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I’ve had the 100 Days of Real Food cookbook for a few months now and it is high time I reviewed it for you! I started reading Lisa’s blog 100 Days of Real Food probably two years ago when I did an October Unprocessed challenge. Her blog started out detailing her family’s challenge of going 100 days eating no processed food (no refined grains or sugars; nothing out of a package with more than five ingredients, no deep fried foods, no fast foods–see the rules). 
Her blog is an awesome resource, she’s totally approachable, and has phenomenal recipes! I knew when I heard she was releasing a cookbook that I wanted it!
What’s Inside:
Part 1: The Plan
The first section of the cookbook tells their story of leaving processed foods behind and why. Then Lisa breaks down TONS of amazing information like: how to read a nutrition label, is organic best?, shopping for whole foods, tips for shopping at farmer’s markets, planting a garden, getting your family involved, meal plans and budget help. The first section is an amazing bluepring of choosing real and healthy foods for your family and Lisa does everything in her power to help you make this change. It really is a book in itself and an amazing resource!
Part 2: The Recipes
While I haven’t tried every recipe in the book, I’ve done quite a few and can attest that they are amazing! I also love that there aren’t weird or fussy ingredients. Just simple, good food. Her whole wheat banana pancakes are a favorite and the slow cooker pork has changed our life in the best possible way. The recipes are broken down into sections like breakfasts, lunches, snacks, salads & sides, weeknight meals, special treats, and everyday staples. She lists serving sizes and notes whether recipes are good for freezer cooking, crockpot cooking, and allergen friendly. She doesn’t list the nutritional information of her recipes. There is also gorgeous photography. I love cookbooks that I want to flip through and just look at the pictures!
Pros & Cons: 
Pros:
- Amazing resources for anyone on their healthy living journey, but especially for those just beginning to make the switch from more processed foods. Lisa has tons of tools and info to help!
- Simple recipes (for the most part). I draw the line at making homemade tortillas, this mama ain’t got time for that!
- A good variety of recipes…using various protein sources, vegetarian options, gluten-free options, slow cooker, and freezer friendly!
- Beautiful photos!
- Well written and researched.
Cons:
- Eating whole food is definitely healthy, BUT not all of the recipes are great for someone trying to lose weight. You have to keep portions in mind and make choices that help you reach your particular goals.
- It would be nice to have nutritional information on the recipes. (So says the girl severely lacking nutritional info on her own recipes….#guiltyascharged)
Can I Just Read the Blog?
This is one question that always looms for me when buying a blogger’s book. So here’s the lowdown. Some of the recipes you can find on her blog already, but I felt like she did a good job in incorporating the “need” recipes while not recycling all blog content. So the book stands alone well and is a wonderful guidebook for anyone looking to eat less processed foods, whether a newbie or more experienced.
[tweetthis]100 Days of Real Food cookbook review and giveaway! A great read full of yummy food! @lisaleake #realfood[/tweetthis]
Get 100 Days of Real Food Cookbook now!
Okay, so I just decided, what the heck, I love this cookbook so much and it has been a long time since I’ve done a giveaway so let’s do a giveaway of the 100 Days of Real Food Cookbook!! Woohoo!!
Lisa Leake doesn’t know me and I wasn’t payed or comped in any way for this post. I am personally supplying the cookbook to giveaway.
Do you read 100 Days of Real Food? What is your favorite healthy cookbook?
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I have eliminated snack crackers from my home. Those cheese nips get me every time. I have added PB2 to my cupboards. It is a good alternative to normal high fat peanut butter and works to satisfy a my pb craving without t he added calories and fat.
Good call mama!
We’ve been trying to live as processed food free as possible. We have also gone gluten free for my hubby’s sake. As of January we made our goal to be healthier. And I love recipe books! I’m a Pinterest addict esp for my meal planning! Thanks for the review!!
What a great goal to work towards as a family!! It takes a little extra time and planning, but it is well worth it!
Really, I just try every new WHOLE food I can every time I go to the store I love picking up something new and fun!
