Thank you Seven Dials for the eARC via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm not sure how much has changed between the digital ARC and the finished copy but I didn't love the format of this one. It wasn't as approachable as I find other cookbooks to be. The recipes seem nutritious and easy enough to make so I will definitely try a few. It's short with enough recipes to have some diversity depending on what you're in the mood for. Overall, a fine addition to a cookbook collection.

After hearing a lot of buzz around Emily English’s second cookbook, I decided to give it a try to see if her recipes would be a good fit for me.

“Live to Eat” focuses on recipes that are nutritionally balanced, easy to prep, and flavorful. I can see why she has such a strong following – her tone throughout the book is warm and encouraging, and her approach to healthy eating feels realistic and accessible. I especially appreciated the photos and personal headnotes that added context, tips, and a bit of personality to each recipe. These touches made the book feel more inviting and less clinical than some wellness-oriented cookbooks.

While I would have liked to see more meatless or plant-forward options, I didn’t deduct any stars for that since it’s not marketed as a meatless cookbook. My main reason for deducting one star is that, despite the appealing concept and tone, I didn’t find many recipes that felt new, inventive, or particularly exciting. Many of the dishes felt similar to recipes already widely available online. I was hoping for a few more standout ideas or unique flavor combinations.

That said, I think this cookbook would be a great choice for younger or newer home cooks looking to build a collection of healthy, balanced meals. The recipes are approachable, the layout is clean, and the nutritional guidance is practical and supportive.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mobius Books, and Seven Dials for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review.

I was not familiar with Emily prior to this book, but I do appreciate her style of cooking and nutrition education. She kept the nutritional information thorough but understandable, and the recipes seemed well developed.

I really enjoyed this healthy cookbook. The recipes made it feel sustainable and not like a torturous diet. Most of the recipes are quick (some take time but totally doable) and flavorful! I liked that the author included a meal plan at the end as well.

A really gorgeous cookbook with simple recipes that don't skimp on comfort. I can't wait to try so many of these recipes. They're healthy, but they don't feel like you're missing anything, which I love the most. And coming from a nutritionist, you know that you're getting the most well-rounded meals. I would definitely recommend.

Live to Eat by Emily English is a delightful, practical, and refreshingly down-to-earth guide to embracing a balanced, joyful relationship with food. From the first few pages, Emily’s approachable tone makes this feel less like a “diet book” and more like a chat with a knowledgeable, encouraging friend who genuinely wants you to feel your best.

What I appreciated most is that this isn’t about restriction or perfection; it’s about understanding what your body needs and giving yourself the grace to eat with both purpose and pleasure. The nutritional guidance is rooted in science but never feels overwhelming or preachy, and it’s presented in a way that’s totally manageable for everyday life.

The recipes are vibrant, well thought out, and full of nourishing ingredients. There’s something for everyone here, whether you’re cooking for one, a family, or just trying to reset your habits. The photography is gorgeous, and the layout makes it easy to use and revisit.

This book truly supports the idea that food is fuel, but also joy, and that you don’t have to choose between the two. A strong 4 stars from me!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Great recipes that don't have complicated ingredients with easy to follow along instructions. I'm a picture person with cookbooks and the pics are great!

One of the most important parts of this book to me was when she discussed changing the way we talk about food and our body. I think that is wonderful to share in a cookbook all about eating well and balanced. I thought the recipes in this book were simple enough to tackle but still looked delish.

This book was full of great recipes, I found it easy to understand the recipes and look forward to testing them out soon.

Live to Eat is full of great looking recipes. They range from savory to sweet - I especially appreciate the wide range of breakfast options. Photos of most recipes are included. The only thing that turned me off about the book (and it's because I'm lazy) is that the list of ingredients for most recipes is really long.

This was a great cookbook. Very easy-to-follow recipes. I can't wait to try these recipes. I would highly recommend this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

I really loved this cookbook.

One thing that stood out to me right away is how Emily talks about movement. She doesn’t just mean going to the gym—she includes walking, dancing, taking the stairs. That really clicked with me. It makes the idea of moving your body feel a lot more realistic and doable, not overwhelming. She also talks about building a routine, which I completely agree with. Small changes that add up over time? Yes, please.

Her thoughts on eating habits were also spot on. The way she explains things makes it feel easy to get started without pressure. Of course, building new habits is always hard—but if you just start with a little of each one, it feels much more manageable. Nothing in this book feels overcomplicated, which I really appreciate.

