It's All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make Y… (2024)

"A year ago Paltrow nearly passed out from too much work, too much stress, and maybe a bit too much over-indulging," reads the cover flap for "It's All Good."

Please.

Once you look beyond the cringe-inducing copy (such as above and: "Gwyneth eats zero red meat and Julia eats a tiny bit here and there, but we both often make it for other people in our lives (mostly men)" and "I don't eat red meat, but sometimes a man needs a steak.") and the photos (Gwyneth pretending to ride a scooter in flip-flops that is clearly not moving; posing all rustic and down-to-earth in a wheat field), this is a book full of easy and mind-blowingly delicious recipes.

To date I've made the savory broiled tofu, teriyaki chicken, perfectly cooked brown rice (it's true - it cooks perfectly), Japanese chicken meatballs, Lee's Hoisin Sauce, carrot-ginger dressing, basic brownie recipe and the sweet potato + five-spice muffins, and these have all immediately become go-to recipes. (TIP: if you don't want to sit around and wait for a sweet potato to cook and then cool completely for the muffins, I also made them with a half can of pumpkin puree and it worked and was delicious).

Excluding the meat recipes of course, this is a vegan cookbook. There is no dairy anywhere in the recipes, and all the baking is gluten-free. And there is no refined sugar in these recipes either, so be prepared to refinance your mortgage or dip into your retirement savings to afford all the top quality real maple syrup these recipes call for.

This is the perfect cookbook for anyone thinking about trying to incorporate some vegan recipes into their diet, eliminate refined sugar from their diet, or thinking about going gluten-free.

So look beyond the eye-rolling copy and photos and you've got a truly superb collection of recipes here.

I'm not sure why there is still such vitriol surrounding "alternative" recipes. Many people, myself included, are finding that the food we eat, that we have always eaten, may no longer agree with us. In some cases it even causes pain. I have had to find a whole new way of thinking about and preparing food. I don't have celiac disease, but I am finding that gluten can cause stomach distress on occasion. Dairy products and other refined and processed foods are also more difficult to digest. So a cookbook like Paltrow's, which tries to take some "regular" food like muffins and meatballs and the like and come up with recipes that use more easily digested, less inflammatory ingredients definitely intrigued me. I've spent a week or so trying out some of the recipes and can say that quite a few of them are definite keepers.

Full review on xoxoxo e: http://xoxoxoe.blogspot.com/2013/04/i...

Gwenyth Paltrow catches a lot of flack for her uber-disciplined, uber-public lifestyle. People argue that she's delusional, overly controlling, too expensive, etc etc etc.

I just don't buy it.

I'm an avid Goop reader, and I was very excited when this cookbook was released. It's true that purchasing every single ingredient in this book at once could get expensive, and it's true that some items (particularly something like making one's own salad dressing) is time consuming enough to be impractical some days. But....

All in all, everyone could use more of this kind of eating in their lives. And should one choose to pantry stock gradually - say, buying rice wine vinegar and sesame oil on one trip, miso and maple syrup the next, etc. - it's not really that expensive at all. But it IS most certainly an improvement on the typical American diet. No one need try to BE Gwenyth Paltrow, but it can't hurt to be a bit more Paltrow-esque in our discipline with our health, diets, and lifestyles (I can only dream of being as self-disciplined as she is).

There's a lot to admire about someone with the motivation to prioritize themselves, and disciplined enough to put in work most of us view as unnecessary (and pay for later). I've already tried some of the recipes (which were excellent, btw - full of flavor and very healthy), and I'm very excited to try more. Definitely recommend this to anyone looking to make their diets a little healthier/well rounded.

I really love this book... Recently we gave up prosessed food and started to eat very clean. In addition to losing lots of pounds, we feel really good. Learning to eat so differently comes with challenges. This book simplifies some of the intimidating aspects of this new type of cooking, shopping, stocking and thinking. This isn't just a cookbook, it's a very helpful tool for a new way of life. What's that saying? " let food be thy medicine" .... It's true.

