Flavor First: Cut Calories and Boost Flavor with 75 Delicious, All-Natural Recipes

As the nutritionist for NBC's hit show The Biggest Loser, Cheryl Forberg not only knows how to help people lose weight, she also understands why they gain it in the first place.

One reason Americans keep packing on the pounds is because our taste buds have become accustomed to the intense (and artificial) flavors of highly processed foods that overwhelm our senses. We tend to crave extreme flavors and textures—salty, fried, sweet, creamy—so when we decide to lose weight by substituting grilled chicken for a hamburger, we're not going to enjoy our food...and we're unlikely to stick to our weight loss plan.

But what if you substituted your greasy drive-thru hamburger for Spicy Beef Satays, Beer-Braised Pork Tacos, or Sesame Prawns? How about if you replaced your morning doughnut with spicy Huevos Sofrito or Toasted Oatcakes with Berry Confetti? Chances are, you'd be too satisfied to miss any of the empty calories in your old favorites.

In Flavor First, you'll discover more than 75 recipes for delicious, all-natural entrées, snacks, appetizers, drinks, and desserts that are big on flavor and low in calories.Cheryl shows you how to create easy, family-friendly meals that will add instant flavor and excitement to your daily routine. From simple cooking techniques that create layers of flavor, to recipes for blending your own spice rubs and marinades, to whipping up sauces and vinaigrettes in minutes, Flavor First shows you that you don't have to sacrifice flavor to lose weight.

CHERYL FORBERG RD is a New York Times best-selling author, James Beard Award–winning chef, nutritionist for NBC's The Biggest Loser, and partner of the Flavor First Food Company. Cheryl received her culinary education at the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and later worked at Wolfgang Puck's first restaurant venture in Northern California, Postrio. She lives in Napa, California.