The How Not to Die Cookbook: Over 100 Recipes to Help Prevent and Reverse Disease

by Michael Greger

From Michael Greger, M.D., FACLM, the physician behind the trusted and wildly popular website Nutritionfacts.org, and author of the New York Times bestselling book How Not to Die, comes a beautifully-designed, comprehensive cookbook complete with more than 120 recipes for delicious, life-saving, plant-based meals, snacks, and beverages.

Dr. Michael Greger's bestselling book, How Not to Die, presented the scientific evidence behind the only diet that can prevent and reverse many of the causes of premature death and disability. Now, The How Not to Die Cookbook puts that science into action. From Superfood Breakfast Bites to Spaghetti Squash Puttanesca to Two-Berry Pie with Pecan-Sunflower Crust, every recipe in The How Not to Die Cookbook offers a delectable, easy-to-prepare, plant-based dish to help anyone eat their way to better health.

Rooted in the latest nutrition science, these easy-to-follow, stunningly photographed recipes will appeal to anyone looking to live a longer, healthier life. Featuring Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen--the best ingredients to add years to your life--The How Not to Die Cookbook is destined to become an essential tool in healthy kitchens everywhere.

Genres: Cookbooks, Health, Nonfiction, Cooking, Food, Vegan, Nutrition

272 pages, Paperback

First published December 5, 2017

About the author

Dr. Greger is a physician, New York Times Best-Selling author, and internationally recognized speaker on nutrition, food safety, and public health issues.

A graduate of the Cornell University School of Agriculture and the Tufts University School of Medicine, Dr. Greger is licensed as a general practitioner specializing in clinical nutrition. He is a founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. He was honored with the ACLM Lifestyle Medicine Trailblazer Award in 2017 and became a diplomat of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine.

His books How Not to Die, The How Not to Die Cookbook, How Not to Diet, and How Not to Age became instant New York Times Best Sellers. One hundred percent of all proceeds Dr. Greger receives from his books and speaking engagements have always been and will always be donated to charity.

Dr. Greger has appeared in such documentaries as What the Health and You Are What You Eat: A Twin Experiment, and served as an advisor for The Game Changers. He has testified before the U.S. Congress and was an expert witness in defense of Oprah Winfrey in the infamous “meat defamation trial.” He often speaks at engagements across the United States and abroad, and has delivered presentations at TEDx, Google, The World Bank, and the Conference on World Affairs. He has been featured on countless media outlets to deliver life-saving nutrition research to the public. See more on our Press page.

Reviews

[Nichelle Crocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great whole food, plant-based recipes. Overall the preparation is straightforward and there are many recipes that don't require a huge list of ingredients. I'm not a foodie and don't enjoy cooking much and this cookbook fits my style well.

Dr. Greger's humor and good-natured personality come through here as they do in everything else he touches. It's a fun read as well as a good resource.


UPDATE: half a year later and I still use this cookbook at least once a week. I love it.

There is a set of “simple preparations” in the beginning. If you make them ahead and have them on hand it simplifies cooking from this book significantly. The savory spice blend is my favorite. I make it in quadruple batches and put it on almost everything.

[Max · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ah, my review got deleted after my reread, troublesome! Anyway, really love this cookbook which incorporates Michael Greger's daily dozen principal. The recipes are easy and use ingredients that are available to me, which is not always the case with healthy cookbooks. I think the author has a fun writing style and his claims are backed up by science. Time to dive back into the Daily Dozen!

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My husband and I were huge fans of Dr. Greger's book so I had to pre-order his accompanying cookbook. We have made about 10 recipes from it and they have all been AWESOME! I think my favorite recipe so far has been the Curried Chickpea Wraps. We also enjoyed the Black Bean Burgers, Lentil Shephard's Pie, Sweet Potato Hash, and Moroccan Lentil Soup.

The recipes are simple and delicious and each one features a full-page photo so you know how the dish should look when you're done. I also like that Dr. Greger included recipes for kitchen staples like date paste, savory spice blend, etc. and his tip for lemon and lime juice has been a game changer! This was one of our top used cookbooks of 2017.

[Libby Beyreis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was fascinated by "How Not To Die", but I found this companion cookbook a little disappointing. Many of the recipes looked kind of dull, and there were a fair number of recipes that I think of as "faking food" - foods that are pretending to be something else that has meat in it. (e.g. vegan Sloppy Joes, vegan burgers, vegan bolognese, etc.) I tend to prefer vegan recipes that don't try to be something that they're not, but instead embrace the possibilities of the actual food that's being cooked. I guess I'll keep looking for that cookbook.

