The Skinnygirl Dish: Easy Recipes for Your Naturally Thin Life Paperback – December 29, 2009

The book is simple yet amazing! Bethenny begins with the basics of what tools and foods you need to create great meals, and I really appreciated this detail. I can't wait to throw out all of my barely used utensils and gadgets and start fresh. This is much more than a cookbook...it has given me a new outlook on cooking in general. I love the basic concept of balancing proteins, carbs, etc. throughout a single day. It's such a simple idea, yet it really works! I find myself cutting back on carbs at breakfast and lunch whenever I have a craving for a nice pasta dinner. It works, because it's simple and there are no points, calorie-counting, etc. I can't wait to try some of the recipes and then to begin experimenting on my own.Just a couple of suggestions...the light print on the recipe titles and ingredients lists are very difficult to read..it would have been so much better if this important information were in bold type. And, as a bird owner, I wanted to point out that there are some dangers in using non-stick cookware as recommended in the book - I wish I could use them, but if left on the stove, they can give off fumes that can be deadly to pet birds.Overall, this book is unique and amazing and I would strongly recommend it. I watch the Housewives of NYC and have grown to admire and respect Bethenny's straightforward manner, and her approach to cooking and a balanced diet is also simple and makes a lot of sense. And who wouldn't want to look like her! I only wish I had read this years ago when I was starting out...I think I would have been more confident and open to experimenting in the kitchen. I plan to buy it for all of my nieces.

I'm giving this 5 stars for two reasons, even though I haven't tried any of the food recipes yet:- Bethenny is straight forward and honest. She doesn't diet. But she finds a way to eat a little of everything but not a lot of anything. I've started trying it. It works. Instead of having two waffles loaded with syrup and whipped cream, I'll now have some of one waffle with sweet strawberries and whipped cream. It's enough and I feel good about my choice. I can even add 1 non-fat chai latte if I want. The choices are not hard, but they're not holding you to a diet either. I'm doing it and it makes a difference.- Bethenny's cocktail. I've applied her "cocktail fixer" recipe to everything. It makes such a difference! I've gone from being a wine girl to a vodka girl in no time flat. Wow!When I decide I don't mind cooking in general, I'll try her recipes. But until then, I still say buy this book for her tips and cocktail tricks.

Positives:I am an experienced cook who loves cookbooks, and my style of cooking has evolved to be much like Bethenny's. I love her approach to cooking, and even this experienced cook learned a few (very useful) things! I loved the desserts especially, and do wish there had been a few more.I think it would be a great book for anyone who is afraid of cooking. She does a fantastic job, in an entertaining way, of taking the fear out of all of it, and explaining, in everyday simple ways, some techniques and tools to give confidence to anyone who hates to cook, or is just learning. She also doesn't use a bunch of hard to find ingredients, which frankly, was very nice. It's just not that kind of book. It's very practical and sensible, and I have enough cookbooks with exotic ingredients. This is more everyday cooking, simple but good (or great.)The price is outstanding!I read it cover-to-cover in two evenings, and really loved it. The end includes a couple of complicated recipes from chef-friends of hers, and frankly, that was a good way to end this book. It showed, quite clearly, why some people are too intimidated to cook.The complicated ingredients, available in some big cities, but not in the boondocks, the many, many steps involved in each. Now, for someone like me, those recipes might sound like fun. For MANY, they illustrate the joy of simplicity Bethenny gave you in the previous 250 + pages. They really make you appreciate her previous recipes.Negatives:The paper and especially the light print of the recipes. Horrible!No photos.No calorie or nutritional information. I know it fits with her philosophy, but to me, it's a problem. Diabetics, or people who would like to combine Bethenny's ideas with their regular diet plans will be frustrated.-----Don't buy it if all you are looking for is complicated recipes.Do buy it if you like the idea of making most recipes healthier, and like the idea of "substitute this for that" suggestions which increases the number of recipes in the book.Also, a quick tip, you can make your own oat flour by processing Quaker Oats in your food processor or blender, save money and time searching for a healthier alternative to white flour that way.DO buy it for your college bound kid who only knows how to make popcorn and hamburger helper.It's a really nice book, and I am glad I bought it. I will be giving a copy to a God Daughter who is on her way to med school. She will LOVE it, and it's perfect for a busy person who wants to eat well.She loses a star for the negatives above, but it would have been a 5 star review.