This book offers simple, delicious recipes that utilize foods that have a proven track record of enhancing health or offering protection from diseases. It can be a challenge to discern which foods really do form a healthy diet, let alone how to prepare them into delicious dishes without too much time, fuss or expense. 5 Easy Steps to Healthy Cooking offers the solution. Vastly different from a diet book, this simplified, five-step approach to healthy eating is holistic and flexible. This is healthy cooking from a very different perspective: because it is first and foremost a cookbook, not a diet book, it begins and ends with enticing, easy-to-prepare recipes that make the five principles simple and doable. The five principles are: Choose Fresh, Whole Foods Eat Mostly Vegetable and Fruit-Based Foods Opt for Healthy Fats and Proteins Select Superfoods (Nutrient-Dense Foods) Eat More Whole Grains These recipes incorporate the five principles and will help you build your own perfect diet: Quinoa-Cashew Power Balls, Spicy, Crispy Roasted Chickpeas Tuna and Asparagus Frittata, Spicy Salsa Joes Soba with Shrimp, Lime and Cilantro Braised Baby Bok Choy, Thai Curry Pumpkin Soup Sweet Potato Bisque with West Indian Spices The actions and choices we make at the market, in our kitchens and around the dining table can affect our health (for better or for worse) and are the most powerful steps we can take toward well-being. And remember no one food can make you healthy on its own — aim instead for a varied and balanced diet. The diversity of the recipes in this collection offers ways to enjoy a wide variety of nutritious foods throughout the day.