This cookbook is fine. It isn't necessary to criticize good old Gwynneth for her beauty or the reams of personal chefs and shoppers she likely has to help her create this book because it does stand on it's own as a good cookbook. Some of the ingredients might be expensive and some of the actual recipes might take a long time to create but that is perfectly okay because she didn't promise anything else. Take off your critical hat and see that this is a beautifully photographed and well-researched book that could lead you to try something brand new or adjust a recipe you currently love. It's worth a read and worth staying on the holds list until you get it. I'm not going to consider buying it but I'll take it out of the library again. It's not exactly "all good" but it is a rare cookbook that is 100% what you need or want it to be. This is a book that is worth dipping in to and you'll be glad that you did.

At our house we avoid processed foods, most nuts, wheat, soy, gluten, dairy, and corn. Over the last year I've become fairly adept at modifying recipes but have been frustrated by the lack of "clean" eating cookbooks that don't rely heavily on soy, nuts, and dairy. I've based our snacks and dinners for next week entirely on this cook book and there are only a handful of items I wouldn't normally buy. I don't dispute that my grocery bill is high- it is- but the difference I see in my daughter's allergies and eczema; the difference in my son's behavior, it's worth it. I'm excited to try some new recipes that won't require me to reinvent the wheel!

I was given this book as a gift and carried it around with me for weeks, I liked reading about the recipes and so many of them looked so good. I would have never bought this book for myself and feel like a weird groupie when I tell people I am making something out of Gwynnie's cookbook, but it IS "all good" I made the "Mexican Chopped Salad", "Mexican Green Goddess Dressing" and the "Green Goddess Dressing" those first few weeks, and they were so flavorful and delicious. I became addicted to the Green Goddess Dressing, putting it on Sandwiches and fish. My husband has suggested I make chicken salad with it, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

Okay, so I was flipping through the week menus in the back of the book and the detox week was calling to me. My husband and I decided to try it out and committed to the recipes for the week. I was very nervous and brought the book to the health food store with me to get my ingredients. I spent about 4 hours on Sunday getting the ingredients for the meals through Friday (when I thought I would restock)...it was pricey, probably around $250, but you can use a lot of the items for other meals and once you stock your pantry, you would have items such as almond butter, coconut oil, tamari and lots of other spices for awhile. Also, going to the health food store allows your to buys 1/2 cups or teaspoons of spices and grains as you need them. you definitely need a powerful blender, and honestly, you need a juicer.

Day one went okay, I probably should have stopped drinking 1/2 my caffeine intake the week before, I went to bed around 8 pm with a horrible headache and couldn't enjoy the spanish chicken, even though I was starving. This was the hardest day. I am not used to being hungry and I was hungry. The beet green soup was good. My husband and I had been making Gwynnie's "Best Green Juice" and "Beet" Juice for months, so we were used to these. Also, I find myself fantasizing about all the delicious, expensive olive oil that I bet lines Gwynn's cabinets.

After my initial caffeine withdrawal, I felt MUCH better. Here is what I really liked about the detox diet:

1. We got to try so many recipes out of the cookbook and the food is so good. Our favorites were the "Arugula Salad with Beets and Butternut Squash", "Kale chips", "Falafel", "Chicken Burgers", "Red Smoothie", "Lee's Chopped Vietnamese Salad", "Horchata", "Apples with almond butter" and "Brown Rice Pasta with Tuna, Olives and Fried Capers". Many of these recipes, we have already made again.

2. I feel like I took a cooking class this week, using so many ingredients I had never used before, I grilled fish on the grill BY MYSELF (usually Will does our grilling). I had fun searching for things at the health food store and at the Asian grocery store. I looked forward to cooking the recipes and couldn't wait to see how they turned out. I had some "fails"...I burnt my Daikon on one side because I wasn't watching close enough. (But I think it would be delicious and will try again) also my Kosheri was not good, I am not sure why and I was really excited about it, I feel like my rice wasn't soft enough even though I followed to the recipe to a "t".

3. I discovered that course sea salt is delicious. We usually use Morton's kosher salt, but now I am using the sea salt more and more because I like it so much. Same with Almond Butter and Vegenaise....I had never tried these before, and I love 'em.

4. I discovered brown rice pasta, which is just as good as white flour pasta.

5. I felt like my stomach was calmer, a lot less gas (I know TMI) and my mouth had a better taste to it.

6. We had so much less trash. Most of our garbage went into our compost bin...and I can't imagine how healthy they mice are that feast on our trash.

7. My husband and I ate lunch together every day. As our two older children where in school and our 2 year old was napping, it was like a mid day date every day. We sat outside, eating our delicious meals....just like the Crawleys on Downton Abbey. It was so fun.

