Mayumi's Kitchen: Macrobiotic Cooking for Body and Soul

The concept of following a macrobiotic diet might sound daunting, but Nishimura—who worked as Madonna's private chef for seven years (and had her former boss write a foreword for this book)—breaks it down into simple, can-do steps and recipes. She suggests kicking things off with a 10-day detox diet, which includes such macrobiotic staples as soft-cooked brown rice, miso soup with shiitake mushrooms and herbs, and udon salad. She demystifies exotic ingredients like mochi and hijiki, and saves work for followers of the detox plan by precisely explaining how to use leftovers. After the detox diet, there are straightforward meal-planning tips and dozens more recipes, including wild arugula and artichoke heart salad; creamy potato and leek soup; sea bass with green lentils; pan-fried fish cakes with tofu tartar sauce; and almond jewel cookies. And Nishimura's menus for specific goals—beautiful skin, weight loss, and muscle building—guide readers to the foods that work best for their needs. (June)