize health. 3.5/5

This book was received as an ARC from Sasquatch Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have read so many books on mindful eating and the importance of food but I have never read a book that focused heavily on the psychology of food and the relationship you have with food so I was immediately intrigued. I knew a lot of eating lead to emotional eating but the only technique I learned was asking yourself the question Am I hungry and putting your hand either on your stomach or heart. Now after reading this book, I have picked up more techniques that will help me eat because my stomach needs it, eating enough to feel satisfy, and eat more foods that make you feel good. I can't wait to share and spread the word of this book to our patrons and my wellness community group who will certainly appreciate this book a lot.

We will consider adding this title to our R Non-Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a surprising book.

Going beyond being a recipe book this book dives into different aspects of mindful eating. It tackles our relationships with food and breaks them down by physical and emotional aspects. There's tips on how to be mindful about now only what you eat but when you eat and how you shop. There's a certain amount of choice and ability implied in some of these tips that makes it a bit inaccessible to everyone.

There's advice to reframe our relationship with eating as something positive and even artistic. There's also vegetable-rich recipes included in the book. The pictures are beautiful! Although some of the recipes are a bit time intensive.

Overall it's a thorough book.