[7jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good collection of 100+ recipes, done with the help of Robin Robertson, author of many vegan cookbooks. There are photos for many of the recipes. There is a short introduction, a summary of the ‘how not to die’ diet, plus the daily dozen of the essential food ingredients for each day. Each recipe comes with an introduction, what daily-dozen ingredients are in it, and sometimes a box with facts and tips for further food inspirations. After recipes are sample menus for two weeks, some kitchen technique explanations, shopping trip tips, and a list of pantry essentials.

One of the main authors (Greger) seems to be a bit sniffy about vegan/vegetarian diets: it’s true that both can be done in unhealthy ways, but it’s still no reason to avoid calling these recipes vegan (which they pretty much are). Sugar used here is date sugar (only), added salt in avoided (but miso is fine), and the recipes are all oil-free, and in the basics recipes some substitutions are given for milk, sugar, salt, parmesan, soy sauce, ranch dressing, store-bought hot sauce, and a salt-free recipe for vegetable broth is given.

I counted all the recipes that I liked even just as a recipe, and even the picky and nut-allergic me could find enough recipes to call this book worth it; that’s what counts for me in the end. Breakfast food, snacks, dips, spread, soups, chilis, salads, burgers, wraps, veggie mains, beans, grains, sides, dessert, drinks – pretty much all had something interesting (and the photos made things even more appealing).

So although I in no way want to eliminate all salt, sugar, oil, or non-wholegrain grains out of my life, this book still holds many good recipes that I can see adding to my life. A good continuation for the ‘How Not To Die’ book, and recipes for those curious after reading it.

[Christine (Tina) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowed from library & need to purchase. Such convincing info to make necessary dietary changes.

[Bam cooks the books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I sought out this cookbook after thoroughly enjoying Dr Greger's informative and inspirational book How Not to Die: Discover the Foods Scientifically Proven to Prevent and Reverse Disease. This cookbook has gorgeous pictures with delicious-looking dishes. I was surprised however that most of the recipes rely on unusual ingredients, like miso and nutritional yeast. I was further disappointed that the recipes do not include nutritional information for each recipe, like sodium and sugar. We have been carefully watching our sodium intake and even though Dr Greger assures the benefits of soy outweigh the high level of sodium in miso, I think we'd rather avoid that and get our soy from foods like tempeh. Our nutritionist agrees.

[Maxine (Booklover Catlady) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this along with his How Not to Die book after watching the documentary What the Health? on Netflix.

I’d already been learning about how meat, dairy and processed foods really were making us sick. I have type II diabetes, osteoarthritis, chronic pain, stomach ulcers and I’m only 49!

The recipes in here are gorgeous and the full page photos made everything look so tasty. There are recipes from breakfast, dinners, snacks, sweet treats and even salad dressings. I got the paperback version and it just feels lovely to hold and turn the pages.

I like the 14 day menu plan at the back in case you don’t want to think too much at first. I’d honestly say I’d happily eat 99.% of these recipes. I now have to test them on my meat and dairy eating family!

I recommend his book explaining why a plant based diet can reverse and prevent so many diseases and health issues also.

This is a lovely book, gorgeous glossy pages and easy to follow ingredient lists and preparation plans. Love it! I’m using this to try to reverse poor health and add years to my life.

[Melany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this is truly insightful. Not only is it a Cookbook, but it doesn't break down facts about how your body works and why what is best or beneficial to you. I loved reading the information, as it seems very well researched and thought out. I've tried 6 of the recipes so far, and they all tasted delicious! Even my son enjoyed them, and he's a picky eatter! I love that it has easy recipes to do and that I already had most of the stuff. This makes me feel better about what I'm putting into my body!

I received this Cookbook to read/use/review from NetGalley. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this and trying some of the recipes.

[Hattush]

These recipes look absolutely delicious. I'm excited to try them and see how they are!

[KC · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5. Plant based vegan recipes. Nice layout and photos but to be honest some of these recipes I'd rather die than eat. Unless someone can make them for me....