One thing I always love telling people is how I gave up soda (for Lent) YEARS ago when I was 7 and never toched the stuff since, haha!
i have a good frien who loves this book!!! Been wanting to try it:)
It’s such a good cookbook/book! It’s also a nice hardcover, which I didn’t mention. 🙂
I have removed processed chips and crackers from my life for the most part and I now make my own Pita chips with a healthy flatbread
So smart! Love that switch!
Great review and it sounds like a great cookbook! One processed food I’ve taken away from my life is sweetened instant oatmeal packets and instead I added real oatmeal with real food add ins like fruit and nut butter.
That’s such a great and easy switch!
i love making my own plantain chips and no longer eat regular store bought chips
Plaintain chip-I’ve never heard of them before, I’ll have to look them up. Interesting!
We’ve also been trying to live a more unprocessed life. Would love to get my hands on a great resource like this! 🙂
This definitely has a ton of recipes that are awesome comfort food.
Thanks for sharing your review and it looks like a nice cookbook! I don’t think I have an absolute favorite cookbook, but I’m loving Thug Kitchen right now.
I’ll have to look into that one!
We try to eat as many fresh vegetables as possible and only resort to frozen ones when absolutely necessary.
Fresh veggies are the best–it is hard when things aren’t in season though, they just don’t taste as good!
Well, right now my kids are walking around eating baby sweet peppers, so I must be the best mom in the world, right? (I won’t tell you that they ate mac n cheese from a box for lunch.) I am pretty good myself about eating whole foods. It’s easy for me to be disciplined (usually), and I find the most important time to be disciplined is when I go to the grocery store and buy the food. If I don’t have all the processed stuff in my house, then I HAVE to make something better. However, my kids are pickier than I am, and I give them processed food way more than I wish. It feels like so much work sometimes to feed them foods they like that aren’t processed- just more thinking ahead to have stuff prepared. And my husband… well, he’s awful at eating processed foods 😉 There’s no talking him out of it.
Yeah! I thinking ahead is huge–and not bringing the junk in the house. I think it’s funny that I’m more protective of Layla’s food than our own…no cheese-itz for her and I try to have her drink organic milk. But I won’t do that stuff for us! It’s definitely a process. (<
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We have cut back on eating out so much and eat more fresh fruits and veggies!
Love that! There aren’t many whole food choices at most restaurants–we love qdoba, panera and subway for healthy choices!
We have stopped using “cream of” soups in our cooking. We have added a lot more veggies!
Oooh great switch!!
I’ve started drinking more fresh pressed green raw juice and ditched Coca Cola.
This cookbooks looks fabulous. I got one for christmas that is all about eating healthy/weight loss for runners which I really like. I really like the idea of eating more real food though.
I’m with you on not wanting to make the tortillas!
I was raised on freezer and microwave meals, raising a family and cooking has made my entire food like take a 180, it’s a learning process but a good one!
I definitely think about food waay more critically now that we have a baby and she’s eating actual food!
Lately, I have kicked out canned soups and have been making lots of fresh, homemade soups instead. They taste so much better.
Mmmm that sounds good! I love homemade soups too!
The one processed food that I used to not be able to live without…Chocolate pudding snack backs–sugar free with cool whip on top. I haven’t bought it in a year when I realized all of the artificial sweetners in the pudding and then cool whip…I think it’s it’s own food group..not sure it’s actually food to be honest!
Not too long ago I added beets to my recipes. I rarely eat processed food. Food Should Taste Good Tortilla chips was probably the last processed food I ate. Yum! Love tortilla chips 🙂
Tortilla chips are so good! Adding beets to your recipes sounds good, I always chop up some spinach and throw it in everything for a littl something-something healthy.
I have eliminated almost all processed snack foods (chips, candy) and I eat a l-o-t more veggies as snacks, especially things like broccoli, carrots, and celery.
I have heard so many good things about her blog and book, Scoring a new addition to my collection would be fun!
It’s a great one!
I have not read this cookbook yet! Currently, I’m in love with the Thug Kitchen cook book. Hilarious recipes, but it’s all incredibly healthy and “real” food as well (and Vegan!)
I’m going to have to check that one out! It sounds fun!