8. I was very proud of myself by the end of the week. Neither my husband nor myself have ever done any type of diet and this was great.

9. Post detox diet, I find myself trying to be more mindful of my food choices, for my husband and I as well as my children. I want to only drink one cup of coffee in the morning and drink less alcohol. Anyway, now I have a whole list of great snacks and healthy delicious meals. My children are not transitioning as well, I made the Japanese meatballs this week and my two daughters cried throughout the meal...I am not sure why, the meatballs were yummy, would be a great party app. They were also suspicious of my vegan waffles, although my neighbors LOVED them. But, I am going to keep making healthy food and hopefully, eventually they will make healthy food choices.

What I did not like about this diet:

1. Washing dishes. I spend 7 days cooking and washing dishes. My two least favorite items to wash are our salad spinner and our juicer and sometimes I washed these items twice a day. I am serious....this was a lot of dish washing.

2. I think I could have hired someone full time to peel and mince garlic and wash and chop herbs.

3. My husband and I were hungry all week. Most recipes are for 4 people, but the two of us ate everything and we are not large people.

4. I was expecting to feel so different after my week of healthy eating, and I did feel good, but nothing earth shattering, of course, we eat pretty healthy usually.

5. Sometimes when I cook I listen to the "Sting" channel on pandora, which frequently plays "Coldplay" tunes. While cooking Gwynnie's recipe's listening to "Coldplay" I felt like a weird stalker...I am not obsessed, but I like her recipes.

6. Specifically, there is a lunch that has the Vietnamese Salad and Salmon with Grilled Lemon Vinaigrette. The dressing of the Vietnamese Salad overpowers the Lemon Vinaigrette, I would just put the salad dressing on the Salmon. This combo didn't really make sense to me, especially since the next night you have the Salmon and Vinaigrette...again. Maybe the girls just got tired of coming up with recipes toward the end of the week.

I would highly recommend this cookbook, I have liked just about everything I have tried, and if I can do it, anyone can do it. Way to go Gwyneth and Julia!

As celebrity cookbooks go, this one is less annoying than many, and there are quite a few interesting recipes here that reward the effort of trying them out. That said, there are perhaps just as many that are pointless: either they contain small amounts of exotic, expensive ingredients you’ll never use again, or they are simply failures. (Paltrow’s Risotto with Peas and Greens, e.g., is an abomination and doesn’t deserve to be called risotto; in fact, nothing that contains lemon juice deserves to be called risotto. Similarly, the Charred Corn with Sage is odd-looking and strange-tasting. Finally, while the emphasis on using turkey, especially ground turkey, is welcome, the attempt to avoid “decadent” ingredients such as eggs and bread crumbs renders the meatballs nearly unmanageable; drowning them in homemade tomato sauce doesn't help.) But there are definitely gems here as well. I am, for example, eternally grateful to Paltrow for having introduced me to gochujang (Korean red pepper paste), of which I’ve become an ardent enthusiast, and for recipes like Korean Tacos and Quick Cucumber Kimchi, which is surprisingly delicious for something you throw in your fridge for a few days. The book’s “precious” factor is kept somewhat in check, though it’s hardly absent, and I could easily have done without the posed photos of a leggy Paltrow in Elly Mae Clampett drag. I think we all know that Gwyneth isn’t doing the gardening or the landscaping on her vast country spread, nor is she doing much of the shopping or cooking. One significant failure of the book is the absence of calorie and nutrition information for any of the recipes, some of which may well be “healthy” in other ways, but are highly caloric. In fact, while they may be good for “detoxing” or “avoiding gluten” or other Hollywood dietary trends-of-the-moment, at least a good third of the recipes are so time-consuming that you’d only attempt them if you had a cook (or three) on staff. One gathers that there aren’t too many working mothers or fathers in Paltrow’s life, and the bucolic family fiction the book attempts to re-create is occasionally galling.

I'll admit, I got this book on a whim. And I was skeptical. It's an actress's cookbook. How good can it possibly be? Is it just another Hollywood blonde's foray into the next great venture, where the only reason it's selling is her name/face?

But it was at Costco (automatic win), and I had to remind myself that Paltrow already started to prove herself as a "foodie" when she did "Spain: A Culinary Road Trip" with my favorite chef EVER, Mario Batali.