[Claudia Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great follow-up to “How Not To Die”. It begins with a brief but thorough summary of everything in Greger’s initial book, then several recipes that I use as starting off points for my own concoctions. He teamed up with culinary expert Gene Stone and has lots of beautiful pictures (a necessity for me with cookbooks). It’s important to read his book with this and to download his FREE app Greger’s Daily Dozen. This will help you change your life to a plant-based, disease-free, energy-charged place you didn’t know it could go. Thank you Dr. Greger for being a real doctor interested in disease prevention and root causes rather than immediate gratification, pharmaceutical masks and pain pills.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Michael Greger has made a huge impact on my health through his recommendations about nutrition in the past, and I have been looking forward to his cookbook. It doesn't disappoint!

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've made six or seven recipes from this book and they all have been very tasty and healthy. Robin Robertson is the actual creator of the recipes presumably with Dr. Greger's parameters.

[Patty · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Dr. Greger's book about nutrition and health. But this cookbook (there's no doubt the food is very good for you) is comically complicated. Just know before you start out that all the recipes are going to require making all the special sauces and flavorings and sweeteners from the first few pages of the book. If I ever manage to get my lentil shepherds pie and my berry chocolate chia pudding completed, it will be a miracle. They better taste good! This book is destined for somebody's little free library.

Unrelated to the recipes, Dr. Greger's book titles make me cringe a little bit. I believe what he means is How to Not Die, not the other way around.

[Mark Robison · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his other books and videos, Dr. Greger puts diet/nutrition claims "to the test" — randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies — to find what foods are proven healthiest. This cookbook is based on those findings. The recipes contain no added oil, sugar, and salt. They are whole foods and plant based. If you’re good with those criteria, this is a fantastic cookbook. I’ve made more than half the recipes in it, many of them dozens of times. Frankly, this is the only cookbook I use currently. I want to eat healthy, and this does the trick better than any others because it really focuses on the best foods for you — and I just like the taste of these recipes far, far more than those in books that also don’t use salt, sugar and oils by Rip Esselstyn, Joel Fuhrman, and Cathy Fisher (although they occasionally have a winner — their recipes aren't as consistently good, to me anyway).

If you haven't been on such a diet before, there are a few staples you'll want to buy that are hard to find in a regular grocery store like date syrup and yacon syrup. But most spices and other ingredients are easy to get. I've never eaten so many dates and so much almond butter in my life! The instructions are mostly very simple.

The desserts are the key for me. I can make-up my own main dish recipes — like nachos and pasta — that fit my whole-foods diet, but I find good desserts hard to find that you love but don't become addicted to. From this cookbook, we regularly eat — meaning there's never a day without — the no-bake brownies, the no-bake oatmeal cookies, the chocolate pudding, or the chocolate ice cream included.

The lemony hummus and breakfast balls are our go-to snacks — we are seldom without one or both.

The lasagna is excellent if you jettison the eggplant and substitute mushrooms and onions (and double the marina).

Other recipes that we have made more than once and really like:

* Skillet sweet potato hash

* Curried chickpea wrap

* Three-bean chili

* Smoky black-eyed peas and collards

And we've only found one recipe that was a total bust: the shepherd's pie. It was decent fresh, but it reheated horribly.

[Jannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Firstly. I NEED to read the actual How Not To Die book because the parts I really enjoyed were at the beginning which were very informative nutritional facts and I know more of that would be in the original.
While the recipes gave me an insight into different ways I could incorporate a plant based diet into my cooking there was a lot of ingredients included which are hard to get or really expensive where Im from or on Amazon which takes it a star down for me. Another half a star down is because the word "easy" in the difficulty level is bloody relative thankyou. When you say that a simple dish which takes up to 2 hours or more to make is EASY. No thanks. And because of lack of access to some things just means it doesn't have that desired taste. Well. Just great.
I would have appreciated a cookbook which was more aware of financial considerations and time constraints as well as giving alternative substitutes.
Despite this I really did enjoy the recipes I tried and making them and I recommend mainly for the intro and the simpler recipes and just a better insight on how a plant based diet can help out gut and overall health. There are however many better cheaper and simpler plant based recipes online. The reason I read this is because it was available in the library but the first one wasnt. Im more determined to get hold of the other one in book form.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my go-to cookbook to build recipes off of. I use it more as a jumping off point and end up adding greens, grains, etc. to suit my tastes and caloric goals. After reading How Not to Die, I tried to implement the Daily Dozen on my own and found I was eating way too much food and things I didn't particularly like. Buying the cookbook was a huge help, broadening my idea of how to sneak in Daily Dozen ingredients and how to cook things well without tons of oil or salt. The recipes are approachable and use a wide variety of produce and spices (which is weirdly hard to come by on Pinterest because most people don't prioritize a WFPB diet). If you're interested in eating healthfully, no matter your diet, this book is a great tool (and Dr. Greger includes an introduction that explains his method, so you don't need to have read How Not to Die in order to understand the "why" of the diet).

