The Food For Life Cookbook: 100+ Recipes Created with ZOE by Tim Spector

Notes about this book

  • Idril on January 28, 2025

    Edamame noodle salad with aubergine and mixed veg - tasty lunch box meal. I forked out extra money for the protein packed edamame noodles but this is definitely not cost effective so would likely need to go with wheat noodles next time. Used a very wide selection of finely cut veg which made it special and abundantly healthy. It’s light and fresh - for me this called out for more acidity so I added a half lime squeezed at the end.

  • Idril on January 28, 2025

    11 Plant Orzo - this was okay, nothing special - I needed a little extra miso and don’t skip the sauerkraut topping to give it a punch. Cod is suggested as an addition which would be nice - I used feta crumbled instead which I enjoyed as a veggie dinner. Wouldn’t make again as I’ve improvised better versions of this dinner.

  • Idril on January 27, 2025

    Peas pancakes - the flavour of these is amazing! Especially as I used dill as a dominant herb. Delightful. But for some reason they simply refused to cook for me no matter how thin I tried to make them. In the end I just ate them with a slightly mushy middle but I’m sure this can’t be right. I even added more flour. Next time I’d either add even more flour or I’d try to blend without any water added (but this isn’t how you’re supposed to use Nutribullet which is my only blender - it needs a bit of liquid). I will persevere because these were so promising in flavour.

  • Idril on January 27, 2025

    Peas and beans salad with grapefruit and avocado - unbelievably refreshing and uplifting, certainly screams healthy lunch! Not very portable for work unfortunately so this is for WFH days. To feel full I did need a small slice of homemade seeded rye on the side with a spritz of olive oil. I would recommend using either a good quality jarred black bean or cook down your canned beans a lot before using to soften them and avoid that dreaded crunchy undercooked bean taste/texture. I didn’t do this and suffered through supermarket branded undercooked canned beans! I still enjoyed the lunch though, it’s very refreshing and light.

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • 11-plant orzo

    • eeeve on January 03, 2026

      This was good, albeit slightly bland. Think I need to play around with some additions or toppings. Also, it makes a huge amount! Definitely more than four portions. Must remember to use a big pot. Would make again though.

    • juleidkim on March 20, 2026

      Super yummy. Orzo texture was really great and the broth is very tomato forward and umami ?

    • mel_w8rmgp on May 19, 2026

      Really delicious and nutritious. Will definitely make again.

  • Carrot cake with tahini orange frosting

    • Cali369 on September 02, 2025

      Good, less sweet & healthier version of carrot cake. The walnuts give a good texture. Mine sank in the middle on cooling but I just filled the dip with topping. I felt the greek yogurt topping was too heavily flavoured with the tahini so I'd add less next time.

  • Herby pea pancakes

    • Astrid5555 on September 08, 2025

      Perfect also for lunch to use up that packet of frozen peas lingering in your freezer. No need to defrost, served with a soft-boiled egg and some yogurt. Even my pea-hating son loved these.

    • angela_dnftjm on April 30, 2026

      Left out the herbs as I forgot to buy them and added chilli flakes. Really tasty and easy to do

  • Cashew cream green curry

    • juleidkim on March 20, 2026

      Extremely delicious. Lots of vegetables, healthy, and filling.

  • Cinnamon pecan granola

    • eeeve on November 05, 2025

      This is alright, not my favourite granola. I halved the amount of oil going in the mix (100ml seemed a lot), and have substituted coarse oatmeal for oat bran, as didn't have any. And with the low oven temperature of 130C the granola definitely didn't look like the picture! All that said, it doesn't taste bad at all, just won't rush to make it again.

  • Aubergine Parmigiana

    • Astrid5555 on April 13, 2025

      Absolutely delicious. Added some sunflower mince in addition to the lentils. Even my eggplant-avoiding younger son had seconds!

    • rhonda_l565hk on March 02, 2026

      I love this but would've liked a bit more time to roast the aubergines.

    • eeeve on March 03, 2026

      I agree, this is delicious! I did roast the aubergines 15 minutes longer than stated, and I used a lentil & red pepper sauce I had left over from another dish (very similar to the recipe). Definitely a repeat.

