It’s not difficult to grasp the idea that if you eat healthily it’s good for you. But for those who freak at the thought of a vegetable-overload meal, you should maybe look at Nourishing Noodles, by Chris Anca. Visually, this recipe book is stunning and presents meals that look like ordinary, everyday meals, even for meat-eaters.

The difference is that all these recipes are plant based. In other words, vegetables – and that means the freshest produce. But, by spiralising the sweet potatoes, courgettes, squash, carrots, beets etc., they become transformed into looking like anything other than vegetables. The author has then devised sauces and dressings to make them into a tasty dish, as well as a highly nutritious one.

While many of the dishes are raw, there is some cooking involved. All the recipes are fairly quick to make thanks to a spiraliser, which is the real secret here. If you haven’t got one, they retail from below a tenner to well over £40 and make light work of slicing and a welcome alternative to laborious chopping.

Thick celeriac spirals look just like spaghetti, hence Apple Noodle Salad with Cabbage, Dill and Miso Mayo; large yellow, orange and purple Heirloom Carrot Noodle Salad with Mustard Avocado Dressing (easy to grow from seed) and courgettes take on the appearance of noodles; and Sweet Potato Brownies look like … well, brownies.

From breakfast to dinner, Ms Anca has included cuisine from around the globe. Spiralled cantaloupe Summer Melon Salad to start the day, Tempeh Nori Rolls with Miso Raspberry Dipping Sauce or Ginger-Lime Coconut Soup for a light lunch; and Cooked Zucchini Marinara followed by Coconut Cinnamon Carrot Cakes with Two-Ingredient Ice Cream for dinner. How much more do you need?

As well as the recipes, there is much to learn here such as how to dry tomatoes, flavour nuts, and make za’atar, kimchi, powders, stocks, sauces and even ketchup.

For the veggies, this will be a bible; for the meat-eaters an occasional dip in would make a welcome change.

{ISBN:1631061844}