So surely it couldn't be ALL bad.

And let me tell you, as a self-proclaimed foodie - this cookbook is a dream: for farmers' market addicts, for those on elimination or other special diets, for people who just want to eat fresh food and have it taste good.

This is your book.

It is not for those looking for new co*cktail recipes or wine tips; the beverages section focuses on smoothies and other drinks that are actually, you know, good for you. ;)

(As an aside, if you do want a good co*cktail book, I'd suggest the newly released Apothecary co*cktails: Restorative Drinks from Yesterday and Today. It's fantastic. And even well packaged.)

I've tried a couple of recipes from Paltrow's book so far, and have determined that any book that gets me to try cooked mushrooms - in ANYthing - has got something special. The recipe was for a many-mushroom soup; very flavorful, not as hearty as I hoped but great with a huge hunk of bread to dip in it. I also tried the chilled avocado-cucumber soup; while the picture got a general Facebook response of "Looks like baby food", it was quite tasty, and would be great during the summer. A fabulous alternative to those of us somewhat gun shy of tomato-heavy gazpacho.

I adore Gwyneth Paltrow and I think she has the most perfect pair of legs! So I've been craving her cookbook and recipes for ages!

Her book is filled with naturally beautiful photos, healthy recipes and a weekly food schedule! I haven't read it yet but I enjoyed flipping the pages!

This cookbook is magical, I knew I loved Gwyneth for a reason! This woman is real, she's as healthy and good as her recipes, and Julia Turshen's the coauthor remarkable change is everything I want. I too come from a long line of emotional eaters and my mind is filled with traditional Arabian recipes but sometimes when I feel bad after eating a hearty heavy meal I wonder if it's really good for me.

After Ramadan I'm planning on making some of this book's recipe if not all. You see, I love planning my week's recipes and now that I read about these two ladies remarkable lifestyle change I want to join the "healthies".

I loved the "My Father's Daughter Cookbook" and since I have some food allergies that restrict my diet, I was excited to try Gwyneth Paltrow's new cookbook. I can't eat dairy, don't eat a lot of red meat—the cookbook sounded perfect for me.

It wasn't.

It's a lot of the same recipes from "My Father's Daughter." I flipped through the book and saw very few new recipes that caught my eye. I think I bookmarked four recipes in the 302-page book.

And on the rare occasion, a recipe looked appealing, it contained impossible to find yuppy ingredients (nori seaweed, gochujang, brown rice syrup, gochuharo, etc)—and that's saying something—since I buy vegan cheese, almond milk and ice milk ice cream, and low salt everything.

Sample recipes from the book include: Savory Broiled Tofu; Beet, Fennel + Apple Soup; Carrots With Black Sesame + Ginger. But Many Mushroom Soup did look good. As did Black Bean + Guacamole Tacos; and Baked Apples (though I'm not sure I need a cookbook for that last one.)

I'm glad I checked this book out from the library. While I liked "My Father's Daughter," this cookbook didn't contain appealing recipes or inspire me to go out and cook.

The layout of this book is gorgeous. Beautiful porcelain white pages adorned with crisp photographs of delightful looking meals. I give this book a 5 out of 5 for aesthetics.

That being said this book is just...impractical, in a word. I often pull it from the shelf of my Hoosier Cabinet (sensible Midwestern girl that I am)to peruse the recipes. I wonder to myself, "Is today the day? Is today the day I will actually cook one of these exorbitant creations?" The answer is always, no.

While I do enjoy the occasional flight of fancy I simply do not have the time, energy, or wherewithal to scour Whole Foods for all the necessary ingredients and then come home and conjure up a masterpiece. It's just no gonna happen friends. No matter how much I tell myself otherwise or how often I wistfully aspire to make my own paella on the beach or salt grill fillets of exotic fish.

Thank you Gwyneth for your passion and your evident love in creating this cookbook. I will view it as a work of art to perch in my cabinet as I go about my days of quick fix pamphlets and slowcooker meals.

Much Love,

Eleanor

This cookbook almost feels like a friend as I try to revamp my eating lifestyle in response to health challenges. I find the menus in the back to be really helpful guidelines for the kinds of foods I should be trying to eat each day and the variety I should try to attain within the week. This falls into the middleground between a beginner's cookbook and a gourmet french technical cooking textbook, and it is a great resource for people trying to be healthy while enjoying the process of cooking and eating. Gwyneth and Julia clearly had a great time putting this together and that joy comes through the pages in the conversational style of the recipes. A great investment that I continue to return to for inspiration.

