A Few of My Favorite Things: 3 Cookbooks I Can't Live Without

I am among the sect of folks who enjoy reading cookbooks. Yep, cover to cover, every recipe and each ingredient.
One problem I have with many of the diet books on the market is the overuse of boxed and shelved products that are loaded with preservatives. What I like about the following three books is the authors' commitment to fresh produce when possible. Further, the recipes in these books taste like the decadent, rich, meals we all favor but feel really guilty about later. The good news is that almost all of the recipes come in at under 400 calories, so dive in and enjoy.

1. Canyon Ranch: Nourish: Indulgently Healthy Cuisine by Scott Uehlein and Canyon Ranch - Scott Uehlein lead the charge in sophisticated, delicious food that is good for you. His book is filled with delightful recipes and ingenious tips. For those who enjoy the process of cooking a meal, grab a glass of wine and an apron... you will love this book.
2. Now Eat This! Diet: Lose Up to 10 Pounds in Just 2 Weeks Eating 6 Meals a Day! by Rocco DiSpirito - Rocco is not not only a heartthrob, he's a former overindulgent eater too! In his new book, he shares the diet plan that helped him lose weight. The plan, simple: eat six times a day. The book, a godsend: the recipes are all user friendly and incorporate simple, easy to find ingredients. The reason I chose it: the dinner recipes are simply fabulous. Even my children lick the plate clean.
3. Now Eat This!: 150 of America's Favorite Comfort Foods, All Under 350 Calories by Rocco DiSpirito - The follow up to his successful Now Eat This! Diet, this book offers even more recipes for those who didn't get enough! Again, I use his books in my kitchen often, and the kiddos and the hubby never have a clue that I am dishing up diet food.