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By Charity Ferreira

The more we learn about how to eat for optimal energy, vitality, and well-being, the more simple and plain the message becomes. The best way to eat healthy is to eat well, savoring all the delights the table has to offer.

Discard any notions you may have of nibbling a stalk of celery or dining on grapefruit. Eating well is not an exercise in self-denial. Eating well means enjoying a balanced variety of all the foods nature gives us, as close to their natural state as possible: fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables; honest whole grains; carefully produced organic meat and dairy; and lean and flavorful seafood, all cooked simply and seasoned generously with aromatic herbs and spices.

A chef by training, author Charity Ferreira is devoted to enjoying good food, but she also knows how to bring graceful balance to the table. In her book you'll find delightfully easy ways to prepare some of the healthiest, most naturally delicious foods nature has provided for us, from antioxidant-packed superfoods like avocado and pumpkin to protein- and fiber-rich farro wheat and cannellini beans. As you cook your way through these pages, you may be surprised to find that many of these healthy choices are foods you already love. From Chicken & Mango Salad with Chutney Vinaigrette and Pork Tenderloin with Thyme & Figs to Sesame Noodles with Peanut Sauce and Spice-Rubbed Snapper with Lime & Cilantro, the dishes on this menu prove that eating well is no penance, but simply a pleasure.