[Britt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don’t get me wrong I like Doc Greger and think he does good work, but this is another not so great plant-based/vegan cookbook. I read it online through my library and the recipes involve too many ingredients and some are not always easy to come by. I prefer simpler recipes which is why Pinterest is the best option for me. I think his information on health and how diet can improve or fix many conditions (like obviously heart disease and high cholesterol) is important. However, sometimes I think plant-based doctors go too far in acting like it can cure everything.

[Sherry Monger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I will need to buy this book - a companion cookbook to the How Not to Die non-fiction tome. I read several chapters, gleaning information on proper foods to eat to maintain good health. The cookbook builds on that information and presents recipes to support the research findings. I also downloaded the Daily Dozen app so that I can track my nutritional intake. Heart disease and Alzheimer’s are ever present in my history - cancer and heart disease in my husband’s -leaning into this diet will give us the best chance to overcome the odds.

[Xanthi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m glad this book was produced so people who read the original book can use this to put the principles discussed in it, into practice.
Having said that, I think the ingredients needed to be varied more and more recipes needed. Also a gluten free symbol used on appropriate recipes would have been useful.
The photographs and layout were superb.
All up I think this book is good for people new to cooking vegan.

[Jonathan Mckay · Rating 3 out of 5]

It turns out I am far too lazy to cook healthy. We got a subscription to gobble instead.

[Lauren Pigott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful photos! Detailed and nice book overall. One recipe I tried took way too long for just a glorified rice and beans so that was a bummer.

[Shaleah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize there is a book that came first.

The recipes sound great! The science behind them seems sound. Can anyone pick this up and make one of these 'easy' recipes? Not really. I had half of the ingredients on hand but would need to buy others specifically for this cookbook. Some I know would not be carried at my local grocery store.

But once you have the ingredients, this would be a great resource for nutritious and tasty meals, including sweets, sauces, and smoothies.

This is a cookbook for people who seriously believe and want to follow Dr. Greger's Daily Dozen. I'm not giving up meat, fish, or dairy at the moment so this is a book I will occasionally pick up from the library.

[Joobsy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't tried making any dessert or drinks, but from the savoury recipes, this book is a winner. One piece of advice - the whole jig on onion (red and spring) is a little bit too crazy for me. I'd put in half as much, or even less. Otherwise, great cookbook - always my go to when I feel like having a blast in the kitchen.

[Stephanie A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! I was so happy to discover this cookbook after reading Michael Greger's How Not to Die book, which provides scientific evidence that avoiding processed foods and sugar-laden beverages and choosing to eat nutritious, plant-based foods can prevent and even reverse disease. Having removed sugar and refined flours and grains from my diet a few years back, it was nice to find a great resource containing delicious, nutritious plant-based recipes. This book has a nice variety of recipes from mains, sides and salads to soups, snacks, beverages and more! I especially loved the chef tips like blending whole, peeled lemons to make your own nutritious lemon juice, that you can freeze in small portions to have at the ready for cooking/ baking and how to make non-dairy 'nutty parm' out of blended nuts, nutritional yeast and spices. Highly recommend!

[Florence · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very helpful book to follow when first trying to follow a vegan diet. Recipes for creating your own spices and sauces are especially interesting. The menus at the back of the book can be something newbies may find helpful.

[Nirja Dave · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Greger’s books have truly changed my life as a picky, vegetarian eater that never knew how to make delicious recipes, but also make them healthy & nutritious at the same time. I struggled so much with food, & I’m so happy I was gifted this cookbook by a friend to help me finally eat better!

[Adrian Luben · Rating 5 out of 5]

great cookbook! highly recommended!

[Donna]

The book begins with a good overview of the excellent advice in Dr. Greger's "How Not to Die." I noticed that many of the recipes rely on miso, which I like, and nutritional yeast, which I don't, but otherwise seem worth trying.