Now the food—so good. Her Smashed Peas and Poached Egg recipe totally blew me away. I hate avocado, but I’ve always wanted to like avocado toast. This gave me everything I was hoping for in that kind of dish. It’s satisfying, fresh, and peas are honestly so underrated. Plus, it’s a great way to sneak some veggies in at breakfast.

I also loved the Chicken Sweetcorn Egg Drop Soup. Egg drop soup is one of my comfort foods, and I’m always trying to bulk it up to make it more filling. This version nailed it. It was cozy, flavorful, and really satisfying.

Overall, this is such a great cookbook. I’m dying for a physical copy to add to my collection—it’s the kind of book I’ll reach for again and again. I love the focus on protein, how easy the recipes are, and the ingredients are all simple and approachable. Bonus points for using grams—I’m a metric-loving American, and it makes things so much easier for me!

Huge thank you to the publisher for letting me read this. It’s definitely a keeper.

I have been trying to eat healthier and these quick easy recipes were just what I needed. I tried two of the recipes and both turned out amazing. I greatly appreciated while the author is from the UK that she put American names by ingredients in addition to temperature conversions. It made it incredibly easy to follow.

I also appreciated that she had tips on marinades and how to make those in advance.

Truly I give this a 4.5. My only critique is I would like additional nutritional information. I do love that includes protein as that is something I watch but I wish it would provide more.

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for allowing me to read an online advance copy.

Quick and easy healthy dishes...

I liked this relatively simple cookbook, that makes healthy dishes attainable. There are a lot of salmon and cottage as ingredients here. None of the recipes are too complicated and pretty well balanced with protein, fiber and fruit or vegetables.

Recommend.

I received an ARC of this cookbook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a wonderful cookbook that is full of delicious and easy to make recipes!

I enjoyed this cookbook and its instructional aspects. As someone who cooks daily and enjoys a healthy meal, it has a few recipes I’ll try and a few reminders of recipes I love. This book is best suited to someone who wants to eat healthy but yummy food and doesn’t know where to start.

This book is clearly not written by an American, and could definitely confuse an inexperienced (American) home cook. However, I found the recipes to be delightful and delicious sounding. I even made two of the recipes and very much enjoyed them (Super Simple Greens Pasta & Spicy Chicken Crunch Bagels). I find providing calories and protein as the only nutrition information to be odd, but I don't particularly care about either, so I did not personally mind. I know that the macros are fully dependent on the maker of the recipe (varies by ingredients used, method of measurement, etc.). For example, one recipe called for "three large handfuls of kale". That is very subjective, and I would have preferred a weight measurement. Overall, I did enjoy this book. I was worried it was going to be overly steeped in diet culture BS, but it was refreshing for someone to not be preaching restriction.

Anyone who wants to improve the nutrition of their food, but doesn’t want to sacrifice their favorite dishes will want to pick up a copy of Live to Eat: The food you crave, the nutrition you need, which is an excellent cookbook with appealing recipes that don’t particularly taste healthy, but are worth eating. The cookbook is written by Emily English, a nutritionist and a graduate of the prestigious Kings College London. If the word “healthy” turns readers off, they will want to reconsider because even though these recipes are made healthy, they are mouthwatering and stand up to other dishes that aren’t so healthy.

English mentions that she likes to use ingredients that are available at regular grocery stores, and that is a real plus – no need to go to a special store to pick up necessary items. The recipes are written in the traditional manner with the ingredients listed first, followed by step-by-step instructions which make the recipe easy to follow. While some of the recipes have a long list of ingredients, they are not hard to gather, and are flavorful and worth making. Both beginning and advanced cooks will find success when following the recipes. There is definitely a British influence in the recipes, which makes it nice for those from other places to add variety to their meals.

One excellent aspect to this cookbook is that most of the recipes are accompanied by beautiful, professional photographs, which will make it difficult to decide what to make next.

All told, this cookbook includes recipes that are not only healthy, but also unique and palatable. Anyone reading the cookbook will find their “must make soon” queue is growing.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Nicely developed recipes with lots of consideration for eating better. Not a diet book, the author provides good reasons to change the way one thinks about macros and even (thank god!) explains why sugar is not the same as added sugar as well why you do need sugar and fat in your daily food consumption.. It makes a difference that the author has a background in nutrition.
A variety of options in each section provides options for all types of dietary desires. Easy to follow.directions for the average cook, although theres nothing fancy or difficult. Photos with most of the recipes provides a nice visual of the foods.

This was so good, the recipes are absolutely delicious and on top of that they’re realistic. I’m so excited to try so many of these and cannot wait to follow the author for more.! This will be one of the best cookbooks released this year!