Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook by Pearl Barrett and Serene Allison

I had read an endorsement for this book in the past on Money Saving Mom so, I was pleasantly surprised when I had the chance to review it for myself!  Who doesn't want to be trim and healthy?  As we head into a new year here soon, many are looking for ways to make life better with healthy living. Read below to find out what I thought of this new healthy living cookbook. 

From the Back Cover:
In their debut cookbook, the Trim Healthy Mamas share hundreds of delicious, healthy recipes to help readers successfully slim down while eating well.  This companion cookbook to the bestselling Trim Healthy Mama Plan is just what readers have been waiting for.  It features simple, mouthwatering recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner--including slow-cooker and one-pot meals, hearty soups and salads, omelets and waffles, pizzas, breads, and more.  No Trim Healthy Mama should feel deprived, so there are also favorite snacks, delectable desserts, and the smoothies, sippers and teas fans love.  With pantry-stocking advice, time-saving tips, and information on how to cook for the entire family, Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook offers a delicious and nutritious way to make trim and healthy meals with less stress--so you have more time with your loved ones.

My Review:
First of all the pictures in this book are beautiful.  The photographer did a great job capturing the food, and I love seeing pictures of what I'm going to be making.  Next, as I read through the introduction, I quickly became aware of the fact that in order to really understand this book, I would need to have the Trim Healthy Mama Plan:Keep it Simple, Keep it Sane book.  There are special mixes that are not included in this book, but are used in the recipes.  So, some of the recipes are not do-able in their healthy version without buy the special mix.  I'm not sure if the amounts are given in the plan book or you would have to buy it from the Trim Healthy Mama website.  While many of the recipes look interesting and like something my family would probably enjoy, I found some of the "not normal" ingredients a bit overwhelming.  If you are wanting to do the Trim Healthy Mama lifestyle, then you need to get the Trim Healthy Mama Plan:Keep it Simple, Keep it Sane book along with their cookbook.  Next, be prepared to buy special ingredients to make this work.  Although, you can substitute normal ingredients, it won't be "on plan" as they call it and may not give you the results you are looking for.  So, if you are Trim Healthy Mama follower or one who is not afraid to jump into to a plan that may require a few extra dollars on products you don't normally buy, then consider checking out this new cookbook. In my opinion, I'm still unsure about this book and hesitant with the use of artificial sweeteners. I'm also not one to needlessly spend money on products I don't know anything about.  So while I may try some of these recipes with regular ingredients, I'm not planning on jumping on the Trim Healthy Mama bandwagon any time soon.
For my information you can visit their Facebook Page by clicking here and their website here.

***I received this free cookbook from Blogging for Books in exchange for an honest review.  All opinions are my own.