    • annie_6swuo4 on May 15, 2026

      This was ok but even with the chilli I found it a little bland. Will make again but add some more flavouring as the lentils were a really nice addition.

  • Braised beans and greens

    • annie_6swuo4 on May 08, 2026

      Had to sub some beans for other variety’s and green lentils but this was really nice. Felt like it was a great nutritious meal for vegans. Used the nutritional yeast, sprinkling of Parmesan and some seeds thrown on top. Will be on my rotation list from now on and great as a store cupboard/freezer raid.

  • Pecan chocolate cookies

    • sharifah on January 24, 2026

      Healthier version of a choc chip cookie. Quite a dry mix, a bit difficult to work with. Took slightly longer to brown in the oven; I added an extra 10 minutes. It’s quite a dry cookie, and just a hint of sweetness. It’s okay…. But I’d probably make a ‘real’ choc chip cookie next time!

  • Red pepper quinoa salad

    • RhymesWithPhone on November 02, 2025

      This is a winner - big flavors and textures. I made it as written, and added feta, mint, and some Aleppo pepper flakes.

  • Sauerkraut dressing

    • RhymesWithPhone on November 02, 2025

      Looking at the recipe, I was skeptical. Healthy dressings sometimes taste… healthy. But wow, this was really nice. I don’t know if I’d put it on a salad made with leafy greens, but it’s perfect for beans, grains, and chopped salads. Tangy and flavorful.

  • Roasted squash and toasted grains

    • eeeve on December 02, 2025

      This was delicious! The components aren't special on their own but work beautifully together - have a bit of everything in each mouthful. I didn't make the roasted grains (none in the cupboard), just used a packet of pre-cooked black lentils. I didn't use the whole amount of liquid from the can of beans, maybe just half, which seemed plenty. Will make again!

  • Tim's break-fast bowl

    • EmilyR on May 22, 2025

      This is more assembling rather than cooking, but I guess that’s to be expected as the antithesis of ultra processed foods. It's a hearty, nutritious, and filling bowl that is equally as beautiful.

  • Probiotic Bircher

    • EmilyR on May 22, 2025

      These make ahead breakfast bowls are a quick and easy way to get a jumpstart on meal prep and having something nutritious and filling to start the day. I made this as the recipe states, but appreciate that it’s something you can modify to your heart’s content.

    • Astrid5555 on June 07, 2025

      Quite ok, but not my favorite. Makes a lot thought and very filling!

  • Black bean avocado toast

    • eeeve on November 09, 2025

      This recipe inspired me to just add some canned/drained black beans to my regular guacamole, which was actually quite good. Will do again.

  • Seed mix sprinkle

    • eeeve on November 04, 2025

      This is just like the seed mix I can get in my local discounter, save the chia seeds. Think I'll just buy the pre-mixed packet next time, but having the jar on the counter reminds me to use the seeds on (almost) everything.

  • Spiced pear porridge

    • NicoleBrown on February 04, 2026

      Almost every morning I try to decide: steel cut oats, rolled oats, or oat bran? It’s never occurred to me to combine rolled oats and oat bran together! I grated my pear and cooked it in with my oats. When it was time to add the oat bran I also included a bit of ground flax, wheat germ, and pb2. Topped with some blueberries, pecan, and a bit of extra almond/oat milk. Made a lot! Will continue to experiment with ratios to find my personal one.

  • Tahini miso beans

    • eeeve on November 04, 2025

      Made this with sliced leek, tasted okay. Good recipe for a quick supper.

  • Cacio e pepe chickpeas

    • RCL on June 06, 2025

      Very bland but was incredibly quick to come together and OK with some tweaking. Added some small mozzarella balls that were marinating in basil pesto along with a few spoons of the pesto through the sauce. Also added chilli flakes.

  • Kale and cashew soup

    • juleidkim on March 20, 2026

      This was a decent soup. The cashew really mellows out the ginger so it’s not very spicy which is good.

  • Spinach wraps with roasted pepper

    • juleidkim on March 20, 2026

      Really tasty flavor combination altogether, even if it seems strange. The spinach wraps kind of fell apart though.

