Review: The New Sonoma Diet
Have you ever been to Sonoma, Calif.? Well, I have, and it’s amazing. Not only do I want to live there, driving around in a convertible through the beautiful lush countryside and drinking copious amounts of red wine in the afternoons (after all of the driving, of course), but I also want to eat like a Sonoman. I’ve been to no other place in the U.S. that has as fresh, simple, delicious and beautiful food as Sonoma. It’s seriously like the sun just channels deliciousness down to all of the fruits and veggies there. From fresh figs to seafood to arugula, it all just tastes like love. And, again, there’s the wine.
My husband and I went there for our honeymoon, so maybe I’m a bit biased on the love part, but it really is a place where people live a truly healthy and active lifestyle valuing fresh yet simple home-cooked food. They also slow down and really seem to savor and enjoy their lives, their food and their wine. To be honest, they seem more European than American when it comes to their diet and lifestyle, which is exactly the point of The New Sonoma Diet, an updated version of the super-popular The Sonoma Diet. Eating in Sonoma is like eating in the Mediterranean with a diet heavy in olive oil, wine and veggies—yum!
I know what you’re thinking: You always say “diet” is a four-letter word! And you’re right, but this d-word book is on to something—slowing down and enjoying life! While the diet’s three “phases” where you restrict carbs and sugars and slowly reintroduce them sound an awful lot like almost every other diet on the market these days, this book has an incredible amount of credible information (and cited research in the index, hooray!) and sane tips on flavor combinations, how to beat cravings and eat out healthfully, along with a boatload of recipes (like half the book). I particularly like its emphasis on eating healthy fats (olive oil and fishies!), fresh veggies and lean proteins.
While the entire book is a diet book, it isn’t faddish in the least. It’s based on real science, provides some fascinating information on why some foods are super healthy (while some aren’t), and it truly focuses on enjoying—and loving—every piece of food you put in your mouth. Including that vino! —Jenn