I am not usually a fan of "celebrity" cookbooks but the is by far one of the best cookbooks out there for gluten and dairy free eating. The food philosophy from a combination of Gwyneth, her doctor, and food writer friend just makes sense. The photos are beautiful, the food is delicious, and she includes various 7 day eating plans in the back of the book if you are interested in detoxing, muscle building, going vegan, or just feeding your family. This book is quickly becoming the stained and battered favorite in my kitchen. Thanks Gwyneth for such a beautiful and well thought out cookbook!

Regardless of your like or dislike for Gwyneth Paltrow as an actress, this is a great book with so many healthy (EASY) recipes. There is a great section in the back of the book where she provides suggestions for a week of dining whether you're detoxing, going vegan, or cooking for a family. I particularly like the quick how-to on pickled jalapeños and bread and butter pickles. Many of the recipes are vegenaise-centric, so if you love this product, there are certainly some creative uses for it here.

I have been eating "clean" for two weeks.
Zero hunger pains.
Zero food-fantasies.
More energy.
Less allergy symptoms.
100% satisfied.
This cookbook "keeps it real". The recipes are not beyond
the capabilities of the average household chef.
Gwyneth graciously shares the experiences which led her to change her diet. I needed to hear it to get my act together...again.
There are well-marked recipes for three kinds of diets:
*Protein
*Vegan
*Elimination

Love.
LoVe.
LOVE IT!

Ok, this is my new favorite cookbook. Yes, Gwyneth can be a little kooky and the pictures DO kind of look like a J Crew catalog, but these recipes are so yummy. Not for everyone or for everyday (just like she says in the intro)--they're vegan, elimination-diet, detox kind of stuff, but so far I've tried half-a-dozen and they're super tasty and healthy. I'm kind of addicted.

Cooking with xytiol is just... A bad idea

I will preface this by saying, this cookbook would probably useful if you are having health problems and have to do an elimination diet or are doing a gluten free or vegan diet and you have absolutely no idea where to start with what you should cook. Flipping through this book would give you a lot of ideas and there are some good looking recipes in here.

Other people who might find this book useful: pretentious upper-class suburban parents who think "like eating healthy is THE COOLEST trend, yo and I'm going to go to shop at Whole Foods exclusively and buy millet and buck wheat and only organic bananas for me. And no yucky Frankenstein GMOs for me because GMO is a buzzword I need to avoid." (Hint: Bananas do not need to be organic because of the peel. Also Monsanto is evil, but not because GMOs are Frankenstein foods.)

Don't get me wrong. I am all about cutting sugar out and eating as few processed foods as possible.

This cookbook does NOT present a viable real world way to do it. In fact, the main problem with this book is it has ZERO CONNECTION to the real world. The lifestyle presented here is so beyond the realms of realistic, it's not even funny.

I'll tell you when this book first lost me. (I hung in there past the weird eating food is a spiritual experience foreward.) But then it talks about pantry staples.

First of all, what the hell is Vegenaise. Vegan Mayonnaise? No explanation here of what that is. I guess I'm not at all in the know about Vegan food.

The first thing on the list of Sweeteners: Raw Manuka Honey. Which is a Fragrant honey FROM NEW ZEALAND. Yes, the first thing you should go buy is is honey from the other side of the world. (It costs $25 for 500 grams. That much honey would cost you like $3 if you bought it at the store.)

That's crazy. We need to be eating honey made from local plants, if anything.

And then I don't know. A bunch of other little things bothered me. Things she should have mentioned or talked about, but didn't. Like grinding your own flour and things like that. And why you would choose sunflower oil over canola oil vs olive oil etc.

Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbooks are a guilty pleasure of mine — I love the food her brand represents: no-fuss, nourishment-forward dishes that look pretty on the plate. Julia Turshen's influence here is obvious in the down-to-earth, almost ritualistic recipes. I don't currently have need for an elimination diet, but this book is ready with fresh, wholesome ideas for those who do. Most of the ideas contained in this cookbook don't push far beyond a modest cooking comfort zone. (In case you didn't know how to make avocado toast, this book has instructions.)