  • Pomegranate lentil salad

    • juleidkim on March 20, 2026

      Super good very fresh tasting. The mint makes it really nice ?

  • Roasted broccoli tahini salad

    • eeeve on November 06, 2025

      This was good! Must have a little bit of everything in each mouthful. Tasted better when the broccoli and chickpeas were hot straight out of the oven. I think it was supposed to be a warm salad, but the recipe didn't state that explicitly.

  • Diversity dhal

    • juleidkim on March 20, 2026

      Probably need to increase all the spices because it was a little bland ?

  • Palak tofu

    • juleidkim on March 20, 2026

      Really good. Would advise 2X or 3Xing the spices and toasting the star anise, clove, cardamom in oil before step four ?

  • Black bean 'meat' balls

    • elena_qgj0iz on June 01, 2026

      I used kidney beans and they disintegrated. It became a veggie bolognese rather than meatballs! It went particularly flavoursome but perfectly edible. I am not sure I would cook again without the addition of some punchy flavours

  • Sweetcorn and spinach dhal

    • Astrid5555 on December 02, 2025

      Quick home-office lunch, needs lots of spices to balance out the sweetness from the tined corn. Not bad though.

  • Minestrone

    • juleidkim on March 20, 2026

      Really good with orzo

  • Coconut spinach lentils

  • Black bean chilli

    • juleidkim on March 21, 2026

      Really good. Accidentally put the tomatoes meant for the little salad into the chili and maybe that made it better.

  • Beetroot brownies

    • eeeve on February 01, 2026

      Made these as written (apart from using half ground almonds / half ground walnuts). The taste isn't bad, but the brownies are incredibly oily. I think even reducing by half the recipe might still work.

  • Lemon pistachio loaf

    • juleidkim on March 21, 2026

      Okay. Kind of dry and bland

  • Chia lemon pots

    • EmilyR on May 22, 2025

      I am a little surprised kefir or something else wasn’t used in place of the milk. The lemons and vanilla really make this a treat, but I may use the silken tofu to protein up a different coconut chia pudding recipe that I love.

  • Courgette flatbread

    • EmilyR on May 22, 2025

      Depending on where you live or maybe the ingredients this is a scarpaccia / farinata / socca with zucchini and onions. It's rather straight forward and may need a little doctoring up (I think some extra salt would help) . It's best fresh out of the oven while still a bit warm. While you can reheat it, it's not as good as left overs so I don't advise going all in and making a double batch like I did. It's a light and Summery dish that would go great with some wine and cheese.

  • Tempeh crumble

    • eeeve on December 02, 2025

      Not for me, just don't like the taste of tempeh. Thought the addition of soy sauce and miso would help with the flavour, but didn't. DH loved it though.

    • NicoleBrown on February 04, 2026

      Quick & easy staple! Needed a quick protein source for my loaded sweet potato.

  • Miso dressing

    • NicoleBrown on January 30, 2026

      Good! Needed a quick dressing for my salad & i basically always have these ingredients on hand. Very tasty and quick to throw together.

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  • ISBN 10 1787335232
  • ISBN 13 9781787335233
  • Linked ISBNs
  • Published Oct 10 2024
  • Format Hardcover
  • Page Count 288
  • Language English
  • Countries United Kingdom
  • Publisher Jonathan Cape

Publishers Text

The Food For Life Cookbook takes the ground-breaking guidance in Tim Spector's #1 bestselling guide to the new science of eating well and, in over 100 delicious and achievable recipes created in collaboration with ZOE, the nutrition science company that he co-founded, shows just how simple and enjoyable it can be to adapt to a gut-friendly way of eating.

Shaped by Tim's own experience of transforming the way he eats, as well as common requests from readers and ZOE members, chapters include 15-minute meals, ideas for eating well when the fridge looks bare, and generous feasts and sweet treats for special moments with friends.

Packed with plant-led inspiration for delicious meals to feed you, your family and your microbiome, as well as tips for increasing plant diversity and science-based explanations for the nutritional benefits of the ingredients and recipes included, The Food For Life Cookbook is a must-have for every gut-loving home and kitchen and the perfect gift for anyone who wants to embrace a new way of eating.

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