The Secret Ingredient by Sally Bee


"Delicious and easy, heart-healthy recipes that might just save your life." Sally Bee.


At 36 years old Sally Bee was in her prime; happily married with 3 young children, a non-smoker, fit and with a healthy diet she never saw coming what happened one sunny day. Whilst at a child's birthday party Sally suffered a heart attack. The doctors were unsure what it was at the time as she was so young and had no family history of heart problems so after being taken to hospital in an ambulance they eventually let her go with some indigestion tablets. A few days later she suffered another heart attack and was rushed back to hospital, it was then that doctors realised there must be something seriously wrong.


That week Sally Bee suffered 3 heart attacks and the doctors believed that she was going to die. Her husband was told to say goodbye to her and nobody believed that she would ever pull through such a rare heart condition. Sally Bee fought for her life and she survived against all odds. Once Sally Bee miraculously recovered her relationship with food changed completely. Even though Sally had always eaten healthily she started to eat very 'heart healthy' and that is what this book is all about. This cookbook is designed with recipes that are good for your heart and that are delicious too!


I first heard about this book after seeing something about it on the television. I heard that Michelle Obama absolutely loved the book and that she had bought it for all of her friends and family. I also went on to read an article about it in a magazine which claimed that it was one of the best cookbooks ever made. I went online to order a copy of this book and absolutely everywhere was sold out. I ended up pre-ordering a copy of amazon.co.uk and it got sent to me about 3 months later. The book was definitely worth the wait.


The book starts with Sally Bee telling her story of her heart problems. The story is very gripping and a little scary to read as she was in perfect health and had no signs of being ill. There is then a section on eating for health where Sally Bee talks about food groups; which ones she eats in moderation and which ones she avoids. This information is all personal to her and very useful to read.


The first recipe section of the book is then Soups & Starters. There are 2 soup recipes and 2 starter recipes which are easy to make, healthy and delicious. Also in this section Sally Bee talks about the importance of exercise and a healthy lifestyle and the 5 F's; family, food, fitness, finance, future. Sally Bee also divides different foods into the colours of the rainbow and then recommends that you try and eat as many colours a day as you can.


Other sections of the book include:

*Salads, sides & vegetarian: this section includes 18 delicious recipes which incorporate lots of yummy vegetables.

*Chicken: there are 9 delicious chicken recipes which include Thai chicken and Cajun chicken.

*Fish: there is a total of 10 wonderful fish recipes including everything from sea bass to sardines.

*Beef, lamb & pork: learn how to cook the healthiest-ever-lasagne and chilli with 10 mouth-watering recipes.

*Desserts: there are 10 healthy desserts here including banana bread and poached pears.

*Drinks: Sally Bee lists 3 homemade drinks which are simply divine.

*Index: an a-z of all foods used in the book.


The recipes are all realistic in this book, they use affordable ingredients and you don't have to be a top chef to make them. That is why I love this cookbook, it is not too difficult to make the meals and it doesn't take much time. The recipes include a large variety of foods and the best thing is that they are all good for you!


The book is colourful and bright and has some beautiful pictures in it. The recipes are neatly presented and the instructions are all clear and concise. Throughout the book there are certain pages dedicated to special tips from Sally Bee about fast food, salt, living longer etc. I found these tips really interesting and helpful to read. Next to each recipe Sally Bee writes everyday or treat which symbolises how often you should eat the recipe which is really useful.


A few of my favourite recipes to cook out of the book are:

*Tuna Kebabs: great for having friends round.
*Italian Blushing Pasta: pasta, tomatoes and shallots, heavenly!
*Chicken Curry with Sweet Onions: an infusion of taste from some wonderful ingredients.
*Red Berry Meringue Pie: a truly delicious dessert.


Overall I find this book by Sally Bee really inspirational. I think it is amazing what she has conquered and how she has adapted her eating habits to better her health and ensure that she doesn't get sick again. After hearing Sally's story you want to follow the recipes and work towards a healthier lifestyle. I do try to eat as healthily as I can and I have adapted some of Sally Bee's recipes into what I eat regularly. I think that cookbooks like this, with an inspirational story behind are so much more effective than regular cookbooks. Reading this book really did make me want to improve the way I eat and I would recommend it to anyone!

RRP £12.99 & available from good book stores and online for less.


Thank you for reading : )


Review also on Ciao under luceey.