Sections: Pantry, Morning Time, Salads + a Few Great Dressings, Soups, Birds + Some Meat, Fish, Vegetables, Grains, Some Drinks, The Kids' Menu, Sweet Tooth, Basic Recipes (like tomato sauce), and Weekly Menus

Pros: These recipes are approachable for those working through elimination diets as well as those just looking for healthy, delicious recipes. I always appreciate recipes with smaller servings sizes that can be scaled up if needed, and there are a handful of one- and two-serving options in this book.

Cons: Lots of editorial-style photos of Gwyn being Gwyn, like her other cookbooks, which really isn't my thing. Many recipes don't have a photo, which I'd much prefer over a photo of Gwyneth in a tattered straw hat standing (I imagine) barefoot in a field.

No, thank you: I didn't try any recipes I didn't like, but I found many recipes to be somewhat unoriginal. I had tried versions of them elsewhere.

More, please: Turkey Meatballs with Go-To Tomato Sauce (I served mine over roasted spaghetti squash.); Chickpeas + Cauliflower with Mustard + Parsley (This recipe was a repeat feature for packed lunches at our house.); Lentil Salad with Mustard + Tomatoes (Another work lunch favorite); Arugula Salad with Roasted Beets, Squash + Shallots with Apple Cider Vinaigrette (Satisfying and familiar)

Thumbed through this at the library waiting for the kids to make up their minds. Ms. Paltrow seems like good people (though not a person I'd take food or medical advice from) and the biographical elements might not tie in with my life experiences, but hell I'm not sure why I should expect any author to have stories I can relate to. Gwyneth, bet you've never been serenaded while trying to fix up a beat up VWBeetle, by a guy up a tree high on shrooms. It was a Super Beetle and the back seat tended to short out the battery, but I digress.

The first topic to catch my eye was elimination diets. I'm familiar with these as my friends with gastric problems or suspecting allergies have used them. I've never had any problems with food so I can't comment much on that. Recognized ingredients such as Veganaise from my vegetarian and vegan days. Yes, it is yummy for those who adore mayo but not the eggs. If you are not vegan, use Mayo it won't kill you, it is the same calorie count, and much less expensive. As the library doesn't have a fully stocked kitchen, can't comment on the palatability of her food creations.

The two stars has to do with the faulty information. Diets are a bit of a touchy subject, especially these days with so many fear mongers and pseudoscientific baloney pushers. Seriously, sugar is okay and so is pasta. Anyway, diets should be enjoyed. If Paltrow's is a diet that someone can sustain, and it helps them feel more energetic, cool beans. Outside the recipes and bio tidbits, everything else can be safely ignored as spiced with heavy doses of woo flavoring.

Gwyneth tends to get a bad rap for her hilariously out-of-touch lifestyle and wellness advice, but her recipes are pretty legit. I remember when this book first came out it was positioned by the media as a cleanse cookbook, and it kind of is, but really it's just a cookbook that's centered around simple, healthy, whole foods-based recipes. More importantly, they're delicious. This was coauthored by Julia Turshen, who has since become one of the buzziest cookbook authors around, so that shouldn't come as a surprise.

I have a lot of cookbooks - like, well over 100 - and I honestly can't think of another one that has contributed so many recipes to our weeknight repertoire. Favorites include Chicken Burgers, Thai Style; Salmon Burgers with Pickled Ginger and Coriander; Grilled Asparagus and Portobellos with Shallot and Soy Dressing; Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpeas with Mustard and Parsley; Brown Rice Pasta with Tuna, Olives, Fried Capers and Parsley; and Lentil Salad with Mustard and Tomatoes. I recently read it from cover to cover when I was looking for some new healthy recipes, and found several I has missed on the first pass and am looking forward to making, including several from the kids' chapter, which I had ignored before but is full of great-sounding dishes for all ages.

Highly recommended if you're looking for a whole foods cookbook.

My best friend gave me this book for my birthday and it was perfect for me for two reasons: I've adored Gwyneth Paltrow since I was a teenager (I'm 32 now), and I prioritize fresh, healthful food for myself and my family. I've already made a few of the dishes, or--if I don't make these recipes specifically--I've gained inspiration for a few meals and put my own spin on the recipes. I enjoyed the back stories that were written with various recipes, and I appreciate that the ingredients are all easily found at my local Kroger. I may be fancy, but I'm not shmancy! I don't have time to go here, there, and everywhere looking for ingredients; and I don't want to make special trips to places like Whole Foods. After a lot of the complaints I've heard about Paltrow's suggestions on GOOP, I was worried that these recipes would require a lot of exotic or expensive ingredients. However, how exotic can you really make homemade baked beans? Yup, that's what we're talking about in this cook book. Baked beans and chicken soup!

If you can get past the opinion that Gwyneth is "bourgeois" you will find some great recipes here. I have yet to make one bad meal from it, and if you know what a rep I have as a bad cook, that is saying something.

This cookbook helped me find my way to healthier eating because I finally found recipes I could make that actually taste great. Fortunately I have a Whole Foods (I know, I know "Whole Paycheck") and Vitamin Cottage nearby, so finding some of the more obscure ingredients wasn't a big issue. I also took the plunge and purchased a top notch blender and it has made all the difference for me.

Recipe ingredient lists are relatively short and simple. The directions are written in almost conversational format, including helpful tips that kept me from my usual ruinous results.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but for the first time in my life I can actually make excellent brown rice. Thank you!

My brother and sister in law gave me this book last month, and I've tried several recipes from it-- a couple salads, some veggies, avo soup, a genius frozen dessert made from banana slices. They are all tasty, and if you didn't say anything, no one at your table would realize they're chowing down on clean-eating recipes. The story of the "co-chef," Julia Turshen, is actually pretty inspirational. Drawbacks: way too many annoying pix of GP running through windswept wheat fields, CSA box in tow. Also-- the reliance on something called veganaise. I looked at it in the store-- it's full of canola oil. Instead I'm using yogurt. But these are small complaints when weighed against the overall quality of the recipes.

Beautiful guide to clean and healthy cooking! The recipes are not insanely difficult to create and Paltrow has included a simple list of staple pantry items. Each recipe is labeled as Vegan, Protein-Packed, or Elimination Diet. (the latter being the brainchild of Dr. Alejandro Junger and is a 21 day cleanse - which is not required in any way when using the cookbook - it's just great that if one did want to do the cleanse, they would already have tons of great recipes that work for it!)

It's organized well, all of the recipes look delicious, and there are tons of lovely photographs. Can't say enough good things about It's All Good!

I enjoyed her first cookbook, which was wrapped up with stories of her family and had normal recipes for things like pancakes. I had heard this cookbook was more healthful. Some of the recipes looked good and the photography was normal, but the recipes all read like something I would not make in a million years. They just seemed full of things like millet and vegennaise (a substitute for mayonnaise, I presume).

On the upside, I should add a half a star for how healthy and normal looking (read: not movie starfish) Gwyneth looked in all of her photos. Even the cover photo is great - she looks sun-kissed and like a soccer mom, not like a very polished Oscar winner.

I like the premise that this book was given to me. My husband says people hate Gwyneth Paltrow because she is seemingly perfect and excels at everything. So he thought this book would be the perfect compliment to his already perfect wife, mother and homecook. Pretty creative birthday present, I think!
UPDATE: 6/6/14 After cooking some of these recipes, I actually agree that these are fresh dishes easily prepared with minimal fuss. I great addition to my cookbook shelf indeed. I have cooked the whole fish in salt multiple times. I have the pantry stocked with rock salt for the approaching summer season just in case we come home with another fresh catch.

I was a bit skeptical of this book at first - but the more I read, the more I liked it. There's an interesting blend of information and recipes, with enjoyable personal vignettes and comments - in short, it has all the elements of my favorite cookbooks. It's useful, but also relatable - like I'm having a conversation with a good friend.

In fact, as much as I like Alicia Silverstone's "The Kind Diet," I can see myself using this one more. The vegan approach in "The Kind Diet" makes use of many ingredients that are not easily available for me, whereas "It's All Good" feels a little more pantry- and grocery store-friendly.

this book surprised me. I am not a fan of Gwyneth Paltrow and to be honest I find all the seemingly perfectness or living on $1000 per day kind of annoying. However, that being said I am big into food and have a degree in holistic nutrition as well as some food allergies. This cook is really good. I've tried a number of the recipes and really like them all. The taste is good, it's easy to avoid wheat, gluten and eggs and dairy - all things I can't eat.

So this book actually rocks. Great recipes for a healthy palate.

Jo